Statue of Limitations

After her divorce, Athena Spencer moves back to her hometown of Sequoia, Michigan to work in her family’s garden center and to raise her son. One night at the garden center, she meets a handsome stranger who claims to be the rightful owner of a valuable statue her grandfather bought at an estate sale. When he becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a local man, she decides to help him. Together they do everything they can to prove his innocence while trying to save the Little Greece business shops from being razed by the powerful Talbot family.

Statue of Limitations by Kate Collins is a solid start to a new series. It is an enjoyable, easy read, with a likable, well-developed cast of characters and an interesting murder mystery. The writing flows smoothly and the story moves at a steady pace. The main character Athena is likable and easy to relate to. She didn’t make the best decisions when it came to investigating the murder but as the reader learns more about the Talbot family, it becomes very obvious why she did what she did. I love the chemistry between her and Case and look forward to seeing what the author has in store for their characters. The reveal at the end wasn’t much of a surprise. We basically knew right from the start who the culprits were. It was just a matter of finding and completing all the missing pieces of the puzzle. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the second one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

I had way too much fun with this book! We meet Athena who returns home to her roots after a nasty divorce. Family embraces her even creating a job for her at the family garden center. One night there alone late she heard a noise outside. When she investigates she finds a man inspecting the statue they have eventually claiming that it was stolen from his family. She gets rid of him hoping that’s the end of it. Of course it’s not the end of it to say the least. The same man is caught on video fleeing the scene of a recent murder making him a wanted man. He comes to Athena for help and after much convincing she agrees to look into things. What follows is true picture of small towns as we get a wide range of characters introduced in ways to really help you know who they are. Athena’s family alone could keep you entertained all day. A fantastically written cozy that will keep your attention all the way to the very end. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.

Athena Spencer has had to move back to live with her family in Michigan after her divorce. That means dealing with her large, crazy Greek family on a daily basis since she and her young son are living with them and she is working at the family’s garden center. It also means she is on hand when her grandparent’s Greek restaurant is threatened by the powerful Talbot family. They intend to raze an entire block of shops to put in condos. The fact that a murder takes place in their home, two weeks after another suspicious death, doesn’t seem to be slowing their plans down at all. The police are focusing their attention on a stranger in town, but Athena thinks they have the wrong suspect. Can she solve the murder and save her grandparent’s restaurant?

As I was starting this book, I was thinking I was going to have problems with it. Athena’s family likes to spend their time meddling in her life, something that I find annoying. Honestly, the family needs more development quickly because I still found them annoying at the end. I also questioned just why Athena was going to such extremes to help a stranger. But I kept reading, and as I kept reading, I got more and more hooked on the story. Yes, there is a lot here, and in lesser hands, it might have gone very wrong. Here, it worked. There was always something going on to keep me engaged. The ending was a bit abrupt, but it did wrap everything up nicely. This is a light book, but if that is what you are looking for, you’ll be delighted. Kate Collins’s many fans will be very happy.

This is the first book in Ms. Collins’ new series, A Goddess of Greene St. Mysteries. Having been a huge fan of the Flower Shop Mysteries, I was excited to see something new from this author. I missed Abby Knight and the characters in that series but was looking forward to getting to know a whole new set of characters. I was also delighted to discover that the new series was set in my home state of Michigan, which adds to the fun for me. I was not disappointed with this first book Statue of Limitations. The lead character, Athena Spencer comes from a large Greek Family which is fun and colorful as well as providing fodder for the blog she writes under an assumed name. What was fun about this aspect of the story was that her mother and sisters love the blog but have no idea that much of the inspiration and stories are about them. The writing and character development are what we have come to expect from this author and she has penned an entertaining read that will have readers turning pages to see how things will end.

The mystery flows nicely throughout the story. Athena becomes embroiled in a murder investigation a bit by accident while trying to help her family and other Greek store owners save the area of their town that is populated by those of Greek ancestry. While the identity of the killer is not a complete surprise (there are only really two or three strong, viable suspects), it was enjoyable reading about Athena’s journey to uncover what happens and save the Greek Merchants whose establishments are going to be torn down by town’s wealthiest and most powerful family.

I think if a reader enjoyed or was a fan of the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding then they will certainly enjoy this book. It had the same feel. A young woman who left town because she was overwhelmed by her family’s “greekness” returns home with her young son after her divorce to her family and becomes embroiled all that her family entails. Add in a murder mystery and there you have it.

I very much enjoyed this debut in the new series and look forward to getting to know Athena and her sisters, as well as Case Donnally – Athena’s new love interest in this book – a lot better.

I voluntarily read a digital ARC that was provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.

If you enjoyed My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you’ll enjoy the crazy and loving Greek family in this book. For me this is what really made Statue of Limitations a good read. I wanted more of the interaction between the family members and will be looking forward to that in future books in the Goddess of Greene Street Mystery series. And more of Oscar the raccoon too, of course!

As for the mystery itself, I think most people will know right away the bad guys. But since the characters that Kate Collins writes are so developed it’s easy to overlook how easy the mystery was to solve. There were some red herrings to try to make it more difficult to figure out, so maybe you’ll be one who takes a bit longer to see whodunit.

There were a few times when Athena was really ditzy when it came to securing evidence and I wanted to smack her! I know the main characters sometimes have to make mistakes to keep up the drama and tension, but at one point towards the end, I was like, Really?!?

There is a kind of love triangle in Statue of Limitations, and we all know how I feel about those, but by the end of the book it was resolved, and I’m glad she gave one of the men the boot. And I realize why she was dating him, but I don’t know if I could have kept dating him if I was in her place… but that could just be the age difference, besides the cultural differences.

A fun start to a new cozy mystery series, and I’m looking forward to book two in 2021.

In this first book of the series we are I introduced to Athena, a single mother who has moved back home to work in her family’s garden center after her divorce. She loves her big Greek family but they drive her crazy at times, sticking their noses into her business, trying to fix her up, and tell in her now to raise her son. That’s what families do though, especially when they are close. One evening while working alone after the garden center has closed she hears a noise, thinking it’s a racoon that they have been caring for she goes to check things out. Instead of it being their mischievous racoon it’s a man, he says he is there to reclaim his family’s statue. Athena isn’t sure what to make of the man and asks him to leave, deciding she needed to investigate a bit and find out if what he says is true. Meanwhile she has to worry about the most powerful family in town destroying not only her family’s livelihood but the Greek community all together. With not one but two murders occurring during this time everyone e is worried about a murderer being among them. Follow along as Athena tries to make sense as of everything that is going I and find a killer to help save the community she loves.

A new garden-based cozy series written by Kate Collins goes on sale January 28th. Statue Of Limitations is the first book in the “A Goddess Of Greene St. Mystery” from Kensington Books.

I adore cozies that have gardens and flowers as a central setting. It makes me think of spring, aromatic scents, color-filled sights, and warm days. This cozy keeps readers smiling and happy. It gives them a desire for winter to be over. It also gives them a taste of passion with a sense of compassion as well.

The characters in this new series are interesting and quirky. They are also very Greek. This has readers longing for good food, sun, and family. Even though the Greek aspect is mentioned a great deal, it isn’t shoved down your throat as it could have been. The main character, Athena, is working in her parent’s garden center, writing a blog that is secret and funny, while trying to avoid marrying a man she can’t stand. She is strong-minded, but at times too concerned with what her family will think or do if she expresses her thoughts, hence the secret blog about that very family.

Unfortunately, Athena’s inability to take charge of her life and tell her family to butt out gets a bit irritating, especially where her son is concerned. She was once a big city reporter but seemed to have trouble asking the hard-hitting questions, which does not agree with the type of character she is portraying. Other characters are very likable but need more definition. Characters will grow as the series adds new books. I hope the garden center continues to play a big part in this series as it was the scene of much of the action and helps readers visualize the setting. I also hope that Athena and Case’s relationship continues down the current road it’s traveling, and that the two will continue to work together to solve many more murders in the future.

The killer was a bit too obvious from the very beginning, and unfortunately, the motive was never in any doubt. Overall, I enjoyed Statue Of Limitations, it was easy to read and didn’t consume tons of time or energy. Even though some things could have been better, I feel the book is an excellent start for the series.

I look forward to reading the next installment. One last comment, I hope Kevin goes to jail sooner or later!

Athena Spencer has returned to Michigan to raise her son with her family’s support. While working at the family garden center, she is surprised by a man looking at her statue. He believes it is his. Athena disagrees. When he is found fleeing from the scene of a murder, Athena gets involved. In addition, the Greek area of town is in risk of being torn down. Things get complicated.

This is the first in a new series and it has great possibilities. Wonderful characters, good setting, and lots of puzzles. I look forward to the next in the series.

Statue of Limitations by Kate Collins was an entertaining beginning to a new cozy series.

I enjoyed meeting Athena and her loud and boisterous Greek American family. Each family member is a unique individual. Ms. Collins took the time throughout the story to begin to develop each of characters. By the end of the book I felt like I had begun to know each one. Case Donnelly, however, is still somewhat of a mystery that I look forward to knowing better as the series continues.

A well crafted plot with just enough twists and red herrings to keep a reader turning the pages until the reveal. Oh, and the reveal was a doozy. I will be watching for the next one in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.

Statue of Limitations by Kate Collins is the debut of A Goddess of Greene St. Mystery series. Athena Spencer, recently divorced, returns home to Sequoia, Michigan with her son, Nicholas. Her large Greek family is happy to have her back, though, Athena had to endure a few “I told you so’s” from them (they told her not to marry the bum). While Athena loves her family, they can be a bit overwhelming at times especially her mother who wants to see her settled with a nice Greek boy (like Kevin Coreopsis). She alleviates her frustrations with “It’s All Greek to Me” a blog she writes under the name Goddess Anon. Athena is the business manager for Spencer’s Garden Yard (her father’s business). One evening while working on her blog in the office, Athena hears a noise outside. She believes it is Oscar, the raccoon, and is shocked to find a man fiddling with her grandfather’s newly acquired Greek statue “Goddess of Athena”. Case Donnelly tells Athena that the statue, which was made by Greek sculptor, Antonius was stolen from his family in Greece. He is trying to prove ownership. Athena is quick to send Case on his way. The next morning, Case is wanted in the murder of Harry Pepper, Grayson Talbot Sr.’s longtime assistant. Athena finds herself hiding Case and searching for a killer while trying to protect her grandparent’s beloved restaurant from greedy developed, Grayson Talbot Jr. I like how we are introduced to Athena in Statue of Limitations. I thought it was clever and a unique way to introduce the protagonist. This book is easy to read, and I like the theme of a large Greek family and community. We are introduced to Greek culture, food, and language. I thought Athena’s blog was humorous. Her family loves to read it and they fail to realize that Athena is describing them. Athena’s sisters are quirky (especially Delphi). Her father is a sweetie. I liked the interactions between Athena and Case Donnelly. Sparks were flying between these two. The mystery was fun to follow, but it is a snap to solve. There are floral tips at the end. Cozy mystery readers will enjoy getting to know Athena’s family and the Greek community in Sequoia. Statue of Limitations is a lighthearted cozy mystery with a meddling mother, a rascally raccoon, the charismatic Case, one big-headed blowhard, and a Greek goddess gumshoe.