“Delightful.”—Kirkus Reviews“Charming and exciting…the perfect cozy mystery, with a brilliant heroine you’re sure to adore.”—Apple Books, Best of the Month SelectionSet in a charming British village during World War II, Stephanie Graves’ debut mystery introduces Olive Bright, a spirited young pigeon fancier who finds herself at the heart of a baffling murder. . . .
Though war rages across … murder. . . .
Though war rages across mainland Europe and London is strafed by German aircraft, the little village of Pipley in Hertfordshire bustles along much as it always has. Adrift since her best friend, George, joined the Royal Air Force, twenty-two-year-old Olive Bright fills her days by helping at her father’s veterinary practice and tending to her beloved racing pigeons. Desperate to do her bit, Olive hopes that the National Pigeon Service will enlist Bright Lofts’ expertise, and use their highly trained birds to deliver critical, coded messages for His Majesty’s Forces.
The strangers who arrive in Pipley are not from the NPS. Instead, Jameson Aldridge and his associate are tied to a covert British intelligence organization known as Baker Street. If Olive wants her pigeons to help the war effort, she must do so in complete secrecy. Tired of living vicariously through the characters of her beloved Agatha Christie novels, Olive readily agrees. But in the midst of her subterfuge, the village of Pipley is dealing with another mystery. Local busybody Miss Husselbee is found dead outside Olive’s pigeon loft. Is the murder tied to Olive’s new assignment? Or did Miss Husselbee finally succeed in ferreting out a secret shameful enough to kill for? With the gruff, handsome Jameson as an unlikely ally, Olive intends to find out—but homing in on a murderer can be a deadly business . . .
“Utterly charming… A marvelous read.”
—Tasha Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of In the Shadow of Vesuvius
“Smart, energetic, and witty.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A fresh, quirky, and charming new heroine.”
—Susan Elia MacNeal, New York Times bestselling author of the Edgar-nominated Maggie Hope series
“Entertaining.”
—Criminal Element
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Olive Bright, Pigeoneer was an enjoyable read that intrigued me as soon as I read the synopsis. It gave me Anne of Green Gables vibes, and I thought it’d be a great way to step out of my usual reading genres.
Olive was an interesting character: curious and intrepid, forthright and forward-thinking (hello, Anne). Overall, I enjoyed her shenanigans. Jameson Albridge was also intriguing to me as the steady, grumpy counterpart to Olive’s character. I would have appreciated getting inside his head a few times throughout the story.
I thought the pigeons were such a compelling aspect of this story. I was very eager to learn more about how they were utilized during the war, and I wish they had played a greater role in the book.
The village murder mystery kept me wondering throughout the story, and while I was fond of Olive’s sleuthing, certain characters became indistinguishable from one another and muddled together. Some characters easily stood out, but others got lost in the shuffle of mundane mentionings, and I never bothered to take the time to go back and clarify who was who and who did what/said what, etc. Then a few of these characters ended up playing a bigger role than expected.
I am interested to know if there will be a follow up book. With the way this one ended, I would be interested to see what Olive gets up to next.
***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via Bookish First.***
The cover and the title drew me to this book. The description sounded interesting and Olive sounded like a strong character.
The book is about a murder mystery with a bit of a side story of using pigeons during the war. I didn’t realize that pigeons had actually been used to carry messages.
There are several interesting characters along for the ride.
The mystery was good and I was surprised by who actually killed Miss Husselbee.
There was a bit of romance between Olive and Jameson Aldridge which may or may not go anywhere. Only time will tell.
I thought the book was a little slow, too wordy and really seemed to take forever to get where it was going. This book appears to be the first in a series so I’m interested to see if it gets better as it goes on,
I think fans of historical fiction will enjoy this book.
Olive Bright is just the kind of heroine/sleuth I’d like to have as a real-life friend. She’s determined, clever, compassionate, realistic while setting high goals for herself, and knows her own mind. The author’s attention to detail makes the story, characters, and the village of Pipley come alive, and I learned things about English village life and WWII that I hadn’t known before. Not to mention the pigeons, whose intelligence and heroism is brought into focus. I love the inclusion of humor in the story and the possibility of future romance, and I found the pacing excellent. I’m looking forward to my next visit to Pipley!
