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What’s the Matter with Mary Jane?: An Epitome Apartments Mystery
A wise-cracking, grammar-obsessed, pansexual amateur sleuth is thrust into the world of the uber-rich when her enigmatic, now-famous childhood friend breezes back into her life begging for help with a dangerous stalker Our nameless postmodern amateur sleuth is still recovering from her first dangerous foray into detective work when her old friend Priscilla Jane Gill breezes back into her life and begs for help. Pris, now a famous travel writer, fears she's being stalked again after a nearly fatal attack by a deranged fan a year earlier. In Pris's dizzying world of wealth and privilege, nameless meets dreamy but sinister tech billionaire Nathan and his equally unnerving sidekick Chiles. Pris's stalker is murdered outside her book launch, and the shadow of obsession continues to stalk Pris. With no one she can totally trust, nameless knows she's not going to like the answer -- but she delves into her old friend's past, seeking the mastermind behind Pris's troubles before it's too late. Bunnywit does his level best to warn them, but no one else speaks Cat, so background peril transforms into foreground betrayal and murder. In the second installation of the Epitome Apartments Mystery Series, our heroine walks a dangerous path in a world where money is no object and the stakes are higher, and more personal, than ever.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 19, 2021
47 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Candas Jane Dorsey
45 books49 followersCandas Jane Dorsey (born November 16, 1952) is a Canadian poet and science fiction novelist.
Born and still living in Edmonton, Alberta, Dorsey became a writer from an early age, and a freelance writer since 1980. She writes across genre boundaries, writing poetry, fiction, mainstream and speculative, short and long form, arts journalism and arts advocacy. Dorsey has also written television and stage scripts, magazine and newspaper articles, and reviews.
Dorsey currently teaches, does workshops and readings. She has served on the executive board of the Writers' Guild of Alberta and is a founder of SF Canada. In 1988, Dorsey received the Aurora, Canadian science fiction and fantasy award.
Dorsey was editor-in-chief of The Books Collective (River, Slipstream and Tesseract Books) from 1992 through 2005.
- Source: Wikipedia
Born and still living in Edmonton, Alberta, Dorsey became a writer from an early age, and a freelance writer since 1980. She writes across genre boundaries, writing poetry, fiction, mainstream and speculative, short and long form, arts journalism and arts advocacy. Dorsey has also written television and stage scripts, magazine and newspaper articles, and reviews.
Dorsey currently teaches, does workshops and readings. She has served on the executive board of the Writers' Guild of Alberta and is a founder of SF Canada. In 1988, Dorsey received the Aurora, Canadian science fiction and fantasy award.
Dorsey was editor-in-chief of The Books Collective (River, Slipstream and Tesseract Books) from 1992 through 2005.
- Source: Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
April 19, 2023
A really very solid and funny mystery
August 7, 2021
I received an ebook-ARC of this book from Netgalley and ECW Press in exchange for an honest review:
Content warning: stalking, violence
*review contain minor spoilers*
I wanted to like this book much more than I did. While I enjoyed the concept of the book, I found it very hard to follow the narration and writing.
What I liked: the story line- an old college friend shows up, asking for help with a stalker and mysterious past. The nameless narrator agrees to help investigate and gets pulled into her friends world of the super rich. I also liked the short chapters/ sections
What I didn’t like: the narrator gives a sort of stream of consciousness narration of events, but this is extremely hard to follow. She is so preoccupied with grammar and her financial situation, or that of others, that it was easy to get lost and not know who or what she was talking about, or even where she was.
The main character is also described as grammar-obsessed, but this was so frustrating to read. You would be waiting for details about a police investigation while the narrator went on about whether or not “guys” is a gendered term. I found myself bored waiting for the story to get back on track.
The same goes for all of the footnotes in the book. They would include useless information that only served to distract from the main points of the sentence and interrupt the flow of the entire narrative. Whether someone ate 8 or 9 hors d’oeuvres did not add to the story at all, and interrupted an already choppy and hard to follow narrative.
I also did not enjoy the language used at times to describe characters, especially in the case of describing skin tone. The phrase used to describe one POC character’s skin tone was “no cops would kneel on his neck” - I found this to be a very insensitive and made me uncomfortable.
Overall I liked the idea behind this book but the execution fell flat.
Thank you to Netgalley and ECW Press for this ARC
Content warning: stalking, violence
*review contain minor spoilers*
I wanted to like this book much more than I did. While I enjoyed the concept of the book, I found it very hard to follow the narration and writing.
