Mum's The Word

Rating:
Summary: solid Indiana mystery
Review: After flunking out of law school and being dumped by her fiancé, Abby Knight returns to her hometown of New Chapel, Indiana. She buys Bloomers, a flower shop and is contented with her life

As she goes to open her store, a young fellow plows into her yellow convertible, but fails to stay around to exchange insurance information. Abby got his license plate number and learns that the Cadillac is registered to City Councilman Louis Ventucci; his nephew was probably driving the vehicle.

At about the same time, the murdered body of Billy Ryan is found in Abby's apartment. She obtains the help of bar owner and private investigator Marco Salvare to help her learn the truth if the driver of the car was the killer. Abby also persuades Pearlie Harding to divorce her abusive spouse and get a restraining order to keep him away from her. She follows the husband to the bank where he hides his cash so that his wife will get none. Someone starts harassing Abby, but soon escalates the campaign into attempted murder because she has discovered something criminal that the killer wants to stop her from revealing.

The heat that Abby and Marco generate could melt the ice caps faster than global warming as he continues to advise her to stay out of people's lives except for his. When she fails to heed his advice, he stays around to keep her safe while she investigates the happenings. Though the tale is all over the place, Kate Collins has written an exciting amateur sleuth starring a quirky support cast that abates the tension when it threatens to overwhelm the audience. MUM'S THE WORD is a fine opening installment of what looks like a solid Indiana mystery series.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: So-So cozy
Review: I didn't expect top-level detecting skills from a self-proclaimed "cozy", but I did expect a heroine with a few brain cells! Collins seems confused about who she wants her creation to be: ditzy airhead, or slow to mature businesswoman. Abigail is hopelessly naive about men, about her "detecting" skills, about life. No wonder she flunked out of law school! I guess I would read another (a long time from now) to see if Collins and/or her protaganist have smartened up any. Otherwise, there are other characters/series better worth one's time.

Rating:
Summary: Fun and Fast-paced!
Review: I have just recently started to read mystery novels, and I have been bored to tears with some of these "cozy" reads people keep talking about. Mum's the Word was a great, cozy read that was exciting. What I enjoyed about this book was how fast-paced it was. When each chapter ended, it left you in suspense. It made you want to keep reading. The characters were fun, and I am sure in the continuation of this series we will get to know them even more. I'm just thankful this book kept on track with the actual "case". Other books I've read would have felt like they needed to put "recipes for floral arrangements" or something superfluous like that. This flower shop mystery series is set in a flower shop, but doesn't take this fact and beat it to death! All in all, I thought it was an excellent read and plan to purchase the next in the series as soon as it is released