Read an Excerpt CHAPTER ONE Tell them what they want to hear. Vera's reason for why the mystery guest was there and why she had so much power was one that held no weight. Victoria Abbott is the national bestselling author of the Book Collector Mystery series, including The Marsh Madness, The Wolfe Widow, The Sayers Swindle, and The Christie Curse. It's a bit of an insult to the reader to make it end with something that is completely unrealistic. I won't spoil it, but just know that for me it ruined the whole book. It honestly seems like the author got to the end of this great tale and ran out of ideas, so she just picked one out of thin air. So you can imagine my dismay when the end comes and you find out WHY all of this happened and the reason is PATHETIC. It's a pretty jaw dropping story that unfolds over the course of the next 10 hours, getting more dramatic with each chapter. After that this mystery guest takes apart Vera's life, selling off her books, her cats, and everything she loves. This entire book has 1 plot that begins from the very first sentence, and it's about a mystery guest who shows up at Vera's house and kicks Jordan out. I suppose this would work as a stand alone, but I think it would be better read in order. Each book has used a well known author as background, and this time it is Rex Stout, as Jordan channels Archie Goodwin in her mind, for guidance in moving forward to solve the mystery. As usual, Jordan Bingham has to take matters into her own hands (with some help from the adoring uncles) to unravel the crimes that have taken place and threaten her (now ex) employer. So when Muriel Delgado mysteriously arrives and upsets the entire arrangement of the household, great suspicion arises. Despite that, the few people who work for her do care about her. Vera is as prickly as a porcupine, wheelchair bound, and perennially brusque with everyone. I do wish they might consider a different narrator, though.A young woman, raised by a group of non-law-abiding uncles, trying to go straight, lands a job as the library assistant in the home of Vera Von Alst-the most hated woman in town. Yet-it holds its former charm-I still love the characters, and I still look forward to the next in the series. In this one, I felt a little disappointed by the story itself-it just didn't move smoothly, and had too many places where it was just too much of a stretch for me. Jordan comes from a family of uncles who tend to operate on the wrong side of the law-but they are lovable and funny, and also form part of the delightful set of characters who people these stories. I love the premise-Jordan Bingham is a young woman whose job is to oversee the first edition mystery collection of the eccentric Vera Van Alst-an old lady who is a bit of a recluse, doesn't like most people, and forms one of the most interesting characters in all the stories. In general, this is a fun cozy mystery series-in fact, overall, I think it is a cut above most of them. But this particular book, though still good (and recommended!) is not quite as satisfying as previous ones in the series (in my opinion). I don't know how much of that is due to the narration, which I find off-putting. This one, while still engaging, didn't quite seem up to the mark. I have listened to the other books in this series, and really enjoyed them a lot. Good, but not as much as previous books in series
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