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A review by shanaqui
Scarhaven Keep by J.S. Fletcher
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
J.S. Fletcher's Scarhaven Keep is a fairly standard classic mystery, with the expected sort of elements: a mysterious disappearance, a picturesque site for a mystery, issues of inheritance, mistaken identity/impersonation, amateur detectives, and even a damsel in distress and a touch of romance.
It does all of those things perfectly competently for the period, without really standing out. I did appreciate that the female character who ends up in distress is actually not super distressed about it, probably more level-headed than the guys, and certainly there was no swooning. I appreciated that quite a bit.
Overall, it's not one that stands out for me, but it was enjoyable in the way I find many classic mysteries: it did mostly what was expected of it, and there's a happy ending for the "goodies" (except, of course, in that someone has been killed). I wouldn't turn down reading something else by Fletcher.
It does all of those things perfectly competently for the period, without really standing out. I did appreciate that the female character who ends up in distress is actually not super distressed about it, probably more level-headed than the guys, and certainly there was no swooning. I appreciated that quite a bit.
Overall, it's not one that stands out for me, but it was enjoyable in the way I find many classic mysteries: it did mostly what was expected of it, and there's a happy ending for the "goodies" (except, of course, in that someone has been killed). I wouldn't turn down reading something else by Fletcher.