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Olive Bright Mystery #1
Olive Bright, Pigeoneer
Set in a charming British village during World War II, Stephanie Graves’ debut mystery introduces Olive Bright, a spirited young pigeon fancier who finds herself at the heart of a baffling murder. . . .
Though war rages across mainland Europe and London is strafed by German aircraft, the little village of Pipley in Hertfordshire bustles along much as it always has. Adrift since her best friend, George, joined the Royal Air Force, twenty-two-year-old Olive Bright fills her days by helping at her father’s veterinary practice and tending to her beloved racing pigeons. Desperate to do her bit, Olive hopes that the National Pigeon Service will enlist Bright Lofts’ expertise, and use their highly trained birds to deliver critical, coded messages for His Majesty’s Forces.
The strangers who arrive in Pipley are not from the NPS. Instead, Jameson Aldridge and his associate are tied to a covert British intelligence organization known as Baker Street. If Olive wants her pigeons to help the war effort, she must do so in complete secrecy. Tired of living vicariously through the characters of her beloved Agatha Christie novels, Olive readily agrees. But in the midst of her subterfuge, the village of Pipley is dealing with another mystery. Local busybody Miss Husselbee is found dead outside Olive’s pigeon loft. Is the murder tied to Olive’s new assignment? Or did Miss Husselbee finally succeed in ferreting out a secret shameful enough to kill for? With the gruff, handsome Jameson as an unlikely ally, Olive intends to find out—but homing in on a murderer can be a deadly business . . .
Though war rages across mainland Europe and London is strafed by German aircraft, the little village of Pipley in Hertfordshire bustles along much as it always has. Adrift since her best friend, George, joined the Royal Air Force, twenty-two-year-old Olive Bright fills her days by helping at her father’s veterinary practice and tending to her beloved racing pigeons. Desperate to do her bit, Olive hopes that the National Pigeon Service will enlist Bright Lofts’ expertise, and use their highly trained birds to deliver critical, coded messages for His Majesty’s Forces.
The strangers who arrive in Pipley are not from the NPS. Instead, Jameson Aldridge and his associate are tied to a covert British intelligence organization known as Baker Street. If Olive wants her pigeons to help the war effort, she must do so in complete secrecy. Tired of living vicariously through the characters of her beloved Agatha Christie novels, Olive readily agrees. But in the midst of her subterfuge, the village of Pipley is dealing with another mystery. Local busybody Miss Husselbee is found dead outside Olive’s pigeon loft. Is the murder tied to Olive’s new assignment? Or did Miss Husselbee finally succeed in ferreting out a secret shameful enough to kill for? With the gruff, handsome Jameson as an unlikely ally, Olive intends to find out—but homing in on a murderer can be a deadly business . . .
304 pages, Hardcover
Published December 29, 2020
125 people are currently reading
1838 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Graves
3 books79 followersStephanie Graves is the author of the Olive Bright Mysteries, as well as four novels under the pseudonym Alyssa Goodnight. As a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, she worked in Austin as a product engineer on automotive application microcontrollers before returning to Houston and becoming the mom of two boys. She is a self-professed connoisseur of British mysteries of all sorts and has done extensive research on the little-known role of pigeons during the war, as well as the Special Operations Executive, particularly their school for sabotage, Station XVII: Brickendonbury Manor.
source: Amazon
Stephanie Graves also writes as Alyssa Goodnight
source: Amazon
Stephanie Graves also writes as Alyssa Goodnight
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
September 13, 2020
Thank you Kensington Books and Net Galley for this free advance copy of the book in return for my honest opinion. I like Kensington Books, and most I give high marks to, but this one does not hit the mark for me. Has a ton of potential with a super interesting topic - the pigeon service used by England to get messages through the lines when conventional means are not available. But from the very first sentence the book just was flat for me. Not that much good dialogue, too many descriptions of peoples clothing, hair, etc. and it just made such a mediocre opening for me that I really never connected with the book or characters. Maybe others will really enjoy this one, but I just felt left down since I really thought the topic of the book was really unique and uncovered by other war novels.
November 8, 2021
Olive Bright returns home to Pipley in Hertfordshire, she was studying to be a vet and the war has interrupted her studies. Her father Rupert’s the local vet, he needs Olive’s help with his practice and her step-mother's unwell. Olive's looking after Bright's Loft Service for her father, and they breed award winning racing pigeons. The Bright’s are waiting to hear back from The National Pigeon service, their birds could be used to send vital messages across the channel and help England win the war.
When Jameson Aldridge and Danny Tierney want to view the lofts and pigeons, Olive assumes there from the NPS and she’s wrong. From the British intelligence organization, and they work in a special branch called Baker Street at the nearby manor house. Olive agrees to help them, they need her fasted pigeons, she has to sign the national secrecy act, she can’t tell anyone what she’s doing and she informs her family she’s joined the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry as a secretary based at the manor.
When Miss Verity Husselbee or as Olive calls her "The Sergeant Major" is found dead, in a pool of vomit and outside of Olive’s pigeon loft. Olive’s determined to find out what happened to Miss. Husselbee, did she stumble across some vital information, and is a killer living in Pipley and possibly even a spy?
Olive’s rather smart, she looks for clues and ponders the facts to try and solve the case. With the help from Jameson Aldridge and one of her pigeons she’s rescued in the nick of time, and the killer’s identity is revealed. I can’t wait to read the next book in the captivating cosy mystery series called A Valiant Deceit, and let's hope Olive's learnt her lesson and thinks before she rushes in and puts herself in danger. Olive Bright, Pigeoneer is a light entertaining read, about life in a small English village during WW II, with elements of mystery and drama and four stars from me.
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When Jameson Aldridge and Danny Tierney want to view the lofts and pigeons, Olive assumes there from the NPS and she’s wrong. From the British intelligence organization, and they work in a special branch called Baker Street at the nearby manor house. Olive agrees to help them, they need her fasted pigeons, she has to sign the national secrecy act, she can’t tell anyone what she’s doing and she informs her family she’s joined the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry as a secretary based at the manor.
When Miss Verity Husselbee or as Olive calls her "The Sergeant Major" is found dead, in a pool of vomit and outside of Olive’s pigeon loft. Olive’s determined to find out what happened to Miss. Husselbee, did she stumble across some vital information, and is a killer living in Pipley and possibly even a spy?
