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Snow Globe Shop Mystery #1
Snow Way Out
Curio shop manager Camryn Brooks thought she’d seen every kind of snow globe—until she saw one depicting a crime scene…
Ever since she was a child, Cami has loved the sparkling beauty of snow globes, and now, she sells them. In fact, they’re so popular, Cami and her friend—coffee shop owner Alice “Pinky” Nelson—are hosting a snow globe making class.
After the flurry of activity has ended and everyone has gone off with their own handmade snow globes, Cami spots a new globe left behind on a shelf, featuring an odd tableau—a man sleeping on a park bench.
On her way home, she drifts through the town park and is shaken to come upon the scene from the globe—a man sitting on a bench. But he isn’t sleeping—he has a knife in his back. When the police arrive, it’s clear they consider Cami a little flaky and possibly a suspect. After her friends also come under suspicion, Cami starts plowing through clues to find the cold-blooded backstabber—before someone else gets iced…
Snow globe making projects and tips included!
Ever since she was a child, Cami has loved the sparkling beauty of snow globes, and now, she sells them. In fact, they’re so popular, Cami and her friend—coffee shop owner Alice “Pinky” Nelson—are hosting a snow globe making class.
After the flurry of activity has ended and everyone has gone off with their own handmade snow globes, Cami spots a new globe left behind on a shelf, featuring an odd tableau—a man sleeping on a park bench.
On her way home, she drifts through the town park and is shaken to come upon the scene from the globe—a man sitting on a bench. But he isn’t sleeping—he has a knife in his back. When the police arrive, it’s clear they consider Cami a little flaky and possibly a suspect. After her friends also come under suspicion, Cami starts plowing through clues to find the cold-blooded backstabber—before someone else gets iced…
Snow globe making projects and tips included!
292 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 6, 2015
42 people are currently reading
954 people want to read
About the author
Christine Husom
27 books131 followersChristine Husom is the Minnesota author of the medium-boiled Winnebago County Mysteries and the cozy Snow Globe Shop Mysteries. She holds an undergraduate degree from Concordia University in St. Paul, trained with the St. Paul Police Department, and served with the Wright County Sheriff's Department. Husom is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. She loves meeting readers at book clubs and other venues.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
September 24, 2015
Cami Brooks is enjoying running her family’s curio shop and reconnecting with her friends. One night, after hosting a snow globe making class, she is walking how through the park when she finds a man asleep on the park bench. Only, he’s not sleeping, as she discovers when he falls over, revealing the knife in his back. The scene looks just like a strange snow globe she’d seen in her shop before she left, but when she goes back with the police, it’s gone. What is happening?
The characters in this book were wonderful. I could feel the basis for their friendships and the loving relationships with Cami’s family. They could have used a bit more development, but I would have been willing to revisit them if the plot were better. Sadly, the book is filled with events happening to Cami; she doesn’t do much to drive the plot at all. Worse yet, the climax is weak and the explanation for some of the events is adequate at best. And let’s not discuss a scene that would never happen involving Cami and the police.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
The characters in this book were wonderful. I could feel the basis for their friendships and the loving relationships with Cami’s family. They could have used a bit more development, but I would have been willing to revisit them if the plot were better. Sadly, the book is filled with events happening to Cami; she doesn’t do much to drive the plot at all. Worse yet, the climax is weak and the explanation for some of the events is adequate at best. And let’s not discuss a scene that would never happen involving Cami and the police.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
January 16, 2016
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I wish we had a store like this nearby. I would buy, buy, buy!!
Camryn Brooks has taken over running her parents store, Curio Finds, after returning in despair from her job in Washington D.C.. Her mother is going through chemo and her dad wants to be close by to take care of her. Her friend, Alice “Pinky” Nelson, runs the connected coffee shop, Brew Ha Ha. Together they decided to host a snow globe making class. After the class is over Cami notices a new snow globe on a shelf in the store. A man in a park sleeping on a bench. Strange, who would have left that there? Cami starts her walk home through the park and notices a scene much like the scene in the new snow globe. She nudges the man and finds out he is not asleep, HE IS DEAD! This has to be connected to the snow globe and only the people in the class could have left it in the store. Could one of Cami’s friends or customers be a killer?
I like these characters. Cami, “my name is Camryn”, has a chip on her shoulder after being forced out of Washington by circumstances she tried to control. But I like that she is back home, her parents, especially her mom needs her to be close by. The love this family shares is so evident. They also love their snow globe store and going on little trips to find new items to sell. I look forward to getting to know this family better. Erin, a school teacher, and Mark a police officer, round out the group that has been friends for most of their lives. Clint, the assistant police chief, was ahead of them in school, but with this case tends to be around a lot. Clint does have one very annoying habit that drives Cami crazy. There is a lot of room for these characters to develop, but we have been given a fine introduction.
The build up of the mystery was good but I had a hard time believing the way it played out. It also made me sad. Cami doesn’t really investigate or solve the case but she does not know who to trust. Her friends are up to something she just hopes it isn’t murder.
It is the characters that will being me back to read The Iced Princess. They are quite a bunch.
I wish we had a store like this nearby. I would buy, buy, buy!!
