What do you think?
Rate this book
A Homefront News Mystery #1
Front Page Murder
In this World War II-era historical mystery series debut by Joyce St. Anthony, small-town editor Irene Ingram has a nose for news and an eye for clues.
Irene Ingram has written for her father’s newspaper, the Progress Herald, ever since she could grasp a pencil. Now she’s editor in chief, which doesn’t sit well with the men in the newsroom. But proving her journalistic bona fides is the least of Irene’s worries when crime reporter Moe Bauer, on the heels of a hot tip, turns up dead at the foot of his cellar stairs.
An accident? That’s what Police Chief Walt Turner thinks, and Irene is inclined to agree until she finds the note Moe discreetly left on her desk. He was on to a big story, he wrote. The robbery she’d assigned him to cover at Markowicz Hardware turned out to be something far more devious. A Jewish store owner in a small, provincial town, Sam Markowicz received a terrifying message from a stranger. Moe suspected that Sam is being threatened not only for who he is…but for what he knows.
Tenacious Irene senses there’s more to the Markowicz story, which she is all but certain led to Moe’s murder. When she’s not filling up column inches with the usual small-town fare—locals in uniform, victory gardens, and scrap drives—she and her best friend, scrappy secretary Peggy Reardon, search for clues. If they can find the killer, it’ll be a scoop to stop the presses. But if they can’t, Irene and Peggy may face an all-too-literal deadline.
Irene Ingram has written for her father’s newspaper, the Progress Herald, ever since she could grasp a pencil. Now she’s editor in chief, which doesn’t sit well with the men in the newsroom. But proving her journalistic bona fides is the least of Irene’s worries when crime reporter Moe Bauer, on the heels of a hot tip, turns up dead at the foot of his cellar stairs.
An accident? That’s what Police Chief Walt Turner thinks, and Irene is inclined to agree until she finds the note Moe discreetly left on her desk. He was on to a big story, he wrote. The robbery she’d assigned him to cover at Markowicz Hardware turned out to be something far more devious. A Jewish store owner in a small, provincial town, Sam Markowicz received a terrifying message from a stranger. Moe suspected that Sam is being threatened not only for who he is…but for what he knows.
Tenacious Irene senses there’s more to the Markowicz story, which she is all but certain led to Moe’s murder. When she’s not filling up column inches with the usual small-town fare—locals in uniform, victory gardens, and scrap drives—she and her best friend, scrappy secretary Peggy Reardon, search for clues. If they can find the killer, it’ll be a scoop to stop the presses. But if they can’t, Irene and Peggy may face an all-too-literal deadline.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 8, 2022
85 people are currently reading
508 people want to read
About the author
Joyce St. Anthony
9 books105 followersThis author also writes under the name Joyce Tremel
Joyce was a police secretary for ten years and more than once envisioned the demise of certain co-workers, but settled on writing as a way to keep herself out of jail.
Joyce St. Anthony is the author of the Homefront News Mysteries. The first in the series, FRONT PAGE MURDER, was released on March 8, 2022. DEATH ON A DEADLINE is coming November 8, 2022.
As Joyce Tremel, she is the author of the award winning Brewing Trouble mystery series. The first, TO BREW OR NOT TO BREW was nominated for a 2015 Reviewers’ Choice Award for best amateur sleuth by RT Book Reviews.
The second book in the series TANGLED UP IN BREW, was released 10.4.2016. It was chosen as a "Best Book of 2016" by Kings River Life magazine. It was the winner of the 2016 Reviewers' Choice Award for best amateur sleuth.
A ROOM WITH A BREW, the third book in the series was released in October 2017, and was the winner of the 2017 Reviewers' Choice Award for best amateur sleuth.
Joyce was a police secretary for ten years and more than once envisioned the demise of certain co-workers, but settled on writing as a way to keep herself out of jail.
Joyce St. Anthony is the author of the Homefront News Mysteries. The first in the series, FRONT PAGE MURDER, was released on March 8, 2022. DEATH ON A DEADLINE is coming November 8, 2022.
As Joyce Tremel, she is the author of the award winning Brewing Trouble mystery series. The first, TO BREW OR NOT TO BREW was nominated for a 2015 Reviewers’ Choice Award for best amateur sleuth by RT Book Reviews.
The second book in the series TANGLED UP IN BREW, was released 10.4.2016. It was chosen as a "Best Book of 2016" by Kings River Life magazine. It was the winner of the 2016 Reviewers' Choice Award for best amateur sleuth.
A ROOM WITH A BREW, the third book in the series was released in October 2017, and was the winner of the 2017 Reviewers' Choice Award for best amateur sleuth.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
March 6, 2022
Front Page Murder centres on Irene, a young woman who has been left in charge of the local newspaper while the usual Editor, her father, goes overseas to report on the action of WW2. Set in 1942 in a small town in Pennsylvania the author has plenty of opportunity to comment on the way of life at that time.
Of course all round the world where men were being sent off to fight women were "keeping the home fires burning." Irene is one of these women and she does not find it easy, especially when one of her employees is found dead. The police believe it is an accident but Irene finds clues that there is more to it than that. Her reporter's instincts lead her to look for more details and she uncovers a real mystery.
I liked the character of Irene. She is level headed, sensible and does not necessarily take everyone at face value. Many of the other characters are appealing too and will be worth following in future books in the series. The mystery is clever and does not end up being quite what it appears at the beginning.
Overall this is a good start to a new series and one which will be worth looking out for in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Of course all round the world where men were being sent off to fight women were "keeping the home fires burning." Irene is one of these women and she does not find it easy, especially when one of her employees is found dead. The police believe it is an accident but Irene finds clues that there is more to it than that. Her reporter's instincts lead her to look for more details and she uncovers a real mystery.
I liked the character of Irene. She is level headed, sensible and does not necessarily take everyone at face value. Many of the other characters are appealing too and will be worth following in future books in the series. The mystery is clever and does not end up being quite what it appears at the beginning.
Overall this is a good start to a new series and one which will be worth looking out for in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
March 19, 2022
Dollycas’s Thoughts
When her father enters the war effort as a news correspondent Irene Ingram takes over the editor’s duties at his newspaper, The Progress Herald. The men at the paper are not pleased with the decision but she thinks she can bring them around. All their attention is diverted when one of their own goes missing and then later is found dead of an apparent accident. Irene isn’t buying the police chief’s determination. Moe was following a “big story” but failed to give Irene any details. There are also terrifying things happening around town including the owner of Markowicz Hardware being threatened. Could that be part of Moe’s big story? Irene is determined to find out while reporting on local events. She has found the perfect Watson to her Sherlock too, her father’s, now her secretary and best friend Peggy. They plan to get the scoop and write the killer write into a corner.
I really like the strong woman characters the author has created for this series. During World War II women filled in many jobs as the men went off to war from newspapers to the factories and more. Women were proving they could do jobs as well as men. Irene is a strong confident woman and she has to be to run a newspaper especially when another family member feels they should have been named editor. She is also worrying about her fiancee, a police officer before the war is training and waiting to be deployed.
Peggy is a strong woman too although she is in a more traditional job for her gender. She is always ready to help Irene in any way she can.
Irene interviews women working in a local factory and gets to know one pretty well when she starts boarding with Irene, her mother, and her sister. Irene’s mother has a traditional point of view as well believing all women will gladly return to homemaking after the war. While her thinking isn’t progressive she is strong in her own right keeping a roof over her family’s head and food for them to eat while worrying about her husband and not knowing where he is.
These strong women are surrounded by a variety of characters. Town residents, shopkeepers, factory workers, and managers. All the characters are well written and well developed for the first book in a series. The author has left plenty of room for growth as the series continues.
Ms. St. Anthony blends history and disturbing efforts by some radical groups as the backdrop for a rich mystery. I can tell she did her research by the clear picture she gives readers of what it was like being at home while the war was raging abroad. She weaves together a compelling story with twists and surprises. Irene was like a dog with a bone in her quest for answers. I was completely entertained by her process and fearless attitude even when she found herself in dangerous situations. I really enjoyed that each chapter started with a newspaper headline from The Progress Herald to keep the focus on the theme and the times.
Front Page Murder has set this series off on a fine start. Well-plotted and written with wonderful characters. A good fictional picture of a small town during wartime. I am looking forward to this series continuing with Death on a Deadline where the town of Progress continues to support the war effort.
When her father enters the war effort as a news correspondent Irene Ingram takes over the editor’s duties at his newspaper, The Progress Herald. The men at the paper are not pleased with the decision but she thinks she can bring them around. All their attention is diverted when one of their own goes missing and then later is found dead of an apparent accident. Irene isn’t buying the police chief’s determination. Moe was following a “big story” but failed to give Irene any details. There are also terrifying things happening around town including the owner of Markowicz Hardware being threatened. Could that be part of Moe’s big story? Irene is determined to find out while reporting on local events. She has found the perfect Watson to her Sherlock too, her father’s, now her secretary and best friend Peggy. They plan to get the scoop and write the killer write into a corner.
I really like the strong woman characters the author has created for this series. During World War II women filled in many jobs as the men went off to war from newspapers to the factories and more. Women were proving they could do jobs as well as men. Irene is a strong confident woman and she has to be to run a newspaper especially when another family member feels they should have been named editor. She is also worrying about her fiancee, a police officer before the war is training and waiting to be deployed.
Peggy is a strong woman too although she is in a more traditional job for her gender. She is always ready to help Irene in any way she can.
Irene interviews women working in a local factory and gets to know one pretty well when she starts boarding with Irene, her mother, and her sister. Irene’s mother has a traditional point of view as well believing all women will gladly return to homemaking after the war. While her thinking isn’t progressive she is strong in her own right keeping a roof over her family’s head and food for them to eat while worrying about her husband and not knowing where he is.
These strong women are surrounded by a variety of characters. Town residents, shopkeepers, factory workers, and managers. All the characters are well written and well developed for the first book in a series. The author has left plenty of room for growth as the series continues.
Ms. St. Anthony blends history and disturbing efforts by some radical groups as the backdrop for a rich mystery. I can tell she did her research by the clear picture she gives readers of what it was like being at home while the war was raging abroad. She weaves together a compelling story with twists and surprises. Irene was like a dog with a bone in her quest for answers. I was completely entertained by her process and fearless attitude even when she found herself in dangerous situations. I really enjoyed that each chapter started with a newspaper headline from The Progress Herald to keep the focus on the theme and the times.
Front Page Murder has set this series off on a fine start. Well-plotted and written with wonderful characters. A good fictional picture of a small town during wartime. I am looking forward to this series continuing with Death on a Deadline where the town of Progress continues to support the war effort.
April 4, 2022
Winning new historical mystery series features Irene Ingram as the editor in chief of the local newspaper, filling in for her father who was on troop ship as a correspondent early in WWII. Smart and savvy, she's doing fine even dealing with those who resent her being boss. Well-written with a good understanding of the era and the small details that bring it to life for modern readers. Mystery is relevant to the time period and excellently unfolded. Rounding up from 4 and a half stars.
April 14, 2022
This cozy mystery that doesn’t have much wit, charm, or humor. Irene’s character is pretty one-dimensional and her narration doesn’t show much insight.
I thought the first 100 pages or so were pretty good, but once the characters were set, things slowed to a crawl. I skimmed the last 100 pages.
I don’t feel compelled to read the next in the series.
I thought the first 100 pages or so were pretty good, but once the characters were set, things slowed to a crawl. I skimmed the last 100 pages.
I don’t feel compelled to read the next in the series.
March 3, 2022
Front Page Murder by Joyce St. Anthony is the debut of A Homefront News Mystery series. Irene Ingram has been appointed as the editor-in-chief of the Progress Herald by her father while he is away doing his bit for the war. This change does not sit well with some of the men at the paper, but Irene has been preparing for this since she was a child. When reporter, Moe Bauer goes MIA, Irene stops by his house to check on him. She finds the door open and Moe dead at the bottom of his cellar steps. Police Chief Walt Turner tells her the coroner has ruled Moe’s death an accident, but Irene has her doubts. She found a note to her in Moe’s desk hidden in a book. In Moe’s note, he stated that he was working on a story at the time of his death that was hot and, if he ended up dead, then he got too close and it got him killed. Irene wants to know what Moe was working on and sets out to get answers. Front Page Murder is well-written with a developed main character. I like the plucky Irene Ingram. She is smart, headstrong, determined, and she can handle herself. There is a cast of secondary characters that include her best friend and secretary, Peggy Reardon, Irene’s sister and mother, and the local police chief who will be her father-in-law someday. I thought the author captured the time period very well. I can tell she did her research. I like how she incorporated victory gardens and scrap metal drives into the story as well as the latest war news. I thought the language and attitudes suited the era as well. Men not liking women working or in charge is evident. Discrimination against Jews is in the story. The mystery was interesting. Irene dived into the case. She searched for clues and asked questions around town. She does get assistance from Katherine, a woman boarding with the Ingram’s. There are several suspects in the case, but I felt one stood out. Irene is on the beam and the killer must eliminate her before he takes a powder. The mystery is wrapped up and almost all our questions are answered. I like that the book ends on a happy note. I did feel the pacing was a little slow at times. We follow Irene as she goes about her day-to-day activities (working at the paper, writing articles, dinner with family, etc.). I loved that the author had Irene getting lunch at Woolworth’s (I loved eating there too). There is humor sprinkled throughout the story. Front Page Murder is a swell historical cozy mystery that is a great start to A Homefront News Mysteries. Front Page Murder is a killer diller with a moxie maven, a dishy dame, a cheesy chap, a cockeyed clue, a dead dude who had the dope, an eager beaver sibling, and a crumb killer.
August 30, 2021
Irene is the editor of her small town’s newspaper in Progress, Pennsylvania. She’s working hard to balance her job and friendships and obligations to her family, especially her younger sister.
One of her reporters, Mor, goes missing while chasing down a story, but that not anything new for him, until Irene finds his body. It’s an apparent accidental death, but then it becomes suspicious when Irene finds a note for her saying that if he’s killed, he was targeted. When there’s accidents and issues at a local factory, there’s questions whether this is connected to Moe’s death. Irene, along with her friend Penny work to get to the bottom of this.