Olive’s rather smart, she looks for clues and ponders the facts to try and solve the case. With the help from Jameson Aldridge and one of her pigeons she’s rescued in the nick of time, and the killer’s identity is revealed. I can’t wait to read the next book in the captivating cosy mystery series called A Valiant Deceit, and let's hope Olive's learnt her lesson and thinks before she rushes in and puts herself in danger. Olive Bright, Pigeoneer is a light entertaining read, about life in a small English village during WW II, with elements of mystery and drama and four stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarrenReadsH...
November 14, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an e-galley of this novel.
I'm giving this book a 3 star rating even though it read slightly lower on the evaluation scale than that because I see so much potential for a good, long series. The concept was just about glowing with potential. I've never read a novel which featured the role of carrier pigeons during World War II so I was really looking forward to this. Except that role for the pigeons was so short and almost inconsequential that I couldn't help but be disappointed. As a character Olive reads as much younger than she actually is; I was shocked when I finally found the author revealed her age as 21. Olive is also a twenty-first century young woman trapped in the wrong time period or else she didn't fit in with my thoughts of her character development. Plus, and this is adding on - I know, the victim of the crime came as a complete surprise to me because there just wasn't enough menace there to categorize that person as a deserving victim to be murdered.
Okay, so Olive is not my ideal character. She was too impulsive, went much too far in ignoring rules, seemed to think she wasn't accountable to anyone. Luckily the author seems to have Olive realize toward the end of the story that she has made (in my opinion - many) mistakes and needs to learn some self control; with those thoughts in mind I will give Olive a second chance if there is a second book. The carrier pigeon aspect is a goldmine of potential for war stories, I just hope the author takes advantage of that aspect for any future novels.
I'm giving this book a 3 star rating even though it read slightly lower on the evaluation scale than that because I see so much potential for a good, long series. The concept was just about glowing with potential. I've never read a novel which featured the role of carrier pigeons during World War II so I was really looking forward to this. Except that role for the pigeons was so short and almost inconsequential that I couldn't help but be disappointed. As a character Olive reads as much younger than she actually is; I was shocked when I finally found the author revealed her age as 21. Olive is also a twenty-first century young woman trapped in the wrong time period or else she didn't fit in with my thoughts of her character development. Plus, and this is adding on - I know, the victim of the crime came as a complete surprise to me because there just wasn't enough menace there to categorize that person as a deserving victim to be murdered.
Okay, so Olive is not my ideal character. She was too impulsive, went much too far in ignoring rules, seemed to think she wasn't accountable to anyone. Luckily the author seems to have Olive realize toward the end of the story that she has made (in my opinion - many) mistakes and needs to learn some self control; with those thoughts in mind I will give Olive a second chance if there is a second book. The carrier pigeon aspect is a goldmine of potential for war stories, I just hope the author takes advantage of that aspect for any future novels.
December 18, 2020
I an sorry to say i did not like this book. It was too confusing to read. Not a completely Hf or a mystery. What was it. 🤔
December 15, 2020
I was so looking forward to this book - I have read many wartime books and both historical fiction and historical mysteries and none of them have ever addressed the topic of this book - the raising and using of pigeons for communication in the war. I was totally excited to learn more about this while also being wrapped up in a mystery as well. Unfortunately, I was massively disappointed.
First, I had a narrator, that while English and well-spoken, was bland and without much inflection in her voice. That lent to quite a boring book, even in the exciting parts. Second, it takes a V E R Y long time before we get to the pigeons and when that finally happens, it is more about the mystery and not very much about the birds and what they do. I felt myself nodding off a lot while listening to this book and very little of it engaged me or kept me guessing. It was just a huge disappointment. There was more in the historical note in the back of the book than there was in the actually story. Sigh.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First, I had a narrator, that while English and well-spoken, was bland and without much inflection in her voice. That lent to quite a boring book, even in the exciting parts. Second, it takes a V E R Y long time before we get to the pigeons and when that finally happens, it is more about the mystery and not very much about the birds and what they do. I felt myself nodding off a lot while listening to this book and very little of it engaged me or kept me guessing. It was just a huge disappointment. There was more in the historical note in the back of the book than there was in the actually story. Sigh.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2020
I was really excited to read hits book. I find the use of pigeons in the war effort fascinating and have never read anything with a similar idea. I loved the character of Olive who was funny, smart, determined, and caring. There were some other great supporting cast members like Jonathan, Poppins (the pigeon), and Jamie. This story had so much potential but unfortunately for me it fell flat. I think the fact that this book was a historical fiction about a fascinating new angle and a mystery prevented either the historical story or the mystery to develop to the level I was hoping for. The story wasn’t bad but it didn’t reach the depth of the story’s potential. The writing was well done and it had the feeling that this was only a first volume in what will be a series. I imagine the love story that began in this story will continue and I liked that potential so I hope it will add to the story and hopefully bring some more depth.
December 19, 2020
I adored this truly unique WWII hf mystery debut featuring young Olive Bright and her racing pigeons. Who knew that pigeons played such a critical role as wartime messengers? As conflict looms, Olive desperately wants to help but finds herself stuck in a small English village. She thrills when her birds are tapped to carry secret British messages, and uses her spunk and smarts to solve a thorny village murder. A delightful start to what could be a smashing Netflix series.
5 of 5 Stars
Thanks to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
Pub Date 29 Dec 2020
#OliveBrightPigeoneer #NetGalley
5 of 5 Stars
Thanks to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
Pub Date 29 Dec 2020
#OliveBrightPigeoneer #NetGalley
December 29, 2020
If you asked me what my favorite types of novels were, I would say murder mysteries, WWII historical fiction stories, and fake dating romances, in that order. This book managed to be all three of these things, and I loved every minute of it!
Olive Bright, the definition of a plucky young heroine, is a pigeoneer living through the dark days of WWII, but has dreams of repeating the heroic escapades her mother had while driving an ambulance in the Great War. These desires are furthered by the fact her best friend George has left her behind in their typical English village to join the RAF, and Olive wants nothing more than to leave as well. Imagine her surprise then when the very day she bids farewell to George, she is approached by a handsome stranger who works for a mysterious organization known only as Baker Street, and he requests use of her pigeons on clandestine missions. And of course, there’s the whole murder business.
The story that ensues is part cozy village mystery, and part subterfuge and scheming. I particularly enjoyed the amateur sleuthing that Olive employed to investigate the murder of the village gossip, as well as the on-the-fly cover stories (such as a romance to her “boss”) to conceal her assistance to Baker Street. It was fun but with the undercurrent of unavoidable tragedy that comes from war. The story didn’t try to sugarcoat the horrors, but it did focus on the village and the “keep calm and carry on” attitude of its residents.
