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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
I really wanted to like this book, but I can't., May 6, 2007
This review is from: Deadly Appraisal (St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries) (Hardcover)
Josie Prescott is a transplanted New Yorker who has moved to a small town in New Hampshire to open her own antiques business. As in the first book of the series, she is quickly pulled into a murder and becomes embroiled in the police investigation that ensues.
The book has good bones, if you will. There is a lot of potential there, but the execution of the book leaves just about everything to be desired. First and foremost, Josie whines, ALL the time. She is constantly crying, or fighting tears, or closing her eyes and breathing deep to get herself together. I think she has a mini breakdown in every chapter. She constantly bemoans her lack of friends, her unsure love life, and the grevious wrongs done to her at her last job. Enough already! I was so disgusted by this constant carrying on that I almost put down the book without finishing it.
Second - Josie re-hashes 'words of wisdom' from her late father ad nauseum. Again, in every chapter, at least once, we have to hear dear ole Pop's nuggets, even though they aren't particularly insightful. Unless the author plans to bring back Dad as a ghost, it is way past time for Josie to stop re-running her father's business advice in her head.
Third - Cleland makes a big deal out of the fact that Josie knows next to nothing about her employees, including the ones she entrusts with her entire busines. Everytime there is a crime, Josie finds reason to question whether or not her employees are the theives or the killers. Inevitably, she discovers they are innocent and then bursts into tears of happiness. Once is understandable, but multiple times in the first two books of the series is way too much. Either investigate these people and trust them, or don't. Conveniently, despite all of these people being investigated by police multiple times, Josie never learns any of the deep, dark secrets that Cleland hints the supporting characters are harboring.
As I said in the title, I really wanted to like both of the books in this series, but I just can't get past the annoying, neurotic main character. Other things can be overlooked or done better in the next book, but unless this character grows up and gets it together, I will not be reading the third installment.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great premise; poor execution, June 6, 2007
This review is from: Deadly Appraisal (St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries) (Hardcover)
I really do want to enjoy these books....I struggled through the first one and am determined to finish the second. Josie is neurotic and nervous. She doesn't trust herself, her love interest, her employees...really she doesn't trust anyone. How she runs a seemingly successful business while remaining so unfocused is, to me, the big mystery in both of these books. Every new revelation is a big deal, prompting more soul searching and more doubts about those around her. This could be a great series....too much internal debating, too much thinking, not enough action.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Charity Work can Poison Your Health, September 26, 2007
This review is from: Deadly Appraisal (St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries) (Hardcover)
Prescott Antiques is beginning to thrive and owner Josie Prescott is truly beginning to build a life for her self in New Hampshire. She is absolutely delighted to be hosting the annual fundraiser for the Portsmouth Women's Guild. The silent auction has gone well, and the fundraiser looks to be a huge success. But, just as he winners are about to be announced, event coordinator Maisy Gaylor dies on stage, the victim of poison.
Josie had been working closely with Maisy to plan the event, and Josie can't think of a quieter, nicer woman. Who could have possibly wanted her dead?
With boyfriend Ty Alvarez, the local chief of police, out of town, Josie finds herself dealing with the gruff and unfriendly Detective Rowcliff. Rowcliff seems to be treating her as a suspect until he makes a startling statement, Josie could have been the intended victim. At first it seems crazy, but then Josie learns that someone from her past in New York is out of jail. Who was supposed to drink the poison? And who is the killer?
This second mystery in the series is fun. It took me a little while to get into the story, mainly because I was reading a few pages here and there. Once I did, I got hooked. I thought I had a clue who the killer was early on, but the constant red herrings kept making me forget about them.
The characters are real, and the supporting cast is entertaining. Josie herself is often an emotional wreck. That's a change from the strong main characters I am used to who rarely show emotion. A couple times it got annoying. However, considering everything the character has been through, I find it much more realistic then the books I normally read.
The book got stronger as it went along, and by the end, I couldn't put it down. This is another enjoyable entry in a fun series.
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