Lover Come Hack by Diane Vallere

Good Day!  An Orphan's Wish by Molly Green comes out on November 29.  New Arrivals at Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke releases on December 4 along with The Secret by Jennifer Wells.  A variety of books for those who love historical fiction.  

Lover Come Hack by Diane Vallere is the sixth novel in A Madison Night Mystery series (also called A Mad for Mod Mystery series).  Madison Night has teamed up with Jane Strong for the Very Important Projects competition sponsored by the Design in Dallas Initiative.  On the last day for entries, Madison is shocked when she receives an email from Jane canceling their partnership.  Madison rushes to the Republic Tower where DIDI has their offices to talk to Jane, but Jane is adamant about entering on her own.  Jane hunkers down in the building’s coffee shop to create a new entry before the deadline in five hours.  After turning in her submission, Madison discovers Jane sick in the ladies’ room.  She rushes to get assistance and returns to find blood on the floor.  Jane dies from blunt force trauma and Madison finds herself at the top of the suspect list.  Later that day after opening an email, Madison finds her computer hacked and must turn to Donna Nast for assistance.  It seems that Madison is not the only person hacked recently and they all link back to one person.  Madison must track down the killer before she ends up wearing an orange jumpsuit for twenty-five to life (I have a feeling they do not have one from the 50s).

Lover Come Hack is an entertaining cozy mystery.  While Lover Come Hack is the sixth A Madison Night Mystery, it can be read alone.  Madison’s history is included in the story and I like that she is a mature main character.  Madison is mad for mid-century modern design and has based her design business around this aesthetic (along with her wardrobe).  While her professional life is doing well, Madison’s love life is in turmoil.  The six months of alone time she had requested from her two beaus is about to end, and she needs to make a decision.  Tex Allen has been patient, and after six months, he is ready for Madison to make a decision (I can understand his viewpoint).  There is a small dustup between the pair that I felt was inappropriate.  Madison acted like an irrational person instead of a mature woman (lack of communication).  I could have done without this nonsense (I do not want to spoil it for you), but I was happy that Madison made the right choice in the end.  The mystery was complex with misdirection and twists.    We follow Madison on her investigation as she talks to various suspects and investigates the hacking. Donna Nast returns in Lover Come Hack and plays a pivotal role.  The computer virus and hacking made the mystery relevant to today’s society where this is an ever present problem (unfortunately).   I actually liked the first person narrative (I have never said this about a book).  Madison has a unique voice and it comes through in this series.  We experience life through Madison’s eyes and some of her comments are amusing.  I love the descriptions of the vintage clothes and furniture.  I am giving Lover Come Hack 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it).  I wonder what trouble Madison Night will get into next time.

Thank you for stopping by today.  I will be featuring The Whispered Word by Ellery Adams on Tuesday, November 27.  It is the second novel in A Secret, Book and Scone Society series.  May you have a pleasant day.  Take care of yourself and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

The Pajama Frame: A Madison Night Mystery

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week.  Diane Vallere is the author of A Madison Night Mystery series (also known as A Mad for Mod Mystery series), A Samantha Kidd Mystery series, A Material Witness Mystery series, and A Costume Shop Mystery series.  

The Pajama Frame by Diane Vallere is the fifth tale in A Madison Night Mystery series.  Madison Night has inherited a building from Alice Sweet that used to house Sweet Dreams Pajama Factory.  The factory was abandoned sixty years ago after a pajama model died in rare equipment accident (or was it).  Madison is unprepared for the people wanting to get inside the building and the mystery surrounding it.  Madison decides to investigate the sixty-year-old case in the hopes of getting answers and putting the rumors to rest.  After persuading Captain Tex Allen to unseal the building, they enter to find that someone has managed to get in before them.  They find bullet casings, the body of John Sweet (Alice’s grandson) and a large supply of new vintage pajamas (Madison can wear a new pair every night).  After leaving the factory, Madison goes by Stanley and Abbott where John worked only to discover Mr. Stanley dead in office chair.  What is going on?  Madison is determined to uncover the truth.  Is there a connection between the old case and the current two deaths?  Madison needs to expose the killer, or she could be the next victim.