What I liked: the story line- an old college friend shows up, asking for help with a stalker and mysterious past. The nameless narrator agrees to help investigate and gets pulled into her friends world of the super rich. I also liked the short chapters/ sections
What I didn’t like: the narrator gives a sort of stream of consciousness narration of events, but this is extremely hard to follow. She is so preoccupied with grammar and her financial situation, or that of others, that it was easy to get lost and not know who or what she was talking about, or even where she was.
The main character is also described as grammar-obsessed, but this was so frustrating to read. You would be waiting for details about a police investigation while the narrator went on about whether or not “guys” is a gendered term. I found myself bored waiting for the story to get back on track.
The same goes for all of the footnotes in the book. They would include useless information that only served to distract from the main points of the sentence and interrupt the flow of the entire narrative. Whether someone ate 8 or 9 hors d’oeuvres did not add to the story at all, and interrupted an already choppy and hard to follow narrative.
I also did not enjoy the language used at times to describe characters, especially in the case of describing skin tone. The phrase used to describe one POC character’s skin tone was “no cops would kneel on his neck” - I found this to be a very insensitive and made me uncomfortable.
Overall I liked the idea behind this book but the execution fell flat.
Thank you to Netgalley and ECW Press for this ARC
March 14, 2025
This was a firmly middle of the road novel that was very difficult for me to review. On the one hand, the writing is excellent, and I love the author. On the other hand, the plot left a lot to be desired.
So, I LOVED the writing. I loved the main character, their actions and dialogue. There were so many little details in this novel that were delightful and that I thoroughly enjoyed. The descriptions and details were very well done. Some story elements were very clever, and I truly enjoyed (two characters sharing one identity was neat). Nameless main character? Awesome detail.
On the downside, the plot. In some ways there wasn’t any plot! While reading the novel (and enjoying it) I realized that I had no idea what the actual plotline was supposed to be. This was a mystery novel (apparently) but I didn’t know what the mystery actually was, and it didn’t show up until far too late in the novel. The big issue is that the protagonist actually has NOTHING to do with the plotline; their actions don’t drive any of the events of the novel. The protagonist was a passive observer who happened to be present for the events of the novel, and that simply didn’t work for me. Its not compelling. The plot wandered back and forth, the protagonist was a passive observer, and it was a very strange experience.
The plot that did play out was also very underwhelming and disappointing.
-When the love interest was introduced, a mega-rich and super-powerful man who instaloves the protagonist, I expected some twist or ulterior motive but instead it was just a straightforward instalove with a perfect love interest.
-The “bad guy” was so obvious that I assumed it was a red herring, but it turned out that it was indeed simply that obvious. Then, they were also caught very easily and even monologued a slam dunk confession. Between this and the first point, I almost wonder if the twist of this novel is that there wasn’t a twist (and you expect there will be).
-At the end there was a big twist that resolved a loose-end-mystery from earlier in the novel. Unfortunately, I had forgotten all about that minor detail from earlier in the novel, so it was very underwhelming. It also had very little to do with any other part of the story.
Lastly, I’m sad they did away with the love interest from the first novel. Not a big deal, but I wanted to say it!
So, I LOVED the writing. I loved the main character, their actions and dialogue. There were so many little details in this novel that were delightful and that I thoroughly enjoyed. The descriptions and details were very well done. Some story elements were very clever, and I truly enjoyed (two characters sharing one identity was neat). Nameless main character? Awesome detail.
On the downside, the plot. In some ways there wasn’t any plot! While reading the novel (and enjoying it) I realized that I had no idea what the actual plotline was supposed to be. This was a mystery novel (apparently) but I didn’t know what the mystery actually was, and it didn’t show up until far too late in the novel. The big issue is that the protagonist actually has NOTHING to do with the plotline; their actions don’t drive any of the events of the novel. The protagonist was a passive observer who happened to be present for the events of the novel, and that simply didn’t work for me. Its not compelling. The plot wandered back and forth, the protagonist was a passive observer, and it was a very strange experience.
The plot that did play out was also very underwhelming and disappointing.
-When the love interest was introduced, a mega-rich and super-powerful man who instaloves the protagonist, I expected some twist or ulterior motive but instead it was just a straightforward instalove with a perfect love interest.
-The “bad guy” was so obvious that I assumed it was a red herring, but it turned out that it was indeed simply that obvious. Then, they were also caught very easily and even monologued a slam dunk confession. Between this and the first point, I almost wonder if the twist of this novel is that there wasn’t a twist (and you expect there will be).
