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cimorene1558's review
2.0
Just could not get into this. It's not terrible or anything, I just didn't find it appealing!
novelesque_life's review
4.0
RATING: 4.5 STARS
I will warn you that this seems to be a spin-off of Jenning's Murdoch series. While the main character in this novel is Charlotte "Lottie" Frayne, a private investigator, Murdoch is the homicide detective. As this novel take place in 1936, there might be some spoilers for the Murdoch series.
The novel takes place in 1936, Toronto during a heat wave. Charlotte's employer's wife has been attacked and he, Gilmore, is now the main suspect. While Gilmore is at his wife's side at the hospital, Charlotte takes on a new case. One of Paradise Cafe's owner, hires her to find the person who has been stealing from their payroll. The owner has 3 partners, who were once all POWs together in WWI, who besides their waitress are the only ones who have access. Charlotte goes undercover as the new waitress to get up close. When Gilmore is arrested, Charlotte now has two cases she has to solve, plus her grandfather seems to be infatuated with a younger woman will ulterior motive. If the heat doesn't kill her, one of her cases might.
I loved the characters, especially Charlotte. She is very relatable and likeable, and you feel invested to see what happens next for her. I am hoping that this is series and there are more mysteries to come. If you like a cozier, but still serious mystery, I would highly recommend this one!
I will warn you that this seems to be a spin-off of Jenning's Murdoch series. While the main character in this novel is Charlotte "Lottie" Frayne, a private investigator, Murdoch is the homicide detective. As this novel take place in 1936, there might be some spoilers for the Murdoch series.
The novel takes place in 1936, Toronto during a heat wave. Charlotte's employer's wife has been attacked and he, Gilmore, is now the main suspect. While Gilmore is at his wife's side at the hospital, Charlotte takes on a new case. One of Paradise Cafe's owner, hires her to find the person who has been stealing from their payroll. The owner has 3 partners, who were once all POWs together in WWI, who besides their waitress are the only ones who have access. Charlotte goes undercover as the new waitress to get up close. When Gilmore is arrested, Charlotte now has two cases she has to solve, plus her grandfather seems to be infatuated with a younger woman will ulterior motive. If the heat doesn't kill her, one of her cases might.
I loved the characters, especially Charlotte. She is very relatable and likeable, and you feel invested to see what happens next for her. I am hoping that this is series and there are more mysteries to come. If you like a cozier, but still serious mystery, I would highly recommend this one!
punchx0's review
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
amarahhs's review
3.0
3.5 stars - i had so much fun reading this !!! as a dedicated murdoch mysteries fan it was very fun for me to see the inspiration for cbc’s detective william murdoch. also charlotte frayne is a girlboss.
krisrid's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this story! I am always looking to read Canadian authors, but don't often find books by Canadian writers that I like. Maureen Jennings is a wonderful, talented writer with a real flair for bringing an engaging plot and well-written likable characters together for a great read!
Since I am a Torontonian, the fact that this book is set in early Toronto is a very cool aspect. It is so fun to read about people, places and things in Toronto, many of which are still around today, but during an earlier era.
The book is set in the after-math of WWI and there are some difficult aspects and moments, as many of the characters are men who served during the war, some who were POWs, so some tough moments are to be expected, since, as we all know "War is hell". But the skill with which Jennings tells the former soldiers' stories is worked in and around the plot of the rest of the story so smoothly it is not overwhelming.
I absolutely LOVED the character of Charlotte, and very much hope that this is the start of a continuing series from Jennings, because I would love to read more stories starring Charlotte. She is intelligent, spunky, determined and completely uninterested in following stupid demands that the society of the time had for women, and that is my favourite kind of female character. Charlotte is delightful and I loved getting to know her in this book!
The story itself is well constructed, with plenty of hints for those who like to figure things out before the big reveal of who committed the crime - in this case an assault of a husband and wife - on their own. I will say that I figured it out before the reveal, and I am not good at doing that, so it isn't hugely difficult to do that, but the story was so entertaining and well done that I don't think anything was lost by the mystery not being that challenging to figure out. The real draw of this book, for me at least was the writing and the characters, both of which are top notch!
The other thing I really enjoyed about this was the very subtle way Jennings slides humour in with the story. Many times as we were going along with the plot and the investigations - there are two concurrent investigations Charlotte looks into during the book - were proceeding, someone would say or do something that unexpectedly made me smile or laugh and I thought that was extremely cleverly done. Humour done well in mystery books is harder than one might think, so doing that well goes a long way with me and Maureen Jennings does this very effectively.
If you enjoy early Toronto history, really engaging likable characters, and a good mystery to solve, I recommend this highly!
Since I am a Torontonian, the fact that this book is set in early Toronto is a very cool aspect. It is so fun to read about people, places and things in Toronto, many of which are still around today, but during an earlier era.
The book is set in the after-math of WWI and there are some difficult aspects and moments, as many of the characters are men who served during the war, some who were POWs, so some tough moments are to be expected, since, as we all know "War is hell". But the skill with which Jennings tells the former soldiers' stories is worked in and around the plot of the rest of the story so smoothly it is not overwhelming.
I absolutely LOVED the character of Charlotte, and very much hope that this is the start of a continuing series from Jennings, because I would love to read more stories starring Charlotte. She is intelligent, spunky, determined and completely uninterested in following stupid demands that the society of the time had for women, and that is my favourite kind of female character. Charlotte is delightful and I loved getting to know her in this book!
The story itself is well constructed, with plenty of hints for those who like to figure things out before the big reveal of who committed the crime - in this case an assault of a husband and wife - on their own. I will say that I figured it out before the reveal, and I am not good at doing that, so it isn't hugely difficult to do that, but the story was so entertaining and well done that I don't think anything was lost by the mystery not being that challenging to figure out. The real draw of this book, for me at least was the writing and the characters, both of which are top notch!
The other thing I really enjoyed about this was the very subtle way Jennings slides humour in with the story. Many times as we were going along with the plot and the investigations - there are two concurrent investigations Charlotte looks into during the book - were proceeding, someone would say or do something that unexpectedly made me smile or laugh and I thought that was extremely cleverly done. Humour done well in mystery books is harder than one might think, so doing that well goes a long way with me and Maureen Jennings does this very effectively.
If you enjoy early Toronto history, really engaging likable characters, and a good mystery to solve, I recommend this highly!
leighsnerdlife's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75