Margaret ChittendenCritiques

Casey owns an antique shop and goes to shows often. She meets a lady who gives her a bottle with perfume in it. The bottle has magic qualities to bring what is desired of the user.

rabck bookbox from bookstogive 10/10; good UK story alternating between present day and the courtship of Rebecca and Simon, and WWII with grandmother Bliss and Simon's grandfather Paul.

PLOT OR PREMISE:
Diana Gordon has retired from being a private investigator after being shot, and is living the simple life in Port Findlay, Washington running her own photography studio. But a local woman is murdered, and when Gordon finds the body, she can't resist doing a little personal investigating. And she turns up links to her past and how she got shot -- for taking a photograph of someone who didn't want to be captured.
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WHAT I LIKED:
Diana's character is relatively straightforward, and it is an interesting cast of sub-characters. Hard to tell if this will be a series or a one-off book, but it works either way. The politics of a photography show provide a nice backdrop, and this would work as almost-cozy, except for a little direct violence in two places.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Her partner in Port Findlay, Conor Callahan, is a bit neurotic and there is a major change in his perspective by the end of the book. Gordon doesn't reveal to everyone her past as she goes along, and it is a "secret" that causes problems early on -- for no apparent reason as she knows she's going to have to spill eventually. Equally, the reason the photograph is causing problems is so obvious to the reader, it is grating to see our star investigator proceed through most of the book before figuring it out.
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BOTTOM-LINE:
A great almost-cozy
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, but I have interacted briefly with her on social media.

The main characters weren't very likeable, the romance was cliché, and the mystery/story itself didn't keep my interest very well. I wouldn't recommend it.

This book is fun, light-hearted, and makes you wish you had a ghost in your house! Who wouldn't want a friendly spirit around? I found it an interesting take on the usual boy-meets-girl romance and a great way to pass some dreary hours.

This was a great addition to the series, but obviously was not meant to be an ending to a series since there are so many questions left unanswered. :(

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