So, I'm giving this 4 because the mystery itself was a pretty intricate puzzle. But personally, I won't be continuing this series.
[slight spoilers] I had a very hard time liking the main character. Her flaws are on full display at the beginning of the book, and of course flaws are totally fine–so I read the whole thing looking for where she would redeem herself–and for me, that point never really came. Even her investigation felt a lot more about helping herself than her friend. Plus, some of her opinions and judgements felt outdated to me . . . which again could be understandable, but when combined with the rest of her personality, I found it very off-putting.
Overall I didn't get the feeling of community and kindness from this book that I usually look for in cozies, but I think perhaps people who like older, darker mysteries might enjoy it.
