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Canary House Mysteries #1
The Starlet Letter
Book One of The Canary House Mysteries, a tongue-in-cheek historical mystery series featuring amateur sleuths and literary themes.
When a washed-up Ziegfeld Follies star goes missing, can the Van der Beeck twins crack the case without breaking their necks... or losing their hearts?
It’s 1931, and the once grand, always eccentric Van der Beecks have taken in borders to make ends meet. Canary House, their rambling Upper West Side mansion, boasts six tenants: a pianist, a poet, an erstwhile diplomat, a psychiatrist, a bootlegger, and a philanthropist who is always short on cash. Life has never been more interesting until a seventh checks into the turret room – Babs Le Roy, a washed-up Ziegfeld Follies star with more than one skeleton in her cluttered closet.
It's all the twins can do to mind their own business. Nearly eighteen, they only look like angels. Vivian has a nose for trouble and Viola has her nose in a book, but between the two of them, the villain doesn’t stand a chance – if only they can find one to spice things up. Then Babs goes missing, and one ransom note, two gangsters, and a handful of red herrings later, the twins find themselves confronted with more villains than they bargained for. Throw in a soft-boiled detective, a handsome sergeant, and a houseful of tenants graced with more whimsy than wit, and you have the makings of a mad-cap mystery that will keep you guessing till the end.
When a washed-up Ziegfeld Follies star goes missing, can the Van der Beeck twins crack the case without breaking their necks... or losing their hearts?
It’s 1931, and the once grand, always eccentric Van der Beecks have taken in borders to make ends meet. Canary House, their rambling Upper West Side mansion, boasts six tenants: a pianist, a poet, an erstwhile diplomat, a psychiatrist, a bootlegger, and a philanthropist who is always short on cash. Life has never been more interesting until a seventh checks into the turret room – Babs Le Roy, a washed-up Ziegfeld Follies star with more than one skeleton in her cluttered closet.
It's all the twins can do to mind their own business. Nearly eighteen, they only look like angels. Vivian has a nose for trouble and Viola has her nose in a book, but between the two of them, the villain doesn’t stand a chance – if only they can find one to spice things up. Then Babs goes missing, and one ransom note, two gangsters, and a handful of red herrings later, the twins find themselves confronted with more villains than they bargained for. Throw in a soft-boiled detective, a handsome sergeant, and a houseful of tenants graced with more whimsy than wit, and you have the makings of a mad-cap mystery that will keep you guessing till the end.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2023
5 people are currently reading
1204 people want to read
About the author
Julie Mathison
5 books87 followersWelcome! I write novels that seek to transport and enrich readers while entertaining them. I founded my imprint, Starr Creek Press, on the principle of "books, not boxes," and the idea that a good book should transcend its genre and be satisfying to readers of any age. My novels have won awards and contests from Writer's Digest, Publisher's Weekly's BookLife, the Eric Hoffer Book Award and others, but it's hearing from readers that really makes my day. So, if you like what you've read, reach out.
I do review books I'm reading now, but I've borrowed Katherine Arden's policy which is to give everything I like 5 stars, and if a book didn't grab me, I don't review it. It takes a lot to write a novel, so if you've done that much, full marks -- we're all on the path.
Happy reading, and stay in touch!
https://www.instagram.com/starrcreekp...
https://www.facebook.com/Julie-Mathis...
I do review books I'm reading now, but I've borrowed Katherine Arden's policy which is to give everything I like 5 stars, and if a book didn't grab me, I don't review it. It takes a lot to write a novel, so if you've done that much, full marks -- we're all on the path.
Happy reading, and stay in touch!
https://www.instagram.com/starrcreekp...
https://www.facebook.com/Julie-Mathis...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
June 6, 2023
The Starlet Letter introduces the Van der Beeck twins Vivian (Viv) and Viola (Lala), who in spite of being physically identical have quite different personalities.
The Van der Beecks are broke as a result of the Great Depression, but have kept themselves afloat with the help of six tenants (a pianist, a poet, an erstwhile diplomat, a psychiatrist, a bootlegger, and a philanthropist). The twins are usually very curious about their tenants lives, and the arrival of Babs Le Roy (a Ziegfeld Follies star) as a new tenant is no exception, they have actually done their homework and have done some research on Babs, but there seems to be more about her, what could that be? Babs seems to be hiding something and the twins need to know what that is.
Then, all of a sudden Babs goes missing. Could the secret Babs hide be the reason of her disappearance? Viv and Lala are determined to find out. They may only be a couple of curious teenagers, but their sleuth instinct might help them uncover just what they are looking for...or not.
This is the first book I read by Julie Mathison and I can hardly wait to read the missing installments of the Canary House mysteries.
The Van der Beecks are broke as a result of the Great Depression, but have kept themselves afloat with the help of six tenants (a pianist, a poet, an erstwhile diplomat, a psychiatrist, a bootlegger, and a philanthropist). The twins are usually very curious about their tenants lives, and the arrival of Babs Le Roy (a Ziegfeld Follies star) as a new tenant is no exception, they have actually done their homework and have done some research on Babs, but there seems to be more about her, what could that be? Babs seems to be hiding something and the twins need to know what that is.
Then, all of a sudden Babs goes missing. Could the secret Babs hide be the reason of her disappearance? Viv and Lala are determined to find out. They may only be a couple of curious teenagers, but their sleuth instinct might help them uncover just what they are looking for...or not.
This is the first book I read by Julie Mathison and I can hardly wait to read the missing installments of the Canary House mysteries.
June 6, 2023
The Starlet Letter introduces the Van der Beeck twins Vivian (Viv) and Viola (Lala), who in spite of being physically identical have quite different personalities.
The Van der Beecks are broke as a result of the Great Depression, but have kept themselves afloat with the help of six tenants (a pianist, a poet, an erstwhile diplomat, a psychiatrist, a bootlegger, and a philanthropist). The twins are usually very curious about their tenants lives, and the arrival of Babs Le Roy (a Ziegfeld Follies star) as a new tenant is no exception, they have actually done their homework and have done some research on Babs, but there seems to be more about her, what could that be? Babs seems to be hiding something and the twins need to know what that is.
Then, all of a sudden Babs goes missing. Could the secret Babs hide be the reason of her disappearance? Viv and Lala are determined to find out. They may only be a couple of curious teenagers, but their sleuth instinct might help them uncover just what they are looking for...or not.
This is the first book I read by Julie Mathison and I can hardly wait to read the missing installments of the Canary House mysteries.
For those who love mysteries, unsolved crimes, and the like, this would be a good read for you.
The Van der Beecks are broke as a result of the Great Depression, but have kept themselves afloat with the help of six tenants (a pianist, a poet, an erstwhile diplomat, a psychiatrist, a bootlegger, and a philanthropist). The twins are usually very curious about their tenants lives, and the arrival of Babs Le Roy (a Ziegfeld Follies star) as a new tenant is no exception, they have actually done their homework and have done some research on Babs, but there seems to be more about her, what could that be? Babs seems to be hiding something and the twins need to know what that is.
Then, all of a sudden Babs goes missing. Could the secret Babs hide be the reason of her disappearance? Viv and Lala are determined to find out. They may only be a couple of curious teenagers, but their sleuth instinct might help them uncover just what they are looking for...or not.
This is the first book I read by Julie Mathison and I can hardly wait to read the missing installments of the Canary House mysteries.
For those who love mysteries, unsolved crimes, and the like, this would be a good read for you.
April 25, 2023
The Starlet Letter is the first book in The Canary House Mysteries series by Julie Mathison and set in 1931. I have mixed feelings about this partly because I was not aware that it was aimed at a YA audience when I started it and so my expectations were out of sync with the story. The protagonists were seventeen-year-old twin sisters, Vivian and Viola, who are identical in looks and best friends as well as sisters, but polar opposites in personality. I liked Viola well enough, quiet, usually right but also willing to give way to her sister. I was less enamoured of Vivian, out-going, popular, but bossy and constantly dismissing her sister’s ideas. The mystery itself was interesting but I also found the momentum kept being stalled by the requisite romance which is definitely suited for a audience much younger than myself. And I guess that’s my point - I often enjoy YA novels and feel they can appeal to adults as well as their intended audience but. I didn’t find that here.
