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Sweet Cove Mystery #1
The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop
Angie Roseland runs The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop in the seacoast town of Sweet Cove, Massachusetts. The building's new owners are not renewing the bake shop's lease and Angie is running out of time to find a new location. When one of the town's long-time residents is murdered, Angie finds herself on the suspect list. With the help of her three sisters and a huge orange cat, Angie works to uncover the killer's identity.
A cozy mystery with recipes !
This story has some mild paranormal elements.
The main mystery is solved in each book but you will enjoy the series more if the books are read in order as some story threads run from book to book.
In The Sweet Cove Mystery series:
1. The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop
2. Murder So Sweet
3. Sweet Secrets
4. Sweet Deceit (Coming late July 2015)
And more to come !
Thank you for reading
A cozy mystery with recipes !
This story has some mild paranormal elements.
The main mystery is solved in each book but you will enjoy the series more if the books are read in order as some story threads run from book to book.
In The Sweet Cove Mystery series:
1. The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop
2. Murder So Sweet
3. Sweet Secrets
4. Sweet Deceit (Coming late July 2015)
And more to come !
Thank you for reading
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2015
1175 people are currently reading
1716 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Whiting
168 books318 followersUSA TODAY Bestselling Author and Amazon All Star, J A Whiting is the author of over 100 cozy mysteries. She lives with her family in Massachusetts. Whiting loves spending time with family, reading, traveling, cycling, following New England sports teams, exercising, and being outdoors.
For exclusive content and new book announcements please visit www.jawhiting.com and sign up for my mailing list.
Also please "like" my Facebook page www.facebook.com/jawhitingauthor
For exclusive content and new book announcements please visit www.jawhiting.com and sign up for my mailing list.
Also please "like" my Facebook page www.facebook.com/jawhitingauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews
May 21, 2016
Cozy mysteries don't have to be light on the "mystery" parts of their stories - in fact, the mystery should still be the focal point of the story. Here, the focus is not on the mystery (not that there is much of a mystery, not when it's obvious who the killer is by the third chapter or so). This is really a story about 4 sisters and how awesome they all are and how they are the best of friends and are all going to live happily ever after together. They are not sleuths, even of the amateur kind, because no sleuthing at all is done. They jump to conclusions a lot, but they don't do any investigating. Their house cat and some mystical "humming" feeling in the main character's body solve the case. If I'd known the resident feline was going to do all of the sleuthing, I wouldn't have bothered to read this mess. The cat has more personality than any human character in the story. The sisters are all way too perfect: they are beautiful, they get along fabulously, they are nice and kind to everybody, and they are all as dull as hell because of it. So, between lackluster characters and non-existent conflict, I'll be passing on the rest of this series.
May 14, 2017
Bereft of the silliness so often found in this cozy genre — and suggested by the cover — I found this to be a pleasant and very readable first entry in this series. I had picked this up quite some time ago, along with a later entry, and after finishing this one, I’m certain that the next time I want to read something light and friendly between more substantive reads, I’ll check out the other one I own.
Angie Roseland owns the Sweet Dreams Bake Shop in Sweet Cove, Massachusetts. Due to the building she’s been working out of being restructured, she’s about to be out on her ear, with no other place in the small town good for relocating. Because this is the first book in the series, we get to know a few of Angie’s regular customers, and some of the Sweet Cove residents who will most likely be ongoing characters in the series. These include a real estate gossip named Betty Hayes, Angie’s sixty-something employee Lisa, somewhat shifty attorney Jack Ford, the Williams brothers, who are the reason Angie’s shop is in limbo, Professor Linden, and Euclid, the professor’s orange and white cat who might be a little more…
When the professor drops dead, and it is discovered she was poisoned, it appears as though someone at the bake shop did it, casting suspicion on several people. But when it is learned that the professor left Angie her Victorian mansion, plus seventy-five grand for renovations, that dream come true for Angie and her three sisters points the finger of suspicion directly at Angie. Why does the attorney act so odd, and why does Angie like Josh Williams so much, while his brother seems to be anything but friendly? Not to worry, this is a very light cozy, so nothing too bad is going to happen to Angie or her sisters, and the murder is certain to be resolved somehow.
