Description
Small-town secrets and subterfuge lead to murder in this fast-moving, deftly written tale of high-stakes real estate wrangling gone amok.
Journalist Emily Garland lands a plum assignment as the editor of a niche magazine based in Lount’s Landing, a small town named after a colorful 19th-century Canadian traitor. As she interviews the local business owners for the magazine, Emily quickly learns that many people are unhappy with real estate mogul Garrett Stonehaven’s plans to convert an old schoolhouse into a mega-box store. At the top of that list is Arabella Carpenter, the outspoken owner of an antiques shop, who will do just about anything to preserve the integrity of the town’s historic Main Street.
But Arabella is not alone in her opposition. Before long, a vocal dissenter at a town hall meeting about the proposed project dies. A few days later, another body is discovered, and although both deaths are ruled accidental, Emily’s journalistic suspicions are aroused.
Putting her reporting skills to the ultimate test, Emily teams up with Arabella to discover the truth behind Stonehaven’s latest scheme before the murderer strikes again.
Julie Howard –
I enjoyed this book. It is the the first book by this author I have listened to but I have already downloaded the next book. Mainly because it was a good mystery and I didn’t see who the killer was. The story is told by two characters so you get information and clues from two perspectives. They is a lot of characters so didn’t always keel them straight but it did make it interesting, plenty of suspects. I think the characters will over time and each book grow to be likeable people.
Emily is given a new assignment as the editor of a magazine, her real job is to work out what Garrett Stonehaven a developer wants with a small town. Emily and Garrett have a history so she jumps at the chance to find any dirt on the man she blames for her Mother’s death. The problem is Lount’s landing is anything but a sleepy town and the town is divided into two camps the ones that love his ideas for main street and the one’s against. Within days of arriving there are two deaths but were they really accidents? Emily’s reporter nose tells her no. She quickly makes friends with the new owner of the glass dolphin shop, Arabella who is firmly against the planes but can’t tell her the real reason she took the job. Can the pair work out who was behind the murders and if it does have anything to do with development plans. With a small town there is plenty of gossip, history and secrets to uncover.
I liked the narrator and thought she gave different voices to different characters making them easy to tell apart.
Laura –
This is the first book in the Glass Dolphin Mysteries. It is a standalone story. I read the second book before the first [enjoyed both of them].
Here, Emily, a journalist, is offered an editor’s job of the town magazine in Lount’s Landing. She accepts and begins trying to get to know the townspeople. She learns that a real estate developer is planning to convert the local school into a big box store and several of the townspeople are not thrilled. Soon one of fhe most vocal critics is dead, followed by another death both ruled accidents but is this too much of a coincidence? Emily decides to investigate.
This is a well-written cozy with likeable characters. There are plenty of twists in the mystery to keep you guessing. I enjoyed Arabella and her antiques shop The Glass Dolphin – the little details about the pieces and antiques in general were enjoyable. It was also fun to learn the history of the town, the various businesses and the name Hanged Man’s Noose. Overall, a very entertaining cozy.
P. A. Still –
Good Mystery
I received a free copy. This is my unbiased review.
Author, Judy Penz Sheluk, created a believable charming town. Emily is sent there to snoop on a greedy man with a secret past. She has secrets of her own.
When someone in town murders the opposition, Emily digs into the area’s long buried past to discover the murderer.
I enjoyed Suzanne T. Fortin’s portrayal of the characters. She has a soothing, clear, and even- keel voice. Nothing was exaggerated.
There were a few unnecessary scenes that slowed the pace and threatened to bore me, however, overall the story kept my interest.
Amanda Urbinato –
I thoroughly enjoyed this!
I’m not going to lie. This is another one of those books that I must have restarted 5 times before I got into it. Thank God I’m not a quitter, when it comes to books anyways. Once I was able to calm my thinking down a little and quiet my brain, I was able to not only get into it, but to really enjoy it. I’m so happy I decided to stay with it! I def. recommend! And the narration was really good as well. Overall, well worth the read!