Synopsis
The weekend getaway at the gorgeous manor hotel should have been perfect. But Becca is freshly smarting from her husband Blake’s betrayal and knows this is just an expensive attempt at an apology. She may not be ready to forgive him, but the drinks are strong, the estate is stunning, and the weekend has an elaborate 1920s murder mystery theme. She decides to get into the spirit of things and enjoy their stay. What could go wrong?
Before long, the game is afoot: famed speakeasy songstress Ida Crooner is found “murdered,” and it’s up to the guests to sniff out which of them might be the culprit. Playing the role of Miss Debbie Taunte, an ingenue with a dark past, Becca dives into the world of pun-heavy clues, hammy acting, and secret passages, hoping to at least take her mind off her marital troubles.
Then, the morning after they arrive, the actress playing Ida’s maid fails to reappear for her role. The game’s organizer–that’s Miss Ann Thrope to you–assumes the young woman’s flakiness is to blame, but when snooping for clues as “Debbie,” Becca finds evidence she may not have left of her own free will.
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Review
I really enjoyed the concept of this book, a mystery within a mystery. It is a murder mystery weekend for Becca and Blake. Bonus that it is set during the 1920s. Blake knows how much Becca enjoys mysteries, so he books an interactive mystery weekend. However, neither expected there to be an actual murder or the intricacies of those involved. Or maybe that was just me!
I love participating in murder mystery parties, so I really enjoyed this book. The author weaves in the character’s information at the start of each round, including what they are supposed to reveal, what they should keep secret, and other tidbits.
Becca is one hot mess. She and Blake have had some issues recently, and this is his way of trying to get them back on track. However, Becca can’t seem to get past her insecurities which throw a monkey wrench into most of the weekend. While I understood her reactions most of the time, I thought she should have tried to move past it a little bit more and not see deception in everything that Blake did that weekend.
There are quite a few characters to juggle and determine their level of involvement in the murder and the mystery weekend. There are a couple of characters that lead you down a possible path, only to learn the truth later.
When the truth is revealed, I admit I didn’t suspect this character. I possibly should have had an inkling based on some information presented, but I seemed to not connect the dots.
I was disappointed that the murder mystery game was not completed, and we don’t know who was the killer in the game. There is some supposition by Becca, but was she right? We’ll never know.
Overall, an enjoyable book, and we give it 4 paws up.
About the Author
Jilly Gagnon is the author of the young adult novel #famous and the suspense novel All Dressed Up. Her work has appeared in Newsweek, Elle, Vanity Fair, The Toast, The Hairpin, The Huffington Post, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, among others.
She lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her two cats. She loves terrible television and well-crafted Manhattans.
