A Captivating Cozy Mystery
Dollycas's Thoughts
Juniper Blume has not returned to Rose Mallow, a small Chesapeake Bay town, since grandmother Zinnia had passed away. She has thrown herself into her work at the Library of Congress working with rare books. It was through her job that she was able to travel to Ireland last year to see the 1,200-year-old Book of Kells and learn about its history including the fact that the bejeweled covers were stolen centuries ago. So when her brother-in-law, who is separated from her sister, Azalea, contacts her saying he has information that the covers are in Rose Mallow, she is pretty surprised.
Juniper decides to try to put her grief aside and check out her brother-in-law's claim. When she arrives she sees her sister has been busy. Their grandmother's Queen Anne style home has been made into the Wildflower Inn as a tribute to the woman's love of flowers and a way to keep her legacy alive. Juniper quickly realizes she has really let her sister down by staying away.
Will she be able to mend fences with her sister? Will her heart be able to handle this homecoming? Is there any way the Book of Kells covers are really here in Maryland?
____
Ms. Silver has introduced some complicated characters in this first Rare Books Cozy Mystery. Juniper loves the idea of working at the Library of Congress but her new boss is driving her crazy. Her sister, Azalea has a lot on her shoulders, a pending divorce, raising her precocious almost 4-year-old daughter Violet, and running The Wildflower Inn. Her soon-to-be ex-husband, Rory works at a car dealership but somehow knows about a 1,200-year-old book. Keisha Douglass is a 17-year-old who helps Azalea at the inn and with Violet. Clover is Juniper's canine companion that quickly becomes Violet's best friend. And I can't forget the "screaming, ranting, madwomen", also known as Cordelia Sullivan and her granddaughter Whitney. We also meet several other residents of Rose Mallow and people brought into the story due to the notion that the missing covers of the Book of Kells may be there somewhere. I did enjoy the way these characters continued to grow within these pages, especially Juniper. The tension between her and her sister is palpable but gets better as the story continues and is still a work in progress.
The author has written a compelling mystery. A meeting in the cemetery leads to a dead body, a missing man, and a rain-soaked diary. This all sets Juniper off on an intriguing mission and she isn't the only one digging. The missing man could have all the answers but she knows she needs to focus and use her skills as a librarian to follow each clue no matter how minor. Keisha even lends a hand in the investigation. Juniper also makes a new friend. Azalea doesn't approve but he may have the information that she needs at his fingertips. I really liked tagging along with Juniper as she did her best to make sense of it all when the police dropped the ball. Her A-Ha moment really shook things up. I was really surprised by the dangerous and terrifying plan she came up with to out the killer.
Ms. Silver did a good job of setting each scene, especially during the showdown.Ã? She also described the beautiful area of Chesapeake Bay, the small town of Rose Mallow, and the Wildflower Inn so well. I would love to travel to the area.
I can see the author drew on her life experience to hit all the right historical notes throughout the book.Ã? With my Irish heritage, I was Googling the Book of Kells as soon as I finished her story and her Author's Note so I could see actual pictures and learn more about it. She really piqued my interest with this story.
Crime and Parchment sets this series off to a very enjoyable start. With several threads to follow I was captivated the entire way. I am keen to see what the author has in store for her characters next.
