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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
1.0
Practical Sins for a Cold Climate by Shelley Costa is the first book in the Val Cameron Mystery series. Val Cameron has been sent to Lake Wendaban, Ontario Canada to get the reclusive Charles Cable to agree to let Schlesinger Publishing publish his latest book. Val does not like remote wilderness, but she is not given a choice (she had a little bit of trouble with her last client). Her boss, Peter Hathaway (a very odd duck with a shaved head and pajama like clothing) insists that she go (her job is on the line). It sounds like an easy job, but if it sounds that easy it will not be! Val tries to get Charles at a town meeting and ends up in the middle of a brawl. Val gets knocked out and her contract destroyed. There is unrest in the town (over development).
Wade Decker’s wife, Leslie was murdered two years previously. The case has yet to be solved. There is a hint that Charles might have killed her. Val wants to make sure to do her “due diligence” with this client (unlike her last one) before she gets him to sign the contract. Will Val be able to find the killer, clear Charles’ name, and get her contract signed? You will have to read Practical Sins for a Cold Climate to find out (such a long title).
Practical Sins for a Cold Climate is very confusing at beginning (it takes a while to start figuring things out) and the writing does not help. Stilted (and awkward) is the word that comes to mind regarding this author’s writing style. The book does not flow well. The book jumps around (one minute with Val, then another character, then it jumps again). It is like Practical Sins for a Cold Climate tried to be a combination suspense novel and cozy mystery, but it did not succeed. Practical Sins for a Cold Climate was just not an enjoyable book to read. The main character was just not someone I liked (Val), and we had too much internal dialogue (Val seems to be thinking about her lovely apartment in New York, Peter and their odd love life (yes, she was sleeping with the boss), her work, the secretary who does not like to work and the boss pays for her yoga, Peter’s odd lover (Peter is sleeping with Val and this woman) with her bald head and an oddly placed braid). Too much was shoved into one book. I give Practical Sins for a Cold Climate 1 out of 5 stars. I’m sorry, but I just did not like Practical Sins for a Cold Climate.
I received a complimentary copy of Practical Sins for a Cold Climate from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my blog for additional details and other reviews: http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2016/02/practical-sins-for-cold-climate.html
Wade Decker’s wife, Leslie was murdered two years previously. The case has yet to be solved. There is a hint that Charles might have killed her. Val wants to make sure to do her “due diligence” with this client (unlike her last one) before she gets him to sign the contract. Will Val be able to find the killer, clear Charles’ name, and get her contract signed? You will have to read Practical Sins for a Cold Climate to find out (such a long title).
Practical Sins for a Cold Climate is very confusing at beginning (it takes a while to start figuring things out) and the writing does not help. Stilted (and awkward) is the word that comes to mind regarding this author’s writing style. The book does not flow well. The book jumps around (one minute with Val, then another character, then it jumps again). It is like Practical Sins for a Cold Climate tried to be a combination suspense novel and cozy mystery, but it did not succeed. Practical Sins for a Cold Climate was just not an enjoyable book to read. The main character was just not someone I liked (Val), and we had too much internal dialogue (Val seems to be thinking about her lovely apartment in New York, Peter and their odd love life (yes, she was sleeping with the boss), her work, the secretary who does not like to work and the boss pays for her yoga, Peter’s odd lover (Peter is sleeping with Val and this woman) with her bald head and an oddly placed braid). Too much was shoved into one book. I give Practical Sins for a Cold Climate 1 out of 5 stars. I’m sorry, but I just did not like Practical Sins for a Cold Climate.
I received a complimentary copy of Practical Sins for a Cold Climate from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my blog for additional details and other reviews: http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2016/02/practical-sins-for-cold-climate.html
phoebe_c's review against another edition
4.0
A nice little mystery :) while I thought the story took a little too long to get going, once it did it was great. I loved the quirky small-town vibe, vibrant cast of characters and thought the prose really captured the evocative Northwoods atmosphere.
constantreader471's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley.com and the publisher for sending me this free ebook. I enjoyed reading it and give it four out of five stars. Val Cameron is a New York city book editor who is sent to northern Ontario to get a signed contract from a reclusive author. She realizes that there is a possibility that he may be involved in a suspicious death two years before. She could lose her job if she doesn't do due diligence. She does solve the case.
This book is the first in a new promising series. I liked the ending.
This book is the first in a new promising series. I liked the ending.
critterbee's review against another edition
4.0
'Practical Sins for Cold Climates' is not the typical Henery Press adorable cozy mystery, yet I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The story is very well written, uncomfortable, haunting at times, and, eventually, honest.
Valjean Cameron, the leading lady of the book, is a senior editor at a New York City based publishing company. Due to her ‘complicated’ relationship with her boss, she is sent to a small settlement on a remote lake in Canada to sign a best-selling author. Being a city girl through and through, she is immediately terrorized by what is considered everyday life to the residents. She encounters misery after hardship after misery, and her reactions are hilarious.
I felt like Val was fighting with her own vision of herself. She starts off timid, and she stubbornly wants to appear self-reliant. As the book progressed, she realizes that accepting herself and doing what she really feels is right, though difficult, is important and worth doing. This book reads as longer than typical cozies because it needs to, for honest character evolution. The mystery has a very satisfying conclusion.
I am a big fan of the Henery Press cozies, and I am happy to see that they are broadening their scope, while maintaining a high level of quality. This is the first book I have read by Shelley Costa, and I am very impressed. Also, I am especially interested in any further books featuring Valjean.
**eARC netgalley**
Valjean Cameron, the leading lady of the book, is a senior editor at a New York City based publishing company. Due to her ‘complicated’ relationship with her boss, she is sent to a small settlement on a remote lake in Canada to sign a best-selling author. Being a city girl through and through, she is immediately terrorized by what is considered everyday life to the residents. She encounters misery after hardship after misery, and her reactions are hilarious.
I felt like Val was fighting with her own vision of herself. She starts off timid, and she stubbornly wants to appear self-reliant. As the book progressed, she realizes that accepting herself and doing what she really feels is right, though difficult, is important and worth doing. This book reads as longer than typical cozies because it needs to, for honest character evolution. The mystery has a very satisfying conclusion.
I am a big fan of the Henery Press cozies, and I am happy to see that they are broadening their scope, while maintaining a high level of quality. This is the first book I have read by Shelley Costa, and I am very impressed. Also, I am especially interested in any further books featuring Valjean.
**eARC netgalley**
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