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cj_mo_2222's review against another edition
3.0
Maggie Hill is called to the home of her temporary employer, Ellis Kenilworth regarding an important document. This at first seems to be an ordinary, if a bit mysterious request. However, it becomes central to a murder investigation after Ellis’s sudden death. Maggie feels she can provide an important clue to the cause of his death, if only she could prove it. She teams up with the enigmatic Claire Conrad, who has a past with Ellis, to learn the truth about his death.
This book is a mixed bag for me. It started out slowly and was hard for me to get into reading it. The plot sometimes meanders and gets confusing. The book includes some amusing, perceptive lines from the very beginning, such as when Ellis’s self-centered widow declares, “I’m so preoccupied with my own life, how can I remember what other people do?”. However, it still took some time for me to relate to Maggie. She is smart and independent, but she can be annoying and hard to relate to.
The book picks up for me once Maggie meets Claire Conrad. The unusual pairing of the two intelligent, outspoken, but vulnerable, women is the highlight of this book. They make a great team as they work together to get to the bottom of Ellis’s murder. If the two could have begun working on the case from the very beginning of the story, the book would have been much more enjoyable.
I like the way the story is told, which reminds me of the style of author Susan Kandel. However, this mystery by Melodie Johnson Howe, contains much stronger language that instead of adding realism, almost seems to be included for shock value. The story would have been just as good or better without it. This is a unique mystery with a classic feel although it is definitely modern in the characters and telling of the story. Although the story doesn’t always flow smoothly, I was interested to see what Maggie and Claire would do next and how the case would be resolved.
3.5 stars
I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Open Road Media, in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a mixed bag for me. It started out slowly and was hard for me to get into reading it. The plot sometimes meanders and gets confusing. The book includes some amusing, perceptive lines from the very beginning, such as when Ellis’s self-centered widow declares, “I’m so preoccupied with my own life, how can I remember what other people do?”. However, it still took some time for me to relate to Maggie. She is smart and independent, but she can be annoying and hard to relate to.
The book picks up for me once Maggie meets Claire Conrad. The unusual pairing of the two intelligent, outspoken, but vulnerable, women is the highlight of this book. They make a great team as they work together to get to the bottom of Ellis’s murder. If the two could have begun working on the case from the very beginning of the story, the book would have been much more enjoyable.
I like the way the story is told, which reminds me of the style of author Susan Kandel. However, this mystery by Melodie Johnson Howe, contains much stronger language that instead of adding realism, almost seems to be included for shock value. The story would have been just as good or better without it. This is a unique mystery with a classic feel although it is definitely modern in the characters and telling of the story. Although the story doesn’t always flow smoothly, I was interested to see what Maggie and Claire would do next and how the case would be resolved.
3.5 stars
I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Open Road Media, in exchange for an honest review.
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
3.0
A female detective and her female butler solve mysteries in Hollywood
Full booktrail here: Booktrail of The Mother Shadow
Story in a nutshell
Maggie Hill - thirty-five with a short-lived writing career and a broken marriage. You might say that things aren’t going too well but she’s keen to stay in California so she finds temporary work.
Her latest employer, the wealthy Ellis Kenilworth, has just asked her to type up his will that states that everything including his rare coin collection is to go to someone named Claire Conrad. Then Kenilworth shoots himself in the head.
Maggie now has to find this Claire and to see the will is carried out. But it’s not going to be such an easy thing to do. She and Claire have to protect the man’s dying wish but the hyenas are circling….
Place and setting
First published in the 1980s, this book contains some lovely items such as mentions of pantyhose and shoulder pads but it merely goes to reinforce the old glamour of LA such as depicted in the tv shows of the same era – Dynasty comes to mind?
There is a contrast in LA - rich and poor, LA and Pasadena, Maggie Hill, and Claire Conrad – the first seems to be the queen of the temps whilst Claire Conrad is more alert and organised – but when these two misfits at first come together to try and solve the mystery of the Kenilworth case, there is a lot of Hollywood and Californian banter which results.
"Pasadena has a highly polished Calvinistic shine that will never tarnish"
Claire Conrad is quite a unique character and it made for a refreshing change to have someone like her in a book about mystery and detection. Her working with Maggie Hill is a strange dynamic and at first you might think that it won’t work but it does and its compelling to read. I want to meet this Claire, I think she and I would get along great.
The complicated web of deceit and mystery is good too as it’s a mix of two mysteries circling at once. The second only really happens when people are trying to mask the first. Oh what a tangled web we weave.
There are some humorous and witty moments dotted throughout too – is this the Hollywood irony of the author creeping through? Whatever it is, it worked for me and there were gems of joy amidst the detection work –
Being a detective is a little like being a magician. When you’re doing something devious with your left hand, make sure the audience is looking at your right hand.
The Hollywood landscape, a detective story, two mysteries and a large dose of wit make this a unique read.
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