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Reviews tagging 'War'
The Girl in the Green Dress: A Mystery Featuring Zelda Fitzgerald by Mariah Fredericks
2 reviews
DNF @ 62%
Journalist Morris Markey is searching for his next scoop when his neighbor, a gambler named Joseph Elwell, is murdered by someone who has the keys to his home. Hoping to progress in his career, he joins forces with Zelda Fitzgerald to try to figure out who killed the man before they strike again.
I think I might just not be the right type of reader for this book. Since the title had Zelda's name in it and the blurb mentioned her before it mentioned Markey, I erroneously assumed it would be partially from Zelda's point of view. As it is, more than half of the way through the book there's no POV from Zelda, and she seems more like a side than a main character. I also didn't find Markey as a character terribly sympathetic or compelling. The book became more interesting when the American Protective League was introduced, but it still didn't keep my interest very well. None of the characters are sympathetic — I found myself not even knowing enough about Zelda at 62% of the way through the book to find her sympathetic enough to finish the book. As it is, it appears the book relies on including numerous famous people to make the book interesting, but it didn't grip me like I would expect a murder mystery to. It felt very repetitive as well.
Thank you to Netgalley, Mariah Fredericks and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Journalist Morris Markey is searching for his next scoop when his neighbor, a gambler named Joseph Elwell, is murdered by someone who has the keys to his home. Hoping to progress in his career, he joins forces with Zelda Fitzgerald to try to figure out who killed the man before they strike again.
I think I might just not be the right type of reader for this book. Since the title had Zelda's name in it and the blurb mentioned her before it mentioned Markey, I erroneously assumed it would be partially from Zelda's point of view. As it is, more than half of the way through the book there's no POV from Zelda, and she seems more like a side than a main character. I also didn't find Markey as a character terribly sympathetic or compelling. The book became more interesting when the American Protective League was introduced, but it still didn't keep my interest very well. None of the characters are sympathetic — I found myself not even knowing enough about Zelda at 62% of the way through the book to find her sympathetic enough to finish the book. As it is, it appears the book relies on including numerous famous people to make the book interesting, but it didn't grip me like I would expect a murder mystery to. It felt very repetitive as well.
Thank you to Netgalley, Mariah Fredericks and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Xenophobia, Murder
Moderate: Toxic relationship, War
Minor: Confinement, Deportation
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars
Recommend
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I liked, but didn't love this book.
The characters were not thoroughly developed, and they were not likable, as they were selfish and entitled. The writing was good, but overly descriptive, which slowed the book down for me. There were so many "famous and notable" real people that I had never heard of. There were just too many people to keep track of, which made it hard to follow the extremely confusing plot.
The Jazz Age is not for me - the music, writing, and excesses don't sit well with me.
For a more detailed review, check out my blog - booksbydorothea:
https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2025/07/review-girl-in-green-dress-earcebook.html
Recommend
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I liked, but didn't love this book.
The characters were not thoroughly developed, and they were not likable, as they were selfish and entitled. The writing was good, but overly descriptive, which slowed the book down for me. There were so many "famous and notable" real people that I had never heard of. There were just too many people to keep track of, which made it hard to follow the extremely confusing plot.
The Jazz Age is not for me - the music, writing, and excesses don't sit well with me.
For a more detailed review, check out my blog - booksbydorothea:
https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2025/07/review-girl-in-green-dress-earcebook.html
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Cursing, War