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mtnest's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
3.25
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
A Dream of Death has an interesting premise and setting. Kate travels from Ohio to the Isle of Glenroth. If she had not promised her deceased husband, Bill that she would take care of Elenor if anything ever happened to him (I bet she is regretting it now) she would never set foot on remote island again since it is where her husband died in a sailing accident. Kate owns an antique shop in Jackson Falls, Ohio that her mother is currently watching while she is away. DI Tom Mallory is the only other guest at Elenor’s Glenroth House Hotel and Kate finds herself attracted to him. Elenor’s murder gives the pair the opportunity to spend more time together since Kate is determined to investigate despite being told several times to leave the case to the professionals. I admit to having a hard time liking our main character, but I am hopeful for improvement. Her behavior was off-putting at times as she jumped to conclusions and make sudden decisions based on little evidence or facts. Kate’s behavior reminds me of a younger woman instead of someone in their 40s (now, I am assuming she is in her 40s since she has two children in college. We are never really told her age). There are some lovely secondary characters that I liked, and I felt bad for Bo (such a sweet man). The Isle of Glenroth is a unique and beautiful setting. I loved the descriptions of this Scottish island. I found this sentence compelling “Isle of Glenroth rose before me like Brigadoon materializing in the Highland mist”. The mystery was clever and thought out with misdirection that will send readers down the rabbit hole. There is a lack of clues to help readers in solving the crime. I like how the two hundred year old unsolved murders were worked into the story. It added depth to A Dream of Death. I appreciated that all threads of the whodunit were wrapped up at the end of the book. The paranormal element was miniscule. I wanted more of it and I did not like how Kate wrote it off (disappointing). The “romance” between Kate and Tom was lacking. It needed more development or build up earlier in the book so what happened at the end would make more sense. The author was overly descriptive of food, clothing and mundane details (like washing hair, drying it with towel, combing it behind ears, putting on lotion, etc.). My favorite phrase from A Dream of Death is “don’t let your yesterdays define you”. A Dream of Death is a good beginning to A Kate Hamilton Mystery series. A Dream of Death has an intriguing mystery, quaint Scottish isle, disappearing antiques, a dashing inspector and a determined antiques dealer.
nick_stern's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
3.75
cluelesswonder's review
Lost my place in the audiobook and I think I skipped too far searching for where I left off. Kept going even when I was off and missed things. Took that as a sign I wasn’t interested in the book.
reneesmith's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 Such an entertaining cozy mystery! I enjoyed the main characters, the lively secondaries, the setting, and the narrator. Fun!
melanietalksbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Story was pretty good but the romance was a little rushed for my taste.
katreader's review against another edition
5.0
A DREAM OF DEATH by Connie Berry
The First Kate Hamilton Mystery
Kate Hamilton never intended to return to Glenroth, but a call for help from her estranged sister-in-law brings Kate back to the Scottish isle where her husband was not only born, but died just three years earlier. Now she's faced with a best selling novel about a two hundred year old unsolved murder, a surprise engagement, and news that Elenor has sold the family home, now a posh hotel. But before Elenor can tell Kate the reason for her call, she's murdered in the same manner of young Flora Arnott in 1810. What was Elenor afraid of? Did it have something to do with the ornate antique casket? Or did she push the wrong person too far? As Kate finds herself in the midst of the investigation she'll have to use all her wits else she become the murderer's next target.
I loved just about everything in this first Kate Hamilton Mystery. There is a strong cast of characters, deeply developed and multi dimensional. Kate is an engaging and likeable protagonist with a good head on her shoulders. Not only is she forced to deal with a murder, but she has to relive her husband's last days and deal with feelings she's starting to develop for a man for the first time since she became a widow.
Connie Berry ingeniously entwines history with a contemporary plot. It was fascinating to read from Flora Arnott's diary and I was as invested in her murder as I was in Elenor's! The attention to detail brought crisp imagery and almost made it seem as if I was watching a film.