This book was so good! It introduced us to an awesome heroine who’s smart and strong and breaking all the WWII area stereotypes of what women are supposed to do. The mystery itself was interesting and there were some nice historical details throughout the book. This wasn’t a particularly fast paced book but it did a nice job fleshing out these characters personalities and I’m hoping this is the start of a series.
One of her reporters, Mor, goes missing while chasing down a story, but that not anything new for him, until Irene finds his body. It’s an apparent accidental death, but then it becomes suspicious when Irene finds a note for her saying that if he’s killed, he was targeted. When there’s accidents and issues at a local factory, there’s questions whether this is connected to Moe’s death. Irene, along with her friend Penny work to get to the bottom of this.
This book was so good! It introduced us to an awesome heroine who’s smart and strong and breaking all the WWII area stereotypes of what women are supposed to do. The mystery itself was interesting and there were some nice historical details throughout the book. This wasn’t a particularly fast paced book but it did a nice job fleshing out these characters personalities and I’m hoping this is the start of a series.
March 16, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this author’s Brewing Trouble Mysteries series (under the name of Joyce Tremel), so I was really eager to read her new historical cozy mystery series set during World War II. Her warm writing voice (which is one of the reasons I loved her previous series) is engaging and draws you right into the main character’s perspective and into the heart of the story.
Irene Ingram is exactly what I would want an intrepid, trail-blazing newspaper editor to be. She’s big-hearted and savvy, confident in her abilities but vulnerable enough to admit she doesn’t have all the answers. She’s also plucky and doesn’t let anyone give her any guff, despite several people who try their best to intimidate her. After all, her father put her in charge of his paper when he went overseas to be a war correspondent so she knows that at least he believes she can do it. And that’s enough for her to stay the course.
I really enjoyed the glimpses of stateside life during the war, some of them given through the newspaper headlines that start each chapter and some through the day-to-day experiences of our main & supporting characters. Along with the mystery, we are also treated to a close-up view of women’s workplace conditions, social issues, popular music, how rations affected everyone, and the general sense of patriotism – of wanting to do something, anything, to help the war effort. All of this is woven naturally throughout the story, so that it enhances the sense of time and place and keeps us grounded in the era as we read … without feeling like an info dump or distracting from the plot.
Speaking of the plot, the murder mystery is full of twists and turns as well as a healthy dose of intrigue. A Jewish shop owner attacked at his place of business. A dead newspaper reporter. A mysterious boarder. A local factory with some unusual accidents. Are these related incidents or separate from each other? Irene and her best friend Peggy are smart investigators (though some things that I thought were obvious seemed to stump them for a bit lol), and I enjoyed their sleuthing methods as well as their friendship. Some of the crime solving turned out as I thought it would while other aspects ended up surprising me.
Bottom Line: Front Page Murder by Joyce St. Anthony combines fascinating history, endearing characters, war-time intrigue, and small town spirit with a murder mystery that will keep you on your toes! Readers will love cheering on Irene in both her professional & sleuthing endeavors, and we tip our collective hats to women like her from that era who paved the way for our own professional opportunities in today’s world. St. Anthony has crafted a compelling read that will not only entertain you but will leave you smarter for it, too. Perfect for WWII history buffs and cozy mystery aficionados!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there are a few mild curse words scattered throughout this novel.
first reviewed on Reading Is My SuperPower
Irene Ingram is exactly what I would want an intrepid, trail-blazing newspaper editor to be. She’s big-hearted and savvy, confident in her abilities but vulnerable enough to admit she doesn’t have all the answers. She’s also plucky and doesn’t let anyone give her any guff, despite several people who try their best to intimidate her. After all, her father put her in charge of his paper when he went overseas to be a war correspondent so she knows that at least he believes she can do it. And that’s enough for her to stay the course.
I really enjoyed the glimpses of stateside life during the war, some of them given through the newspaper headlines that start each chapter and some through the day-to-day experiences of our main & supporting characters. Along with the mystery, we are also treated to a close-up view of women’s workplace conditions, social issues, popular music, how rations affected everyone, and the general sense of patriotism – of wanting to do something, anything, to help the war effort. All of this is woven naturally throughout the story, so that it enhances the sense of time and place and keeps us grounded in the era as we read … without feeling like an info dump or distracting from the plot.
Speaking of the plot, the murder mystery is full of twists and turns as well as a healthy dose of intrigue. A Jewish shop owner attacked at his place of business. A dead newspaper reporter. A mysterious boarder. A local factory with some unusual accidents. Are these related incidents or separate from each other? Irene and her best friend Peggy are smart investigators (though some things that I thought were obvious seemed to stump them for a bit lol), and I enjoyed their sleuthing methods as well as their friendship. Some of the crime solving turned out as I thought it would while other aspects ended up surprising me.
Bottom Line: Front Page Murder by Joyce St. Anthony combines fascinating history, endearing characters, war-time intrigue, and small town spirit with a murder mystery that will keep you on your toes! Readers will love cheering on Irene in both her professional & sleuthing endeavors, and we tip our collective hats to women like her from that era who paved the way for our own professional opportunities in today’s world. St. Anthony has crafted a compelling read that will not only entertain you but will leave you smarter for it, too. Perfect for WWII history buffs and cozy mystery aficionados!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there are a few mild curse words scattered throughout this novel.
first reviewed on Reading Is My SuperPower
October 6, 2022
Front Page Murder, the first book in Joyce St. Anthony’s Homefront News Mystery series, is a pleasant debut. I’m usually iffy on historical cozies, but this one held my attention from beginning to end. This series shows a lot of potential.
Reporter Irene Ingram is thrust into the role of editor-in-chief at the Progress (PA) Herald when her father goes off to the war (World War II). There is more than a bit of resentment from her male coworkers, but Irene handles it professionally. When Moe Bauer, a reporter on the trail of a mysterious “big story,” fails to check in with the paper, Irene goes to his home and finds him deceased at the foot of his staircase. The police deem it an accident, but when Irene finds a note on her desk indicating it may not be, her reporter instincts kick into gear, and she is quickly on the trail of a killer.
There is a lot of mystery connected to this story: the main mystery of Moe’s murder; a mysterious subplot at the local factory; crimes against Jewish workers; and the mystery of Irene’s boarder Katherine Morningside’s past. Each of these mysteries are solid, but what’s impressive is the way they all coalesce into a complete story. The connection builds throughout the book until the exciting climax. While there are a couple of hot button topics (women’s role in the workplace, mistreatment of local Jewish proprietors), they are handled nicely and do not appear overly preachy.
The characters, too, are well-rounded, distinct, and likeable. Irene is smart, dedicated, and determined. Her best friend, Peggy, serves as the perfect “Watson” to Irene’s “Holmes.” Katherine is multi-faceted with a secret that propels the story forward, while Sylvia adds some comic relief to an intense plot. Sam Markowitz’s story is quite touching. There is a significant amount of growth for all the characters, but especially Irene.
The intricate plotline, likeable characters, and hometown feel make Front Page Murder an enjoyable, entertaining read. If you like historical cozies – or even if you don’t -- give Front Page Murder a try. I will be looking forward to the next book in the series.
Note: I received an ARC of Front Page Murder from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. The above is my honest review.
