Helpful Score: 1
No Charm Intended is the second in the Cora Crafts Mystery series featuring Coralie "Cora" Chevalier set in Indigo Gap, North Carolina. Cora and her best friend Jane Starr, along with Ruby O'Malley are preparing for the second crafter's retreat to be held in their newly renovated Victorian.
Jane's daughter London's babysitter Gracie Wyke goes missing at the start of the retreat causing scheduling problems and emotional distress for London. When Gracie's boyfriend Paul and his best friend Henry arrive on Jane's doorstep looking for help in locating the girl, Cora soon finds herself drawn into an investigation involving an online computer game "The Wizard of Oz".
Like the first in the series this edition is chock full of crafting projects and tips, with the components for these being things found in the wild. Detective Brodsky is back leading the investigation and while Cora seems to have found happiness with Adrian, there is still a hint of attraction to the hunky lawyer Cashel.
Jane's daughter London's babysitter Gracie Wyke goes missing at the start of the retreat causing scheduling problems and emotional distress for London. When Gracie's boyfriend Paul and his best friend Henry arrive on Jane's doorstep looking for help in locating the girl, Cora soon finds herself drawn into an investigation involving an online computer game "The Wizard of Oz".
Like the first in the series this edition is chock full of crafting projects and tips, with the components for these being things found in the wild. Detective Brodsky is back leading the investigation and while Cora seems to have found happiness with Adrian, there is still a hint of attraction to the hunky lawyer Cashel.
Helpful Score: 1
First off, I want it known that I would love to attend one of Cora's craft retreats. The author makes them sound like so much fun, and I like how Cora can be doing two or three things at the same time yet still plan ahead for future activities like enlarging the kitchen so she can hold baking classes.
Bryan has skillfully put together a very intriguing mystery. It took me a long time to figure out exactly what was going on, and I love that.
As good as the mystery is, and as delectable as all the crafts are, it's the cast of characters that makes this series a winner. Even though she's seen more than her fair share of the evil in the world, Cora still has a heart of gold and tends to be too trusting. Her friend Jane, on the other hand, is way too suspicious. I know Jane's suspicion is being used to keep Cora's good intentions in check (or at least to make Cora think twice about them), but I find Jane becoming very annoying. I hope something happens in future books to dial that element of her personality down a notch or two.
Continuing with the characters, I like seeing how some of the people signed up for the retreat join in the crime solving-- and how they all pitch in when someone needs help. Mollie Cox Bryan's Cora Crafts series encourages readers to solve crime and feel good-- all at the same time. Bring on book three!
Bryan has skillfully put together a very intriguing mystery. It took me a long time to figure out exactly what was going on, and I love that.
As good as the mystery is, and as delectable as all the crafts are, it's the cast of characters that makes this series a winner. Even though she's seen more than her fair share of the evil in the world, Cora still has a heart of gold and tends to be too trusting. Her friend Jane, on the other hand, is way too suspicious. I know Jane's suspicion is being used to keep Cora's good intentions in check (or at least to make Cora think twice about them), but I find Jane becoming very annoying. I hope something happens in future books to dial that element of her personality down a notch or two.
Continuing with the characters, I like seeing how some of the people signed up for the retreat join in the crime solving-- and how they all pitch in when someone needs help. Mollie Cox Bryan's Cora Crafts series encourages readers to solve crime and feel good-- all at the same time. Bring on book three!