Camryn Brooks has taken over running her parents store, Curio Finds, after returning in despair from her job in Washington D.C.. Her mother is going through chemo and her dad wants to be close by to take care of her. Her friend, Alice “Pinky” Nelson, runs the connected coffee shop, Brew Ha Ha. Together they decided to host a snow globe making class. After the class is over Cami notices a new snow globe on a shelf in the store. A man in a park sleeping on a bench. Strange, who would have left that there? Cami starts her walk home through the park and notices a scene much like the scene in the new snow globe. She nudges the man and finds out he is not asleep, HE IS DEAD! This has to be connected to the snow globe and only the people in the class could have left it in the store. Could one of Cami’s friends or customers be a killer?
I like these characters. Cami, “my name is Camryn”, has a chip on her shoulder after being forced out of Washington by circumstances she tried to control. But I like that she is back home, her parents, especially her mom needs her to be close by. The love this family shares is so evident. They also love their snow globe store and going on little trips to find new items to sell. I look forward to getting to know this family better. Erin, a school teacher, and Mark a police officer, round out the group that has been friends for most of their lives. Clint, the assistant police chief, was ahead of them in school, but with this case tends to be around a lot. Clint does have one very annoying habit that drives Cami crazy. There is a lot of room for these characters to develop, but we have been given a fine introduction.
The build up of the mystery was good but I had a hard time believing the way it played out. It also made me sad. Cami doesn’t really investigate or solve the case but she does not know who to trust. Her friends are up to something she just hopes it isn’t murder.
It is the characters that will being me back to read The Iced Princess. They are quite a bunch.
December 30, 2015
Mystery surrounds a snow globe shop owner as she searches for local connections to a death that occurs. What do several out-of-the-ordinary snow globes that appear and disappear in her shop have to do with the murder? Author Christine Husom swirls clues around and keeps you on your toes as you attempt to figure out who the killer is in this debut cozy mystery. Although I thought this book dragged in places, and I was afraid I'd lose interest; all-in-all, it picked up toward the end and I enjoyed the conclusion. I'm looking forward to reading book two.
February 9, 2018
Not bad first entry in the series. I did figure out pretty early (especially for me) who did it but that didn't bother me. The characters were okay and I did like how Cami did try to follow the police advice she received.
January 6, 2015
Snow Way Out is the first book in the A Snow Globe Shop Mystery series.
I really liked this new series. A well told story and an enjoyable cast of characters. One of those rare occasions where there wasn't a character that you would love to hate.
Camryn Brooks has returned to home to Brooks Landing to take over the family's snow globe shop, Curio Finds. The shop also shares part the building with The Brew Ha-Ha coffee shop managed by childhood friend "Pinky" Nelson. Also helping out in the shops from time to time is another childhood friend, Erin.
Erin stops by the Post Office on her way to Curio Finds and sees Jerrell Powers,the man that robbed her home two years previous and who was recently released from jail. As Pinky and Cami are getting things ready for the class on snow globe making, they find out that the teacher, May Gregor, is Power's ex-wife. As everyone introduces themselves, it is learned that Pam, one of the attendees is Power's boyfriend.
Then as Cami is locking up for the evening she sees a snow globe on a shelf by the door and knows that it isn't part on her inventory. The scene depicted in it is of a man sitting on a park bench with a moon overhead. As she is walking through the park she notices a man sitting on a bench with his head bent to his chest. As she pokes him with a stick, he falls off the bench, revealing a knife sticking out of his back. When the police come she tells Officer Mark of the globe in the shop that shows the same scene, but when they return to the shop, the globe has mysteriously disappeared.
She soon feels the need to find what the snow globe she found had to do with the murder, plus there are the whispers between Pinky and Erin that she hopes does not mean that they might have been involved in any way.
As I alluded to earlier this book has a wonderful group of characters that are both fun and believable. Looking forward to seeing all them back in the next book and learn more about them.
I really liked this new series. A well told story and an enjoyable cast of characters. One of those rare occasions where there wasn't a character that you would love to hate.
Camryn Brooks has returned to home to Brooks Landing to take over the family's snow globe shop, Curio Finds. The shop also shares part the building with The Brew Ha-Ha coffee shop managed by childhood friend "Pinky" Nelson. Also helping out in the shops from time to time is another childhood friend, Erin.
Erin stops by the Post Office on her way to Curio Finds and sees Jerrell Powers,the man that robbed her home two years previous and who was recently released from jail. As Pinky and Cami are getting things ready for the class on snow globe making, they find out that the teacher, May Gregor, is Power's ex-wife. As everyone introduces themselves, it is learned that Pam, one of the attendees is Power's boyfriend.
Then as Cami is locking up for the evening she sees a snow globe on a shelf by the door and knows that it isn't part on her inventory. The scene depicted in it is of a man sitting on a park bench with a moon overhead. As she is walking through the park she notices a man sitting on a bench with his head bent to his chest. As she pokes him with a stick, he falls off the bench, revealing a knife sticking out of his back. When the police come she tells Officer Mark of the globe in the shop that shows the same scene, but when they return to the shop, the globe has mysteriously disappeared.
She soon feels the need to find what the snow globe she found had to do with the murder, plus there are the whispers between Pinky and Erin that she hopes does not mean that they might have been involved in any way.
As I alluded to earlier this book has a wonderful group of characters that are both fun and believable. Looking forward to seeing all them back in the next book and learn more about them.
February 25, 2017
I just was not impressed by this one. The premise sounded really good, but I could not get into the story. Camryn was a bit annoying with her ridiculous conclusions, and the explanation at the end was a bit to hard for me to believe.
September 12, 2015
This one just really fell flat for me. The characters all felt one-dimensional and I guess the whole snow globe thing just doesn't interest me much. An okay book at best.
March 27, 2015
While working for a senator in Washington, D.C., Camryn Brooks finds herself in the middle of an embarrassing scandal. As a result, she heads back to her hometown of Brooks Landing, Minnesota. Her adoptive parents need her to take over their Curio Finds shop where they sell unique snow globes. With her adoptive mother having to go through cancer treatments, there is no way Camryn would refuse their request.
Camryn comes up with a fun idea for the shop. She wants to host snow globe-making classes. One of her best friends, Pinky – the owner of the neighboring coffee shop - agrees to host it with her. Things don’t go well in the class as the instructor and some of the students end up arguing. Cami is glad to see the class come to an abrupt end. Before Cami leaves the shop for the evening, she spots an unusual snow globe in her shop - a man sleeping on a park bench. She doesn't recognize it as one of her snow globes and wonders if someone left it behind.
Cami decides to put the class and her shop behind her for the night and go home. She walks through the park alone. Imagine her surprise when she sees a man sleeping on a park bench, very much like the strange snow globe she found. As she gets closer, she notices a knife protruding through his back. Had someone been trying to warn her earlier that evening by leaving the snow globe behind?
Suspicion points directly Cami’s way, not to mention in the direction of her two closest friends. Against everyone’s advice, Cami conducts her own secret investigation to clear her name as well as those she loves dearly.
This is a brand new cozy mystery series. I love getting in on the ground floor of these series and meeting new characters. Cami is a great character, although a bit impulsive and takes unnecessary risks, but don’t all cozy mystery heroines do that? I must admit that I figured out who did it halfway through the book, but I still loved reading through the adventure. It’s a fast-paced story with a cast of characters readers will enjoy meeting.
I think this series has great potential for the long term and I’m very much looking forward to book #2.
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
Camryn comes up with a fun idea for the shop. She wants to host snow globe-making classes. One of her best friends, Pinky – the owner of the neighboring coffee shop - agrees to host it with her. Things don’t go well in the class as the instructor and some of the students end up arguing. Cami is glad to see the class come to an abrupt end. Before Cami leaves the shop for the evening, she spots an unusual snow globe in her shop - a man sleeping on a park bench. She doesn't recognize it as one of her snow globes and wonders if someone left it behind.
Cami decides to put the class and her shop behind her for the night and go home. She walks through the park alone. Imagine her surprise when she sees a man sleeping on a park bench, very much like the strange snow globe she found. As she gets closer, she notices a knife protruding through his back. Had someone been trying to warn her earlier that evening by leaving the snow globe behind?
Suspicion points directly Cami’s way, not to mention in the direction of her two closest friends. Against everyone’s advice, Cami conducts her own secret investigation to clear her name as well as those she loves dearly.
This is a brand new cozy mystery series. I love getting in on the ground floor of these series and meeting new characters. Cami is a great character, although a bit impulsive and takes unnecessary risks, but don’t all cozy mystery heroines do that? I must admit that I figured out who did it halfway through the book, but I still loved reading through the adventure. It’s a fast-paced story with a cast of characters readers will enjoy meeting.
I think this series has great potential for the long term and I’m very much looking forward to book #2.
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 30, 2017
With snow in the title, how could I pass up this book? And snow globes are some of my favorite things. So I was very interested in this series.
Camryn finds a body in the park and it looks much like the scene in a snow globe that mysteriously showed up on her shop shelf. Where did it come from? And who would have murdered the man in the park? And who is the mysterious man who seems to be spying on her and showing up in odd places and then disappearing?
I did not see the end coming. I was not sure who committed the crime but I sure didn't think it was that person.
I enjoyed this book and I have purchased the next books in the series. I look forward to reading them and maybe I will even try to make my own snow globe some day, thanks to the instructions at the end of the book.
Camryn finds a body in the park and it looks much like the scene in a snow globe that mysteriously showed up on her shop shelf. Where did it come from? And who would have murdered the man in the park? And who is the mysterious man who seems to be spying on her and showing up in odd places and then disappearing?
I did not see the end coming. I was not sure who committed the crime but I sure didn't think it was that person.
I enjoyed this book and I have purchased the next books in the series. I look forward to reading them and maybe I will even try to make my own snow globe some day, thanks to the instructions at the end of the book.
February 23, 2016
An interesting, solid and well done mystery. The murder plot is well executed with several surprises at the end. The characters need more development but are likable and ready to be expanded on. I would also like to see more about the adjoining coffee shop, Brew-Ha-Ha and Curio Finds, whose main attraction is hundreds of snow globes. This was a story that pulled you in and kept you guessing. As the debut book in this series I was impressed with the plot. I can't wait to see where the author takes us next.
July 10, 2015
Cosy mystery, not very thrilling.
