Review: Good Reading
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 09 16, 2013
What's a wedding without a little murder and mayhem? At least in Peter's world that adage is likely to be true. He and Nick are finally getting married and ready for a happy ever after ending. If only he can solve the mystery of the dead eagle and why Nick's ex seems to be suspiciously close to Nick all of a sudden. Armed with his usual intelligence and Nick's dad as a side kick, Peter tries to discover who killed the bald eagle, if he should be jealous of the ex-boyfriend and manage both sets of parents all while dealing with the caterer's mix-up. It's a lot to ask of a groom-to-be.Birds of a Feather is the fifth book in the Bellingham Mysteries series. This one could be read as a stand alone novella but I don't think it's the strongest in the series so new comers should start at the beginning of the series. For anyone who's been following the series, more Peter and Nick is never a bad thing. The men are adorable and familiar as they rehash old arguments and stumble their way to the altar. Nick especially has an interesting turn with his painting, a real surprise when it's revealed, and bevy of old friends. I never knew Nick had it in him. Peter on the other hand is the same with his frazzled actions, irresponsible actions, and rash snap decisions. They serve to make him lovable even while frustrating.While Peter and Nick shine as always, I was disappointed they weren't together more. Since the main point of the story is their actual wedding, the two men spend a lot of time apart. I missed seeing their connection and how they play off each other. Both are great characters but they shine together so much more than apart. The host of secondary characters is nice but not outstanding and the two mysteries introduced are pretty much solved in minutes. Both resolutions felt unbelievable and unrealistic so I could have done without them entirely.It's always nice to revisit Nick and Peter and even nicer to see them finally get married. Kimberling is a great author and writes clean, crisp prose each time with no exception here. Unfortunately this isn't my favorite book in the series. It lacked strong direction and I'm hoping the next one is more focused. Fans of the series will want to revisit the great couple and see their wedding and here's to hoping the next one is a honeymoon adventure.Originally posted at Long and Short Reviews