peggyemi's review
4.0
To Kill a Mocking Girl is a promising start for this new cozy mystery series by author Harper Kincaid. The author has crafted a well-rounded story with a charming small-town setting, likable characters, and a puzzling mystery. I liked the characters in this book right from the outset. Quinn is a quirky, intelligent bookworm who has returned home after experiencing the adventures of the world. Her cousin, Sister Daria, is a terrific character as well. While they are cousins, their relationship reads like that of sisters. Even though Daria is a novitiate she still has a bit of a way to go as evidenced by her sometimes snarky and wise-cracking remarks. The cast of characters is rounded out nicely by Quinn's parents, her brother Bash, Daria's parents and Bash's best friend Aiden, the local PD and love interest for Quinn. Although, when talking about the cast of secondary characters I can't forget to add Quinn's German Shepard Ruff Barker Ginsburg (RBG). I mean the name alone is enough said.
The mystery was really well done and quite the puzzle to unravel. Quinn does get herself in some trouble while she and Daria try to solve the murder of a former classmate. However, Quinn is not what I would call reckless and she does own up to her mistakes when called on them by Aiden. The author did a great job of dropping hints and red herrings along the way. I was totally surprised by the identity of the killer.
This was a terrific first book in a new series. It has a great pace, steady plot and the story moves along nicely. The characters and mystery will pull the reader in and keep them guessing. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through Netgalley. The opinions are my own.
The mystery was really well done and quite the puzzle to unravel. Quinn does get herself in some trouble while she and Daria try to solve the murder of a former classmate. However, Quinn is not what I would call reckless and she does own up to her mistakes when called on them by Aiden. The author did a great job of dropping hints and red herrings along the way. I was totally surprised by the identity of the killer.
This was a terrific first book in a new series. It has a great pace, steady plot and the story moves along nicely. The characters and mystery will pull the reader in and keep them guessing. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through Netgalley. The opinions are my own.
sheilasamuelson's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Rating: 5 Stars!!
Review:
This was my first time reading a Cozy Mystery by Harper Kincaid so i wasnt sure what to expect but i have to say i really enjoyed this one. It was more Cozy reading then it was Mystery but i still loved it.
The Characters were fun and interesting to read about. I couldnt pick just one as my favorite cause i seemed to enjoy all the characters.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in the book while reading especially when the scenery was described.
Overall a Good Book 1 in this Library Cozy Mystery Series!! Can't wait to read more in this series and by Harper in the future!!
Review:
This was my first time reading a Cozy Mystery by Harper Kincaid so i wasnt sure what to expect but i have to say i really enjoyed this one. It was more Cozy reading then it was Mystery but i still loved it.
The Characters were fun and interesting to read about. I couldnt pick just one as my favorite cause i seemed to enjoy all the characters.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in the book while reading especially when the scenery was described.
Overall a Good Book 1 in this Library Cozy Mystery Series!! Can't wait to read more in this series and by Harper in the future!!
rottyreads's review
4.0
not as good as the 2nd and 3rd. but still really good. I'm going to be reading the whole series
amibo's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
sarahthereader's review
5.0
I loved everything about this new cozy mystery. The setting of a smallish town in Virginia, the characters, the dialogue (so funny), and the mystery—all so much fun. I love stories that feature strong family relationships and friendships. I can’t wait to read more about Quinn. I don’t want to wait so long! Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.
melmo2610's review
5.0
What a super fun and hilarious cozy! I really enjoyed this new series debut from Harper Kincaid. It was light and funny and the mystery was fantastic. Quinn, Bash, Daria and Adrian made for great characters and the lovable pooch RPG rounded out the story wonderfully. I want another book in this series super soon!
dinipandareads's review against another edition
5.0
This is my first cozy mystery and I'm wondering why I've never read one of these before because what didn't I like about it? Right now I'm coming up blank because I enjoyed every single moment of this fast-paced murder mystery set in the small close-knit community of Vienna, Virginia. I can't believe this is Kincaid's first cosy mystery because she had me reeled in from the first page! Is it too early to be chanting for more when this book hasn't even been published yet?