February 22, 2017
What a great new series for me. Cami (or Camryn as she prefers to be called now) moves back to Brooks Landing after a scandal in Washington, DC. She is now managing her mother's snow globe shop and loving it. When she decides to host a snow globe making class along with her best friend Pinky she thought it would be fun. Who knew on her way home she would find a dead person. Loved the setting of this book. She even shows you how to make a snow globe. The characters would almost remind you of Mayberry. Everyone grew up together even the local cops, some have been around since Cami was a child. You can't help but like all the characters, even the not so good ones. The mystery kept you turning the page with each surprise. Can't wait to read the next one in this series.
March 12, 2021
Cami is a curio shop manager and sells and makes snow globes. She has a class for teaching how to make them and friends all join in. On her way home one night she finds a man on a park bench who appears to be sleeping.....however, he does turn up dead.....investigation is done and of course she is suspected since she found him and touched the weapon.. The police are on the scene and working on solving the crime since the victim had just got out of jail and has had many people who are worried that he was back in their town. Lots of investigation and Cami helps the officer in charge.
It was interesting on how the snow globes are made. The story is similar to most of the others.
It was interesting on how the snow globes are made. The story is similar to most of the others.
June 22, 2015
Cami has returned to her home town after her Washington career imploded. Her adoptive parents need her to run the Curio Shop, which specializes in snow globes. That's why a class in making the popular artifact seems a natural. On the way home, however, Cami finds a dead body. Not only does she worry about being a suspect, she worries that her friends have guilty knowledge about the crime. The irritating--but hunky!--assistant chief of police is so obnoxious sometimes that he drives Cami to do some investigating on her own.
March 5, 2018
A good new mystery in a new series, this book tells the story of what happens when Cami is walking home from her curio shop one evening, and finds a dead body in the park - a scene that exactly matches one that is in a snow globe that mysteriously appeard and then disappeared in her shop. The plot gets more complicated as Cami is followed by a mysterious stranger and also as more epidsodes of the strange snow globes keep happening. This is a good beginning to what looks like it will be a good series.
April 8, 2016
I rather enjoyed this one! Being the first in a series is not always easy. What with setting up the characters, the plot, getting you acquainted with all of the back story on each character, sometimes it tends to take up a good portion of the book. I didn't feel that with this particular read. I enjoyed it and can't wait for the second one.
January 24, 2022
All of Husom's books are filled with wonderful characters (some who feel as if they live next door!), solid senses of place, and - of course - page-turning mystery and intrigue. As an award winning author, Husom's writing blends the authenticity of regionalism with the intensity of high suspense.
Heather T,
author,
The Freedom of a Tangled Vine
Heather T,
author,
The Freedom of a Tangled Vine
December 31, 2020
I really enjoyed this first book in this for me new series. The characters were likeable, the plot logical and I just really enjoyed it! Can't wait to read the next one
June 9, 2025
Let’s get the negative out of the way. The studio that contracted with the National Library Service put this in the hands of a narrator who specializes in cartoonish, ridiculous voices that are huge negative distractions from the plot. The dreadful nature of this narration means it's easy to focus on silly, untalented dialogue and other components that make this feel a bit like a debut novel, and it’s not.
Camryn Brooks sells curios at her shop that is adjacent to a coffee place operated by her friend, Pinky. Snow globes are among the items she sells in her store, and a woman in town is willing to teach a class on how to make snow globes. The class includes a variety of memorable characters including the ex-wife of an ex-con who recently showed up in town after a prison stint. They ex-con’s current lover is a student in the class, and a petite schoolteacher whom the ex-con had victimized before his prison trip took the class as well.
At the end of class, as she’s cleaning up, Cami finds a snow globe that hadn’t been part of her inventory. It depicted a park scene that included a sleeping man on a bench. On her way home, she walks through the park that looked a lot like the scene in the globe. But the sleeping man she encounters isn’t sleeping; he’s dead. And you guessed it, he's the ex-con released from the halfway house days earlier.
Predictably enough, Cami is a suspect, but the assistant chief of police has a thing for her.
I wish this had ended differently, and I fervently wish the NLS contractor had used a different narrator. It’s not fair to the author to have her book despoiled by that narrator’s dreadful performance.
Camryn Brooks sells curios at her shop that is adjacent to a coffee place operated by her friend, Pinky. Snow globes are among the items she sells in her store, and a woman in town is willing to teach a class on how to make snow globes. The class includes a variety of memorable characters including the ex-wife of an ex-con who recently showed up in town after a prison stint. They ex-con’s current lover is a student in the class, and a petite schoolteacher whom the ex-con had victimized before his prison trip took the class as well.
At the end of class, as she’s cleaning up, Cami finds a snow globe that hadn’t been part of her inventory. It depicted a park scene that included a sleeping man on a bench. On her way home, she walks through the park that looked a lot like the scene in the globe. But the sleeping man she encounters isn’t sleeping; he’s dead. And you guessed it, he's the ex-con released from the halfway house days earlier.
Predictably enough, Cami is a suspect, but the assistant chief of police has a thing for her.
I wish this had ended differently, and I fervently wish the NLS contractor had used a different narrator. It’s not fair to the author to have her book despoiled by that narrator’s dreadful performance.
