Why there? In Canada. It shouldn’t happen in this peaceful village at a lake with its colourful and friendly inhabitants… Writer Amber Boffin drops Maggie Flanagan, her little terrier of an aspiring photographer and amateur sleuth back into her childhood village to dig out the truth for you.A chain of transformative events, culminating with her parents’ death, spurs Maggie Flanagan to change her … to change her lifestyle. Maggie leaves her high-pressure job in the UK and moves back to her childhood home by a lake in the peaceful cottage country of Ontario in Canada as a photographer who develops her amateur sleuth skills.
A photo wedding assignment introduces her to the diverse inhabitants of Foxton, a fictive village near Algonquin Park. Maggie’s warm reception by the villagers, in particular Adam, a charming conservation officer, and the relaxing country lifestyle are spiced up by the mysterious disappearance of a local man…
Edition in Canadian English
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Why This Book
I was lucky enough to win a contest I’d entered last month. I received the book as a giveaway and needed a lighthearted mystery when the new year started. 3.5 stars.
Plot, Characters & Setting
Maggie moves back home to Canada from Great Britain after a few painful events. When she arrives, she needs to settle her parents estate and immerse herself among the people she grew up with. Unfortunately, the town is in a bit of disarray, and a body is discovered on her property. As she tries to set up her new photography business, Maggie teams up with ‘Ranger’ Adam to help solve the case, as the local police don’t seem very skilled when she interacts with them post-murder. In the end, she solves the case and begins to develop her new life back home.
Approach & Style
I read a ~220 page physical copy in 3 hours over the course of two days. There are 28 chapters, each relatively short, written in a third-person POV somewhere between limited and omniscient, as you jump around from different character perspectives to understand everything happening behind the scenes with the murder. It’s a bit atypical for a cozy, at least the ones I’ve read, which tend to only focus on the main character’s POV. Interesting approach, as it helps give you different perspective. Not sure how I feel about it yet, but I’d give another one a try to determine my thoughts…
Key Thoughts
For a debut, it’s a good read. I’d probably give it a 3 to a 3.5 rating, as there were parts I connected with, but there were also some where I struggled to get invested in either Maggie or the actual murder. It has all the right elements, but something was missing from being a really strong and intense read. I would consider another one, pending the plot and scope of the story. I’m curious to see how others feel about this book. It reads very quickly, which shows the writing is good; however, at times it felt stilted or flat — almost like things were happening because they were supposed to happen, and not necessarily the most interactive way for readers. An example was the way Maggie took control of the police department’s case; she is smart and was able to help drive to the conclusion, but I am not sure I understand why she was invested or allowed to take it so far on her own. She approached her quest to solve the case as if she were ticking off a list of items, telling readers some details but not all that was in her mind. She felt like the police detective, not the actual cops. I’m sure as the series progresses, this will become a charming element, but it wasn’t as endearing in the beginning when I haven’t totally invested in Maggie as a character, not knowing her whole background (can I trust her?). That said, I do like the setting and the set of extended characters — I see potential. I enjoyed the friendship between Adam and Maggie, as well as Amy and Maggie. I also find the mayor intriguing, as she’s definitely a big ball of grey on situations… she could be bad, she could be good… only time will tell!
Summary
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Review Crew for the opportunity to read this book. I’m glad to kick the year off with this cozy and look forward to seeing other reviews. It’s set in Canada, which was a new one for me! I always enjoy learning about other places and the details of what makes them tick. Good luck to the author.