Today I am reviewing "The Antique Store Detective and the May Day Murder” the 2nd instalment in The Bella Winter Mystery series by Clare Chase set in Hope Eaton, Shopshire England. I enjoyed book 2 much more than the first and will definitely continue with the series.
Everyone in Hope Eaton climbs the hill to Sweet Agnes’ Spring on May Day, to greet the dawn and leave tokens among the flowers. Antique store owner Bella Winter grumbles about the early start, but she has to admit that watching the sun rise over the flower-strewn grove is worth it. And her interest deepens when she sees that one of the offerings this year is a little doll stuck all over with pins… a perfect replica of Mary Roberts, who lives nearby.
Determined to find out what lies behind this bizarre threat, Bella dives into a murky mess of strange events. Mary’s house is up for sale, but someone’s trying to wreck the deal, leaving rotting weeds on her front step. And Mary claims she’s seen a cloaked figure watching her from the woods…
Bella’s half convinced this is all nonsense, but then Mary is found dead, her prized carving of the spring stolen from her dresser. The police say it was a heart attack, but was she literally scared to death?
Soon Bella has uncovered a string of further mysteries. Why is Mary’s nearest neighbour missing? Who graffitied her boss’s house with a warning the night she died? And why would anyone want Mary’s carving?
All paths lead back to the spring itself… but does it hold answers or more danger?And can Bella track the killer down before she’s cut off at the source?
I really like how Bella and her circle of friends find out information and gather insights into the crime and the people involved. I thought it strange that Bella didn’t investigate why business at the store was so slow until nearly the end of the story as I thought it would be something she should care about more. The story deals with trust issues, greed, local folklore, and community.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had plenty of twists to keep engaged right to the very end. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself but I was right on who the killer was.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had plenty of twists to keep engaged right to the very end. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself but I was right on who the killer was.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends. I can’t wait for book 3!
Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!
I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.
Hugs,
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Bookouture and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!
I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.
Hugs,
No comments:
Post a Comment