It's fun to pick up a book that draws you back into a setting and characters that you already know and feel comfortable with, as is the case with A Curio Killing, book #3 in the Keepsake Cove series. Mary Ellen Hughes delivers a well-crafted traditional cozy mystery that is sure to delight readers who enjoy this genre. If you're new to this series, it works well as a standalone.
The fictional Maryland village of Keepsake Cove, with its quaint stores and kind people, is a collector's dream. The shops are so enticing! Shops like Callie's House of Melody (music boxes), Delia's Shake It Up! (collectible salt & pepper shakers), Karl Egger's Carlectibles (classic model cars), Bill & Laurie Hart's Kids at Heart (vintage toy shop), and Pearl Poepelman's Pearl's Bangles and Beads.
With its quaint shops and seasonal festivals, Keepsake Cove is easy to visualize. Callie is a likeable lead character, easy to connect with. A Curio Killing is a seamless blend of setting, characters, and mystery. As the spring festival is about to begin, Hank, Callie's ex, unexpectedly bursts on the scene and soon finds himself arrested for murder. In spite of all the grief Hank brought into Callie's life in the past, the Hank she knew would never be guilty of murder and she feels obliged to prove his innocence.
Strong secondary characters add richness to the story â such as Callie's suspense author friend, Lyssa, store clerk Tabitha, and romantic interest, Brian â with Delia's reaching out to help her photographer friend, Jill, being one of my favorite parts. And, of course, there's Grandpa Reed's music box that starts playing at crucial times in Callie's life.
I greatly enjoyed the previous two books in this series. But while A Curio Killing is well written and I loved spending time with these characters, I didn't enjoy this story quite as much. This is purely personal, but I think it was because I didn't care for Hank and felt that Callie defending him put her relationship with Brian at risk. Also, Tabitha's quirky dress ensembles, where everyone tried to guess what famous or historical character she emulated each day, didn't play as prominent a role in this story and I missed that. A Curio Killing is still a good read overall and I look forward to further stories in this series.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
The fictional Maryland village of Keepsake Cove, with its quaint stores and kind people, is a collector's dream. The shops are so enticing! Shops like Callie's House of Melody (music boxes), Delia's Shake It Up! (collectible salt & pepper shakers), Karl Egger's Carlectibles (classic model cars), Bill & Laurie Hart's Kids at Heart (vintage toy shop), and Pearl Poepelman's Pearl's Bangles and Beads.
With its quaint shops and seasonal festivals, Keepsake Cove is easy to visualize. Callie is a likeable lead character, easy to connect with. A Curio Killing is a seamless blend of setting, characters, and mystery. As the spring festival is about to begin, Hank, Callie's ex, unexpectedly bursts on the scene and soon finds himself arrested for murder. In spite of all the grief Hank brought into Callie's life in the past, the Hank she knew would never be guilty of murder and she feels obliged to prove his innocence.
Strong secondary characters add richness to the story â such as Callie's suspense author friend, Lyssa, store clerk Tabitha, and romantic interest, Brian â with Delia's reaching out to help her photographer friend, Jill, being one of my favorite parts. And, of course, there's Grandpa Reed's music box that starts playing at crucial times in Callie's life.
I greatly enjoyed the previous two books in this series. But while A Curio Killing is well written and I loved spending time with these characters, I didn't enjoy this story quite as much. This is purely personal, but I think it was because I didn't care for Hank and felt that Callie defending him put her relationship with Brian at risk. Also, Tabitha's quirky dress ensembles, where everyone tried to guess what famous or historical character she emulated each day, didn't play as prominent a role in this story and I missed that. A Curio Killing is still a good read overall and I look forward to further stories in this series.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
A Curio Killing by Mary Ellen Hughes is the third novel in A Keepsake Cove Mystery series. Callie Reed owns House of Melody in Keepsake Cove, Maryland. The Keepsake Cove Spring Festival begins the next day and it will be Callie's first time experiencing it. She is shocked when her old boyfriend, Hank walks into the shop and learns his band will be performing at the festival. The festival is a hit until the band's manager, Bobby Linville is found murdered and Hank is arrested. Hank has no one else to call and Callie feels compelled to help him. A Curio Killing can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. Callie Reed, Brian Greer, Delia Hamilton, Tabitha and the other collectible shop owners have returned in A Curio Killing. Delia's costume photographer friend, Jill comes for the festival. I liked her concept of photographing people in costumes (historical and superhero). With Hank arrested for his manager's murder, Callie jumps in to help him. She is certain that he did not commit the crime. Callie questions band members and follows leads in her search for the killer. There were some interesting aspects to the mystery including the murder weapon and some unexpected revelations. I did feel, though, that Callie was willing to risk too much for the sake of a cheating ex-boyfriend. Her mother is having surgery and would appreciate Callie flying to Portland to be there for her and her current husband. While Brian said he understand why Callie was helping Hank, you could tell that he was not happy with the whole situation. I missed Tabitha's unique outfits in A Curio Killing. They add a touch of whimsy and humor. I just love the description of Callie's little cottage with its red siding and sage green door (I would have a navy blue door). A Curio Killing is a light cozy mystery with curious collectibles, cryptic clues, fun photos, chancy conflagrations, and suspicious singer.