Still, in fairness, given the number of five-star reviews, mine seems to be a minority opinion and I did finish it so I think this is one I leave up to individual readers to decide but they should be aware that it is definitely suited to it’s target audience rather than a broader one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Still, in fairness, given the number of five-star reviews, mine seems to be a minority opinion and I did finish it so I think this is one I leave up to individual readers to decide but they should be aware that it is definitely suited to it’s target audience rather than a broader one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 7, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Star Creek Press for access to an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Twin sisters Viola and Vivian Van der Beeck have grown up in New York City in their family home Canary House, and though their family had at more than one point in history been rather wealthy, a sort of misfortune clung to their lineage, manifesting in both odd, untimely deaths and in a less than stellar reputation with the rest of New York Society. Thusly, the girls' parents made the decision to take on boarders in the empty rooms of the house in order to afford the upkeep of the property and to pay their limited staff. This decision, of course, resulted in a grouping together of fascinating, odd, diverse, *interesting* characters who all become close in a sense with the Van der Beecks and with the twins especially.
Viola, the quiet, bookish, kind-hearted dreamer of the pair, was the keeper of the family diary that documented the lives and eventual deaths of each member of their family, while Vivian--more pragmatic and no-nonsense and certainly less emotionally inclined--was the daredevil and would be detective often dragging her twin along on her hunches. Life in Canary house was interesting but settled up until the day when the famous stage performer Babs Le Roy entered the picture and moved into the upstairs turret room after having been missing from the public eye for nearly a year.
The girls are instantly fascinated with Babs's story and what kept her away for so long, but the sudden disappearance of the starlet on the night of her big return to the stage causes mayhem both among the boarders of Canary House and throughout the streets of New York. With the help of each of their boarders and Inspector Flanagan and Sergeant Kowalski of the local police force--despite their insistence the girls stay out of the case at first--the girls hunt for clues to discover not only what has happened to Babs in the present, but what took her away from the stage and her life in the city in the first place, and how the two may or may not tie together to create a full picture of what is going on. Can they solve the mystery in time to bring Babs home safely? And why oh why does Viola keep likening everything in the case to The Starlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne?
Honestly, this book was a work of art. There's a sort of disclaimer at the beginning warning the reader that the narration isn't always cut and dry as to who it is coming from, as the third person perspective swaps constantly between the two twins, but as you read, you get to know the girls more and more, and in no time I was switching back and forth with no difficulty at all and laughing at the way the two girls perceived things differently and even how differently they saw themselves and each other. The writing was beautiful and made me feel like I was taking a fun journey back in time to see New York in the thirties, the characters were all funny and felt real and had believable backstories that made me smile and laugh and even tear up a few times, and the romance lingering throughout the story was so sweet and a delight to read.
Not to mention, Julie's control of the story and the mystery she was weaving throughout the narrative was *masterful*. Rather than skipping steps ahead of the characters in the solving of the mystery, I felt like I was learning and figuring things out right along with Viv and Lala, and watching the way each girl would pick apart different parts of the clues they found and what new ideas they both would come away with was so fun for me. Also, the references throughout the whole book to The Scarlet Letter? Immaculate. When I saw this book, I thought it be more like a retelling of the story, which already had me excited as a huge fan of The Scarlet Letter, and while that held true somewhat, the way she used Viola's love of the book itself to weave it into the story was so different and interesting, and honestly, I think I could gush about this book until the end of time. An easy five star read, and I can't wait for the rest of the Canary House Mysteries.
Twin sisters Viola and Vivian Van der Beeck have grown up in New York City in their family home Canary House, and though their family had at more than one point in history been rather wealthy, a sort of misfortune clung to their lineage, manifesting in both odd, untimely deaths and in a less than stellar reputation with the rest of New York Society. Thusly, the girls' parents made the decision to take on boarders in the empty rooms of the house in order to afford the upkeep of the property and to pay their limited staff. This decision, of course, resulted in a grouping together of fascinating, odd, diverse, *interesting* characters who all become close in a sense with the Van der Beecks and with the twins especially.
Viola, the quiet, bookish, kind-hearted dreamer of the pair, was the keeper of the family diary that documented the lives and eventual deaths of each member of their family, while Vivian--more pragmatic and no-nonsense and certainly less emotionally inclined--was the daredevil and would be detective often dragging her twin along on her hunches. Life in Canary house was interesting but settled up until the day when the famous stage performer Babs Le Roy entered the picture and moved into the upstairs turret room after having been missing from the public eye for nearly a year.
The girls are instantly fascinated with Babs's story and what kept her away for so long, but the sudden disappearance of the starlet on the night of her big return to the stage causes mayhem both among the boarders of Canary House and throughout the streets of New York. With the help of each of their boarders and Inspector Flanagan and Sergeant Kowalski of the local police force--despite their insistence the girls stay out of the case at first--the girls hunt for clues to discover not only what has happened to Babs in the present, but what took her away from the stage and her life in the city in the first place, and how the two may or may not tie together to create a full picture of what is going on. Can they solve the mystery in time to bring Babs home safely? And why oh why does Viola keep likening everything in the case to The Starlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne?
Honestly, this book was a work of art. There's a sort of disclaimer at the beginning warning the reader that the narration isn't always cut and dry as to who it is coming from, as the third person perspective swaps constantly between the two twins, but as you read, you get to know the girls more and more, and in no time I was switching back and forth with no difficulty at all and laughing at the way the two girls perceived things differently and even how differently they saw themselves and each other. The writing was beautiful and made me feel like I was taking a fun journey back in time to see New York in the thirties, the characters were all funny and felt real and had believable backstories that made me smile and laugh and even tear up a few times, and the romance lingering throughout the story was so sweet and a delight to read.
Not to mention, Julie's control of the story and the mystery she was weaving throughout the narrative was *masterful*. Rather than skipping steps ahead of the characters in the solving of the mystery, I felt like I was learning and figuring things out right along with Viv and Lala, and watching the way each girl would pick apart different parts of the clues they found and what new ideas they both would come away with was so fun for me. Also, the references throughout the whole book to The Scarlet Letter? Immaculate. When I saw this book, I thought it be more like a retelling of the story, which already had me excited as a huge fan of The Scarlet Letter, and while that held true somewhat, the way she used Viola's love of the book itself to weave it into the story was so different and interesting, and honestly, I think I could gush about this book until the end of time. An easy five star read, and I can't wait for the rest of the Canary House Mysteries.
August 11, 2023
It's 1931, and the once grand, always eccentric Van der Beecks have taken in borders to make ends meet. Canary House, their rambling Upper West Side mansion, boasts six tenants: a pianist, a poet, an erstwhile diplomat, a psychiatrist, a bootlegger, and a philanthropist who is always short on cash. Life has never been more interesting until a seventh checks into the turret room - Babs Le Roy, a down-on-her-luck Ziegfeld Follies star with more than one skeleton in her cluttered closet. It's all the twins can do to mind their own business. Nearly eighteen, they only look like angels. Vivian has a nose for trouble and Viola has her nose in a book, but between the two of them, the villain doesn't stand a chance - if only they can find one to spice things up. Then Babs goes missing, and one ransom note, two gangsters, and a handful of red herrings later, the twins find themselves confronted with more villains than they bargained for. Throw in a soft-boiled detective, a handsome sergeant, and a houseful of tenants graced with more whimsy than wit, and you have the makings of a mad-cap mystery that will keep you guessing till the end.
