Category: Contemporary

Beyond Cutting by Vicki Clifford

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, Mystery1 Comment

Beyond Cutting (Viv Fraser, #1)Series: Viv Fraser #1
Publication Date: 2/20/14
Number of Pages: 242

** 3.5 Rounded Up **

This was my first book by a new-to-me author. It is a very diverting mystery, but, in my view, it isn’t a cozy mystery which is more what I was looking for – it is darker and grittier. Be aware that the book is written in third person/present tense – and it took me a while to become accustomed – however, once I did it wasn’t a problem. I do understand that all of the other books in the series are written in third person/past tense – which is more what most of us are accustomed to.

Vivian (Viv) Fraser is a hairdresser/journalist/Dr. of Anthropology and she’s extremely sensitive when anyone refers to her as ‘just’ a hairdresser. She very quickly takes offense. She’s alone and finally beginning to come to grips with the death of her lover, Dawn. She’s finally begun to feel pangs of attraction again, but I can’t decide whether she’s more attracted to Sal Chapman (she’s a profiler at the police headquarters) or DI Marcus (Mac) Marconi (he’s the inspector investigating the case). At any rate, I had a hard time warming up to Viv – she was a little too ‘in your face’ and didn’t appear to be a very caring type of person. Perhaps I’ll find her to be different in the next book I read, but, in this one, I didn’t particularly care for her.

Juliet (Jules) Muir, editor at a national newspaper, and an old friend of Viv’s calls to ask Viv to take on a writing/investigative assignment. The task is to investigate the circumstances around a missing young man, Andrew Douglas, to find him if possible and to write an article for the newspaper. Jules asked Viv to take the assignment because she was familiar with the after-hours gay scene in Edinburgh and would be able to move freely in that environment.

As Viv investigates, she finds herself investigating more than just a missing young man. There are drug dens, murders, sex trafficking – pretty much everything on the darker side of life. People are not who they seem to be and it reaches right up into the affluent sections of society. There were many villains involved with many different parts of the crime and I didn’t feel ‘finished’ with a couple of them. The murderer came out of left field – you definitely won’t guess who it is because you don’t really meet them until they are revealed.

The bottom line for me is that it is a good mystery, well written, well-plotted, but it wasn’t my normal cup-of-tea. I will try another book or two in the series to see how things progress and whether I can come to like Viv.

Shot Through the Hearth by Kate Carlisle

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, Mystery1 Comment

Shot Through the Hearth (A Fixer-Upper Mystery, #7)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Fixer-Upper Mystery #7
Publication Date: 10/31/19
Number of Pages: 304

This was my first book in this series and I am impressed. Of course, I expected to be impressed since I have read all of the books in the author’s Bibliophile Mystery series and have loved each and every one of them. I’ve also watched a few of the movies based on this series and liked them okay, but wasn’t totally impressed. My belief is that the book is always better than the movie – and that was certainly correct this time. I like both Shannon and Mac much better in the book! I liked the lighthearted banter between Shannon and Mac and also between Shannon and her friends.

Shannon and her construction company are undertaking their biggest job yet and it is really exciting for them because they will be doing some types of construction they’ve never done before. Not only will they be refurbishing an old farmhouse, but they’ll also be constructing all the venues for a huge environmental/earth survival conference where all of the latest green building technologies will be featured. This is all at the behest their client Raphael (Rafe) Nash who is a retired tech bazillionaire who is engaged to one of Shannon’s best friends – Marigold.

As the conference begins, Shannon meets some really strange people who are involved in all sorts of planet-saving research and/or projects. Some are true ding-a-lings, some are serious believers, and others are putting their drive and intelligence to good use by developing earth sustaining products. Everybody seems really excited about this first-ever conference – and the chance to win a grant from the newly formed Marigold Foundation.

It isn’t too long into the conference before a body is found. The victim was a real dastard and wasn’t liked by anyone – meaning that there are well over five-hundred suspects. Finding someone who didn’t want him dead would be an easier task. As both the conference and the investigation continue – other strange things happen – and then another body. Who is trying to ruin the conference? Or – is someone also trying to kill Rafe or Marigold?

Mac and Shannon continue to help the Police Chief with the investigation because they want to assure that their friends, Rafe and Marigold, aren’t harmed.

One of my favorite parts has to do with Shannon and the ‘smart’ mice. Also, as I mentioned before, the humor and banter among the main characters are delightful. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and definitely recommend it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.