Assessment:
Plot: Marian Greene, a white librarian in the small town of Cadence, New York, finds a mutilated body in the library stacks. She, her Black husband, Lester Greene, and their friend Enoch Shenandoah must solve a century-old mystery that threatens them in the present and connects them to their town's past evil.
Prose: Hagan’s highly readable prose is both thought-provoking and entertaining. Marion’s believable first-person narration will carry readers to the dramatic conclusion in this first installment in the Cadence Mystery series.
Originality: A grisly opening scene sets the tone for this century-spanning narrative that tackles the legacies of racism in small-town America. Spirit animals, dreams, and narratives from journals dating to the 1880s add imaginative and historical dimension to the narrative.
Character/Execution: Marian, the narrator, her husband, Lester, and their friend Enoch are all believable characters whose dynamics and personal histories complement one another and propel the story. Their collaborative amateur sleuthing in the face of the darkness at the core of the book keeps this mystery “cozy.”
Blurb: A suspenseful mystery set in the Finger Lakes region casts a present-day murder against the legacy of racism in the United States.
Date Submitted: July 01, 2022
A terrific read!
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2022
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I thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery that examined racism and also told a story of friendship and the long lasting, happy marriage of an interracial couple. I could easily visualize every character and each scene through the author’s words. I even had to put the book down and walk away at one point because I was so filled with fear and dread. But the story has a beautifully happy ending. I can’t wait for the next installment!
Solid mystery novel deftly confronting racism
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2022
I read this in manuscript, testing our 40 year friendship by giving Dianne a hard time every chance I got. Which is to say, this review is probably biased.
It's a strong debut, an entertaining, frequently funny novel. Marion, the narrator of much of the novel, is a strong voice, and her husband, Lester, and their friend, Enoch, all come across as believable human beings. What's outlandish is the premise of the novel, yet that, in my reading experience, isn't really any more outlandish than most "cozy" mysteries I've read (I'm thinking here of Christie, Sayers, Marjorie Allingham, John Dickson Carr and some other "Golden Age" writers). Beneath that outlandishness, as structural support, is a grappling with the issue of race in American history, what the stakes and the consequences are for individuals and families in a microcosm of the country as a whole.
A book like this, juggling an entertaining premise while tackling a long-standing and often divisive issue, is no small achievement for a first time fiction writer. Congrats, Dianne.
Top Notch Mystery Novel
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2022
This mystery novel is very engaging. Dianne L. Hagan writes with a lot of soul. She dives deeply into her characters; some who harbor pain, others who harbor secrets, and some who are just plain evil. She has taken upon herself to paint for us a multicultural, multidimensional world of murder and the legacy of history—that which we know, and that which is buried—and offers a resolution that will knock your socks off. And on top of that, she has great comedic timing, and every part of the book will make you think.
I'm thrilled this is the first book in a series, because it will leave you satisfied like a three course meal cooked for you by the narrator herself, and you most definitely will be hungry for more. I'm already eager to read the next installment. This book is a must buy.
5 Star Murder Mystery
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2022
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I really enjoyed this book. It is exciting from beginning to end and weaves suspense and mystery together with history. It is definitely a page turner. I think it will be especially enjoyed by library and archives enthusiasts. Looking forward to the follow-up!