What a fun and entertaining read! All the characters in this were interesting and I hope show up in further adventures of the twins. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.
What a fun and entertaining read! All the characters in this were interesting and I hope show up in further adventures of the twins. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.
August 29, 2023
This one was a bit of a miss for me. Maybe it would be better for young adult readers? I really like the idea of a crazy boarding house full of characters, even down to the housemaid and cook. And add in a mystery where a semi-famous Follies dancer staying in Canary house goes missing? I like the short chapters and the setting of New York in the 30's. But the style of writing was hard to get into - I would describe it as madcap with the 3rd person narrator darting into the past or explaining some minor character's background - and the mystery itself finished underwhelmingly with the twins making assumptions that were difficult to follow.
Additionally, the 18 year old twins, Vivian and Viola, blended together for a long time for me. I finally figured out which one was which - one is very bookish and the other is the rebel/fearless sister - but their names are so similar and the perspective never stays with just one. If they had alternated narrating chapters or if we'd just stuck with one the whole time, it might have been better. We do spend a little more time with Vivian but that's also because of the love story aspect The ending was visually incredible - but the resolution of who did what for why is a bit of a stretch. I'm not sure I would read another installment of this.
Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Additionally, the 18 year old twins, Vivian and Viola, blended together for a long time for me. I finally figured out which one was which - one is very bookish and the other is the rebel/fearless sister - but their names are so similar and the perspective never stays with just one. If they had alternated narrating chapters or if we'd just stuck with one the whole time, it might have been better. We do spend a little more time with Vivian but that's also because of the love story aspect The ending was visually incredible - but the resolution of who did what for why is a bit of a stretch. I'm not sure I would read another installment of this.
Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2023
3.5 Stars
The writing style took me right back to some of my favourite reads, and authors, from when I was a young girl, and I felt the same excitement as I did back then, each time the story progressed.
It’s a great little ‘whodunnit’ with lots of vibrant suspects and two, unusually young, yet very likable, private detectives on the case.The atmosphere of the depressive era is conveyed well without the characters or story being too dark or glum and the portrayal of Dad’s ‘ShellShock’ is extremely sad.
The story overall was really well done, although the ending didn’t captivate me as much as the investigation throughout the rest of the book did. Saying that though, and while trying not to give too much away, the ending didn’t disappoint at all. There’s so much more going on in this book than just the main mystery, that I didn’t mind any perceived weaknesses in this part of the story.
Granted, there were times when I feared I was missing out on references, or a certain level of understanding, due to never having read ‘The Scarlet Letter,’ but I think, for the most part, the similarities were explained well.
Would I recommend this book? - Yes I think it’s worth making your own decision on, especially if you are a fan of this genre. You’ll meet some great characters in a vivid world and you’ll probably be left waiting for book number two just like I am.
The writing style took me right back to some of my favourite reads, and authors, from when I was a young girl, and I felt the same excitement as I did back then, each time the story progressed.
It’s a great little ‘whodunnit’ with lots of vibrant suspects and two, unusually young, yet very likable, private detectives on the case.The atmosphere of the depressive era is conveyed well without the characters or story being too dark or glum and the portrayal of Dad’s ‘ShellShock’ is extremely sad.
The story overall was really well done, although the ending didn’t captivate me as much as the investigation throughout the rest of the book did. Saying that though, and while trying not to give too much away, the ending didn’t disappoint at all. There’s so much more going on in this book than just the main mystery, that I didn’t mind any perceived weaknesses in this part of the story.
Granted, there were times when I feared I was missing out on references, or a certain level of understanding, due to never having read ‘The Scarlet Letter,’ but I think, for the most part, the similarities were explained well.
Would I recommend this book? - Yes I think it’s worth making your own decision on, especially if you are a fan of this genre. You’ll meet some great characters in a vivid world and you’ll probably be left waiting for book number two just like I am.
March 31, 2023
DNF 131 pgs (52%)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book!
I just want to start this off by saying that the premise of the book is great. It is a historical fiction novel featuring a set of twins, Viola and Vivian, solving the mystery of the disappearance of actress Babs Le Roy. However, I struggled while reading this book and it did not meet my expectations at all.
THINGS I LIKED:
- The mystery. I always love to read mysteries and try to follow along to see if I can pick up on clues and solve it myself. I liked how the reader gets to see Viola and Vivian's thoughts on how they were attempting to solve the mystery.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
- The mystery. I genuinely don't remember when Babs goes missing. Viola and Vivian look through her stuff towards the beginning (I think it was to make up their own mystery?), and they follow her around a little (I don't know why). Then they show up at some event and all of a sudden declare that Babs is missing. Maybe I'm missing something here, I know I probably am, but I don't usually have trouble understanding plots in mystery books.
- The worldbuilding. I was 70% sure this takes place in NY (now 100% because I just googled Ziegfeld Follies), but nothing was ever really described. I thought it was the 1930s (5% sure), although it could be anytime during that time period, I'm not quite sure exactly when.
- The characters: Was this book in Viola or Vivian's POV? Or both? Neither? I couldn't tell the two apart personality-wise, just by name. I also have no idea whose POV this book was from which is pretty strange. It is 3rd person, but usually it's easier to figure out.
- The characters (pt 2): There were sooooooooo many characters introduced all at once! There are the other people who live with Viola and Vivian, as well as other irrelevant characters that are given detailed backstories that I don't think are necessary for this plot. In fact, the only character I feel like I actually know is Babs!
Surprisingly, by the time I DNFed the book, it was getting a little better. Usually the middle section of a book is worse than the beginning for me because it drags on too much sometimes. Once I realized Babs was missing and they were trying to solve the mystery, it got more enjoyable because I understood what was going on. However, I was not picking up the book at all and made very little progress. I just wanted to move on to a different book, so I DNFed it. Maybe this book just wasn't for me. Historical novels tend to be hit or miss with me, as sometimes the way characters talk confuses me, but I can see how people enjoyed this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book!
I just want to start this off by saying that the premise of the book is great. It is a historical fiction novel featuring a set of twins, Viola and Vivian, solving the mystery of the disappearance of actress Babs Le Roy. However, I struggled while reading this book and it did not meet my expectations at all.
THINGS I LIKED:
- The mystery. I always love to read mysteries and try to follow along to see if I can pick up on clues and solve it myself. I liked how the reader gets to see Viola and Vivian's thoughts on how they were attempting to solve the mystery.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
- The mystery. I genuinely don't remember when Babs goes missing. Viola and Vivian look through her stuff towards the beginning (I think it was to make up their own mystery?), and they follow her around a little (I don't know why). Then they show up at some event and all of a sudden declare that Babs is missing. Maybe I'm missing something here, I know I probably am, but I don't usually have trouble understanding plots in mystery books.
- The worldbuilding. I was 70% sure this takes place in NY (now 100% because I just googled Ziegfeld Follies), but nothing was ever really described. I thought it was the 1930s (5% sure), although it could be anytime during that time period, I'm not quite sure exactly when.
- The characters: Was this book in Viola or Vivian's POV? Or both? Neither? I couldn't tell the two apart personality-wise, just by name. I also have no idea whose POV this book was from which is pretty strange. It is 3rd person, but usually it's easier to figure out.
- The characters (pt 2): There were sooooooooo many characters introduced all at once! There are the other people who live with Viola and Vivian, as well as other irrelevant characters that are given detailed backstories that I don't think are necessary for this plot. In fact, the only character I feel like I actually know is Babs!
Surprisingly, by the time I DNFed the book, it was getting a little better. Usually the middle section of a book is worse than the beginning for me because it drags on too much sometimes. Once I realized Babs was missing and they were trying to solve the mystery, it got more enjoyable because I understood what was going on. However, I was not picking up the book at all and made very little progress. I just wanted to move on to a different book, so I DNFed it. Maybe this book just wasn't for me. Historical novels tend to be hit or miss with me, as sometimes the way characters talk confuses me, but I can see how people enjoyed this book.
