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adrian_ramirez's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
pestowitch's review against another edition
2.0
I did not enjoy this, but I wanted to as a) it came highly recommended, and b) I love a bit of smalltown sleuthing (Nancy Drew, I owe you my life).
This book can be summarised as: local bookstore owner with a shadowy past enlists the help of other local women to uncover the mystery of a visitor to the town who was murdered. On the way, they uncover a bigger conspiracy than they originally bargained for.
SADLY, I felt like the plot was thin, the characters were underdeveloped, and the worst offense was that the dialogue was terrible. There were entire passages that felt totally pointless, like the author needed to pad the word count. I ended up putting the audiobook on 2x speed for the last ~15% because I was so bored.
SIGH. I won't continue this series, but I can see why others enjoy it.
2 stars.
This book can be summarised as: local bookstore owner with a shadowy past enlists the help of other local women to uncover the mystery of a visitor to the town who was murdered. On the way, they uncover a bigger conspiracy than they originally bargained for.
SADLY, I felt like the plot was thin, the characters were underdeveloped, and the worst offense was that the dialogue was terrible. There were entire passages that felt totally pointless, like the author needed to pad the word count. I ended up putting the audiobook on 2x speed for the last ~15% because I was so bored.
SIGH. I won't continue this series, but I can see why others enjoy it.
2 stars.
brittthebull93's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
eltorothedeep's review against another edition
3.0
2.75/5 - Slightly aged up Nancy Drew novel
This was a good book, but not for me. It had interesting characters with strong back stories. The plot was well put together, albeit a bit simplistic, and it tied up all the loose ends well. I was just in the wrong demographic and probably not the intended target audience. I would recommend the book to a younger audience - suitable for PG13 reading.
This was a good book, but not for me. It had interesting characters with strong back stories. The plot was well put together, albeit a bit simplistic, and it tied up all the loose ends well. I was just in the wrong demographic and probably not the intended target audience. I would recommend the book to a younger audience - suitable for PG13 reading.
simonesbookshelf's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
2.5
savouris18's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
ellehartford's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book! However, I think it's important to point out that I personally would *not* call it a cozy mystery.
A lot of cozy elements are there: small town, cute business, great friends. Because I knew nothing else about this book when I picked it up, I was a little taken aback by the darkness in the story. Don't get me wrong, darkness has its place -- I did give the book 5 stars, after all! -- but if you are looking for a cozy escape, this isn't the book for you. The narrator's outlook on the world is extremely mistrustful (with reason) and [slight spoiler ahead] the investigation includes sexual assault and some unsettlingly violent moments. In the end, it came together for me, but I still don't think it's entirely fair to ambush a reader with those elements if what they need is a lighter tale.
A lot of cozy elements are there: small town, cute business, great friends. Because I knew nothing else about this book when I picked it up, I was a little taken aback by the darkness in the story. Don't get me wrong, darkness has its place -- I did give the book 5 stars, after all! -- but if you are looking for a cozy escape, this isn't the book for you. The narrator's outlook on the world is extremely mistrustful (with reason) and [slight spoiler ahead] the investigation includes sexual assault and some unsettlingly violent moments. In the end, it came together for me, but I still don't think it's entirely fair to ambush a reader with those elements if what they need is a lighter tale.