With charming asides such as a town-wide Pride and Prejudice reproduction and pigeons named after children’s book characters, I fell in love with the story and it’s ultimately satisfying mystery. It was the perfect distraction in a year that has had its own share of horrors, and it serves as a reminder that we can all get by with a little help from our friends. And pigeons, naturally.
Olive Bright, the definition of a plucky young heroine, is a pigeoneer living through the dark days of WWII, but has dreams of repeating the heroic escapades her mother had while driving an ambulance in the Great War. These desires are furthered by the fact her best friend George has left her behind in their typical English village to join the RAF, and Olive wants nothing more than to leave as well. Imagine her surprise then when the very day she bids farewell to George, she is approached by a handsome stranger who works for a mysterious organization known only as Baker Street, and he requests use of her pigeons on clandestine missions. And of course, there’s the whole murder business.
The story that ensues is part cozy village mystery, and part subterfuge and scheming. I particularly enjoyed the amateur sleuthing that Olive employed to investigate the murder of the village gossip, as well as the on-the-fly cover stories (such as a romance to her “boss”) to conceal her assistance to Baker Street. It was fun but with the undercurrent of unavoidable tragedy that comes from war. The story didn’t try to sugarcoat the horrors, but it did focus on the village and the “keep calm and carry on” attitude of its residents.
With charming asides such as a town-wide Pride and Prejudice reproduction and pigeons named after children’s book characters, I fell in love with the story and it’s ultimately satisfying mystery. It was the perfect distraction in a year that has had its own share of horrors, and it serves as a reminder that we can all get by with a little help from our friends. And pigeons, naturally.
March 27, 2021
So much about this book pulled me in from the title, to the blurb, and to the genre and backdrop. I was intrigued about the role of carrier pigeons in the war effort and a female pigeoneer, I loved that she read Agatha Christie and was described as intrepid, and I was even looking forward to her solving a village mystery alongside her brooding ally in a British secret war organization. I wanted to so much to love this one and ended up liking it instead.
The setup is a small English village during wartime. The heroine is determined to be part of the war effort like her dashing and sometimes unstable mother was back in the Great War. At the same time, Olive is determined that her family’s racing pigeons are given their chance to shine. Unfortunately, her only real chance and theirs is to work for the top secret Bakers Street Group operating out of the nearby base. Sparks fly right away when Olive encounters taciturn Jameson Aldridge who is unmoved by her attempts to nose into everything and have things all her own way. But, he is the liaison she must work with and she takes pleasure in niggling him as a result. Soon, the local village busybody is found murdered outside her dovecote and she is determined to discover what happened and it is Aldridge who becomes her ally.
As I said, I wanted to love this one, but mostly felt a cautious liking. From the start, Olive didn’t take with me and it wasn’t until late in the book that I felt a spark of connection with her. She is twenty-one and has been away to university and London, but I was struck right away with her immaturity, petulance, and insistence in going her own way (this was an effort to emulate her wild and exciting deceased mother whom she idolized). I spent a great deal of time applauding Jameson for not letting her run rough shod over him even if she did have a point about him knowing nothing about the pigeons. To give Olive her fair due, late in the book her eyes are opened somewhat to her long string of past errors and mistakes in her behavior and actions. She also was resourceful, dedicated to the war effort, and does have wonderful skills particularly with her pigeons so deserves the chance to shine.
Moving on from what I struggled with, there is the wonderful description of small village life during the war from rationings and making due on less, keeping up cheer when their younger men were in danger and they had to go on, and living in the shadows of a nearby base. The background of pigeon work in the Great War and their peace time racing club roles to now being fitted out for war work once again. The characters from the village and Olive’s family were colorful and fascinating. I enjoyed them right down to the London evacuee boy living with Olive’s family. I liked that the author introduced Miss Husselbee early on and the reader gets the chance to know the victim somewhat before the murder. In truth, the mystery was not the central theme of the plot. The pigeons were also not central until later in the story when the missions were in earnest. There was a slow start and set up like one gets in a series starter. Maybe this will be a series eventually.
Olive and Jamie’s interactions and eventual Pride & Prejudice-style romance was a central element as was Olive needing to work through how her past, namely her mother’s eccentric and excitable life and death were coloring her thinking and her present. The layers of character development and romance with historical backdrop and the mystery did work wonderfully well.
Rachael Beresford had a soft narration voice that lulled me like a bedtime story. She distinguished Irish, Scottish, English, class, and gender, but in that soporific quality. It did effect the tone of the story and there was less emotional change for the various types of scenes. My preference would have been for slightly more energy in the narration, but I would try her work again.
All in all, I remained iffy on the heroine for most of the story, but eventually she turned things around. The rest of the story was good in a cozy historical mystery-way. I loved the historical backdrop and happenings and would enjoy picking up another Olive Bright historical mystery if it came. I will recommend this one to those who don’t mind slow build and softer historical war time adventures with a youthful-feeling heroine.
My thanks to Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
The setup is a small English village during wartime. The heroine is determined to be part of the war effort like her dashing and sometimes unstable mother was back in the Great War. At the same time, Olive is determined that her family’s racing pigeons are given their chance to shine. Unfortunately, her only real chance and theirs is to work for the top secret Bakers Street Group operating out of the nearby base. Sparks fly right away when Olive encounters taciturn Jameson Aldridge who is unmoved by her attempts to nose into everything and have things all her own way. But, he is the liaison she must work with and she takes pleasure in niggling him as a result. Soon, the local village busybody is found murdered outside her dovecote and she is determined to discover what happened and it is Aldridge who becomes her ally.
As I said, I wanted to love this one, but mostly felt a cautious liking. From the start, Olive didn’t take with me and it wasn’t until late in the book that I felt a spark of connection with her. She is twenty-one and has been away to university and London, but I was struck right away with her immaturity, petulance, and insistence in going her own way (this was an effort to emulate her wild and exciting deceased mother whom she idolized). I spent a great deal of time applauding Jameson for not letting her run rough shod over him even if she did have a point about him knowing nothing about the pigeons. To give Olive her fair due, late in the book her eyes are opened somewhat to her long string of past errors and mistakes in her behavior and actions. She also was resourceful, dedicated to the war effort, and does have wonderful skills particularly with her pigeons so deserves the chance to shine.
Moving on from what I struggled with, there is the wonderful description of small village life during the war from rationings and making due on less, keeping up cheer when their younger men were in danger and they had to go on, and living in the shadows of a nearby base. The background of pigeon work in the Great War and their peace time racing club roles to now being fitted out for war work once again. The characters from the village and Olive’s family were colorful and fascinating. I enjoyed them right down to the London evacuee boy living with Olive’s family. I liked that the author introduced Miss Husselbee early on and the reader gets the chance to know the victim somewhat before the murder. In truth, the mystery was not the central theme of the plot. The pigeons were also not central until later in the story when the missions were in earnest. There was a slow start and set up like one gets in a series starter. Maybe this will be a series eventually.
Olive and Jamie’s interactions and eventual Pride & Prejudice-style romance was a central element as was Olive needing to work through how her past, namely her mother’s eccentric and excitable life and death were coloring her thinking and her present. The layers of character development and romance with historical backdrop and the mystery did work wonderfully well.
Rachael Beresford had a soft narration voice that lulled me like a bedtime story. She distinguished Irish, Scottish, English, class, and gender, but in that soporific quality. It did effect the tone of the story and there was less emotional change for the various types of scenes. My preference would have been for slightly more energy in the narration, but I would try her work again.
All in all, I remained iffy on the heroine for most of the story, but eventually she turned things around. The rest of the story was good in a cozy historical mystery-way. I loved the historical backdrop and happenings and would enjoy picking up another Olive Bright historical mystery if it came. I will recommend this one to those who don’t mind slow build and softer historical war time adventures with a youthful-feeling heroine.
My thanks to Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2022
Rated 3 stars. The cover and title caught my attention when it showed up in new e-books at the library. My husband and his friends had homing pigeons as young teens so decided to read plus I wanted an easy, cozy read. I enjoyed this more then anticipated! Set in a small village in England during WWII. Olive is a smart, inquisitive young lady who is determined to help out the war effort. She has spent most of her life helping her father raise pigeons. Two mysterious young men approach Olive in hopes that the pigeons can be used in espionage work for the military. Not long after, the village "busybody" turns up dead and Olive, who is a huge fan of author Agatha Christie, decides to investigate. Some quirky inhabitants and a few "red herring" plot devices made this a quick read. To be honest I thought the book could have worked as straight historical fiction without the murder mystery. I learned a lot about pigeons and how they have been used through out history. Most likely will continue the series.
February 4, 2021
I love any novel set in WWII, so when I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I would love it.
Olive Bright dreams of serving as a wartime nurse, but she's stuck at home with her ailing stepmother in a small British town Pipley. But when the NPS (National Pigeon Service) fails to show up to approve her family's pigeons for the war effort, Olive is enlisted to secretly train the pigeons for a covert branch of the government.
I loved the town and all its inhabitants. I felt like each person had their own lives that we got to experience outside of Olive's. They added a great deal to the story.
Olive was a great protagonist. I loved that she had so many hobbies, and dreams. I knew very little about the carrier pigeons of the war so, learning more about them was amazing.
This is a small, unique book that should get more traction in the book world. I fell in love with this story, and hope to read its sequel (if there is one)
Olive Bright dreams of serving as a wartime nurse, but she's stuck at home with her ailing stepmother in a small British town Pipley. But when the NPS (National Pigeon Service) fails to show up to approve her family's pigeons for the war effort, Olive is enlisted to secretly train the pigeons for a covert branch of the government.
I loved the town and all its inhabitants. I felt like each person had their own lives that we got to experience outside of Olive's. They added a great deal to the story.
Olive was a great protagonist. I loved that she had so many hobbies, and dreams. I knew very little about the carrier pigeons of the war so, learning more about them was amazing.
This is a small, unique book that should get more traction in the book world. I fell in love with this story, and hope to read its sequel (if there is one)
June 27, 2023
This was not for me. It was a combination of mystery, historical fiction and Agatha Christie. It was basically a convoluted mess and ended up skimming the last few chapters as I generally didn’t care what happened.
I picked up this book because my dad has had homing pigeons all of my life and I thought that would be added element of nostalgia. An unfortunate miss.
I picked up this book because my dad has had homing pigeons all of my life and I thought that would be added element of nostalgia. An unfortunate miss.
Want to read
December 26, 2020Oh wow! This book is simply amazing! It is entertaining, cozy-mysterious, witty, entertaining, heartfelt, and full of twists and turns! Whenever I picked up "Olive Bright, Pigeoneer", I was whisked away on a journey like nothing I have read before!
This is the first book I have read by Stephanie Graves, and it certainly won't be my last. She brilliantly weaves history and historical fiction together, and truly knows how to bring a story and characters to life before the readers' eyes. I could envision and every moment, person, and place. I can only imagine the amount of research she put in to this book, as each aspect felt so true to the time period of WWII.
Olive is such an intelligent, kind, spunky, brave, and caring heroine who wants to do what is right. She cares deeply for those around her, and when someone she knows is murdered, she will stop at nothing to find out the truth. I found myself putting on my detective hat to solve the murder right along with Olive. I love her love for animals too!
I also really enjoyed learning a lot about the work pigeons did during WWII. What brave, loving, and absolutely incredible animals! I found the author's "Historical Note" as the end very insightful too!
If you enjoy historical cozy mystery and / or historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! It had turning the pages into the early morning to see how everything worked out, and the various aspects of the story all tie in so well. Full of twists and turns galore, I was kept guessing up until the very end...and I was SHOCKED! The puzzle pieces come into place at just the right pace...and I now want to go back and re-read and spot even more clues along the way! I also really enjoyed the many literary references throughout the book (no spoilers here...you will just have to read to see which ones!). I do not know if this is a stand-alone novel or if there will be more books...but, I would love to see a series with Olive solving more crimes!
Thank you so much to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, as well as to Kensington Publishing for sending me a physical ARC to read as well! I so enjoyed the book! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This is the first book I have read by Stephanie Graves, and it certainly won't be my last. She brilliantly weaves history and historical fiction together, and truly knows how to bring a story and characters to life before the readers' eyes. I could envision and every moment, person, and place. I can only imagine the amount of research she put in to this book, as each aspect felt so true to the time period of WWII.
Olive is such an intelligent, kind, spunky, brave, and caring heroine who wants to do what is right. She cares deeply for those around her, and when someone she knows is murdered, she will stop at nothing to find out the truth. I found myself putting on my detective hat to solve the murder right along with Olive. I love her love for animals too!
I also really enjoyed learning a lot about the work pigeons did during WWII. What brave, loving, and absolutely incredible animals! I found the author's "Historical Note" as the end very insightful too!
If you enjoy historical cozy mystery and / or historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! It had turning the pages into the early morning to see how everything worked out, and the various aspects of the story all tie in so well. Full of twists and turns galore, I was kept guessing up until the very end...and I was SHOCKED! The puzzle pieces come into place at just the right pace...and I now want to go back and re-read and spot even more clues along the way! I also really enjoyed the many literary references throughout the book (no spoilers here...you will just have to read to see which ones!). I do not know if this is a stand-alone novel or if there will be more books...but, I would love to see a series with Olive solving more crimes!
Thank you so much to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, as well as to Kensington Publishing for sending me a physical ARC to read as well! I so enjoyed the book! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
October 18, 2020
This novel is more of a village cozy than a war novel, though it’s set at the start of WWII in the tiny British village of Pipley. The heroine, Olive, longs to enlist as a FANY (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry), but she’s tethered to home, helping her father with her stepmother, who has MS, as well as with a young war refugee, Jonathon. She also has the responsibility of the family pigeon loft, a fine one, and one her bristly father hopes will meet with the approval of the NPS, or National Pigeon Service.
The NPS does not show up to inspect the Bright loft, however, but some gentlemen representing a more covert branch of the British government do appear and decide to give Olive a try. They even provide a cover for her, working as a FANY, because her work with the pigeons have to be kept a secret even from her father.
Olive is thrilled and begins to train several of her pigeons in secret. This is a many layered story, and the pigeons are only a small portion of it. There’s Olive’s prickly reaction to the agent in charge of her, Jamie Aldridge, which says to me romance will appear in later books. There’s Olive’s devotion to Agatha Christie novels. She loves Poirot, and she likes the idea of the puzzle pieces of a mystery slotting together. And there’s her stepmother Harriet’s determination to produce a stage version of Pride and Prejudice for village enjoyment. She’s busy casting about for a perfect Darcy. And there’s the pig club, which Harriet has roped Olive into leading.
Amidst all of this, there’s also the village busybody, Miss Husselbee, who terrifies everyone with her umbrella and her copious taking of notes, recording the many perceived wrong doings of various villagers. And to add to this Olive is planning to attend the annual daffodil dance, and as a cover she’s agreed to attend with Jamie Aldridge. When the two of them arrive at the dance, she dumps him with her stepmother who begins to pepper him with questions, and makes her way to the cake table, where she encounters Violet Darling, recently returned to town after a somewhat scandalous exit years ago.
Violet has her eye on a cake made of spam and frosted with potatoes. The two women decide no one would ever eat it, when Miss Husselbee steps up and proves them wrong, devouring a healthy slice. She’s of course later discovered dead and the spam cake has disappeared, but there’s enough evidence for the coroner to discover that Miss H. was poisoned by foxglove (a poison beloved of golden age writers).
All of these elements play their part in a story that is at times both needlessly complicated and at the same time gently enjoyable. I loved my visit to Pipley, I enjoyed Olive, and I really enjoyed learning about the pigeons and the kind of work they did during the war, which was truly amazing. I even enjoyed Olive and Jamie’s relationship, fraught with conflict as it was. I also felt this book would have benefitted by the loss of a plot thread or two and a bit of tightening up, as well as much, much more about the pigeons.
While there are many books about WWII and even more mysteries set in British Villages, this is absolutely the first one I’ve read about pigeons, and I would definitely read another one. The author does include a nice note at the end with more information about them, and she leaves this book nicely set for a sequel. And caveats aside, I thought Olive was a great character and series anchor.
The NPS does not show up to inspect the Bright loft, however, but some gentlemen representing a more covert branch of the British government do appear and decide to give Olive a try. They even provide a cover for her, working as a FANY, because her work with the pigeons have to be kept a secret even from her father.
Olive is thrilled and begins to train several of her pigeons in secret. This is a many layered story, and the pigeons are only a small portion of it. There’s Olive’s prickly reaction to the agent in charge of her, Jamie Aldridge, which says to me romance will appear in later books. There’s Olive’s devotion to Agatha Christie novels. She loves Poirot, and she likes the idea of the puzzle pieces of a mystery slotting together. And there’s her stepmother Harriet’s determination to produce a stage version of Pride and Prejudice for village enjoyment. She’s busy casting about for a perfect Darcy. And there’s the pig club, which Harriet has roped Olive into leading.
Amidst all of this, there’s also the village busybody, Miss Husselbee, who terrifies everyone with her umbrella and her copious taking of notes, recording the many perceived wrong doings of various villagers. And to add to this Olive is planning to attend the annual daffodil dance, and as a cover she’s agreed to attend with Jamie Aldridge. When the two of them arrive at the dance, she dumps him with her stepmother who begins to pepper him with questions, and makes her way to the cake table, where she encounters Violet Darling, recently returned to town after a somewhat scandalous exit years ago.
Violet has her eye on a cake made of spam and frosted with potatoes. The two women decide no one would ever eat it, when Miss Husselbee steps up and proves them wrong, devouring a healthy slice. She’s of course later discovered dead and the spam cake has disappeared, but there’s enough evidence for the coroner to discover that Miss H. was poisoned by foxglove (a poison beloved of golden age writers).
All of these elements play their part in a story that is at times both needlessly complicated and at the same time gently enjoyable. I loved my visit to Pipley, I enjoyed Olive, and I really enjoyed learning about the pigeons and the kind of work they did during the war, which was truly amazing. I even enjoyed Olive and Jamie’s relationship, fraught with conflict as it was. I also felt this book would have benefitted by the loss of a plot thread or two and a bit of tightening up, as well as much, much more about the pigeons.
While there are many books about WWII and even more mysteries set in British Villages, this is absolutely the first one I’ve read about pigeons, and I would definitely read another one. The author does include a nice note at the end with more information about them, and she leaves this book nicely set for a sequel. And caveats aside, I thought Olive was a great character and series anchor.
December 22, 2020
I have so many good things to say about "Olive Bright, Pigeoneer"!
1. Olive herself is wonderful! Her character is very well-written, detailed, and realistic. I enjoyed learning a bit about her past as I got to know her through the storyline. She has plenty of room to grow, and I think she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to.
2. Several other characters added a great deal to the story, and I hope to see more of them in future books. In particular, Hen, Violet, and Jamie still have plenty of character development and back-story revelations to look forward to!
3. The historical aspect: This book is set in England during World War II, but it focuses on a less-popular part of history. Instead of being on the front lines, the reader gets a close look at what life was like in a small (fighting-free) village during the war. Since Olive and her father train messenger pigeons and hope to have them used for the war effort, I learned a lot about the role of pigeons in wartime, which was fascinating.
4. The mystery storyline was excellent, with plenty of suspects, suspicious behavior, real clues, and red herrings. Olive makes a very competent investigator as she tries to follow in the footsteps of Hercule Poirot, her literary hero. The final reveal made perfect sense, and left plenty of room for further developments in the next book.
5. The slow-burn romance: I liked the way this was written. In this initial installment, the two characters are just getting to know each other. I appreciated that they weren't rushed into romance by the author. I'm now invested in them, and look forward to watching them get to know each other better in future books.
6. This is book one in a new series! I am very happy about this, as I am eager to see what happens next for Olive and her friends, and to get further glimpses into pigeon-craft.
All in all, five out of five slices of perfect Provolone!
1. Olive herself is wonderful! Her character is very well-written, detailed, and realistic. I enjoyed learning a bit about her past as I got to know her through the storyline. She has plenty of room to grow, and I think she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to.
2. Several other characters added a great deal to the story, and I hope to see more of them in future books. In particular, Hen, Violet, and Jamie still have plenty of character development and back-story revelations to look forward to!
3. The historical aspect: This book is set in England during World War II, but it focuses on a less-popular part of history. Instead of being on the front lines, the reader gets a close look at what life was like in a small (fighting-free) village during the war. Since Olive and her father train messenger pigeons and hope to have them used for the war effort, I learned a lot about the role of pigeons in wartime, which was fascinating.
4. The mystery storyline was excellent, with plenty of suspects, suspicious behavior, real clues, and red herrings. Olive makes a very competent investigator as she tries to follow in the footsteps of Hercule Poirot, her literary hero. The final reveal made perfect sense, and left plenty of room for further developments in the next book.
5. The slow-burn romance: I liked the way this was written. In this initial installment, the two characters are just getting to know each other. I appreciated that they weren't rushed into romance by the author. I'm now invested in them, and look forward to watching them get to know each other better in future books.
6. This is book one in a new series! I am very happy about this, as I am eager to see what happens next for Olive and her friends, and to get further glimpses into pigeon-craft.
All in all, five out of five slices of perfect Provolone!
December 10, 2020
This was a cute, cozy historical fiction. I'm partial to novels set in a small town during WWII, and with its cast of quirky characters Olive Bright, Pigeoneer fit the bill.
Even though the synopsis on the back of the book mentions a murder and a mystery I'd recommend readers approach this book as a Historical Fiction novel, not a Mystery Novel. The book's strengths are in its characters and historical setting --the author's thorough research into the use of carrier pigeons during WWII shines-- but the mystery feels a bit like a side plot. As an avid mystery reader I found this aspect a little disappointing, but not a deal-breaker.
The protagonist, Olive Bright, is incredibly spunky and tenacious and worthy of her surname, but at points I felt her her strong-willed personality crossed the line into immaturity. However, Stephanie Graves did a fantastic job in her creation of Helen, Olive's stepmother, a woman who is struggling with MS. I applaud the way Helen's chronic illness is portrayed as frustrating, but not defining. Helen is still a well-loved contributing member of the community and finds ways to adapt her life to meet her physical limitations. Her relationship with Olive does not replace that of Olive's mother, but in no way falls into the "evil stepmother" trope. The two women have a mature respect and affection for one another that is depicted well.
I do not know if this book is intended to be a stand-alone or the beginning of a series, but I would definitely be interested in another book following the Bright family!
***I was sent an ARC of this book by BookishFirst and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review***
Even though the synopsis on the back of the book mentions a murder and a mystery I'd recommend readers approach this book as a Historical Fiction novel, not a Mystery Novel. The book's strengths are in its characters and historical setting --the author's thorough research into the use of carrier pigeons during WWII shines-- but the mystery feels a bit like a side plot. As an avid mystery reader I found this aspect a little disappointing, but not a deal-breaker.
The protagonist, Olive Bright, is incredibly spunky and tenacious and worthy of her surname, but at points I felt her her strong-willed personality crossed the line into immaturity. However, Stephanie Graves did a fantastic job in her creation of Helen, Olive's stepmother, a woman who is struggling with MS. I applaud the way Helen's chronic illness is portrayed as frustrating, but not defining. Helen is still a well-loved contributing member of the community and finds ways to adapt her life to meet her physical limitations. Her relationship with Olive does not replace that of Olive's mother, but in no way falls into the "evil stepmother" trope. The two women have a mature respect and affection for one another that is depicted well.
I do not know if this book is intended to be a stand-alone or the beginning of a series, but I would definitely be interested in another book following the Bright family!
***I was sent an ARC of this book by BookishFirst and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review***
December 31, 2020
So lemme start by saying - I’ve never written a book. I have immense respect for someone who can write it and follow through with the publication process.
That being said, it’s been a long time since I’ve disliked a book as much as this one. Why? Because there is SO MUCH going for it but the execution is off.
1. Is this a wartime novel about pigeons or a murder mystery? By trying to stay between the two, it never found its path and made the pacing terrible.
2. Characters regularly change their personalities to fit into the plot, rather than crafting a good plot around characters with believable actions.
3. Has the author ever been to England in May? There’s one point where the characters are supposed to be talking to each other in the dark and it’s 8:23 but sunset isn’t even until after 8:30 that time of year. This is just a little point to show that editing wasn’t very strong on this one.
These three points are just the beginning of my thoughts on this book, but I don’t want to disparage it into ashes. The idea and potential are great. Those that love cozy mysteries may really like this one. For most people, though, I’d say pass.
Thank you Kensington for a copy to review.
That being said, it’s been a long time since I’ve disliked a book as much as this one. Why? Because there is SO MUCH going for it but the execution is off.
1. Is this a wartime novel about pigeons or a murder mystery? By trying to stay between the two, it never found its path and made the pacing terrible.
2. Characters regularly change their personalities to fit into the plot, rather than crafting a good plot around characters with believable actions.
3. Has the author ever been to England in May? There’s one point where the characters are supposed to be talking to each other in the dark and it’s 8:23 but sunset isn’t even until after 8:30 that time of year. This is just a little point to show that editing wasn’t very strong on this one.
These three points are just the beginning of my thoughts on this book, but I don’t want to disparage it into ashes. The idea and potential are great. Those that love cozy mysteries may really like this one. For most people, though, I’d say pass.
Thank you Kensington for a copy to review.
December 19, 2020
I absolutely loved reading this book and am honored to have been given the chance to read this.
I had so many different emotions and theories going through my head as to what was happening and what was going to happen next.
I loved how the author put a lot of historical information and detail into the story and how relatable the characters are. I also enjoyed the plot of the story and how it unfolded as the story went on. I was pleasantly surprised that the author was able to get a mystery involved throughout the writing of the story. It worked out very well. I also enjoyed how detailed the story was and how the personality of the characters really showed throughout the story. I also liked how all the pigeons had names.
