I’m playing catch up with my #YearOfIndie, which was helped greatly by how much I enjoyed this latest book. I initially received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) but due to my delays in reviewing the book and because of how much I enjoyed it I ended up buying a copy anyway! I suppose I should probably remind you that this weeks book was Murder at the Playgroup by Liz Hedgecock:

As usual I put a review up on Amazon and Goodreads. Here is what I had to say:

This is my first cozy mystery and it was a great way to be introduced to the genre. The writing is light hearted and fun, the characters feel genuine and behave believably and the central mystery is compelling.

The author does a wonderful job of painting the picture of village life as Pippa Parker moves into her new home. As someone who has lived in a small English village there are so many staples that are absolutely nailed here, from the busy local pub to the gossiping neighbours and the power hungry old ladies. I can totally picture this quaint little village in all it’s glory.

I loved the relationship between Pippa and Freddie (her toddler son). It creates a lot of fun dialogue and adds to the light tone. This is balanced by Pippa’s relationship with her husband, which is fraught with ups and downs as they await their second child. This added a touch of realism and brought the whole story back down to earth. There are several side characters that are also fun in their own way, I particularly enjoyed the librarian.

My only complaint is a backhanded compliment, I wish the book was longer! The ending felt like it came too soon, but a large part of that was due to how much I was enjoying the book. Already looking forward to the sequel!

 

It was a great introduction to the genre and it has already got me thinking about how I would tackle a cozy mystery story (no! bad brain! focus!). I hope Pippa’s next adventure is on it’s way soon.

Next up on the #YearOfIndie is The Adderstane by Avalina Kreska. I’m hoping to keep up the pace and get a review out on this one by the end of the month.