The Highland Heist by Pepper Basham ~ a book review

 

Humor, suspense, mayhem, mystery, betrayal, love, faith and devotion all rolled into one delightful historical novel.

This is the fourth book in Pepper Basham’s the Freddie and Grace Mystery series. While it is very much a stand alone story, the reader may benefit from reading the previous books.

The story begins with Freddie and Grace returning from their honeymoon with a newly adopted daughter form Cairo, Zahra. Her presence in the story brings humor with her matter-of-fact personality.

Freddie surprises Grace with a trip to her father’s home.  When they arrive they discover he has sold the family home and has moved. They visit her sister, Lillias, who previously had tried to trick Freddie into marrying her. Instead, she ends up marrying someone else and is not happy.  Grace discovers that her deseased mother has left them an estate in Scotland but in order to claim it, they must go together within a specific time frame.  Unfortunately, the mysterious death of Lillias’s husband puts a damper on their plans. Freddie and Grace must solve the murder before they can leave for Scotland. A series of mishaps, danger and threats slow their progress.  While Freddie and Grace’s marriage started under strained circumstances, their love, support and devotion to each other, and their faith in God, carries them through the stressful circumstances.

Who are the villains?  Who can be trusted? 

The author weaves humor into the suspense which makes it a joy to read!

This is from the publisher’s website:

“Grace Storms a Scottish Castle to Save her Sister
 
Lord Astley surprises his wife with a trip to America to see her family before they end their honeymoon adventures. But just as they arrive, they find Grace’s sister, Lillias, is the prime suspect in her husband’s murder. To add to the confusion a solicitor arrives to tell the sister’s they are needed in Scotland immediately to claim their mother’s inheritance.
 
The clock is ticking to clear Lillias of suspicion, but someone is determined to keep the sisters from reaching the Scottish Highlands. When Lillias disappears, Freddie and Grace race to Scotland, sure the answers will be found in a long-forgotten castle.
 
With a ghost from Frederick’s past leaving threatening clues along the way, the mysterious Mr. Kane waiting in the wings to grab the inheritance for himself, and an apparition haunting the infamous castle, Lord and Lady Astley must capture the castle, save Lillias, and not die in the process.”

Go HERE to read an excerpt 

Pepper Basham’s stories are always delightfully entertaining and spiritually uplifting. 

Go HERE to learn more about Pepper Basham and her books 

 

 

I received a complimentary **ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.

**A word about ARC books.   Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs) are a preview copy and are not a finished product. They may differ from the final published work and may include additional editing. My reviews may include some things that vary from the final published book.

 

 

 

The Women of Wynton's, A Classy 1950's Mystery by Donna Mumma ~ a book review

 

 

This story is set in a time when people dressed up to go shopping. I grew up in that time and as a child I remember putting on my "good clothes" to go shopping. I wasn’t aware of some of the topics dealt with by the author. Hopefully history has educated us and enlightened us. This story, while entertaining, deals with the upsetting topics of racial discrimination, prejudice and women’s equality and often mistreatment in the work place.

The story is about four very different women who band together to solve a mystery. They don’t always agree with each other and often end up mistrusting and fighting each other. Along the way they develop relationships and learn about each other and themselves.

Each character is introduced to us at the beginning of the book with their own story.

Audrey, the focal character, is not liked by very many people. She holds herself apart and doesn’t get close to very many people. She is basically second in command to the Wynton Department Store’s owner.

When she suspects someone is trying to hurt herself and her boss, she organizes an unlikely group of women to try to figure out who the culprit is.

This is a very entertaining and sometimes disturbing story.  I would have liked to see more faith centered content for me to feel comfortable labeling it a Christian story. There were a few “the good Lord’s” sprinkled around and it is certainly clean. The only thing I would have like to have seen changed was the use of the period between single words. It was a little. Over. Done. 

There is a romance that develops over time but it is not the main focus of the book.

This is from the publisher's website:

Mid-Century Glam Meets Murder Mayhem
 
Get swept away to the glamor of a 1950’s department store where four women’s loyalties, vanity, friendship, and detective skills are put to the test.
 
Audrey Penault once led a glamorous life as a model but now works as devoted secretary to Mr. Wynton. To her fellow employees, she is too vain and uppity.
 
Mary Jo Johnson, a wife and mother, longs to find her worth in the cosmetics department, but it may take a while for the shy housewife to discover her voice.
 
Vivian Sheffield owns and runs the bridal salon within Wynton’s. She is proud of her accomplishments and won’t let anyone take them away.
 
Gigi Woodard dislikes her job as waitress in the store’s lunchroom, but she is determined not to let her secret shortcomings cause her to lose the position.
 
These four women have much to dislike about each other, but they unanimously agree that Mr. Wynton is the best of employers and must be protected at all costs from someone who seems determined to see him gone for good. When other employee deaths occur, can the women band together to solve the murders, or will they discover it is one of their own bent on destroying Wynton’s from within?

Go HERE to read an excerpt  

I really enjoyed this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.