A DREAM OF DEATH is a fantastic start to what looks to be an amazing series. There's action, suspense, and a hint of romance. Combined with an atmospheric backdrop, authentic characters, and historical depth, A DREAM OF DEATH is a standout.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
The First Kate Hamilton Mystery
Kate Hamilton never intended to return to Glenroth, but a call for help from her estranged sister-in-law brings Kate back to the Scottish isle where her husband was not only born, but died just three years earlier. Now she's faced with a best selling novel about a two hundred year old unsolved murder, a surprise engagement, and news that Elenor has sold the family home, now a posh hotel. But before Elenor can tell Kate the reason for her call, she's murdered in the same manner of young Flora Arnott in 1810. What was Elenor afraid of? Did it have something to do with the ornate antique casket? Or did she push the wrong person too far? As Kate finds herself in the midst of the investigation she'll have to use all her wits else she become the murderer's next target.
I loved just about everything in this first Kate Hamilton Mystery. There is a strong cast of characters, deeply developed and multi dimensional. Kate is an engaging and likeable protagonist with a good head on her shoulders. Not only is she forced to deal with a murder, but she has to relive her husband's last days and deal with feelings she's starting to develop for a man for the first time since she became a widow.
Connie Berry ingeniously entwines history with a contemporary plot. It was fascinating to read from Flora Arnott's diary and I was as invested in her murder as I was in Elenor's! The attention to detail brought crisp imagery and almost made it seem as if I was watching a film.
A DREAM OF DEATH is a fantastic start to what looks to be an amazing series. There's action, suspense, and a hint of romance. Combined with an atmospheric backdrop, authentic characters, and historical depth, A DREAM OF DEATH is a standout.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
jwsg's review against another edition
2.0
I saw that Book 4 of Connie Berry's Kate Hamilton mysteries was an Edgar Award Nominee for the Lilian Jackson Memorial Award (for cosy mysteries) and thought I would give the series a try. Alas, this series opener didn't quite do it for me. Antique dealer Kate Hamilton returns to her late husband's family home in Glenroth, Scotland when her sister in law Elenor calls her, begging for help. Kate has never been fond of Elenor but she had promised Bill she would look after Elenor. When Kate arrives, Elenor refuses to tell Kate why she called for her help, promising to explain more the next day. But when Elenor is found dead, Kate feels compelled to find Elenor's murder.
The basic plot and setting sounds something right up my alley but I didn't really enjoy Berry's style. There's a fine line between vivid and over the top writing and Berry crossed that line for me. I get that she's trying to create a scene in the reader's mind but I think sometimes there was almost too much detail:
"The drive curved to the right and entered a manicured forest of pine, beech and alder with an underlay of rhododendrons, their leathery leaves scrolled and frosted with snow....I rounded the final curve and caught my breath. The ancient seat of the Glenroth MacDonalds still had the power to enchant. Scots Baronial. Four stories of local stone coated with hauling, the traditional lime-based rough cast, rendering it impervious to the wet Highland climate. The house sat in a wooded glen, so perfectly situated the structure might have emerged, full-blown like Venus, from the native bedrock."
Her descriptions could also come across as trite, like:
"On the Isle of Glenroth, memories and regrets lay as thick on the ground as yellow gorse in autumn".
Will have a think about whether I should slowly make my way towards Book #4...
The basic plot and setting sounds something right up my alley but I didn't really enjoy Berry's style. There's a fine line between vivid and over the top writing and Berry crossed that line for me. I get that she's trying to create a scene in the reader's mind but I think sometimes there was almost too much detail:
"The drive curved to the right and entered a manicured forest of pine, beech and alder with an underlay of rhododendrons, their leathery leaves scrolled and frosted with snow....I rounded the final curve and caught my breath. The ancient seat of the Glenroth MacDonalds still had the power to enchant. Scots Baronial. Four stories of local stone coated with hauling, the traditional lime-based rough cast, rendering it impervious to the wet Highland climate. The house sat in a wooded glen, so perfectly situated the structure might have emerged, full-blown like Venus, from the native bedrock."
Her descriptions could also come across as trite, like:
"On the Isle of Glenroth, memories and regrets lay as thick on the ground as yellow gorse in autumn".
Will have a think about whether I should slowly make my way towards Book #4...
aliciagoeser's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.5
kelwally's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0