Reporter Irene Ingram is thrust into the role of editor-in-chief at the Progress (PA) Herald when her father goes off to the war (World War II). There is more than a bit of resentment from her male coworkers, but Irene handles it professionally. When Moe Bauer, a reporter on the trail of a mysterious “big story,” fails to check in with the paper, Irene goes to his home and finds him deceased at the foot of his staircase. The police deem it an accident, but when Irene finds a note on her desk indicating it may not be, her reporter instincts kick into gear, and she is quickly on the trail of a killer.
There is a lot of mystery connected to this story: the main mystery of Moe’s murder; a mysterious subplot at the local factory; crimes against Jewish workers; and the mystery of Irene’s boarder Katherine Morningside’s past. Each of these mysteries are solid, but what’s impressive is the way they all coalesce into a complete story. The connection builds throughout the book until the exciting climax. While there are a couple of hot button topics (women’s role in the workplace, mistreatment of local Jewish proprietors), they are handled nicely and do not appear overly preachy.
The characters, too, are well-rounded, distinct, and likeable. Irene is smart, dedicated, and determined. Her best friend, Peggy, serves as the perfect “Watson” to Irene’s “Holmes.” Katherine is multi-faceted with a secret that propels the story forward, while Sylvia adds some comic relief to an intense plot. Sam Markowitz’s story is quite touching. There is a significant amount of growth for all the characters, but especially Irene.
The intricate plotline, likeable characters, and hometown feel make Front Page Murder an enjoyable, entertaining read. If you like historical cozies – or even if you don’t -- give Front Page Murder a try. I will be looking forward to the next book in the series.
Note: I received an ARC of Front Page Murder from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. The above is my honest review.
March 30, 2022
I found this overall pretty boring. Irene isn't compelling enough to carry the narration, a majority of the side characters aren't interesting either, there isn't enough happening, the mystery feels unsubstantially investigated considering the content of it, there's too much focus on the newspaper dealing and various war efforts, and the main villain is obvious. All in all, lackluster. I might check out the second one when it comes out, but it would be kind of low on the list.
June 6, 2022
Irene is running the family newspaper while her Pop is in the South Pacific as a war correspondent and her policeman-fiance is in training with the Army. Some of the staff is not happy about being bossed by a girl, and her mother tries to convince Irene and her kid sister that women belong at home, though they may help out in the war emergency. When mother takes in a genteel boarder who's working at the local factory, Irene gets more involved in what's happening at the town's largest employer, especially when her missing reporter is found dead, having left a note that he's on the trail of a big story . Maybe he was investigating the spurt of anti-Semitism that roiling some of the local Jewish community? Irene takes up the investigation, but she's sure that there's something else wrong going on--and how right she is!
March 10, 2022
I absolutely loved Front Page Murder! From the moment I picked it up, it just gave me that good feeling you get when you know a book is going to be good. It made me feel like I was reading Nancy Drew or Cherry Ames, and believe me, I would still be reading those now if I had the time. It's hard to describe the feeling, but if you've had it, you know what I mean. Front Page Murder just made me happy!
The first thing it's got going for it is the time period. Now, I read a lot of books set during WWII, but almost all of those are set in Europe. The only ones I've read that I can think of that are set in the US are the Molly American Girl books which I read with my daughter Molly when she was little. So, Front Page Murder really gave me a different perspective of the time period. Obviously, if you went to school (at least back when I went), you had American history, so you know the facts. Front Page Murder helped give me the "feel" not just the facts.
Then there are the characters. Irene is a very strong female protagonist. She's editor in chief of the newspaper since her father, the former editor in chief, is a foreign correspondent in the war. The guys have a hard time accepting her as their boss, but she shows them that not only is she good at what she does, she also won't put up with any disrespect. Her friend Peggy answers the phones, gets the advertising, and more at the paper, so she and Irene have plenty of time to talk about the mystery. There are many characters, and they're all very well developed. I'd tell you about all of them, but you need to read Front Page Murder yourself to discover them and this wonderful mystery!
One thing I found amusing was the fact that Irene's mom just assumed that all of the women taking on the men's jobs, since the men are in the service, would willingly give up the jobs and go back to being a housewife or whatever they did before the war. The factory featured in Front Page Murder pays very well, and some of those women aren't about to leave willingly. It was certainly the mindset of the time that women should be in the home.
The mystery in Front Page Murder is well-plotted. We're given just enough clues to discover the culprit(s?). Though I want to say something about the mystery, I can't because it will give something away! You're going to have to read it to see what happens in the mystery.
Front Page Murder is the first book in the Homefront News Mystery Series, so it's the perfect choice for those of you who like starting at the very beginning. Front Page Murder has wonderful characters, a bewildering mystery, and lots of cozy elements. It really did make me feel happy! I hope it does the same for you!
The first thing it's got going for it is the time period. Now, I read a lot of books set during WWII, but almost all of those are set in Europe. The only ones I've read that I can think of that are set in the US are the Molly American Girl books which I read with my daughter Molly when she was little. So, Front Page Murder really gave me a different perspective of the time period. Obviously, if you went to school (at least back when I went), you had American history, so you know the facts. Front Page Murder helped give me the "feel" not just the facts.
Then there are the characters. Irene is a very strong female protagonist. She's editor in chief of the newspaper since her father, the former editor in chief, is a foreign correspondent in the war. The guys have a hard time accepting her as their boss, but she shows them that not only is she good at what she does, she also won't put up with any disrespect. Her friend Peggy answers the phones, gets the advertising, and more at the paper, so she and Irene have plenty of time to talk about the mystery. There are many characters, and they're all very well developed. I'd tell you about all of them, but you need to read Front Page Murder yourself to discover them and this wonderful mystery!
One thing I found amusing was the fact that Irene's mom just assumed that all of the women taking on the men's jobs, since the men are in the service, would willingly give up the jobs and go back to being a housewife or whatever they did before the war. The factory featured in Front Page Murder pays very well, and some of those women aren't about to leave willingly. It was certainly the mindset of the time that women should be in the home.
The mystery in Front Page Murder is well-plotted. We're given just enough clues to discover the culprit(s?). Though I want to say something about the mystery, I can't because it will give something away! You're going to have to read it to see what happens in the mystery.
Front Page Murder is the first book in the Homefront News Mystery Series, so it's the perfect choice for those of you who like starting at the very beginning. Front Page Murder has wonderful characters, a bewildering mystery, and lots of cozy elements. It really did make me feel happy! I hope it does the same for you!
October 16, 2021
Front Page Murder by Joyce St. Anthony is set in a small town in Pennsylvania in 1942. Ms. St. Anthony brought the time period and the community to vivid life throughout the story.
Irene is now editor in chief of the small town newspaper since her father went to cover World War II. I liked Irene as she is determined to do everything she can to make her father proud. Times are changing and women are in the work force now as the men have gone to fight in the war. The societal norms of a woman's place have become more fluid which by many men is not welcome. The mystery highlights these changes as well as the anti-Semitic attitude of some of the radical groups at that time. The plot is smoothly paced with a few highly suspicious characters and a few twists that kept me intrigued as to who may have committed murder and why it was done.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
Irene is now editor in chief of the small town newspaper since her father went to cover World War II. I liked Irene as she is determined to do everything she can to make her father proud. Times are changing and women are in the work force now as the men have gone to fight in the war. The societal norms of a woman's place have become more fluid which by many men is not welcome. The mystery highlights these changes as well as the anti-Semitic attitude of some of the radical groups at that time. The plot is smoothly paced with a few highly suspicious characters and a few twists that kept me intrigued as to who may have committed murder and why it was done.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
November 12, 2022
What an interesting era and backdrop to set a mystery series in. Love anything about the Homefront angle of World War II and this one is particularly interesting because it features women working at jobs formerly dominated by men. Case in point, Irene has taken over her father's position as editor-in-chief of their small town newspaper while he's off working as a war correspondent. And that means she's well situated for sleuthing when her town is riddled by mysteries.