Angie’s sisters were fairly well defined in this; Courtney, Ellie and Jenna of varying ages and interests. Inheriting the Victorian in Sweet Cove so that they could all live together, while not getting in each other’s way, not to mention making a place for the Sweet Dreams Bake Shop to relocate, is a nice touch which promises to play out in future stories. There is a very soft — almost gossamer — paranormal element as Angie gradually realizes she has a heightened awareness about matters at hand, especially when she is near the Point, where her grandmother lived. By the end, the younger sister, Courtney, informs them that she has always been aware of it, having spoken to their nana about it. This was handled in a low-key way, and didn’t become silly or weird. In fact it is just another somewhat charming element to a nice cozy.
While the light mystery of who murdered the professor is solved, it is obvious more things will be revealed gradually as the series goes forward. Even the stuff with Euclid, who seems to know more than any cat should know, is handled nicely, suggesting this may have something to do with the sisters’ — though not all of them are aware of it yet — special intuition. In Angie’s case, that intuition, along with Euclid, saves her from joining the professor.
A breezy pace and a warmth far too many cozies are missing, make this one rank high for me, even if the mystery portion is very light indeed. This one was novella length, so I’ll have to see if the longer entries which follow it feel padded, but after reading this one, it will almost certainly be my next read when I’m in the mood for something of this nature. A warm and utterly charming light cozy highly recommended for fans of the genre.
Angie Roseland owns the Sweet Dreams Bake Shop in Sweet Cove, Massachusetts. Due to the building she’s been working out of being restructured, she’s about to be out on her ear, with no other place in the small town good for relocating. Because this is the first book in the series, we get to know a few of Angie’s regular customers, and some of the Sweet Cove residents who will most likely be ongoing characters in the series. These include a real estate gossip named Betty Hayes, Angie’s sixty-something employee Lisa, somewhat shifty attorney Jack Ford, the Williams brothers, who are the reason Angie’s shop is in limbo, Professor Linden, and Euclid, the professor’s orange and white cat who might be a little more…
When the professor drops dead, and it is discovered she was poisoned, it appears as though someone at the bake shop did it, casting suspicion on several people. But when it is learned that the professor left Angie her Victorian mansion, plus seventy-five grand for renovations, that dream come true for Angie and her three sisters points the finger of suspicion directly at Angie. Why does the attorney act so odd, and why does Angie like Josh Williams so much, while his brother seems to be anything but friendly? Not to worry, this is a very light cozy, so nothing too bad is going to happen to Angie or her sisters, and the murder is certain to be resolved somehow.
Angie’s sisters were fairly well defined in this; Courtney, Ellie and Jenna of varying ages and interests. Inheriting the Victorian in Sweet Cove so that they could all live together, while not getting in each other’s way, not to mention making a place for the Sweet Dreams Bake Shop to relocate, is a nice touch which promises to play out in future stories. There is a very soft — almost gossamer — paranormal element as Angie gradually realizes she has a heightened awareness about matters at hand, especially when she is near the Point, where her grandmother lived. By the end, the younger sister, Courtney, informs them that she has always been aware of it, having spoken to their nana about it. This was handled in a low-key way, and didn’t become silly or weird. In fact it is just another somewhat charming element to a nice cozy.
While the light mystery of who murdered the professor is solved, it is obvious more things will be revealed gradually as the series goes forward. Even the stuff with Euclid, who seems to know more than any cat should know, is handled nicely, suggesting this may have something to do with the sisters’ — though not all of them are aware of it yet — special intuition. In Angie’s case, that intuition, along with Euclid, saves her from joining the professor.
A breezy pace and a warmth far too many cozies are missing, make this one rank high for me, even if the mystery portion is very light indeed. This one was novella length, so I’ll have to see if the longer entries which follow it feel padded, but after reading this one, it will almost certainly be my next read when I’m in the mood for something of this nature. A warm and utterly charming light cozy highly recommended for fans of the genre.
November 2, 2015
Angie is the owner of The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop but the premises she rents has been bought up by a developer and her lease is not going to be renewed. The story opens on a busy day in the shop, professor Linden is enjoying her usual morning coffee and has her usual one to go, she leaves the shop as the developers show up to look around the premises. Half an hour later she is dead – poisoned!
Angie is very upset at the death of her friend, but a few days later she inherits professor Linden’s house and cat. Suspicion turns to Angie as she benefits from the professors death. Angie decides to do her own investigation to clear her name, ably assisted by her sisters and various admirers. And the cat.