I am excited to see what the author comes up with for the next book. I am going to highly recommend reading this to friends and family it is worth the read.
I had so many different emotions and theories going through my head as to what was happening and what was going to happen next.
I loved how the author put a lot of historical information and detail into the story and how relatable the characters are. I also enjoyed the plot of the story and how it unfolded as the story went on. I was pleasantly surprised that the author was able to get a mystery involved throughout the writing of the story. It worked out very well. I also enjoyed how detailed the story was and how the personality of the characters really showed throughout the story. I also liked how all the pigeons had names.
I am excited to see what the author comes up with for the next book. I am going to highly recommend reading this to friends and family it is worth the read.
December 1, 2020
“𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝...𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭, 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐛𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐧.”—Stephanie Graves
Olive Bright is determined to do her part in the war efforts. When a broody Captain Aldridge shows up at her home and enlists her pigeons for a covert mission, she accepts. Suspicions force them to hide their involvement behind a ruse, making those in Pipley believe they are romantically inclined. But it’s quite the opposite. Neither of them get along. Captain Aldridge understands nothing about pigeons, mistrusts Olive, and is determined to hide everything from her. She won’t stand for it. And then a mysterious murder occurs, and Olive is exactly the person to get to the bottom of it.
Set in WWII England, this was a LOVELY little read. I burned through it in two days. Graves writing is rich and detailed. The historical accuracy, intriguing use of pigeons in the war effort, and romantic chemistry between Olive and Captain Aldridge kept me turning pages at a rapid rate. It as clear that Stephanie Graves did a huge amount of research. Olive was a character ahead of her time, with a drive to contribute to the war efforts. I immediately fell in love with her character. I also loved the portrayal of health disparities from other characters, adding a level of realism and struggle to the pages. And the murder mystery was so fun to solve.
Two main storylines are twined together. The first, with the pigeon war efforts overseen by Olive and her loft of cute pigeons named for literary book characters, which was adorable. And second, the murder mystery taking place in the town of Pipley. Olive was the perfect little investigator. Having grown up in Pipley, she was well acquainted with its inhabitants and able to form her own suspicions. Just enough information was given for me to start forming my own theories as I read. These storylines were woven together beautifully.
My favorite aspect of the story was Olive and Captain Aldridge’s banter and relationship. I am a romantic at heart, so having some hint of chemistry is a must for my own enjoyment and reading experience. I adored watching the two of them argue and slowly grow to understand each other. The only thing I would have liked to see was a kiss between them at the very end. That left me a little frustrated because I felt it would have tied everything off nicely. But hopefully we will see something from those two in the subsequent books. If so, then count me in!
If you like wartime stories light on actual fighting, historical accuracy, murder mystery, and small town settings, you will LOVE this one. It releases December 29th, 2020. 𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝟰/𝟱⭐️
A huge thank you to Bookish First and Kensington Publishing for an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Olive Bright is determined to do her part in the war efforts. When a broody Captain Aldridge shows up at her home and enlists her pigeons for a covert mission, she accepts. Suspicions force them to hide their involvement behind a ruse, making those in Pipley believe they are romantically inclined. But it’s quite the opposite. Neither of them get along. Captain Aldridge understands nothing about pigeons, mistrusts Olive, and is determined to hide everything from her. She won’t stand for it. And then a mysterious murder occurs, and Olive is exactly the person to get to the bottom of it.
Set in WWII England, this was a LOVELY little read. I burned through it in two days. Graves writing is rich and detailed. The historical accuracy, intriguing use of pigeons in the war effort, and romantic chemistry between Olive and Captain Aldridge kept me turning pages at a rapid rate. It as clear that Stephanie Graves did a huge amount of research. Olive was a character ahead of her time, with a drive to contribute to the war efforts. I immediately fell in love with her character. I also loved the portrayal of health disparities from other characters, adding a level of realism and struggle to the pages. And the murder mystery was so fun to solve.
Two main storylines are twined together. The first, with the pigeon war efforts overseen by Olive and her loft of cute pigeons named for literary book characters, which was adorable. And second, the murder mystery taking place in the town of Pipley. Olive was the perfect little investigator. Having grown up in Pipley, she was well acquainted with its inhabitants and able to form her own suspicions. Just enough information was given for me to start forming my own theories as I read. These storylines were woven together beautifully.
My favorite aspect of the story was Olive and Captain Aldridge’s banter and relationship. I am a romantic at heart, so having some hint of chemistry is a must for my own enjoyment and reading experience. I adored watching the two of them argue and slowly grow to understand each other. The only thing I would have liked to see was a kiss between them at the very end. That left me a little frustrated because I felt it would have tied everything off nicely. But hopefully we will see something from those two in the subsequent books. If so, then count me in!
If you like wartime stories light on actual fighting, historical accuracy, murder mystery, and small town settings, you will LOVE this one. It releases December 29th, 2020. 𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝟰/𝟱⭐️
A huge thank you to Bookish First and Kensington Publishing for an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2022
Two chapters in and I knew this book was not for me. Such a shame because the plotline sounded good and the idea of a pigeoneer seemed fresh and interesting However, I dislike lots of fussy telling “Olive’s spine straightened, her chin levelled, and her eyes calmly met his.” Olive goes on to admonish, bob her head, pursed her lips primly, got a lump in her throat, got a new lump in her throat, a fist of worry lodged in the centre of her chest, she stood disheartened, a prick of curious interest pierced the numbness that was rapidly settling over her, et al.” Also, would George really say “Mom”? Or would Olive really question with “You’re joking, right?” I was ready for a jolly good story but it waffles along and tries too hard.
Goodness, on page 198 and Olive is still at it “Olive cringed, braced against her friend’s feelings of betrayal” but not to be outdone “Margaret’s lips quivered, and her gaze shifted angrily away, stubbornness holding her rigid.” Then Olive cringes again. I do the same. By now I need a strong cup of tea with a dash of milk and several sugars. Need I say more? Okay, I will. “Margaret raised her teacup to her lips, her eyes locked on Olive’s over the rim... the twist of her lips spelled mischief.” Oh dear. But wait, there’s more. “Violet’s lips curved in a rueful smile” and “Olive bit her lip” then there’s Violet clicking of her tongue against her teeth before more lip quirking. If you are into florid storytelling, this is the book for you.
