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mainstaybooks's review against another edition
5.0
Good pacing, believable characters, knowledgeably-grounded in small-town Texas
leaphornlover's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked the protagonist, and it is a coming-of-age story even though she is a recent college graduate. She is back home in a small town, sucked into the family PI business as well as back into some uncomfortable old high school memories. In addition to the murder mystery she is working on, she is debating “to stay or to go.” Probably should have given it 4 stars for how well it is written, but it just was not quite the page-turner I would have preferred.
bookishblondegirl's review against another edition
3.0
I might try continuing with the series if Annie hones her skills as a P.I. It’s not exactly believable that she solved a murder, as she was not particularly subtle or methodical in her investigation. However, she is supposed to be a rookie, so I’m hoping that she’ll improve in the next book.
pmcollins1014's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Kind of a slog
claudiacantread's review against another edition
3.0
This was very much like a ‘pass the time’ comfort read to me. It was a fine mystery with at least fairly likable characters.
Our main character, a young 20-something fresh out of college, isn’t sure what to do with her life just yet, and finds herself involved in the family business of solving crimes. When a coworker of hers is found murdered, Annie finds herself pushed to solve it and finding a reason to stay in her small town that she thought she escaped from with a college education.
The setting of deep Texas was utilized well to create a kind of culture around it. I think there were a little too many side characters and time jumping around that made the story a bit confusing and muddled occasionally. I guessed the culprit (go me!) but that didn’t make it less interesting in this case since it was a fairly good turn.
I did like its voice and perspective around feminism in the south and problems with rape culture in a lot of the communities around it. Patriarchy was the real villain here and I can get behind that.
Overall, it was an easy listen and a decent way to spend a few hours. It felt like cable tv.
Thanks to Netgalley and RB media for a copy of this audiobook. Narrated by Sandy Rustin who did a good job but boy was it accented, often heavily.
Our main character, a young 20-something fresh out of college, isn’t sure what to do with her life just yet, and finds herself involved in the family business of solving crimes. When a coworker of hers is found murdered, Annie finds herself pushed to solve it and finding a reason to stay in her small town that she thought she escaped from with a college education.
The setting of deep Texas was utilized well to create a kind of culture around it. I think there were a little too many side characters and time jumping around that made the story a bit confusing and muddled occasionally. I guessed the culprit (go me!) but that didn’t make it less interesting in this case since it was a fairly good turn.
I did like its voice and perspective around feminism in the south and problems with rape culture in a lot of the communities around it. Patriarchy was the real villain here and I can get behind that.
Overall, it was an easy listen and a decent way to spend a few hours. It felt like cable tv.
Thanks to Netgalley and RB media for a copy of this audiobook. Narrated by Sandy Rustin who did a good job but boy was it accented, often heavily.
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This is getting the thinnest of four-star ratings. I'm giving it all the first-time author grace I can.
I loved Samantha Jayne Allen's sense of place. Her Texas is a real one that feels lived in. She's very good at talking about the struggles of the locals without pandering (unlike, say, Stephen Markley's Ohio which basically screamed "(Bad thing X happened because the locals were ravaged by the opioid crisis!"on every page). If this series runs long, I could see her building up on it more and more the way Ace Atkins built up Tibbehah County in his Quinn Colson series, a kind of well-told southern crime tale where the location gets gradually built up more and more over time.
But the writing here leaves a lot to be desired. Allen's prose is bumpy and her transitions tough. I actually put this down half way through not because it was a tough read but because I struggled to connect with how she was telling the story. I'd be trying to focus on a page and find myself glazing over it, only to snap out moments later.
Fortunately, putting it down had a positive effect because I roared through the finish. Allen's a talented writer and has room to grow. I thought about Steph Cha's Juniper Sero series; how the first in that one was rocky but how Cha morphed into such a great writer by the end and then went on to write the excellent Your House Will Pay. Allen has potential and I'm excited to see what directions she will take with this series.
