Saturday, July 21, 2012

Book Review: False Impressions


Author: Terri Thayer
Title: False Impressions
Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: Aug 3, 2010
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Third in the Stamping Sisters mystery series. Professional rubber stamper April Buchert is shocked to discover that the brother of one of the Stamping Sisters faked his own death, only to really die in a tragic car accident-that was not an accident at all. Now this heated family drama could cause one cold winter if the killer isn't found.
  Review: Have you ever had a story that was absolutely perfect until the very end, when the author does something that just doesn't sit with you at all?

Well that's the case here.

The story is really intriguing, and April is a better than usual cozy heroine. She's spunky, but not obnoxious. Plus she has a boyfriend that she's pretty serious with. There's no one telling her she has to remarry. (April is a divorcee). I loved Mitch too. Especially his surprise at the Ice Festival that goes terribly wrong.

The mystery involves a family member who is involved in a local drug operation. (crystal meth) Not the usual subject for a cozy mystery. There's a lot in this short book about J.B.'s faking his death and how he had been trying to turn his life around. He was really a likable character and it is a shame he was one of the murder victims.

But that's not the thing that bothered me. Hey, it is a cozy mystery! Someone has to die! That's the whole point.

But did they have to kill of some likable secondary characters at the very end before the climax?

I don't want to give away who...but all I can say is when you hit the end your jaw will drop and then you'll throw the book at the wall.

The resolution of JB's murder is satisfactory though. It is a shame Terri had to end this book the way she did. I thought I was going to dive into this series, but I'm not sure if I want to now.

Rating: 3 flowers


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love these sort of mysteries. It is really too bad that the book was likable only until the end. I am not entirely clear on what happened here. I understand that you don't want to spoil anything for those who are going to read it, which I appreciate. From what I can gather, you really liked the character that got killed at a point where it seemed unnecessary for the story. Thank you for your honest review.

The Mistress of the Dark said...

Steph the secondary characters that got offed are so likable and a huge part of April's life that it seems that the writer was being cruel unnecessarily.

 
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