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tessa_talks_books's review
4.0
Favorite character: Kat Latcham. Not Katie.
Kat is independent and determined to make her way. Barmaid, dog walker, and part-time journalist – she does whatever it takes. She is close to her family and her boyfriend, Will, even though she doesn't acknowledge the strength of these relationships. Her hair color denotes her mood, and luckily, her mom is a beautician in case she messes something up.
What I Like
It's a light little romp of a mystery, beginning with the beheading of a bush and ending with a four-legged takedown. The craziness in between is delightful and fun – a perfect escape from the more stressful crazy of the real world.
The characters are a well-developed mix of dastardly and charming, depending on their role. There's the bar owners, Gino and Norina. Gino is a friendly man who loves to belt out Elvis toons, and his wife Norina runs the bar with an iron fist and a sour disposition. Their marriage is a clear case of opposites attract. Kat's boyfriend, Will, and her parents are her support system and fit their role with sincerity and heart. Liam O'Connor and 'Mitch' Muckleford are everything wrong in journalism today. They are more worried about sales of integrity and honesty. Even from this small sampling, it is easy to see what an eclectic cast of characters populates this novel.
The setting, Much Winchmoor, is a small village that has a usually high murder rate. It would be a perfect cozy mystery setting, but I don't think I would classify this as a cozy mystery. Kat is a journalist and looks into events partly as part of her job. The rest tends to drop in her lap. She is just trying to live her life, not solve mysteries.
What I Wish
I wish that there had been an over the top character or two. This series has been compared to Janet Evanovich's series, but what I love about her stories are the over the top characters who provide most of the humor by just being themselves. Also, Evanovich utilizes stereotypes to create laugh out loud scenes. I'm not sure if I saw any of that either, though I may not catch English stereotypes.
To Read or Not to Read
If you are looking for a fun, light read, then this is a series that will fit that bill. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy some laughs.
Kat is independent and determined to make her way. Barmaid, dog walker, and part-time journalist – she does whatever it takes. She is close to her family and her boyfriend, Will, even though she doesn't acknowledge the strength of these relationships. Her hair color denotes her mood, and luckily, her mom is a beautician in case she messes something up.
What I Like
It's a light little romp of a mystery, beginning with the beheading of a bush and ending with a four-legged takedown. The craziness in between is delightful and fun – a perfect escape from the more stressful crazy of the real world.
The characters are a well-developed mix of dastardly and charming, depending on their role. There's the bar owners, Gino and Norina. Gino is a friendly man who loves to belt out Elvis toons, and his wife Norina runs the bar with an iron fist and a sour disposition. Their marriage is a clear case of opposites attract. Kat's boyfriend, Will, and her parents are her support system and fit their role with sincerity and heart. Liam O'Connor and 'Mitch' Muckleford are everything wrong in journalism today. They are more worried about sales of integrity and honesty. Even from this small sampling, it is easy to see what an eclectic cast of characters populates this novel.
The setting, Much Winchmoor, is a small village that has a usually high murder rate. It would be a perfect cozy mystery setting, but I don't think I would classify this as a cozy mystery. Kat is a journalist and looks into events partly as part of her job. The rest tends to drop in her lap. She is just trying to live her life, not solve mysteries.
What I Wish
I wish that there had been an over the top character or two. This series has been compared to Janet Evanovich's series, but what I love about her stories are the over the top characters who provide most of the humor by just being themselves. Also, Evanovich utilizes stereotypes to create laugh out loud scenes. I'm not sure if I saw any of that either, though I may not catch English stereotypes.
To Read or Not to Read
If you are looking for a fun, light read, then this is a series that will fit that bill. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy some laughs.
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