A review by jillwedemeier
Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Gilmore Girls" meets "Only Murders in the Building" in this whodunnit about a grandmother, mother, and daughter who become amateur sleuths.
After Lana Rubicon is diagnosed with cancer, she leaves behind her real estate empire in Los Angeles to live with her daughter, Beth, and teenage granddaughter, Jacqueline ("Jack"), 300 miles away in Monterey County, California. When Jack happens upon a dead body while on a kayaking tour, she quickly becomes a murder suspect. Beth thinks Lana should focus on her recovery, but Lana decides to find the true murderer and protect her family. With Beth and Jack's help, Lana uncovers lies, family vendettas, and land disputes in their sleepy coastal town. As the three women become amateur sleuths, they must do the one thing they have always resisted and depend on each other.
Reading this book reminded me a lot of two of my favorite shows, "Gilmore Girls" and "Only Murders in the Building." Based on the book's description, I was expecting a cozy mystery, but this book was definitely more of a family drama. I was disappointed by this at first, but I ended up really enjoying the family dynamics of the three headstrong Rubicon women, with Lana being my unexpected favorite. I didn't find the mystery that compelling, and I couldn't get past the fact that law enforcement initially considered a 15-year-old as their prime suspect, which was just too far-fetched for me. Overall, an entertaining debut from author Nina Simon, and I look forward to reading her future novels.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
After Lana Rubicon is diagnosed with cancer, she leaves behind her real estate empire in Los Angeles to live with her daughter, Beth, and teenage granddaughter, Jacqueline ("Jack"), 300 miles away in Monterey County, California. When Jack happens upon a dead body while on a kayaking tour, she quickly becomes a murder suspect. Beth thinks Lana should focus on her recovery, but Lana decides to find the true murderer and protect her family. With Beth and Jack's help, Lana uncovers lies, family vendettas, and land disputes in their sleepy coastal town. As the three women become amateur sleuths, they must do the one thing they have always resisted and depend on each other.
Reading this book reminded me a lot of two of my favorite shows, "Gilmore Girls" and "Only Murders in the Building." Based on the book's description, I was expecting a cozy mystery, but this book was definitely more of a family drama. I was disappointed by this at first, but I ended up really enjoying the family dynamics of the three headstrong Rubicon women, with Lana being my unexpected favorite. I didn't find the mystery that compelling, and I couldn't get past the fact that law enforcement initially considered a 15-year-old as their prime suspect, which was just too far-fetched for me. Overall, an entertaining debut from author Nina Simon, and I look forward to reading her future novels.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Murder
Minor: Pregnancy