Saturday, January 6, 2018

CHIME AND PUNISHMENT by Julianne Holmes



Publisher:     Berkley
Published:     August 1, 2017
ISBN:        978-0425275542
Genre:      Cozy Mystery
Format:     Print
Obtained via:  Publisher
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  myreviewbooks@aol.com

FOUR-1/2 HEARTS
 

With the drama and excitement of the new year behind her, Ruth Clagan is finally having one of her fondest dreams come true—the clock tower in Orchard is just about ready to start ringing again.  After solving the murders of her beloved grandfather, GT, and employee, she’s ready to just settle in and work in her family clock shop and focus on her relationship with Ben Clover—the barber with the shop next door to Cog and Sprocket.  Even her futsy kitty, Bezel, is on board.  And while town manager Kim Gray is still busily creating roadblocks wherever she can, the rest of the townsfolk, including Bennett Green, are standing up to her.  Things are just about set for the unveiling of the clock tower’s reopening—so far Kim hasn’t come up with any new obstacles for Ruth to jump over.  Well, maybe one.  When Kim doesn’t show for the unveiling, Ruth and her friends are concerned, but not enough to stop the show.  But then they have to when a dead body turns up behind the tower.  Now Ruth is in a race to find the killer before the killer shuts down the tower.

Julianne Holmes’s Clock Shop Mysteries quickly became one of my favorite series and I spent some time binge-reading through the first three books.  Now I have to wait for the next entry in the series…just when Ruth’s dreams are finally coming through!  Bummer for me.  Ruth is a terrific, well-thought out, intelligent character.  She is shown as creative and determined…definitely someone you would want to be friends with if she were real.  As you read her you can see the wheels…or would it be cogs? Turning. 

I have enjoyed the progression of the stories—there is the murder and Ruth’s analysis solving them but there is also the story of the clock tower and its history.  Secondary characters come into the story – some stay, some go.  The regulars aren’t stagnant backdrops for Ruth, but have their own stories to tell.  Some of interwoven and those that are, are nicely done. 

I spotted the killer in this one as soon as I saw what the motivation was.  It was easy for me to spot because it’s been a reason a character has committed murder in several cozies.  That didn’t take away from the story but instead added to the enjoyment of watching Ruth figure it out. 

Each story stands on its own because Holmes gives just enough back story to follow what is going on.  If they are read out of order you’ll miss some of the really well done character development—bottom line, this is one series you do not want to miss.


This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

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