March 9, 2015
After a scandal forces her to leave her job in Washington, D.C., Cami Brooks returns to her hometown of Brooks Landing, Minnesota. Cami now manages a shop called Curio Finds which specializes in a large variety of snow globes from all over the world. Her friend Pinky Nelson runs the adjoining café, and the two businesses are a great fit to draw more business to each shop. Cami and Pinky decide to join forces and host a class for customers to learn to make their own snow globes, which starts tensely but by the end is deemed by all to be a success. After everyone leaves, Cami notices a new homemade snow globe on one of the store’s shelves. The globe depicts a scene of a man sleeping on a park bench. On her way home from the shop that evening, Cami cuts through a park and comes across a man sleeping on a bench. Strangely, it reminds her of the scene in the snow globe, except this man is obviously a victim of murder. When the police start looking at both Cami and one of her friends suspiciously, Cami decides to put her crafting aside to do a little sleuthing.
The idea of a shop specializing in snow globes sounds like it would be fun to visit and would make a great setting for a cozy mystery. However, I love the premise of this book much more than the execution. If the entire book were as enjoyable as the scenes with the snow globe-making class, the book would have been excellent. This part of the book is very well done, and reminds me of Laura Child’s scrapbooking series. The reader sees firsthand how to create a snow globe and gets to know most of the important characters of the book at the same time. To follow up, there are detailed instructions at the end of the book so readers can try their hand at making a snow globe of their own.
Unfortunately, the rest of the book doesn’t live up to the pleasure of these crafting scenes. There is too much complicated backstory given at the beginning of the book, and it makes it hard to connect with the characters. Things aren’t explained clearly and it takes a while to figure out the important details of the setting and the main characters. The character I like the most is Clint, the detective who starts out seeming stern and boring and ends up being kind and interesting. There is a bit of a spark between him and Cami, but at least for this installment, any potential romance ends with a fizzle instead of an interesting cliffhanger. Cami, Pinky, and their friends Erin and Mark are harder to figure out, and I couldn’t relate to them. I couldn’t tell who liked who or what the four had in common that kept their friendship going for such a long time. The dialogue quickly started to grate on me, too. Cami, Pinky, and Erin use so many “cutesy” expressions that after the third or fourth “golly”, “gee whiz”, and “holy moly”, I began to think I was watching a 1950s sitcom. Although some of the dialogue is lacking, there is one very touching part of the book in which Cami describes her belief that when she found a penny on the street, it was due to her deceased mother dropping it from heaven just for her. I wish there could have been more of this type of scene which was beautifully written and made me care more about Cami.
The murder investigation itself is okay, but the solution of the murder, as well as the explanation of the mysterious snow globe, are anti-climactic and quite a letdown after the long build-up. The crafting, the sweetness that comes out in Cami when she reminisces about her birth mother, and the potential for an interesting romance between Cami and Clint help make up for some of the book’s weaknesses. Fans of Christy Fifield’s Haunted Souvenir Shop mysteries may enjoy this book by Christine Husom.
This review was originally written for Smitten by Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
The idea of a shop specializing in snow globes sounds like it would be fun to visit and would make a great setting for a cozy mystery. However, I love the premise of this book much more than the execution. If the entire book were as enjoyable as the scenes with the snow globe-making class, the book would have been excellent. This part of the book is very well done, and reminds me of Laura Child’s scrapbooking series. The reader sees firsthand how to create a snow globe and gets to know most of the important characters of the book at the same time. To follow up, there are detailed instructions at the end of the book so readers can try their hand at making a snow globe of their own.
Unfortunately, the rest of the book doesn’t live up to the pleasure of these crafting scenes. There is too much complicated backstory given at the beginning of the book, and it makes it hard to connect with the characters. Things aren’t explained clearly and it takes a while to figure out the important details of the setting and the main characters. The character I like the most is Clint, the detective who starts out seeming stern and boring and ends up being kind and interesting. There is a bit of a spark between him and Cami, but at least for this installment, any potential romance ends with a fizzle instead of an interesting cliffhanger. Cami, Pinky, and their friends Erin and Mark are harder to figure out, and I couldn’t relate to them. I couldn’t tell who liked who or what the four had in common that kept their friendship going for such a long time. The dialogue quickly started to grate on me, too. Cami, Pinky, and Erin use so many “cutesy” expressions that after the third or fourth “golly”, “gee whiz”, and “holy moly”, I began to think I was watching a 1950s sitcom. Although some of the dialogue is lacking, there is one very touching part of the book in which Cami describes her belief that when she found a penny on the street, it was due to her deceased mother dropping it from heaven just for her. I wish there could have been more of this type of scene which was beautifully written and made me care more about Cami.
The murder investigation itself is okay, but the solution of the murder, as well as the explanation of the mysterious snow globe, are anti-climactic and quite a letdown after the long build-up. The crafting, the sweetness that comes out in Cami when she reminisces about her birth mother, and the potential for an interesting romance between Cami and Clint help make up for some of the book’s weaknesses. Fans of Christy Fifield’s Haunted Souvenir Shop mysteries may enjoy this book by Christine Husom.
This review was originally written for Smitten by Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2015
Camryn Brooks has left Washington in the midst of a scandal and has returned to her hometown to be with her family and friends. She begins to manage her parent’s store, the Curio Finds, that specialize in snow globes. The space of the shop is shared by Pinky, one of her best friend’s coffee shop, The Brew Ha-Ha.
