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A review by laurenreadssometimes
The Key to Deceit by Ashley Weaver
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
3.0
I enjoyed this book, but I found it more disjointed than the first (which I already felt didn't quite meld mystery, intrigue, and romance particularly well). I actually liked the plot a lot more than I did in the first book. The way the villains used locks and keys was really interesting, and I continue to like Ellie as a character. Without giving anything away, one of the things that I've continued to appreciate about her character is that she actually seems to respect people's right to privacy. It is annoyingly clear how a character's secret is going to be a plot point later on, but it is really refreshing to see a mystery heroine be curious without feeling entitled to every detail of her friend's life.
However, a lot of this plot is dedicated to Ellie beginning to investigate what happened with her mother, and it led to the book feeling jerky to me. In some ways it felt like filler, because Ellie seemed to completely drop her interest in it whenever she wasn't actively pursuing it. The same can be said for the case. The same can be said for the romantic elements. And while I don't expect a character to be constantly thinking about the other things going on in their life in every scene, it did draw me out. I just felt like I saw the mechanics of the writing more than I would have liked.
Also, while I did appreciate that the author brought in some of the actual danger of living in London during WWII, it felt a little too much like a plot device. Personally, I think it would have been much more compelling if it had hindered their plans instead of helped it (and then conveniently stopped mattering for the rest of the story).
Will I read the next book in the series? Maybe. I read the first two back-to-back, and I know I don't want to read the third installment right this second. If I do continue, it will likely be on a whim or because a particular fancy strikes. But these books have been the definition of like-don't-love for me.
However, a lot of this plot is dedicated to Ellie beginning to investigate what happened with her mother, and it led to the book feeling jerky to me. In some ways it felt like filler, because Ellie seemed to completely drop her interest in it whenever she wasn't actively pursuing it. The same can be said for the case. The same can be said for the romantic elements. And while I don't expect a character to be constantly thinking about the other things going on in their life in every scene, it did draw me out. I just felt like I saw the mechanics of the writing more than I would have liked.
Also, while I did appreciate that the author brought in some of the actual danger of living in London during WWII, it felt a little too much like a plot device. Personally, I think it would have been much more compelling if it had hindered their plans instead of helped it (and then conveniently stopped mattering for the rest of the story).
Will I read the next book in the series? Maybe. I read the first two back-to-back, and I know I don't want to read the third installment right this second. If I do continue, it will likely be on a whim or because a particular fancy strikes. But these books have been the definition of like-don't-love for me.