The author has included lots of daily life / culture of the time which was so much fun to read about. (In the tense moments I kept waiting for Irene to whip out her cell phone to call 911 but, alas, she was lucky if she could find a land line somewhere.) The mystery is twisty turny with war time pertinence which made it even more riveting. Excited to start in on the second book, Death on a Deadline (love these titles!)
Of note: Some mild cussing throughout.
The author has included lots of daily life / culture of the time which was so much fun to read about. (In the tense moments I kept waiting for Irene to whip out her cell phone to call 911 but, alas, she was lucky if she could find a land line somewhere.) The mystery is twisty turny with war time pertinence which made it even more riveting. Excited to start in on the second book, Death on a Deadline (love these titles!)
Of note: Some mild cussing throughout.
December 28, 2021
Irene Ingram is the editor in chief for the Progress Herald while her father is away as a war correspondent during WWII.
When crime reporter Moe Bauer is found dead, she (at first) thinks nothing of it. It could have been an accident… But then she finds a note Moe has left behind for her to find.
He claims to have been after a big story, and if anything where to happen to him, it wasn’t an accident…
Irene starts to investigate Moe’s murder and tries to find out what it has to do with other crimes that are happening in their small town.
Very enjoyable murder/mystery!
When crime reporter Moe Bauer is found dead, she (at first) thinks nothing of it. It could have been an accident… But then she finds a note Moe has left behind for her to find.
He claims to have been after a big story, and if anything where to happen to him, it wasn’t an accident…
Irene starts to investigate Moe’s murder and tries to find out what it has to do with other crimes that are happening in their small town.
Very enjoyable murder/mystery!
March 22, 2022
This is the WWII cozy mystery I have been waiting for! The main character was savvy, the writing flowed smoothly and the story kept me reading until the very end. I loved the newspaper headlines at the beginning of every chapter that helped me understand where we were in context to the war. This allowed the story to focus on what was happening at home: women working in factories but still being treated as the weaker sex, all while having to still tend to the home and budgeting for essentials. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and strong female characters.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
October 7, 2021
Such a captivating book!
Perfect mystery, with enough murders to make it awesome plus a tinge of romance, ahh I am in love with this novel!!
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this.
Perfect mystery, with enough murders to make it awesome plus a tinge of romance, ahh I am in love with this novel!!
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this.
January 3, 2023
This book has everything I want in a historical fiction mystery. A strong female lead, a community rallying together for a good cause and the bad guys get what they deserve. Perfect.
May 6, 2022
FRONT PAGE MURDER, the first book in the new Homefront News mystery series by Joyce St. Anthony, focuses on Irene Ingram and life in 1942 small-town Progress, Pennsylvania.
World War II is setting the world ablaze and while her father is off being a war correspondent, Irene has been left in charge (as editor-in-chief) of the Progress (Pa.) Herald newspaper. But things aren't exactly going off without a hitch. Despite being eminently qualified for the position, this is still 1942 and the male reporters aren't exactly thrilled with having a woman in charge.
But refusing to buckle under, Irene is managing not only do her many jobs, but keep everyone else on track as well. However, with news of a man being assaulted at the town's biggest employer, Irene and one of her reporters, Moe Bauer, smell a bigger story. The story threatens to go nowhere because the victim won't talk. The Tabor Ironworks is a big war supplier and he doesn't want to lose his job.
When a local shop owner is faced with anti-Semitic attacks, Moe looks into it and disappears. When he turns up dead, Irene ends up digging into the story on her own. Tracking down answers and peeling back the layers, she soon discovers that something is rotten in Progress and everything seems to come back to Ironworks.
It's a race to find out what's going on and Irene will have to figure out who the killer is without coming face to face with a different kind of deadline.
FRONT PAGE MURDER is a darn good read, both as a mystery unto itself but also as the introductory tale of a new series. Author Joyce St. Anthony does a great job of making you feel like you are in 1942, sprinkling in the right mix of stuff that actually went on during that time alongside "headlines" of articles appearing in the Herald newspaper at the start of each chapter. It serves as a good way to mark the passage of time during the story.
I found myself immediately taken with the cast of characters. With Irene, you have a character that straddles the line between career woman and someone who still worries about helping her mother clean the house on Saturdays. She's great fun to get to know. Curious and not all that likely to be truly be cowed by cranky reporters, a woe-is-me man-baby cousin who thinks he should have her job or the villain(s) in the story, Irene gets you rooting for her pretty quickly.
You almost feel bad about the reporter who is killed because he seemed rather interesting but those still living reporters promise to make things interesting in future installments of the series. You get to know Irene's mother and 14-year-old sister Lily, with each having wildly different outlooks on life in what is their "modern-day". I loved the way St. Anthony revealed traits about Lily that surely wouldn't be encouraged by others back then. I look forward to seeing how she develops Lily down the line.
There's many other characters to discover in the book and I think readers will enjoy getting to know them all. I can't say I'd ever want to live back in 1942, but visiting by way of this mystery series will be well worth the investment.
FRONT PAGE MURDER takes readers back to when the world was quite literally on fire and gives you a fast-moving, yet informative story filled with great characters and a jam-packed plot that still rings so true eight decades later. I loved this story and can't wait to see what Joyce St. Anthony has up her sleeve for Irene in the next book of the series.
World War II is setting the world ablaze and while her father is off being a war correspondent, Irene has been left in charge (as editor-in-chief) of the Progress (Pa.) Herald newspaper. But things aren't exactly going off without a hitch. Despite being eminently qualified for the position, this is still 1942 and the male reporters aren't exactly thrilled with having a woman in charge.
But refusing to buckle under, Irene is managing not only do her many jobs, but keep everyone else on track as well. However, with news of a man being assaulted at the town's biggest employer, Irene and one of her reporters, Moe Bauer, smell a bigger story. The story threatens to go nowhere because the victim won't talk. The Tabor Ironworks is a big war supplier and he doesn't want to lose his job.
When a local shop owner is faced with anti-Semitic attacks, Moe looks into it and disappears. When he turns up dead, Irene ends up digging into the story on her own. Tracking down answers and peeling back the layers, she soon discovers that something is rotten in Progress and everything seems to come back to Ironworks.
It's a race to find out what's going on and Irene will have to figure out who the killer is without coming face to face with a different kind of deadline.
FRONT PAGE MURDER is a darn good read, both as a mystery unto itself but also as the introductory tale of a new series. Author Joyce St. Anthony does a great job of making you feel like you are in 1942, sprinkling in the right mix of stuff that actually went on during that time alongside "headlines" of articles appearing in the Herald newspaper at the start of each chapter. It serves as a good way to mark the passage of time during the story.
