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pixxyhex's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Predictable plot with to much emphasis on political ideals.
I think I would have enjoyed this book if at least the MC wasn't so dens most of the time.
Like every book of this genre the romance was not surprising but felt forced. No chemistry at all.
I will not continue with the series.
I think I would have enjoyed this book if at least the MC wasn't so dens most of the time.
Like every book of this genre the romance was not surprising but felt forced. No chemistry at all.
I will not continue with the series.
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
2.5** (rounded up)
Maggy Thorsen has left her career as a PR executive, and, following a traumatic divorce, has decided to open a gourmet coffee shop in her suburban Wisconsin village, along with two of her best friends. But on opening day, Patricia Harper, is found dead – electrocuted by a hot-wired espresso machine. Maggy is a suspect, as she seems to have been the last person in the shop with an opportunity to sabotage the machine. So, she’s determined to find out who killed her friend and partner.
This has all the tropes of a successful cozy mystery series: an amateur detective with a food-related business, dueling law enforcement agencies (police chief vs sheriff), a cadre of good friends who will help Maggy investigate, a charming village setting, and enough suspects to keep even a dedicated mystery reader guessing. Unfortunately, I found the lead character a total ditz. This woman is just too stupid to live. She runs around like a chicken with her head cut off. And goes into dangerous situations without much thought to possible consequences, requiring that she be rescued (one of my pet peeves).
Well, it was a fast read, and it IS set in my home state, so I may read another in the series. But I’m in no hurry to do so.
Maggy Thorsen has left her career as a PR executive, and, following a traumatic divorce, has decided to open a gourmet coffee shop in her suburban Wisconsin village, along with two of her best friends. But on opening day, Patricia Harper, is found dead – electrocuted by a hot-wired espresso machine. Maggy is a suspect, as she seems to have been the last person in the shop with an opportunity to sabotage the machine. So, she’s determined to find out who killed her friend and partner.
This has all the tropes of a successful cozy mystery series: an amateur detective with a food-related business, dueling law enforcement agencies (police chief vs sheriff), a cadre of good friends who will help Maggy investigate, a charming village setting, and enough suspects to keep even a dedicated mystery reader guessing. Unfortunately, I found the lead character a total ditz. This woman is just too stupid to live. She runs around like a chicken with her head cut off. And goes into dangerous situations without much thought to possible consequences, requiring that she be rescued (one of my pet peeves).
Well, it was a fast read, and it IS set in my home state, so I may read another in the series. But I’m in no hurry to do so.
bkdrgn303's review against another edition
3.0
What a fun start to this "new to me" series. Maggy Thorsen and two friends decide to open a new coffee shop in town but things get complicated when one of those partners is found dead in the shop on opening day. This is a pure beach read but it is written with humor and it's edgy enough with themes of adultery and domestic terrorism to keep it from being just another cozy. I look forward to the next adventure with Maggy. She's a hoot!
git_r_read's review against another edition
5.0
I had a heckuva time finding a copy of this book after putting it on the WWBL after reading a review or synopsis somewhere a while back. Finally located a copy, then it sat in one of the drawers of Mt Git'r'Read until I was in cozy mode. Then I whomped my way through it in rapid fashion.
It's set in a foo-foo coffee shop in a small town where the three friends and partners are hoping that foo-foo coffee will catch on like it does in the big city. And then the murder on the very first opening day puts a kibosh on that hope.
The author did a really swell job of guiding the reader into why the lead character, Maggy, does the investigation. Mostly it's because the new sheriff in town thinks Maggy's the prime suspect!
There were some really fab "What the...?!" moments, really well done ones that had me doing the 'OH MAN! I totally did not see that coming!" I love those when they are so well done like that.
Five...well...coffee beans......
It's set in a foo-foo coffee shop in a small town where the three friends and partners are hoping that foo-foo coffee will catch on like it does in the big city. And then the murder on the very first opening day puts a kibosh on that hope.
The author did a really swell job of guiding the reader into why the lead character, Maggy, does the investigation. Mostly it's because the new sheriff in town thinks Maggy's the prime suspect!
There were some really fab "What the...?!" moments, really well done ones that had me doing the 'OH MAN! I totally did not see that coming!" I love those when they are so well done like that.
Five...well...coffee beans......
mindfullibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I’m always looking for books set in Wisconsin and was excited to find a review in PW of the newest book in this series. I always start at the beginning though, so I looked to Libby for help. And YAY, there it was! Loved the setting and the totally deadpan snark. It definitely read as aged though with any mention of technology but it was whimsical to me. I look forward to to finding the next book!
robint1981's review against another edition
5.0
Gave the book a 4.5/5.0, read it some time ago, don't remember much about the book even though I rated it pretty high.
baronessekat's review against another edition
3.0
On the morning of the grand opening of Uncommon Grounds, the towns newest and first gourmet coffee shop, Maggy walks in to help with getting the shop open to find one of the co-owners, Patricia, on the floor behind the counter dead. Maggy finds herself embroiled in trying to figure out who killed her friend and business partner while struggling to actually open the business so she doesn't lose everything.
+++
for a routine cozy murder mystery, this was OK. I do admit that I didn't see the twist, but I wasn't actively looking for it. The book and story wasn't bad. It certainly had lots of funny lines. But like with pretty much any other cozy mystery I've ready, I found the "heroine"annoying because she doesn't listen to people who actually know things, puts herself in danger and honestly at times was just making me "why the hell are you not thinking before you do something" a LOT.
Cannot say I will be actively looking to continue this series, but should the next book cross my path, I won't run the other way.
+++
for a routine cozy murder mystery, this was OK. I do admit that I didn't see the twist, but I wasn't actively looking for it. The book and story wasn't bad. It certainly had lots of funny lines. But like with pretty much any other cozy mystery I've ready, I found the "heroine"annoying because she doesn't listen to people who actually know things, puts herself in danger and honestly at times was just making me "why the hell are you not thinking before you do something" a LOT.
Cannot say I will be actively looking to continue this series, but should the next book cross my path, I won't run the other way.
lasesana's review against another edition
2.0
Maybe I’m being a little unfair. It’s not that Uncommon Grounds as a mystery novel is boring, it’s more that Wisconsin is not depicted as a very fun or interesting place.
I will admit that I didn’t figure out who did it until it was revealed at the end of the novel, so it did keep me guessing, which is something novels that I’ve read for this challenge with a more interesting backdrop did not do. So there’s that…which is pretty big for a mystery novel.
Part of the Maggy Thorsen series, this book introduces the unlikely sleuth: a recently divorced former PR exec opening a coffee shop with two partners in the town of Brookhills, Wisconsin.
On the morning of the grand opening, one of the partners, Patricia Harper, is found dead on the floor of the shop and suspects abound.
Read more: http://bit.ly/1hdht2f
I will admit that I didn’t figure out who did it until it was revealed at the end of the novel, so it did keep me guessing, which is something novels that I’ve read for this challenge with a more interesting backdrop did not do. So there’s that…which is pretty big for a mystery novel.
Part of the Maggy Thorsen series, this book introduces the unlikely sleuth: a recently divorced former PR exec opening a coffee shop with two partners in the town of Brookhills, Wisconsin.
On the morning of the grand opening, one of the partners, Patricia Harper, is found dead on the floor of the shop and suspects abound.
Read more: http://bit.ly/1hdht2f
gawronma's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very fun read. It was great to see a fictional version of a very upper class suburb.