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alittlemixofvix's review against another edition
3.0
This was an ok read, fairly easy going and light, but I wouldn’t say I’d read the next books in the series. It just didn’t quite ramp up much as other cozy mysteries I’ve read have.
Jude and Sully were likeable characters though they did make some silly decisions which were obviously going to backfire. I also enjoyed how the relationship developed with her boyfriend Roger alongside her search for the murderer.
I think what really spoilt it for me was when a detail was mentioned early on I just knew it would be important, and low and behold it was. So I knew who the murderer was quite early on and was annoyed that Jude couldn’t figure it out. However, if you don’t pick up on it then the hunt for the killer could be quite entertaining.
*I received a complimentary copy of the e-book from BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Jude and Sully were likeable characters though they did make some silly decisions which were obviously going to backfire. I also enjoyed how the relationship developed with her boyfriend Roger alongside her search for the murderer.
I think what really spoilt it for me was when a detail was mentioned early on I just knew it would be important, and low and behold it was. So I knew who the murderer was quite early on and was annoyed that Jude couldn’t figure it out. However, if you don’t pick up on it then the hunt for the killer could be quite entertaining.
*I received a complimentary copy of the e-book from BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
kathywadolowski's review against another edition
3.0
"Bar None" feels a little bit like the literary illustration of the phrase "too many cooks in the kitchen..." Here, there are a few too many plot points that could've been interesting and worth following on their own, but thrown together proved overwhelming and detracted focus from the central mystery, weakening the book overall. I could see some of the threads—Sully's military background, Jude's family tragedy, the founding of the bar, Jude's toxic relationships, (to not even name them all!)—resurfacing and getting more attention in later tales, but including all that stuff in one novel was too much for a reader with too little foundation to be truly invested. I got the sense that the author is planting a lot of introductory character nuggets here for further exploration through a series, but some restraint on all these ideas in the first installment would've been helpful for the sake of the plot.
So let's talk about the plot! The trope—death ruled suicide that is definitely murder, ready for the solving—is a favorite of mine, as it allows for a lot more sleuthing, secret maneuvering, and general ~mystique~ because it necessarily excludes detectives and the straightforward, above-board methods at their disposal. Now this limitation did induce a few eye-rolls: Jude's insertion in the food bank, for instance, was kind of unbelievable but a necessary way to launch the story. I'm willing to let it go, but I think it would be worth exploring a more natural way to insert our protagonist in the action. We're also given a list of "suspects" to start out with, which is great in a very Agatha Christie way and gives us a good foundation for suspicions. I just wish we'd spent a bit more time actually exploring their backgrounds and potential motivations, that way we readers could've had an opportunity to formulate our own theories rather than being blindsided by the information and explanation that did come. Here, again, I think the story could've benefited from fewer distractions. Gasp-worthy surprises are fun; being blasted by a light beam revelation when you're in total darkness is not quite the same.
I am a HUGE fan of Jude's bar ownership as a plot device; this provides a dynamic setting for any crucial or tense moment/conversation, and the side plots centered here were fun and also felt relevant to the main story because they were so connected with Jude's priorities. Many of the book's best moments happened here, and if anything I think the bar itself could've been used more!
The bottom line: "Bar None" is a flawed but still captivating mystery that moves quickly enough to keep your interest, as long as you're willing to sacrifice some deeper character exploration when racing to the finish.
[I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.]
So let's talk about the plot! The trope—death ruled suicide that is definitely murder, ready for the solving—is a favorite of mine, as it allows for a lot more sleuthing, secret maneuvering, and general ~mystique~ because it necessarily excludes detectives and the straightforward, above-board methods at their disposal. Now this limitation did induce a few eye-rolls: Jude's insertion in the food bank, for instance, was kind of unbelievable but a necessary way to launch the story. I'm willing to let it go, but I think it would be worth exploring a more natural way to insert our protagonist in the action. We're also given a list of "suspects" to start out with, which is great in a very Agatha Christie way and gives us a good foundation for suspicions. I just wish we'd spent a bit more time actually exploring their backgrounds and potential motivations, that way we readers could've had an opportunity to formulate our own theories rather than being blindsided by the information and explanation that did come. Here, again, I think the story could've benefited from fewer distractions. Gasp-worthy surprises are fun; being blasted by a light beam revelation when you're in total darkness is not quite the same.
