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brimgriff's review
2.0
Ugh. I wish I hadn’t wasted time reading this. It was full of unnecessary information and lingo. It seemed like half of the book was spent talking about dance steps or carting around instruments. I ended up just skimming the last few chapters to at least finish it.
db_cooper's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ladyida1's review against another edition
2.0
I simply could not get into this one.
Maybe I'm soo tired that I cant focus on this book and I listening to the audio book.
Maybe I'm soo tired that I cant focus on this book and I listening to the audio book.
lindseyllado's review against another edition
funny
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? N/A
4.0
I really enjoyed this extension of Lady Hardcastle world. All of the Dizzy Heights band members are funny and memorable. I really liked the banter between characters. I would recommend if you want a good cozy mystery. The only thing that was a little too long for me was the ending.
ssejig's review against another edition
4.0
I've been quite enjoying the Lady Hardcastle mysteries and didn't quite realize that this is a new series with characters that we have seen before. Lady Hardcastle and Flo do make a brief appearance in this book both "in person" and through letters that Flo is exchanging with Skins' wife, Ellie.
Skins and Barty are part of a jazz ensemble who have been asked to been play for a specific group at the Aristippus club. It seems that this group is supposed to go up against another group in a dance off. But these boys will need a lot of help.
It is a routine job until an old friend, Superintendent Sunderland, asks them for a bit of help. Rumors have it that an army deserter who stole a fortune in diamonds is somehow related to the club. Skins and Barty agree to help and are eventually aided by the whole band as well as Ellie.
The mystery was very much secondary to the character development and I did not hate it. Bartholomew "Barty" Dunn is a footloose and fancy-free bachelor though he is starting to re-think his ways. He is shown to have a soft spot for his landlady who lost all three of her sons in the war.
Skins and Ellie fell in love in an early Lady Hardcastle book and now have two children. Ellie is supposed to have an inheritance but her family didn't like Skins being a musician and are holding the money until they've been married for a set amount of time. It's all of the little touches that really start to make us care about reading more of the stories.
Skins and Barty are part of a jazz ensemble who have been asked to been play for a specific group at the Aristippus club. It seems that this group is supposed to go up against another group in a dance off. But these boys will need a lot of help.
It is a routine job until an old friend, Superintendent Sunderland, asks them for a bit of help. Rumors have it that an army deserter who stole a fortune in diamonds is somehow related to the club. Skins and Barty agree to help and are eventually aided by the whole band as well as Ellie.
The mystery was very much secondary to the character development and I did not hate it. Bartholomew "Barty" Dunn is a footloose and fancy-free bachelor though he is starting to re-think his ways. He is shown to have a soft spot for his landlady who lost all three of her sons in the war.
Skins and Ellie fell in love in an early Lady Hardcastle book and now have two children. Ellie is supposed to have an inheritance but her family didn't like Skins being a musician and are holding the money until they've been married for a set amount of time. It's all of the little touches that really start to make us care about reading more of the stories.
bergamint's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed the time and the setting of the book. The World War references, songs and the cockney rhyming slang (you don't hear that nearly as much as you used you.) Where the book fell short for me was the plot and I felt the build was far too slow. However this is the first book in the series so I will give the next book a go and hope that it has a better plot!
xsophia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
holzieb's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun and lighthearted read. I loved the banter between the band members and the dynamic of the group as they embarked on uncovering the mystery. The story and humour was a refreshing change to some of the more in-depth books I’ve read recently.
missred's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-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? No
4.25
kjseil92's review against another edition
3.0
Round up to 3.5! If you enjoy mysteries with an amateur sleuth character then you'll enjoy this book! The mystery was compelling and even though I tried, I didn't figure out the culprit before they were revealed. (Frustrating for me haha but the sign of a good mystery.) Looking forward to reading more of this series!