Review and Giveaway: Button Holed

Button Holed (Button Box Mystery - Book 1) by Kylie Logan


Publication Date: September 2011
Publisher: Penguin Group USA
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: Paperback, 288pp
ISBN-13: 9780425243763
ISBN: 0425243761
 
(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)


Purchase: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound


Kylie Logan  (Miranda Bliss/ Casey Daniels) on the WEB: website, blog, facebook
(Not much info on Kylie quite a bit on her alter ego Casey though) 


Synopsis:


In a big picture world, it's the little things that appeal to button dealer Josie Giancola. There's history in every button. There's art, and craft, and style. There might be clues to murder, too.


Working out of her button shop in a Chicago brownstone, Josie Giancola has quietly become one of the country's leading experts on buttons - antique buttons, jeweled buttons, artistic buttons. Her reputation draws a Hollywood starlet to the Button Box to shop for one-of-a-kind buttons for her made-to-order wedding gown.


But after the Button Box is ransacked and the actress is murdered, Josie's cozy world is thrown into chaos. Homicide detective Nevin Riley is looking to her for clues, starting with the murder weapon - an antique buttonhook. But a killer has other ideas, like keeping Josie's lips buttoned up ... permanently.


Thoughts:


First in a new series, Button Holed, by Kylie Logan is a cozy mystery with an urban setting. Using the Windy City of Chicago as a backdrop for this engaging new series, Logan introduces cozy fans to Josie Giancola, a protagonist with an eye for beautiful buttons of all kinds. This is a novel with an interesting premise, a resourceful and determined heroine and a quirky cast of supporting characters that will draw the reader in and hold them glued to the pages all the way to the final twist.


With every new cozy series, the first book spends a great deal of time doing set up for future installments. Introducing the characters, setting the scene, giving the protagonist a reason to be investigating etc. etc. Logan is able to pull this off easily. She hooks the reader from the very first chapter with a beginning robbery scene that leaves Josie's shop in chaos on the eve of her grand opening. She then introduces the victim quickly into the story and the plot thickens.

As the book continues, readers begin to get a picture of who this heroine is and what shes all about. Josie is a very fresh and interesting character. Her passion for her work with antique buttons is obvious and she comes across as credible and believable. The authors knowledge of buttons and button collecting is extensive and adds to the authenticity of the book. I think readers will fall in love with Josie and her shop, The Button Box. She brings a lot to the table as an expert and since an antique button was found next to the body, and the murder occurred in her shop, she has a clear cut reason to want to investigate. 


The supporting cast includes detective Nevin Riley, who asks for Josie's help in figuring out the clues to find the killer and Josie's ex-husband, Kaz. I thought the author did such a great job bringing each new character in at the right time and giving them a genuine reason to be involved in Josie's life. Each character is well thought out and brings an added flavor to the book. Logan has created a cast that readers will enjoy learning more about and look forward to seeing again, which is great for a new series.


The mystery aspect of the book was well written and tightly plotted. The list of suspects is just the right size, not too many that each can't be explored and not too few, so that readers can easily pick out the killer. Button Holed is fast paced and doesn't let the reader down in the middle. The final twist and turn was exciting and kept me off balance just enough so that I couldn't quite figure it out until the author wanted me too. The hallmark of a good cozy! 


I think this book will appeal to readers who are interested in antiques, buttons, museums and things of this nature. This is a great beginning to a new series and I found myself really looking forward to the fact that this wasn't a single title. The characters were so interesting that I didn't really want to leave them yet, always a good sign that a series will do well.

Button Holed is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Casey Daniels (a.k.a. Miranda Bliss and Kylie Logan) has a degree in English, experience as a journalist and writing teacher. When she's not writing, she's usually with her family and two dogs, Ernie, an adorable Airedale pup, and Oscar, a rescued Jack Russell who spends far too much time watching TV. Daniels enjoys knitting, gardening and of course, stomping through cemeteries in search of history, stories and inspiration.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Button Holed by Kylie Logan that will go to one winner from Debbie's Book Bag!


~ You must be a Google Friend Connect follower to participate.
~ US Addresses only (Publisher Request).
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST October 14th.


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