Death of an Elderly Neighbor
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| Amelia Marsh's appointment book was taken image courtesy of Pixabay.com |
Last week I read The Death of Amelia Marsh by MaryJo Dawson. My review follows in the paragraphs below. I first connected with the author in a group that I belong to for authors and readers on GoodReads. I'm finding some very interesting books to read by belonging to that group. It is a source you might try if you are looking for books that you might not otherwise discover.
Anyway, I should get back to the purpose of this post. MaryJo Dawson has written a series of Cozy Mysteries with The Death of Amelia Marsh being the first one. The series is called the Sally Nimitz Mysteries. Sally, if you haven't guessed already, is the main character and I found her to be a very likable amateur female sleuth. She is a widow with grown children living in a condominium located in a small town in Indiana. Being a Hoosier, myself, you might see why I was first drawn to read about Sally.
Short Synopsis of The Death of Amelia Marsh
As the story begins, we find Sally preparing to go to visit one of her neighbors, Amelia Marsh. The elderly woman had invited Sally over that afternoon and seemed anxious about something. Sally admires the charming woman with the white hair and English accent. When she arrives at the appointed time, Mrs. Marsh doesn't answer the door. Sally thinks at first that perhaps the woman had forgotten or maybe she was napping. She waits for a short period of time and goes back. There is still no answer and Sally becomes concerned. Sally goes to the manager of the condominiums and asks if he could let her in; she's worried about Amelia. From the title of the book, I assume you have figured out they find Mrs. Marsh on her kitchen floor, dead from a blow to the head.
Sally starts putting the pieces to the puzzle together of who killed Amelia with the help of her friend George and Amelia's friend Anne Carey. It isn't easy for the three because Amelia Marsh was a bit of a mystery, herself. She avoided talking of her past, didn't mention relatives and had very few items in her home that might help them with clues of where to look. What was Amelia Marsh hiding? Who would take the life of a sweet little old woman? Robbery didn't seem to be a motive because nothing seemed to be missing until Anne realizes that the appointment book that Amelia always kept handy was no where to be found. Whoever the killer was, must have been penciled in that book.
Did I like this Cozy Mystery?
Oh you bet I did! The story is very well written, moving along at a nice pace with just the right amount of twists and turns to keep you turning the page. The style of MaryJo Dawson's writing reminded my of the mysteries I read when I was younger. I enjoyed that!
The characters are absolutely delightful and believable. Sally is someone I would love to spend more time with. Anne Carey, another elderly neighbor in the Condos is witty and interesting. I would love to sit and sip some tea with her. I could spend hours on George's porch talking with him and Sally. The characters are well thought out that is for certain.
I also loved that there was the mystery of who "done it" but also the mystery of Amelia Marsh and her past life. Sally and her friends have to figure out why their friend was so closed mouthed about her past. Why did she not have any memorabilia in her home of her life that was filled with travels? There weren't many photos of her past to be found which they felt was odd because people keep those things for the memories. As they work together to find clues, it seems every time they think they have found an answer they only come up with more questions.
I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Sally's sleuthing. I think you will enjoy it, also. Give it a try, I don't think you will be disappointed in the least.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
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Oh, it sounds like the perfect book for me! I love the cozy mystery genre now, thanks to the contributors of Review This Reviews! Until I started reading the cozy mystery reviews here, I had no idea there were so many wonderfully written mysteries without unnecessary blood & gore. I love a great mystery and I definitely want to know more about Amelia Marsh. Thank you for the review and recommendation.
ReplyDeleteOh my! My list of must read books is growing again. I love mysteries and this one sounds like one that would keep me entertained for a while. Thanks for this review Bev Owens!
ReplyDeleteBev, I, too, am a fan of well written cozy mysteries with well developed, interesting characters, so this book sounds like it’s right up my alley! Thanks so much for introducing me to this new-to-me author and series.
ReplyDeleteI have been a fan of the mystery genre for many, many years. But, until you, Bev, and others on Review This Reviews, began introducing me to Cozy Mysteries, I had not branched out in that direction. I have now become a fan of those too. So, always delighted to learn of another author and series in cozy mysteries. The Death of Amelia Marsh sounds perfect and I look forward to seeing what else author MaryJo Dawson has written.
ReplyDeleteThis book review and many others on ReviewThisReviews will one day get me reading fiction and stories. Sounds very interesting!
ReplyDeleteTotally enjoyed this one. The characters feel like folks who live right in the neighborhood. Nice relaxing and interesting mystery. I am now reading the second in the series.
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ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an interesting book I'd enjoy. I usually stay away from cozy mysteries because the amateur sleuths are usually pretty reckless about putting themselves in harm's way for no good reason and cause me more suspense than I'm comfortable with.