Review

Wenwood, New York is a town once known for making bricks. However, some members of the community would like to see the town reinvent itself as a top tourist destination. Georgia Kelly has recently moved to Wenwood, finding a temporary haven with her beloved Grandfather Pete. Georgia came to the small town to get away from a crisis in her work and personal lives and hopes to unwind with her new found hobby of stained glass. She is very surprised to see how much controversy and conflict exists in the town over the decision to convert the old brickworks into a new marina aimed at tourists. When one of the project’s opponents becomes a victim of murder, Georgia realizes just how serious the issue is. She is forced to take action to track down a killer when the investigation hits very close to home.

I really like the main character of Georgia. She is someone who is very easy to connect with, right from the beginning. Although she had bad experiences in New York City, she hasn’t let that make her jaded or sit around feeling sorry for herself. She is friendly, down-to-earth and isn’t afraid to admit when she doesn’t have all the answers. She is open to making new friends in the town even though she doesn’t know what her future plans are.

The stained glass theme of the book is unique. I love the scenes in which Georgia’s work is described in detail and wish there had been more. Hopefully future books will feature stained glass more prominently in the story. However, I really enjoyed the investigation into the murder of the Wenwood resident. How Georgia gets involved in the investigation is logical and realistic. Georgia gets answers and solves the case with the help of some good old-fashioned legwork and not slapstick scene or unbelievable coincidences that are found in some cozy mysteries.

Adding to the fun of the book, there is definitely a potential love interest for Georgia mixed in with the new friends and old acquaintances Georgia see. However, developments in her love life are being taken slowly to allow for growth and surprises in future books, while keeping a quick, interesting pace in the current story.

Although I wish there had been more information about stained glass, I didn’t want to put the book down and think this is a great debut to an interesting new series. I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next and I look forward to reading more. I hope Georgia comes to realize Wenwood would make the perfect adopted hometown.

Reviewed by Christine