-At the end there was a big twist that resolved a loose-end-mystery from earlier in the novel. Unfortunately, I had forgotten all about that minor detail from earlier in the novel, so it was very underwhelming. It also had very little to do with any other part of the story.
Lastly, I’m sad they did away with the love interest from the first novel. Not a big deal, but I wanted to say it!
July 14, 2021
Dorsey’s nameless Canadian freeloving amateur detective is back. Arranged to yet another poem as is the gimmick with this series, the story introduces the ever adamantly bisexual protagonist to a complicated love triangle of her former friend, Pris, of some two decades ago and her two companions, a short famous tech billionaire and his tall sidekick.
There’s a murder to begin with, a murder of Pris’ stalker. So technically it is a mystery. But it isn’t much of a detective story. The nameless protagonist doesn’t actually have (or wants to) much with what’s going on, more like the events occur all around here and she narrates them and sorts them out. At best. Just to prove her bisexual (making fun of it, because in the first book she would not shut up about it) stripes, she embarks of a passionate affair with the billionaire. So it’s a tangled web of deceit among friends that she eventually must find her way out of. Because money. Greed. Etc.
That’s basically it. The return trip to the Epitome (pronounced funny) apartments and the easy breezy charm of the tales of their owner’s life.
I didn’t love the first book, it was kinda cute and a quick read. This one was very much more of the same, but knowing what to expect actually enhanced the reading enjoyment somewhat, so there was that. If you haven’t read book one, book two does a pretty good job of summarizing its predecessor. Should you read either of the books? Well…it’s a why not kinda thing.
If you’re a huge fan of smart alecky pansexual narrators with penchants for proper grammar and casual approach to romance who tend to step into crime doodoo now and again…go for it. Very light fare, this book tends to alternate between cute and cutesy (footnotes and all) and occasional slip and slide into tiresomeness. Quick, fairly entertaining read. Thanks Netgalley.
There’s a murder to begin with, a murder of Pris’ stalker. So technically it is a mystery. But it isn’t much of a detective story. The nameless protagonist doesn’t actually have (or wants to) much with what’s going on, more like the events occur all around here and she narrates them and sorts them out. At best. Just to prove her bisexual (making fun of it, because in the first book she would not shut up about it) stripes, she embarks of a passionate affair with the billionaire. So it’s a tangled web of deceit among friends that she eventually must find her way out of. Because money. Greed. Etc.
That’s basically it. The return trip to the Epitome (pronounced funny) apartments and the easy breezy charm of the tales of their owner’s life.
I didn’t love the first book, it was kinda cute and a quick read. This one was very much more of the same, but knowing what to expect actually enhanced the reading enjoyment somewhat, so there was that. If you haven’t read book one, book two does a pretty good job of summarizing its predecessor. Should you read either of the books? Well…it’s a why not kinda thing.
If you’re a huge fan of smart alecky pansexual narrators with penchants for proper grammar and casual approach to romance who tend to step into crime doodoo now and again…go for it. Very light fare, this book tends to alternate between cute and cutesy (footnotes and all) and occasional slip and slide into tiresomeness. Quick, fairly entertaining read. Thanks Netgalley.
December 26, 2021
What's the matter with Mary Jane is the second in the Epitome Apartments mystery series.
It follows a woman who has just helped solve a murder for her friend Hep with the help of some friends. She is contacted by an old acquaintance Pris who believes she is being followed by someone.
After some weird situations such as Pris disappearing, a man being killed and someone else being pushed down the stairs there is definitely something suspicious going on.
The book has a lot more mystery than the first one and definitely leaves you wondering what is going on and who is following Pris. We are also introduced to some new characters including Nathan and Chile's and ofcourse some of our old friends from book one make an appearance.
These books definitely are an acquired taste, I don't think they would quite work for everyone. However I really liked this one.
The diversity of characters in this authors books are brilliant and her style of writing is interesting.
The narrator, Neta Jones does a fabulous job in this book. I listened to it at 1.5x.
Overall the book was an enjoyable listen and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in book three.
It follows a woman who has just helped solve a murder for her friend Hep with the help of some friends. She is contacted by an old acquaintance Pris who believes she is being followed by someone.
After some weird situations such as Pris disappearing, a man being killed and someone else being pushed down the stairs there is definitely something suspicious going on.
The book has a lot more mystery than the first one and definitely leaves you wondering what is going on and who is following Pris. We are also introduced to some new characters including Nathan and Chile's and ofcourse some of our old friends from book one make an appearance.
These books definitely are an acquired taste, I don't think they would quite work for everyone. However I really liked this one.
The diversity of characters in this authors books are brilliant and her style of writing is interesting.
The narrator, Neta Jones does a fabulous job in this book. I listened to it at 1.5x.
Overall the book was an enjoyable listen and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in book three.
June 3, 2023
“When I started writing this book I had no idea where it would go” - yes, we can tell.
I was originally going to give it 2 stars as I actually liked the plot and premise of this but all the characters were so annoying but you can tell that the writer only intended for one to be.
This was genuinely painful to get through.
The main character is a terrible person, some of her comments are actually shocking. I have no idea how old she is - she’s written as both some young person who is really up to date with everything but also like a 50 year old who’s really out of touch.
As I was reading it I thought - oh this book must have been written in like 2010 but I checked and it came out in 2021.
I was originally going to give it 2 stars as I actually liked the plot and premise of this but all the characters were so annoying but you can tell that the writer only intended for one to be.
This was genuinely painful to get through.
The main character is a terrible person, some of her comments are actually shocking. I have no idea how old she is - she’s written as both some young person who is really up to date with everything but also like a 50 year old who’s really out of touch.
As I was reading it I thought - oh this book must have been written in like 2010 but I checked and it came out in 2021.
May 16, 2023
I made it to 60%, just can't finish this book. It's all over the place and doesn't hold my interest. Author uses an idiom and after goes on to define it. That pretty much did it for me. Use them and continue on, if you feel your readers need idioms explained - don't put them in or just don't assume your readers don't understand.
December 28, 2023
Funny and quirky. Liked the idiosyncrasies of the narrator. Main downfall was there was too much cop praise.
April 25, 2023
Maybe I'm too old, but this book featuring a wise-cracking protagonist lacked any attraction for me. There was no depth. But a good imagination lurked under the constant "aren't I clever" quips of the characters.
November 14, 2024
Just because you know $5 words, doesn’t mean you have to put them in your book.
March 19, 2023
I am really enjoying these. The snarky, clever narrator/protagonist, the inclusive cast, and the unexpected mysteries. More!
July 16, 2023
PLEASE say it faster
dnf
September 26, 2021dnf on page 61
no star rating as edelweiss does not insist on it
trigger warning
When an old friend visits, things are different, not only because so many years have passed since they've last seen each other. Pris was assaulted a while back, and still suffers from it. So now she wants our protagonist to look into it.
I was not aware as I requested this that this is part of a series, but it didn't matter that much. Our protagonist already proved her sleuthing skills a while back, and it's refered to, but it does not complicate things if you didn't read that one.
It was not the reason for the dnf.
My problems were more with the writing. We have a first person narrator, and she uses a heckton of names, often affixing tm or r-in-circle to them, but not every single time. There is no rhyme or reason to it, and it's annoying because it kicked me out of the narration.
I liked the footnotes, which add more character to the story, but it already had too much character - since the main selling point of this seems to be that our protagonist is a recluse who doesn't connect to the world around her, up to a point at which she had to be forced to get a cellphone and to use it. She tells you that yes, she's slowly arriving in the twenty first century, thanks for asking. She makes thaaat big deal out of it, it's a point of pride for her that she resisted chance for so long. Apparently she is out of the loop on certain topics, and tells you what she got from her research, but in conversation lets drop more data she told you she isn't aware of.
It's inconsistent. It does not work. It does not feel like good writing.
The chapters are ultra short, sometimes not even lasting a page, so the author can treat you to a headline they're so excited about.
I think either you get on with this writing or you don't and I fall into the latter category. The next two hundred pages would have been no fun and in all likelyhood would not have changed my opinion, so I am drawing the line here.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
no star rating as edelweiss does not insist on it
trigger warning
When an old friend visits, things are different, not only because so many years have passed since they've last seen each other. Pris was assaulted a while back, and still suffers from it. So now she wants our protagonist to look into it.
I was not aware as I requested this that this is part of a series, but it didn't matter that much. Our protagonist already proved her sleuthing skills a while back, and it's refered to, but it does not complicate things if you didn't read that one.
It was not the reason for the dnf.
My problems were more with the writing. We have a first person narrator, and she uses a heckton of names, often affixing tm or r-in-circle to them, but not every single time. There is no rhyme or reason to it, and it's annoying because it kicked me out of the narration.
