This book isnt some Oprah winning earth moving novel, but it didn win an award for new mystery novel. This awards was well deserved. This mystery is on well written, well edited book. All the characters are likeable and memorable. Violet isnt some super sleuth who gets into the police's investigation. She is just a single mother of twins trying to make a living selling real estate in Deadwood. Deadwood seems to have a serial killer who is kidnapping blonde girls. The back of the book alludes to Violet being worried about her own daughters safety.

The only character I hated was her antagonizing co-worker Ray. Who should be slapped with a sexual harassment suit, but then again every books needs someone to poke at the chinks in our heroines armor.

I want BOOK 2!!! I need to know what happens next.

Share/Like this Review?

Overall, I thought it was okay. It had a decent mystery. Not a lot of suspense. Violet annoyed me. For one, she is a realtor who is in a business relationship with 2 men, both of whom she also has the hots for. One of them she goes out on a few dates with (and loses interest). The other one, flirts with her and makes Violet even more of a ditz (and in addition to Violet not-so secretly crushing on him, her best friend REALLY likes him too). Really?! I felt like I was reading a YA book at times. Violet's kids don't listen to her, one steals a chicken (to save it) and is there any punishment for that? Well nope. Violet does tell her she will need to take it back, but does she? Again- nope. (Granted there were other things going on, etc, but really?)
3 stars because it kept me entertained. Will I read the other books in this series? No.

Share/Like this Review?

Single mother Violet Parker wanted a new start in life. She and her kids move in with her aunt in Deadwood, South Dakota, where she takes a job with Calamity Jane Realty. Selling homes isn't as easy as she thought it would be. With no luck so far, she has three weeks to earn a commission, or she will be replaced. As Violet gets some new client who want to sell their homes, she learns that a couple of young blonde girls from the area have disappeared in the last year. This hits home since these girls fit the description of her daughter Addie. Violet decides to do a little sleuthing on the side to see if she can identify the kidnapper.

I've had this book for a while now and decided to give it a try. It was a mixed bag for me. The things I liked...there is a lot of humor in Violet's inner monologue which I found fun. I loved the setting of Deadwood, SD. The author nails the town with her descriptions of the small-town atmosphere and historical facts. And I loved Harvey, the crotchety gun-toting man who befriends Violet and her family. He steals many of the scenes.

What I didn't like...mainly Violet herself. She has no parenting skills. I cringed each time she dealt with her kids who could easily manipulate her. She puts up with an obnoxious co-worker who openly harasses her for all to hear. (Her boss does nothing about it either.) Worst of all, when she sees some suspicious behavior, she doesn't go to the police in case she is wrong, and that person would find out.

I'll probably give the next book a try to see if the series gets any better. My rating: 3 Stars.

Share/Like this Review?

I have an affinity for old mining towns, and the word "Deadwood" was the first thing to catch my eye about this book. Old mining towns have history; they have character; and they're often good places to set a story. I found that to be true here. Deadwood also has casinos, so there will be an ever-changing mix of familiar faces and strangers just drifting through to play the slots and to avoid a hand of aces and eights at the poker table. Charles did a first-rate job of highlighting Deadwood's quirky ambiance.

Ann Charles' voice and her sense of humor are the two things about this book that I absolutely loved. I lost count of the number of times she had me laughing as I turned the pages-- even when Violet's twins were up to some hare-brained scheme. (She's really going to be in trouble when these two become teenagers.)

As far as characters go, Violet is 95% of the show, and although she had me won over from the first line, I would've liked to see other characters-- like her aunt-- featured a bit more. One of the characters at Calamity Jane Realty, however, highlight one of the unrealistic parts of the story. One of the realtors is a smarmy buzzard who wants Violet to fail so he can practice a bit of nepotism. His constant stream of sexual innuendo makes me wonder what cave he was hiding in when all the emphasis against sexual harassment in the workplace was being explained. Not only that, but Violet puts up with it, so there's something wrong with her, too.

It also seems as though Violet's the target of every man's salacious thoughts there in Deadwood, and if you enjoy romance in your mysteries, you're going to find plenty of it here, with handsome men both wanting to sell and buy houses from her-- and to keep Violet entertained in other ways. A word of warning: the amount of detail in a romantic encounter goes well above what is usually found in the typical cozy. It's not graphic, but be aware just in case you need to turn on a fan as you read that chapter.

I did find this book to have a slow-moving start, and I really don't think a small town would be quite so blasé about three missing girls as Deadwood residents appeared to be. There's also a tiny bit of the paranormal added at the end that really wasn't necessary; Violet's confrontation with the killer was chilling and well-written to begin with.

I'm finding several things to be picky about, aren't I? Yes, there are some problems with Nearly Departed in Deadwood, but the writing style and the humor were so enjoyable that I was willing to overlook a few details. I'm also more than willing to go to Deadwood and visit with Violet again. Let's face it: I love old mining towns, and I love to laugh.

Share/Like this Review?