The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop is the first in a series and is a light read, with a touch of paranormal and hints that there are many more mysteries to solve. I enjoyed it so much I have already downloaded the second book.
Angie is very upset at the death of her friend, but a few days later she inherits professor Linden’s house and cat. Suspicion turns to Angie as she benefits from the professors death. Angie decides to do her own investigation to clear her name, ably assisted by her sisters and various admirers. And the cat.
The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop is the first in a series and is a light read, with a touch of paranormal and hints that there are many more mysteries to solve. I enjoyed it so much I have already downloaded the second book.
March 3, 2020
What a sweet and fun way to start a mystery series! I love it that the four sisters in this series all genuinely love each other and aren't the kind that bicker and gripe at one another. It was fun to see the plans they made and start carrying out said plans.
The mystery was a good one that I did eventually figure out, but sometimes I gave in to the red herrings along the way. I really like all these characters and the fact that even though the main murder was solved, there's a little bit of suspicion in the air about some things that didn't quite sit well with one person or the other about the investigation. I'm planning to read the second book very soon if not right after this one. I read all the future blurbs (couldn't help myself) and got very curious about something I read!
The mystery was a good one that I did eventually figure out, but sometimes I gave in to the red herrings along the way. I really like all these characters and the fact that even though the main murder was solved, there's a little bit of suspicion in the air about some things that didn't quite sit well with one person or the other about the investigation. I'm planning to read the second book very soon if not right after this one. I read all the future blurbs (couldn't help myself) and got very curious about something I read!
October 27, 2015
It had promise ... at least as much as many of these cozy mysteries have. Then the story started. It will come as no surprise that someone dies and the lead in the tale is a suspect. However, she doesn't bravely solve the case. No. The cat does. And her weird "internal humming" helps.
Honestly, some of the scene set ups have more depth than the characters. We can have loads about the cakes, the clothes, the cat even; I don't remember much about any of the characters!
Sorry, but not a series I will continue to read.
YMMV
Honestly, some of the scene set ups have more depth than the characters. We can have loads about the cakes, the clothes, the cat even; I don't remember much about any of the characters!
Sorry, but not a series I will continue to read.
YMMV
March 8, 2017
3.5 stars
A very cute and sweet start to a new mystery series. It comes with a very small element of paranormal which I am not too fond of. So far it is very limited but could develop to more in the following installments. What caused me to give it the low rating was that the killer was very obvious very early on. This took quite a bit of the fun away for me. Anyway I will give the next one in the series a chance.
A very cute and sweet start to a new mystery series. It comes with a very small element of paranormal which I am not too fond of. So far it is very limited but could develop to more in the following installments. What caused me to give it the low rating was that the killer was very obvious very early on. This took quite a bit of the fun away for me. Anyway I will give the next one in the series a chance.
September 21, 2016
Promising start to the series. Reminiscent of the early Blackmoore Sisters books by Leighann Dobbs.
January 7, 2018
It was a great story
This is the first book by this author I have read! It was a wonderful book and showed the relationship with 4 sisters.
It is a murder in a small town they live in. The sisters, Angie, Jenna, Ellie, and Courtney are very close and when Angie the oldest sister is left a Victorian house all girls think they can run their small businesses out of the house and live together as well!
The house is left to Angie by the professor who is the murder victim. Angie is all set to find the killer to take the spotlight off her.
The story kept my attention right to the end! It is a nice fast read and there are 13 in the series that I purchased this morning, so I am looking to reading them all and in the way they were written.
This is the first book by this author I have read! It was a wonderful book and showed the relationship with 4 sisters.
It is a murder in a small town they live in. The sisters, Angie, Jenna, Ellie, and Courtney are very close and when Angie the oldest sister is left a Victorian house all girls think they can run their small businesses out of the house and live together as well!
The house is left to Angie by the professor who is the murder victim. Angie is all set to find the killer to take the spotlight off her.
The story kept my attention right to the end! It is a nice fast read and there are 13 in the series that I purchased this morning, so I am looking to reading them all and in the way they were written.