June 8, 2023
Vivian and Viola Van der Beck are identical in appearance and polar opposites in character. Much preferring the world of facts and logic, Vivian often despairs at Violas whimsical romanticism. Especially when there is such a captivating mystery to solve. And although Viola would much rather spend her time with her nose buried deep in a book, she is bound by the twin code of honour to assist her sister in her newest object of intrigue.
When rising Hollywood star and tenant to the Van der Beeck household, Babs Le Roy, goes missing in the middle of her newest show, there is quite an intrigue to be had.
Set in 1931 New York, this exciting debut to the ‘Canary House Mysteries’ series takes us on quite the adventure, filled with quirky tenants, flamboyant stars, dubious criminals, sinful priests, handsome detectives, family mysteries and the witt and whimsy of the Van der Beeck twins.
Upon first opening this book it became immediately obvious that there would be references made to the work of US American classical literature ‘The Scarlet Letter’. With a heavy sigh I closed this book and picked up a copy of ‘The Scarlet Letter’, determined that I would understand all the references made in ‘The Starlet Letter’ when I began to read that (I am not American so I never had to read this classic as part of my school curriculum). Unfortunately for me, but fortunate for the readers to come, this arduous and sometimes painful task was not necessary. ‘The Starlet Letter’ does a brilliant job of explaining the quotes and references to the reader in such a way that no previous knowledge of ‘The Scarlet Letter’ is necessary.
When I finally picked up this book for the second time, I instantly fell in love with the authors style of writing. The humour and choice of words captivated me while the authors description of places and past events allowed me to sink deeply into the story itself in a way that very few other books have. I was highly intrigued by the way Julie Mathison meshes together the perspectives of Viola and Vivian, illustrating the closeness of their bond, while also making it immediately clear from whose perspective the story is being told, through the use of small quirks and sentence structures. I will most definitely be following along as the series continues, and look forward to reading some of Julie Mathisons other works in the mean time.
When rising Hollywood star and tenant to the Van der Beeck household, Babs Le Roy, goes missing in the middle of her newest show, there is quite an intrigue to be had.
Set in 1931 New York, this exciting debut to the ‘Canary House Mysteries’ series takes us on quite the adventure, filled with quirky tenants, flamboyant stars, dubious criminals, sinful priests, handsome detectives, family mysteries and the witt and whimsy of the Van der Beeck twins.
Upon first opening this book it became immediately obvious that there would be references made to the work of US American classical literature ‘The Scarlet Letter’. With a heavy sigh I closed this book and picked up a copy of ‘The Scarlet Letter’, determined that I would understand all the references made in ‘The Starlet Letter’ when I began to read that (I am not American so I never had to read this classic as part of my school curriculum). Unfortunately for me, but fortunate for the readers to come, this arduous and sometimes painful task was not necessary. ‘The Starlet Letter’ does a brilliant job of explaining the quotes and references to the reader in such a way that no previous knowledge of ‘The Scarlet Letter’ is necessary.
When I finally picked up this book for the second time, I instantly fell in love with the authors style of writing. The humour and choice of words captivated me while the authors description of places and past events allowed me to sink deeply into the story itself in a way that very few other books have. I was highly intrigued by the way Julie Mathison meshes together the perspectives of Viola and Vivian, illustrating the closeness of their bond, while also making it immediately clear from whose perspective the story is being told, through the use of small quirks and sentence structures. I will most definitely be following along as the series continues, and look forward to reading some of Julie Mathisons other works in the mean time.
May 24, 2023
My favourite part about this book was the writing style. It reminded me of early 20th century children's literature in the best way possible, the sense of nostalgia I got from it was the best. Because of this it honestly did not feel like a modern YA-ish book, which was actually kind of fun. I kept forgetting it was a 2023 release until Vivian starting describing the sergeant's forearms (and the like). However, I'm also very much a YA fan, so this was not a downside. I really liked the twins, especially Vivian. And Sergeant Kowalski/Adam/Adi was a highlight too.
My actual criticisms are with the other parts of the book. The side characters were interesting, however it was quite a large cast, which is always difficult to ensure everyone gets enough attention without it being confusing, and it was a little confusing. The mystery itself was not that compelling to me, but it may have been because it took me a very long time to read this book (which is not the fault of the book, I just had other things I had to read in between that were more time sensitive), so perhaps if I had read it in less sittings I would have actually understood the mystery. The other problem, which was also a me problem, was that since I have not read The Scarlet Letter, I missed many references to it, which I'm sure would have enriched the experience. And I don't think not knowing the references made it worse, I am just sure they would have made it better.
The main result from finishing this is that;
1. I want the sequel
2. I want to read more detective/mystery books again
3. Maybe I should get back into historical fiction
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
My actual criticisms are with the other parts of the book. The side characters were interesting, however it was quite a large cast, which is always difficult to ensure everyone gets enough attention without it being confusing, and it was a little confusing. The mystery itself was not that compelling to me, but it may have been because it took me a very long time to read this book (which is not the fault of the book, I just had other things I had to read in between that were more time sensitive), so perhaps if I had read it in less sittings I would have actually understood the mystery. The other problem, which was also a me problem, was that since I have not read The Scarlet Letter, I missed many references to it, which I'm sure would have enriched the experience. And I don't think not knowing the references made it worse, I am just sure they would have made it better.
The main result from finishing this is that;
1. I want the sequel
2. I want to read more detective/mystery books again
3. Maybe I should get back into historical fiction
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2023
Thank you to Starr Creek Press for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3 stars! The Starlet Letter is the first in a new historical mystery series following teenage twins turned amateur sleuths, Vivian and Viola Van der Beeck. Viv and Lala live with their parents in New York City, and their home, Canary House, has become a boarding house after the Depression took a toll on the family's finances. Canary House is home to many colorful residents, including former Ziegfeld Follies star Babs Le Roy. When Babs disappears, the twins take it upon themselves to investigate.
From the first page, I enjoyed this book's charming tone. The author describes this book in her end note as "Nick and Nora meets Wes Anderson," so you'll like this if you enjoy a zany cast of characters and tongue-in-cheek tone. There were many moments I found genuinely humorous.
Out of the twins, Viola was my favorite. She is the quieter, more bookish twin (I can relate!) and starts drawing parallels between Babs' case and the book she's currently reading, The Scarlet Letter. At times, I thought those connections seemed a bit tenuous, but I enjoyed the literary conceit. As for Vivian, she is the bolder, more boisterous twin, and I liked her fine, but at times I think she came across as a bit mean.
This first book establishes a burgeoning relationship between Vivian and Sergeant Kowalski, the young, handsome detective the sisters meet while solving Babs's case. Personally, this relationship didn't really work for me, as I felt like they fell too hard, too fast for it to be really believable. Granted, I didn't realize this book was classified as YA, and I often feel this way about YA romances, so maybe it won't be an issue for other readers.
Overall, this book was pretty enjoyable. Would I read the next one? Maybe!
3 stars! The Starlet Letter is the first in a new historical mystery series following teenage twins turned amateur sleuths, Vivian and Viola Van der Beeck. Viv and Lala live with their parents in New York City, and their home, Canary House, has become a boarding house after the Depression took a toll on the family's finances. Canary House is home to many colorful residents, including former Ziegfeld Follies star Babs Le Roy. When Babs disappears, the twins take it upon themselves to investigate.
From the first page, I enjoyed this book's charming tone. The author describes this book in her end note as "Nick and Nora meets Wes Anderson," so you'll like this if you enjoy a zany cast of characters and tongue-in-cheek tone. There were many moments I found genuinely humorous.
Out of the twins, Viola was my favorite. She is the quieter, more bookish twin (I can relate!) and starts drawing parallels between Babs' case and the book she's currently reading, The Scarlet Letter. At times, I thought those connections seemed a bit tenuous, but I enjoyed the literary conceit. As for Vivian, she is the bolder, more boisterous twin, and I liked her fine, but at times I think she came across as a bit mean.
