Devi Nair
This is a vintage mystery powered by friendship-first stakes and a protagonist who isn’t content to just sit pretty while her world unravels. Piper Sail is all sharp edges and stubborn hope. Her loyalty to Lydia is the true compass guiding the story. Watching her charge through mob territory and navigating social expectations showcases the book at its best. Mariano Cassano is another highlight mixing forward-thinking charm with perfect 1920s grit. His approach makes those investigative moments fizz, even when Piper’s stubbornness threatens to slow him down.
That said, I have to admit three-quarters in, the pacing lost its snap. The search for Lydia started to circle the same set of unlikely suspects and hidden doors. Somewhere around 65%, I found myself wishing the narrative had tightened up instead of making Piper (and me) retrace so many suspects and situations. There’s so much promise in the heart of the story, but it could have reached its conclusion with a little less meandering.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.wordpress.com.
This is a vintage mystery powered by friendship-first stakes and a protagonist who isn’t content to just sit pretty while her world unravels. Piper Sail is all sharp edges and stubborn hope. Her loyalty to Lydia is the true compass guiding the story. Watching her charge through mob territory and navigating social expectations showcases the book at its best. Mariano Cassano is another highlight mixing forward-thinking charm with perfect 1920s grit. His approach makes those investigative moments fizz, even when Piper’s stubbornness threatens to slow him down.
That said, I have to admit three-quarters in, the pacing lost its snap. The search for Lydia started to circle the same set of unlikely suspects and hidden doors. Somewhere around 65%, I found myself wishing the narrative had tightened up instead of making Piper (and me) retrace so many suspects and situations. There’s so much promise in the heart of the story, but it could have reached its conclusion with a little less meandering.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.wordpress.com.