A review by mysterefantasy
The Fragments by Toni Jordan

5.0

When Inga Karlson died in a fire in a NYC warehouse in the 1930s, she was the acclaimed author of a best-selling novel. Her second novel was eagerly awaited by the thousands and thousands of fans around the world. Karlson only allowed two people to see the new novel: her publisher and herself. The warehouse she died in was the depository for her new novel. The only thing left after the fire was extinguished were a few fragments of her new book and two bodies.

In the 1980s, Caddie Walker, in Brisbane, is a huge fan of Karlson so is willing to stand in the heat of the scorching summer to see an exhibition of Karlson memorabilia, including the fragments of the author’s second novel. In a chance conversation with an older woman standing in that same line who quotes a few words that Caddie, and only Caddie, believe is from the book that only two people had ever seen. The woman disappears before Caddie can question her leaving Caddie with a quest.

This is a well written book, told in two different timelines, that hold your attention as Caddie begins to investigate a mystery that everyone else believes is already solved. As Jordan leads Caddie down that rabbit hole, she is careful to dole out just enough information so the reader may assumes she knows what the outcome will be. If that will be you, don’t stop reading because the mystery continues on through the last chapter.

If you like mysteries that subtle, well-written with well-drawn characters this is the book for you. You’ll want to put at or near the top of your to-be-read pile.

Thanks to Text Publishing and Edelweiss for an eArc.