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quietlyreading_'s review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
Even if I read other books by this author this is the first one I’d define a cozy mystery.
It’s a very good start for a new series, exciting and entertaining.
Jenny, the heroine, is a very interesting and well written character. I liked how she feels good in her skin and her personality in general.
The cast of characters is likeable and reminded me some mystery of the Golden Age.
I loved the description of the postcard perfect village with the gossips and the small town lifestyle.
The mystery was engaging, full of twists and turns, and it kept me guessing till the end.
It took me some times to get into this book but then I couldn’t put it down.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this very good series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Joffe Books and Netgalley for this ARC
It’s a very good start for a new series, exciting and entertaining.
Jenny, the heroine, is a very interesting and well written character. I liked how she feels good in her skin and her personality in general.
The cast of characters is likeable and reminded me some mystery of the Golden Age.
I loved the description of the postcard perfect village with the gossips and the small town lifestyle.
The mystery was engaging, full of twists and turns, and it kept me guessing till the end.
It took me some times to get into this book but then I couldn’t put it down.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this very good series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Joffe Books and Netgalley for this ARC
nietzschesghost's review against another edition
4.0
The Birthday Mystery, first published as Birthdays Can Be Murder in 2010 under Faith Martin's pen name Joyce Cato, is the perfect start to the Jenny Starling series. As is often the case in Ms Martin's crime fiction she makes the chocolate-box village in the countryside a character in its own right and it reminded me a lot of the village of Midsomer in Midsomer Murders. It had me hooked pretty darn quickly and racing through the pages to discover what actually happened and who the dastardly culprit was. There are twists and turns galore, and the writing flows so effortlessly that it's very difficult to put the book down.
The characters, as always, are well developed and admirable in their intentions. They are believable and come across as the type of people who could be anyone's friends or family. Jenny is a capable, intelligent and assured amateur sleuth who is determined to get to the bottom of the murder and save her reputation in the process. This is classic crime fiction which is ideal if you prefer your reads to be clean, and this is up there with some of the best novels that pay homage to the greats such as Agatha Christie. If you appreciate Christie's books then you'll find a lot to like here. A thoroughly enjoyable story with subtle clues scattered throughout to let the reader play along in identifying the killer. All of these ingredients result in a very tasty read indeed.
Many thanks to Joffe Books for an ARC.
The characters, as always, are well developed and admirable in their intentions. They are believable and come across as the type of people who could be anyone's friends or family. Jenny is a capable, intelligent and assured amateur sleuth who is determined to get to the bottom of the murder and save her reputation in the process. This is classic crime fiction which is ideal if you prefer your reads to be clean, and this is up there with some of the best novels that pay homage to the greats such as Agatha Christie. If you appreciate Christie's books then you'll find a lot to like here. A thoroughly enjoyable story with subtle clues scattered throughout to let the reader play along in identifying the killer. All of these ingredients result in a very tasty read indeed.
Many thanks to Joffe Books for an ARC.