I love a good mystery. It's no wonder when I receive notice of a list of free mysteries for my Kindle, I download more than I should. It would not surprise me to find over half of the books on my Kindle are in this genre.
AUTHOR: Ginny Aiken
BLURB: Haley Farrell is taking a chance on herself. After receiving her interior design certificate, she quits her job at the local furniture store and decides to open her own interior decorating business. But with all the advantages of her new career-meeting new people, and decorating new and old homes-comes a huge pitfall. Her new job allows her access into her clients' homes and their lives . . . but also their deaths.
When Haley's mentor, Marge Norwalk, is murdered, Haley becomes the prime suspect. Armed only with the confidence that Marge instilled in her, Haley sets out to find the real murderer. But as she sets forth, she has no idea what twists and turns will bring her face-to-face with her long-hidden past.
COVER: Love it. Though I think the woman on the cover is a bit smaller than the person I read about in the first chapter, the layout definitely alludes to the occupation of the main character--interior designer Haley Farell. The woman looking behind her could symbolize the past Haley is running from or looking back at a killer. The one thing it doesn't portray at all is that it's a Christian cozy mystery.
FIRST CHAPTER: We meet Haley Farell at the auction of the Gerrity mansion. Her mentor, Marge Norwalk is supporting her decision to leave a job at a furniture store to start her own interior design business, Decorating $ense. Hoping to land a job working for Noreen Daventry to redecorate the Gerrity mansion once the rich woman's bid is (hopefully) accepted to purchase the home, she offers advice on what items from the house Noreen should bid on. When Marge doesn't return from lunch break, Haley helps in the search, which ends with a gruesome discovery.
KEEP READING: Maybe. A murder coming at the end of the first chapter definitely makes you want to read more, but is that enough to keep going? The opening isn't bad, but I wish it were a bit different. There are several characters introduced in this chapter: seven, in addition to mentions of a few other people in town. The reader also discovers a good deal of information quickly. Haley is a pastor's child, who also happens to own a brown belt in martial arts. She quit her job at the furniture store to open up her own interior design business at the encouragement of Marge and some of the other church ladies. Her mother is deceased and there is a mountain of bills to conquer. With Haley begging the ancient floors not to give way and a mention of her healthy frame, it seems she might not be the most petite girl.
The reader is also treated to back story on some of the characters present at the auction. It's a very busy chapter. Not overwhelming, but busy. The only indication that this is a Christian novel is the Bible verse that precedes the first chapter and the fact that the main character is a pastor's daughter. I might read another chapter to see how it goes.
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 1423 KB
Publisher: Revell (September 1, 2005)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B003URRKJO
Currently listed as FREE.
I downloaded a free copy of this book to my Kindle. I received no monetary compensation for this review.
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