The Pajama Frame is well-written and a nice, steady pace.  Madison Night is a great main character.  She is smart and strong willed.  I love her vintage design aesthetic, fashion sense and her dog, Rocky (Shih Tzu). The author provides delightful and vivid descriptions of Madison’s clothing and mid-century furniture.  Captain Tex Allen is the perfect counterpart for Madison. They work well together and have good chemistry.  I am hoping they will have a closer relationship in future books (they are cute together).  I do not like Donna Nast, and I keep hoping that Donna will become a murder victim in a future book.  The mystery is multifaceted which I found appealing.  I enjoy a complex mystery and it was clever how the author tied in the retro angle with the vintage pajamas.  Unfortunately, I did find it easy to pick out the guilty party. There were some loose ends at the end of the book that I wish the author had cleared up (I would clarify but one is a spoiler).  I am giving The Pajama Frame 4 out of 5 stars.  The Pajama Frame can be read alone.  Madison’s background is provided for new readers.  This was my favorite book in A Madison Night Mystery series, and I am looking forward to finding out what trouble will befall Madison next time.

Thank you for reading my review today and I hope you have found a new book to read.  I will be featuring Death by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge on Saturday.  Make sure you take some time for yourself this weekend (a relaxing soak in the tub, laying by the pool/beach, or exploring a bookstore).  Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

The Decorator Who Knew Too Much: A Madison Night Mystery

Happy Tuesday!  Gone Without a Trace by Mary Torjussen, The Decorator Who Knew Too Much by Diane Vallere, and Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano came out today.  

The Decorator Who Knew Too Much by Diane Vallere is the fourth book in A Madison Night Mystery series.  Madison Night and her boyfriend, Hudson James are heading to Palm Springs for two weeks.  It is going to be part getaway and part work.  Hudson has agreed to help his brother-in-law, Jimmy work on his dream project.  Jimmy wishes to create a midcentury modern strip mall and Madison is the perfect decorator to assist him.  Their visit, though, is fraught from the very beginning.  Their car is sideswiped as they near Jimmy and Emma’s home.  The next day, Madison arrives at the job site and her hat falls into the Whitewater River.  As she bends over to retrieve it, she sees a body floating under the surface of the water.  Before the police arrive, the corpse disappears.  Madison goes on a sketching excursion and ends up getting attacked.  She arrives at the house to discover that Jimmy is upset with her.  He lost a day of work.  The next morning, Jimmy vents his frustration.  Madison and her dog, Rocky decamp to a local motel.  This is not the trip that Hudson had planned for them. Madison has been having a tough time since her last brush with danger in Texas.  She has been suffering from nightmares and is having to rely on sleeping pills.  It is recommended she consult a therapist and is given the name of Dr. Albert Hall.  Madison leaves him a message, but she soon discovers that he is no longer taking patients.  The missing river victim is found in a quarry by hikers. The victim is none other than Dr. Hall.  Madison starts delving into the case and finds it more complex than it first appeared.  She has all these various pieces of information.  Madison will need to shift them around and fit them together to get the complete picture.  Can Madison figure out the identity of the culprit before it is too late?

The Decorator Who Knew Too Much is part of a series and some parts of the story are a little confusing if you have not read the previous novels.  While the author provides details on why Madison loves vintage fashions, midcentury modern design and Doris Day, details what has caused her PTSD are lacking.  I did find The Decorator Who Knew Too Much to be easy to read (good pace/flow) and nicely written.  I liked the authors writing style and the humor she injected into the story.  I appreciate Madison’s love of vintage fashions (her clothes sound unique and beautiful).  I give The Decorator Who Knew Too Much 3 out of 5 stars.  The mystery comes across as complex, but I thought the identity of the perpetrators easy to uncover.  In the beginning of the book, it states that Madison and Hudson are going on vacation.  This is mentioned more than once, but then we are told that they will be working. How is this a vacation?  Is it because they are in a different city?  I was curious how Madison, a decorator, could assist on a project that has not been started.  I found some information to be repeated a few times throughout the book (Madison’s love of Doris Day, vintage fashions, and her dog, Rocky).  The book is written from Madison and Tex’s (Captain Tex Allen) point-of-views.  I was not a fan of this format.  Tex’s sections did not enhance or help the story (for the most part).  I prefer novels that are told from one person’s perspective or from the third person.  Personally, I believe Tex and Madison would make a great couple.  Hudson is not the best partner for Madison with her love of sleuthing.  At the end of the book, readers are left with some unanswered questions.  I wish the author had provided a better recap of the offender’s actions.  Fans of the A Madison Night Mystery series (also known as A Mad for Mod Mystery series) will enjoy this latest installment.  I think I will go back and read the earlier novels in this series.

The first three books in A Madison Night Mystery series are Pillow Stalk, That Touch of Ink, and With Vics You Get Eggroll.  Thank you for visiting today.  I am off to run an errand.  I will be reviewing Appetite for Innocence by Lucinda Berry by tomorrow.  Have a great day, take care and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader