Emily M. (dangerouskitchen) reviewed The War Against Miss Winter (Rosie Winter, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
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I grabbed this book on a whim at the library and I'm so excited that I did. I devoured this book- the language was engaging, the story was exciting, and the mystery kept me guessing almost until the end. Rosie Winter is a sassy lady, and rest assured she does not take crap from anyone about anything. Her snappy retorts to the people around her who would try to bring her down are thoroughly entertaining, and her voice as a narrative keeps the story moving at just the right pace. Plus, how can you not love statements like this one, where she's describing a snotty, obnoxious fellow actress's role in the play they've both been cast in:
Ruby played the saintly WAC, which was the best of the eight parts, though given the overall shortcomings of the play, that was a bit like being the whore with the nicest teeth.
Rosie Winter shines as a narrator and a protagonist, but the other characters are just as worthy of mention: Jayne, the best friend and, all too often, the voice of reason; Tony, Jayne's mobster boyfriend who may (or may not?) actually be a nice guy, Al, one of Tony's tough guys who really just wants to make his mom proud; Belle, the house mom at the boarding house where Rosie, Jayne, and Ruby live; Harriet, probably my favorite character, who's juggling a career as an actress with also being a budding political activist. Oh, and Churchill the cat!
The war is a constant presence in this book, and the author provides lots of period details that enhance the story on almost every page. Additionally, the author's experience in the theater world makes the setting and tone of the book very authentic, and makes the reader actually care about the resolution of the main mystery, that being who murdered Rosie's boss, and all the side mysteries that emerge along the way. Speaking of side stories, several of them, such as Rosie's relationship with Jack, her (maybe) fiance, Rosie's rollercoaster acting career, and her relationships with the other girls in the boarding house, leave lots of room for future books in the series. I know of two others, The Winter of Her Discontent and Winter in June, and I'll definitely be reading both of those and reviewing them here.
If you're looking for something different to read that's funny, engrossing, and completely satisfying, I highly recommend this book.
I grabbed this book on a whim at the library and I'm so excited that I did. I devoured this book- the language was engaging, the story was exciting, and the mystery kept me guessing almost until the end. Rosie Winter is a sassy lady, and rest assured she does not take crap from anyone about anything. Her snappy retorts to the people around her who would try to bring her down are thoroughly entertaining, and her voice as a narrative keeps the story moving at just the right pace. Plus, how can you not love statements like this one, where she's describing a snotty, obnoxious fellow actress's role in the play they've both been cast in:
Ruby played the saintly WAC, which was the best of the eight parts, though given the overall shortcomings of the play, that was a bit like being the whore with the nicest teeth.
Rosie Winter shines as a narrator and a protagonist, but the other characters are just as worthy of mention: Jayne, the best friend and, all too often, the voice of reason; Tony, Jayne's mobster boyfriend who may (or may not?) actually be a nice guy, Al, one of Tony's tough guys who really just wants to make his mom proud; Belle, the house mom at the boarding house where Rosie, Jayne, and Ruby live; Harriet, probably my favorite character, who's juggling a career as an actress with also being a budding political activist. Oh, and Churchill the cat!
The war is a constant presence in this book, and the author provides lots of period details that enhance the story on almost every page. Additionally, the author's experience in the theater world makes the setting and tone of the book very authentic, and makes the reader actually care about the resolution of the main mystery, that being who murdered Rosie's boss, and all the side mysteries that emerge along the way. Speaking of side stories, several of them, such as Rosie's relationship with Jack, her (maybe) fiance, Rosie's rollercoaster acting career, and her relationships with the other girls in the boarding house, leave lots of room for future books in the series. I know of two others, The Winter of Her Discontent and Winter in June, and I'll definitely be reading both of those and reviewing them here.
If you're looking for something different to read that's funny, engrossing, and completely satisfying, I highly recommend this book.
Lisa B. (momof3boysandagirl) reviewed The War Against Miss Winter (Rosie Winter, Bk 1) on + 58 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I really enjoyed this book. She has great 'lines'. I have to say in the beginning she was trying to insert so many 40's slang phrases that it was maddening, but after she got into the book a bit is slowed down and had a better pace to it. Very Humphrey Bogart "The Big Sleep" feel to it.
John N. (dannixon) reviewed The War Against Miss Winter (Rosie Winter, Bk 1) on + 9 more book reviews
Fun book to read, particularly if you enjoy fiction about the NYC pre-1945.
Thomas F. (hardtack) -
What?
The best I can say of this overlong mystery is there are no vampires or zombies in it. I won't be reading more in this series.
The best I can say of this overlong mystery is there are no vampires or zombies in it. I won't be reading more in this series.
It's 1943 and the war is escalating in Europe and the Pacific seems far away. But for aspiring actress Rosie Winter, the war feels as if it were rght in New York City - what with food rationing and frequent blackouts - and a boyfrienmd she hasn't heard word one from since he enlisted in the navy. Now her rent is coming due anmd she hasn't been cast in anything for six months. The factories are desperate for women workers, but Rosie the Thespian isn't about to become Rosie the Riverter, so she grabs a part time job at a seamy, lowbrow detective agency instead.
Evocative, entertaining and wonderfully original, Kathryn Miller Haines book introduces not only an unforgettable new sleuth, but also an exciting new voice in the mystery genre, with a fast-paced tale of murder and deception that brings the WWII era vividly to life.
Evocative, entertaining and wonderfully original, Kathryn Miller Haines book introduces not only an unforgettable new sleuth, but also an exciting new voice in the mystery genre, with a fast-paced tale of murder and deception that brings the WWII era vividly to life.
