{I've Been Reading}The Village by Caroline Mitchell

 

The Village by Caroline Mitchell 

Naomi encourages her husband to buy Ivy Cottage, a dilapidated home in a sleepy little village without telling him, or her stepdaughter, why she wants to live there. Ten years earlier, the Harper Family  vanished. The kitchen sink was still running, the television was still playing cartoons, and no trace of the three family members was ever found. Naomi is journalist with a passion for true crime and hopes that with unlimited access to the house she'll be able to solve the mystery. It quickly becomes obvious that Naomi is not welcome in the village. The villagers are actually holding meetings to discuss the new residents and how to deal with them. Her own stepdaughter is determined to sabotage her whenever possible and isn't the slightest bit subtle about it. 

Chapters set before the family's disappearance gave me an idea what was going on, although I didn't guess all of the twists. I'm not sure what Naomi expected to  find in a house that had been occupied by various sets of renters over the previous decades, in a town that was so hostile to outsiders. But it was an entertaining read and not a bad way to spend a couple of evenings.  

Up to No Gouda by Linda Reilly 

The first in the new Grilled Cheese Mystery series will definitely have you  craving a hot, melty sandwich with crisply grilled bread and adding some different cheeses to your grocery list. It got off to a slightly clunky start with huge chunks of text describing things I didn't care about because I didn't even know the protagonist yet, but it picks up quickly. The mystery was intriguing and there are some characters I look forward to learning more about.

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf

A true crime writer works on her latest book in an isolated farmhouse while a storm rages outside. She's all alone until she discovers a young child alone in the snow.  There are three stories unfolding here and, because Wylie never once says or thinks anything about the book she's writing you just have to guess that at least one of the other two must be connected to her work. 

I didn't care for this one. One of the big plot twists was only a twist because the author deliberately misled the reader. Wylie never felt like a capable protagonist and I was constantly questioning her decisions. Once or twice, I almost found myself holding my breath and wondering what was going to happen....but it was never enough to get me fully caught up in the plot. 

Disclosure -- The publisher provided me with an advance review copy. This post contains affiliate links.