The two decide to hold a snow globe making class to help increase business. Everyone that attended the class made their own globe with material supplied by the instructor. When the class is over, Cami finds a snow globe that she has never seen. It shows a man sitting on a park bench appearing to be asleep. When she is walking home from work after the class she decides to cut through the park because it is a faster route. While walking through the park, she sees a man sitting on park bench and when she decides to make sure he is alright, she finds out there is a knife in his back. The victim is someone who has a shady past and Cami knows that there are a number of people who would be happy to see him dead. Including some of her best friends. And when those best friends appear to be hiding something from her, she decides she will have to solve the mystery to make sure they had nothing to do with it.
The cast of characters include Cami, Pinky and their other best friend Erin. There is also Mark, a good friend who is a policeman and an older gentleman named Archie, who is like a grandfather to the three girls. And then there is Clint, the assistant chief of police, who Cami likes and dislikes at the same time. The characters are well developed and realistic.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The writing is descriptive and I felt like I was right there in the small town setting. Whether I was reading about the shops or the park I felt like I was watching the action all around me.
This is the first book in the series and I cannot wait to read further books as they are written. I am sure that the characters will be further developed and I will be interested in seeing if anything develops between Cami and Clint. I love the concept of the snow globes depicting future events and I cannot wait to see what other stories the globes have to tell us. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written cozy with a unique concept.
The two decide to hold a snow globe making class to help increase business. Everyone that attended the class made their own globe with material supplied by the instructor. When the class is over, Cami finds a snow globe that she has never seen. It shows a man sitting on a park bench appearing to be asleep. When she is walking home from work after the class she decides to cut through the park because it is a faster route. While walking through the park, she sees a man sitting on park bench and when she decides to make sure he is alright, she finds out there is a knife in his back. The victim is someone who has a shady past and Cami knows that there are a number of people who would be happy to see him dead. Including some of her best friends. And when those best friends appear to be hiding something from her, she decides she will have to solve the mystery to make sure they had nothing to do with it.
The cast of characters include Cami, Pinky and their other best friend Erin. There is also Mark, a good friend who is a policeman and an older gentleman named Archie, who is like a grandfather to the three girls. And then there is Clint, the assistant chief of police, who Cami likes and dislikes at the same time. The characters are well developed and realistic.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The writing is descriptive and I felt like I was right there in the small town setting. Whether I was reading about the shops or the park I felt like I was watching the action all around me.
This is the first book in the series and I cannot wait to read further books as they are written. I am sure that the characters will be further developed and I will be interested in seeing if anything develops between Cami and Clint. I love the concept of the snow globes depicting future events and I cannot wait to see what other stories the globes have to tell us. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written cozy with a unique concept.
February 26, 2015
I liked the premise of this book. I was bamboozled by the store, which is run by Cammi Brooks, as while it played an important role in the story, did not appear to be just a Snow Globe store and I had a hard time figuring out how it was staying in business. The coffee shop that was part of the same building, seem to have a thriving business.
With that aside, I loved the premise of the story. A class in making your own snow globes and as Cammi goes to leave the store late at night a snow globe like the ones that they made catches her eye and she notices that it is a man sitting on a park bench. As she walks home she cuts through the town park and in front of her appears a man on a park bench, only he has a knife through his back.
This is sort of a damsel in a white nightgown moment. Why did Cami think she could walk through the park so late and night and of course her decision to do so comes under suspect. As soon as she points out the snow globe that is like the ones made in class. The entire class comes under scrutiny. Cammi searches through all the clues to find out who would make such a globe and put it in her store. Two men begin to look after Cami and her locking up of the store, one a friend from high school and the other a potential love interest?
The story has great twist and turns with the snow globes and the people in the class from the teacher to all who made snow globes. Many seemed to have some odd connection and perhaps just one of them could be the murderer. I loved the snow globe clues and the mystery of who was making them. The ending was somewhat unexpected.
With that aside, I loved the premise of the story. A class in making your own snow globes and as Cammi goes to leave the store late at night a snow globe like the ones that they made catches her eye and she notices that it is a man sitting on a park bench. As she walks home she cuts through the town park and in front of her appears a man on a park bench, only he has a knife through his back.
This is sort of a damsel in a white nightgown moment. Why did Cami think she could walk through the park so late and night and of course her decision to do so comes under suspect. As soon as she points out the snow globe that is like the ones made in class. The entire class comes under scrutiny. Cammi searches through all the clues to find out who would make such a globe and put it in her store. Two men begin to look after Cami and her locking up of the store, one a friend from high school and the other a potential love interest?
The story has great twist and turns with the snow globes and the people in the class from the teacher to all who made snow globes. Many seemed to have some odd connection and perhaps just one of them could be the murderer. I loved the snow globe clues and the mystery of who was making them. The ending was somewhat unexpected.
May 13, 2015
First in the series, Snow Way Out, introduces you to Cami, correction Camryn, Brooks. Camryn moves back to her hometown to help run the family store Curio Finds. Curio Finds, a nice shop filled with all different kinds of snow globes is adjacent to Brew Ha-Ha the coffee shop run by one of her best friends, Alice "Pinky" Nelson.
