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Paradise Café #2
November Rain
Charlotte Frayne’s boss, Mr. Gilmore, travels to Europe in the fall of 1936 on a mysterious trip, leaving her in charge of the detective agency. The redoubtable Mrs. Jessop hires Charlotte to investigate the untimely death of her son, a disfigured and injured veteran of the Great War. The police ruled it a suicide, but Mrs. Jessop doesn’t agree and wants Charlotte to find out what really happened.
On the same day, Charlotte is hired to infiltrate a small women’s wear manufacturer to uncover communist agitators the owner believes are responsible for the labour unrest in his company. When the factory supervisor is discovered murdered on the job the same day Charlotte turns up for her first shift at Ladies’ Superior Clothing, she finds herself seconded by the police in their investigations.
On the same day, Charlotte is hired to infiltrate a small women’s wear manufacturer to uncover communist agitators the owner believes are responsible for the labour unrest in his company. When the factory supervisor is discovered murdered on the job the same day Charlotte turns up for her first shift at Ladies’ Superior Clothing, she finds herself seconded by the police in their investigations.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
9 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Maureen Jennings
56 books385 followersMaureen Jennings, now a Canadian Citizen, was born on Eastfield Road in Birmingham, England and spent her formative years there until she emigrated to Canada at the age of seventeen with her mother.
This has meant that she still feels a deep connection with her homeland. It has also no doubt been a strong influence in her love for, and her writing about, the Victorian period. She attended the University of Windsor where she attained a BA in philosophy and psychology.
A couple of years trying to decide what she really wanted to do with her life resulted in her returning to university, the University of Toronto, this time where she earned an MA in English literature.For the next eight years, she taught English at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute at a time when the English department seemed to be chock full of writers. Eric Wright, went on to write the highly successful Charlie Salter mystery series, Graeme Gibson, Peter Such, and others were writing both novels and poetry. An exciting time in so many ways but after eight years, another change of direction and in 1972, Maureen left Ryerson to become a psychotherapist, which was a long time interest. She has continued in private practice since then, although nowadays she mostly conducts creative expression groups and writes. Always passionate about dogs, she is happy to own a border collie named Jeremy-Brett and a mixed breed named Varley.
Series:
* Detective Murdoch
* Christine Morris
* Detective Inspector Tom Tyler
This has meant that she still feels a deep connection with her homeland. It has also no doubt been a strong influence in her love for, and her writing about, the Victorian period. She attended the University of Windsor where she attained a BA in philosophy and psychology.
A couple of years trying to decide what she really wanted to do with her life resulted in her returning to university, the University of Toronto, this time where she earned an MA in English literature.For the next eight years, she taught English at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute at a time when the English department seemed to be chock full of writers. Eric Wright, went on to write the highly successful Charlie Salter mystery series, Graeme Gibson, Peter Such, and others were writing both novels and poetry. An exciting time in so many ways but after eight years, another change of direction and in 1972, Maureen left Ryerson to become a psychotherapist, which was a long time interest. She has continued in private practice since then, although nowadays she mostly conducts creative expression groups and writes. Always passionate about dogs, she is happy to own a border collie named Jeremy-Brett and a mixed breed named Varley.
Series:
* Detective Murdoch
* Christine Morris
* Detective Inspector Tom Tyler
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
January 24, 2021
If there is any such thing as a cozy murder mystery this is it.
I often enjoy the Murdoch Mysteries TV show and this is written in the same vein by the author who created that show.
For those who like a good mystery with a very clever lady private detective this is a good bet.
It is 1936 - “November Rain” deals profoundly with veterans - the damaged soldiers from the Great War.
Even though this is #2 in a series (I did not read #1) it was no trouble to follow the story &/or the characters.
I don’t often get to read stories set in Toronto where I am familiar with the street names and areas so this was quite a treat.
NOTE TO AUTHOR: It is almost impossible to light a cigarette and smoke it in the rain, even a light drizzle will present a problem.
I often enjoy the Murdoch Mysteries TV show and this is written in the same vein by the author who created that show.
For those who like a good mystery with a very clever lady private detective this is a good bet.
It is 1936 - “November Rain” deals profoundly with veterans - the damaged soldiers from the Great War.
Even though this is #2 in a series (I did not read #1) it was no trouble to follow the story &/or the characters.
I don’t often get to read stories set in Toronto where I am familiar with the street names and areas so this was quite a treat.
NOTE TO AUTHOR: It is almost impossible to light a cigarette and smoke it in the rain, even a light drizzle will present a problem.
