Dollycas's Thoughts
In this ninth Village Square Mystery, Katie Bonner's friend and former mother-in-law, Margo has moved into a rental by the lake while she waits for her new place to be completed. She is celebrating with a housewarming party inviting a few friends and local merchants. There was one guest Katie didn't know, Maxwell Preston. He owns a derelict building on the square and Margo hopes to convince him to sell the building to her. But before she can put her plan in motion Katie finds his dead body in the lake. She couldn't save him but she knows someone at the party killed him, she just needs to figure out who.
Katie is also dealing with Nona Fiske, owner of The Quiet Quilter. She has a great idea for a summer event involving all the merchants. Katie lets her take her plan and run with it but the woman has no clue how much work is entailed.
So with an event headed for disaster and a murderer on the loose Katie has her hands full. Can she catch the killer? Save the summer extravaganza? And get her life in order?
______
Katie is an excellent protagonist but she is dealing with a lot in addition to her sleuthing. She is a partner in Tealicious with her ex-mother-in-law and she starts every morning helping Chef Brad Andrews prepare the food to be served. Then she heads over to Artisan's Alley to manage that and assist in any problem that arises. All while avoiding running into her ex, Andy. She had a tough time in this story. She is not happy and comes up with a way to change one thing but it falls through. Life isn't easy and at times people struggle. I appreciate the way the author lets Katie continue to develop as this series continues. It makes her a believable character that keeps readers invested. Ms. Bartlett has surrounded her with a diverse cast of characters that continue to grow realistically as well, although there are a couple I would be glad to see go away.
The Square / McKinlay Mill is a unique and perfect setting for a cozy mystery series. There is always something happening. The new Victoria Square Annex is going to be a fabulous addition.
The murder mystery had a lot of moving parts. Katie makes a lot of trips around the Square, visiting shopkeepers, asking questions, and pondering the clues and what she has learned to try to ascertain who killed Maxwell Preston and why. Who had a motive? Who had the opportunity? Just when she starts to put things together something in her personal life pops up to misdirect her attention. She does get herself back on track and totally surprised me with a theory that she got her friend and former homicide detective Ray to help her investigate. I enjoyed myself following along every step of the way. I did have the right person in my sights as the murderer and I loved the exciting showdown.
A Lethal Lake Effect is a well-plotted and written addition to this series. Engaging characters, an interesting setting, and a marvelous mystery kept me entertained from beginning to end. I was intrigued by a few things that happened in the Epilogue. I hope things really work out for Katie. She deserves some happiness.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.
In this ninth Village Square Mystery, Katie Bonner's friend and former mother-in-law, Margo has moved into a rental by the lake while she waits for her new place to be completed. She is celebrating with a housewarming party inviting a few friends and local merchants. There was one guest Katie didn't know, Maxwell Preston. He owns a derelict building on the square and Margo hopes to convince him to sell the building to her. But before she can put her plan in motion Katie finds his dead body in the lake. She couldn't save him but she knows someone at the party killed him, she just needs to figure out who.
Katie is also dealing with Nona Fiske, owner of The Quiet Quilter. She has a great idea for a summer event involving all the merchants. Katie lets her take her plan and run with it but the woman has no clue how much work is entailed.
So with an event headed for disaster and a murderer on the loose Katie has her hands full. Can she catch the killer? Save the summer extravaganza? And get her life in order?
______
Katie is an excellent protagonist but she is dealing with a lot in addition to her sleuthing. She is a partner in Tealicious with her ex-mother-in-law and she starts every morning helping Chef Brad Andrews prepare the food to be served. Then she heads over to Artisan's Alley to manage that and assist in any problem that arises. All while avoiding running into her ex, Andy. She had a tough time in this story. She is not happy and comes up with a way to change one thing but it falls through. Life isn't easy and at times people struggle. I appreciate the way the author lets Katie continue to develop as this series continues. It makes her a believable character that keeps readers invested. Ms. Bartlett has surrounded her with a diverse cast of characters that continue to grow realistically as well, although there are a couple I would be glad to see go away.
The Square / McKinlay Mill is a unique and perfect setting for a cozy mystery series. There is always something happening. The new Victoria Square Annex is going to be a fabulous addition.
The murder mystery had a lot of moving parts. Katie makes a lot of trips around the Square, visiting shopkeepers, asking questions, and pondering the clues and what she has learned to try to ascertain who killed Maxwell Preston and why. Who had a motive? Who had the opportunity? Just when she starts to put things together something in her personal life pops up to misdirect her attention. She does get herself back on track and totally surprised me with a theory that she got her friend and former homicide detective Ray to help her investigate. I enjoyed myself following along every step of the way. I did have the right person in my sights as the murderer and I loved the exciting showdown.
A Lethal Lake Effect is a well-plotted and written addition to this series. Engaging characters, an interesting setting, and a marvelous mystery kept me entertained from beginning to end. I was intrigued by a few things that happened in the Epilogue. I hope things really work out for Katie. She deserves some happiness.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.
