Rating: 4 Stars
Description: Kat Stanford is done with the popular TV show Fakes & Treasures after an unfortunate incident. She wants nothing more than to open an antique store with her recently widowed mother. However, Iris Stanford, has other plans. Much to Kat's shock she finds her mother has up and moved to an isolated village and purchased a falling down carriage house from a dilapidated estate. Suddenly there's a missing nanny, a dead body, and all kinds of secrets both old and new.
Genre: Mystery
My Impression:
Pros: When I first came across this book I was really excited. A mystery on a falling down grand estate? Definitely sounds like my kind of thing. Then I read a few reviews that mentioned Kat and Iris bickering with each other and I started to worry. The reviews were extremely positive BUT immature characters are one of my biggest pet peeves. I suddenly wasn't sure if I wanted to read a book that featured 2 characters that acted liked children. Luckily for me I went on and picked it up. Turns out that Kat and Iris do bicker and argue but they don't act like children. They act like adults who genuinely care for each other and so aren't always 100% logical. I'm not sure I've come across a book where the characters' flaws were part of what made them so likable. I understand Kat's frustration with her mother and why she is in the situation she's in regarding her love life. I understand Iris's wanting to do what she wants to do and not liking be told what to do by her daughter. The came across as very much real people and people that'd you want to spend time with. The mystery itself is very well done. There are so many threads to it that I found myself sitting up reading long after I should have been asleep because I wanted to find out one more thing or see what would happen next. There's history, there's family intrigue, there's betrayal and it's all well done.
Cons: The ending was a bit abrupt. The story had been building and building and there were so many different little story lines and then all of a sudden they get tied up in the last 10 pages. It felt a bit like a whirlwind. This in no way diminished my enjoyment of the story, however. It took awhile to get everyone sorted out as there are a lot of characters and the timeline can be slightly confusing.
Overall Impression: I've read a lot of mysteries this year but so far this has been my favorite one. I really enjoyed reading this one and am really hoping #2 is coming out soon. There's so much more I want to know about the Stanfords!
Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Yes definitely. Will definitely be looking for the 2nd book in the series!
Would I Recommend this Book?: Yes I think any mystery lover would love this. It's not cutesy for those that don't care for cozies but not too dark for cozy readers.
This sounds like a fun read and Iris and Kat seem like they're great characters. I will have to look for this series.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this one! The mystery was good but the characters were so well drawn. I'm hoping this isn't that last we'll see of Iris and Kat.
DeleteI have this one to read and it does look good.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this one and I read a lot of mysteries! It's definitely worth picking up.
DeleteI enjoyed this one and I agree, the bickering added a layer of depth and made them more realistic.
ReplyDeleteIt really did and it was really unexpected! It's odd when you have what's normally a major negative turned into a positive. Looking forward to seeing more of this author!
Delete"It's not cutesy for those that don't care for cozies but not too dark for cozy readers". Adding it to my list! That is my problem with choosing a cozy-- I want something a bit more serious, or deeper, than many of those out there and have a hard time wading through all the unknown titles to find one that would suit me. I will give this a try, and thanks.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this one. I like cozies but they can become so formulaic or have too many of the stock characters. Hope you like it!
DeleteThis definitely sounds like one I would enjoy. Going to add it to my read soon list now. I really enjoy mysteries but I can't read the thriller mysteries and sometimes I do want a book a little more serious than a cozy...although I do love my cozies. :) Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'm a cozy fan too but sometimes they can be just a little too silly. I have my set group of authors but am always looking for new ones. I like thrillers sometimes but as I've gotten older I have a harder time reading some of them - especially anything involving children which so many seem too. Hope you enjoy it!
DeleteGreat review, Katherine! I hadn't thought about Kat and Iris's relationship in that way, but you're right. I agree with your final assessment, too - it has more depth than some cozies, but it's not dark, so readers of either stripe should enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I really related to Kat when her mother was driving her crazy and acting illogical but I'm sure in a little while I'll identify more with Iris when my kids are telling me what to do. The characters really made this book I think.
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