Review

Josie Giancola, owner of the Button Box shop, loves everything about buttons and is extremely knowledgeable about both modern and antique buttons. She is excited to have supplied a button to famous artist Forbis Parmenter. Josie is even more delighted to have been invited to the opening of the quirky artist's opening of his exhibit of voodoo-inspired works, all featuring buttons. When Forbis disappears from his own event, it seems like just the thing he would do to get even more publicity for his exhibit, but then he is found dead. Not only was Forbis killed at this own art show, but the murderer created a gruesome display with his body and buttons. Josie's policeman boyfriend is now asking for her help since she is the button expert. However, it looks like Josie’s involvement in the investigation, is putting her in danger from the voodoo element of this case!

Buttoned Up is the fourth book in the Button Box series. I absolutely loved the series debut, Button Holed, but since then have found the series to be uneven. It seems to have regained its stride with this installment, with the main focus back on Josie and her expertise about buttons of all shapes and sizes. Buttons are definitely the key to this case, so seems logical that Josie’s knowledge would be useful in solving the case. That being said, watching Josie question all of the suspects, believing her status of button advisor gives her the right to conduct her own investigation, is hard to believe. It strains credibility to see Josie using her connections with her boyfriend Nev to allow suspects to think she has an official status to investigate .Her pushiness becomes a bit hard to take.


If only Josie would use some of this gumption in her personal life! Although he isn't a part of this installment, Josie used to allow her ex-husband "Kaz" to take advantage of her and now I see that trend continuing with Nev. I have never been convinced Josie and Nev make a great couple. Nev seems to take advantage of Josie's knowledge of buttons when it suits him for a case, without regard to her safety. With Nev's ex-girlfriend Evangeline in the picture in this book, I think Nev's treatment of Josie hit an all-time low. By the end of the book, it seems Nev might have a little competition, so I'm interested to see what happens in future books.

The mystery has a good amount of information about buttons and voodoo and a plot that keeps your interest until the book's satisfactory conclusion. Although Josie isn't a perfect main character, the series with its button shop setting is unique enough to keep me coming back for future. I am curious to see what happens next in Josie's life and how a seemingly harmless item like a button can play a major role in so many dangerous situations.