Scan barcode
A review by lolasreviews
Pretty Little Fliers by Erin Johnson
2.0
I enjoyed Erin Johnson's other series, so I decided to give this one a try as well. I liked the idea of a main character who talks to pets and was curious how that would play into the mystery. Unfortunately this book didn't quite work for me.
I was hoping for a light and fun cozy mystery, but this one didn't quite have that vibe I was looking for. It at times has a more gritty dark world vibe with how down on her luck Jolene is and she lives in a bad part of town. It didn't quite have that cozy comfortable vibe. It also doesn't have the close group of characters that I had expected from the author's other series.
The mystery didn't really grip me, but there was a nice twist toward the end. I also liked seeing how Jolene cared about justice and wanted to help solve this. It felt a bit unrealistic how Jolene got involved. She is hired as a consultant, but she mostly just acts as a partner for the police officer and there aren't as many animals she talks to. There is a parakeet that has some valuable info, which was fun. I didn't care for her interactions with Daisy the dog, both were rude to the other and while it was supposed to be funny, it just felt annoying to me.
I didn't really like Jolene. I understood she didn't have a good life and I felt bad for her. Her tough outside layer made sense, but at times she just acted rude or in a way I didn't like. I did appreciate how she was willing to do or act or ask what was needed to get the case solved. Peter the detective was the most likable character probably, he seemed a bit too naive for a police officer, but he seemed capable and I liked how he gave Jolene a chance.
To summarize: Unfortunately this one didn't quite work for me. I liked the idea of a main character who could talk to pets. The story had a bit of a gritty feel at times and didn't feel as cozy as most cozies. The mystery wasn't gripping me, but there was an interesting twist toward the end. the investigation is pretty straightforward and more police procedural than amateur sleuth as Jolene is a consultant and tags along the police officer. I felt bad for Jolene, but never really quite warmed up to her. I didn't like how Jolene and Daisy the dog interacted with each other. Peter the police officer was a likable character, he was a bit naive, but had a certain kindness that made me like him.
I was hoping for a light and fun cozy mystery, but this one didn't quite have that vibe I was looking for. It at times has a more gritty dark world vibe with how down on her luck Jolene is and she lives in a bad part of town. It didn't quite have that cozy comfortable vibe. It also doesn't have the close group of characters that I had expected from the author's other series.
The mystery didn't really grip me, but there was a nice twist toward the end. I also liked seeing how Jolene cared about justice and wanted to help solve this. It felt a bit unrealistic how Jolene got involved. She is hired as a consultant, but she mostly just acts as a partner for the police officer and there aren't as many animals she talks to. There is a parakeet that has some valuable info, which was fun. I didn't care for her interactions with Daisy the dog, both were rude to the other and while it was supposed to be funny, it just felt annoying to me.
I didn't really like Jolene. I understood she didn't have a good life and I felt bad for her. Her tough outside layer made sense, but at times she just acted rude or in a way I didn't like. I did appreciate how she was willing to do or act or ask what was needed to get the case solved. Peter the detective was the most likable character probably, he seemed a bit too naive for a police officer, but he seemed capable and I liked how he gave Jolene a chance.
To summarize: Unfortunately this one didn't quite work for me. I liked the idea of a main character who could talk to pets. The story had a bit of a gritty feel at times and didn't feel as cozy as most cozies. The mystery wasn't gripping me, but there was an interesting twist toward the end. the investigation is pretty straightforward and more police procedural than amateur sleuth as Jolene is a consultant and tags along the police officer. I felt bad for Jolene, but never really quite warmed up to her. I didn't like how Jolene and Daisy the dog interacted with each other. Peter the police officer was a likable character, he was a bit naive, but had a certain kindness that made me like him.