The Fundy Vault

by Linda Moore

Linda Moore’s long­-awaited sequel to Foul Deeds is another highly engaging mix of art and environmental justice. Finally working a real job as a researcher for the Public Prosecution Service, Rosalind is on her first paid vacation. She has rented a cottage on Nova Scotia’s beautiful Minas Basin with plans to explore ideas for her next theatre production.

Accompanied by her cat and a stack of Beckett plays, she has no sooner settled in than she spots what looks like a woman’s body tangled in the roots of a floating tree. Before the local RCMP can send a boat out, the body is retrieved by helicopter, and Roz watches it disappear over North Mountain. It’s time to call in her old sleuthing partner, McBride.

When McBride completely disappears, Roz and her longtime theatre friend Sophie roam the backroads and small towns of the Annapolis Valley in search of clues, narrowing in on the out­of­the­way quarry no one seems to want them to visit, the tanker trunks that nearly run them off the road, and a young journalist who seems to have come too close to the truth.

The Fundy Vault is a lightning-­paced literary mystery that will keep the heart pumping and the brain ticking long after the final page.

Genres: Canada, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Brian Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an engrossing mystery story, well plotted with a brisk pace. The characters are not well developed but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book. Some of the details of the interactions between the protagonist and the police are implausible but again it doesn't matter unless you are a stickler for factual accuracy. There's a timely environmental angle central to the story (dangers of fracking) yet the author does not pontificate about it(which I had expected when she mentioned Naomi Klein).
In summary its a good read that doesn't tax your brain while providing some useful information. Recommended.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't say that Moore is a brilliant writer. I can say that she spins an entertaining yarn that is fast paced, and easy to read. The fact that it is set in Nova Scotia, which is somewhat familiar to me having grown up in that province, added a little extra fun to the experience. Her writing style puts me in mind of the old gumshoe street detectives of times past.

Rosalind is a criminologist from Halifax on vacation at the Minas Basin hoping to get in some background reading in preparation for her Beckett obsession. Suddenly she is embroiled in a curious mystery involving a dead woman, and some mysterious men in a black SUV.

[Leslie McCurdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, and full of local colour. An interesting interweaving of whodunit plot and drama backstory.

[Janet Sketchley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery, fast-paced and not too tense (a plus for me) despite high stakes and danger. Pets, a theatre subplot, and a high-stakes, high-level coverup. The language wasn't too bad but could've been cleaner. I enjoyed the details of the Nova Scotia setting. I liked the characters, and I hope to go back and read book 1.

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started off so promising but went into a deep decline after "the librarian moment" that I already commented on. Dude - I know this is fiction and suspension of disbelief and all but really????

[Xena · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay. The characters were all kind of bland, there wasn't much detail about the settings, and most of this book was dialogue (which didn't seem natural and was very repetitive). It wasn't very gripping, most of the time I was reading it I just wanted to put it down. I was determined to finish it though!

The whole mystery is interesting enough, but pretty predictable.

Plot: 2 stars
Characters: 2.5 stars
Setting: 1.5 stars
Overall: 2 stars

[Ramona Jennex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this well crafted mystery set in rural Nova Scotia.
It was the best audio book I have listened to this year. It was read by the author, Linda Moore, and every once in awhile you could hear her turn a page making the experience seem more like a private reading for the listener. A novel read by the author is such a delightful way to enjoy an audio book.
The story was set in the Annapolis Valley and many of the supporting characters are identifiable to us "locals" and the setting is described beautifully. A delightful mix of science and the arts!
I waited over 6 months to get my copy from the library and it was worth the wait!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this fast-paced mystery set in the Minas Basin and Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia.

I found some of the characters' interactions with the police and each other to be implausible. One character is never called by his first name, even by his wife (and we don't know what his first name is).

The plot was moved along briskly by the dialogue, and I would like for more to be shown, rather than told, but this didn't stop me from wanting to discover the mystery's conclusion.

With the setting in Nova Scotia, I thought there were missed opportunities for more scenery descriptions.

"This event called for a cup of tea--as the unexpected often does" (p 10).

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book at my favorite second hand bookstore. There is a lady who reads books and then drops them off regularly. The books are brand new and I get them for 2 to 3 dollars.
I picked this one up as I live in the maritimes and know the area the novel is set in.
I read this in one evening, and I really enjoyed it! I love the mentions of local authors and their books so I requested them from the library as I read. I also did research on historical locations that are mentioned.
5 out of 5 stars for the reading enjoyment, and I hope the mystery woman reads more of this author! 😀

[David Grissom · Rating 4 out of 5]

First what is a Fundy Vault? With that in mind I began reading. Rosalind is on vacation in Nova Scotia and as with all good mysteries she sees a body tied to a tree in the middle of the bay. What happens next and through out the story creates a mystery of who done it, why did they, and will it get solved. If you read from front to back you will learn about a Fundy Vault and what happens to all the character’s. Only in the last chapter will the final mystery be solved. Enjoy and don’t look ahead…

[Scott Rudolph · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed reading this, I would say that I could have done with it being a bit longer. It felt rushed at the end. Also, I did not get that distinctly Nova Scotian vibe I hoped for when I purchased it. That said, I would recommend picking it up, it would make a great read for the plane, the train, or long car trips (assuming you are neither the pilot, the engineer, nor the driver)

Thanks, Ms. Moore for an enjoyable read!

[Lana Kamennof-sine · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful read. Picked up this book without knowing anything about the author only to discover that she's based in Halifax (an hour's drive away) AND has a cottage in Kingsport-literally just a 10 min drive down the road.
Truly enjoyed the story & characters especially when the names are locally sourced & local/area landmarks, restaurants, etc. are noted

[Andrea Floris · Rating 2 out of 5]

The mystery plot was intriguing, and I read on to find out what happened. However, being from the Valley and living in Halifax, I found the way the characters spoke unrealistic, and I can't believe that the characters would be so blase and cracking jokes after experiencing attacks, abductions, etc.

[Marieta Grissom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A criminologist on vacation to work on her theatre hobby along the Bay of Fundy, happens upon a questionable scene, resulting in this page-turner murder mystery.

The author deftly combines lines from Samuel Beckett and the theater group with the evolving disregard for environmental catastrophe that is illegally crossing the border between Maine and New Brunswick.

[Dicey100 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading "The Fundy Vault" mostly because it is set in my own backyard. Very rare to read your street name in a book. Ms. Moore's plot was plausible, given the North Mountain's many vaults. A good and satisfying read!

[Lynn Dorcas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fast read, and nice to read about an area that I love to visit. It makes you think that these big corporations could be polluting our ocean right under our noses.

[Sue Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this book in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

[Arlene Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will read more of Linda Moore and the Rosealind Mystery Series. She is an intelligent muti-faceted writer of a fast paced "who done it".

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book entertaining, the characters interesting and the setting lovely but solving the crime seemed to take place to everything else. Regardless, it was a fun read.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this while on holiday by the Bay of Fundy, so it was nice to be in the place described in the book. It was a good vacation read—plot is predictable and it is an easy read.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! I found it was even better than the first in the series and fingers crossed that there will be more.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery set in Nova Scotia.

[John Johnston · Rating 1 out of 5]

nice to read about our Fundy area but that's all I have to say

[Lorie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty good story. Bad dialogue

[Alyssa Zilney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun murder mystery read. Super predictable. Not great writing. Cheesy af. But fun nonetheless.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

🇨🇦Love a murder mystery, especially one that takes place in a familiar location.

[Ida · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If I had just kept my nose in my book – if only I hadn’t looked up when I heard the crows.”

The Fundy Vault is the latest release in a mystery series that follows criminologist, Rosalind. In this second installment she has rented a cottage on Minas Basin in Nova Scotia, where she plans to explore ideas for her next theatre production. However, soon after her arrival she spots a body, which she witnesses being retrieved by a mysterious helicopter/team. She calls in her old sleuthing partner, McBride who ends up disappearing during their investigation and Rosalind is left to search for clues and figure out the truth.

I very much enjoy a good mystery novel, especially in the form of a series that I can follow and look forward to new releases. The main thing that draws me into a series is the compelling nature of the characters who carry the story and piece together the mystery. From the beginning of this novel it is clear that it has those kind of characters, ones that will interest you and have you turning the pages to see what will happen and where the story will go. The setting in Nova Scotia is lovely and it is wonderful to explore that particular region through the descriptions and the wonderful way the author brings it to life. A thoroughly enjoyable novel and a series I look forward to reading more of and following in the future.

*Book provided by publisher for an unbiased review.

You can find all of my reviews and bookish articles @ https://aboutabookreviews.com

[Beverly · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you've read any of the mysteries by Saskatchewan author Gail Bowen then you'll know the kind of writing that's in this book. It's quite simplistic and not a literary work. The plot is interesting and rarely does the author venture away from the action taken to solve the mystery, a plus. Unfortunately there's no depth to the characters and no plot twists that one might expect in a good mystery.
Contrary to the publishing information here, my 2016 Nimbus paperback copy has 235 pages.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: Rosalind is on vacation in the Minas Basin and spots a body in the sea; she calls her old sleuthing partner McBride.