The Blood Spangled Banner

First Ladies Mysteries #1

by Barbara Schlichting

Welcome to the First Ladies White House Dollhouse Shop!

Who would have thought that running a dollhouse shop could be so dangerous?

Liv Anderson’s shop specializes in historically accurate recreations of the White House as it was in the era of famous First Ladies. Liv is thrilled when a famous department store owner asks to pay a visit – but death soon follows!

Genres: Cozy Mystery

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 19, 2016

About the author

Barbara Lindquist Schlichting is the author of the play: From Corresponding Lives. It is a tribute to her pen pall of fifty-five years. The play has two characters, an American, myself, and my pen friend, Chris, who lived in England. It's about friendship and overcoming cultural differences.

I am also the author of the WHITE HOUSE DOLLHOUSE Mystery Series where Modern characters make History. Middle school readers also.

Reviews

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit that at first I was thinking that this cozy might just be too cozy for me. Then, I opened the novel. What had seemed as a too 'theme' conscious book, was in reality, one heck of a suspense mystery novel.

Ms. Schlichting, whom I first learned about on 'Twitter' has an incredible knowledge of Presidential First Ladies of History, and an incredible sense of storytelling. True the heroine, Olivia is enamored with her beau, Aaron. True, Olivia has a relationship with her Grandparents that defies most families. True, Olivia is unusual in her business relationships (with the First Ladies.) Also, true is the fact that the story grabs you, presents multiple possible suspects, has you trying to figure out truth from fiction and then not caring about it at all, and finding out you wish History followed some fiction.

Finally, you have on-page action and you find yourself trying to figure out just what the 'Secret' is. With multiple red-herrings...you end up sighing at the ending and going to see if the Author has written any further editions in the series...yes, she has!

Give this novel a read. Rather ignore the cover and the theme and allow yourselves to enter the adventure of a true mystery. The best kind...a family secret! And, you will find some National pride as a bonus. Enjoy!

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit of mystery and history combined

This book combining two things that interest me: mystery books and historical facts, blending into a work of mystery and historical fiction. It's like if you took a cozy mystery series and added in the National Treasure series.

Liv Anderson, our protagonist, is a bit of a history buff and loves for first ladies, shows a shop in Minneapolis that makes doll houses/miniatures of the first ladies/presidents the White House in their respective time period. Liv is contacted by the head of the department store in York, who wants to inquire lives doll houses for a new line of toys. Liv is a ecstatic, until the woman drops dead in her store, with one of Liv's doll houses to break her fall,

I like the blend of history and mysteries, where Liv not only has a mystery to solve, but a "secret" to uncover.

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

enticing. Barbara Schlichting’s book is set in Minneapolis, where the protagonist has a dollhouse business. In the first few pages, she is attacked by a masked intruder and we’re off with a mysterious family secret, a murder, more intruders, and a handsome policeman fiancé.

One of the strongest parts of the book is its family relationships. Schlichting captures the sweetness between grandparents and granddaughter, and the gentleness of a loving relationship with the fiancé. This ties nicely into the family aspect of the mystery, where all the members of the family are involved in solving the case. Another strength is the delight the writer takes in sharing her knowledge of the first ladies. At one point, we learn the main character has a PhD in history. I would have liked more of this knowledge, and perhaps a bit more logical follow-through in the character herself, given what it takes to complete such a degree.

There are some other characters I hope to see more of in future novels: Max, her helper; the psychic next door who tells her to “stay out of small rooms,” and the character of Minneapolis itself. I don’t know that area of the country well, and I’d enjoy experiencing more of it through this character’s eyes.

The author uses historical artifacts as part of her character’s search for the truth, and makes the reader think about how our familial histories—both of the dead and the living—affect our current lives. It’s certainly a question that is influencing this election. The Blood-Spangled Banner is a light-hearted read, good for the dog days of summer accompanied by a large glass of lemonade.

[Marlene Chabot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ms. Schlichting gives a unique twist on a cozy mystery. Liv Anderson, the lead character, owns the First Lady White House Doll Shop. The Blood Spangled Banner is the first in the series. Despite several threats and break-ins, at Liv's shop and her grandparents' home, she continues to search for answers about what important secret Dolly Madison left behind on an embroidery sampler many years ago that's worth killing people over.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good premise.

[Diana Rubino · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Perfect Mystery for First Lady Buffs or Anyone Who Enjoys Mysteries

I met Barbara through the author network Triberr and when I saw she has a First Ladies series out, I knew I had to start reading them. My first was The Blood Spangled Banner, centering on the murder of a woman who comes in to Olivia Anderson’s White House Doll Shop. Olivia, a descendant of Dolley Madison, gets embroiled in trying to solve the murder with the help of her fiancé Aaron (whom she marries in this story). We also see a pair of historical cufflinks that have ‘links’ to the Madisons, and letters Dolley wrote to husband James, which Olivia’s grandparents have. Barbara did a great job of weaving historical facts and figures into the fiction with a heart-warming hero and heroine who tie the knot, but have a few delays before they can start their honeymoon in earnest. A very fun read; I enjoyed it mostly because I’m a First Lady/history buff but it’s great entertainment for anyone who likes a splash of romance in their mysteries.

[Patricia Gulley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a style of writing I don't care for, first person as it happens, too often the character definitely is familiar with everything going on and thoughts jump around. So you get two or three different ideas in one paragraph and a few words in another. I had to do a lot of rereading.
I also had hoped there would be more about doll house furniture, however the emphasis was on the white house dollhouses and the creating of the first lady figures.
The mystery was good.

[Patrizia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ero indecisa se dare 3 o 4 stelle... Bei personaggi, anche se la protagonista ogni tanto mi sembra un po' matta, visto che parla con le riproduzioni delle first lady! La parte gialla è ripartita: quella moderna è facilmente risolvibile, mentre quella che riguarda un segreto vecchio di due secoli mi ha attirato di più, forse perché riguardava la storia americana di cui non so praticamente nulla. L'unica vera pecca del libro è che ogni tanto mi sembrava che mancasse qualcosa, soprattutto nei tanti dialoghi che ci sono. Ma penso che leggerò anche il seguito.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liv Anderson owns a shop that sells doll houses and dolls of the White House throughout the years and the dolls that go with it. She is a relative of Dolly Madison. A lady comes into the shop and tries to take two of the dolls and talks about a family secret.She is later found dead. Several thefts, a murder and odd clues finally lead Liv to the answer. It was disappointing to read at the end that it was all made up so if you are expecting facts written into a mystery you will be upset.

[Peggy Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I have read by Ms. Schlichting and it won't be the last. I just loved this cozy and it was more than a page turner. It is an enjoyable winner and a home run over the fence for the author, Barbara.