Reviews

A Curious Woman: Murder Under the Gum Trees by Jess Lea

geo81's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

eggsandwich's review against another edition

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5.0

I LOVED this book, could not put it down. The characters were so clear and the mystery was also captivating, which does not happen supper often. Loved it will be re-reading.

leah_haskett's review

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adventurous funny mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

bookish_smorgasbord's review against another edition

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4.0

I read the words "cozy mystery set in Australia" and was immediately sold on Jess Lea's quirky, fun coastal town. Bess Campbell, procurer and exhibit extraordinaire for the Cabinet of Curiosities, finds herself amidst murder and an unlikely romance with the local history museum's frosty curator, Margaret Campbell. Port Bannir is full of interesting characters that help move the action along, even while exploring some of the side characters' relationships. Everyone's personal demons provide ample room for red herrings. The culprit may seem obvious, but are you sure it's really so glaringly apparent?

teamaven's review against another edition

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funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

jamiezaccaria's review against another edition

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4.0

A fun mystery with queer women leads and I didn't even predict the ending!

theinkdrinker's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.5

ghostlycreature's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

mariangb1964's review against another edition

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5.0

What a mystery. A mysterie with a lot of twist, but refressing. A very good read.

caresays's review against another edition

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4.0

An extremely enjoyable queer cozy mystery! I actually really liked this one. The writing and characterization were good, and the mystery, while not as tightly-plotted as some, was interesting. It had a slow beginning, but I liked the characters, particularly Margaret. The romance between her and Bess was believable and sweet. But most importantly for me, this book had all the hallmarks of a cozy mystery: a small town, quirky people, and lots of red herrings. I'm looking forward to a sequel featuring Bess and Margaret, if Jess Lea chooses to write one.