I loved Samantha Jayne Allen's sense of place. Her Texas is a real one that feels lived in. She's very good at talking about the struggles of the locals without pandering (unlike, say, Stephen Markley's Ohio which basically screamed "(Bad thing X happened because the locals were ravaged by the opioid crisis!"on every page). If this series runs long, I could see her building up on it more and more the way Ace Atkins built up Tibbehah County in his Quinn Colson series, a kind of well-told southern crime tale where the location gets gradually built up more and more over time.
But the writing here leaves a lot to be desired. Allen's prose is bumpy and her transitions tough. I actually put this down half way through not because it was a tough read but because I struggled to connect with how she was telling the story. I'd be trying to focus on a page and find myself glazing over it, only to snap out moments later.
Fortunately, putting it down had a positive effect because I roared through the finish. Allen's a talented writer and has room to grow. I thought about Steph Cha's Juniper Sero series; how the first in that one was rocky but how Cha morphed into such a great writer by the end and then went on to write the excellent Your House Will Pay. Allen has potential and I'm excited to see what directions she will take with this series.
abaranes's review against another edition
2.0
It was very slow, and it was fairly easy to guess whodunnit pretty early into the book. I'm not sure this book knows what it wanted to be. Is it a mystery novel? Is it a story of personal growth/coming to terms with failure and moving forward? There's a way to do both simultaneously, but this book doesn't really do that - it jumps between the two stories, rather than blend them together leaving me pretty unsatisfied with both.
hollys_book_nook's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ⭐️ rounded down
Annie McIntyre has recently graduated college and moved back home to the small town of Garnett, Texas. Biding her time until she finds a job, Annie waits tables at the local café. When a waitress at the café is reported missing, Annie is lured into the family business-a private investigation firm run by her “retired” grandfather, Leroy. An investigation begins that will take them through noxious oil fields and under the neon lights of honky-tonks to uncover the truth.
This book was good, but unfortunately not great. I enjoyed the small town setting and the Texas culture, which reminded me a lot of Friday Night Lights! The first 25% was slow due to a lot of character building but did pick up at the halfway point. I will say I wasn’t able to guess the ending and the writing was good! What ultimately pushed me to 3.5 stars was the fact that it kept me interested, but I never felt like it gripped me. Thank you to the author and publisher for my gifted copy!
Annie McIntyre has recently graduated college and moved back home to the small town of Garnett, Texas. Biding her time until she finds a job, Annie waits tables at the local café. When a waitress at the café is reported missing, Annie is lured into the family business-a private investigation firm run by her “retired” grandfather, Leroy. An investigation begins that will take them through noxious oil fields and under the neon lights of honky-tonks to uncover the truth.
This book was good, but unfortunately not great. I enjoyed the small town setting and the Texas culture, which reminded me a lot of Friday Night Lights! The first 25% was slow due to a lot of character building but did pick up at the halfway point. I will say I wasn’t able to guess the ending and the writing was good! What ultimately pushed me to 3.5 stars was the fact that it kept me interested, but I never felt like it gripped me. Thank you to the author and publisher for my gifted copy!
emilyisoverbooked's review against another edition
2.0
While I really wanted to love this one, I unfortunately wasn't completely taken in by the story. In general, I think slow burn mysteries aren't for me. However, if they ARE your jam, you'll enjoy this book if you like character-driven novels, missing persons storylines and small town stories. The narration by Sandy Rustin was excellent and added to the atmosphere of the story.
Thanks to Minotaur for the ARC and RB Media - Recorded books for the ALC.
Thanks to Minotaur for the ARC and RB Media - Recorded books for the ALC.
marbooks88's review against another edition
4.0
Annie is working the diner in her hometown after graduating from college. This is not how she expected her life to go. When another waitress goes missing Annie finds herself getting drawn into her grandfather’s private investigation firm. Can Annie uncover the truth before it is too late?
Thanks to Minotaur Books for providing an arc for my honest review.
Thanks to Minotaur Books for providing an arc for my honest review.