ARC: Grace Interrupted by Julie Hyzy

Cover From Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Grace-Interrupted-Manor-House-Mystery/dp/0425241904/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1304438546&sr=1-1

 

 

This is the second book in The Manor House Mystery series. It takes place in a large manor house in Emberstowne, one of those quaint touristy towns. The heroine, Grace Wheaton, is just beginning to find her bearings as the new curator of Marshfield Manor when the arrival of a large group of Civil War re-enactors throws a spanner in the works. The murder of one of their number implicates Grace's love interest Jack, and it's up to Grace (with the help of her annoying, but very competent assistant, Francis) to clear his name.

I received an Advance Reader's Copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.


Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Grace Under Pressure, I had been eagerly awaiting this second book. I was not disappointed.  Grace Interrupted is every bit as well written and enjoyable as the first book.


I find the characters, especially Grace to be very well developed. (Though, if you want to know about Grace's past, you really should read the first book).  Grace is much like her name - she has a sense of elegance and "grace" that permeates the whole story.  The way she handle's Francis is just amazing. You can feel her frustration, but she tries not to let it show.  I do not like Francis, but she's one of those characters that you "love to hate." And who knows maybe she'll grow on me as the series grows. We don't see as much as some of the other supporting characters (Bennett or Grace's two roommates), but that's OK.  We get to see a positive side of Francis and I'm sure we will learn more about the other characters as the series progresses.

The pace of the story is just perfect for a cozy mystery. Never too slow or too fast. One of the things that I enjoyed about both books is that I feel that I can relax while reading, yet stay engaged. It's very much like visiting with an old friend.

This is certainly one of my top favorite cozy mystery series. If you like cozy mysteries, with just a touch of old manor elegance, I highly recommend you give this one a try.