This first book establishes a burgeoning relationship between Vivian and Sergeant Kowalski, the young, handsome detective the sisters meet while solving Babs's case. Personally, this relationship didn't really work for me, as I felt like they fell too hard, too fast for it to be really believable. Granted, I didn't realize this book was classified as YA, and I often feel this way about YA romances, so maybe it won't be an issue for other readers.
Overall, this book was pretty enjoyable. Would I read the next one? Maybe!
February 25, 2023
The Starlet Letter might well be one of my all time favorite reads. Right away you are drawn into the historical and social forces at work in the lives of the main characters, Vivian and Viola Van der Beeck. They are twins with delightfully very different personalities The mystery of the disappearance of one of their family's boarding house residents, Babs Le Roy, would never be solved without their dogged, courageous and creative involvement. And the ongoing questions and disturbing mysteries of their family history hinted at in the old diaries continue to demand their attention. The characters in the story are carefully drawn with a compellingly lighthearted understanding of the quirkiness of being human. I highly recommend this book. It is a wonderful read.
February 26, 2023
A great read for those who enjoy old-fashioned detective stories by authors such as Dorothy Sayers, but written by a contemporary author with a sense of humor. The story is set in the post depression years in New York City and has a very authentic ring. The would-be detectives are twins (Vivian and Viola) who are identical in appearance, but have distinct personalities and talents. The book ends with the promise of more sleuthing by those spirited twins. It's hard to wait! MJA
May 26, 2023
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Julie Mathison for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Starlet Letter coming out June 6, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
When a former Ziegfeld Follies star goes missing, can the Van der Beeck twins crack the case without losing their necks? It’s 1931, and the once grand, always eccentric Van der Beecks have opened up a boarding house to stay afloat. Canary House, their rambling Upper West Side mansion, boasts six tenants: a pianist, a poet, an erstwhile diplomat, a psychiatrist, a bootlegger, and a philanthropist who is always short on cash. Life has never been more fascinating until a seventh guest checks into the turret room. Babs Le Roy is an old Ziegfeld Follies star with more than one secret in her cluttered closet.
Nearly eighteen, the twins only look like angels. Vivian has a nose for trouble and Viola has her nose in a book, but between the two of them, the villain doesn’t stand a chance – if only they can find one to spice things up. Then Babs goes missing, and one ransom note, two gangsters, and a handful of red herrings later, the twins find themselves confronted with more criminals than they bargained for. Throw in a detective, a handsome sergeant, and a houseful of tenants graced with more whimsical personalities and you have the makings of a mad-cap mystery that will keep you guessing till the end.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I loved the mystery and time period! I enjoyed the references to the Scarlet Letter. The twins were a little hard to tell apart at times. I think their personalities were similar at times, but I thought the book was fast paced and fun. The dialogue was really fun. They were definitely eccentric characters. I’d love to check out more books in the series.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys old Broadway vibes and 1930s mysteries!
When a former Ziegfeld Follies star goes missing, can the Van der Beeck twins crack the case without losing their necks? It’s 1931, and the once grand, always eccentric Van der Beecks have opened up a boarding house to stay afloat. Canary House, their rambling Upper West Side mansion, boasts six tenants: a pianist, a poet, an erstwhile diplomat, a psychiatrist, a bootlegger, and a philanthropist who is always short on cash. Life has never been more fascinating until a seventh guest checks into the turret room. Babs Le Roy is an old Ziegfeld Follies star with more than one secret in her cluttered closet.
Nearly eighteen, the twins only look like angels. Vivian has a nose for trouble and Viola has her nose in a book, but between the two of them, the villain doesn’t stand a chance – if only they can find one to spice things up. Then Babs goes missing, and one ransom note, two gangsters, and a handful of red herrings later, the twins find themselves confronted with more criminals than they bargained for. Throw in a detective, a handsome sergeant, and a houseful of tenants graced with more whimsical personalities and you have the makings of a mad-cap mystery that will keep you guessing till the end.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I loved the mystery and time period! I enjoyed the references to the Scarlet Letter. The twins were a little hard to tell apart at times. I think their personalities were similar at times, but I thought the book was fast paced and fun. The dialogue was really fun. They were definitely eccentric characters. I’d love to check out more books in the series.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys old Broadway vibes and 1930s mysteries!
February 24, 2023
Loved the narrative voice and asides.
April 21, 2023
#TheStarletLetter #NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-Arc copy of this novel. My customers will enjoy this novel a great deal. It has a great story and characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-Arc copy of this novel. My customers will enjoy this novel a great deal. It has a great story and characters.
May 15, 2023
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Starr Creek Press for "The Starlet Letter" by Julie Mathison.
Mathison did a phenomenal job at capturing a time period, and setting up a mystery. The author even managed to capture the detailed, and dialogue heavy writing style that I've seen quite a bit in older texts when author's started to shift to more realism and the everyday life focus in writing.
This mostly definitely was a convoluted mystery that kept me guessing - definitely not what I was expecting (in a good way). This is marketed as YA Mystery, and I'm always on the lookout for a good mystery. I have so many students who are fans of the genre... but I feel this one may have missed its mark on a younger audience.
As an adult reader 4/5
Mathison did a phenomenal job at capturing a time period, and setting up a mystery. The author even managed to capture the detailed, and dialogue heavy writing style that I've seen quite a bit in older texts when author's started to shift to more realism and the everyday life focus in writing.
This mostly definitely was a convoluted mystery that kept me guessing - definitely not what I was expecting (in a good way). This is marketed as YA Mystery, and I'm always on the lookout for a good mystery. I have so many students who are fans of the genre... but I feel this one may have missed its mark on a younger audience.
As an adult reader 4/5
May 20, 2023
An excellent historical mystery that brought me back in time as the style reminds me of the golden age writer.
A solid plot, likeable characters, a mystery that kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
A solid plot, likeable characters, a mystery that kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
July 18, 2024
This book was a bit of a letdown for me. I think it had great promise, I loved the idea of the story, I just didn’t find it was carried out as well as I hoped it would have been. The book is the first in a series of historical mysteries with amateur sleuths. Set in the 30’s the story centers on a missing Ziegfeld Follies star and a set of twins hoping to crack the case and find her. The Van de Beeck twins live in an Upper West Side mansion, Canary House, that has become a boarding house since the market crash of ’29. When the newest tenant checks into Canary House, the girls are excited to learn that their new tenant is Babs Le Roy a former Ziegfeld girl who is running from the skeletons in her closet. When Babs goes missing, the twins throw themselves into solving the mystery of her disappearance. While I can say that the plot was sufficiently twisty, and did keep me guessing, it just fell flat. I struggled through this one, it just didn’t catch my attention. I found the characters uninteresting and one-dimensional. I wasn’t drawn into the story, and really wasn’t invested in the resolution of the missing Ziegfeld girl. I also found the romantic subplot with the twins to be lackluster and strange. It seemed really forced into the story. Overall, this was a meh read for me. It was okay, but I can’t say that I found a lot of enjoyment in reading it. I would recommend it if you love a mystery, enjoy historical settings, or really love the era that this book is set in.
July 22, 2023
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Starlet Letter by Julie Mathison is a quirky and light-hearted mystery set in 1931 New York City, featuring the Van der Beeck twins as they unravel a case involving a missing Ziegfeld Follies star. With its strong female characters, authentic portrayal of 1930s NYC, and an engaging plot, this book delivers an entertaining and enjoyable reading experience.
4.2 rounded down to 4 stars.
Full review can be found here: https://whatimreading6.wordpress.com/...
The Starlet Letter by Julie Mathison is a quirky and light-hearted mystery set in 1931 New York City, featuring the Van der Beeck twins as they unravel a case involving a missing Ziegfeld Follies star. With its strong female characters, authentic portrayal of 1930s NYC, and an engaging plot, this book delivers an entertaining and enjoyable reading experience.
4.2 rounded down to 4 stars.
Full review can be found here: https://whatimreading6.wordpress.com/...
March 14, 2024
This was a wonderful historical fiction mystery! I loved following twins Viola and Vivian as they worked to solve the mystery when Babs goes missing. This book was very well written and I immediately felt like I was in the 1930s. This book was such a delightful read full of twists and red herrings! Perfect for all mystery lovers.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy for an honest review.
September 19, 2023
3.75 ⭐️ This is a fun and light mystery that was a joy to read. I loved all the references to The Scarlet Letter and how the author tied in her mystery to the classic. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
March 28, 2023
I received this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
DNF'ed at 61%, which is why I feel comfortable in rating it and sharing an actual review, which is something I wouldn't have done if I hadn't reached at least a reasonable 50% of the story, where this or any other book is concerned. I had high expectations, I'm not going to lie. The Starlet Letter sounded exactly like my cup of tea, since I immensely enjoy light, historical mysteries set in the 20th century! I want to be completely transparent and admit that under different circumstances, I would've forced myself to finish this, just because I received it as an advanced reader's copy, which might sound good to some or bad to others, depending on how you look at it (that obviously doesn't mean that I wouldn't have shared my completely honest opinion, it just means that I would've pushed myself and ended up not enjoying the reading process just to finish the book).
The book itself deals wit the Van der Beeck twins, who find themselves in an unusual situation after their parents are forced to turn their mansion into a boarding house, in order to achieve some financial stability. You wouldn't call them poor, just struggling financially and losing their status as upper class members of society. When a famous Ziegfeld Follies star disappears a couple of days after she rents a room in Canary House, the aforementioned mansion turned boarding house, they decide to take matters into their own hands and discover what really happened to her and whether she's alive.
After that small introduction to my experience while reading this one, I'd like to say that I found the writing style enjoyable enough and the plot quite compelling. It started out with an air of mystery I couldn't wait to get to the bottom of alongside the characters. Everything felt to drag on though and as the story progressed, it became even more complicated where each character and their occupation, if you will, was concerned. I felt like the author threw me into this web of complexity I couldn't free myself from in order to understand what was going on with all those characters that were caught up in it as well. Even though I tried to keep on reading, the two main characters (twins, side note) did nothing to convince me. They were trying really hard to be complete opposites, but all they managed to achieve was blend into each other so much that at one point, they basically became the same person, while simultaneously making assumptions that were getting really hard to follow where the crime aspect of the novel is concerned.
The chapters themselves were nicely set up and the setting intriguing, but I feel like the narration was going back and forth between so many characters while the story was progressing, somehow trying to introduce them, without actually contributing towards the plot itself. The twins as main characters kind of trope, which I don't think I've come across in a Historical Mystery novel before, was actually quite promising and it might've worked for me if the story was told in a first person POV, which would've distinguished them from each other, while giving a more detailed insight into their personalities as individuals! I quite enjoyed the references to The Scarlet Letter, which are quite obvious just by the book's title, but after a while they took up the majority of the plot, and I eventually got a bit tired of Viola pointing towards the classic tale of Hester with every chance she got.
Overall, it's safe to say that The Starlet Letter was not the book for me. Even though I was fascinated by the premise and the intriguing mystery it promised, it didn't manage to impress me and I couldn't push myself in order to actually finish it. Writing this review over the span of a few days has allowed me to skim through the remaining chapters and reach the ending, but that unfortunately doesn't change my opinion or the outcome of this reading experience.
DNF'ed at 61%, which is why I feel comfortable in rating it and sharing an actual review, which is something I wouldn't have done if I hadn't reached at least a reasonable 50% of the story, where this or any other book is concerned. I had high expectations, I'm not going to lie. The Starlet Letter sounded exactly like my cup of tea, since I immensely enjoy light, historical mysteries set in the 20th century! I want to be completely transparent and admit that under different circumstances, I would've forced myself to finish this, just because I received it as an advanced reader's copy, which might sound good to some or bad to others, depending on how you look at it (that obviously doesn't mean that I wouldn't have shared my completely honest opinion, it just means that I would've pushed myself and ended up not enjoying the reading process just to finish the book).
The book itself deals wit the Van der Beeck twins, who find themselves in an unusual situation after their parents are forced to turn their mansion into a boarding house, in order to achieve some financial stability. You wouldn't call them poor, just struggling financially and losing their status as upper class members of society. When a famous Ziegfeld Follies star disappears a couple of days after she rents a room in Canary House, the aforementioned mansion turned boarding house, they decide to take matters into their own hands and discover what really happened to her and whether she's alive.
After that small introduction to my experience while reading this one, I'd like to say that I found the writing style enjoyable enough and the plot quite compelling. It started out with an air of mystery I couldn't wait to get to the bottom of alongside the characters. Everything felt to drag on though and as the story progressed, it became even more complicated where each character and their occupation, if you will, was concerned. I felt like the author threw me into this web of complexity I couldn't free myself from in order to understand what was going on with all those characters that were caught up in it as well. Even though I tried to keep on reading, the two main characters (twins, side note) did nothing to convince me. They were trying really hard to be complete opposites, but all they managed to achieve was blend into each other so much that at one point, they basically became the same person, while simultaneously making assumptions that were getting really hard to follow where the crime aspect of the novel is concerned.
The chapters themselves were nicely set up and the setting intriguing, but I feel like the narration was going back and forth between so many characters while the story was progressing, somehow trying to introduce them, without actually contributing towards the plot itself. The twins as main characters kind of trope, which I don't think I've come across in a Historical Mystery novel before, was actually quite promising and it might've worked for me if the story was told in a first person POV, which would've distinguished them from each other, while giving a more detailed insight into their personalities as individuals! I quite enjoyed the references to The Scarlet Letter, which are quite obvious just by the book's title, but after a while they took up the majority of the plot, and I eventually got a bit tired of Viola pointing towards the classic tale of Hester with every chance she got.
Overall, it's safe to say that The Starlet Letter was not the book for me. Even though I was fascinated by the premise and the intriguing mystery it promised, it didn't manage to impress me and I couldn't push myself in order to actually finish it. Writing this review over the span of a few days has allowed me to skim through the remaining chapters and reach the ending, but that unfortunately doesn't change my opinion or the outcome of this reading experience.
March 20, 2023
An Intelligent and Entertaining Read!
Set in New York in the years following the Great Depression, 17 year-old twin sisters Vivian and Viola Van der Beek live in a large boarding house owned by their parents and filled with a cast of zany boarders. The house, a salvaged remnant of the now poor, but once rich and socially connected family, is their only means of shelter and income. Despite being categorized as a YA read I was interested based on the cover, title and premise. With all of my historical cozy mystery boxes ticked I agreed to receive an ARC (Advanced Review Copy) from NetGalley so I could provide my honest opinion. The mystery premise features a missing Ziegfeld Follies dancer who is a current boarder at the Van der Beek home, Canary House. The creative plot, characters and setting did not disappoint. However, from the beginning the story was a bit hard to follow because it would sometimes introduce an element before giving the reader background. Like when Vivian refers to Viola as Lala but doesn’t allude to why. The author also chose to weave a lot of elements into this first installment of the series. First, there is the connection between The Scarlet Letter written by Nathanial Hawthorne and one twin’s obsession with it. Then, there is the undercurrent of the history of the relatives in the Van der Beek family, their servants and their borders; followed by the relationship of the twins themselves. It is this slightly irreverent bouncing around that almost mimics the eclectic nature of the boarding house itself. Personally, I believe the correlations between The Scarlet Letter and its characters were unnecessary. I felt the book would have benefitted from a glossary of terms or historical references. For example, I doubt many young adults know who Walter Winchell is, but as a middle-aged woman I know that he was a very famous American gossip columnist and radio commentator from the 1930s and 1940s. I’m glad I hung in there though, because the more I read the story the more I became invested in it. I enjoyed the storyline when it centered around the close bond of the twins being tested by their developing relationship with the police. This book is an intelligent and entertaining piece that does not speak down to young readers or adults. I would definitely recommend it! If in the beginning you start to feel a little lost, hang in there, the book gets even better the more you read it.
