Customer Reviews

Pane of Death (Glassblowing Mysteries, No. 2)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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This second book in the glassblowing series is a great read. I am a stained glass artist and enjoyed the descriptions of the stained glass art. The mystery is well blended with talk of glass, in my opinion this is the best in a themed cozy. Looking forward to a long continuing series.

This title is the second of three Arizona-based glassblowing mysteries: Through a Glass, Deadly (Glassblowing Mysteries, No. 1). Pane of Death (Glassblowing Mysteries, No. 2). And, Snake in the Glass (A Glassblowing Mystery).

As always, I began by reading the back-cover blurb:

"when Tucson glassblower Emmeline Dowell is asked to help out on a commission for enigmatic software mogul Peter Ferguson, she finds it hard to say no. It doesn't hurt that Peter is much better looking than the average computer nerd, or that he's giving her the opportunity to work on his multi-million-dollar stained glass collection. Em thinks she's hit the artistic jackpot -- until she finds the glass missing, and its owner dead in a pool of blood. Next thing Em knows, her police chief boyfriend is questioning her as the prime suspect."

Learning something is a plus! I loved "A Brief History of Stained Glass," And the concept of a Stained-glass Cookie recipe was clever. I intend to try it!

Atwell's book one characters have returned. They are real people. likeable people. Her Tucson setting was not as prevalent. (I did doctoral work at the UA and love the city). But Atwell's prose style is great, always with its touch of humor:

"If I hadn't been the potential victim here, I would truly have enjoyed {his}misery right now. Obviously he had thought I was expendable - he hadn't counted on my link to Matt. Although it was a little unsettling to know that our semiromantic relationship - or was it a romantic semirelationship? - was common knowledge . . . "

An amazing talent, Sarah Atwell is in fact, Sheila Connolly. As such she has authored four Massachusetts-based orchard mysteries: One Bad Apple (An Orchard Mystery). Rotten to the Core (An Orchard Mystery). Red Delicious Death (An Orchard Mystery). And, coming in December: A Killer Crop (An Orchard Mystery).

In October 2010 a third Philadelphia-based museum mystery series begins with:Fundraising the Dead (A Museum Mystery).

Thank you, Sheila Connolly/Sarah Atwell!

Congrats to the author, Sarah Atwell, for not only maintaining the high standards she established with her first book (Through a Glass, Darkly) but exceeding them even, in this new one. I loved it! Although I've seen a good many smaller-sized stained glass windows in homes, I had no idea such large ones as those in this story were available away from their original buildings! What a fascinating look at that part of the art world.

The characters from the first book were mostly here, too. Bristly Matt, the police chief with whom Emmeline Dowell may or may not have something going; her computer geek brother Cam; her two trusty shop assistants Nessa and Allison, with whom Cam may or may not have something going. I was kind of hoping for Nat (the FBI agent) to appear in future books, but we'll have to wait and see on that one, I guess.

I thought the mystery in this book a bit more complex than the first one, but on the other hand, there wasn't so much of Tucson in it, and not so much of the cooking, either. All in all, I found it delightful, and will now wait patiently for the next one.

I'm especially appreciative of her A Brief History of Stained Glass that appeared at the end of the story. This could have been longer, in my opinion, but there are those who probably wouldn't appreciate it as much I would, so that's okay. Just please keep writing, Ms. Atwell!

Sarah Atwell has written a terrific sequel to her first glassblowing mystery. After stumbling onto another dead body, Em Dowell makes a real pain of herself when she finds herself filling the role of both suspect and sleuth. Unique characters and a spirited and witty protagonist make this book an absolutely great read. Here's hoping for a long life for this delightful cozy series!

This is the second book in the Glassblowing cozy mystery series set in Tucson. Em has been asked to help out with the installation of a series of art glass panels at a multi-millionaire's new Tucson home by a fellow glassmaker (stained glass), Maddy, who she does not like very much. Peter was head of a software firm that he somewhat mysteriously decided to shut down. Em has to deal with Maddy's jealousy when Peter wants her to be more involved given her expertise. When Peter ends up murdered and the art is stolen, Em becomes a suspect and despite some challenges with being involved with the police chief, decides she needs to help solve the case and clear her name. Her brother Cam is back and we also meet Nat, a member of the Art Crimes group within the FBI, who is charming and a bit of a rule bender. There are plenty of suspects to choose from including the ex-wife, his former partner at the software firm, and of course, Maddy herself. This was a pleasant cozy, with a smattering of local color. A recipe for stained glass cookies is also included in the book.

I HATED that Peter Ferguson was killed off in this book. His character was so interesting, so sexy, so believable! His beautiful glass collection, his plans to intall them in his in-progress home, wow, that was a developing story that could have been a new series for Atwell. Emmeline and Peter could have had a great time together, especially because of their interest and knowledge in glass. I would have liked to see Maddy take Peter's place as the victim because her character was obnoxious, deceitful, and her character kind of fizzled out towards the end of the book given her earlier stalking mentality and accusations against Em. Ah well, it was a great read and Ms. Atwell (a.k.a. Sheila Connolly -her other author's name-and her other books are GREAT!) writes very well. Can't wait for her next glassblowing mystery!

Sarah Atwell's PANE OF DEATH provides a fine, different glassblowing mystery: this centered around a glassblower who lives in a Tucson artist's district teaching and selling wares, until she finds romance and a missing pane involve her in a murder investigation. Excelling in unusual settings and plots that go above and beyond your usual 'whodunnit', this is a highly recommended pick for any discriminating mystery library.

It was an easy quick read that moved along a fast pace that kept you interested the whole time.

I was really impressed by Sarah Atwell's first novel, Through a Glass, Deadly. I thought it was a great example of what a first-time writer could do. I feel the same way about the next book in the series, Pane of Death -- that it's a great example of what a first-time writer could do. Except she's now a *second*-time writer.

In this mystery, glassblower and Tucson resident Em Dowell turns her attention from her hot glass craft business to stained glass when an uber-rich software mogul asks for her help setting up some glass panels in his new home. But when the mogul is found dead -- stabbed with a pane of glass -- Em is accused of the murder, and has to clear her name.

The premise certainly appeals to me: I'm a software gal by trade, a longtime Arizona resident, and an avid stained glass fan (thus reviewer of stained glass books such as "Louis Comfort Tiffany at the Metropolitan Museum of Art" should you have any personal interest in the subject). And that's one reason why this story is a bit disappointing: there just isn't enough about glass in it! One reason I like cozy mysteries is that they let me peek into a field about which I know relatively little, such as winemaking or becoming a florist. Unless you bother to read the afterward, you won't learn very much about how stained glass is made or what can make it so exceptional. I wish the author had found a reason to get Em to watch Maddy make an entire piece, and to communicate why it's so much fun.

More importantly, from a storytelling viewpoint, I didn't quite buy all the character's motivations, particularly Em's. I was willing to suspend the disbelief long enough for the mystery to unwind and -- the most important issue -- I was not sure of Who Dunnit until all was revealed. I like how the relationships between the characters are developing, too. It's a _good_ story. It just isn't great. And I think Atwell is capable of being great, so I'm left feeling somewhat frustrated.

THIS WAS A VERY GOOD BOOK; GOOD MYSTERY WITH LOTS OF SUSPENSE. KEPT ME GLUED TO IT.