I liked the footnotes, which add more character to the story, but it already had too much character - since the main selling point of this seems to be that our protagonist is a recluse who doesn't connect to the world around her, up to a point at which she had to be forced to get a cellphone and to use it. She tells you that yes, she's slowly arriving in the twenty first century, thanks for asking. She makes thaaat big deal out of it, it's a point of pride for her that she resisted chance for so long. Apparently she is out of the loop on certain topics, and tells you what she got from her research, but in conversation lets drop more data she told you she isn't aware of.
It's inconsistent. It does not work. It does not feel like good writing.
The chapters are ultra short, sometimes not even lasting a page, so the author can treat you to a headline they're so excited about.
I think either you get on with this writing or you don't and I fall into the latter category. The next two hundred pages would have been no fun and in all likelyhood would not have changed my opinion, so I am drawing the line here.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
August 14, 2021
What a lovely change!! a different twist on the norm for a psychological thriller. Fast paced, funny and sometimes a little fun. You follow the nameless amateur sleuth, who has been recovering from injuries she got from a previous mystery she was involved in.
Of course, she gets herself caught into a whole new mystery.
Along the way, you meet a whole bunch of characters who add their own layers to the story creating an amazing whodunnit. (Not to mention Bunnywit, who does his best to warn people, but no one understands his niaows!!)
This book had a very different feel than a lot of the thrillers or mysteries I'm used to reading. It's refreshing to have more humour and even though it is a murder mystery, it's not an extremely heavy read.
A great strong, female lead character, kicking ass and helping to solve crimes. Doesn't that sell it to you already? (PS, please write more in this series!!)
Of course, she gets herself caught into a whole new mystery.
Along the way, you meet a whole bunch of characters who add their own layers to the story creating an amazing whodunnit. (Not to mention Bunnywit, who does his best to warn people, but no one understands his niaows!!)
This book had a very different feel than a lot of the thrillers or mysteries I'm used to reading. It's refreshing to have more humour and even though it is a murder mystery, it's not an extremely heavy read.
A great strong, female lead character, kicking ass and helping to solve crimes. Doesn't that sell it to you already? (PS, please write more in this series!!)
December 23, 2021
This was my first audiobook ever! It really helped make traveling seem to go by quicker during this holiday season. I loved the personalities of the characters, and the twists and turns later on in the book. I had a hard time getting into the story at the beginning and at some points in the middle. The plot was interesting, however I felt like there were a quite a few unnecessary chapters, with the narrator going on unrelated rants. Overall, I enjoyed the main plot points and would consider reading the other books in the series!
March 5, 2023
Stupid story from beginning to end. Everybody slept with everyone else or apparently all were bisexual, from cops to robbers. Nathan was too sweeeeet to be true and left it all to a woman he’d known a few weeks who was going to become a do-godet on his dime? I list it with the two cops in the coat closet but. No real suspense, and too much cat meowing.
There was no purpose to the narrator’s owning the apartment building. And the author gets off on not giving the character a name. Twee. Lots of details just didn’t add to the story.
There was no purpose to the narrator’s owning the apartment building. And the author gets off on not giving the character a name. Twee. Lots of details just didn’t add to the story.
April 25, 2023
DNF'd about halfway through. The main character is alright, but the way this is written is pretty bad... The author introduces a lot of characters, dolling out facts left and right and then maybe mentions the characters once again.
The murder happens like 40% through the book... Two of the characters immediately get together after the murder and of course one of them is a rich white dude.
Tbh I'm sorry I even spent the hours listening to this on audiobook. Could've done something better.
The murder happens like 40% through the book... Two of the characters immediately get together after the murder and of course one of them is a rich white dude.
Tbh I'm sorry I even spent the hours listening to this on audiobook. Could've done something better.
September 16, 2023
This is soo bad. I had to stop reading after 1 hour at 1.5 speed.
Was really intrigued by the blurb. And the positive comments here. But I can’t stand to listen to this anymore, it’s soul-crushingly bad.
Was really intrigued by the blurb. And the positive comments here. But I can’t stand to listen to this anymore, it’s soul-crushingly bad.
July 25, 2023
I found myself wishing the main character had been murdered so it wouldn’t have to read her endless, unnecessary tangents.
November 30, 2025
NFM, at all. Huge fan of the previous book, 'Isabel'; this doesn't measure up imo.
This, at its core, is another 'follow-the-money' and 'find the psychotics' journey. Not enjoying the characters in this one, nor the interactions.
As disappointing as "Isabel" was refreshing. NFM on too many levels.