Olive Bright is a pigeoneer, veterinary student and Hercule Poirot fan. She has had to come home from school to her small village in Hertfordshire because it is World War II. She is determined to help the war effort and make a difference. Just as she contemplates leaving home to participate more actively in the war effort, Jameson Aldridge shows up wanting to involve Olive’s pigeons in carrying messages for a covert British intelligence operation. Around the same time, one of the local villagers, a known busybody, is murdered, her body found right outside Olive’s pigeon loft. Olive must juggle her new responsibilities providing pigeons for the war, solving a murder and a budding romance with the gruff, handsome Aldridge. Olive is an intelligent, strong and forthright character who stands up for herself. The story is well-written and moves quickly, with the murderer revealed only at the end, keeping the reader guessing. The romance takes more of a second place to the pigeons and the mystery. Olive Bright, pigeoneer is an entertaining and well-researched book.
Olive Bright, Pigeoneer by Stephanie Graves is an excellent historical fiction/cozy mystery that kept me thoroughly entertained.
This WWII, small village cozy mystery is just perfect in every way. Despite the seriousness of the time period and some of the subject matter, through witty dialogue and Olive’s adorable characteristics and personality, the book seemed to feel lighter and more enjoyable. I really enjoyed the concept of adding the cozy murder/mystery plot within the overall WWII concept of pigeons as messengers and also some of the special operations units that were implemented during the war.
I really enjoyed the pacing, plot, the complexities that were added from the multiple facets, as well as the full cast of characters that lived within the village that added a great collection of potential suspects. The author definitely kept me guessing.
I loved Olive as the main character. She was fun, smart, stronger then she realized, intelligent, and feisty. She really kept me entertained with her witty dialogue, responses, one-liners, and banter. It added seamlessly to the fantastic plot. Olive was realistic, likeable, and overall just a great main character. A new series could definitely be created just from her character and the cast of villagers alone. I also enjoyed the character of Jameson Aldridge. I think that they make a good team of sorts and I look forward to the possibility of a further installment with them teaming up again.
I also enjoyed the addition of the concept of the NPS (National Pigeon Service) and learning more about how it fit in to the bigger picture of the war efforts. I enjoyed the author’s note at the end to give more of a historic note in regards to the NPS and the SOE. I have already read quite a bit about both organizations in the past, but it is still nice to have a refresher and additional context.
An excellent book for anyone that enjoys cozy mysteries, historical fiction, and excellent female amateur sleuths.
5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
I enjoyed this more than expected! And it ended up being more like two stories in one.
Olive is a 22-year-old woman living with her parents in the small village of Pipley during WW2. She assists her veterinarian dad and manages their racing pigeon loft. As she dreams of serving in some way during the war, she is asked by a nearby secret army base to provide pigeon support for agents dropped behind enemy lines.
In the meantime, the local busybody dies under mysterious circumstances, and Olive begins to unearth villagers’ secrets as she begins to investigate the death.
As I was actually expecting a cozy mystery, this turned out to be more in-depth and engrossing than I hoped for (funny too!), and I found myself admiring the spunky, outspoken heroine as she struggles with lying to those around her to protect her secret role while pretending to be in a romantic relationship(as a cover) with her liaison Captain Aldridge. The villagers are also well defined and provide a nice backdrop for the series going forward.
I was also intrigued to learn more about the important role pigeons played during the war and some interesting tidbits about their habits, their lofts, etc.
Looking forward to further adventures.
All is Not Quiet on the Homefront
Audiobook Review:
I quite liked this book through the beginning to at least 75% way through. I love books that take place in a small town and especially ones that happen during a pivotal moment in history. There is something about seeing what happens on the homefront during times of war. This one takes place in small-town England at the start of the second world war. At first, the book seemed to be simply caught up in the minor comedies and tragedies that beset small-town life, especially during war. As a massive Jane Austen fan, I appreciated all the Jane Austen references and even the fact that the town was going to put on a play of Pride and Prejudice. I found the pigeoneer aspect fascinating as well. Pigeons certainly did have a role in early 20th century wars. Unfortunately, I thought this book lacked in particular areas. The heroine, the eponymous Olive Bright of the book’s title, came across as headstrong and reckless, and I found her a bit tedious at times. I think at least some of that was the fault of the narrator and the way she voiced the character as strident, especially when talking to Captain Aldridge. I also felt the book was too focused on the cozy aspect of “cozy mystery” rather than the mysteries. In fact, the mysteries seemed nearly irrelevant until the end. For me as the reader/listener, I didn’t feel like there were enough clues to figure out the blackmailer and the murderer. I also felt like the author rushed the end with a lot of plot strings left dangling. The semi-sum-up in the final chapter didn’t quite do it for me. Much of what was discussed through the book we never got to see happen or end satisfactorily, like Olive becoming FANY, the play, the perhaps budding enemies-to-lovers romance between Olive and the captain, and even more of the pigeons work. We never even learn Captain Aldridge’s real name! I don’t know if this is supposed to be the start of a series, but I ended up disappointed because the book did not feel truly tied up to me.
I received a free copy of this audiobook, but that did not affect my review.
So much about this book pulled me in from the title, to the blurb, and to the genre and backdrop. I was intrigued about the role of carrier pigeons in the war effort and a female pigeoneer, I loved that she read Agatha Christie and was described as intrepid, and I was even looking forward to her solving a village mystery alongside her brooding ally in a British secret war organization. I wanted to so much to love this one and ended up liking it instead.
The setup is a small English village during wartime. The heroine is determined to be part of the war effort like her dashing and sometimes unstable mother was back in the Great War. At the same time, Olive is determined that her family’s racing pigeons are given their chance to shine. Unfortunately, her only real chance and theirs is to work for the top secret Bakers Street Group operating out of the nearby base. Sparks fly right away when Olive encounters taciturn Jameson Aldridge who is unmoved by her attempts to nose into everything and have things all her own way. But, he is the liaison she must work with and she takes pleasure in niggling him as a result. Soon, the local village busybody is found murdered outside her dovecote and she is determined to discover what happened and it is Aldridge who becomes her ally.
As I said, I wanted to love this one, but mostly felt a cautious liking. From the start, Olive didn’t take with me and it wasn’t until late in the book that I felt a spark of connection with her. She is twenty-one and has been away to university and London, but I was struck right away with her immaturity, petulance, and insistence in going her own way (this was an effort to emulate her wild and exciting deceased mother whom she idolized). I spent a great deal of time applauding Jameson for not letting her run rough shod over him even if she did have a point about him knowing nothing about the pigeons. To give Olive her fair due, late in the book her eyes are opened somewhat to her long string of past errors and mistakes in her behavior and actions. She also was resourceful, dedicated to the war effort, and does have wonderful skills particularly with her pigeons so deserves the chance to shine.
Moving on from what I struggled with, there is the wonderful description of small village life during the war from rationings and making due on less, keeping up cheer when their younger men were in danger and they had to go on, and living in the shadows of a nearby base. The background of pigeon work in the Great War and their peace time racing club roles to now being fitted out for war work once again. The characters from the village and Olive’s family were colorful and fascinating. I enjoyed them right down to the London evacuee boy living with Olive’s family. I liked that the author introduced Miss Husselbee early on and the reader gets the chance to know the victim somewhat before the murder. In truth, the mystery was not the central theme of the plot. The pigeons were also not central until later in the story when the missions were in earnest. There was a slow start and set up like one gets in a series starter. Maybe this will be a series eventually.
Olive and Jamie’s interactions and eventual Pride & Prejudice-style romance was a central element as was Olive needing to work through how her past, namely her mother’s eccentric and excitable life and death were coloring her thinking and her present. The layers of character development and romance with historical backdrop and the mystery did work wonderfully well.
Rachael Beresford had a soft narration voice that lulled me like a bedtime story. She distinguished Irish, Scottish, English, class, and gender, but in that soporific quality. It did effect the tone of the story and there was less emotional change for the various types of scenes. My preference would have been for slightly more energy in the narration, but I would try her work again.
All in all, I remained iffy on the heroine for most of the story, but eventually she turned things around. The rest of the story was good in a cozy historical mystery-way. I loved the historical backdrop and happenings and would enjoy picking up another Olive Bright historical mystery if it came. I will recommend this one to those who don’t mind slow build and softer historical war time adventures with a youthful-feeling heroine.
My thanks to Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
Olive Bright wants to serve her country against the Germans. She wants to contribute like her late mother, Serena did. Serena was a nurse and Olive admires her and misses her greatly. Olive’s family owns a pigeon coop and have trained their flock to be exceptional racers and homing birds. Olive’s father wants nothing more than the National Pigeon Service (NPS) to come calling and request the Bright pigeons to serve in the war.
Another opportunity arises for the pigeons to be used, but only Olive knows about it and cannot tell her father about it. All Olive knows is that she’s thrilled to finally feel useful. Olive sets about her work with pride. While life in her village is hard enough during wartime, everyone knows each other and tries their best to help one another. However, someone in the village, Ms. Verity, Husselbee is not so popular, being known as the neighborhood busybody and also known for not being so pleasant. Without giving too much away, Ms. Husslebee ends up being a murder victim. On top of everything else Olive is involved in, she ends up being an amateur sleuth and quickly learns not everyone is who they seem.
I enjoyed this book because I ended up looking more into the history of the pigeons used during the war. I was absolutely amazed at the accomplishments of these birds. The author also give a short history at the end of the book which I enjoyed reading. I also enjoyed seeing the progression of Olive’s journey, as well as the mystery woven in throughout.
I thought the writing was done very smartly and felt at times I was transported back to the times when I first started reading longer books as a youth. I would have given the book more stars except there was one thing I didn’t like. I thought there was almost TOO much description and not enough dialogue. Because of this, it took me longer than usual to finish. hear this book is the start of a series and I am not dismissing it just because of those two things. I think the author did a really good job in relaying information about the war and the pigeons and also with bringing Olive to life. I wish her the best with the rest of the series and am interested in where Olive will go.
I loved this book! It had a great blend of believable mystery, family interactions, romance, village life (and “characters”), as well as being a great education on the bravery and intrepid acts of pigeons in wartime. I found it inspiring and enjoyable and would highly recommend. Having traveled in England, the descriptions of village life and scenery were especially fun. Good book!
Olive Bright, Pigeoneer is a pleasant historical mystery set in World War II by Stephanie Graves. If you’re not familiar with Ms. Graves, you may be with her work under the name Alyssa Goodnight. I listened to the audiobook version, which was narrated by Rachael Beresford. Though not an exciting mystery, I enjoyed the story as I drove to and from work.
Olive Bright is a young woman living in the small village of Pipley in Hertfordshire, England. She helps her father in his veterinary practice, but primary takes care of her racing pigeons at the family’s Bright Lofts. They keep hoping their loft will be chosen by the National Pigeon Service (NPS) to use their birds to deliver coded messages for His Majesty’s Forces , but it doesn’t look likely. Since her best friend George joined the Royal Air Force, Olive is feeling a bit left behind, especially as she wants to somehow do her part for the war effort. When two men arrive at the loft, Olive believes they are from the NPS; however, Jameson Aldridge and his partner are tied to a covert British intelligence organization known as Baker Street. They want to use the loft’s services, but it must be done in secret, and Olive agrees. Meanwhile, Pipley’s resident busybody, Miss Husselbee, is found murdered outside at Bright Lofts. Is this connected to Olive’s new job, or has the busybody met her comeuppance?
Since this book had the word “pigeoneer” in the title, I was expecting this story to mainly be about the role of pigeons in the war effort. I was really excited about learning more about this topic as it was totally unfamiliar to me. However, the story mostly revolved around Olive’s investigation into the murder of Miss Husselbee. Olive was a big fan of Agatha Christie’s novels, and she and George liked to investigate growing up. With George gone she hoped for help from Jameson, but he wanted Olive to leave it alone. Yet she persisted, and soon was also investigating blackmail in addition to murder. Olive was a fun heroine, and the brooding, mysterious Jameson was intriguing. It was an entertaining mystery, just not the pigeoneering I was expecting. The narration by Ms. Beresford was nicely done and I think she did very well with both male and female characters. Her speech was so slow, however, and I was beginning to think I’d never get done with the book. When I sped up the narration to 1.25 percent, however, the speed was perfect. It’s an entertaining story…just don’t be expecting lots of pigeons.
I received an ARC of this audiobook courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Well written with interesting characters set within an historical framework that reads as plausible
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would classify it as historical fiction with a touch of mystery because, while there was a murder to solve, the main focus was on the characters and on everyday wartime life in their village. The murder didn’t occur until about a third of the way through the novel, so when it did happen the reader had already had the opportunity to see the suspects and their possible motives. That combined with the focus on the characters and on their everyday life gave me the same comfortable feeling as watching one of my favorite shows, Foyle’s War.
As for the main character, I found Olive easy to root for with her determination to do her bit despite her certainty that she could never live up to her mother’s record. I liked that her feistiness and curiosity were combined with a kind heart, and I loved her relationship with her step-mother and step-brother(Also, I found both of those characters endearing).
It was interesting to read about the pigeons. My respect for them and what they did definitely grew while reading this.
I got the impression that this will be the first in a series. I hope so because I would love to read more about Olive and her adventures.
2.5 Stars
Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of Olive Bright, Pigeoneer by Stephanie Graves. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this audio book prior to publication. My opinion are my own, and no one has influenced them.
Olive Bright, Pigeoneer is set in a sleepy British village during WWII. I listened to the audio and struggled with focusing on the story. The characters didn’t pull me in, and the pacing is slow. I am being kind in giving it three crowns. Normally, I thoroughly enjoy novel set during WWII, and found the premise of carrier pigeons intriguing, so I truly wanted to like this book.
Olive Bright’s character is extremely impulsive and determined to break the rules to such an extent, it kept me from liking her. She seemed much younger than her age. Her willingness to deceive her father did not sit well with me.
This was supposed to be a mystery, but it never pulled me in as this genre usually does. While there is murder, spying, and some suspense, it fell flat for me, but that may not be the case for others. Reading is subjective, and what appeals to one reader doe not to another. I fell in that second category. Happy reading and listening!
Thank you in advance to the publisher, Kensington Books, for providing a complimentary review copy through Bookish First. A positive review was not required nor requested and all words are my own.
This is one of those books that when I saw it … I HAD TO HAVE IT. And, so … I used my points to redeem it.
While not initially a fan of historical fiction, sometimes books come along that tend to steer you in a different direction. And, after a while you don’t hesitate to seek out those books.
I really love World War II (WWII) stories as my grandfather served in that war and it is, to me, one of the penultimate wars that changed the landscape of the world. Thus any WWII book is one I really want to check out – especially different perspectives – this one takes place in England, which was devastated by Nazi Germany. The cover is a complete opposite of that depicting hope and inspiration.
I found this “perspective” rather fascinating due to the use of carrier pigeons (those birds some tend to think are pests) and how useful they were during the war. So useful in fact, that the Nazis were gunning for them. Thus some elements were based on actual events and situations.
This is definitely a clean read – no foul language and there is not intimacy, barely a relationship. Most of the plot is centered on Olive’s quest to get her pigeons into service as well as trying to solve a murder-mystery. This also features elements of an espionage-type suspense. I didn’t exactly know what genre this was trying to fit into – mystery, espionage, young adult.
Other than Olive, there are a lot of characters which makes for quite a few suspects in the mystery. There are a lot of characters to keep up with told in third person with moments from the victim’s diary in first person.
The writing at times can drone on without getting anywhere in advancing the story. It tends to go day by day, some days take multiple chapters. This style really didn’t keep my interest. My over all interest was more “this is okay, but I’d rather be doing something else”. There were some interesting moments, but nothing that stood out. It definitely draw me in the way I had hoped it would. And, it wasn’t because Graves is a “new-to-me” author either.
It begins with Olive seeing childhood friend George off for the military, her brother is already serving. Chapter one was a long and tedious beginning, at one point I almost just gave up.
Olive’s parental background is established here. Her birth mother is deceased, but was hailed as a WWI hero. Serena died of tuberculosis. Olive’s relationship with her step-mom is wonderfully cordial and sweet. Harriet’s debilitating struggle with M.S (multiple sclerosis) is accurately portrayed.
Olive, because of her mother’s heroic work, wants to do more for the WWII effort and sees her pigeons as a chance. And, when two men drop by – she thinks she has it. Of course, they are not from the National Pigeon Service (NPS). And, Olive is drawn into the spy game. Though, there is very little spying and espionage here.
Olive is forced to present one of the men, Jamison, as Jamie – her date for a dance. This is where the story turns into more mystery than espionage/spy suspense when the local “busy body”, Mrs. Husselbee is found dead. Olive, because the woman was found on her property and had uttered Serena’s name, is determined to find out what happened.
But, Verity Husselbee was also reporting for an organization known as “MASS OBSERVATION”. The reader will learn nothing from this – only that Verity was keeping diaries and mailing them in.
In between investigating Verity’s “murder”, Olive is also inquisitive about Station17, and ends up getting hired on as a First Aid Nursing Yomanry (FANY). She feels she will finally be able to honor her mother and live up to an expectation. Though she has to keep things secret from her father and step-mother.
Olive, despite being told to let it go, is trying to solve the mystery. Even more so since her mother’s name was mentioned. There are, as I said, quite a few suspects whose own shady pasts could’ve been motive for murder.
However, Verity’s death is ruled “death by misadventure”. Still, Olive persists.
There were a few suspects I had in mind, but the final reveal is somewhat a let-down, despite being a surprise. Verity’s isn’t the only murder mentioned. There is also blackmail involving one of Olive’s friends (an illegitimate pregnancy referred to as “in the pudding”) and drug addiction is mentioned. There is also some “experiment” being conducted as well by a local doctor. So, there are a lot of “sub plots” floating about in this story. They tend to not lead to much of anything.
Jamison is impressed by Olive’s pigeons though there are some casualties.
The most stunning part of the story is the truth about Olive’s birth mother, something that smacks her in the face by her “handler”, Jamison. He at first thinks Olive knows, and then it becomes apparent that she doesn’t. Thus proving how damaging lies can be to others. But, he is there to “rescue” her when she gets into trouble at the end though.
The whole story/mystery takes part over two weeks (14 days), with the end around two weeks later (June 8th).
While Olive is thinking of George, one can’t help but wonder what will come of her and Jamison as they embark on their new missions together.
In addition to how the story plods along at times, another weakness is how much it relies on the Agatha Christie mysteries as well as one of the heroes of the books – Hercule Poirot. The references do become tedious and tiresome. There is also the “Pride & Prejudice” play that consumes part of the book, which also seems to add extra filler to the story.
This is the first book in an untitled series, and with the open-end, readers who are interested in finding out what happens next will want to check out the next book. I might check out the second book if I could borrow it from the library or happen to get a complimentary review copy down the road.
This is more for fans of the author or those who enjoy this type of read.
Oh wow! This book is simply amazing! It is entertaining, cozy-mysterious, witty, entertaining, heartfelt, and full of twists and turns! Whenever I picked up “Olive Bright, Pigeoneer”, I was whisked away on a journey like nothing I have read before!
This is the first book I have read by Stephanie Graves, and it certainly won’t be my last. She brilliantly weaves history and historical fiction together, and truly knows how to bring a story and characters to life before the readers’ eyes. I could envision and every moment, person, and place. I can only imagine the amount of research Ms. Graves put into this book, as each aspect felt so true to the time period of WWII.
Olive is such an intelligent, kind, spunky, brave, and caring heroine who wants to do what is right. She cares deeply for those around her, and when someone she knows is murdered, she will stop at nothing to find out the truth. I found myself putting on my detective hat to solve the murder right along with Olive. I love her love for animals too!
I also really enjoyed learning a lot about the work pigeons did during WWII. What brave, loving, and absolutely incredible animals! I found the author’s “Historical Note” at the end very insightful too!
If you enjoy historical cozy mystery and / or historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! It had turning the pages into the early morning to see how everything worked out, and the various aspects of the story all tie in so well. Full of twists and turns galore, I was kept guessing up until the very end…and I was SHOCKED! The puzzle pieces come into place at just the right pace…and I now want to go back and re-read and spot even more clues along the way! I also really enjoyed the many literary references throughout the book (no spoilers here…you will just have to read to see which ones!). I do not know if this is a stand-alone novel or if there will be more books…but, I would love to see a series with Olive solving more crimes, and to see what happens between Olive and Jamie as well!
Thank you so much to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, as well as to Kensington Publishing for sending me a physical ARC to read as well! I so enjoyed the book! All opinions expressed in this review are my own
I have so many good things to say about “Olive Bright, Pigeoneer”!
1. Olive herself is wonderful! Her character is very well-written, detailed, and realistic. I enjoyed learning a bit about her past as I got to know her through the storyline. She has plenty of room to grow, and I think she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to.
2. Several other characters added a great deal to the story, and I hope to see more of them in future books. In particular, Hen, Violet, and Jamie still have plenty of character development and back-story revelations to look forward to!
3. The historical aspect: This book is set in England during World War II, but it focuses on a less-popular part of history. Instead of being on the front lines, the reader gets a close look at what life was like in a small (fighting-free) village during the war. Since Olive and her father train messenger pigeons and hope to have them used for the war effort, I learned a lot about the role of pigeons in wartime, which was fascinating.
4. The mystery storyline was excellent, with plenty of suspects, suspicious behavior, real clues, and red herrings. Olive makes a very competent investigator as she tries to follow in the footsteps of Hercule Poirot, her literary hero. The final reveal made perfect sense, and left plenty of room for further developments in the next book.
5. The slow-burn romance: I liked the way this was written. In this initial installment, the two characters are just getting to know each other. I appreciated that they weren’t rushed into romance by the author. I’m now invested in them, and look forward to watching them get to know each other better in future books.
6. This is book one in a new series! I am very happy about this, as I am eager to see what happens next for Olive and her friends, and to get further glimpses into pigeon-craft.
All in all, five out of five slices of perfect Provolone!
4 stars
Stephanie Graves, Olive Bright, Pigeoneer, is a fun book which reads like a script for Masterpiece Theater or a series on Acorn TV. The book takes place in Pipley, an English village in 1941. Olive lost her mother to tuberculosis after WWI and Harriet, her step-mother, has multiple sclerosis. Her father is a veterinarian, and he is a pigeoneer. Jonathan, an evacuee from the blitz, lives with the family. Olive was working on her veterinary degree in London until the school closed due to the bombing. She spends her time with the pigeons and reading Agatha Christie mysteries.
Wanting to help out the war effort, they are hoping to have their pigeons be part of the war effort. British Intelligence Officer Jamie Aldridge connects with Olive and wants to use the pigeons but she is not allowed to tell anyone except for Jonathan. The town’s gossip writer, Verity Husselbee, has returned to Pipley. She has the goods about everyone, and it often appears in Mass Observation. At a town get together, Verity is poisoned. Over the course of the novel, Olive uses her skills of Agatha Christie books to solve the case. There is a large cast of characters and I suggest that readers take notes to try to solve the crime.
The war really takes the passenger seat to small town life. We do learn a lot about how pigeons were used to help in the war effort, and there is the starting of a love story between Olive and Jamie. The ending makes this reader believe this book is the start of a series. I enjoyed this book, and it makes for good reading during this cold week of winter. Thank you Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.
historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, cosy-mystery, England, murder, family-dynamics, friendship, romantic, amateur-sleuth
Olive Bright is a pigeoneer, and she does train her pigeons to be of covert service to Britain during early World War II not The Great War as was more usual. She becomes an amateur sleuth as well when a local gossip is poisoned.
Sorry, but I thought that the narrator was not really engaged in the project. I have enjoyed her narrations of other books, so I was disappointed this time.
I requested and received a free audiobook from Kensington Books via NetGalley.
I was very disappointed that it was archived when I was only halfway through listening.
If you care to read a novel about the British Pigeon Service I heartily recommend The Long Flight Home by Alan Hlad also by Kensington Books.