Happy Friday! I hope you have had a pleasant week. Familiar Legacy is a series about a cat named Trouble who fancies himself a sleuth. The series consists of Familiar Trouble, Trouble in Dixie and Trouble in Tallahassee which will be out on September 12.
Trouble in Dixie by Rebecca Barrett is the second book in the Familiar Legacy series. Julia Hampton is cat sitting, Trouble for her
friend, Tammy Lynn. Julia lives in Savannah, Georgia and is a PI
for her firm, The Hampton Detective Agency. Julia’s degree in Russian Art
History comes in handy when she is asked to investigate an art theft for The
Weatherby Insurance Agency. Julia is
asleep when Trouble hears noises in the office below. Julia, with Trouble’s assistance, scares off
the thieves. Nothing was taken from her
office, but the intruders seemed particularly interested in her files (which
are now scattered around the office). The next day Julia heads to her meeting with
Peter Ryder at The Weatherby Insurance Agency after retrieving her briefcase
(she left it at her parents’ home the previous night with the files Ryder gave
her). Peter has not shown up for work
and is not answering his phone. He had
asked Julia to look into the theft of a Nicolai Fechin portrait along some
missing Russian jewelry. Is Peter’s
disappearance related to the thefts? Julia with some unexpected assistance (along
with Trouble) sets out to get answers and recover the missing items.
Trouble in Dixie is a light cozy
mystery novel. While the second book in
the series, it can be read alone (easily).
I found the story easy to read and to have a good flow. I also appreciated the beautiful old Southern
setting of Savannah, Georgia. However, I
found the story to be lackluster (lacked dimension). The focus is on romance (what is happening to
cozy mysteries). The mystery portion
(what there is of it) is easily solved. Most
of the mystery plays out, but the bad guy can easily be picked out. I wanted more solid content and less thinking
about handsome Mitch Lawson. Less
repetition about Julia’s background would also have been appreciated (from old
money, good family, etc.). I am rating
Trouble in Dixie 3 out of 5 stars. I was
entertained by Trouble’s chapters. I
liked Trouble more in Trouble in Dixie than I did in Familiar Trouble. He was light-hearted and humorous. Aunt Ethel was a hoot. I wish she had been the main character (an
eccentric older woman). Trouble in Dixie is a cute story, but I am just not the right audience. I like more mystery (complicated, hard to solve) in my cozy mysteries. If
I wanted that much romance (where it dominates the book), I would (rarely) pick up a
romance novel.
I appreciate you reading my latest book review. May each of you have a stupendous Friday. I will be reviewing Pieces of Happiness by Anne Ostby the next time. I am enjoying Grave Errors by Carol J. Perry. I hope each of you have a delightful book to entertain you and take you on a grand adventure. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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