rants_n_reads's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ciska's review against another edition
3.0
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher on Netgalley in return for an honest review*
Author
Sarah Graves lives with her husband John and their dog Evelyn in a house very much like the one Jacobia Tiptree is remodeling in Eastport, Maine. When she's not writing Jake's adventures, Sarah works with her husband on the house or in the garden.
Review
It took me some time reading this book. For the 304 pages the book holds 3 days is a bit much but I did know why. There is an 'I' by the person of Jacobia (Jake) Tiptree. She tells the story as 'I', is a witty woman with a sharp brain and a strong will. Plus she is handy and does all the stuff on her house I wished I could do. She gets to tell three pages and than we change point of view. To some other person like Sam, Chip, Lizzie or one of the other characters and while living in their head the story goes to 'he' or 'she'. My poor brain cannot handle this. Each time that happened I had to get out of the one head into the other and I at points I was reluctant to do that because I liked the character I was walking around with or I really needed to know what would happen to that character now and not after Lizzie told what she was doing at that time. I have noticed this before but it was never as clear as with this book that I am simply not made for books with a changing point of view.
And no I did not put the book down. I made it to the end because the story was fun and it was good and I wanted to know what happened, I NEEDED to know what happened. Because there was a young girl murdered and there where so many people who could have done it and and.. I guess you get the picture. I had to help solve this crime so I had to struggle my way trough all those heads to get to the end of the book and arrest someone. Because that puzzle aspect in the story is set really well.
What I also enjoyed a LOT was the atmosphere, the storm, rain and all the bad weather. It was kind of windy outside here while I was reading the book but at one point I looked out expecting it to be really bad weather and yeah there was a lot of wind but the sun was shining and I was surprised because in my head there was rain and a hailstorm. That was a sign for me that the story was catchy enough.
I did not read any of the other books in this series before picking this up and though I sometimes got the feeling I was missing some inside information it was not disturbing.
Despite the fact I did enjoy the story I am not sure if I will read another book in the series due to the multiple viewpoints.
Author
Sarah Graves lives with her husband John and their dog Evelyn in a house very much like the one Jacobia Tiptree is remodeling in Eastport, Maine. When she's not writing Jake's adventures, Sarah works with her husband on the house or in the garden.
Review
It took me some time reading this book. For the 304 pages the book holds 3 days is a bit much but I did know why. There is an 'I' by the person of Jacobia (Jake) Tiptree. She tells the story as 'I', is a witty woman with a sharp brain and a strong will. Plus she is handy and does all the stuff on her house I wished I could do. She gets to tell three pages and than we change point of view. To some other person like Sam, Chip, Lizzie or one of the other characters and while living in their head the story goes to 'he' or 'she'. My poor brain cannot handle this. Each time that happened I had to get out of the one head into the other and I at points I was reluctant to do that because I liked the character I was walking around with or I really needed to know what would happen to that character now and not after Lizzie told what she was doing at that time. I have noticed this before but it was never as clear as with this book that I am simply not made for books with a changing point of view.
And no I did not put the book down. I made it to the end because the story was fun and it was good and I wanted to know what happened, I NEEDED to know what happened. Because there was a young girl murdered and there where so many people who could have done it and and.. I guess you get the picture. I had to help solve this crime so I had to struggle my way trough all those heads to get to the end of the book and arrest someone. Because that puzzle aspect in the story is set really well.
What I also enjoyed a LOT was the atmosphere, the storm, rain and all the bad weather. It was kind of windy outside here while I was reading the book but at one point I looked out expecting it to be really bad weather and yeah there was a lot of wind but the sun was shining and I was surprised because in my head there was rain and a hailstorm. That was a sign for me that the story was catchy enough.
I did not read any of the other books in this series before picking this up and though I sometimes got the feeling I was missing some inside information it was not disturbing.
Despite the fact I did enjoy the story I am not sure if I will read another book in the series due to the multiple viewpoints.
ncrabb's review against another edition
3.0
In this book, Graves introduces readers to her new main character in a new series. You meet former Boston Cop Lizzie Snow. She has left her job in Boston and journeyed to Eastport, Maine where her troubled sister once lived with a child. Lizzie is looking for the child. Interestingly enough, Graves portrays her rather negatively in this book. I’m glad I’ve already read the first book in the Lizzie Snow series, because she’s much more likable there. Had I not already read it, I might not have been interested in starting it.
