Before it gets lost in the midst of a review, I must mention the recipes, particularly the one for a sourdough starter. To be honest, I'm one of those who, while I appreciate that others love them, rarely does more than glance at recipes included at the end of a book. In this case, the fact it was for a sourdough starter, a staple here in Alaska, however, I couldn't resist. I liked not only the recipe but that the author made it seem more like she was right beside you guiding you through the process rather than simply listing stark directions. It made me grin when she tossed in stuff not to fret over as it was normal. As for the recipe itself, loved the comment that "Sourdough feels like kitchen witchcraft". A nice tie-in to the book itself although her witch/magic powers were largely sidelined in this episode. Loved the book cover, tho', which is what drew me to the book in the first place.
In any case, I found the mystery interesting although found myself skimming along at points when it seemed like an overload of seemingly unrelated info being dumped on us. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate a nice description of the setting and people involved but, well, for instance, I also honestly don't care what they're wearing unless it's relevant to the plot. Nor do I really care to read a lengthy description on the preparation of burgers unless it's vital to the plot. In other words, the mystery kept me reading but too much extraneous stuff.
That said, I found myself rather liking Phoebe and her friends and associates. And, oh, let's not forget Bob the cat. He came with the lovely home she inherited from her aunt but definitely has a fan club of his own. One of Bob's favorite customers is Mr. Loughery, who you'll definitely find yourself warming to instantly. He, among many others, supports Phoebe's efforts to help find homes for the many unwanted cats in the area by showcasing them within her business. Of course, all can't be smooth sailing as Diedra Miller is, well, let's just say not a Phoebe fan.
Phoebe has the misfortune of discovering one of the estate sale company's workers dead when she attends to hopefully buy a large lot of salable books. Although I didn't get the vibe that Phoebe was a serious suspect, she feels the need to look into the case herself to help prove her innocence. Will this get her into trouble? Oh, you already know the answer to that one. I liked that she was largely smart about always having a back-up, however, and even in the end cleverly uses her own wits to help bring the guilty to justice. She even finds time for a budding romance in-between all the asking of questions and pondering over clues.
So, who killed ambitious estate sale organizer Madeline? There are more than a few suspects but, nope, not telling. It's an easy, relatively quick read, that I enjoyed. Thanks #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for inviting me to Raven Creek for a taste of Phoebe's sourdough and, yikes, murder. Hope to be invited back next time to see what's going on with Rich. Fun read.
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