In Brew Ha-Ha while visiting with their other best friend, Erin, the ladies find out that lowlife Jerrell Powers who broke into Erin's home and stole a bunch of items is back in town. No one in their circle of friends like the idea that he is back, especially childhood friend Officer Mark Weston and long-time grounds keeper Archie Newberry. Both of which have a soft spot for Erin.
While hosting a snow globe making class the friends are introduced to Jerrell's ex-wife, May, who is teaching the class, Pamela Hemley, Jerrell's last known girlfriend and her sister, Lauren Engle. Things get a little heated as everyone realizes who is who but the big excitement happens after the class when Camryn is closing up the shop, finds a mysterious snow globe with a scene of a man sitting on a bench then on the way home cutting through the park stumbles across the real life version.
When it is confirmed that the murdered victim is Jerrell, the Assistant Chief Clinton Lonsbury, doesnt seem to want to leave Camyrn alone. Then her circle of friends begin to exclude her and whisper behind her back making her question if they are somehow involved Jerrell's untimely death.
This book will keep you on your toes turning pages as quickly as you can read the words. I highly recommend you dig in but be careful not to shake the snow globes.....
In Brew Ha-Ha while visiting with their other best friend, Erin, the ladies find out that lowlife Jerrell Powers who broke into Erin's home and stole a bunch of items is back in town. No one in their circle of friends like the idea that he is back, especially childhood friend Officer Mark Weston and long-time grounds keeper Archie Newberry. Both of which have a soft spot for Erin.
While hosting a snow globe making class the friends are introduced to Jerrell's ex-wife, May, who is teaching the class, Pamela Hemley, Jerrell's last known girlfriend and her sister, Lauren Engle. Things get a little heated as everyone realizes who is who but the big excitement happens after the class when Camryn is closing up the shop, finds a mysterious snow globe with a scene of a man sitting on a bench then on the way home cutting through the park stumbles across the real life version.
When it is confirmed that the murdered victim is Jerrell, the Assistant Chief Clinton Lonsbury, doesnt seem to want to leave Camyrn alone. Then her circle of friends begin to exclude her and whisper behind her back making her question if they are somehow involved Jerrell's untimely death.
This book will keep you on your toes turning pages as quickly as you can read the words. I highly recommend you dig in but be careful not to shake the snow globes.....
August 6, 2015
I really like this new series by Christine Husom. Her characters are very believable and it's easy to get wrapped up in this great story. I ended up reading it all within a day because I just didn't want to put it down!
Main character Cami Brooks returns home to take over her adoptive parent's snow globe shop. It's an easy decision for Cami to come home and help her parents with her mother going through chemotherapy sessions, and a scandal which she was involved in involving a Senator in Washington (never mind that she was falsely accused!) Her friend Pinky who runs the coffee shop adjoining her store decide to put on a snow globe making class. Drama follows Cami around because after the class was completed, there was a ruckus between some of the students and teacher (you'll have to read to find out!) After everyone leaves and Cami stays behind in the shop to get a bit of work finished up before leaving, she comes across a snow globe that she'd never seen before. After locking up, she walks home in the park (alone... Cami what were you thinking?) and stumbles across a dead body. The scene was exactly the same as the one in the snow globe she'd found!
There are lots of great twists to the story line and the characters are very quirky and likable. I have to admit I was able to figure out a few things early on, like all the whispering between Pinky, Erin and Mark. I can't wait for the next installment of this series and wonder how long it will take before Clint and Cami end up together. I think this series could go a long way, it's got great potential!
Main character Cami Brooks returns home to take over her adoptive parent's snow globe shop. It's an easy decision for Cami to come home and help her parents with her mother going through chemotherapy sessions, and a scandal which she was involved in involving a Senator in Washington (never mind that she was falsely accused!) Her friend Pinky who runs the coffee shop adjoining her store decide to put on a snow globe making class. Drama follows Cami around because after the class was completed, there was a ruckus between some of the students and teacher (you'll have to read to find out!) After everyone leaves and Cami stays behind in the shop to get a bit of work finished up before leaving, she comes across a snow globe that she'd never seen before. After locking up, she walks home in the park (alone... Cami what were you thinking?) and stumbles across a dead body. The scene was exactly the same as the one in the snow globe she'd found!
There are lots of great twists to the story line and the characters are very quirky and likable. I have to admit I was able to figure out a few things early on, like all the whispering between Pinky, Erin and Mark. I can't wait for the next installment of this series and wonder how long it will take before Clint and Cami end up together. I think this series could go a long way, it's got great potential!
May 20, 2016
An amazing start to a new series, I finished this book in just over a day, making it a fast, enjoyable read that I didn't want to end.
The characters were all well-written. Pinky, Erin, Cami, Clint, Archi, and Mark were all well-written characters that I could easily picture in any town. I especially loved Clint and Cami, however.
The setting was great, too, I could picture the shops perfectly, along with the town. The entire area sounded like a perfect area to live, and own a small business.
One down point, to me anyway, was the length of the chapters. When I read a book I like it to have chapters around 5-10 pages each, so I can always end at the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. This book, however, had longer chapters tat were 15+ pages each, with the exception of the last few chapters. This is simply a personal preference, however, and it would not stop me from recommending the book.
