Devi Nair
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Kate Coventry ā± Duration: 9 hours š·ļø Publisher: Crooked Lane Books & Spotify Audiobooks š Published: October 21, 2025 Genre: Cozy Mystery
For a series debut, Death on Dickens Island promises the right ingredients: a coastal small town, a tangled web of family drama, and even a ghostly presence to stir the pot. On paper, it shouldāve been my kind of story with all the atmospheric, moody, and character-driven storyline. But the reality didnāt click for me.
Delia Dickens is set up as this idealistic, small-town heroine, yet her personality felt flat and unconvincing. She talks about her values and hopes for her family and community, but her actions and internal reflections didnāt resonate. Even her sonās presence, meant to provide an emotional anchor, didnāt add the depth I was hoping for. I wanted the emotional messiness of generational trauma woven thoughtfully into the mystery, but instead it just sat there, heavy and unresolved. Even the spectral twist failed to enchant. The ghost subplot had potential for charm or spookiness (ideally both), but it ended up feeling like background noise.
Overall, the pacing was steady enough to finish the book, but the emotional engagement was missing. I could appreciate the effort and the setup for a series, but I wonāt be continuing with the next installment. I stayed attentive, hoping the threads would tie together in a satisfying way, but by the end, I was more relieved than intrigued.
Would I recommend it? No, this one didnāt resonate. While fans of small-town mysteries may find something to enjoy, it didnāt connect for me.
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Kate Coventry ā± Duration: 9 hours š·ļø Publisher: Crooked Lane Books & Spotify Audiobooks š Published: October 21, 2025 Genre: Cozy Mystery
For a series debut, Death on Dickens Island promises the right ingredients: a coastal small town, a tangled web of family drama, and even a ghostly presence to stir the pot. On paper, it shouldāve been my kind of story with all the atmospheric, moody, and character-driven storyline. But the reality didnāt click for me.
Delia Dickens is set up as this idealistic, small-town heroine, yet her personality felt flat and unconvincing. She talks about her values and hopes for her family and community, but her actions and internal reflections didnāt resonate. Even her sonās presence, meant to provide an emotional anchor, didnāt add the depth I was hoping for. I wanted the emotional messiness of generational trauma woven thoughtfully into the mystery, but instead it just sat there, heavy and unresolved. Even the spectral twist failed to enchant. The ghost subplot had potential for charm or spookiness (ideally both), but it ended up feeling like background noise.
Overall, the pacing was steady enough to finish the book, but the emotional engagement was missing. I could appreciate the effort and the setup for a series, but I wonāt be continuing with the next installment. I stayed attentive, hoping the threads would tie together in a satisfying way, but by the end, I was more relieved than intrigued.
Would I recommend it? No, this one didnāt resonate. While fans of small-town mysteries may find something to enjoy, it didnāt connect for me.