December 24, 2020
This is the 17th book by Jennings I have read in the last 2 years. I believe I have read all her fiction that is in print. And this is a stunning follow up to Heat Wave - Paradise Café Book 1. We are dropped back into a familiar Toronto, not terribly long after the William Murdoch books, or TV Series. This time Charlotte Frayne finds herself in the middle of a few cases. And struggling to keep up with her dad, and some growing conflict at the Paradise. Charlotte is still working as a PI at the T. Gilmore and Associates. But as Mr. Gilmore has been away on a long absence, and she is the only associate it is all falling to her.
She is hired for what appears at first to be two very different cases. She must manage First she is investigating the suicide or apparent suicide of a veteran of the great war. She has also been asked to work at a garment factory and determine if someone is trying to start a union there. And her second day there the foreman is murdered, and all this is missing is a few dollars. Fortunately, she is friends with most of the police force, and soon her friend Jack Murdoch is on the case.
The story takes place over a few days during a very rainy November in 1936. The pace is fast. And the mysteries intense and much in need of unraveling. And Charlotte is in the thick of it, working her cases, and assisting the police.
When I wrote my review of book 1, I stated: “that there was going to be something different about this series, the other three series are all named after the main character, Detective Murdoch Series, Detective Inspector Tom Tyler Series, Christine Morris Series. And yet this series is named after a location, the paradise café. And boy was I right! It was a highly addictive read, like most of Jennings other works!” that sentiment persists. This is a great read in a fledgling series. And one that we can only hope will have many more volumes to come.
A great crime mystery that I highly recommend.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Maureen Jennings.
She is hired for what appears at first to be two very different cases. She must manage First she is investigating the suicide or apparent suicide of a veteran of the great war. She has also been asked to work at a garment factory and determine if someone is trying to start a union there. And her second day there the foreman is murdered, and all this is missing is a few dollars. Fortunately, she is friends with most of the police force, and soon her friend Jack Murdoch is on the case.
The story takes place over a few days during a very rainy November in 1936. The pace is fast. And the mysteries intense and much in need of unraveling. And Charlotte is in the thick of it, working her cases, and assisting the police.
When I wrote my review of book 1, I stated: “that there was going to be something different about this series, the other three series are all named after the main character, Detective Murdoch Series, Detective Inspector Tom Tyler Series, Christine Morris Series. And yet this series is named after a location, the paradise café. And boy was I right! It was a highly addictive read, like most of Jennings other works!” that sentiment persists. This is a great read in a fledgling series. And one that we can only hope will have many more volumes to come.
A great crime mystery that I highly recommend.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Maureen Jennings.
January 16, 2021
A good book. It was lovely to be back in the Paradise Cafe and with Charlotte Frayne again.
March 7, 2021
Great setting; great time period; great characters; great mystery!
December 7, 2020
If you've been reading my reviews for a while, you'll know how much I love Maureen Jennings' Murdoch novels. The Paradise Café novels connect to them via William Murdoch's son, Jack, who is a police detective. However, the main character is Charlotte Frayne, a private investigator.
Charlotte is hired by the Jessop family after their scion appears to have committed suicide. Terribly disfigured in WWI, his suicide note indicates that life is simply no longer worth living. The Jessops believe he was murdered ... but Jack Murdoch has signed off on a police report supporting the coroner's theory.
In the mean while, Lottie is also hired by Jack Rosenthal because he believes that Communists and unionizers are infiltrating his garment factory. So, she's going undercover in the factory to find out what's going on there.
The two cases have some crossover with the café her veteran friends started to help feed the poor, so we see a lot of interaction there as well.
Really, these are cozy, fair-play puzzles. Most of the violence takes place "off-screen," so to speak. We get to learn a lot about 1930s Toronto, and the struggles that the disabled veterans of WWI faced upon returning home.
Most of all, we see a kind-hearted PI who has created a family around herself ... and who happens to be damned good at connecting all the dots. Highly recommended.
Charlotte is hired by the Jessop family after their scion appears to have committed suicide. Terribly disfigured in WWI, his suicide note indicates that life is simply no longer worth living. The Jessops believe he was murdered ... but Jack Murdoch has signed off on a police report supporting the coroner's theory.
In the mean while, Lottie is also hired by Jack Rosenthal because he believes that Communists and unionizers are infiltrating his garment factory. So, she's going undercover in the factory to find out what's going on there.
The two cases have some crossover with the café her veteran friends started to help feed the poor, so we see a lot of interaction there as well.
Really, these are cozy, fair-play puzzles. Most of the violence takes place "off-screen," so to speak. We get to learn a lot about 1930s Toronto, and the struggles that the disabled veterans of WWI faced upon returning home.
Most of all, we see a kind-hearted PI who has created a family around herself ... and who happens to be damned good at connecting all the dots. Highly recommended.
November 14, 2023
Quick read, set in Toronto, a bit far fetched, but quite entertaining. Nice little mystery to read in a cold night.
December 4, 2020
This is the second entry in Maureen Jennings’ Paradise Café series, set in almost wartime Toronto (1936). Detective Murdoch’s son, Jack, is now the “Detective Murdoch” in this series, which centers on young Charlotte Frayne, who has joined up with an older private investigator, Mr. Gilmore. Mr. Gilmore is out of town as the story opens.
Charlotte arrives to open the office and discovers two women waiting for her, both of them in heavy mourning. As Jennings lays her story parameters out in this first chapter, I think her rare capacity for both breaking a reader’s heart and reaching it have never been more strongly on display than they are here. The women relate the story of the suicide of Gerald Jessup, the son of one and the wife of the other.
When WWI started he was a sunny, beautiful young man but he came home disfigured and traumatized, taking to excessive drink to help get him through the day. He’s had bouts of sobriety which makes his relapses all the harder to take. He had been discovered dead in his bathtub but Mrs. Jessup Sr. is sure his death was not actually a suicide but a homicide, and she takes Charlotte on to look into his death more carefully than she feels the police will.
Charlotte reluctantly agrees, and then she’s asked to take on another case: working undercover in a clothing sweatshop to see if there are any Communist sympathizers trying to organize a union. Before she can even start work, though, the manager is found murdered, and Charlotte is drafted (thanks to her clerical skills) as a defacto assistant to Detectives Murdoch and Arkady as they investigate the man’s death.
Jennings is brilliant at what I call the matrix – the surround of character and setting that add richness and depth to any story. Part of the “matrix” in this series is the Paradise Café, a place where working men and women (mostly the working poor) line up for a good, home cooked meal every day at lunch and dinner. The idea was formed during the last war when the owners (one of them sweet on Charlotte) were prisoners of war and the thought of the food they loved kept them going. There’s always one of these specific memories tucked into the books that are like a little amuse bouche for the reader, of the bittersweet variety.
Jennings is also deeply interested in war veterans and what wars do to these men, and those who love them. This is a strong theme here as Charlotte follows the tendrils of Gerald’s life as well as those of another vet Gerald encountered at the Paradise Café.
Jennings is nothing is not a careful and intelligent writer, so I always know connections made by the characters have a meaning that will advance the plot. She’s also that wonderful and increasingly rare thing, concise. She doesn’t skimp her words but she doesn’t waste them either. Her sensitive and thoughtful explication and observation of character in her books adds to their depth and makes them linger in the memory long after you’ve finished reading them.
Charlotte arrives to open the office and discovers two women waiting for her, both of them in heavy mourning. As Jennings lays her story parameters out in this first chapter, I think her rare capacity for both breaking a reader’s heart and reaching it have never been more strongly on display than they are here. The women relate the story of the suicide of Gerald Jessup, the son of one and the wife of the other.
When WWI started he was a sunny, beautiful young man but he came home disfigured and traumatized, taking to excessive drink to help get him through the day. He’s had bouts of sobriety which makes his relapses all the harder to take. He had been discovered dead in his bathtub but Mrs. Jessup Sr. is sure his death was not actually a suicide but a homicide, and she takes Charlotte on to look into his death more carefully than she feels the police will.
Charlotte reluctantly agrees, and then she’s asked to take on another case: working undercover in a clothing sweatshop to see if there are any Communist sympathizers trying to organize a union. Before she can even start work, though, the manager is found murdered, and Charlotte is drafted (thanks to her clerical skills) as a defacto assistant to Detectives Murdoch and Arkady as they investigate the man’s death.
Jennings is brilliant at what I call the matrix – the surround of character and setting that add richness and depth to any story. Part of the “matrix” in this series is the Paradise Café, a place where working men and women (mostly the working poor) line up for a good, home cooked meal every day at lunch and dinner. The idea was formed during the last war when the owners (one of them sweet on Charlotte) were prisoners of war and the thought of the food they loved kept them going. There’s always one of these specific memories tucked into the books that are like a little amuse bouche for the reader, of the bittersweet variety.
