Facts:
Date finished: 5-9-05
Author: M.C. Beaton
Category: Mystery (cozy)
Published: 2001
Pages: 218
Basic Plot:
Fellworth Dolphin comes into money after his parsimonious mother dies and discovers an extra stash of cash in the locked desk. Circumstances lead him to believe the money may have come from a train robbery committed years before on his father’s watch and, with the help of his friend Maggie, Fellworth begins an investigation into
My assessment:
OK, this is exactly why I wanted to keep track of what I’ve read. This cover looked a little familiar, but the jacket description did not. As I read it, I had a crazy sense of déjà vu, but I was never quite completely sure that had actually read it before. Sigh. I’m not sure if this is just increasingly faulty memory or increasing similarity of cozy-style mysteries.
Character of Melissa seems to share some traits with Beaton’s famous creation, Agatha Raisin. Mostly the vanity and “the world is all about me” kind.
Beaton introduces new characters here, but they don’t really have much to redeem them and are difficult to care much about. (I’m not sure Agatha has much to redeem her either, but Hamish is at least a decent person.) I’m not sad she didn’t include them in any other books, although I suppose the possibility still exists.