December 9, 2018
The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop by J.A.Whiting is the first book in the Sweet Cove Mystery series. Angie runs the Sweet Dreams Bake Shop which is about to close due to the lease not being renewed. A local professor is poisoned leaving her house to Angie. A nice start to the series, although the book is more about introducing us to Angie and her three sisters rather than the mystery. The killer is obvious and there is not much sleuthing. The murder is solved by 'feelings' that the sisters experience. Not really the type of book that I enjoy.
June 5, 2015
Not bad. There were a few eye-rolling moments for me (Suspect in a murder? Here, let me show you around my home) and it was pretty obvious from the start who did it. But overall, a good start to a new series.
December 30, 2015
Looking forward to continuing this series! This was a terrific freshman effort.
October 24, 2018
This story was cute and entertaining but nothing special and pretty predictable. It’s about Angie who owns a bake shop. One day, one of her favorite customers dies and is found to have been poisoned. Angie is a suspect because the lady always insisted Angie make her stuff and her background is in chemistry so she was an easy suspect. There were a few other potential suspects including the lawyer, the pushy real estate agent, and lastly Angie’s employee, Lisa. It’s fairly obvious early on that Lisa was the killer but it was a cute journey getting to the reveal.
This story also includes a lot about Angie and her sisters. One is in college but comes home on the weekend to help at the shop. The shop is going to close soon because they’re losing their building but when the customer dies she leaves Angie her mansion that is big enough to make into a cafe as well as house her sisters’ multiple businesses and for them all to live. I’d love to see this house! I’ve read others who think it’s a criticism, but I liked that this story included more than just the mystery. I liked seeing the sister relationship and them all moving on and being creative.
Cute and very quick read. I probably won’t continue with the series because there was nothing that really hooked me but I’m glad I read it.
This story also includes a lot about Angie and her sisters. One is in college but comes home on the weekend to help at the shop. The shop is going to close soon because they’re losing their building but when the customer dies she leaves Angie her mansion that is big enough to make into a cafe as well as house her sisters’ multiple businesses and for them all to live. I’d love to see this house! I’ve read others who think it’s a criticism, but I liked that this story included more than just the mystery. I liked seeing the sister relationship and them all moving on and being creative.
Cute and very quick read. I probably won’t continue with the series because there was nothing that really hooked me but I’m glad I read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2017
Star rating: 2.5 Stars
When one of Angie's favorite customers dies from a latte bought at her cafe, Angie finds herself in the middle of a police investigation and one of the prime suspects. With her own neck on the line, Angie decides to throw herself into the investigation determined to find out who would murder Professor Linden and why.
This was a novel that suffered from too many ideas stirred into the plot too soon. It's as if the author wanted not only cake but pie, scones, muffins, ice cream and fudge too. This book was brimming with too much information. While at times it was eloquent and enlightening, for example the background detailing of the main characters. Other times it was cumbersome and verging on perambulation. The killer was shockingly easy to finger and the story lumbered on some thirty pages after they are outed. This book was a bit of a letdown, so there won't be another novel in this series for me.
When one of Angie's favorite customers dies from a latte bought at her cafe, Angie finds herself in the middle of a police investigation and one of the prime suspects. With her own neck on the line, Angie decides to throw herself into the investigation determined to find out who would murder Professor Linden and why.
This was a novel that suffered from too many ideas stirred into the plot too soon. It's as if the author wanted not only cake but pie, scones, muffins, ice cream and fudge too. This book was brimming with too much information. While at times it was eloquent and enlightening, for example the background detailing of the main characters. Other times it was cumbersome and verging on perambulation. The killer was shockingly easy to finger and the story lumbered on some thirty pages after they are outed. This book was a bit of a letdown, so there won't be another novel in this series for me.
March 9, 2020
My mood continues to be with cozy-mysteries, and as I have a couple of them at the Kindle app. I decided to read The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop. I bought got for free through the e-book deals. I am happy that the Sweet Cove Mystery series (17 more books) are part of the Kindle Unlimited program, and that means I can continue with the series.
Angie and her sisters are a sweet bunch, and they are fantastic sleuths. The thing that disturbs me a little bit is that the police weren't involved so much with the professor's murder. During the series, we might have two couples, the beginning of the romantic starts in The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop.
I am also happy for the recipes; they look delicious, mouth-water, and look very easy.
Even though I found the who dun it, I didn't know how the murder committed. The cat, Euclid, is adorable, a good detective, and very helpful to the sisters.
