A Graceful Death by Ann Summerville

I hope you enjoyed the interview with Ann Summerville. If you haven't read it, please do. I love author insights. I also hope you read my thoughts on the first line of A Graceful Death as I used it last week when I posted First Line Friday.

As faithful readers of Bags, Books & Bon Jovi know, I LOVE mysteries! They are, truly, my favorite genre. And a "cozy" mystery is right up there as my favorite sub-genre. A Graceful Death is a "cozy" through and through.

Ms. Summerville has created the perfect "cozy" world. The mystery, while intriguing and carefully plotted, is woven through a story that just begs to be read with a cat on my lap and a cup of hot tea by my side. Now, would someone please tell my cats that they not doing their job as I read A Graceful Death sans any lap cats. My tea was good, however :D

I never read a mystery with the intent of solving it. I want to enjoy the story as it unfolds. Ms. Summerville writes for readers like me. The journey to the solution is as important as the solution. The characters, setting and "clues" are written with the understanding that "cozy" readers need to enjoy it all.

I am so happy that this is the first in a series. There are characters that I am excited to meet again. Giovanna (I have always loved that name) is a real woman. She's not perfect and knows that. She becomes involved in something unexpected and deals with it in a realistic fashion. She is confronted with her beloved Aunt's passing and eventually discovers all is not what it seems. She is not Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher... clues do not "fall into her lap". I enjoyed this about Giovanna. She is not even an "amateur" detective, she just does what she need to do. That made A Graceful Death more realistic. Had everything just "happened", it would not have been believable.

Lowenna is the perfect setting for a mystery series. It's a coastal English town and any mystery reader worth their salt... what a FANTASTIC expression, I just had to say it!... knows that the murderous possibilities are almost endless in such a town. Who knows... maybe Ms. Summerville could begin her next book with "It was a dark and stormy night..." We can only hope!

~~Thanks to Ms. Summerville for providing a copy of A Graceful Death in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.~~