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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This cute, cozy mystery kept me guessing right up to the last quarter of the book. There were several things coming together and none of it felt forced, overly complicated, or overly simplistic.
Loved the neurodivergent representation! Jo’s character was really endearing.
Truly enjoyed this read!
Loved the neurodivergent representation! Jo’s character was really endearing.
Truly enjoyed this read!
A good page-turner of a mystery. As with most there are many twists and turns in the end and surprise reveals. Plus some mysteries like the painting that goes missing and Jo's ancester Evelyn and the cliff hanger at the end telling us that, yes, there will be a sequel. It was a fun and quick read.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Jo Jones' life was already in shambles after an awful divorce that left her homeless and jobless when her mother's death leaves her with no connections to anything in the US and a crumbling family estate in North Yorkshire. So she packs up and moves to England to retake her ancestral home and start over. But the house is in worse shape than she could have imagined and the caretaker is none too happy about her wanting to stay in the property's rental cottage. A public fight between Jo and the caretaker about a missing painting and her decision to fire him ends up putting her in a difficult position when he's discovered murdered in the cottage. But the new girl in town has people on her side as she works to find out the truth about the murder and the family that left the manor to fall apart.
It's a very straightforward plot that doesn't offer many surprises or twists, but it's an interesting read thanks to Schillace's writing. You get instantly attached to Jo and her situation, with the mystery of the house and the woman from the missing painting being almost a bigger draw than solving the murder. That's not to say that the police work isn't interesting as there are lots of great tidbits to enjoy there, but I found Jo's investigation more engaging simply because it's different from the norm.
Overall, it's nothing groundbreaking or out there but it's a story that pulls you in with the characters and keeps the interest going with great writing.
Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the intriguing read!
It's a very straightforward plot that doesn't offer many surprises or twists, but it's an interesting read thanks to Schillace's writing. You get instantly attached to Jo and her situation, with the mystery of the house and the woman from the missing painting being almost a bigger draw than solving the murder. That's not to say that the police work isn't interesting as there are lots of great tidbits to enjoy there, but I found Jo's investigation more engaging simply because it's different from the norm.
Overall, it's nothing groundbreaking or out there but it's a story that pulls you in with the characters and keeps the interest going with great writing.
Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the intriguing read!
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
It was good but pretty slow. Not the most captivating mystery I’ve read
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
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:
Yes
Main character is well written and likeable. Ending set the scene for a sequel, which was a bit predictable.
Plot was fine, it was an enjoyable read but not a groundbreaking mystery. The book description makes the plot sound a bit more exciting than it actually was. The protagonist was relegated to a side storyline and didn't have that much to do with the main plot of murder investigation. The title (and description) would suggest that the protagonist was framed for the murder, but it wasn't as clever as that.
Overall, enjoyable read. Would probably read the sequel if it popped up on my radar.
Plot was fine, it was an enjoyable read but not a groundbreaking mystery. The book description makes the plot sound a bit more exciting than it actually was. The protagonist was relegated to a side storyline and didn't have that much to do with the main plot of murder investigation. The title (and description) would suggest that the protagonist was framed for the murder, but it wasn't as clever as that.
Overall, enjoyable read. Would probably read the sequel if it popped up on my radar.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated