Monday, May 23, 2016

Review: A Wicked Design by Brian Kavanagh


Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
E-Book

Publisher:
Vivid Publishing

Release Date:
September 2013







Belinda Lawrence receives horrible news from her hometown in Melbourne, Australia. A former boyfriend has been murdered and Belinda’s heart is broken. She still cares about him, although she is currently in another relationship and soon to be married. She goes home for the funeral. Her best friend and business partner, Hazel Whitby, goes along to support Belinda.

Hazel and Belinda can’t sit quietly by as the murder goes unsolved. It’s too close to her heart for Belinda to allow that to happen, so the women conduct their own investigation. Their investigation takes them in directions they never expected – from jealousy to betrayal to politics. Everyone becomes a suspect in this one, including the current man in Belinda’s life.

This is the fifth book in the Belinda Lawrence series and the author has outdone himself with this one. With each book Belinda becomes stronger and more developed as a character. Hazel is humorous and the perfect ally for Belinda. The two of them together should not be underestimated. They are strong, smart and relentless in their pursuit of the truth. Okay, they do take some unnecessary risks but that’s all part of the amateur sleuth package.

The storyline is intricately woven with historical events. There were a number of possible suspects, each with their own motive for murder. It’s an engrossing, fast-paced read that keeps you guessing until the end. This series remind me very much of the classic Agatha Christie mysteries, way before mysteries were classified as “cozies”. Brian Kavanagh writes this genre to perfection.

For reading challenges:

Cloak & Dagger Reading Challenge 2016




FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

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