Set in New York in the years following the Great Depression, 17 year-old twin sisters Vivian and Viola Van der Beek live in a large boarding house owned by their parents and filled with a cast of zany boarders. The house, a salvaged remnant of the now poor, but once rich and socially connected family, is their only means of shelter and income. Despite being categorized as a YA read I was interested based on the cover, title and premise. With all of my historical cozy mystery boxes ticked I agreed to receive an ARC (Advanced Review Copy) from NetGalley so I could provide my honest opinion. The mystery premise features a missing Ziegfeld Follies dancer who is a current boarder at the Van der Beek home, Canary House. The creative plot, characters and setting did not disappoint. However, from the beginning the story was a bit hard to follow because it would sometimes introduce an element before giving the reader background. Like when Vivian refers to Viola as Lala but doesn’t allude to why. The author also chose to weave a lot of elements into this first installment of the series. First, there is the connection between The Scarlet Letter written by Nathanial Hawthorne and one twin’s obsession with it. Then, there is the undercurrent of the history of the relatives in the Van der Beek family, their servants and their borders; followed by the relationship of the twins themselves. It is this slightly irreverent bouncing around that almost mimics the eclectic nature of the boarding house itself. Personally, I believe the correlations between The Scarlet Letter and its characters were unnecessary. I felt the book would have benefitted from a glossary of terms or historical references. For example, I doubt many young adults know who Walter Winchell is, but as a middle-aged woman I know that he was a very famous American gossip columnist and radio commentator from the 1930s and 1940s. I’m glad I hung in there though, because the more I read the story the more I became invested in it. I enjoyed the storyline when it centered around the close bond of the twins being tested by their developing relationship with the police. This book is an intelligent and entertaining piece that does not speak down to young readers or adults. I would definitely recommend it! If in the beginning you start to feel a little lost, hang in there, the book gets even better the more you read it.
April 3, 2023
" The Starlet Letter" is a wonderful read from beginning to end. Pure fun! Once I began to read, time melted away and I couldn't put it down. From page one, Julie Mathison is in complete command of her book. The author shows great ease, flow and confidence as a storyteller.
Early chapters provide a witty introduction to the main characters living in Canary House, the gabled boarding house and home of Jimmie and Giselle Van der Beeck: their 17 year old twin daughters, Vivian and Viola; and a gallery of quirky boarders, including Babs Le Roy, a Ziegfeld chorus girl and star, whose sudden disappearance provides the mystery that the twins are determined to solve, at great risk and peril to the amateur detectives. The book is written with great affection for her characters so that even when they are the object of satire, we care about them. This book takes us on a positive journey of deep understanding and compassion for the diverse cast of characters in the novel.
This is a sophisticated novel that works at every level, seamlessly integrating a network of correspondences to the characters, story-line and themes of Nathaniel Hawthorne's great masterpiece, "The Scarlet Letter," into the unfolding story of Babs Le Roy's disappearance. And this layer of narrative depth is grounded in anther element of the book's success: Mathison's research into the Dutch "invasion" of Manhattan going back to 1642 and culminating in the current Van der Beecks, the Old Guard Amsterdam family whose main talent seems to be for winning and losing fortunes, the latest of which is in the Crash of 1929, two years before the novel's story begins. But what really makes all of this into a compelling read is the ease with which Mathison tells her story with literary and stylistic panache. And a knack for good old fashioned storytelling.
Early chapters provide a witty introduction to the main characters living in Canary House, the gabled boarding house and home of Jimmie and Giselle Van der Beeck: their 17 year old twin daughters, Vivian and Viola; and a gallery of quirky boarders, including Babs Le Roy, a Ziegfeld chorus girl and star, whose sudden disappearance provides the mystery that the twins are determined to solve, at great risk and peril to the amateur detectives. The book is written with great affection for her characters so that even when they are the object of satire, we care about them. This book takes us on a positive journey of deep understanding and compassion for the diverse cast of characters in the novel.
This is a sophisticated novel that works at every level, seamlessly integrating a network of correspondences to the characters, story-line and themes of Nathaniel Hawthorne's great masterpiece, "The Scarlet Letter," into the unfolding story of Babs Le Roy's disappearance. And this layer of narrative depth is grounded in anther element of the book's success: Mathison's research into the Dutch "invasion" of Manhattan going back to 1642 and culminating in the current Van der Beecks, the Old Guard Amsterdam family whose main talent seems to be for winning and losing fortunes, the latest of which is in the Crash of 1929, two years before the novel's story begins. But what really makes all of this into a compelling read is the ease with which Mathison tells her story with literary and stylistic panache. And a knack for good old fashioned storytelling.
June 11, 2023
My thanks to Starr Creek Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Starlet Letter’ by Julie Mathison.
This is the first book in the Canary House Mysteries, set New York City in 1931. It features seventeen-year-old identical twins Vivian and Viola Van der Beeck, who when presented with an intriguing mystery decide to undertake a spot of amateur sleuthing.
Their eccentric family have somewhat fallen on hard times and so have taken in borders at Canary House, their rambling Upper West Side mansion. At the opening of the novel there are six tenants. Then life for the twins becomes much more exciting when Babs Le Roy, a down-on-her-luck Ziegfeld Follies star, takes up residence in the turret room.
The twins are very interested in their new tenant, hardly able to mind their own business. Then when Babs goes missing, the twins are quickly on the case. After a ransom note is received by Mr. Ziegfeld, the police become involved. Yet the twins are still keen to continue their own investigation.
This was a great deal of fun chock full of whimsy as well as some genuine thrills. The twins were very appealing protagonists and there was a strong supporting cast.
Despite everything going on with Babs, the twins have other challenges. Vivian is struggling with her crush on the handsome Sergeant Adam Kowalski, assistant to Detective Flanagan of the Major Case Squad. Both detectives are working on the official investigation into Babs disappearance.
Meanwhile, bookish Viola is reading ‘The Scarlet Letter’ and is finding many parallels between the novel and Babs controversial life. Of course, Viola’s current favourite novel provides the inspiration for the novel’s title.
Overall, I enjoyed ‘The Starlet Letter’ very much. It had a good balance between the light-hearted escapades of the Van der Beeck twins and it’s more serious aspects. In addition, Julie Mathison sets the stage for future books in this series of historical mysteries. It’s certainly a promising start.
This is the first book in the Canary House Mysteries, set New York City in 1931. It features seventeen-year-old identical twins Vivian and Viola Van der Beeck, who when presented with an intriguing mystery decide to undertake a spot of amateur sleuthing.
Their eccentric family have somewhat fallen on hard times and so have taken in borders at Canary House, their rambling Upper West Side mansion. At the opening of the novel there are six tenants. Then life for the twins becomes much more exciting when Babs Le Roy, a down-on-her-luck Ziegfeld Follies star, takes up residence in the turret room.
The twins are very interested in their new tenant, hardly able to mind their own business. Then when Babs goes missing, the twins are quickly on the case. After a ransom note is received by Mr. Ziegfeld, the police become involved. Yet the twins are still keen to continue their own investigation.
This was a great deal of fun chock full of whimsy as well as some genuine thrills. The twins were very appealing protagonists and there was a strong supporting cast.
Despite everything going on with Babs, the twins have other challenges. Vivian is struggling with her crush on the handsome Sergeant Adam Kowalski, assistant to Detective Flanagan of the Major Case Squad. Both detectives are working on the official investigation into Babs disappearance.