If you like a fast read, a cute cozy mystery with recipes this book, and series is for you
Angie and her sisters are a sweet bunch, and they are fantastic sleuths. The thing that disturbs me a little bit is that the police weren't involved so much with the professor's murder. During the series, we might have two couples, the beginning of the romantic starts in The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop.
I am also happy for the recipes; they look delicious, mouth-water, and look very easy.
Even though I found the who dun it, I didn't know how the murder committed. The cat, Euclid, is adorable, a good detective, and very helpful to the sisters.
If you like a fast read, a cute cozy mystery with recipes this book, and series is for you
February 20, 2017
Probably a 3.5, typical cozy mystery. Easy story, charming people in a quaint town that has just suffered a murder that has every one puzzled. Just who would kill the sweet ole' professor and why? A few prime suspects, but did they do it?
October 24, 2021
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this but the ending felt rushed, I feel like there are still unanswered questions, but I guess we may find out in book 2.
June 17, 2024
So the cat wasn’t the murderer, but honestly maybe that would have made it better. Best part was that there was recipes at the end of the book.
February 16, 2017
Easy read.. 2-3 stars.
December 31, 2020
4.25 stars
The Sweet Dreams Bakeshop by J. A. Whiting is the first in a long cozy mystery series and is a really enjoyable, cozy story. I love the four sisters and their close ties. The interactions between all the bakeshop patrons and townspeople is sweet and Angie’s bakeshop is charming. The mystery is interesting and not overly dumbed down, as some cozies can be.
This story is a short, easy, entertaining cozy mystery and was a pleasant surprise. I definitely look forward to the next in the series.
The Sweet Dreams Bakeshop by J. A. Whiting is the first in a long cozy mystery series and is a really enjoyable, cozy story. I love the four sisters and their close ties. The interactions between all the bakeshop patrons and townspeople is sweet and Angie’s bakeshop is charming. The mystery is interesting and not overly dumbed down, as some cozies can be.
This story is a short, easy, entertaining cozy mystery and was a pleasant surprise. I definitely look forward to the next in the series.
July 22, 2015
Fast paced story
This was a good first in a new series book.
Angie is the owner of Sweet Dreams Bake Shop, but unfortunately her lease is up and the new owners have other plans for the space.
Professor Linden is retired and enjoys her morning coffee at the shop. Why did the professor die after drinking her coffee? Who wanted her dead?
Her suspicious mind has Angie looking for clues especially now that she has been named in the will.
This was a good first in a new series book.
Angie is the owner of Sweet Dreams Bake Shop, but unfortunately her lease is up and the new owners have other plans for the space.
Professor Linden is retired and enjoys her morning coffee at the shop. Why did the professor die after drinking her coffee? Who wanted her dead?
Her suspicious mind has Angie looking for clues especially now that she has been named in the will.
November 1, 2015
I enjoyed the recipes more than I enjoyed the book. It seemed very rushed. The sisters spent so much time jumping to conclusions rather than figuring out who actually killed the professor. The cat figured it out before they did. Sheesh! Mystery? I couldn't find any. I knew from the start that it was Lisa.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2015
It's all in the name
The entire book felt like a lazy summer's day, light and airy. Unfortunately, the mystery part is vanilla, and so low-key as to leave the story hanging jn the wind. Mysteries need intense moments, and I had a hard time fi ding such moments.
The entire book felt like a lazy summer's day, light and airy. Unfortunately, the mystery part is vanilla, and so low-key as to leave the story hanging jn the wind. Mysteries need intense moments, and I had a hard time fi ding such moments.
January 12, 2016
Excellent "first" in a series. Looking forward to book#2.
March 2, 2016
This was such a fun read. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
May 24, 2016
Not a great book but I enjoyed the journey. This author has good potential and I liked the cat and the touch of paranormal.
October 12, 2020
Warm hearted and smart
I really loved this book!
Light and fun and definitely cozy as I was going thru a brutal
arthritis flare up
I really loved this book!
Light and fun and definitely cozy as I was going thru a brutal
arthritis flare up
January 18, 2022
Sweet book and the end has several sweet recipes!
Angie is the main character in this read and her friend Professor Linden was poisoned by unknown person. Linden’s last words as she died were, “Take care of Euclid.” These words were said to Angie. Euclid is…was Linden’s Maine Coon cat (Google these cats - they’re huge).