This, at its core, is another 'follow-the-money' and 'find the psychotics' journey. Not enjoying the characters in this one, nor the interactions.
As disappointing as "Isabel" was refreshing. NFM on too many levels.
Read
February 25, 2022WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH JANE may be considered as the thinking person’s mystery. It is not like the traditional mystery, rather one where nothing is black and white, rather things taking place on the periphery of the plot.
Candas Jane Dorsey is a poet and science-fiction novelist. This is the second book in the Epitome Apartments Mystery Series. Not having read the first book I cannot make a comparison, but if the first was anywhere as likable as this one, then it is very tempting to check out book one.
The book is narrated by a nameless detective, who does what she does best, looking into the world of crime. Just because she is fairly new in the sleuthing business, does not mean she cannot deduce a crime and assess it from all angles. She must use those powers of deduction to help an old friend by the name of Pris (Priscilla). Pris believes she is being followed by a stalker, and that her life is definitely in grave danger. She came close to death when someone tried to kill her a year earlier. Pris is a travel writer, and she has manages to gain a notable following, but not everyone is simply a fan. Some are fanatics, and that can be lethal. But as it turns out, her stalker is murdered. Did someone stalk the stalker, and why was that person murdered?
But Pris is far from safe, causing the unnamed sleuth to try and discover why Pris has been a target more than once. Along the way the sleuth meets some rather interesting people, some who are honorable and some with ulterior motives. But perhaps the character that stole the show in the book was Bunnywit the cat, whose constant refrain is “Niaow niaow.” It is cat speak for helping Unnamed with her missions and decision in life. It makes the book interesting reading, amusing and serious, but always reader friendly.
Candas Jane Dorsey is a poet and science-fiction novelist. This is the second book in the Epitome Apartments Mystery Series. Not having read the first book I cannot make a comparison, but if the first was anywhere as likable as this one, then it is very tempting to check out book one.
The book is narrated by a nameless detective, who does what she does best, looking into the world of crime. Just because she is fairly new in the sleuthing business, does not mean she cannot deduce a crime and assess it from all angles. She must use those powers of deduction to help an old friend by the name of Pris (Priscilla). Pris believes she is being followed by a stalker, and that her life is definitely in grave danger. She came close to death when someone tried to kill her a year earlier. Pris is a travel writer, and she has manages to gain a notable following, but not everyone is simply a fan. Some are fanatics, and that can be lethal. But as it turns out, her stalker is murdered. Did someone stalk the stalker, and why was that person murdered?
But Pris is far from safe, causing the unnamed sleuth to try and discover why Pris has been a target more than once. Along the way the sleuth meets some rather interesting people, some who are honorable and some with ulterior motives. But perhaps the character that stole the show in the book was Bunnywit the cat, whose constant refrain is “Niaow niaow.” It is cat speak for helping Unnamed with her missions and decision in life. It makes the book interesting reading, amusing and serious, but always reader friendly.
October 27, 2021
Actually 3 1/2 stars
This is my honest and unbiased review of “What’s the Matter with Mary Jane: An Epitome Apartments Mystery” by Candas Jane Dorsey, an ARC of which was provided to me by ECW Press.
I liked this book; part mystery, part thriller, part love story ... but mostly fun.
The unnamed protagonist of a certain (yet uncertain) age has a world view that, well.... entertains. Being a bit of a grammar stickler myself, I loved her scorn for modern day mutilation of the English language committed mostly, but not exclusively, by those of a younger cohort. The story is littered with pop culture references and quirky little footnotes, which I also enjoyed.
The plot was just plain weird .... and often a little vague, but the telling of it was unique and engaging.
Here’s an interesting little footnote of my own (and this is the honest-to-goodness truth): I started reading this novel without having read any of the publisher’s notes on the back cover. My first thought (after a few pages) was that this story reminded me a little of a “Lisbeth Salander” mystery/thriller but without all the graphic sexual violence and gore. To my surprise, when I finally did get around to reading the reviews of Candas Jane Dorsey’s first novel in the Epitome series “The Adventures of Isabel”, there it was, staring me right in the face, a direct comparison to it! Just Sayin’.
This is my honest and unbiased review of “What’s the Matter with Mary Jane: An Epitome Apartments Mystery” by Candas Jane Dorsey, an ARC of which was provided to me by ECW Press.
I liked this book; part mystery, part thriller, part love story ... but mostly fun.
