Review: well done, but less of a story than expected
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 09 2, 2011
This is an excellent introduction to the character of Ainsley Walker, and based on this short piece I look forward to reading Ainsley's full-length adventures.However, while The American Turquoise is accurately described as a "prelude" to the mystery series, there is neither mystery nor travel here. Given the ambitious title, I feel a bit cheated on that front. And, while I enjoyed getting to know Ainsley, the content doesn't add up to a satisfying short story. We learn about the various ways in which Ainsley is at a crossroads in her life (amply detailed by other reviewers), and witness her (very brief) introduction to what is sure in future volumes to be her new career, all of which, with some vigorous editing, could have easily been pared down to the opening chapters of a full-length novel and downloaded as a sample.The short story as introduction to a series character is a great idea, and a good use of Kindle/eReader technology. For those curious about whether or not Ainsley Walker is someone they'd enjoy reading about (that's a "yes" for me), The American Turquoise is an excellent "prelude."This makes choosing a star-rating tricky, because there's much here that is well done, but I can't get around the fact that it doesn't work as a stand-alone story, and IMO for that reason really ought to be offered as a freebie. The writing quality and character are at a 4-star level, and I appreciate the complimentary copy I received, but if I'd paid the 99-cent price I'd have been disappointed at not getting more than a set-up for the full-length titles in what is promised as a series.That said, I already have "The Uruguay Amethyst" queued up on my Kindle and look forward to reading it this weekend.