Everyone is a suspect, including Angie, because Linden willed her very large Victorian house to Angie even though Angie isn’t related to her. This news was just as much of a surprise to Angie than anyone else though.
Euclid is a smart cat and he seems to know quite a bit based on his behavior around certain suspects in this case. Maybe Linden’s Spirit jumped into the cat?
Josh Davis and his brother are evicting Angie out of her bakery/cafe because they are redeveloping the properties. However, Angie is very attracted to Josh just as much as he is to her. Angie wants to open her bakery in her new Victorian house and Angie’s 3 sisters are moving into the large estate and opening various business within it too.
Are the sisters witches and Euclid is a familiar? Toward the end of the book it is seeming like the ladies are coming into special powers (they talked about “feelings” they experience when they’re near certain properties and certain people). In fact, Angie discovered who Linden’s killer was based on a feeling she got. It’ll be interesting to read the next books to find out if the sisters possible powers enhance. I love supernatural type books!
We’ll also be possibly reading more about the attorney in town. He’s got suspicious behavior. Angie overheard him on the phone talking about how he’d broken into the Victorian home and how he “couldn’t find it”. So, I’m sure the attorney will be finding a way to get back into Angie’s house before all is said and done, but hopefully Angie, her, sisters, and or Euclid locate whatever the attorney is looking for first before the attorney winds up killing someone over the mysterious object.
I’m also rooting for a love collection between Josh and Angie!
Next book is the 2nd of a 21 book series called “Murder So Sweet”.
Angie is the main character in this read and her friend Professor Linden was poisoned by unknown person. Linden’s last words as she died were, “Take care of Euclid.” These words were said to Angie. Euclid is…was Linden’s Maine Coon cat (Google these cats - they’re huge).
Everyone is a suspect, including Angie, because Linden willed her very large Victorian house to Angie even though Angie isn’t related to her. This news was just as much of a surprise to Angie than anyone else though.
Euclid is a smart cat and he seems to know quite a bit based on his behavior around certain suspects in this case. Maybe Linden’s Spirit jumped into the cat?
Josh Davis and his brother are evicting Angie out of her bakery/cafe because they are redeveloping the properties. However, Angie is very attracted to Josh just as much as he is to her. Angie wants to open her bakery in her new Victorian house and Angie’s 3 sisters are moving into the large estate and opening various business within it too.
Are the sisters witches and Euclid is a familiar? Toward the end of the book it is seeming like the ladies are coming into special powers (they talked about “feelings” they experience when they’re near certain properties and certain people). In fact, Angie discovered who Linden’s killer was based on a feeling she got. It’ll be interesting to read the next books to find out if the sisters possible powers enhance. I love supernatural type books!
We’ll also be possibly reading more about the attorney in town. He’s got suspicious behavior. Angie overheard him on the phone talking about how he’d broken into the Victorian home and how he “couldn’t find it”. So, I’m sure the attorney will be finding a way to get back into Angie’s house before all is said and done, but hopefully Angie, her, sisters, and or Euclid locate whatever the attorney is looking for first before the attorney winds up killing someone over the mysterious object.
I’m also rooting for a love collection between Josh and Angie!
Next book is the 2nd of a 21 book series called “Murder So Sweet”.
February 15, 2022
This "mystery" story meanders around while Angie mentally accuses nearly everyone and no one, with no evidence. It isn't so much an investigation as a game of attrition.
Angie has enough foibles to be real, but she disappears into the bake shop (all tasks except pouring tea are done off camera), and later comes back out hours later. Is it really her, or a Stepford-Angie?
None of the characters feel like they could be alive somewhere. The narrator uses figurative binoculars, and pulls back too far for a wide view, or goes in too close (too much tingling skin, by far). We don't see it for ourselves. We just hear it mentioned. It's like reading about a trip down the Grand Canyon--without any photos or descriptions of the scenery. Just a list of tasks completed, and by whom.
If anyone recalls which sister got each type of hair, bravo! That was all a blur for no good reason (sorry Mr. Mendel), because I didn't remember which kind Angie had, and she was the main character.
Just when I think a character is beginning to break out into a personality, we move on to another scene. The narrative told me when to feel things, but I began obsessing about how many times they called the place "the Victorian" instead of "the house." There was no other home to get it mixed up with--anywhere. After the first 20 times, trust me, I knew where everybody was talking about.