I found myself immediately taken with the cast of characters. With Irene, you have a character that straddles the line between career woman and someone who still worries about helping her mother clean the house on Saturdays. She's great fun to get to know. Curious and not all that likely to be truly be cowed by cranky reporters, a woe-is-me man-baby cousin who thinks he should have her job or the villain(s) in the story, Irene gets you rooting for her pretty quickly.
You almost feel bad about the reporter who is killed because he seemed rather interesting but those still living reporters promise to make things interesting in future installments of the series. You get to know Irene's mother and 14-year-old sister Lily, with each having wildly different outlooks on life in what is their "modern-day". I loved the way St. Anthony revealed traits about Lily that surely wouldn't be encouraged by others back then. I look forward to seeing how she develops Lily down the line.
There's many other characters to discover in the book and I think readers will enjoy getting to know them all. I can't say I'd ever want to live back in 1942, but visiting by way of this mystery series will be well worth the investment.
FRONT PAGE MURDER takes readers back to when the world was quite literally on fire and gives you a fast-moving, yet informative story filled with great characters and a jam-packed plot that still rings so true eight decades later. I loved this story and can't wait to see what Joyce St. Anthony has up her sleeve for Irene in the next book of the series.
December 16, 2021
I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Irene Ingram has written for her father’s newspaper, the Progress Herald, ever since she could grasp a pencil. Now she’s editor in chief, which doesn’t sit well with the men in the newsroom. But proving her journalistic bona fides is the least of Irene’s worries when crime reporter Moe Bauer, on the heels of a hot tip, turns up dead at the foot of his cellar stairs.
An accident? That’s what Police Chief Walt Turner thinks, and Irene is inclined to agree until she finds the note Moe discreetly left on her desk. He was on to a big story, he wrote. The robbery she’d assigned him to cover at Markowicz Hardware turned out to be something far more devious. A Jewish store owner in a small, provincial town, Sam Markowicz received a terrifying message from a stranger. Moe suspected that Sam is being threatened not only for who he is…but for what he knows.
Tenacious Irene senses there’s more to the Markowicz story, which she is all but certain led to Moe’s murder. When she’s not filling up column inches with the usual small-town fare—locals in uniform, victory gardens, and scrap drives—she and her best friend, scrappy secretary Peggy Reardon, search for clues. If they can find the killer, it’ll be a scoop to stop the presses. But if they can’t, Irene and Peggy may face an all-too-literal deadline. (Goodreads synopsis)
I have never read anything by Joyce St. Anthony, but I really liked this novel. It reminded me of the Peggy Carter Agent of Shield television series, but less espionage. Irene is another strong woman in a “man’s” job with a couple of her colleagues being disgruntled that she is the boss. It’s so much worse than what women today endure but the remarks are ones that I have heard before. What was interesting was hearing those same remarks from her own mother, despite the father’s wishes. I felt this made the characters more real, personable, for the reader to understand.
I like that each chapter was accompanied with a news headline, and how the war across the ocean still affected North America. The historical pieces helped the narrative flow, but also connected to the mystery. Many individuals aren’t aware that there were some who sympathized with the Nazis living here in the states at the time. Everyone assumed they were only across the way. It is also some beliefs that Roosevelt segregated the wrong ethnicity (Japanese) at the time.
Overall I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars, and will follow Joyce St. Anthony for more about Irene and company.
Irene Ingram has written for her father’s newspaper, the Progress Herald, ever since she could grasp a pencil. Now she’s editor in chief, which doesn’t sit well with the men in the newsroom. But proving her journalistic bona fides is the least of Irene’s worries when crime reporter Moe Bauer, on the heels of a hot tip, turns up dead at the foot of his cellar stairs.
An accident? That’s what Police Chief Walt Turner thinks, and Irene is inclined to agree until she finds the note Moe discreetly left on her desk. He was on to a big story, he wrote. The robbery she’d assigned him to cover at Markowicz Hardware turned out to be something far more devious. A Jewish store owner in a small, provincial town, Sam Markowicz received a terrifying message from a stranger. Moe suspected that Sam is being threatened not only for who he is…but for what he knows.
Tenacious Irene senses there’s more to the Markowicz story, which she is all but certain led to Moe’s murder. When she’s not filling up column inches with the usual small-town fare—locals in uniform, victory gardens, and scrap drives—she and her best friend, scrappy secretary Peggy Reardon, search for clues. If they can find the killer, it’ll be a scoop to stop the presses. But if they can’t, Irene and Peggy may face an all-too-literal deadline. (Goodreads synopsis)
I have never read anything by Joyce St. Anthony, but I really liked this novel. It reminded me of the Peggy Carter Agent of Shield television series, but less espionage. Irene is another strong woman in a “man’s” job with a couple of her colleagues being disgruntled that she is the boss. It’s so much worse than what women today endure but the remarks are ones that I have heard before. What was interesting was hearing those same remarks from her own mother, despite the father’s wishes. I felt this made the characters more real, personable, for the reader to understand.
I like that each chapter was accompanied with a news headline, and how the war across the ocean still affected North America. The historical pieces helped the narrative flow, but also connected to the mystery. Many individuals aren’t aware that there were some who sympathized with the Nazis living here in the states at the time. Everyone assumed they were only across the way. It is also some beliefs that Roosevelt segregated the wrong ethnicity (Japanese) at the time.
Overall I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars, and will follow Joyce St. Anthony for more about Irene and company.
March 8, 2022
Front Page Murder is the first book in the A Homefront News Mystery series by Joyce St. Anthony.
It's months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and Paul Ingram has applied to War Department to be a war correspondent. Shortly before leaving on assignment, he turns the operation of the family newspaper, the Progress Hearld, over to his daughter, Irene, making her editor in chief. Some of the men at the paper are not happy with Paul's decision, but Irene vows to prove them wrong.
Irene learns from the town gossip, Ava, that the Markowicz Hardware across the street was reportedly robbed. Irene assigns Moses(Moe) Bauer to check this out and write up a story for the paper's next issue. Moe was always saying he was working on the next big story, but two days later, when no one had heard from Moe, Irene decided to head to Moe's to see what he was up. When she arrives, she finds the front door open, and when Irene gets no response when calling out, she enters the home. When Irene looks down the basement stairs, she sees the lifeless body of Moe at the bottom of the stairs. Chief Turner and the coroner rule that Moe's death was an accident. Later, Irene will find a note in a book in Moe's desk that says he ends up dead, and it's not an accident.
Being short a reporter is keeping Irene busy. She wants to find the killer of Moe but needs to report on possible sabotage at the Tabor Ironworks in Progress. Tabor Ironworks has recently hired more people to handle the increased production of nuts, bolts, and rivets for the war effort. Katherine, one of these new hires, lives in Irene's mother's home. Irene has moved into her adorable sister Lily's bedroom so Katherine can have her room. Irene would like to ask Katherine about events at Tabor, but she feels Katherine is hiding something. A janitor is beaten up by a fellow employee, injured when a machine fell on him, a fire occurred on the production line, and a member of management died. Irene hopes to discover who is responsible for these occurrences before any more lives are lost.
