Mystery with all the right stuff
345162
Well written mystery ,  full of twists and turns that don't stop until the very end. He builds solid characters and I like this new character David Baldacci has in these last two books, I think here is a new one out that I haven't read yet but I will.  This is a book that leaves you wanting to know the next assignment...
4397286
It's a fun read and like all mysteries, has many angles and twists.
In the end, the mystery is solved although a bit unexpected.
4102692
Mystery meets romance. Clear-cut and like able characters. Surprise twists and a happy ending.
248172
Sort of reminds me in all the good ways of Mary Roberts Reinhart novels.  It's a great mystery presented in a simmpler time when mental deduction and puzzle solving provided the answer rather than making the whole thing just a forensics answer.  Also, plenty of humor.  I hope there are more to come
405243
satisfying mystery, with good twists and turns...I recommend it
3443373
Theres a lot going on here. Fionas father, Malcolm, is a famous investigative journalist while Fiona mostly does fluff pieces. One of the girls from 1950 is an orphaned French girl who spent time in a concentration camp and who disappeared (only her friends thought anything serious happened to hereveryone else assumed she ran away). We end up with two mysteries: who killed Sonia in 1950, and was Fionas sister Deb really killed by her boyfriend Tim 20 years ago? Just to add to it, what role have the occupants of the town and the members of the police force played in all of this?

I found the mysteries to be fascinating and satisfying. There are subtle clues along the way, and Im not ashamed to say I missed some of themthats indicative of a well-crafted narrative, in my opinion. There should be enough information to make you feel like you're getting somewhere while keeping the ultimate clues subtle enough to keep you from feeling bored. Its a tough line to tread.

The story did a good job with the ghost of Mary Hand. Theres definitely something inexplicable going on here, but it isn't too heavy-handed and neither is it taken too lightly. Ultimately it does seem that theres a ghost wandering the halls and grounds of Idlewild, but she isn't overly powerful and doesnt ride roughshod over the rest of the narrative. She adds the right level of creepiness.

Uncorrected proof provided by publisher for review.
2164065
A great first book of a Great Series...mystery but so very much more.
1419709
A perfect mystery book--well developed characters, very funny dialogue but not precious, and very thoughtful writing.
139449
This mystery was interesting from the beginning and a cut above some serial-type mystery books. The main characters were nice people, and the language was clean. I really enjoyed the book.
3909027
I enjoyed this mystery and meeting the quirky characters that live in the little town of Goodship.  Eliza is likeable and you really feel for her with the loss of her husband of only 3 years.  The business they built is going strong and she is really finding her home and where she belongs in this little town.  Her friends and acquaintances are a good mix of strange yet quite real in their personalities and idiosyncrasies.  You know you have met people just like the ones in this book; you may even be one of them.

The book felt a bit like Murder She Wrote, I Love Lucy, and Rosemary and Thyme(BBC).  Solving a crime with just a bit of information and a mind that wouldn't let Eliza rest, all the while pulling in a good friend or two to help her.  If you enjoy light mysteries (like a cozy) with a bit of comedy and hopefully in the next few a bit more romance then I think you will find this book to your likein'.

I look forward to the next one in this series.
2573535
A good, clean (despite what the title may convey) complex mystery. It's not complex in a confusing way that's hard to follow, just that there are lots of intricacies involved. I enjoy how smart and sensible the female lead is, as well as her male counterpart. There is some humor, but I wouldn't call this a comedy. If you like cozies, you'll enjoy this book. The relationships do transpire and grow between the books in the series, but you can read this as a stand alone with no problems. I'd say it is safe for readers 16 and up.
3233003
Good things about this book:  1) Its a well-plotted mystery, with capably planted clues, red herrings, and suspense. At all times I wanted to keep reading to see whodunnit. 2) The quilting tips and food recipes are genuine and inspiring! 3) For a short book, theres a full cast of characters that could have made the action confusing but did not. Each was handled deftly and distinctly. 4) Its clean:  no sex, no cusswords, and respect paid to God, church, and Bible reading.
What Id like to see improved:  Even a mystery can be realistic. These characters don't seem to be quite real; we don't really get under their skins. Theyre all sweetness, generosity, and even temper whereas churched folks Ive encountered over seven decades have been pretty much as faulty and conflicted as anyone. The characters problems are external, mostly caused by other people, so our protagonists don't seem to learn, grow, or change from Ch 1 to Ch 19. Indeed, the most interesting figures are the villains, although they change mostly by deciding not to get divorced as if divorce were the ultimate excuse and tragedy and not a survivable experience undergone by fully half of all readers.
4591377
A fun book with all the elements I love in a story: mystery, creepiness, humor, and spiritual speculation. A perfect summer read!
1235562
The central mystery in the book is a who-done-it. There is action and suspense, along with an even deeper mystery. Plenty of tech for folks who enjoy that. This was really great fun.  I'll look for the sequel.
646305
An excellent introduction to this continuing mystery. Beautiful hard copy cover and storage box.
4884697
One of my favorite types of mysteries include those with a sane protagonist and lots of goofy characters.  This book doesn't disappoint.  The mystery is good and I look forward to reading more of Ms. Boyer's books.
422779
I like a mystery occasionally, and someone on my social media mentioned that this was on their list of books to read because it was set in a very non-western world.

It's a locked room mystery, which you think you understand, but this is not only a mystery set in the Atzec Empire, it's a mystery that does have magical elements. I was taken-aback at first, because that VIOLATES THE MYSTERY RULES, but then I realized that it was still a classical mystery format, just with weapons and actors that are otherworldly. The process of solving the mystery doesn't vary.

Colonel Jaguar in the tlolemec with the Star Demon?

The characters are diverse and sharply drawn, and even though I sometimes mixed up the names, as soon as they spoke or acted, I could tell who they were.

On the whole, I was very pleased, and went right out and bought the next two, and plan to keep buying all I can get my hands on.