Meanwhile, bookish Viola is reading ‘The Scarlet Letter’ and is finding many parallels between the novel and Babs controversial life. Of course, Viola’s current favourite novel provides the inspiration for the novel’s title.
Overall, I enjoyed ‘The Starlet Letter’ very much. It had a good balance between the light-hearted escapades of the Van der Beeck twins and it’s more serious aspects. In addition, Julie Mathison sets the stage for future books in this series of historical mysteries. It’s certainly a promising start.
June 16, 2023
The Starlet Letter follows the Van der Beeck family, who live on the Upper West Side of New York City in 1931. The family owns the Canary House, a boarding home, and the story follows the twins Vivian and Viola after one of the boarders, the famous Babs Le Roy, goes missing during one of her big shows, and they try to solve the mystery of her disappearance.
The mystery aligns with the events from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, as Viola likes to remind us (she recently read the story), where Babs is seemingly Hester Prynne, but with one less red A sewn into her wardrobe. Sometimes the references to The Scarlet Letter felt a little on the nose, and I understand that it was for those readers who haven’t read the classic, but it took me out of the story a lot of the time because I was more interested in Babs’ disappearance than I was the way this book emulated Hawthorne. But I did enjoy the antics of Vivian and Viola, and how sometimes their personalities meshed because they were twins, but also how when they didn't mesh, they felt like they held each other in balance, so that Vivian didn't get too carried away in her snooping and Viola became a little more a risk taker when her sister was around.
Overall, this was a lighthearted story that featured a fun cast of quirky characters, and a setting that felt ingrained in the 1930s and followed all the glitz and glamor of the 1920s. If you're searching for an upbeat mystery with twists and turns you weren’t expecting, overlapped with a classic retelling and a detective duo that sometimes share one brain, then you should check this book out.
The mystery aligns with the events from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, as Viola likes to remind us (she recently read the story), where Babs is seemingly Hester Prynne, but with one less red A sewn into her wardrobe. Sometimes the references to The Scarlet Letter felt a little on the nose, and I understand that it was for those readers who haven’t read the classic, but it took me out of the story a lot of the time because I was more interested in Babs’ disappearance than I was the way this book emulated Hawthorne. But I did enjoy the antics of Vivian and Viola, and how sometimes their personalities meshed because they were twins, but also how when they didn't mesh, they felt like they held each other in balance, so that Vivian didn't get too carried away in her snooping and Viola became a little more a risk taker when her sister was around.
Overall, this was a lighthearted story that featured a fun cast of quirky characters, and a setting that felt ingrained in the 1930s and followed all the glitz and glamor of the 1920s. If you're searching for an upbeat mystery with twists and turns you weren’t expecting, overlapped with a classic retelling and a detective duo that sometimes share one brain, then you should check this book out.
April 24, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of the book. All opinions in this review are my own.
4.5
This was a fantastic read. The story had an interesting angle with the twins being the protagonist. The two different perspectives and personalities added a great dynamic.
The starlet Babs has gone missing after finally making a comeback from an unexplained step out of the spotlight. Twins Viola and Vivan are going to make sure they uncover where she has gone and who has done this.
Viola is the "gentler" of the two and her thought process of linking their mystery at hand to The Scarlet Letter was intriguing. Vivan is the firm one and is intent on being at the scene to catch the culprits. Vivan's budding and coy love story with the Sergeant adds an enjoyable dimension to the book. Viola and Vivan complement each other very well and keep the book fresh as we sift through this mystery. I am looking forward to the second book!
The writing, in the beginning, was a little awkward, but that was not to be an issue by the middle of the book, and towards the end of the book the word Manhattan was missing the n.
If you love a good mystery who dunnit set prior to modern times, a budding romance, an ensemble of interesting side characters, and a sweet sisterly bond this will be a great read for you!
4.5
This was a fantastic read. The story had an interesting angle with the twins being the protagonist. The two different perspectives and personalities added a great dynamic.
The starlet Babs has gone missing after finally making a comeback from an unexplained step out of the spotlight. Twins Viola and Vivan are going to make sure they uncover where she has gone and who has done this.
Viola is the "gentler" of the two and her thought process of linking their mystery at hand to The Scarlet Letter was intriguing. Vivan is the firm one and is intent on being at the scene to catch the culprits. Vivan's budding and coy love story with the Sergeant adds an enjoyable dimension to the book. Viola and Vivan complement each other very well and keep the book fresh as we sift through this mystery. I am looking forward to the second book!
The writing, in the beginning, was a little awkward, but that was not to be an issue by the middle of the book, and towards the end of the book the word Manhattan was missing the n.
If you love a good mystery who dunnit set prior to modern times, a budding romance, an ensemble of interesting side characters, and a sweet sisterly bond this will be a great read for you!
June 23, 2023
DNF. This book had an amazing premise, but the execution didn’t quite follow through for me.
Twins Vivian and Viola’s family has fallen on hard times after the Great Depression, which the family copes with by renting out their large, lavish house to many eccentric tenants. But when one of their family members goes missing, the twins soon find themselves trapped in a mystery that’s a lot more than either had bargained for.
The plot was fairly well-written, and the twins’ sisterhood was heartwarming and really sweet. However, the writing style and dialogue didn’t quite land for me. The dialogue was quite stiff and stilted, and not how I’d assume a teenager would speak- even one in a historical fiction novel- which made it difficult to read. The writing style was filled with many, many similes, which dragged down the pace and made it hard to determine what was actually happening. A few good similes add to the story, but not when they are used every other sentence. There was also a very, very large cast of characters, and I struggled to keep track of them. I think a smaller cast would’ve allowed for more character development and depth, instead of many characters who felt rather indistinguishable.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Twins Vivian and Viola’s family has fallen on hard times after the Great Depression, which the family copes with by renting out their large, lavish house to many eccentric tenants. But when one of their family members goes missing, the twins soon find themselves trapped in a mystery that’s a lot more than either had bargained for.
The plot was fairly well-written, and the twins’ sisterhood was heartwarming and really sweet. However, the writing style and dialogue didn’t quite land for me. The dialogue was quite stiff and stilted, and not how I’d assume a teenager would speak- even one in a historical fiction novel- which made it difficult to read. The writing style was filled with many, many similes, which dragged down the pace and made it hard to determine what was actually happening. A few good similes add to the story, but not when they are used every other sentence. There was also a very, very large cast of characters, and I struggled to keep track of them. I think a smaller cast would’ve allowed for more character development and depth, instead of many characters who felt rather indistinguishable.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 13, 2023
This is the first in the Canary mysteries series by Julie Mathison. Set in 1931 in New York City, The Van Der Beek sisters, Viola and Vivian are sleuths who enjoy meddling in their borders affairs. The Van Der Beeks were once the riches and oldest family in New York City. Their weird eccentric family goes back 100s of years. Now as the depression era faces the city, the family is forced to take in borders to make ends meet. There are seven borders originally and then an Zigfeid folies star takes up residence. The sisters are trying to find a murder where there isn't one and then all of sudden there might actually be a mystery to solve.
This novel does an impressive job of bringing old writing style into YA so that younger readers will enjoy the mystery. This author writes as if she's written several bestsellrs. She is NO novice! The detail, scene description and character arcs were done to perfection. I loved how Viola was a book worm who tried to mind her own business but her sister Vivian was always getting her caught up in something. I'm not one to read this genre but this book worked so well, I barely noticed. I think a wide audience will love this.
This novel does an impressive job of bringing old writing style into YA so that younger readers will enjoy the mystery. This author writes as if she's written several bestsellrs. She is NO novice! The detail, scene description and character arcs were done to perfection. I loved how Viola was a book worm who tried to mind her own business but her sister Vivian was always getting her caught up in something. I'm not one to read this genre but this book worked so well, I barely noticed. I think a wide audience will love this.
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