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The Eleventh Hour by Anina Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Have just completed The Eleventh Hour by Anina Collins. It's the first in the author's "Poppy McGuire" mystery series. The main character is Poppy McGuire, a small-town reporter who loves to investigate.
Sunset Ridge is a quiet town, or it was until one of its most prominent citizens is murdered. Poppy is naturally curious about who may have killed Geneva Woodward, and when she and her police officer friend, Derek, challenge one another to see who can solve the crime first, Poppy dives right in. In her quest to one-up Derek, Poppy seeks the assistance of Alex Montero, a retired Baltimore detective, but she soon learns he has secrets of his own. As Poppy draws closer to a killer, it's her life that may be in danger.
This was a good story. It was not as cozy as one would expect from a "cozy" mystery. Characterizations were done well, and the plot was engaging. I wish we could have seen more of Poppy doing things other than investigating. The killer was a surprise. What was also surprising is that this is billed as a "first in series", but I felt like I'd been dropped into the middle of something, which was vexing.
Favorite line: "When you stop dreaming you stop living."
I'd like to give this 3.5 stars, but I'll nudge it up to a four.
1. Does the mc work at/as one of the following: baker/bakery/sweet shop/tea shop/coffee shop, library/librarian, antique/vintage shop, book store, fashion/boutique, bed & breakfast? No, she's a reporter
2. Does the mc live at her (or his) place of occupation? No
3. Is the love interest involved in law enforcement? (Police officer, sheriff, detective, PI, FBI) Yes
4. Does the mc have a dog/cat as a pet? No
5. Is the mc's BFF either a gay guy or a ditzy/zany woman? No
6. Did the mc find the body? No
7. Did the mc wind up in mortal danger at the end of the book? Yes
8. Is the mc's mother either: dead, absent, far removed, ditzy and dithering, or overbearing/disapproving/meddling? Yes
9. If mother is dead/absent, does the mc have another mother-figure (grandmother, aunt, mom's friend, or an older friend)? No
10. Is the mc child-free? (Either no children or else grown children--i.e. no small children to look after) Yes