Great action-packed mystery with superb characters!, July 30, 2015
This suspenseful mystery sucked me right in. Gloria is an amazing character that I grew to love in Book 1, and I loved her even more in this one. She’s strong, feisty, curious, and honest. There’s even a hint of romance in this story that made me cheer…just a hint, but it added to the story a lot. This book deals with Naomi’s death (the wicked witch of the west who happens to be Gloria’s birth mom and is ultra-evil woman—even as an old lady). She’s murdered, but you don’t know who dun it because there are so many possibilities of people who despised her. This book has lots of surprises and lots of action. Gina Barlean’s writing style is amazingly witty and sharp. I love the stories that come out of her head. This book could be read as a stand-alone, but do yourself a favor and read Thorns of Rosewood first. You’ll get so much more backstory of characters that will enhance this story for your reading pleasure if you do. The characters are some of my favorite things about Barlean’s books. They are as rich and decadent as hot fudge brownies with chocolate chips in them. Yum! Hopefully, Barlean writes another book soon to fill my hunger…or I could get off the couch and make my own dessert. But what’s the fun in that? Besides, books have way less calories in them.
Quick pace, fun read
By Carrie on July 23, 2015
This is a follow-up to Thorns of Rosewood, and though the original 'Thorns' (four elderly women in an assisted-living facility accused of murder in the first book) don't get as much airtime, there are plenty of other happenings going on. This time, Gloria, the reporter who wrote a book about the Thorns, finds herself caught up with some dangerous characters when she starts looking into her biological mother's murder. As with the first book, surprises await, and the tension heats up as Gloria digs deeper.
I found the description particularly strong in this book and could easily imagine myself at the fair grounds in small-town Nebraska. I would have liked to know a little more about the town cop's character; I found him particularly likable. Perhaps he'll show up more in the next book.
A quick pace and a fast, fun read.
Cute sequel to Thorns of Rosewood, August 4, 2015
By
C. Hope Clark
Gloria Larson finds herself thick in a murder investigation . . . the victim being her mother. Not that she has any love lost for the woman who everyone in Rosewood loves to hate. But soon she's thick in the midst of a complicated caper where she can't tell the good guys from the bad, but learns soon enough when they snatch her for knowing a bit too much. Cute sequel to Thorns of Rosewood.
I thought the first book was great. I love them both, August 15, 2015
By
Kathryn A. Gilmore "Kathryn Gilmore"
Barlean does it again. I thought the first book was great. I love them both. Gloria, the small town reporter is at it again and I'm so glad Josie gets her time in the sun. I don't want to give any spoilers, but I'm dying to tell you all about it. This is a must read for anyone who loves a good mystery. I'm so pleased the wicked arch-nemesis, Naomi, finally get's hers. The rich, fully evolved characters and detailed small town life kept me turning the pages. Who could've imagined there was so much undercurrent in Nebraska? Barlean, that's who.
From a fire in a fine old home to a mysterious death hundreds of miles ..., August 2, 2015
By
Faith A. Colburn
As usual, Ms. Barlean has managed to infuse a small town, where everybody knows everybody--they think--with all the intrigue of a big city. From a fire in a fine old home to a mysterious death hundreds of miles away, Rosewood, Nebraska, has its share of sinister characters just waiting to take advantage of Rosewood's citizens. A well-crafted, maybe not so cozy, mystery.
