Review & Giveaway - Murder at the Mansion by Janet Finsilver

Series: A Kelly Jackson Mystery #2
Publisher: Lyrical Undrground
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 7th 2016
Challenges: NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit*  | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
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Blurb from goodreads:

Fortunes, fineries, and foul play . . .

It’s whale-watching season in Redwood Cove, and B&B manager Kelly Jackson’s battening down the hatches for the tourist rush at Redwood Heights—a Victorian-style estate owned by her boss. And due to recent jewelry thefts, her duties include keeping track of the many dust-covered artifacts spread throughout the property. But when Kelly finds Sylvia Porter’s lifeless body, menial tasks don’t seem so terrible. Enlisting the help of a ragtag group of brainy retirees, aka the “Silver Sentinels,” Kelly’s on the hunt for clues hidden behind the mansion’s glamorous facade. . .and for a killer who may want to make history of her next! (

Bea's Thoughts:

I love cozies and part of what I love is that they are more than just the mystery or the action or suspense. I love that they are in fact cozy, like hanging out with friends in an intimate setting. "Murder at the Mansion" gave me that in spades. It's as much about family and coming home as it is the murders and mysteries.

Kelly Jackson has returned to Redwood Cove to take over management of the B&B, Redwood Cove. After searching for a home, she's finally found it here at the B&B and in Redwood Cove. The B&B  isn't open for business yet so she lends a hand at another local property owned by her boss. Soon, she's busy inventorying antiques and other items, tracking down the person responsible for a jewel thefts at the property, and the sudden death of a guest. She's also settling into her new home and reconnecting with friends she made in book one, "Murder at Redwood Cove".

Kelly solves the mysteries with help from her friends the Silver Sentinels as well as some of her co-workers. Her relationships are a large part of the story and provided much of the color and depth. There's also a hint of a romance. Kelly was enjoyable, smart, sweet, helpful, thoughtful, and loyal. She takes a few risks but she's not careless except for one incident and I can overlook that. She's not afraid to ask for help or accept it, which is a nice change from many mysteries, cozy or otherwise.

I had one gripe; it's a small detail but for me, the small details can make or break a book. Kelly calls 911 on her cell phone and in just a few minutes the local police are there. When she calls, she talks to the dispatcher of her local police station. That's not realistic. Cell phones do not call your local 911; calls are routed to the nearest cell tower which means you could get a police station 20 miles away from where you are. And no, your location doesn't show up on their computer screen. Since the police's swift response time was important to the events of the story, that whole scene came across as fake, unlikely, and deux ex machina.

Other than that little impossibility, I enjoyed the story and Kelly's sleuthing as well as the relationships. "Murder at the Mansion" was enjoyable and the identity of the villain kept me guessing right to the end. The clues were there but Finsilver carefully sprinkled them in with red herrings, keeping you unsure. All of the characters, whether minor or major, were real, interesting, and believably quirky. They're all memorable, and make the story; characterization is Finsilver's strength. "Murder at the Mansion" was sweet yet twisty with the small town quirkiness of most cozies and a well-written mystery that wasn't too easy to solve.

About the Author ~

Janet Finsilver is the USA TODAY best-selling author of the Kelly Jackson mystery series. She worked in education for many years as a teacher, a program administrator, and a workshop presenter. Janet majored in English and earned a Master’s Degree in Education. She loves animals and has two dogs–Kylie and Ellie. Janet has ridden western style since she was a child and was a member of the National Ski Patrol. One of the highlights of her life was touching whales in the San Ignacio Lagoon. MURDER AT REDWOOD COVE, her debut mystery, was released on October 13, 2015. Her second book, MURDER AT THE MANSION, was released on June 7, 2016.

Find Janet Online:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/janetfinsilverauthor/?fref=ts
Twitter – https://twitter.com/JanetFinsilver
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/janetfinsilver/
Web – http://janetfinsilver.com/

 

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