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dorothy's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
nannamoo's review against another edition
5.0
Great addition to the detective fiction genre. Loved this book. Great characters and story
romanticelegies's review against another edition
4.0
thoroughly enjoyed this and would absolutely recommend!! the sapphic rep is great too, but not a massive focus point, which is something a really enjoy in a book
eleanorlouise94's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
sara_o's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Rolicking good fun. I loved Will and Lillian and the mystery was fun (though I clocked the murderer early on). It was a great cast of characters and the period setting was great.
My biggest gripe was the deliberate withholding of information by the narrator. Good faith mysteries taking you right along with the investigator every step of the way, so I found myself slightly annoyed when Lillian showed Will the slip of paper that was in the watch -- she learned a name and we learned.... nothing. And in the reveal, it was "a person" in the chair, will could see her, but we couldn't.
In spite of that, I'll definitely check out the next one in the series. Will and Lillian are a fun duo to hang out with for a while :)
My biggest gripe was the deliberate withholding of information by the narrator. Good faith mysteries taking you right along with the investigator every step of the way, so I found myself slightly annoyed when Lillian showed Will the slip of paper that was in the watch -- she learned a name and we learned.... nothing. And in the reveal, it was "a person" in the chair, will could see her, but we couldn't.
In spite of that, I'll definitely check out the next one in the series. Will and Lillian are a fun duo to hang out with for a while :)
julietsays999's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
revelinthepages's review
3.0
While I appreciated parts of the story, the end fell apart for me. Overall I did not appreciate the dialogue in the book as much as I hoped I would; the language felt a little hokey like it was trying to hard to be a murder mystery of the times, reminded me of old cartoons and tv shows. Was interesting enough by not my favorite.
melissariggs's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting first book in a newish series. Can't wait to see what book #2 will bring.
"It's 1942 and Willowjean "Will" Parker is a scrappy circus runaway whose knife-throwing skills have just saved the life of New York's best, and most unorthodox, private investigator, Lillian Pentecost. When the dapper detective summons Will a few days later, she doesn't expect to be offered a life-changing proposition: Lillian's multiple sclerosis means she can't keep up with her old case load alone, so she wants to hire Will to be her right-hand woman. In return, Will will receive a salary, room and board, and training in Lillian's very particular art of investigation.Three years later, Will and Lillian are on the Collins case: Abigail Collins was found bludgeoned to death with a crystal ball following a big, boozy Halloween party at her home--her body slumped in the same chair where her steel magnate husband shot himself the year before. With rumors flying that Abigail was bumped off by the vengeful spirit of her husband (who else could have gotten inside the locked room?), the family has tasked the detectives with finding answers where the police have failed. But that's easier said than done in a case that involves messages from the dead, a seductive spiritualist, and Becca Collins--the beautiful daughter of the deceased, who Will quickly starts falling for. When Will and Becca's relationship dances beyond the professional, Will finds herself in dangerous territory, and discovers she may have become the murderer's next target."
"It's 1942 and Willowjean "Will" Parker is a scrappy circus runaway whose knife-throwing skills have just saved the life of New York's best, and most unorthodox, private investigator, Lillian Pentecost. When the dapper detective summons Will a few days later, she doesn't expect to be offered a life-changing proposition: Lillian's multiple sclerosis means she can't keep up with her old case load alone, so she wants to hire Will to be her right-hand woman. In return, Will will receive a salary, room and board, and training in Lillian's very particular art of investigation.Three years later, Will and Lillian are on the Collins case: Abigail Collins was found bludgeoned to death with a crystal ball following a big, boozy Halloween party at her home--her body slumped in the same chair where her steel magnate husband shot himself the year before. With rumors flying that Abigail was bumped off by the vengeful spirit of her husband (who else could have gotten inside the locked room?), the family has tasked the detectives with finding answers where the police have failed. But that's easier said than done in a case that involves messages from the dead, a seductive spiritualist, and Becca Collins--the beautiful daughter of the deceased, who Will quickly starts falling for. When Will and Becca's relationship dances beyond the professional, Will finds herself in dangerous territory, and discovers she may have become the murderer's next target."
arielzeit's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this book more than I did. It's about a pair of detectives; one has multiple sclerosis, the other is a tough butch lesbian with a circus past, and takes place in the 1940s. I've read a number of pre-Stonewall stories about gay women recently and the atmosphere is powerful: there is so much emotion in the suppression. But this was an overly complicated mystery about a fake spiritualist and a tycoon's family and there were too many parts where it dragged. A disappointment as I was hoping to use it for my mystery book club.