I should have been sad when the murder victim died, but I thought "Huh, she was just starting to get interesting."
Everything is neat and wrapped up, and ends on time. That's the impression I was left with.
Thankfully, the two cute couples survived! So the next book can describe more tingling skin! (Nooo!) I will have to trust that fate would not be so cruel as to make them part, or to mess up the house plans (sorry, Victorian plans). I will not read the plethora of books that follow in the series. I would rather throw myself into the frightening abyss of chancy mysteries out there, and hope to find a good book or series elsewhere.
2.5 Stars
My note:
Basic renovation rule; "You can change a door into a window, but not a window into a door."
(Maine Cabin Masters)
Angie has enough foibles to be real, but she disappears into the bake shop (all tasks except pouring tea are done off camera), and later comes back out hours later. Is it really her, or a Stepford-Angie?
None of the characters feel like they could be alive somewhere. The narrator uses figurative binoculars, and pulls back too far for a wide view, or goes in too close (too much tingling skin, by far). We don't see it for ourselves. We just hear it mentioned. It's like reading about a trip down the Grand Canyon--without any photos or descriptions of the scenery. Just a list of tasks completed, and by whom.
If anyone recalls which sister got each type of hair, bravo! That was all a blur for no good reason (sorry Mr. Mendel), because I didn't remember which kind Angie had, and she was the main character.
Just when I think a character is beginning to break out into a personality, we move on to another scene. The narrative told me when to feel things, but I began obsessing about how many times they called the place "the Victorian" instead of "the house." There was no other home to get it mixed up with--anywhere. After the first 20 times, trust me, I knew where everybody was talking about.
I should have been sad when the murder victim died, but I thought "Huh, she was just starting to get interesting."
Everything is neat and wrapped up, and ends on time. That's the impression I was left with.
Thankfully, the two cute couples survived! So the next book can describe more tingling skin! (Nooo!) I will have to trust that fate would not be so cruel as to make them part, or to mess up the house plans (sorry, Victorian plans). I will not read the plethora of books that follow in the series. I would rather throw myself into the frightening abyss of chancy mysteries out there, and hope to find a good book or series elsewhere.
2.5 Stars
My note:
Basic renovation rule; "You can change a door into a window, but not a window into a door."
(Maine Cabin Masters)
October 4, 2023
J. A. Whiting writes the definition of cosy stories. I was worried that the other two series I started by this author might be an exception, but instead I had such a fun time reading this book as well.
The mystery is not that complicated, but it is enjoyable anyway. The books are also all so short so are a perfect sweet treat in between other books or to read on the go.
Angie is really sweet and cute, and reading from her perspective is lovely. Her three sisters are still a bit too similar and I can’t really tell them apart, but hopefully they will grow into their characters in the next books.
And just like in the other series, there is the tiniest hint of paranormal. It still is unexplored and I guess we will see this power, or whatever it is, becoming more prevalent in the next books, and I can’t wait.
The mystery is not that complicated, but it is enjoyable anyway. The books are also all so short so are a perfect sweet treat in between other books or to read on the go.
Angie is really sweet and cute, and reading from her perspective is lovely. Her three sisters are still a bit too similar and I can’t really tell them apart, but hopefully they will grow into their characters in the next books.
And just like in the other series, there is the tiniest hint of paranormal. It still is unexplored and I guess we will see this power, or whatever it is, becoming more prevalent in the next books, and I can’t wait.
August 19, 2018
This book was just... Awful. I did the audiobook and the narrator made a terrible attempt at a Massachusetts accent that was painful. The characters are completely one dimensional and speculate wildly in the wrong direction about who the killer is when it's painfully obvious from almost the very beginning who it is. They are either complete idiots or just totally naive, I'm literally astounded the over all rating is so high. I like cozy mysteries, but this one is so shallow the author has cranked out more than 10 of them in 3 years. I was drawn in by the idea of the cat and the slight supernatural element, but there was almost none of either until the very end and there was barely any mystery. There were a couple heavy handed red herrings that were so obvious there's literally no way you couldn't guess who did it. Maybe that's why people like it? It makes them feel they solved the case? I might give the second book a chance since at least the characters will be aware of this "power" they have from the beginning, but the fruity writing as clunky dialogue will probably put it at the bottom of my reading list.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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