Review: Funny, engaging and cozy
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 26, 2013
Though I rarely have the time to read them anymore, I love cozy mysteries. It is really rare however for books of this genre to be published in Australia, there were a brief flurry released in the late 1980's/early 1990's by author's such as Jennifer Rowe, Kerry Greenwood and Claire McNab but few since. So I am delighted that Ilsa Evans new cozy mystery series has been picked up by Momentum, and hope there will be more.Nefarious Doings introduces Nell Forrest who lives in the small town of Majic, named rather prosaically for its eccentric Hungarian founder. Recently deserted by her husband of twenty five years, she shares her home rather peaceably with the youngest of her five daughter's while writing a column for the local newspaper. And then one of her daughter's arrives home with the news she has dropped out of university and her mother moves in after her own house was set alight, revealing the body of a man in the garage.What follows is more murder, mystery and mayhem as Nell, anxious both to prove her mother innocent of killing her dropkick neighbour and get her mother back in her own home, begins to investigate the community of Majic, with the aid of her sister, Petra, her daughters and the occasional tip warning from the dashing Detective Sergeant Ashley Armistead. Nell imagines solving the mystery, and being rewarded by 'unbridled sex' with Armistead, but instead she gets too close to the hidden truths and risks becoming the next victim. The twists and turns of the plot are convincing with plenty of suspects muddying up the waters. The identity of the murderer is fairly predictable but the motivation less so.The characters in Nefarious Doings are all believable, even given slight exaggeration. I adore Nell and her somewhat chaotic family. I love how ordinary they are with all the benign sibling rivalry and Nell's motherly concern for, and frustration with, her daughters. It's the details of the life they live - making dinner, going to work/school, that adds depth and authenticity to the story.I feel I have to disclose that I regularly play Words With Friends with Ilsa - she usually wins, and last year I won a competition she ran to name a character for a cameo appearance in Nefarious Doings - look out for Grace June Rae (named for my grandmothers). However my friendship with Ilsa hasn't affected my opinion about this book, it is an entertaining read - funny, engaging and well, cozy. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book, Ill-Gotten Gains, due out September 1st.