Thank you to the authors, publishers, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The recipe review and food pairing found on my Instagram feed are of my own doing.
Madrigals and Mayhem
Cambridge Bookshop
Elizabeth Penney
Minotaur Books
Book four of the Cambridge Bookshop series starts out with Molly Kimball decorating the Thomas Marlowe – Manuscripts and Folios bookstore for the Christmas holiday. Taking her inspiration from the dollhouse at the Pemberly Toy Shop down the street, Molly makes a display of dollhouse related books. Dolls figure prominently in this cozy mystery, from a VERY rare Madame Alexander to the story book, Charlotte’s Dollhouse, which we get to read right along with Molly. Interestingly enough, Charlotte is the name of the girl who has inherited the Pemberly Toy Shop. Not only did Charlotte’s grandad leave Charlotte the shop but also a scavenger hunt that is supposed to lead to the rare Madame Alexander doll. In addition to the scavenger hunt there are a few poisonings, some toxic relationships, an engagement, a Madrigal song experience, a little mayhem, and a happy ending.
Molly is an American of many talents who has joined her English mom and great aunt in running the family bookstore located in Cambridge, England. Things to know about Molly, she can research books and help run the family bookstore, she can think fast on her feet especially when asking tricky questions, and she apparently she can sing quite well. Molly is also a fast friend as demonstrated by her desire to help Charlotte not even an hour after meeting her. Poor Molly has a broad of vipers for a family, well a stepfamily of vipers, and they aren’t even that nice to each other.
Elizabeth Penney has done a superb job
of creating such unlikeable people that you instantly empathize with Charlotte
and can’t wait to see how Molly will get to the bottom of the shenanigans. Shenanigans
that include break-ins and messing with the toy store dollhouse. Molly knows
that Detective Inspector Sean Ryan is more than capable of hunting down the
clues and getting the bad guy, but Molly can’t help it if she seems to always
be in the right place at the right time. Molly has the ability to pay close
attention and she notices things, things that most people don’t notice. It is
this attention to detail that has helped Molly in the past (I can attest to how
enjoyable the previous books are) to solve more than one mystery.
Between the hidden doll mystery and the murder mystery you can’t help but to keep turning the pages of this holiday who-done-it that takes place in this picturesque English town. The clues are well laid out and the misdirection had me second and third guessing. The only thing missing is the recipe for Daisy’s cranberry white chocolate scone.
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