I am a HUGE fan of Jude's bar ownership as a plot device; this provides a dynamic setting for any crucial or tense moment/conversation, and the side plots centered here were fun and also felt relevant to the main story because they were so connected with Jude's priorities. Many of the book's best moments happened here, and if anything I think the bar itself could've been used more!
The bottom line: "Bar None" is a flawed but still captivating mystery that moves quickly enough to keep your interest, as long as you're willing to sacrifice some deeper character exploration when racing to the finish.
[I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.]
fireproofbunny's review against another edition
3.0
Jude is a no non-sense bar owner, Sully is a marine veteran and George is a dead body in Sully’s apartment. After finding his body Jude and Sully are embolden to get to the truth and expose all the secrets George knew. This would actually make a cute Hallmark series. Its not very violent or bloody considering the subject matter its very tame. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
musingsbymichelle's review against another edition
4.0
I had so much fun reading this and I'm officially calling it "cozy-ish mystery" because it isn't quite cozy and not quite full-on thriller/suspense. It has many elements of a cozy mystery. For example, Jude, the protagonist is not a professional detective, but rather a bartender and restaurant owner. Also, there isn't really any gore. However, it's less cozy in that it takes place in New York (although, I would argue that you do get the family/small-town vibe with Jude's work friends) and the multiple deaths put me a little more on edge than other cozies I've read.
I love bartenders and mixology and you get a little bit of this in the book. I think part of me missed sitting at the bar talking to the bartender, trying new liquors, and watching the bartenders create cool stuff.
Overall, this is a fairly quick read, a fun mystery, with a likable-because-of-how-honest-and-real-she-is protagonist. For figuring out the mystery, it's not hard to figure out whodunnit, but I didn't figure out the specific why until it was revealed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I love bartenders and mixology and you get a little bit of this in the book. I think part of me missed sitting at the bar talking to the bartender, trying new liquors, and watching the bartenders create cool stuff.
Overall, this is a fairly quick read, a fun mystery, with a likable-because-of-how-honest-and-real-she-is protagonist. For figuring out the mystery, it's not hard to figure out whodunnit, but I didn't figure out the specific why until it was revealed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
annarella's review against another edition
4.0
A good mystery with a solid plot. It's well written and keep you guessing till the end.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
caroline_carnivorous's review
4.0
I received a copy of this for free.
As someone who loves crime fiction and who used to work in the bar and restaurant business for years (my husband still does), I was immediately interested in this.
I love the protagonist, a kind of alternative woman who owns her own bar + restaurant. She's a great character, not too super amazing like in a lot of books.
While everything that happens isn't super realistic, I still enjoyed it a lot. There are a lot of mini plot lines, which I think fleshed out the story and made it more realistic. I definitely want to read the next book and get to know Jude more, hopefully learn more about her past!
Oh, and almost forgot! There are RECIPES at the back of the book! So cool, you can pretend you're actually at The Corner Lounge.
As someone who loves crime fiction and who used to work in the bar and restaurant business for years (my husband still does), I was immediately interested in this.
I love the protagonist, a kind of alternative woman who owns her own bar + restaurant. She's a great character, not too super amazing like in a lot of books.
While everything that happens isn't super realistic, I still enjoyed it a lot. There are a lot of mini plot lines, which I think fleshed out the story and made it more realistic. I definitely want to read the next book and get to know Jude more, hopefully learn more about her past!
Oh, and almost forgot! There are RECIPES at the back of the book! So cool, you can pretend you're actually at The Corner Lounge.
melannrosenthal's review against another edition
4.0
Though at times the writing was a touch overwrought, I thoroughly enjoyed this romp into MC Jude's brief life change from bar owner to amateur detective masquerading as a Food Co-op "intern" in the Bronx in order to help out actual Co-op employee Sully, her friend and landlord. This mystery will likely appeal to cozy fans and while I'm not, I felt a thrill as Jude perhaps stupidly put her neck on the line for Sully, a commandeering former Marine, while she continues to run her own business day to day and ward off the stalking efforts of her ex-boyfriend.
annarella's review
4.0
A good mystery with a solid plot. It's well written and keep you guessing till the end.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
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