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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Loved the dogs in this book though it was amazing how much better they ate than most people. The mystery itself got a bit chaotic towards the end with a few too many twists and turns.
Reads very much like a first mystery in a series. LOTS of backstory for every character. Sometimes this reads like a marketing brochure for the state of Vermont. The obsession with Shakespeare is a bit twee and overtired. However. Dogs, good characters, solid enough mystery. Did I mention dogs? I'll read the second in the series.
A Borrowing of Bones is a wonderful start to a new series of mysteries. Mercy and Elvis may be down but they aren’t out by any stretch of the imagination. I loved watching them solidify into a team. Mercy is smart and stronger than she knows. I really liked the terrific cast of supporting characters and really look forward to visiting again.
Mercy's sidekick dog (Elvis) is as much the main character as she is in this fast-paced mystery set in woodsy Vermont. It's the debut of a series and I really liked the characters and storyline. Looking forward to the next in the series (already bought #2). Great book for animal lovers, especially dog lovers (although cat lovers, like me, aren't left out either.)
3.5.stars
This is what it felt like to engage with the world, to care what happened next, and to whom. This was dangerous. But this was living.
This is a promising start to this new series. It's not great but it wasn't bad either. It's set in and around Northshire, Vermont and features Mercy Carr, a retired M.P. from the Army, and Elvis, the bomb sniffing dog she inherited from her fiance who was killed in combat. It's been a year since that loss, a year since Mercy returned to her hometown to heal and to figure out what to do with the rest of her life. When she and Elvis stumble across a baby on one of their usual, morning hikes it brings them into contact with Fish & Wildlife Game Warden Troy Warner and his search and rescue dog, Susie Bear. It also kicks off a mystery that, for personal reasons, Mercy just can't let go.
The mystery itself felt a little convoluted at times and Mercy made some interesting leaps of logic on more than one occasion but it's the characters who really shine and who make you want to spend more time in this woodsy environment. Both Mercy and Troy are utterly down-to-earth and likable and their canine companions, Elvis and Susie Bear, steal the show. I'm sure that there is a romance in the making here but it looks to be a slow burn one, which is just how I like it. On that note though, I have to say that I'm not wild about Mercy's living situation at the end. In any event, I'm looking forward to reading the second book when it comes out and I hope for a better, tighter mystery.
P.S. If game wardens really have to put in this many hours on the job, they deserve a big raise.
This is what it felt like to engage with the world, to care what happened next, and to whom. This was dangerous. But this was living.
This is a promising start to this new series. It's not great but it wasn't bad either. It's set in and around Northshire, Vermont and features Mercy Carr, a retired M.P. from the Army, and Elvis, the bomb sniffing dog she inherited from her fiance who was killed in combat. It's been a year since that loss, a year since Mercy returned to her hometown to heal and to figure out what to do with the rest of her life. When she and Elvis stumble across a baby on one of their usual, morning hikes it brings them into contact with Fish & Wildlife Game Warden Troy Warner and his search and rescue dog, Susie Bear. It also kicks off a mystery that, for personal reasons, Mercy just can't let go.
The mystery itself felt a little convoluted at times and Mercy made some interesting leaps of logic on more than one occasion but it's the characters who really shine and who make you want to spend more time in this woodsy environment. Both Mercy and Troy are utterly down-to-earth and likable and their canine companions, Elvis and Susie Bear, steal the show. I'm sure that there is a romance in the making here but it looks to be a slow burn one, which is just how I like it. On that note though, I have to say that I'm not wild about Mercy's living situation at the end.
Spoiler
She seems like she's on the cusp of considering dating again and having an unwed, teenage mother living with her seems like it'll cramp her bachelorette pad.P.S. If game wardens really have to put in this many hours on the job, they deserve a big raise.
A Borrowing of Bones
4 Stars
Retired army veterans, Mercy Carr and her Belgian Malinois, Elvis, are seeking solace from their wounds, both physical and emotional, in the solitude of the Vermont wilderness. On one of their daily walks, Mercy and Elvis come across an abandoned baby, a shallow grave and a possible cache of explosives. Together with U.S. Game Warden, Troy Warner, and his huge Newfoundland, Susie Bear, Mercy and Elvis find themselves immersed in a twisted web of succession, theft and murder.
Mercy, with her love of animals and literature, both classic and modern, is a heroine after my own heart. Her strength and resilience only add to her appeal although she can be excessively stubborn at times, and is a short hair away from TSTL territory.
While the mystery is intriguing and the twists keep the pages turning, there are many threads and characters to keep track of, which can become confusing. Nevertheless, the fact that it all eventually boils down to is both ironic and amusing.
As a romance lover, I also appreciate the possibility of a slow-burn romance between Mercy and Troy, and look forward to seeing where their relationship takes them.
All in all, an enjoyable read highly recommended for fans of the Sydney Rose Parnell series by Barbara Nickless.
4 Stars
Retired army veterans, Mercy Carr and her Belgian Malinois, Elvis, are seeking solace from their wounds, both physical and emotional, in the solitude of the Vermont wilderness. On one of their daily walks, Mercy and Elvis come across an abandoned baby, a shallow grave and a possible cache of explosives. Together with U.S. Game Warden, Troy Warner, and his huge Newfoundland, Susie Bear, Mercy and Elvis find themselves immersed in a twisted web of succession, theft and murder.
Mercy, with her love of animals and literature, both classic and modern, is a heroine after my own heart. Her strength and resilience only add to her appeal although she can be excessively stubborn at times, and is a short hair away from TSTL territory.
While the mystery is intriguing and the twists keep the pages turning, there are many threads and characters to keep track of, which can become confusing. Nevertheless, the fact that it all eventually boils down to
Spoiler
art theft and jealousyAs a romance lover, I also appreciate the possibility of a slow-burn romance between Mercy and Troy, and look forward to seeing where their relationship takes them.
All in all, an enjoyable read highly recommended for fans of the Sydney Rose Parnell series by Barbara Nickless.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes