*I received a free ARC of this book with thanks to the author and Hodder & Stoughton. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: A MURDER TO SOLVE. A REPORTER ON THE TRAIL.
IS THIS A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY?
Welcome, dear reader! You have happened upon the delightful village of Shady Hollow, a place where rabbits and raptors, squirrels and snakes live together in civilised accord . . . with only the occasional murder to mar the peace of daily life.
Keen journalist Vera Vixen is recovering from the Harvest Festival (and its bounty of local cheeses, cider and pies) when the calm is shattered by a scream from one of the small town’s grandest houses. Dorothy Springfield, a rat with a reputation for eccentricity, claims her husband – who is standing right next to her – has been murdered. Has Dorothy finally lost her grip on reality? Or is the rat who claims to be Edward an imposter? Vera’s fox nose scents a story. And it’s not long before the discovery of a body, minus the head, complicates things further . . .
Entertaining and perceptive, Mirror Lake is fast-paced and witty, with characters that jump off the page and a hugely satisfying mystery to solve. Once you’ve met the residents of Shady Hollow, you won’t forget them.
This is the third book in the highly enjoyable Shady Hollow cosy mystery series, and at this point the regular characters are becoming familiar faces to those who have been following the series, but there is nothing to stop readers from dipping straight into this book as a standalone story (if you must… don’t know why you would… grumble, grumble, something about the vital importance of reading a series in order regardless…!)
Vera and Orville (fox and bear respectively) must navigate the murky waters of political ambition and journalistic integrity in this story, deal with a lupine celebrity author’s visit, and find out whether Dot’s husband is actually not her husband as she claims or whether she has simply gone… dotty!
I found the mystery a bit easier to guess the solution to in this story than in the previous books, as did Vera, so there was less of a big reveal moment at the climax, but this didn’t detract at all from my enjoyment of the read, mainly due to how well-written the characters and setting are and how easily the writing allows you to fall right into the story.
I really hope the authors decide to write many more stories set in Shady Hollow (Vera could be the new Jessica Fletcher!). There is so much potential in the characters who haven’t yet had their turns: Lenore, Bradley Marvel, Lefty, Sui Lin, to name but a few.
Mirror Lake is a moreish, cosy, light read with a little less mystery than other titles in the trilogy (so far!) but just as much endearing entertainment value.
Welcome, dear reader! You have happened upon the charming village of Shady Hollow, a place where rabbits and raptors, squirrels and snakes live together in civilized accord… with only the occasional murder to mar the peace of daily life.
– Juneau Black, Mirror Lake
Juneau Black is the pen name of authors Jocelyn Cole and Sharon Nagel.
They have worked as independent booksellers and librarians, which has led to a shared love of excellent bookshops and a good murder (in fictional form only).
Mirror Lake is available on Amazon right now and you can find my review of book 1, Shady Hollow, here and book 2, Cold Clay, here.
Don’t forget to check out the other blog stops on the tour for more great reviews and content (see the poster below for details)!
Bookshine And Readbows 