The unnamed protagonist of a certain (yet uncertain) age has a world view that, well.... entertains. Being a bit of a grammar stickler myself, I loved her scorn for modern day mutilation of the English language committed mostly, but not exclusively, by those of a younger cohort. The story is littered with pop culture references and quirky little footnotes, which I also enjoyed.
The plot was just plain weird .... and often a little vague, but the telling of it was unique and engaging.
Here’s an interesting little footnote of my own (and this is the honest-to-goodness truth): I started reading this novel without having read any of the publisher’s notes on the back cover. My first thought (after a few pages) was that this story reminded me a little of a “Lisbeth Salander” mystery/thriller but without all the graphic sexual violence and gore. To my surprise, when I finally did get around to reading the reviews of Candas Jane Dorsey’s first novel in the Epitome series “The Adventures of Isabel”, there it was, staring me right in the face, a direct comparison to it! Just Sayin’.
February 12, 2023
This is the second book in the Epitome Apartments series. Our Nameless narrator inherits funds and used the money to buy and refurbish the apartment house that she had grown up in. Nameless just wants to live a plain uneventful life. When her college roommate (Priscilla Jane Gill) learns that Nameless had saved the life of a mutual friend, Pris decides to ask her to save her from a stalker. Nameless is urged to take the case by two tech billionaires—one tall and one short. The team identifies and eliminates the stalker, but Pris finds out that the harassment is not.
With the help of the Police—especially Rodger who is also a friend and her irascible cat known as Bunniwit has the answers to all the questions, if only Nameless had just paid attention. The own voice narration with the Main Character was a devise made the style fun but the opinion of everything se due to this. The characters were rather one dimensional and didn’t improve much over the course of the story. The mystery wasn’t much of a mystery. The language was somewhat entertaining. However the protagonist was funny. The cat was the star of the story and I was in the mood for a change and something silly so I have given the book a 3 star rating, Recommend to readers who enjoy mystery, crime, LGBT, thrillers and silly.
With the help of the Police—especially Rodger who is also a friend and her irascible cat known as Bunniwit has the answers to all the questions, if only Nameless had just paid attention. The own voice narration with the Main Character was a devise made the style fun but the opinion of everything se due to this. The characters were rather one dimensional and didn’t improve much over the course of the story. The mystery wasn’t much of a mystery. The language was somewhat entertaining. However the protagonist was funny. The cat was the star of the story and I was in the mood for a change and something silly so I have given the book a 3 star rating, Recommend to readers who enjoy mystery, crime, LGBT, thrillers and silly.
August 29, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press for providing me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
This second installment in the Epitome Apartments Mystery series was nearly as fun as the first! It kept me on the edge of my seat and was gripping from beginning to end. I wasn't sure if the chapter naming conventions and similar gimmicky aspects of the narration such as the snark and the deep love of grammar were going to carry over well into a second book but I was pleasantly surprised. I really like the narrator of this series. She is an unnamed amateur sleuth who is ethically non-monogamous and pansexual. I love that representation and then add to it her dry sense of humor and instance on good grammar; I'm so glad I fund this series! I'm already eagerly awaiting a third installment!
This second installment in the Epitome Apartments Mystery series was nearly as fun as the first! It kept me on the edge of my seat and was gripping from beginning to end. I wasn't sure if the chapter naming conventions and similar gimmicky aspects of the narration such as the snark and the deep love of grammar were going to carry over well into a second book but I was pleasantly surprised. I really like the narrator of this series. She is an unnamed amateur sleuth who is ethically non-monogamous and pansexual. I love that representation and then add to it her dry sense of humor and instance on good grammar; I'm so glad I fund this series! I'm already eagerly awaiting a third installment!
August 9, 2023
3.75 stars rounded up
This was an odd, quirky book that was still humorously intriguing. The beginning 25% of the book was a miasma, seemingly random events involving a confusion of people who meant nothing.
Being in the MC’s head, floating among their stream of consciousness, didn’t help matters. It wasn’t until the introduction of Bunnywit that I found a figurative handhold to grab onto. Kinship been Feline Caretakers and all that.
As the book progressed, so did my enjoyment. Yes, there were long winded rivers of consciousness and the odd detail niggling, but I’m used to them.
The ending was a more than a little far fetched, as well as stretched, but still enjoyable.
I still have no idea what the title has to do with the book, although several chapters repeated it.
I’ve decided it’s a Canadian thing and an just going with it.
This was an odd, quirky book that was still humorously intriguing. The beginning 25% of the book was a miasma, seemingly random events involving a confusion of people who meant nothing.