Goodness, on page 198 and Olive is still at it “Olive cringed, braced against her friend’s feelings of betrayal” but not to be outdone “Margaret’s lips quivered, and her gaze shifted angrily away, stubbornness holding her rigid.” Then Olive cringes again. I do the same. By now I need a strong cup of tea with a dash of milk and several sugars. Need I say more? Okay, I will. “Margaret raised her teacup to her lips, her eyes locked on Olive’s over the rim... the twist of her lips spelled mischief.” Oh dear. But wait, there’s more. “Violet’s lips curved in a rueful smile” and “Olive bit her lip” then there’s Violet clicking of her tongue against her teeth before more lip quirking. If you are into florid storytelling, this is the book for you.
December 8, 2022
I immediately fell in love with Olive, the feisty young protagonist! Olive is a young woman living in a small English village at the start of World War II. Olive longs to be able to really "do her bit" in a way that differs from other women she knows. This story shows the ways people came together during this terrible time in history. It also illuminates the restrictions felt by many women at that time.
I thoroughly enjoyed this author's writing style. The reader gets a real sense of the village without too many details that detract from the characters. A complete cast is introduced in the opening chapters. All are fully developed and immediately add intrigue to the plot.
Anyone who enjoys books featuring strong and complex English women living in the 1940's will love this book. It is the perfect blend of family and village life set against a backdrop of coming conflict. I can't wait to read the rest of Olive Bright, Pigeoneer!
I thoroughly enjoyed this author's writing style. The reader gets a real sense of the village without too many details that detract from the characters. A complete cast is introduced in the opening chapters. All are fully developed and immediately add intrigue to the plot.
Anyone who enjoys books featuring strong and complex English women living in the 1940's will love this book. It is the perfect blend of family and village life set against a backdrop of coming conflict. I can't wait to read the rest of Olive Bright, Pigeoneer!
December 17, 2020
Olive Bright is a pigeoneer, and she does train her pigeons to be of covert service to Britain during early World War II not The Great War as was more usual. She becomes an amateur sleuth as well when a local gossip is poisoned.
Sorry, but I thought that the narrator was not really engaged in the project. I have enjoyed her narrations of other books, so I was disappointed this time.
I requested and received a free audiobook from Kensington Books via NetGalley.
I was very disappointed that it was archived when I was only halfway through listening.
If you care to read a novel about the British Pigeon Service I heartily recommend The Long Flight Home by Alan Hlad also by Kensington Books.
Sorry, but I thought that the narrator was not really engaged in the project. I have enjoyed her narrations of other books, so I was disappointed this time.
I requested and received a free audiobook from Kensington Books via NetGalley.
I was very disappointed that it was archived when I was only halfway through listening.
If you care to read a novel about the British Pigeon Service I heartily recommend The Long Flight Home by Alan Hlad also by Kensington Books.
January 7, 2021
This book is the perfect cozy historical mystery. I’m excited to read the rest of the series and hoping to see more of Olive and Captain Aldridge- though this book can stand alone.
In small-town Britain, twenty-something Olive Bright is struggling to keep her pigeon loft going and find her place in the war effort. When she’s offered the chance to supply pigeons for a top secret agency, she jumps at the chance, despite the fact that she will have to lie to her own family about it. She challenges her liaison, the handsome Captain Aldridge, at every turn, fighting for a larger part in the secret missions. And when the village busybody turns up dead after eating a mysterious cake at the town dance, Olive is determined to follow up on every clue.
I loved the heroine, Olive. She’s feisty, fearless and addicted to Agatha Christie mysteries. Her snappy dialogue with Captain Aldridge kept making me smile.
The setting is perfect. It captures that small town feel where people think they know everything about everyone, but deep, dark secrets still manage to be hidden. And everyone in this town seems to have some sort of secret - with some being deadlier than others!
Despite the many secrets Olive manages to uncover, this book wrapped up all the loose ends. I’m definitely reading the next one to see what mystery Olive may tackle next!
Thank you to BookishFirst and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book.
In small-town Britain, twenty-something Olive Bright is struggling to keep her pigeon loft going and find her place in the war effort. When she’s offered the chance to supply pigeons for a top secret agency, she jumps at the chance, despite the fact that she will have to lie to her own family about it. She challenges her liaison, the handsome Captain Aldridge, at every turn, fighting for a larger part in the secret missions. And when the village busybody turns up dead after eating a mysterious cake at the town dance, Olive is determined to follow up on every clue.
I loved the heroine, Olive. She’s feisty, fearless and addicted to Agatha Christie mysteries. Her snappy dialogue with Captain Aldridge kept making me smile.
The setting is perfect. It captures that small town feel where people think they know everything about everyone, but deep, dark secrets still manage to be hidden. And everyone in this town seems to have some sort of secret - with some being deadlier than others!
Despite the many secrets Olive manages to uncover, this book wrapped up all the loose ends. I’m definitely reading the next one to see what mystery Olive may tackle next!
Thank you to BookishFirst and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book.
December 23, 2020
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Kensington Books, and Bibliolifestyle**
This was a surprisingly delightful read. Historical fiction is most definitely NOT my favorite genre but this one definitely kept me engaged and interested. Olive is such a great character that it was nearly impossible to put this book down; I was completely invested in her antics and the "murder mystery." I can definitely see how the author has set this up as precursor to a series, but I think this book works great as a standalone.
This was a surprisingly delightful read. Historical fiction is most definitely NOT my favorite genre but this one definitely kept me engaged and interested. Olive is such a great character that it was nearly impossible to put this book down; I was completely invested in her antics and the "murder mystery." I can definitely see how the author has set this up as precursor to a series, but I think this book works great as a standalone.
July 1, 2023
It should have been interesting since it had a good set up, but the writing was so heavy-handed that it was a slog to get through it. Olive was not all that likable.
And the scene that revealed the murderer? Ridiculous!
And the scene that revealed the murderer? Ridiculous!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2020
12/10/2020 Would have probably liked this more if Jamie weren't such an arrogant a-hole. Full review tk at CriminalElement.com.
December 22, 2020
This one rabbles a lot. Full review to follow.
January 12, 2021
3.5 stars. This was fun. Light-hearted and entertaining.
May 31, 2022
This was a little slow-going initially, but in the end I enjoyed it.
February 16, 2023
It's an interesting read if you enjoy historic fiction set in Great Britain during World War II. The pigeons were used to carry coded messages, and Olive was the keeper of the pigeons at Blackcap Lodge. Then a murder takes place within the village of Pipley, where Olive resides. There are plenty of suspects because many of the people did not like the victim, and many of the villagers had secrets that they wanted kept quiet. Parts of the story were not completely clear to me, but overall, it was a good read.
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