Jennings is also deeply interested in war veterans and what wars do to these men, and those who love them. This is a strong theme here as Charlotte follows the tendrils of Gerald’s life as well as those of another vet Gerald encountered at the Paradise Café.
Jennings is nothing is not a careful and intelligent writer, so I always know connections made by the characters have a meaning that will advance the plot. She’s also that wonderful and increasingly rare thing, concise. She doesn’t skimp her words but she doesn’t waste them either. Her sensitive and thoughtful explication and observation of character in her books adds to their depth and makes them linger in the memory long after you’ve finished reading them.
December 11, 2023
This is the second Paradise Café Mystery, after Heat Wave (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/...). I needed a quick read so I decided to check in on Charlotte Frayne.
It is November of 1936 in Toronto. Charlotte, a private investigator, is hired by Mrs. Jessop to determine if her son Gerald really did commit suicide. A badly disfigured World War I vet, he is found dead and with a suicide note, but his mother refuses to believe he would have killed himself. On the same day, Charlotte is hired by Saul Rosenthal to infiltrate his garment factory because he suspects communist agitators are fomenting labour unrest at his company. The murder of the supervisor on Charlotte’s first day at the factory gets her seconded by the police into their investigation.
As in the first book in the series, the plot is slow with little suspense and intrigue. The novel covers only a few days and everything gets nicely wrapped up in the end. The two cases end up being connected and that really irked me. It’s one of so many coincidences. In fact, it’s Charlotte’s happening to see people together that helps her make connections between the cases. It’s not great sleuthing that solves the cases – just luck.
As in the previous book, the plotting is so obvious. Characters that are not needed, like Mr. Gilmore and Hilliard, are given an excuse to travel. Why, for instance, does Charlotte go the café just after being hired on the two cases? The visit serves no purpose except to have her witness two women arguing, two women she will encounter again, of course. What is also problematic is how the police treat her as a colleague. Because various police officers conveniently have the flu, she is co-opted to attend questionings? She admits to “a rather ambiguous position in terms of officialdom.” No kidding! And what’s with all the obviously Jewish names like Klein and Cohen? Mr. Rosenthal is identified as Jewish, yet Mr. Klein is a Methodist?
In Heat Wave, I appreciated the historical aspects. In a second book, however, it just seems repetitious. Nothing new is added, except the reference to blue park benches which were reserved for veterans, a warning to passersby that a veteran sitting on the bench might be disfigured.
There is currently one more book in the series, Cold Snap, and a fourth one, March Roars, is set to be released in 2024. I might turn to the next installment when I need another unchallenging read. Maybe I keep hoping the books will get better, or maybe I just enjoy being critical and picking out the flaws.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DCYakabuski).
It is November of 1936 in Toronto. Charlotte, a private investigator, is hired by Mrs. Jessop to determine if her son Gerald really did commit suicide. A badly disfigured World War I vet, he is found dead and with a suicide note, but his mother refuses to believe he would have killed himself. On the same day, Charlotte is hired by Saul Rosenthal to infiltrate his garment factory because he suspects communist agitators are fomenting labour unrest at his company. The murder of the supervisor on Charlotte’s first day at the factory gets her seconded by the police into their investigation.
As in the first book in the series, the plot is slow with little suspense and intrigue. The novel covers only a few days and everything gets nicely wrapped up in the end. The two cases end up being connected and that really irked me. It’s one of so many coincidences. In fact, it’s Charlotte’s happening to see people together that helps her make connections between the cases. It’s not great sleuthing that solves the cases – just luck.
As in the previous book, the plotting is so obvious. Characters that are not needed, like Mr. Gilmore and Hilliard, are given an excuse to travel. Why, for instance, does Charlotte go the café just after being hired on the two cases? The visit serves no purpose except to have her witness two women arguing, two women she will encounter again, of course. What is also problematic is how the police treat her as a colleague. Because various police officers conveniently have the flu, she is co-opted to attend questionings? She admits to “a rather ambiguous position in terms of officialdom.” No kidding! And what’s with all the obviously Jewish names like Klein and Cohen? Mr. Rosenthal is identified as Jewish, yet Mr. Klein is a Methodist?
In Heat Wave, I appreciated the historical aspects. In a second book, however, it just seems repetitious. Nothing new is added, except the reference to blue park benches which were reserved for veterans, a warning to passersby that a veteran sitting on the bench might be disfigured.
There is currently one more book in the series, Cold Snap, and a fourth one, March Roars, is set to be released in 2024. I might turn to the next installment when I need another unchallenging read. Maybe I keep hoping the books will get better, or maybe I just enjoy being critical and picking out the flaws.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DCYakabuski).
January 1, 2024
Second in the Paradise Cafe series, this is another interesting, enjoyable read, with an likable heroine, an evocative setting in Depression-era 1936 Toronto, and not one, but two mysteries to solve.
When Charlotte Frayne, PI, is hired to investigate the suspicious suicide of a severely disfigured veteran, she must confront the impact of the horrors of wartime injuries (to both the victims and their ravaged families) head-on. As Charlotte delves deeper into the past of the mutilated victim and his recent relationships, a chilling sign of the times sees her empathetic but somewhat matter-of-fact acknowledgement of the horrific realities of wartime living, and the destitution of those left homeless and desperate in its wake.
A second case sees Charlotte seeking to rout out a union instigator from among the ranks of a women’s clothing manufacturer. With the appalling treatment of employees in general, and women in particular, during this time period, it’s no surprise that Charlotte’s undercover infiltration of the factory leads to discoveries both sickening and criminal.
As usual, handsome Detective Jack Murdoch plays a supporting role, as well as Charlotte’s new beau, the now divorced Hilliard Taylor, and his partners and employees in the Paradise Cafe.
A terrific series, I’m looking forward to the next read by this author, and another heart-tugging and thoughtful visit with Charlotte and her contemporaries.
A great big thank you to the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts provided are my own.
***Four and a half shiny stars ***
When Charlotte Frayne, PI, is hired to investigate the suspicious suicide of a severely disfigured veteran, she must confront the impact of the horrors of wartime injuries (to both the victims and their ravaged families) head-on. As Charlotte delves deeper into the past of the mutilated victim and his recent relationships, a chilling sign of the times sees her empathetic but somewhat matter-of-fact acknowledgement of the horrific realities of wartime living, and the destitution of those left homeless and desperate in its wake.
A second case sees Charlotte seeking to rout out a union instigator from among the ranks of a women’s clothing manufacturer. With the appalling treatment of employees in general, and women in particular, during this time period, it’s no surprise that Charlotte’s undercover infiltration of the factory leads to discoveries both sickening and criminal.
As usual, handsome Detective Jack Murdoch plays a supporting role, as well as Charlotte’s new beau, the now divorced Hilliard Taylor, and his partners and employees in the Paradise Cafe.
A terrific series, I’m looking forward to the next read by this author, and another heart-tugging and thoughtful visit with Charlotte and her contemporaries.
A great big thank you to the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts provided are my own.
***Four and a half shiny stars ***
November 13, 2025
While November Rain is the perfect title for a November read, it is actually the second book in this Canadian 'Paradise Cafe' mystery series. Normally, I read book series in order, but for some reason, I jumped from book 1 to 4 and now book 2. That said, I'm kind of glad I bypassed book 2 initially because it's my least favourite book of the series.
This time out the cafe and its guests/workers take a backseat as the story focuses on two cases - a suspicious suicide and the murder of a garment factory supervisor. With two cases, there were a lot of characters to keep track of and the plot felt sluggish for much of the page time. There was also a bit too much serendipity with the link between the two cases (especially in a city the size of Toronto in the 1930's) and how Charlotte was so willingly pulled into the investigation by the police. Convenient for the plot, but not very believable.
The strength of this book is Jenning's descriptions of 1930's Toronto. I love recognizing intersections, neighbourhoods and getting the general vibe of the city in that era. I also appreciate how Jennings illustrates the experiences of soldiers after fighting in WWI and how poorly they were treated by those they risked their lives for.
Overall, this murder mystery fell flat for me with not enough tension, too many characters and a plot that seemed to just doddle along.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for a complimentary paperback copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.
This time out the cafe and its guests/workers take a backseat as the story focuses on two cases - a suspicious suicide and the murder of a garment factory supervisor. With two cases, there were a lot of characters to keep track of and the plot felt sluggish for much of the page time. There was also a bit too much serendipity with the link between the two cases (especially in a city the size of Toronto in the 1930's) and how Charlotte was so willingly pulled into the investigation by the police. Convenient for the plot, but not very believable.
The strength of this book is Jenning's descriptions of 1930's Toronto. I love recognizing intersections, neighbourhoods and getting the general vibe of the city in that era. I also appreciate how Jennings illustrates the experiences of soldiers after fighting in WWI and how poorly they were treated by those they risked their lives for.
Overall, this murder mystery fell flat for me with not enough tension, too many characters and a plot that seemed to just doddle along.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for a complimentary paperback copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.
March 11, 2021
Private detective Charlotte Frayne takes on two new cases in the absence of her boss on a secret mission. One involves the "equivocal" death of a Great War veteran which the police deem to be a suicide. The man's wealthy mother does not accept that finding and hires Charlotte to investigate his death. As she is about to take that on, she is hired to go undercover at an apparel factory where the owner fears the workers are being agitated to unionize. The second case turns into a murder investigation when a factory supervisor is found dead, the victim of a stabbing.
Charlotte's investigation is conducted against the background of Toronto in 1936, in the midst of the Great Depression. Scores of disabled war veterans and other victims of the economic collapse crowd the city trying to survive. There is fear that another war with Germany is coming. Socialism is garnering support and the Communist Party is active. It is a time of social unrest.
The story is set in November, a dreary and rainy month in Toronto, creating an atmospheric backdrop to Charlotte's investigation. The historical and geographical detail is well done, exhibiting careful research by the author.
Charlotte is a diligent investigator working well with some cantankerous policemen to solve the mysteries presented by the two cases. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion. All in all, it's an excellent historical detective novel and good entertainment.
Charlotte's investigation is conducted against the background of Toronto in 1936, in the midst of the Great Depression. Scores of disabled war veterans and other victims of the economic collapse crowd the city trying to survive. There is fear that another war with Germany is coming. Socialism is garnering support and the Communist Party is active. It is a time of social unrest.
The story is set in November, a dreary and rainy month in Toronto, creating an atmospheric backdrop to Charlotte's investigation. The historical and geographical detail is well done, exhibiting careful research by the author.
Charlotte is a diligent investigator working well with some cantankerous policemen to solve the mysteries presented by the two cases. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion. All in all, it's an excellent historical detective novel and good entertainment.
June 8, 2021
I was drawn in by the her being the author of the Murdoch Mysteries. This is a clever story showcasing a woman detective Charlotte Frayne. While her boss is away she ends up with 2 cases: to find out if Mrs. Jessop's son committed suicide as the police suspect and to go undercover at a woman's garment factory to discover if there really are communist sympathizers trying to stir up trouble. It takes place in the 1030's in Toronto and show us the plight of soldiers from WWI. Mrs. Jessop's son was one of these who life and death was being investigated. The title seems to reflect my experience of the book. The title explains the weather situation of the story. Maureen Jennings seems to like describing situations and what people wore or the way a room is set up just to bring us into the situation but it could have been left out. The Paradise cafe is a source of information, meetings and finding people. I did not enjoy her writing style. It seemed pedantic to me. The story moves along slowly. Not much adventure, high and low times. Bits and pieces are uncovered slowly until we find how all this fits together in the end. Ok. It was an ok read.
November 22, 2021
Definitely not as good as the first. More of a 2.5 for me.
Both Hilliard (Lottie’s love interest) and Mr. Gilmore (her boss) are travelling, so they do not play any more than an incidental role in the story. Jack Murdoch appears on the periphery, and Lottie works with Jack’s compatriot, Detective Arcady.
The author makes an egregious error during a lengthy police interview in chapter 23. A woman is asked directly how long she had been working for the company and she answers, “Eight months.” A few pages later, as the interview is getting juicy, the woman volunteers that something has happened four times “since I’ve been here, which is going on for two years.”
Needless to say, I went through the whole unreliable witness scenario—surely the cops would call her out, since they were TAKING NOTES (Lottie’s excuse for being allowed in an official police interview). But no. Author error.
My thoughts on the book as a whole…. I realize the topics covered (refugees, the depression, Great War veterans, Communism) were relevant to Toronto in the 1930s, but there was no romance, no intrigue, no real danger, nothing to spice up the story.
The book was boring, like November rain.
Both Hilliard (Lottie’s love interest) and Mr. Gilmore (her boss) are travelling, so they do not play any more than an incidental role in the story. Jack Murdoch appears on the periphery, and Lottie works with Jack’s compatriot, Detective Arcady.
The author makes an egregious error during a lengthy police interview in chapter 23. A woman is asked directly how long she had been working for the company and she answers, “Eight months.” A few pages later, as the interview is getting juicy, the woman volunteers that something has happened four times “since I’ve been here, which is going on for two years.”
Needless to say, I went through the whole unreliable witness scenario—surely the cops would call her out, since they were TAKING NOTES (Lottie’s excuse for being allowed in an official police interview). But no. Author error.
My thoughts on the book as a whole…. I realize the topics covered (refugees, the depression, Great War veterans, Communism) were relevant to Toronto in the 1930s, but there was no romance, no intrigue, no real danger, nothing to spice up the story.
The book was boring, like November rain.
May 7, 2021
3-3/4 stars (couldn't quite bring myself to round it up to 4)
Published in late 2020, this is the second in a fairly new series by the author of the Murdoch Mysteries books. I very much like the main character, Charlotte Frayne, and most of the other regular characters, including Charlotte's endearing grandfather. The author seems to do a commendable job of depicting late 1930s Toronto ("seems to" only because I have no way of verifying its accuracy, but there's nothing jarringly anachronistic to me about the atmosphere or subject matter).
I liked the story. It was, if you'll excuse the somewhat inelegant expression, a "quick read." There were a few odd little glitches (including an uncapitalized "I" pronoun and a word missing its first letter), but Maureen Jennings has a gift for plots that hold your attention quite well. I was somewhat disappointed by certain turns the plot eventually took, but I still enjoyed the book and am looking forward to more Paradise Café stories.
Published in late 2020, this is the second in a fairly new series by the author of the Murdoch Mysteries books. I very much like the main character, Charlotte Frayne, and most of the other regular characters, including Charlotte's endearing grandfather. The author seems to do a commendable job of depicting late 1930s Toronto ("seems to" only because I have no way of verifying its accuracy, but there's nothing jarringly anachronistic to me about the atmosphere or subject matter).
I liked the story. It was, if you'll excuse the somewhat inelegant expression, a "quick read." There were a few odd little glitches (including an uncapitalized "I" pronoun and a word missing its first letter), but Maureen Jennings has a gift for plots that hold your attention quite well. I was somewhat disappointed by certain turns the plot eventually took, but I still enjoyed the book and am looking forward to more Paradise Café stories.
February 21, 2021
This is a good mystery story, worth of a re-read. The details of Depression-era Toronto are ably done and of course if you have a map you can follow Charlotte's journeys around Toronto. Like Heat Wave, much of the plot is tied up with the aftermath of the First World War, and the description sof the returned servicemen of the time sort of match up with the squalor of Victorian Toronto as described in the Murdoch mysteries.
Anyway, the first person narration also means we get a good insight into the way a competent woman thought and felt in those times. A good female character that isn't shrill is a rate thing to find even nowadays, which made this a very good read indeed.
Anyway, the first person narration also means we get a good insight into the way a competent woman thought and felt in those times. A good female character that isn't shrill is a rate thing to find even nowadays, which made this a very good read indeed.
December 27, 2021
A light read that says more than just the words on the page. 1930s Toronto; our heroine Charlotte Frayne becomes embroiled in two seemingly separate cases which mesh together. Maureen Jennings is a master of the plot, but her characters are well defined and expressive. She draws a vivid picture of the Spadina Avenue rag trade and the traumas suffered by World War 1 veterans, which seep into the daily lives of the people around them. The focus is less on the Paradise Cafe in this entry, but still Jennings bookends the story with events at the Cafe, and she develops her secondary characters effectively. And, I smell a third entry soon, if her last chapter is any indication! I completed this book on the greyest of Toronto slushy damp winter days... Recommend!
December 5, 2022
I enjoyed this. It has things I like and was a well-conceived murder mystery with interesting characters.
I have not been a fan of Maureen Jennings' other books, although I have enjoyed the Murdoch tv show. But I enjoyed the first book in this series and am still liking it with this second book.
One extra feature that I especially like about this series is getting a look at earlier times in my city, Toronto. Seeing what the city was like back then is interesting, although the side plot point of how badly Canada treated its returning veterans was sad, especially considering we aren't much better at that even now in current times.
Overall this was a good entertaining murder mystery and a fast and easy read. I liked this.
I have not been a fan of Maureen Jennings' other books, although I have enjoyed the Murdoch tv show. But I enjoyed the first book in this series and am still liking it with this second book.
One extra feature that I especially like about this series is getting a look at earlier times in my city, Toronto. Seeing what the city was like back then is interesting, although the side plot point of how badly Canada treated its returning veterans was sad, especially considering we aren't much better at that even now in current times.
Overall this was a good entertaining murder mystery and a fast and easy read. I liked this.
