Deadly Pearls by Miranda Atchley Blog Tour and Giveaway

 

About the Book

She knew coming to America would be an adventure. But she didn’t know it would involve murder.

Intelligent and inquisitive Irish immigrant Fiona Clery has always longed for a life of excitement away from her family’s farm. Yet living in New York City isn’t as glamorous as she’d always dreamed. When her neighbor is murdered, she wonders how wise her decision to come to the United States is. While the police turn a blind eye to Gabriel Morelli’s murder, Fiona knows she must do all that she can to find the killer. Under the tutelage of her favorite fictional sleuths Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, she just might crack the case–if a certain man will ever stop infringing on her investigation.

Max Gillespie is good at putting on an act. A Great War veteran, he struggles with regret from his past, though refuses to let it show. Perfectly content to spend his days working as an accountant and evenings tucked in his apartment away from the excitement of the city, he shuns anything that could lead to unwanted surprises. Yet when his cousin Rose’s beau is murdered, he finds himself pulled into the investigation alongside a smart and pretty amateur sleuth who doesn’t seem to want his help. Exposed to the underbelly of the city he loves, Max wonders if he was mistaken to involve himself in a murder investigation. Yet when Rose’s invaluable pearl necklace is stolen and in its place is left a threatening note, he vows to do all that he can to keep those he loves safe.

In Jazz Age New York, Fiona and Max will have to navigate this roaring new decade while learning the truth about those around them–as well as themselves.

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My Review

I liked this historical mystery. Fiona, a recent immigrant, is an engaging heroine. Atchley has done a good job of having us experience the hurt Fiona encountered when people were harsh about her social status. There was a great deal of prejudice by the upper classes at that time. Max is a good hero too and I liked him. We get a touch of the trauma some experienced in WW I and the residual disturbing effects, like nightmares. And Rose. What a gutsy high class but very frustrated young woman, willing to forge her own future.

The mystery was probably the most subtle aspect of the novel. There is a murder Fiona and Max sort of work on. There isn't a great deal of investigative activity but the effort does get the two of them moving in the same direction.

The strength of the novel may well be the setting. I liked the bakeries and cafes and the food Atchley describes. She has done a good job of dropping us into New York in the 1920s.

I enjoyed the novel. Atchley has a pleasant writing style. The novel has a good setting, engaging characters and a good Christian message. I'll be looking for more in this series.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

ENDORSEMENTS

“Deadly Pearls was tailor-made for me: an intelligent, sparkling heroine, a resplendent sense of history and an immersive New York setting (not to mention a beguiling hero and top-notch banter) matched with whiffs of danger and intrigue are hallmarks of everything I look for in my next read. And yet Atchley takes these a step further, underscoring her well-paced mystery with themes of war and immigration, of faith and of hope. An atmospheric, whip-smart and delightful ‘20s romp, Atchley’s narrative bubbles over with personality and romance. I confess to wanting to roam around New York with Max and Fiona long after I turned the last page and cannot wait for their next adventure! Highly recommended.”

–RACHEL MCMILLAN, author of The London Restoration

“Miranda Atchley hits the mark with this lively historical mystery set in 1920s New York. Stories of an Irish immigrant making her way in a new world, a Great War veteran haunted by the past, and an heiress struggling to live life on her own terms are woven into a suspenseful mystery with the kind of sparkling details that immerse the reader in that high-spirited era. A delightful, fast-paced read.”

–JENNIFER LAMONT LEO, award-winning author of Moondrop Miracle and You’re the Cream in My Coffee

About the Author

Miranda Atchley is a history enthusiast and complete bookworm whose passion for books and times gone by have compelled her to write several novels, one of which was a finalist for an indie writing award. When not writing at her home in Arkansas’s Ouachita Mountains, Miranda loves getting lost in a good book, spending time with her spoiled Chihuahua, watching period dramas, and learning about her favorite period in time, the 1920s. Visit her blog at: mirandaatchley.blogspot.com

Find Miranda on social media at: Goodreads | Amazon | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

GIVEAWAY

Three winners will each receive a Kindle copy of Deadly Pearls. 

Must be 18 or older to enter and able to receive Kindle books via email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the author. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)