The Shadow of Memory - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: The Shadow of Memory (Kate Hamilton Mysteries #4) by Connie Berry

Rating: Loved It!
Source:   Publisher

Description:  As Kate Hamilton plans her upcoming wedding to Detective Inspector Tom Mallory, she is also assisting her colleague Ivor Tweedy with a project at the Netherfield Sanatorium, which is being converted into luxury townhouses. Kate and Ivor must appraise a fifteenth-century painting and verify that its provenance is the Dutch master Jan Van Eyck. But when retired criminal inspector Will Parker is found dead, Kate learns that the halls of the sanatorium housed much more than priceless art.

Kate is surprised to learn that Will had been the first boyfriend of her friend Vivian Bunn, who hasn’t seen him in fifty-eight years. At a seaside holiday camp over sixty years ago, Will, Vivian, and three other teens broke into an abandoned house where a doctor and his wife had died under bizarre circumstances two years earlier. Now, when a second member of the childhood gang dies unexpectedly—and then a third—it becomes clear that the teens had discovered more in the house than they had realized.

Had Will returned to warn his old love? When Kate makes a shocking connection between a sixty-year-old murder and the long-buried secrets of the sanatorium, she suddenly understands that time is running out for Vivian—and anyone connected to her.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I have read the last two books in this series and really enjoyed them both so of course I had to pick this one up!

My Impression:  This has essentially all of my favorite things in one book.  There's potential art forgery, antiques, and an old mystery involving an abandoned house that was left fully intact.   Kate's dear friend and housemate, Vivian's past is front and center in this book as she has to remember details of one pivotal week of a teenage summer vacation.  As well, Kate and her business associate Ivor have been called to appraise and auction off contents of a sanatorium that is changing purposes.  

I enjoyed this book from the beginning though as soon as the abandoned house entered the plot I was absolutely hooked.  The mystery was engaging and really kept me guessing.  The fact that so many aspects are connected did feel a bit contrived but not enough to temper my enjoyment of the book.

As well, I have really come to love these characters.  Kate is the kind of woman I would like to be friends with.  She's intelligent with common sense and a bit of a sense of humor.  She is struggling with some decisions as her relationship with Tom is evolving but the in a realistic way that never interferes with the plots.  

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end and was sad to see the last page.  If you enjoy solid mysteries with likable characters and plots that dig into the past this is a must read!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope the series continues.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy mysteries I highly recommend this book!

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *