At Witt's End

by J.V. Caggiano

Agatha Christie meets Arsenic and Old LaceA classic Golden Age puzzle with a character driven plotCerridwen Evan Jones has a very brief to do listFinish and publish her novelAvoid the head of the local historical societyMake sure Great Uncle Teddy is wearing pantsBut when her historic neighborhood is rocked by the discovery of a decades old murder, her list gets a little longer.Find out who broke into her houseSolve a murderFind out why the hot new neighbor is telling people they are engagedStay alive

362 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 19, 2020

Reviews

[Mystic Forest Crafts · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true rating on this book is more of a 4.5 from me as it was a wonderful experience overall. Though I did sign up to read this book as part of a tour, I downloaded the book via kindle unlimited. I will say the kindle version did include typos and missed some breaks in scene but it didn’t distract from the overall story.

Pros:

I enjoy that we dive in with fully formed characters who have unique traits and personalities. While those play with and off of each other well it doesn’t feel fabricated but more like being dropped in the middle of a settled group of friends who have their own language.

The pace of the book is fast and being filled with witty dialogue makes you want to devour the entire thing in a single gulp. It gave me vibes of the Clue movie with Tim Curry and I think this made as a movie if kept to this script would be an instant fan favorite.

Cons:

While I appreciate the author didn’t let the new romance immediately turn into sex it felt very fast for them to be saying I love you. Maybe it is trauma bonding, maybe it’s just a love I haven’t personally experienced but it felt fast.

I am bummed that we didn’t get a flash of Cerridwen’s book being released and some hint that there would be a sequel. I would love to read about these characters again.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐ - it was good

The writing was very good and I enjoyed it, very nice and good pacing 👌

The story itself was boring to my own taste, and I didn't care much.
At this point I need to say, I'm very picky. So I won't blame the book at all from that, it's just my personal taste.

So defenitely would recommend the author and the book, if the plot sounds like something you'd like.
I'm looking forward to hearing more from this author 👀

[LilBookMonk · Rating 5 out of 5]

What makes a city special? Is it the people that inhabit it, or the essence of those who once touched its air? Is it the rumblings of everyday life, or the lullaby of good old forgotten days?
The old city of Victoria, is now in crumbles. While violence is surely on the rise, grotesque crimes and unexplained disappearances, add more to the shiver.

A good horror-crime thriller that grips you to uncover the unsaid, presented by author J.V Caggiano in her debut book, is ‘At Witt’s End’. It surpasses elements of hark humour, if read intelligently. That is how that author proves her brilliance with words. A seemingly simple sentence, actually holds a witty remark, parody or orthodox that is dark enough to engross you in contemplation, but humorous enough to tick you; and I personally liked this about the book- it tests you.

Set in the town of Victoria in Northern Washington, the book parallels with the writings of Agatha Christie, thus, the spooky devices embellish the whole plot. Although, one might expect metaphysical realm to do something with the vivid graffiti that adorn the city, or the unexplained murders and the mysterious skeleton under the Oak tree, yet, it's purely criminal.

The book keeps you on your toes, and while the digital version happens to have minute editorial errors, it is a pleasurable experience to read. The author, puts her writing ability to the best of use and portraits grotesque, yet beautiful imageries. It's almost, as if the reader can really feel the chills of the city, or the sweat at the back of your head aroused from the fear of uncertainty. The language used, is lucid, so you don’t have to worry about linguistic slangs and barriers. Although, some might really like to read it through the weekend, others would delve into it at night and come out, completely exhilarated, in the morning

The book feels like Halloween. Its spooky and its tensing, but it feels familiar and friendly. It has a sense of comfort in it and so, a hot chocolate or a cold beer would be the most apt companions to take you down this unwinding journey.

[Sams_Fireside · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main reason I chose to read this book was that we are about to move into a new house and it’s called ‘Witzend’! Not my usual criteria. I didn’t even read the synopsis! At Witt’s End is a cosy mystery, not my usual go-to genre, but actually, it was a pretty good story.

Cerridwen is an author who is trying to hide away to finish her latest novel but is constantly being disturbed by friends and neighbours and, eventually, they have an actual murder to solve.

Think Agatha Christie, crossed with the Agatha Raisin series and you’ll get an idea of the sort of book you are reading. It took me a while to get to grips with the characters and it was a bit all over the place to begin with, taking a fair few chapters to settle into what was going on. However, I found myself drawn in, and eager to discover ‘whodunnit’.

I loved the diverse range of characters and the humour that Caggiano so obviously has, and there is definitely talent there for further books.

The only reason I gave this 3 stars was because of the editing. After reading other reviews, this may be just the Kindle edition I was gifted, (I sincerely hope it wasn't published with this many errors), but it distracted me from the enjoyment of the story and as it was published over two years ago, a fully edited copy would have been appreciated. For full disclosure, if I am reading an ARC that is yet to be published, I don’t take the editing into account at all.

Despite this, though, the story is great and will keep you reading, and an easy book to while away a few hours.

Thank you to Katie and Brey PA for the gifted copy of At Witt's End by J.V. Caggiano.

[Dirty D · Rating 5 out of 5]

If TJ Klune, Fredrik Backman and a thesaurus were to have a baby this would be the result. As a debut novel J.V. hit it out of the ballpark with this one. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. The female main character, Cerridwen, is an author who is up against a deadline to finish her murder mystery. But she ends up finding herself trying to solve a real life murder mystery that happened in her neighborhood decades ago.

Along the way you meet her quirky circle of friends, old and new; an annoying head of the historical society who is badgering her for family heirlooms and old secrets that keep getting revealed.

The only thing I didn’t like about the book was the author’s desire to throw in words that didn’t seem to fit the storyline as if she was using a thesaurus to find the biggest words she could to replace a simpler word. But that was such a small thing and very easy to overlook.

The loveable characters were my favorite. And the plot was well put together and very engaging. I would highly recommend this one to anyone who likes a good murder mystery of who-dunit!

And again, I’m fortunate enough to get to meet this author in September at Booked Eau Claire when she attends.

[Krys | I Like the Walrus Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one of my favourite reads for the year. It’s a cozy murder mystery set amongst the backdrop of an old gothic estate. But what makes it stand out is the cast of quirky but loveable characters.

Caggiano’s has a talent for writing with humour and understatement. She highlights the quirks of her characters without making them seem ridiculous or cliched. They are real people full of strengths, flaws and foibles. And you can’t help but love them. (Except for Cerriwden’s ex-boyfriend. He is a d*ck and IMO, he didn’t deserve to be included in the book.)

This is a quick and easy read with action almost from the first page. My only complaint is that it was finished too quickly! I look forward to seeing more of this author’s work.

[Kelli Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thoughts;
I really loved the characters in this book. They were fun and entertaining. The writing was fast paced. It kept me interested throughout the book. It’s a good ‘whodunit’ murder mystery. I loved how characters would mentioned what would happen next if this was a book they were writing. I was hoping for a bit of more creepy/spooky vibes but still a good read!

Thanks to @katieandbreypa and @jvcaggiano for the gifted copy of this book!

#atwittsend #jvcaggiano #booksofinstagram #bookreview #booktour #katieandbreypa #lovetoread #bookaholic #readingtime #mystery #murdermystery #whodunit #womensleuths

[Candy Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

This may be a first book for this author. I hope there will be more. I loved it from the first chapter. It has witty dialogue, characters that are quirky and fun, and a good mystery. There were a few odd formatting issues but that was probably a Kindle issue and it didn't detract from my pleasure in reading the book.

[C.J. Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling and engaging, especially if you don’t typically read murder mysteries (like me). Well-written dialogue, believable and organically-developed characters, with just the right blend of dark and humor. Cerridwen is a great protagonist, kind of Agatha Christie-like. A fun read, written by a great author!

[calmstitchread · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read and lovely fun murder mystery. A body is found, is it linked to a disappearence years ago? You'll have to read to find out. I enjoyed the banter between the quirky characters and the dark witty humour. It reminded me of a modern day cludo or Agatha Christie, so if you're a fan of cosy murder mysteries set in old mansions this is the one for you

[Candace Brandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quirky mystery whose main character had an annoying name which wad a distraction to the story. The background to the whole plot was referenced often even though it was a bit fuzzy regarding who belonged where. That said, and despite some typos from the apparent lack of an editor, this self-published book was very witty in places. Overall, it was a fun read.

[Linda Curry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read

This was a great summer read. Lots of clever dialogue, interesting characters, a good plot and a little romance. The main character is writing a murder mystery while living through a real murder, or two or three.

[Anne Peugh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Muddle of characters

There were way too many characters to keep track of. Some seemed totally unnecessary to move the story along. I made myself finish the story but wouldn't recommend it. So many better books to read!

[Lindy Lincicome · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent read!!!

the characters alone are worth the read. i frey like a movie was running thru my head the whole way.

[Linda Clemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve just found another favorite author!

I loved this book! It’s very well written, well plotted and also laugh out loud funny! I can’t wait for her next book!

[Jessie George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my god I LOVED this book! Absolutely a must read for people who love mystery books!

At Witt’s End is an amazing murder mystery novel that is funny, witty, and keeps you guessing. The characters are unbelievably lovable, relatable, and pull you in right away.

Quote:
“And what is he doing in your kitchen?”
“I offered him cake. At knife point.”
“And he accepted. Now why would you do that?” Ruby addressed him directly.
“Because when I look at her I hear 80s power ballads in my head,” he answered honestly.

I already loved the book before this, but when I read this quote I was 1000% sold! At Witt’s End had me laughing, smiling, and even heart racing throughout the whole thing. Reading this book was an absolute joy! I have felt kind of lackluster with many of the mysteries I have read so far this year, but not this one!

I will gladly read anything else J.V. Caggiano writes because her style, wit, pacing, and humor are fantastic.