Overall a quick, fun read with great characters! I can't wait for another installment of this series!
The characters were all well-written. Pinky, Erin, Cami, Clint, Archi, and Mark were all well-written characters that I could easily picture in any town. I especially loved Clint and Cami, however.
The setting was great, too, I could picture the shops perfectly, along with the town. The entire area sounded like a perfect area to live, and own a small business.
One down point, to me anyway, was the length of the chapters. When I read a book I like it to have chapters around 5-10 pages each, so I can always end at the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. This book, however, had longer chapters tat were 15+ pages each, with the exception of the last few chapters. This is simply a personal preference, however, and it would not stop me from recommending the book.
Overall a quick, fun read with great characters! I can't wait for another installment of this series!
July 11, 2015
Cami has returned home to take over her parents snow globe shop after being involved in a nasty scandal in Wash. D.C.. After her shop holds its first craft class on making homemade snow globes, Cami finds an unusual snow globe depicting a man sitting on a park bench has been left behind in the shop. Cami finds the miniature scene duplicated in real life, or death, on the way home. But this man has a knife protruding from his back. Cami instantly becomes a suspect and sets out to conduct her own investigation. She quickly learns the man had a long list of enemies. From that point on, strange happenings occur. New snow globes appear, then disappear, and a mysterious bicyclist seems intent on stalking Cami.
I really enjoyed Snow Way Out. I was a delightful and quick read. I love the variety of characters and the unusual setting of a snow globe shop connected to a coffee shop. The plot delivered plenty of suspects and surprises. Clint seems to be laying the groundwork for a relationship and would love to see that explored in the next book, which I'm looking forward to, by the way.
I really enjoyed Snow Way Out. I was a delightful and quick read. I love the variety of characters and the unusual setting of a snow globe shop connected to a coffee shop. The plot delivered plenty of suspects and surprises. Clint seems to be laying the groundwork for a relationship and would love to see that explored in the next book, which I'm looking forward to, by the way.
February 25, 2015
How can I resist a cozy set in Minnesota for a winter read!? Camryn Brooks has retuned home to Brooks Landing to run the family curio shop called Curio Finds, as her parents have cut back on their own involvement in the business. One of her best friends, Pinky Nelson, is the owner of the coffee shop that shares an adjoining wall and opening with her. The shop concentrates on snow globes of all kinds, Camryn has had a special spot for them ever since she was a child. As a way to interest new business, the two hold a snow globe making class that is well attended by both friends and foe. After Cami discovers an unlikable man dead in the park, it's up to her to help investigate, especially since she is suspect number one. This is a likeable small town, with great possibilities for more stories. Husom has arranged a nice set of characters around Camryn.
January 27, 2015
What better subject for the cold, snowy month of January than a cozy mystery about snow globes?
Author Christine Huson supplies the ticket for that request with her latest book, and the start of a new series - "Snow Way Out: A Snow Globe Shop Mystery."
I loved this story! The characters are quirky and interesting, the premise for the mystery is fresh and fun, and Husom's storytelling is just a delight. The fast pace of the tale moved the book along at a nice clip, never allowing for any real "down time" for the reader to get distracted or bored.
I look forward to more great stories from this series. If you like to get into a series from the very beginning - this is the book for you!
Author Christine Huson supplies the ticket for that request with her latest book, and the start of a new series - "Snow Way Out: A Snow Globe Shop Mystery."
I loved this story! The characters are quirky and interesting, the premise for the mystery is fresh and fun, and Husom's storytelling is just a delight. The fast pace of the tale moved the book along at a nice clip, never allowing for any real "down time" for the reader to get distracted or bored.
I look forward to more great stories from this series. If you like to get into a series from the very beginning - this is the book for you!
January 8, 2016
By the first few pages I had determined I was going to make a snow globe myself as the way the author described the process got my creative juices flowing. Then I focused on the story itself. Loved it! The interaction between the characters is believable, the (almost) love story I forsee is realistic. Our heroine, Cami, manages to solve the murder without breaking a ton of laws and stealing evidence from her "too stupid to solve this on their own" cop friends (something I see in way too many other books). All in all I enjoyed it, would read more in this series and yes, I;m hoping for a little love story to be mixed in as well.
July 29, 2015
When a local bad boy is murdered, there is no shortage of suspects.
Camryn Brooks finds the body and so she gets pulled into the investigation. She wants to make sure that none of her friends are involved. So much for trusting the people you love and care about.
Also, nearly everyone calls her Cami even though she insists that her name is Camryn. She's a grown woman, so at least call her by her chosen name. Friends should do that. That's just a pet peeve of mine.
While Camryn was passable as a main character, I found her friends a bit childish and annoying. Everyone acted so YOUNG instead of like mature business owners.
I just found the whole story okay, but not great.
Camryn Brooks finds the body and so she gets pulled into the investigation. She wants to make sure that none of her friends are involved. So much for trusting the people you love and care about.
Also, nearly everyone calls her Cami even though she insists that her name is Camryn. She's a grown woman, so at least call her by her chosen name. Friends should do that. That's just a pet peeve of mine.
While Camryn was passable as a main character, I found her friends a bit childish and annoying. Everyone acted so YOUNG instead of like mature business owners.
I just found the whole story okay, but not great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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