We've got a small town community that quickly feels like home. We've got fierce and adorable doggos with awesome names! We've got a quirky and lovable family that owns and runs the bookstore in town. We've got terribly awesome dad-jokes and wonderful familial relationships that are absolute goals. We've also got some brewing romances that don't take center stage but are present enough for you to feel really invested in. There were also bookish references liberally sprinkled throughout the story and I was here for it! I mean, it's literally everything that I want in a book and I didn't want to put this down for a second.
The story is told through Quinn's perspective and I loved her character. Having lived overseas for several years, she's finally returned home to set down roots with her new dog baby, Ruff Barker Ginsburg (can we pause for a second to appreciate the awesomeness of the name?)! Quinn is a quirky, lovable and intellectual bookworm that has an encyclopaedic knowledge of random facts. She teams up closely with her best friend and cousin, Sister Daria (a novitiate nun) and together they are quite a force to reckon with! Honestly though, I fell in love with all the characters in this book. They were all so well-rounded and fleshed out that it wasn't hard to feel as if I'd known them forever as well. Aiden was a swoon-worthy "hero" and I really wanted to see more of him! Quinn's parents and brother, Bash, were also really lovable and adorable characters! The banter between all of them was perfection--talk about a nerdy family in the best possible way! So many bookish and movie references that were so brilliantly thrown in and I kept wanting more of them.
The mystery was also light and kept me on my toes until the very end. I was so close to guessing the right killer but in the end I was proven wrong--and looking back now, it should've been really obvious who the killer was! LOL
Clearly, I really enjoyed this book and I could go on and on praising it. The characters and their interactions were what really made this for me. It was a well-written cosy mystery that had plenty of enjoyable elements to it, and in my opinion, was a great introduction to this sub-genre. I loved this town, community and family and I can't wait to continue reading this "Bookbinding Mysteries" series!
Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! My review will be posted on my blog closer to the publication date.
We've got a small town community that quickly feels like home. We've got fierce and adorable doggos with awesome names! We've got a quirky and lovable family that owns and runs the bookstore in town. We've got terribly awesome dad-jokes and wonderful familial relationships that are absolute goals. We've also got some brewing romances that don't take center stage but are present enough for you to feel really invested in. There were also bookish references liberally sprinkled throughout the story and I was here for it! I mean, it's literally everything that I want in a book and I didn't want to put this down for a second.
The story is told through Quinn's perspective and I loved her character. Having lived overseas for several years, she's finally returned home to set down roots with her new dog baby, Ruff Barker Ginsburg (can we pause for a second to appreciate the awesomeness of the name?)! Quinn is a quirky, lovable and intellectual bookworm that has an encyclopaedic knowledge of random facts. She teams up closely with her best friend and cousin, Sister Daria (a novitiate nun) and together they are quite a force to reckon with! Honestly though, I fell in love with all the characters in this book. They were all so well-rounded and fleshed out that it wasn't hard to feel as if I'd known them forever as well. Aiden was a swoon-worthy "hero" and I really wanted to see more of him! Quinn's parents and brother, Bash, were also really lovable and adorable characters! The banter between all of them was perfection--talk about a nerdy family in the best possible way! So many bookish and movie references that were so brilliantly thrown in and I kept wanting more of them.
The mystery was also light and kept me on my toes until the very end. I was so close to guessing the right killer but in the end I was proven wrong--and looking back now, it should've been really obvious who the killer was! LOL
Clearly, I really enjoyed this book and I could go on and on praising it. The characters and their interactions were what really made this for me. It was a well-written cosy mystery that had plenty of enjoyable elements to it, and in my opinion, was a great introduction to this sub-genre. I loved this town, community and family and I can't wait to continue reading this "Bookbinding Mysteries" series!
Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! My review will be posted on my blog closer to the publication date.
yourlocalscrivener's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
diannel_04's review
Everything about this book was either a stupid premise or a over the top cliche. Two thumbs way down.