Reviews

Playing With Fire by Flora McGowan

rosalind_barden's review

5.0

“Playing With Fire” by Flora McGowan is as much a travelogue as a cozy mystery. The book’s prologue sets up the mystery with a scene of an unknown character stealing something valuable. Then we go to the main character, Carrie, traveling from England alone on a group tour to Sicily. I enjoyed the humor in Carrie’s travel worries: what seat will she get, will it be too crowded, where to eat? I’ve had those same worries while traveling too! I also enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the other personalities in the tour group. Carrie worries about these other characters who seem compelled to attach themselves to her. Will they be too talky? Too annoying? How can she ditch them? Though, one character, a handsome curly haired man, takes over her thoughts. But this mysterious stranger is not part of the tour group. Who is he? Is he following her? Why? The mystery unfolds at a leisurely pace as Carrie, the group, and the handsome stranger, tour Sicily. I want to visit Sicily too after reading the author’s detailed descriptions of the charming towns, coffee shops, and beautiful scenery! The author also interweaves English history with Sicily’s fascinating history (I had no idea there used to be mini elephants living on Sicily). How does this history play into Carrie’s growing suspicions about the handsome stranger and the possibility that treasure thieves are afoot? “Playing With Fire” is the prequel to the Carrie and Keith Mystery series, which I have not read. But I did not find that to be an issue, and completely enjoyed “Playing With Fire” as a stand-alone novel. I delighted in the humor and the armchair traveling aspect of this story and found it to be a relaxing read.

chymerra's review

adventurous informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 

Carrie had been planning on traveling to the Middle East when she was forced to look elsewhere to travel because of political unrest in the area. She decided to take a guided tour of Sicily. But her trip wasn’t the laid-back vacation she expected. Instead, she was pursued by a local named Enzo while ushering a King Author obsessed older woman around the island, all while trying to enjoy the island’s history. But, a string of burglaries throws a shadow over the tour. Who is robbing the museums and why?

When I read the blurb for Playing With Fire, I knew I needed to read this book. Not only does it take place in Italy, which is high on my list of places to visit, but it also offers an exciting view of where Excalibur and Camelot were compared to the legend. I am glad that I read this book because it was good. Plus, I loved reading the historical tidbits thrown throughout the book.

Playing With Fire started slowly and took a while to build up pace. But, once it got going, it flowed nicely. The book maintained a medium pace from the middle of the book to the end, which surprised me. I am used to mysteries having a more brisk pace. I liked it because it allowed me to process the information given.

Playing With Fire takes place entirely on the island of Sicily. I loved the author’s visuals of each town and the historical areas Carrie toured. I also liked the smattering of Italian given in the book.

The main storyline of Playing With Fire centers around Carrie, the tour, Enzo, and the burglaries. As I stated above, the book started slow. But, as Carrie traveled around Sicily and the mystery of Enzo/the art thefts deepened, the storyline gradually increased. This storyline was well-written and well-researched storyline. The author did not lose my attention for a moment.

I liked Carrie and admired her for traveling alone. I also liked that she gravitated toward people similar to her (her travel buddies). Millie and Joan were perfect for her. Vanessa, on the other hand, was not. She also had a good head on her shoulders and used it wisely during the book. Her instincts about Enzo and Vanessa were right on, well, for the most part.

The mystery angle of Playing With Fire was a slow burn. I wondered who the thief was. The author did use red herrings and misdirection to keep me from guessing. So, when the thief was revealed, I was shocked. Put it this way, that person was not on my radar.

There was a slight romance angle in Playing With Fire. The author kept it in the background and was brought up occasionally. But I wasn’t surprised at how it played out.

I want to mention King Arthur/Excalibur/Sicily’s history storyline. It was well-researched. I liked that the author threw some doubt as to where King Arthur was buried. I also liked that some of the mystery centered around Excalibur. And the history of Sicily was fascinating.

The end of Playing With Fire was standard. The author was able to wrap up the mystery in a way that satisfied me. I also liked how the author ended the romance storyline.

I recommend Playing With Fire to anyone over 16. There is no language, mild violence, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Flora McGowan for allowing me to read and review Playing With Fire. All opinions stated in this review are mine.