Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Bookish Thoughts: A Dark and Stormy Murder by Julia Buckley

I was immersed in The Lost Child, one of my favorite Camilla Graham novels, when an unlikely phone call changed my life. A Dark and Stormy Murder



A Dark and Stormy Murder by Julia Buckley
Berkley, 2016
Crime Fiction (Cozy); 303 pgs
Source: I received a copy of this book  from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Aspiring writer Lena London accepts a job as an assistant to her favorite crime fiction author.  It's a dream come true in more ways than one. She's now living in the cozy town of Blue Lake, Indiana, in a Victorian house right on the lake. The only downside? Discovering a dead body on her boss's property.

A Dark and Stormy Murder was the winner of my October TBR List Poll, and it did not disappoint. Lena is easy to relate to as was her idol and employer Camilla. I loved the literary references dropped here and there. Lena's involvement and curiosity about the murder itself come naturally given she is the one who discovers the body and the events to follow. The side story involving the reclusive neighbor who is suspected of killing his missing wife was an interesting one, adding another dimension to the novel. I admit I was a little taken aback by Lena's behavior in one particular scene involving the neighbor and police. It was one of those, "She did not really just . . . ?" moments that left me shaking my head.

Camilla and Lena are two characters I would not mind visiting with again. If you are looking for a cozy mystery with plenty of atmosphere, an old Victorian house full of history and secrets, and plenty of wit and charm, I think you will like this one!


To learn more about Julia Buckley and her work, please visit the author's website. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.


© 2016, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

14 comments:

  1. Always a good thing when you imagine visiting the characters again. An old Victorian house with secrets helps, too. :)

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    1. Jenclair - The house could probably be a character in and of itself. So much history there!

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  2. I love a good cozy but don't read them all that often. This sure sounds like fun!

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    1. Kathy - I tend to read them off and on. I thought this was a good one!

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  3. Loving the thought of a Victorian house full of history and secrets.
    I think you are right in this is one I'd enjoy.

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  4. I read this one this summer and really enjoyed it! I'm fussy about my cozies and having it center around writing a mystery novel elevated it in my eyes. Glad it was a good read for you.

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    1. Rita - I remember you enjoyed this one. :-) It being centered around writing a mystery novel definitely increased my interest in reading it.

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  5. I've this book on my to-read list and I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. Always love reading books about Victorian houses and bookish references. :)

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    1. Melody - Me too! I hope you do get a chance to read this one. :-)

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  6. This book made it to my TBR list after seeing the cover and glad to hear it didn't disappoint!

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    1. Iliana - I enjoyed it and am anxious to read the next in the series. :-)

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  7. A Dark and Stormy Murder sounds very good, loving the cover.

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