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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
The story could have been a fine summer read and I would have stuck with it if the MC, Luke, wasn't such an asshole and so incredibly stupid. I get that it's hard for him to return to his aunt's house after all his family did, but he uses his own struggles to justify being completely self centered and dismissive to everyone else. Early on, he makes it very clear how little he cares that his plan to sell the house and the shop will negatively impact the community and, specifically in the case of the shop, the guy who has worked there for 2 years. Speaking of the shop- Luke (a nearly 40 year old man) has immediate beef with the shop worker, Barnabas, (a 20 something) because he (very understandably) didn't have the slightest clue who Luke was and acted accordingly when Luke acted like an entitled ass, didn't like having his clothes made fun of, didn't like that Luke is selling the shop (potentially negatively impacting the community and costing him his job), didn't like being called a nickname by a guy he just met, and wasn't acting all sunshine and light while he was clearly grieving but still trying to do his damn job. Luke has half a second of thinking he should have been nicer to Barnabas, but then decides he is justified in his dickishness because Barnabas has a man bun.
Also, for an investigative journalist he's surprisingly stupid about how he handles giving his statement to the police. I mean, there was a whole ass witness to him pushing the guy off his porch and threatening him so hiding that information was, of course, going to make him look 10x worse than if he'd just been upfront about it. And, instead of learning from this absolutely idiotic choice, he doubles down on the dumbness and decides he has to solve the murder himself - which he goes about in the most thoughtless way possible by leaving a really easy trail to follow, tampering with evidence, not even bothering to wear gloves when going through said evidence (or the used tissues he digs through to get to some of that evidence - ewww). And he does all this because the cop who is actually investigating the murder was (much like Barnabas) completely justified in being upset with Luke for his shady behavior. But this MUST mean the cop will pin the murder on him for funsies. I mean, someone treating him in a completely realistic way HAS TO mean they will just throw him in jail for the rest of his life - because that’s how that works.
I didn't really know much about Jack at the point I stopped reading but cops in general are unlikeable so I didn’t have much hope he’d be any different.
Also, for an investigative journalist he's surprisingly stupid about how he handles giving his statement to the police. I mean, there was a whole ass witness to him pushing the guy off his porch and threatening him so hiding that information was, of course, going to make him look 10x worse than if he'd just been upfront about it. And, instead of learning from this absolutely idiotic choice, he doubles down on the dumbness and decides he has to solve the murder himself - which he goes about in the most thoughtless way possible by leaving a really easy trail to follow, tampering with evidence, not even bothering to wear gloves when going through said evidence (or the used tissues he digs through to get to some of that evidence - ewww). And he does all this because the cop who is actually investigating the murder was (much like Barnabas) completely justified in being upset with Luke for his shady behavior. But this MUST mean the cop will pin the murder on him for funsies. I mean, someone treating him in a completely realistic way HAS TO mean they will just throw him in jail for the rest of his life - because that’s how that works.
I didn't really know much about Jack at the point I stopped reading but cops in general are unlikeable so I didn’t have much hope he’d be any different.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Low stakes, comfy cozy. Predictable but still a nice read.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
fast-paced
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Big city writer moves back to small town where his estranged aunt has left him a cottage and antique store. Attractive small town cop. You know the drill.
I really like this book. it was pretty fun and a good mystery.
though I do think some more parts of the setting could have been fleshed out more and some characters given more depth I loved it either way. it was short and cute, a good read when you are free in the afternoon and what a book to get through.
though I do think some more parts of the setting could have been fleshed out more and some characters given more depth I loved it either way. it was short and cute, a good read when you are free in the afternoon and what a book to get through.