Show Time

Pretty cover!

Welcome Back!  Do you enjoy paranormal romance novels?  If you do, then you should check out Molly Harper's Half-Moon Hollow series.  I look forward to each and every book because I am guaranteed an entertaining read (you will get a lot of laughs).  The latest book is Where the Wild Things Bite and it will be out July 26 (I pre-ordered my copy last November).  Molly Harper's other series is The Jane Jameson Series and it is equally as entertaining (you will be laughing through the whole book at Jane's antics). 

Show Time by Suzanne Trauth is the first book in A Dodie O’Dell Mystery series.  Dodie O’Dell is the manager of the Windjammer restaurant in Etonville, New Jersey.  Dodie left the Jersey Shore after Hurricane Sandy.  Etonville is a quaint small town and Dodie made a good friend in Lola Tripper.  Lola is a retired science teacher who now spends her time at the Etonville Little Theatre (ELT for short).  Dodie convinced Windjammer’s owner, Henry, to start a dinner and theater affair.  Dodie creates special menus (themes) to go along with each ELT production.  ELT is getting ready to hold auditions for their latest play which is Romeo and Juliet.  Walter Zeitzman, the director and general factotum, decided to try Shakespeare (ELT has not done works of the Bard before).  Lola convinces Dodie to help out during the auditions.  Walter’s assistant, Penny tends to be a little scatterbrained and disorganized.  Jerome Angleton is friend of Dodie’s.  Jerome is another retired teacher (English) who acts in the theater’s productions.  Jerome and Dodie share a love of mystery novels.  Jerome confided in Dodie that money has been disappearing from the theater, and Jerome has been looking into it.  Unfortunately, Jerome is found dead on the theater’s loading dock before he concludes his investigation.  Dodie wants to find out who killed her friend and sets out to get answers in between her work at Windjammer and helping out with the production of Romeo and Juliet.  Chief Bill Thompson is new to the town and could use some help (Dodie cannot help but notice his handsome exterior).  Bill is not privy to the gossip at ELT nor is he familiar with all the citizens of Etonville yet.  It turns out that Jerome had some secrets (who doesn’t).  Follow Dodie as she unravels the clues to find the killer.

Show Time has some interesting characters (Dodie, Lola, Carol), and I liked the theater aspect.  However, I found the book to be slow paced (it seemed to drag at times) and the book was not holding my interest.  There are many characters (and they all seem to be quirky and troubled) thrown at us in this first book as people are trying out for Romeo and Juliet.  The author tried to make the mystery complicated (we are led on a merry chase), but it is actually child’s play to solve (the killer stood out like there was a flashing, neon arrow over the culprit’s head).  There are way too many references to Dodie’s car which she refers to as “my metro” (I have no clue what that is).  It was entertaining to read about what goes into a small town theater production.  I give Show Time 3.5 out of 5 stars (It was okay, but needs some work).  The series does have potential, and I will read the next book in A Dodie O’Dell Mystery series.

The next book in A Dodie O'Dell Mystery series is Time Out.  It is scheduled to be released in January 2017.  You can check out Suzanne Trauth at www.suzannetrauth.com.   I received a complimentary copy of Show Time from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.  The opinions and comments expressed are strictly my own.

Thank you for visiting. I am currently enjoying Kilt at the Highland Games by Kaitlyn Dunnett.  I hope all of you have an enjoyable Wednesday.  Take care, stay cool (it is so hot outside), and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader