Review of 'An A-List For Death' by Pamela Hart
An A-List For Death by Pamela Hart
Release Date: June 1, 2022
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REVIEW
What an exhilarating reading experience! Pamela Hart is a gifted author of many styles and genres. Her latest dance with creativity has taken her to the ballrooms of cosy mysteries. This is the second instalment of the Poppy McGowan series and it is filled with unusual unsuspecting suspects, coincidental events, attempted malicious attacks and, of course, murder.
Poppy is a TV researcher who also happens to take on the role of an amateur sleuth. She has never planned to be such a person but sometimes she finds herself in unexpected close contact situations where her inquisitive mind cannot help question if the injured individuals she comes upon have been subject to an accident or an attempted murder. If that wasn’t enough, she also ends up in living spaces where she is first on the spot of dead bodies. Her movements are not calculated. She merely stumbles across these incidents by accident. But it certainly activates her creative, inquisitive mind to draw, glean and decipher the facts from the people and circumstances that surround them. And in An A-List for Death it all begins when she finds her Aunt Mary’s best friend, Daisy, bleeding and unconscious on the floor of her bathroom.
Being a cosy mystery, it has all the ingredients you would expect with its quirkiness, humour, charm and gentler, warmer tone. There’s a touch of light romance, too, and colourful characters that will keep you interested and on your toes. I found it hard to put this story down to sleep and was dying (pardon the pun!) to read the next chapter. Yes, exactly what every author wants to hear from their readers! Rest assured, there are no explicit descriptions of the severely injured or dead—well at least not what you would find in a hard core murder mystery but we are provided enough details to get the idea of the victims’ physical conditions. This novel will not give you nightmares for it is not that sort of mystery. It will keep you entertained with its delightful wit and leave you wondering as it contains lots of red herrings. The cast are both likeable and tragic. They all have their human foibles. The reservoir of selfish needs, misjudgements, greed, envy and overblown pride keep the action flowing. There are ample clues to keep you on a trail or two and it is enjoyable to watch as each suspicion is played out and the truth revealed. Even though I guessed the suspect early on, it was still an exciting and unforgettable journey to the full revelation.
Some might say Poppy is an unlikely unassuming protagonist sleuth but I think her career background makes her a good candidate with her ability to do thorough research. She can look at all the angles, dissect, question and piece obscure fragments back together. But although she has these useful gumshoe characteristics, she still stumbles upon the truth in unexpected ways. And, of course, she uses her connections wherever possible to help her with her deductions. The events are limited to a fairly intimate setting and suspects are within the circle of Poppy’s acquaintances so she has to think hard about what motives each of these people have? As the ball unravels, secrets are revealed and hearts are exposed and, sometimes, the picture is not very pretty!
My review cannot close without citing my notice of Pamela Hart’s love of Anne of Green Gables and how An A-List for Death provides a gentle nod to that story by including a red-haired female character, a mention of the novel itself and the Montgomery name!
I can easily recommend this lively, colourful, romantic crime novel that touches on the hazards of fame and selfish drive for money. It also questions the loyalty of lovers, friends and family when there is something quick to gain. This story where everyone is a suspect, successfully raises doubt in the minds of readers (and Poppy) of all those closest to the victims. Who is capable of murder? Read it and see! It is a sure CLUE game moment when it all comes together. I happily encourage everyone who loves a fun, witty, warm, cosy mystery to pick up a copy in June! 5 Stars for a professional performance! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to publisher Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for a review copy. This review will be posted on Amazon upon release of the novel.