The book is well-written, plotted, and historically accurate. The characters are interesting, well-developed, and believable. I thought young Lily was particularly adorable, and I look forward to seeing more of her. The author provided news headlines at the beginning of each chapter which were very interesting. I got a chuckle out of a percolator for brewing coffee and obtaining lunch at the Woolworth's lunch counter. I wonder how many readers will need to Google them.
I am anxiously awaiting the next book in this wonderful new series.
It's months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and Paul Ingram has applied to War Department to be a war correspondent. Shortly before leaving on assignment, he turns the operation of the family newspaper, the Progress Hearld, over to his daughter, Irene, making her editor in chief. Some of the men at the paper are not happy with Paul's decision, but Irene vows to prove them wrong.
Irene learns from the town gossip, Ava, that the Markowicz Hardware across the street was reportedly robbed. Irene assigns Moses(Moe) Bauer to check this out and write up a story for the paper's next issue. Moe was always saying he was working on the next big story, but two days later, when no one had heard from Moe, Irene decided to head to Moe's to see what he was up. When she arrives, she finds the front door open, and when Irene gets no response when calling out, she enters the home. When Irene looks down the basement stairs, she sees the lifeless body of Moe at the bottom of the stairs. Chief Turner and the coroner rule that Moe's death was an accident. Later, Irene will find a note in a book in Moe's desk that says he ends up dead, and it's not an accident.
Being short a reporter is keeping Irene busy. She wants to find the killer of Moe but needs to report on possible sabotage at the Tabor Ironworks in Progress. Tabor Ironworks has recently hired more people to handle the increased production of nuts, bolts, and rivets for the war effort. Katherine, one of these new hires, lives in Irene's mother's home. Irene has moved into her adorable sister Lily's bedroom so Katherine can have her room. Irene would like to ask Katherine about events at Tabor, but she feels Katherine is hiding something. A janitor is beaten up by a fellow employee, injured when a machine fell on him, a fire occurred on the production line, and a member of management died. Irene hopes to discover who is responsible for these occurrences before any more lives are lost.
The book is well-written, plotted, and historically accurate. The characters are interesting, well-developed, and believable. I thought young Lily was particularly adorable, and I look forward to seeing more of her. The author provided news headlines at the beginning of each chapter which were very interesting. I got a chuckle out of a percolator for brewing coffee and obtaining lunch at the Woolworth's lunch counter. I wonder how many readers will need to Google them.
I am anxiously awaiting the next book in this wonderful new series.
February 1, 2022
I do not typically read historical cozy mysteries, but Joyce St. Anthony is a pen-name for Joyce Tremel and I was a fan of her short-lived A Brewing Trouble Mystery. So, given that I enjoyed those books, I wanted to support the author in her latest venture. I found this to be a delightful start to a new series. The main character is a bit similar to the main character in her other series in that both of them were women pursuing careers that at the time were very heavily male-dominated. In Front Page Murder, Irene Ingram, the protagonist, takes over as editor-in-chief for the local newspaper. She is taking over for her father, who has left to report on the events of World War II. I like Irene. She is a clever and determined woman, trying to make her father proud. Ms. St. Anthony also touches on the changing societal norms of the time, due to the war along with the rise of anti-Semitic beliefs fueled by some of the more radical groups of this time period.
The mystery was well crafted with a pace that moved along nicely. The author providers her readers with several suspicious characters to consider as the possible killer while throwing in some twists that will keep the reader on their toes. The mystery kept me intrigued and guessing until the reveal.
This is a wonderful start to a new series for this author and I think fans of this time period and/or historical cozy mysteries will be delighted. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were in no way influenced by the manner in which I received this book.
The mystery was well crafted with a pace that moved along nicely. The author providers her readers with several suspicious characters to consider as the possible killer while throwing in some twists that will keep the reader on their toes. The mystery kept me intrigued and guessing until the reveal.
This is a wonderful start to a new series for this author and I think fans of this time period and/or historical cozy mysteries will be delighted. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were in no way influenced by the manner in which I received this book.
May 3, 2022
First sentence: Pop taught me a lot about the newspaper business. Unfortunately, he neglected to tell me the sentence I'd hear most often was That's not how your father would do it.
Premise/plot: Irene Ingram has taken over her father's newspaper business, the Progress Herald. It's a small town; the news is usually equally small. But a series of small-time crimes lead to the ultimate crime...one of the paper's own is murdered while working on a lead to a story. While the Chief of Police initially rules the death accidental, Irene becomes suspicious when she discovers a note on his desk. She decides--for better or worse--to work on the case (and the story) herself until she has enough proof to take it to the police. What she discovers is that not everyone in town is flag-waving, or, as the case may be waving the American flag...
My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I did. I loved the setting--small town America during the second world war. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I love that we get a feel for her life--not just as a detective on one specific case, but her actual life. It makes the story feel more genuine to know that she has grown up in this community, that she has friends, that she has a family that she loves dearly.
I liked that this one is well-peopled; there are plenty of suspects and plenty of clues. Perhaps here and there I got a wee bit confused keeping all the details straight. But I think that is more my fault than the author's fault. Perhaps if I'd read it in one sitting instead of three, I'd have had no trouble keeping track of all the town's residents.
Would recommend to fans of mysteries AND fans of war fiction.
Premise/plot: Irene Ingram has taken over her father's newspaper business, the Progress Herald. It's a small town; the news is usually equally small. But a series of small-time crimes lead to the ultimate crime...one of the paper's own is murdered while working on a lead to a story. While the Chief of Police initially rules the death accidental, Irene becomes suspicious when she discovers a note on his desk. She decides--for better or worse--to work on the case (and the story) herself until she has enough proof to take it to the police. What she discovers is that not everyone in town is flag-waving, or, as the case may be waving the American flag...
My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I did. I loved the setting--small town America during the second world war. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I love that we get a feel for her life--not just as a detective on one specific case, but her actual life. It makes the story feel more genuine to know that she has grown up in this community, that she has friends, that she has a family that she loves dearly.
I liked that this one is well-peopled; there are plenty of suspects and plenty of clues. Perhaps here and there I got a wee bit confused keeping all the details straight. But I think that is more my fault than the author's fault. Perhaps if I'd read it in one sitting instead of three, I'd have had no trouble keeping track of all the town's residents.
Would recommend to fans of mysteries AND fans of war fiction.
March 8, 2022
When I found out that this was a new series from the author of the Brewing Trouble series, which I enjoyed, I knew I had to have a.copy. I wasn't disappointed. The fact that it was also a historical cozy - all the better. The main character, Irene, has grown up in the local newspaper, the Progress Herald, run by her father. With men and women headed for war in Japan and Europe, many women take over their jobs. Irene's father goes to cover the front lines as a correspondent and leaves his daughter in charge. She is more than capable of running the paper especially when one of her reporters is found dead at the bottom of his stairs and the police want to call it an accident and close the case. On top of that investigation ,there is the case involving the robbery at the local hardware store owned by a Jewish man and then there are strange events at the local factory. All cozies have to figure out how to handle the interaction between the amateur sleuth and the local police. The solution works well here - Irene's future father-in-law is the chief of police.