Being in the MC’s head, floating among their stream of consciousness, didn’t help matters. It wasn’t until the introduction of Bunnywit that I found a figurative handhold to grab onto. Kinship been Feline Caretakers and all that.
As the book progressed, so did my enjoyment. Yes, there were long winded rivers of consciousness and the odd detail niggling, but I’m used to them.
The ending was a more than a little far fetched, as well as stretched, but still enjoyable.
I still have no idea what the title has to do with the book, although several chapters repeated it.
I’ve decided it’s a Canadian thing and an just going with it.
April 26, 2023
There was a lot to like about this book. The interweaving of mystery and social justice was compelling. I love reading books with LGBTQ+ characters where their identity isn't THE story. This is what true representation is about. I find this compelling, and I applaud it! I think where it fell short for me was the actual mystery part of the story. I picked out the "bad guy" from probably the first or second scene in which they appeared, and it's not because I'm such a great detective. It's not that there weren't some twists; there were (no spoilers), but overall, it was pretty formulaic. I also wasn't a huge fan of the short-chapter, break-the-fourth-wall style of writing. Just not my thing. Not a bad read; just not my style.
February 28, 2024
I wanted to like this. I thought it might be like the Psychic Songstress (or Klairvoyent Karaoke) books.
Alas, it was not.
The "mystery" made NO sense, and it was all barfed out in the end. I didn't understand any of the pairings, as none seemed real...and the whole thing was a little too insular. I'm obviously not the target demographic.
All those progressive policy for cleaning people out of the streets have failed miserably everywhere. Read San Fransicko.
I assume the narrator lives somewhere in Alberta, but I can think of any place where 1.5 M bucks can get one a whole apartment building and the lot next door. And I tell ya, I will never live in a neighbourhood with supportive housing. I see how it looks around those places in my town. It's a mess.
The smart paper seem cool. So does the Abyssinian cat.
Alas, it was not.
The "mystery" made NO sense, and it was all barfed out in the end. I didn't understand any of the pairings, as none seemed real...and the whole thing was a little too insular. I'm obviously not the target demographic.
All those progressive policy for cleaning people out of the streets have failed miserably everywhere. Read San Fransicko.
I assume the narrator lives somewhere in Alberta, but I can think of any place where 1.5 M bucks can get one a whole apartment building and the lot next door. And I tell ya, I will never live in a neighbourhood with supportive housing. I see how it looks around those places in my town. It's a mess.
The smart paper seem cool. So does the Abyssinian cat.
July 11, 2021
(i got sent this book from netgalley to read and review so thank you netgalley!!)
i enjoyed this book, but there were a couple turnoffs for me. one, some of the language was offensive because it used serious terms in a joking manner. this was really frustrating because although the book has an interesting premise, this made it really hard to enjoy the book. as well, the way the book was written and formatted didn’t make much sense, and sort of jumped from sentence to sentence. it left the book feeling very incomplete. i liked the idea of the book, but ultimately these problems led me to give it this review
i enjoyed this book, but there were a couple turnoffs for me. one, some of the language was offensive because it used serious terms in a joking manner. this was really frustrating because although the book has an interesting premise, this made it really hard to enjoy the book. as well, the way the book was written and formatted didn’t make much sense, and sort of jumped from sentence to sentence. it left the book feeling very incomplete. i liked the idea of the book, but ultimately these problems led me to give it this review
February 22, 2023
We listened to this book on a ride to visit relatives, and it passed the time nicely. I was unaware of the author and therefore also of the other books in the Epitome Apartments series. As a mystery, it kept me intrigued. I also liked the smart alecky attitude of the protagonist, who was never identified and is referred to as "nameless" in reviews. This story involves a famous travel writer who seeks help from nameless as she is being stalked. Two fabulously wealthy tech inventors are friends of hers, and become part of the story. It was a fun and interesting book, but nothing very special.
April 17, 2023
An annoying amount of foreshadowing done in an artless way, some surprising sentences that snuck past the editor, and from “I didn’t like cops either but then I got to know them and now my bestie is a cop” to “most cops are good, there’s only a few bad cops and the hood cops hate those assholes” while also a heavy dose of neo-lib capitalism stanning boring nonsense “oh all this money showed up in my account!” and “he’s a billionaire but wants to work on ending poverty”. And the actual “mystery” itself isn’t so much a mystery as “this happened and then this happened and then this happened”. The relationships feel one dimensional and shallow and characters aren’t dynamic or compelling.
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