Cathe Swanson

My favorite of the series

Revisado: 01-09-19

I enjoyed this book. Ms. Gilbert writes good mysteries, and she especially excels at creating authentic family relationships.
Real life is messy. Tess Spencer faces that head-on, in spite of her reluctance, but she doesn't wallow in it. I think she's the perfect heroine -- intelligent, soft-hearted but tough, strong but not aggressive, both foolhardy and brave, and always driven by believable motives.
This narrator is good. She keeps each character separate and consistent. Good pacing.
I think this is my favorite of the three books in the series, and I look forward to the next one!

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Great Story

Revisado: 12-26-18

This is a well-written, fascinating story with a creative plot and engaging characters. I listened to this book through the Kindle unlimited subscription.

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Entertaining short story

Revisado: 08-02-18

The sound quality of this audiobook was very good. The narrator did an excellent job of portraying the flaky heroine. Bailey is a girl who claims Christianity but she doesn't have any sincere faith of her own, living within a set of rules instilled by her parents, skating as close to the edges as possible while still regarding herself as a good Christian girl. She's full of "I can't do this or that," but she continually and openly (and continually and openly and continually...) raves about the physical attributes of the hero, sharing a bit TMI about her personal physical reactions to him. Lots of kisses that stop barely short of going too far. She strings him along while pushing him away with protestations of her inability to have a relationship with him. But then, in a life-or-death situation, Bailey makes a bargain with God - she will start going to church if she survives.
So the author has set the stage for the heroine to be saved, establish her own faith and grow spiritually into her own convictions in the rest of the series. I think that will be good!
The mystery was a little confusing to me. I feel as if the author was inspired by Janet Evanovich's books. but those don't translate well to clean fiction.
This review really covers the first and second books of the series. The one is a short story.
Overall, it is an entertaining read (listen), and I look forward to seeing the heroine's development in the rest of the series.

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Entertaining - well-done audio

Revisado: 08-02-18

The Sound quality was very good. The narrator did an excellent job of conveying the ditzy heroine. Bailey is a girl who claims Christianity but has no sincere faith of her own. She lives barely within a set of rules instilled by her parents, skating as close to the edges as possible while still regarding herself as a good Christian girl. She's full of "I can't do this or that," but she continually and openly (and continually and openly and continually...) raves about the physical attributes of the hero, sharing a bit TMI about her personal physical reactions to him. Lots of kisses that stop barely short of going too far. She strings him along while pushing him away with protestations of her inability to have a relationship with him. He doesn't seem to have much character of his own but drifts along, accepting her behavior. This situation continues through the second book, which is a short story/novella. In that one, she makes a bargain with God - she will start going to church if she survives.
The good part of this is that the author has set the stage for the heroine to be saved, establish her own faith and grow spiritually into her own convictions in the rest of the series. I think that will be good!
The mystery was a little confusing to me and the ending was abrupt. I listened to the audiobook.
I feel like this author was trying to do a "Christian" version of Janet Evanovich's books.
Overall, it is an entertaining read (listen), and I look forward to seeing the heroine's development in the rest of the series.

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Trial by Twelve

Revisado: 03-26-17

I read and enjoyed the first book in the Murder in the Mountains series, Miranda Warning, last year, so I had high expectations for this second one. I wasn’t disappointed! Although it is a standalone book, I loved it as a sequel, glad to return to the Appalachian community.
Ms. Gilbert writes some of the most natural, realistic characters I have ever read, especially within the Spencer family. Their relationships feel genuine. I like all of them, but Nikki Jo is my favorite. I want to be that mother-in-law.
The author’s skill with characterization is clear from the start. Tess Spencer is working a part-time job at the beginning of this book, at an upscale spa. Her coworkers are odd, and her boss is unpredictable. When the inevitable body is discovered, an extraordinary law man shows up to solve the problem. Various minor characters come and go, and they are all interesting. And potential villains? Ms. Gilbert is good at dangling red herrings in front of her readers.
Tess’s husband, Thomas, seems more confident and active in this story than in the previous one, which adds depth to their relationship. Tess’s old friend, Axel, shows up in his guardian angel role and disappears again. The narrator of the audiobook does an excellent job of consistently distinguishing the characters.
As in Miranda Warning, Ms. Gilbert weaves the contemporary and historical stories together through a series of old letters, gradually revealing information that changes our perception of the situation and characters, ramping up the tension but not giving away the solution of the mystery until the end of the book. I didn’t guess whodunnit until the end, and there were a few surprises thrown in there.
I liked the book, and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. The author also has a few other books out, including a Norse series that looks fascinating!

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Creative details!

Revisado: 03-03-17

This book is fascinating! Vikki Kestell has written an original and complex (but not "heavy") plot with creativity in every detail. The main character is vividly human, and her reactions to her changing circumstances are perfect. I look forward to reading (or listening to) the other books in the series.

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More Complex Than I Expected

Revisado: 05-29-16

I purchased Miranda Warning in Kindle form and was already reading it when the author approached me with an offer of a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review. It was nice to have both versions.

This must have been a challenging book to read. In addition to changes in time period, there were quite a few female characters in the book, and Ms. Doughty was consistent and distinct in each voice. She successfully created both young and old voices for three of the characters. The Appalachian dialect was just right – not overdone. She was good with the child's voice, too.

This story seemed like a straightforward mystery at first, but it turned out to be a multi-faceted introduction to what I expect will be a long series.

The author has created a refreshingly original world. I wouldn’t classify the book as “Christian Fiction.” Instead, Ms. Gilbert writes from a Christian worldview, and her setting includes a realistic mix of Christians and nonbelievers in community. None of them are perfect, and they live naturally according to their convictions. The heroine is a unique character. She bears some scars from a dysfunctional childhood, but she went to college, married into a healthy family and doesn’t wallow in angst. As a mother-in-law, I was pleased to see the loving relationship between Tess and Nicky Jo. The politically conservative characters are portrayed as intelligent and sensible instead of rednecks or greedy industrialists. A young boy is allowed to be an ordinary young boy who enjoys his family. An older woman is both lucid and sometimes vague. Tess’s husband is allowed to be grouchy and jealous sometimes without being a bully. He is macho and vulnerable. She is vulnerable, too, but also willful and sometimes intrepid. And she doesn’t hide (too many) things from her husband; she can be foolhardy and she has common sense. On these and several other points, Ms. Gilbert succeeds in breaking free of stereotypes. Refreshing!

There were some inconsistencies that struck me as jarring: Miranda initiated the whole mystery and then became disinterested. The doctor was too accommodating, too fast. Why didn’t Tess have a concealed carry permit? Axel provided insight to Thomas’s character and feelings for Tess, but he seemed extraneous otherwise. He felt like a subplot that never developed, and then he left the country to tie up the loose end. Rosemary’s actions were odd. The friendship with Charlotte happened too quickly and conveniently. The ending felt rushed. And yet, it was still an engrossing story. I wonder if the book was originally much originally and then cut back to meet modern publishing standards.

The author’s creativity and skill were displayed in the two parallel story lines that linked all of the characters. Rose’s story unfolded slowly, changing our perceptions of each character with every installment. THAT was superbly written.

Trial by Twelve, the second book in this series, features the same characters two years later and is more of a murder mystery than this one. I look forward to reading it soon!

The reader did a very good job, but of the two formats, I preferred the text book. The first-person, present tense style sounds a little dreamy and “stream of consciousness” when it’s read aloud.

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Entertaining Story

Revisado: 10-07-15

Ms. McAdoo has written an interesting book based loosely on the Biblical story of Adam and Eve and their children. While I disagree with many of the author's theological conclusions, I found it to be an entertaining and imaginative story. She fleshed out the simple story with possible human emotions and reactions to the issues confronting the first family. Her ideas are fresh and very creative!

The cover of the book doesn't do it justice. It needs a fiery angel or something. :)

This narrator is outstanding. He excels at maintaining the identity of each character, male and female, and moderating the pace of the "action" of the story without overacting. His voice is strong and flexible.

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