March 29, 2022
Genre:
Cozy Mystery
Length: 304 pages
Series: Jane Wunderly Mysteries
Book description courtesy of Goodreads
For young American widow Jane Wunderly, there are worse fates than adventuring aboard a transatlantic liner with the only man who could change her mind about romance. Unfortunately, her first-class itinerary has an unexpected, and deadly, addition waiting just below deck.
Atlantic Ocean, 1926: Voyaging from Southampton to New York, self-reliant Jane is determined to prove herself a worthy investigator on the stately ship--even awkwardly going undercover as the fashionable wife of her magnetic partner, Mr. Redvers. Few details are known about the rumored German spy the duo have been tasked with identifying among fellow passengers, but new troubles unfold once wealthy newlywed Vanessa Fitz Simmons announces the sudden disappearance of her husband at sea.
Miles Van de Meter, the man Vanessa rushed to marry in Monte Carlo, has allegedly vanished into thin air along with his luggage. Redvers guesses the shifty heiress may be weaving tall tales for fun between flutes of champagne, yet Jane isn't convinced, not after the stunning murder of a trusted acquaintance sends them into uncharted waters. Facing two dangerous mysteries and a boat load of suspects, Jane must navigate a claustrophobic quest for answers before the culprits can slip from her grasp on land, or, worse, ensure she and Redvers never reach their destination.
My Thoughts:
I had been reading this series out of order (not something I like to do anymore) so going back to books 2 and 3 was very helpful and I'm glad I did. Although this definitely wasn't my favorite of the series so far, it does tie up loose ends that book 4 (the one I read first because of the cover and location!) had in it. Jane and Redvers relationship is clearer for me now and I can just go straight to book 5 and pick up from there. This book was a nice addition, just not terribly exciting.
When it opens they are taking the ship to America, where Jane lives, and are posing as husband and wife to find a spy Redvers is looking for. Jane is happy to be sharing time and a room with Redvers although still conflicted about her feelings for him. This being the 1920's and all, it is highly unusual and she is careful about opening up to him, modesty especially important, even though she is a widow.
The looking for the spy part seemed a bit drug out. There were several suspects like any good mystery and it did keep me guessing. But it seemed like there was a lot of focus on the missing husband of a passenger and her odd behavior much more than the German spy story. I was a bit disappointed in that seemed like it could have been a great backstory. The relationship progression of Jane and Redvers was also at the forefront and while that is fine and certainly applicable, it took up a lot of time that might have better gone into the mystery portion. Overall while I'm still enjoying the series, I'm hoping for more emphasis on location and story in book 5. There is a Christmas book in between the ones I'm reading so I may delve into that one first but it might be a standalone.
I think this qualifies still as a great cozy series. I am interested in what happens to Jane and Redvers and the two books I've yet to read are in places I like to read about anyway so it should be fun!
No comments:
Post a Comment