Review and Giveaway: The Sayers Swindle

The Sayers Swindle (Book Collector Mystery - Book 2) by Victoria Abbott

Publication Date:12/03/2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 305
ISBN-10: 0425255298
ISBN-13: 978-0425255292

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Victoria Abbott (aka. Mary Jane Maffini and Victoria Maffini) on the WEB: website, twitter, facebook, goodreads

Books in the series:

The Christie Curse (2013), The Sayers Swindle (2013)

Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from The Says Swindle, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.

Synopsis:

Jordan Kelly is delighted to make money tracking down rare and valuable mystery novels for her employer, Vera Van Alst, an avid collector and the most difficult woman in  Harrison Falls, New York. But now her boss’s complete set of Dorothy Sayers is missing, and finding them may lead Jordan to a murder suitable for Sayers’s esteemed sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey…
 
When Jordan manages to locate her boss’s missing books, they are in the possession of Randolph Adams, an elderly man in a nearby town. Offering a valuable Hemingway first edition as an incentive, Jordan thinks she’s about to seal the deal—but some of Randolph’s relatives think he should hold out for more.
 
Then the entire family disappears—and a dead body shows up.  It’s up to Jordan to collect the clues—and make sure a killer gets booked. 

Thoughts:

The mother/daughter duo that make up Victoria Abbott brings readers the second book in the Book Collector Mystery series, The Sayers Swindle. Rich in detail and full of interesting characters this mystery is sure to tempt any rare book lover. With insights into the rare book business, creative Dorothy Sayers tie-ins and enough comedy to make you chuckle more than once, this is a great cozy mystery that promises to give the reader an enjoyable whodunit.

What I liked:

Oh, where to start with this one. I am a book lover from way back and this series really hits the spot for me. The first book in the series focused readers on Agatha Christie and now in the second we get a great read that focuses on Dorothy Sayers and her Lord Peter Wimsey books. I like the fact that Abbott is taking book collecting and using it for her subject. I could never afford a first addition or anything like that, but I find all of the information about rare books and the business of buying and selling them captivating. I think the authors did a great job of using those elements as a backdrop for this mystery.

Jordan Kelly is a very likable heroine. She definitely has moxie and she isn't afraid to use it. She is sassy and vibrant and drawn so well that readers will love everything about her. I loved the fact that Abbott didn't find it necessary to make Jordan a do-gooder necessarily. She has been known to use some less than above board tactics when it comes to finding out things she needs to know. Her uncles are hilarious and give a whole new dimension to Jordan's character.

Ah, the uncles! They had some adventures in their day and Jordan has learned a thing or two along the way. They give a lot of comic relief to the book and are endearing characters in spite of their nefarious ways. Abbott uses comedy skillfully in this book and makes readers chuckle now and then or shake their heads at the uncles' antics.

The mystery in this one was engaging and entertaining. Jordan has to find a set of Dorothy Sayers books which have been stolen from her employer. There are a ton of suspects and of course there is a dead body thrown in the mix and Jordan methodically puts the clues together to figure it all out, but I sure didn't... LOL! Which means it was a very good book.

What I didn't like:

There wasn't anything bad to report on this one and that means it earns a five from my book bag.

Bottom Line:

If you are a book lover of any kind, you will love this series. The Sayers Swindle is well thought out and executed. The authors don't leave anything to chance, they provide a great whodunit, and some really good humor. This is one you definitely want to pick up.

About the Author:

Victoria Abbott is a pseudonym for the collaboration between artist, photographer, and short-story author Victoria Maffini and her mother, Mary Jane Maffini, author of the Charlotte Adams mysteries.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of The Sayers Swindle by Victoria Abbott.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, January 13th.

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