Karen is 14 the night someone murders her in the belfry of the old church—a belfry no one enters any more. It is in a state of disrepair and has been so for many years. But for reasons no one understands initially, the bell begins ringing the night someone murders 14-year-old Karen. She climbed up there on a dare. Those who sent her up there promised her 50 bucks if she would climb all the way to the top. The guy murdered her instead. The cops might never have found her body had the bell not mysteriously begun ringing.
Home fixer upper Jake Tiptree is the main character in this long-running series. She came to Eastport years earlier hoping her son would escape a drug habit and she could escape a hostile ex-husband. The hostile ex moved to Eastport, but the kid kicked the drugs. In this book, the sheriff charges one of her now-drug-free son’s friends with the murder of the teenage girl, and it’s up to Jake and her amateur sleuth friend Ellie to prove that the guy is innocent. All the while, they’re racing against an incoming nor’easter.
Karen is 14 the night someone murders her in the belfry of the old church—a belfry no one enters any more. It is in a state of disrepair and has been so for many years. But for reasons no one understands initially, the bell begins ringing the night someone murders 14-year-old Karen. She climbed up there on a dare. Those who sent her up there promised her 50 bucks if she would climb all the way to the top. The guy murdered her instead. The cops might never have found her body had the bell not mysteriously begun ringing.
Home fixer upper Jake Tiptree is the main character in this long-running series. She came to Eastport years earlier hoping her son would escape a drug habit and she could escape a hostile ex-husband. The hostile ex moved to Eastport, but the kid kicked the drugs. In this book, the sheriff charges one of her now-drug-free son’s friends with the murder of the teenage girl, and it’s up to Jake and her amateur sleuth friend Ellie to prove that the guy is innocent. All the while, they’re racing against an incoming nor’easter.
etoiline's review
3.0
A BAT IN THE BELFRY was a fun introduction to the Home Repair is Homicide series of cozy mysteries. This one is a little darker than some of the other cozies I've read, both literally (with the nor'easter bearing down on the town) and the murder (bullying and dreams dashed), but it was well written and the story pulled me along so I was curious to know whodunit. The home tips were nice to read, since I'm a relatively new homeowner. I also can't believe I climbed around so many decrepit structures when I was at my grandparents' when I was little; so many things could have been wrong with them as illustrated by the collapsing steeple in this novel! I'm glad I got to read this book, and if I come across others in the series, it will be nice to recall that I didn't have trouble figuring out what was going on in this one, so I could pick them up out of order. The characters have some depth, even though they're well established, and I liked the way the outsider new character adapted.
Received as a digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher.
Received as a digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher.
explenture's review against another edition
5.0
Matches well with down east life especially scenes set in the hardware store. Cast of characters grows but not too much. Story moves along nicely.
skinnypenguin's review
4.0
Lots of characters each with their own agenda. Love the descriptions of the areas in the Maine town and surroundings. Lots going on from the teenage gangs that pick on the geeks in town and break into homes and deal drugs to the murder of a young girl. The girl's father goes off to kill the suspected murderer who in the end isn't a murderer after all and he is a bit delusional. He had made the girl's life difficult and it is sad that he didn't see it until after she was dead. He was very self consumed.
Jake goes looking for the killer to help clear her visitor who was accused of the crime who also happened to be a friend of her son's. Her son has his own problems to deal with, multiple women, and his friend being in jail. The addition of the state of repair of the murder scene adds some extra to the story along with the storm.
Jake goes looking for the killer to help clear her visitor who was accused of the crime who also happened to be a friend of her son's. Her son has his own problems to deal with, multiple women, and his friend being in jail. The addition of the state of repair of the murder scene adds some extra to the story along with the storm.
amythebookbat's review
3.0
Since I started with this book and missed the first 15 in the series, I felt a bit lost. And then I dozed off during the audio book and missed a few things that way. I did love the bit about the leak and needing to repair plumbing since I am going through something similar... real life and books coming together. Anyway, I did manage to listen to pretty much all of the story and what I listened to was decent story.
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