Irene and her best friend who was her father's secretary - and now is Irene's - make a great team. The mystery is well crafted and very satisfying and it had me guessing to the end. I have set aside a spot on my must be read list for the next book in the series, Death on a Deadline coming out November 8, 2022.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Irene and her best friend who was her father's secretary - and now is Irene's - make a great team. The mystery is well crafted and very satisfying and it had me guessing to the end. I have set aside a spot on my must be read list for the next book in the series, Death on a Deadline coming out November 8, 2022.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 17, 2022
A small town in America during the second world war and Irene has taken over from her father who now works as a war correspondent. Her appointment does not go down well with many, who still feel that this taking over of men's jobs is a temporary feature and one which will have to be handed back to the men when they return Her own mother refuses to acknowledge her daughter's contribution as editor of the local paper and painstakingly likes to indicate that what Irene is doing is not quite right.
When one of her correspondents (not the most popular bloke in the office) is found dead in his apartment, and when the local head of police is calling it an accident when everything points to it being very suspicious, Irene starts on her own to investigate the so called accident and stumbles upon several clues which point in just the direction of upto now undiscovered spies in the local company providing employment to many and supplying the American war effort. When Jews are targetted and the Police are still uninvolved, Irene steps up her detection to get to the bottom of
it.
The characters were just right from Irene who was steady and Peggy who supported her throughout, to the mother as well as the other unsavory characters as well.
It is the first of a series and should do well in a series.
When one of her correspondents (not the most popular bloke in the office) is found dead in his apartment, and when the local head of police is calling it an accident when everything points to it being very suspicious, Irene starts on her own to investigate the so called accident and stumbles upon several clues which point in just the direction of upto now undiscovered spies in the local company providing employment to many and supplying the American war effort. When Jews are targetted and the Police are still uninvolved, Irene steps up her detection to get to the bottom of
it.
The characters were just right from Irene who was steady and Peggy who supported her throughout, to the mother as well as the other unsavory characters as well.
It is the first of a series and should do well in a series.
April 9, 2022
We are introduced to a spunky new leading lady in this World War II-era based series. This is a solid start to a series with different segments, each with apparently separate storylines in the beginning.
This small town has all the required characteristics to cause unrest, with unknown people moving in to work in the local factories, especially women since the war has claimed many of the eligible men for its own. In the midst of these changes, Irene has been handed the reins of her father’s newspaper. Her being a woman is uncomfortable for those she is supposed to be the boss of. This is the first plotline, the other is Irene’s family life- with her mother and sister as the central figures. The final part is the mystery itself. There seem to be Nazi Sympathesizers amidst the townsfolk making it hard for the few Jewish residents. This as well as a death or two which are probably unrelated has the newspaper office buzzing.
My rating for the book only means that I mean to wait and watch for the next in the series. I found it easy to read, and finished it in two sittings or so. I only found the introductions of the people of the story a little too heavy-handed, instead of being shown, we were told about certain things (which I have seen sometimes in this genre). This will not be an issue in the next book, because we would already know most of the people! I am looking forward to the next because this is an intriguing setup with a lot of hurdles for regular citizens. The people are all very different and the voices and behaviours stand out as individuals making it worth the reading experience.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
This small town has all the required characteristics to cause unrest, with unknown people moving in to work in the local factories, especially women since the war has claimed many of the eligible men for its own. In the midst of these changes, Irene has been handed the reins of her father’s newspaper. Her being a woman is uncomfortable for those she is supposed to be the boss of. This is the first plotline, the other is Irene’s family life- with her mother and sister as the central figures. The final part is the mystery itself. There seem to be Nazi Sympathesizers amidst the townsfolk making it hard for the few Jewish residents. This as well as a death or two which are probably unrelated has the newspaper office buzzing.
My rating for the book only means that I mean to wait and watch for the next in the series. I found it easy to read, and finished it in two sittings or so. I only found the introductions of the people of the story a little too heavy-handed, instead of being shown, we were told about certain things (which I have seen sometimes in this genre). This will not be an issue in the next book, because we would already know most of the people! I am looking forward to the next because this is an intriguing setup with a lot of hurdles for regular citizens. The people are all very different and the voices and behaviours stand out as individuals making it worth the reading experience.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
April 7, 2022
I met the author at a local bookstore. She was very nice and answered some questions. I bought the book (and got it signed, too) and have enjoyed reading it. Since she is from Western PA, the scenes are very familiar to me. The book is set in a fictional town, but she mentions Pittsburgh and Butler PA. She also mentions some places that would have existed in the 1940s like A & P (a supermarket) and Thrift Drugs. I found the mystery to be interesting and challenging, the characters real and engaging. Irene Ingram lives in the small town of Progress, Pennsylvania, during World War II. She has taken over as editor of the local paper while her father is serving as a war correspondent in the South Pacific and her fiance is in the military. The staff are not all happy with a woman in command. There are some disturbing incidents in town concerning local Jews and one of her reporters turns up dead. Was his death an accident? Irene finds a note that points to a possible murder. I really liked reading a mystery set in my part of the world. I look forward to book 2.
September 5, 2021
Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was hooked from the first two chapters. The author has a way of giving information without getting to wordy. It was just enough detail to compliment the story. The chapters flowed so well that I never felt like I was missing anything. The story came together beautifully, and I was far from disappointed with the conclusion.
Set in the early 40’s, women are entering the workforce to cover the gaps left by men sent to war. 22 year old Irene is running the local paper that is owned by her father, while he is away assisting the war efforts. One of her reporters ends up murdered, and Irene has to get to the bottom of it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was hooked from the first two chapters. The author has a way of giving information without getting to wordy. It was just enough detail to compliment the story. The chapters flowed so well that I never felt like I was missing anything. The story came together beautifully, and I was far from disappointed with the conclusion.
Set in the early 40’s, women are entering the workforce to cover the gaps left by men sent to war. 22 year old Irene is running the local paper that is owned by her father, while he is away assisting the war efforts. One of her reporters ends up murdered, and Irene has to get to the bottom of it.
August 20, 2021
It is May of 1942 and 22 year old Irene Ingram is running her father's newspaper, the Progress Herald, while he is in the Pacific as a war correspondent. She had been writing for the paper, as the home, garden and fashion reporter,. but this is a big promotion for her. Unfortunately, some people at the paper do not like working for a woman and even her mother is not very supportive. Then one of her reporters, Moses Bauer, who tells her he is working on a big story, dies mysteriously. Police Chief Walter Turner, her soon to be father-in-law can find nothing wrong at the scene, though Irene still has her doubts of it being an accident. Soon after some Jewish residents are harassed and there is trouble at the Tabor Ironworks. Irene has her hands full as she tries to piece events together. The characters are interesting, especially Lily, her younger sister. I look forward to the next story. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2022
An EXCELLENT debut to a new cozy series! First off, as someone who loves WW2 era stories, this is right up my alley, and the mystery is excellent. I really liked the characters introduced in the story and I look forward to seeing them in future books. Book 2 can't come soon enough for me.
I received this book through NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
I received this book through NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
February 24, 2022
ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review
I really liked this book. I am a fan of books set during the war, and throw in some murder and mystery and you have me at hello.
This was the perfect blend of mystery, murder and intrigue.
It was a good start to the Homefront series, and I look forward to more in the future.
I really liked this book. I am a fan of books set during the war, and throw in some murder and mystery and you have me at hello.
This was the perfect blend of mystery, murder and intrigue.
It was a good start to the Homefront series, and I look forward to more in the future.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews