The tragic part is that I am reviewing this book only one day after having reviewed the other. That could be taken as a sign that I am a super-fast reader (like Dr. Spencer Reid on Criminal Minds). But, more likely, it is an indicator that I have no life. And that's the tragic part; I don't want my readers to think that I have no life. So, let me say for the record, I do have a life... as well as plenty of free time for reading.
Now, on to the review:
I read The Pumpkin Thief by Melanie Jackson in a matter of hours. While I am a fairly fast reader, I only reach my peak speed when I am truly enjoying a work (it took me over a month to finish the serious drag Frankenstein). I truly enjoyed this The Pumpkin Thief.
I find the character of Chloe Boston amazingly likable. She is one of the most likable characters that I have met in a while. I would be friends with Chloe. She has a bit of my attitude, although I have far fewer of the fears than she has. Spiders, fire, and enclosed spaces do not effect me. What does are crowds, but that's a story for another day. She's real and likable; that's what matters.
This book fully qualifies as a cozy mystery. I think that there might have been one or two swear words in it (honestly, I'm not sure that there were), but we never got to experience any of Chloe's writing. That means that the heavier blue writing was fully missing from this one (although I loved the comic effect of the use of her novel in the first book).
One thing that I really liked about this book (as well as the first book in the series, Moving Violation)was that there was no scene in which the villain feels the need to explain his entire plan to his rival before getting rid of them. This is one of those things that makes me crazy in everything from mysteries to Bond movies. The villain takes so much time with his "very good, Mr. Bond, you have figured out that I was really planning to steal the plutonium, and I did it by..." speech that it is enough time for help to arrive. Or for the protagonist to come up with an escape plan. Or whatever.
The only time that I think that this device really works is in Scooby-Doo cartoons. There is a certain familiarity and love of Freddy's explanation followed by the classic "And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids." Other than Scooby-Doo, writers should just leave that out.
In this book, any explanation of the crime was saved for a discussion between Chloe and her friends after the solution. That seems like how one might get the details in real-life. A quick round-table with the members of your team. A rundown with your supporters. It just makes sense. It was more realistic and far more entertaining than the "villain speaks" alternative. I really liked that, and I respect the author's choice in doing it. It allowed the reader to remain engrossed without the "oh, please" moment that one often has in a mystery.
Now, on to the editing. This book was extremely well edited. I found only three errors (possibly two, as one might have been intentional). This is far better than I can ever remember finding in a traditionally published novel. Jackson has really outdone the big boys on this one. I did email those three little errors to the author (although they might start thinking that I am a crazy, overly critical stalker), and I am sure that they will be fixed in no time. Most people would not even notice them. But then I am a bit overly critical, even for a crazy stalker. ;)
I would encourage reading this The Pumpkin Thief, if you are a fan of cozy mysteries, but I would highly recommend reading the first book in the series, Moving Violation, before reading The Pumpkin Thief.
Well, that's all for now, and I will likely not post again until next week (I know, I should have held my third post for this week until Friday, but I was just too excited).
Until then, I hope you all have an excellent weekend. Now I'm off to read Death in a Turkey Town.
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Christy Parker is the author of three blogs: Ruminations from and Unkempt Mind, Learn to Crochet - In Minutes a Day, and You Be the Editor.
For comments, questions, notes or suggestions; Mrs. Parker can be reached in the blog specific forums on the product information pages listed above or via email at unkemptruminations@comcast.net.
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