Monday, April 10, 2023

Digging Up Daisy - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Digging Up Daisy (A Mainely Murder Mystery #1) by Sherry Lynn

Rating:  Liked It (3 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  At twenty-nine, Kinsley Clark is living the dream life she always envisioned for herself. She's the proud owner of SeaScapes, a thriving landscaping company in wealthy Harborside, set on the rugged coast of southern Maine. Kinsley's veins are filled with salty air, a myriad of colors, and the fragrance of fresh blooms. But one afternoon, while working at her aunt Tilly's bed-and-breakfast, the Salty Breeze Inn, Kinsley digs up more than she bargained for--a high-heeled shoe. The once sparkly shoe, now caked in mud, is linked to a case the police had appropriately dubbed the "Cinderella Murder."

Kinsley panics. Does this mean that her aunt and the inn are somehow connected to this murder? Will it scare away potential guests? Will it subject the inn to a rush of bad press? With Aunt Tilly's reputation, and possibly her safety, on the line, Kinsley digs deeper into the crime to find out what the shoe was doing on her aunt's property and who murdered Cinderella, whose real name is Daisy. As she investigates, more suspects rise to the surface, and eventually, Kinsley has to weed out a killer.

Genre:  Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I loved the sound of the Cinderella Murder and having the main character be a landscaper seemed fun.  

My Impression:   There was quite a bit about this book that I liked.  The setting is lovely and I could just imagine all the sea views the main character describes.  As well I liked Tilly and Kinsey's friends Becca and Rachel.  I think there is good setup for a likable group of characters for the series as well as gorgeous settings.

That said, the mystery and flow of the story didn't really work for me.  The dialogue frequently feels a bit clunky with too much detail and Kinsey's attempts at investigation seemed a bit over the top and not the most logical.  The wrap up was a bit shaky and while the main mystery was solved there were several other things that seemed to be forgotten.  

Despite the occasional clunky dialogue and some plot holes this did make for an easy read.  While I didn't love it there were enough positives to have me picking up the next book in the series.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  I would definitely give this author another chance because she did create some good characters in this story.  

Would I Recommend this Book?  Possibly.  If the second book in the series has a better flow I would but at this point I'm undecided.

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

4 comments:

  1. It sounds good, I'm glad you liked it enough to keep reading the series.

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  2. That Maine setting is always a favorite of mine. Too bad the rest of it wasn't quite as good.

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  3. You are good to give the next book a try as there are so many books out there but you are right, it could really pick up.

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  4. This sounds good and I love the setting of SeaScapes. I could move right in and enjoy the views.

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