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clairey_fairy82's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
book_concierge's review
3.0
Audible audio performed by Helen Lloyd
In book two of the series, Lady O’s three grandchildren, Lord James (Jamie) Skelton and his younger siblings George and Lady Charlotte (Lottie), return to her manor in the village of Little Mosley for another holiday, and once again help her to solve a gentle mystery and do some matchmaking as well. This time they are also joined by their cousin, Lady O’s fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Melissa North, who is (per a letter from her mother, Lady O’s daughter Henrietta) going through a “difficult period.”
This is a lovely series with no violent crime, but a definitely puzzling scenario that requires immediate attention less the village Christmas festivities be marred (or, heaven forbid, cancelled). The basic story involves the church’s missing book of carols, without which the new organist won’t be able to play for the annual carol service, as he is dependent on the sheet music. Lady O and her grandchildren set out to explore every nook and cranny of the village to find the book before Christmas. Of course, there is more to the mystery than a missing book of carols, for example, the actual identity of the new organist.
I’m glad that Laurens includes a list of all the many characters, identified and categorized by their families and residences in the village, because there are a LOT of them to try to keep straight.
Helen Lloyd does a fine job of performing the audio. She sets a good pace, and I was completely entertained throughout.
In book two of the series, Lady O’s three grandchildren, Lord James (Jamie) Skelton and his younger siblings George and Lady Charlotte (Lottie), return to her manor in the village of Little Mosley for another holiday, and once again help her to solve a gentle mystery and do some matchmaking as well. This time they are also joined by their cousin, Lady O’s fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Melissa North, who is (per a letter from her mother, Lady O’s daughter Henrietta) going through a “difficult period.”
This is a lovely series with no violent crime, but a definitely puzzling scenario that requires immediate attention less the village Christmas festivities be marred (or, heaven forbid, cancelled). The basic story involves the church’s missing book of carols, without which the new organist won’t be able to play for the annual carol service, as he is dependent on the sheet music. Lady O and her grandchildren set out to explore every nook and cranny of the village to find the book before Christmas. Of course, there is more to the mystery than a missing book of carols, for example, the actual identity of the new organist.
I’m glad that Laurens includes a list of all the many characters, identified and categorized by their families and residences in the village, because there are a LOT of them to try to keep straight.
Helen Lloyd does a fine job of performing the audio. She sets a good pace, and I was completely entertained throughout.
luciearan's review against another edition
3.0
Příjemná Vánoční oddechovka s lehounce detektivní zápletkou, odehrávající se, tak jako předchozí díl, v srdci malé anglické vesničky. Děj je tentokrát prolnutý množstvím hudebních připomínek a samozřejmě nechybí ani nově se rodící láska a vnoučata lady Osbaldestoneové. I když je dle mého tento díl o něco slabší než předchozí, čte se i tak velice dobře a zvládne bez problémů zpříjemnit jeden zimní večer.
gamz's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
athenaevarinya's review
5.0
I really do hope that Lady Osbaldstone's grandchildren get their own books. As children they're quite entertaining, but I would love to read about them finding their own true love. Like their grandmother, they're little matchmakers, so it'd be entertaining to see them on the other side of the equation.
bkread2's review
5.0
Christmas charm
It started off slowly, but it moves I to a fun and happy story within the village. Showing what charm most people think of the quintessential English country village, the appearance of close community ties and everyone knowing everything about each other, but also with joy.
It started off slowly, but it moves I to a fun and happy story within the village. Showing what charm most people think of the quintessential English country village, the appearance of close community ties and everyone knowing everything about each other, but also with joy.
brittanybwrites's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
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? No
5.0
daniellesalwaysreading's review
2.0
There wasn't enough Christmas description (the story could have been set at any time and there would have been few changes to make) to get me in the spirit and the most interesting part of the mystery was resolved in just a few pages. There was way too much searching every house in the village to find the carols without too much of much else. Rather than having a romantic small village at Christmas feel like the first book in the series, the feeling I got from this entry was a grating sense of the entitled elite having no problems and being waited on by the lower classes who had to drop everything for no good reason.
I did have a long break between starting and finishing the book (had to return it and wait to get it again), which usually makes weak books much worse. I will still read the next book in the series; hopefully this was just a fluke and Laurens will return with the Christmas spirit for with the next installment.
I did have a long break between starting and finishing the book (had to return it and wait to get it again), which usually makes weak books much worse. I will still read the next book in the series; hopefully this was just a fluke and Laurens will return with the Christmas spirit for with the next installment.