January 7, 2021
Charlotte Frayne is hired by Mrs. Jessop to prove that her son, badly injured and disfigured in WWI, did not commit suicide as the police believe. At the same time she is to work undercover at a woman's clothing factory on Spadina Avenue where the owner believes Communists infiltrators are trying to create unrest. When a murder occurs, Charlotte gradually realizes the two cases may be joined. The plot in the book is a little weak, but the historical setting, as with all of Jenning's books, is accurately drawn and makes he books a must read for anyone interested in Toronto history.
February 10, 2021
This was my first foray into Maureen Jennings. I watch Murdoch Mysteries often. I found Charlotte Frayne to be rather endearing The premise had a death rapped up in another. It drew me in, and the plot neatly tied itself up in the end.
I did like learning about the struggles of wounded WW 1 soldiers. I had no idea how awful things were after Armistice Day. I appreciated that viewpoint. It will remind me not to skip another Rembrance Day Ceremony. Hopefully, one will be held this Autumn.
Set in 1936, it gave an accurate description of hard times during The Great Depression.
I did like learning about the struggles of wounded WW 1 soldiers. I had no idea how awful things were after Armistice Day. I appreciated that viewpoint. It will remind me not to skip another Rembrance Day Ceremony. Hopefully, one will be held this Autumn.
Set in 1936, it gave an accurate description of hard times during The Great Depression.
July 25, 2021
I enjoyed this novel although Jennings writing style is not that complex while she has two stories running through this novel. And both are interesting. More important are the themes that she deals with that are a consequence of the war - soldiers unable to fit in after war, suicide, PTSD, working conditions in clothing factories - just to name a few. Charlotte Frayne's character could use more backbone at times.
January 18, 2022
Another great book by Maureen Jennings. I loved how the two mysteries intertwined and overlapped in surprising ways in this second book. It is so impressive how much plot and character development there is in such a short amount of time.
Side note: Gramps is very sweet in this one, and his features were definitely my favorite parts!
Overall, such a great book, and I am excited to read the next one
Side note: Gramps is very sweet in this one, and his features were definitely my favorite parts!
Overall, such a great book, and I am excited to read the next one
December 30, 2020
Very readable. A few coincidences that might stretch belief but all in all the tying together of various storylines worked. A few underused story elements that may be setting up things for future titles in the series. I will definitely watch for those and read them to see if that is the case.
On another note, some poor editing as although I was reading quickly, I caught 5 errors of various kinds. Know this kind of thing really bugs some readers.
On another note, some poor editing as although I was reading quickly, I caught 5 errors of various kinds. Know this kind of thing really bugs some readers.
April 4, 2021
I think I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series, perhaps because there was now more back story to the characters(and to the Paradise Café). This time, Mr. Gilmore was away in late 1930's Europe to bring some people back to Toronto, so Charlotte Frayne was investigating all the cases that arose. It will be interesting to see where the characters & series goes from here.
December 24, 2020
Good historical mystery series
I love historical mysteries and I am pleased to recommend Maureen Jennings new series set in 1936 Toronto. Well written and well plotted, I thought I knew the perpetrators, but I was wrong each time. Good! I don't want to get smug.
I love historical mysteries and I am pleased to recommend Maureen Jennings new series set in 1936 Toronto. Well written and well plotted, I thought I knew the perpetrators, but I was wrong each time. Good! I don't want to get smug.
December 28, 2020
I really love this writer , she has a unique voice and I love the time period. I found this novel a little hard to follow as the murder mysteries she was trying to solve had so many characters overlapping in the story.
April 5, 2021
It's super-fun to step back in time to Toronto, 1936, with Charlotte Frayne and the Paradise Cafe. This excellent follow-up to Heat Wave keeps the pages turning and I'm looking (hopefully) forward to more novels with this character. Enjoy!
April 20, 2021
A delightful mystery from another time with unfortunate realities that are still pertinent today for those returning from active combat. I do think the book could have been titled better, but besides that, it was an enjoyable read.
May 8, 2021
Second in the series, this one deals with the effects of WWI, particularly soldiers who survived and were mutilated. The victim is a man so badly disfigured he rarely went out, because to show his face was frightening to others. Set in Toronto in 1936.
July 24, 2021
I really like reading about this time in history, it is so interesting with the after effects of WWI and WWII looming on the horizon. Also so interesting to read about Toronto at this time in history. I really like Charlotte as a main character, I hope there are more books to come in this series.
April 16, 2022
It's been a while since I have read anything by Maureen Jennings. I enjoy her Murdoch Mysteries, but not this one as much. I like learning about the time period, however. There isn't as much depth to the characters as in a Louise Penny book.
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