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thenovelllama's review
5.0
After a distressing phone call, Chloe Martin finds herself rushing away from her barista job in Idaho and driving straight through to Jericho Falls, Nevada to be with her Grandma Lily. After arrival, she discovers that everything was not exactly as described over the phone. Grandma Lily was not sick, but instead, just looking for a reason to bring her granddaughter back to the place where she spent so many happy summers. A place that, if given the chance, Chloe would just as soon forget. Despite her irritation with her grandmother’s deception, Chloe agrees to stay for the night before leaving the next day. What she didn't know is that decision would lead to a much longer stay after the body of someone close to Lily is found dead in the flower bed of Jericho House.
The History of Murder is a fun, wonderfully written cozy mystery. I was swept up in the life of Chloe Martin from that very first unfortunately timed corn dog. From the beginning the story was well paced. There was just enough going on that there was never a dull moment, but also slow enough where the characters were being fully fleshed out. There wasn’t a single character whose story I didn't enjoy reading.
It was fun that, in addition to the current mystery, there was a mystery from Chloe’s past. Chloe’s aversion to the town of Jericho Falls, given her difficult history, felt strangely relatable. While my reasons are not as extreme as Chloe’s, there are plenty of places that I avoid because of things that happened in my past. I appreciated how much time and effort she put into being there for her grandma despite her own feelings. The two mysteries intertwined well, with the main mystery taking the stage, but bits and pieces of the past weaving itself into the current time.
You all know how I feel about a magical library. I love them with all my heart. Well, this story has something else that I love just as much. A beautiful, historic manor house. Did I imagine walking the halls of Jericho House on a tour led by Grandma Lily? Absolutely. Did it make me look into getting a tour of a manor house not far from my own home? Yes. Yes it did.
I enjoyed the fact that I did not guess the ending, while I had some theories, only some of them ended up being right. Lately, I’ve felt that some of the mysteries I read feel rushed at the end. I appreciated the time it took for Chloe to figure out what was going on. Plus, it gave me time to fall in love with Chief Carner.
When I was a little over halfway through the book, I bought the second, knowing that I would for sure need to read it because I became so involved in the lives of the characters.
This book should be next on the list for anyone who loves a good cozy mystery, likable characters, and of course, beautiful manor houses.
4.5/5
The History of Murder is a fun, wonderfully written cozy mystery. I was swept up in the life of Chloe Martin from that very first unfortunately timed corn dog. From the beginning the story was well paced. There was just enough going on that there was never a dull moment, but also slow enough where the characters were being fully fleshed out. There wasn’t a single character whose story I didn't enjoy reading.
It was fun that, in addition to the current mystery, there was a mystery from Chloe’s past. Chloe’s aversion to the town of Jericho Falls, given her difficult history, felt strangely relatable. While my reasons are not as extreme as Chloe’s, there are plenty of places that I avoid because of things that happened in my past. I appreciated how much time and effort she put into being there for her grandma despite her own feelings. The two mysteries intertwined well, with the main mystery taking the stage, but bits and pieces of the past weaving itself into the current time.
You all know how I feel about a magical library. I love them with all my heart. Well, this story has something else that I love just as much. A beautiful, historic manor house. Did I imagine walking the halls of Jericho House on a tour led by Grandma Lily? Absolutely. Did it make me look into getting a tour of a manor house not far from my own home? Yes. Yes it did.
I enjoyed the fact that I did not guess the ending, while I had some theories, only some of them ended up being right. Lately, I’ve felt that some of the mysteries I read feel rushed at the end. I appreciated the time it took for Chloe to figure out what was going on. Plus, it gave me time to fall in love with Chief Carner.
When I was a little over halfway through the book, I bought the second, knowing that I would for sure need to read it because I became so involved in the lives of the characters.
This book should be next on the list for anyone who loves a good cozy mystery, likable characters, and of course, beautiful manor houses.
4.5/5
ashleighbsb's review
4.0
When Chloe Martin was sixteen, she left Jericho Falls with the intention of never returning. But, thirteen years later, she returns only to find she was hailed under false pretenses. Before she could turn back around and return to Idaho, a dead body appears in Grandma's flower garden and Grandma is the prime suspect. That may have something to do with an incident from Chloe's last visit. Can Chloe help clear her grandmother's name? Or are some scars too deep for this small mining town?
Let me begin this review by saying that it is NOT a good idea to start this book at midnight. By the end of the first chapter, I was hooked. Before the body was even found, I wanted to know why the main character was avoiding Jericho Falls. By the time the murder investigation began, I had given up on sleep.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were very well-developed and I could really relate to them, even some of the creepier ones. There were occasional slips on point of view and tense, as well as a few minor proofreading errors, but they did not detract from the book.
My only real problem with this book was the backstory. I think the author did a fantastic job of weaving in Chloe's tragic reason for leaving Jericho Falls. However, since it was introduced so early and referred to so often, I thought it would play a role in this case and was slightly disappointed to see that it was a subplot. I have some theories about what happened on that horrific day and I thought perhaps some of my suspects in this current murder had something to do with that incident. Unfortunately, this storyline was left unfinished. Since the narrator alludes to an important clue on the last page of the book, I can only assume that this subplot will continue into the next book and the series (and hopefully be solved).
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one in the series.
Let me begin this review by saying that it is NOT a good idea to start this book at midnight. By the end of the first chapter, I was hooked. Before the body was even found, I wanted to know why the main character was avoiding Jericho Falls. By the time the murder investigation began, I had given up on sleep.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were very well-developed and I could really relate to them, even some of the creepier ones. There were occasional slips on point of view and tense, as well as a few minor proofreading errors, but they did not detract from the book.
My only real problem with this book was the backstory. I think the author did a fantastic job of weaving in Chloe's tragic reason for leaving Jericho Falls. However, since it was introduced so early and referred to so often, I thought it would play a role in this case and was slightly disappointed to see that it was a subplot. I have some theories about what happened on that horrific day and I thought perhaps some of my suspects in this current murder had something to do with that incident. Unfortunately, this storyline was left unfinished. Since the narrator alludes to an important clue on the last page of the book, I can only assume that this subplot will continue into the next book and the series (and hopefully be solved).
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one in the series.
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