Rating: 3.5 Stars
Source: Publisher
Description: Honeychurch Hall and the town of Little Dippington are in an uproar as plans to run a new highspeed train through the town spell certain ruin. When accident claims a local woman and a consultant for the train project goes mysteriously missing Kat is drawn in whether she wants to be or not. Add in a shady uncle with a past to protect, a mother with more than her share of secrets and a house maid at Honeychurch who doesn't seem quite right and Kat's in over her head.
Genre: Mystery
Why I Picked This Book: I thoroughly enjoyed the first book and could not wait to continue with the series.
My Impression: Once we again we are back ta Honeychurch Hall and back with Kat through her many adventures. Dennison writes with such a breezy wit that it's impossible not to be entertained and drawn into the stories. I could picture Honeychurch and the Carriage House and Eric's junkyard. The issue with the train and the devastation that it would cause in the village was very real and the villager's frustration seeped from the pages. It was nice to get to know the villagers a bit better as the previous book had mostly focused on the residents of the Hall.
The main issue I had was all the connections to the previous book. There were so many characters involved in the current mystery and then thrown in half from the first book and it could be difficult to keep all the whos and whys straight. While I like watching Iris's past unravel it did get a little confusing.
Despite the flaw I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. It reminds me very much of a modern day Agatha Christie or Patricia Wentworth with engaging characters, bright and snappy banter, and a well paced and intricately plotted mystery.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Definitely! At this point the series is an autobuy for me.
Would I Recommend this Book?: Yes, but this is a series best read in order.
Challenges Met?
Oh, I won the first e-book in a contest and then forgot to read it. Obviously it is one to read in order so luckily I can. I just love the covers of both books-- just draw me in and make me curious. Thanks for sharing an honest review.
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely read the first if you have it! It's a little lighter than your normal reading but I so enjoyed it.
DeleteI do enjoy "breezy wit" in books like this. I am glad you enjoyed this one even despite it's flaws. It sounds like a fun read.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a fun read. It's light without being too fluffy.
DeleteGlad you enjoyed it. I don't think I'm familiar with the series, but this is book #2? Time to catch up!
ReplyDeleteI think you'd enjoy this series Kay. It's got a good old fashioned vibe with a modern twist.
DeleteIt's so hard when there are so many characters like that. Glad you still enjoyed it though :)
ReplyDeleteIt did get a little confusing at times but I definitely still enjoyed it. It's one of my favorite series so far.
DeleteHi Katherine,
ReplyDeleteMuch as enjoy a good murder / mystery and as alluring as this series of books look, with their delightful cover art, I don't think this is going to be a 'must read' for me. The mystery is just a little too cozy for my liking and I also prefer a series which works relatively well as a set of stand alone stories.
Thank you for sharing though and I am pleased that you are getting into the series with such committment.
Have a great week :)
Yvonne.
It's definitely on the lighter side but I definitely enjoyed it!
DeleteSounds like a winner, just like the first one. And I like the cover art on these. Really draws you in and makes you want to read it. I'll be adding these to my to read pile. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteI think you'd enjoy this one Greg. I was so glad that the series stayed strong.
DeleteSounds like a winner, just like the first one. And I like the cover art on these. Really draws you in and makes you want to read it. I'll be adding these to my to read pile. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteYou had me with this: "modern day Agatha Christie or Patricia Wentworth" - sounds good! I'll definitely have to check out this series.
ReplyDeleteDennison really did a good job of having a vintage feel while keeping it modern. I've really enjoyed this series so far!
DeleteDespite the character confusion I love that the author allowed you to see Honeychurch and the Carriage House and Eric's junkyard.
ReplyDeleteShe really did a fantastic job with the settings!
DeleteSeems like there's a very big cast of characters here. Hopefully the next time you read a book in the series it's easier for you to remember them.
ReplyDeleteI love the cutesy names of the towns and such; Honeychruch. Adorable. I want to live in a small seaside town with a cute name.
Happy reading!
Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life
I think it will though this series would be better to read closer together. The names are seriously cute but luckily the mystery isn't!
DeleteI saw it on Netgalley but resisted (I had already requested too many books !), now I'm regretting it... ;)
ReplyDeleteThis was one I couldn't resist because I had enjoyed the first one so much. I can relate to the too many books!
DeleteThis is definitely one where you need to read the first book to keep track of the characters. And a cast list would help so much; I wish the publisher would add one. Other than that, though, this is a wonderful series - an autobuy for me as well.
ReplyDelete