Marybeth, Hollister & Jane

by Vera Jane Cook

Some secrets draw people closer.........after they tear them apart.


Marybeth and Hollister moved to rural New York to escape—both the city life and a checkered past. Their lives were unassuming, until they bought a grandfather clock. They just wanted something to fill the space under their stairs, but they got much more than they bargained for. What secrets could the clock possibly hold?


Jane was sent to Callicoon to find the Eagle diamond, which was stolen from the Museum of Natural History in the ‘60s and never recovered. Convinced she won’t find what she’s looking for, she grudgingly takes the assignment. When she arrives, things aren’t what they seem and Jane finds more than she ever expected.

Genres: Mystery

319 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 7, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: Also writes as Olivia Hardy Ray

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Cook and I will probably look for some of her older titles. This is sort of a who done it and a search for lost treasure combo. Let in small town New York, a pair of retired recovery agents are happy until they purchase an old Grandfather clock. Let the search begin. I found it a little difficult to keep track of the cast of characters. The title clues you in on the main 3. The mystery was well thought out and plausible. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Manasi Patil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marybeth, Hollister and Jane is a fictional story, set in the rural area of Callicoon, New York. The book has a very realistic vibe to it and all the characters seem believable. It follows the journey of a handful of people trying to locate the Eagle Diamond, stolen in the 1960's. At the start, most of them were from the same organization, LVAJ, who's job was to locate stolen arts, artifacts, etc. and the pass them to someone else. But as the story unfolds, the head of the organization, Peter Reece, is too weak to manage the organization, and eventually, all the members separate and begin the search on their own.
All through the journey of reading this book, I was on a rollercoaster. The scenes are sketched out in a way that makes the words leap off the page. All the characters too, are perfect for their roles. The author, Vera Jane Cook has done an exceptional job. I particularly like Brock Stanley, with his wise, witty, and caring nature(for Jane).The unexpected twist of The Sisters and Jane, was my favorite scene from this novel.
The ending could have been much better, though. It winded up too simple and easy and I felt that the story had promised a different sort of end.
Nonetheless, Marybeth, Hollister and Jane is a great fun to read and I will certainly be reading more from this author.
I recommend this novel to all you guys. Have fun reading!

[Samantha Turley · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was a lot going on in this book. There are 3 different main characters who each have their own backstory and issues. I think that the author does a great job of balancing those characters and their individual journeys.

It’s an up and down roller-coaster of a story when you are going back and forth, but in a good way. It keeps you flipping pages as you are trying to keep up.

I was pleasantly surprised by how invested I became in the mystery and plot and how quickly I was invested as well.

Great piece of writing.

[Gina Stamper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kudos to Vera Jane Cook, I wasn’t able to figure out the mystery before the end!

This book completely captivated me. I was in it from the beginning and hanging on every word along the way.

Such a great cast of characters with a wide range of personalities that made reading about them fun.

The book’s well-written with well-rounded characters, the story is quite intriguing and unique.

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st book I've read written by Vera Jane Cook; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I loved the characters.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[R.K. Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will make you want to cuddle up for a while and get lost in the story and mystery that Vera Jane Cook has created.

It starts off with having such a great main characters. I loved the balance between them all.

Follow that up with a perfectly crafted mystery and a wonderful setting and you get a great Cozy Mystery.

Don't miss this one!

[Jayne Southern · Rating 4 out of 5]

As ever, Vera Jane Cook offers authentic dialogue and characters – albeit many of them sinister. The connections and clues are cleverly woven throughout to capture family secrets, skullduggery, the dangers of greed. The analogies are original, delightfully different and engaging, bringing alive the characters, eccentricity, small-town life, human desires and loss. Perfect read for a duvet day.

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title threw me off. The book ending reflects the title but the rest of the book is more about thieves and a diamond. The story was rather interesting because I have never given any thought to the black market for stolen goods. The characters were interesting in how they wove together. I liked the book.

I read the book on NetGalley

[Arthur Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow... where should I start? Well, I don't want to give spoilers and I definitely don't want to summarize the book. Stolen art and Treasure hunt - fantastic! So... I'll just say that this book kept me on the edge many times. I didn't expect some of the twists. The characters felt real, I caught myself thinking about what will happen to them when I was at work. I recommend the book 100%.

[C. Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoy the relatable characters, plot, action and settings in the book.

Vera Jane Cook managed to bring us developed characters and a solid plot line.

Overall this really had superb writing and a great attention to detail.

[Meredith Franco · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Marybeth, Hollister and Jane" was an adventure kind of read. I loved how it made me question everything and everyone. The characters are very well developed and the journey to find the Diamond was spectacularly written. I absolutely loved this book.