Anon, Sir, Anon
Rachel Heffington
Publisher: Ruby Elixir Press
Genre: Mysteries, Christian fiction
Released: November 5th, 2015
{blurb}
The 12:55 out of Darlington brought more than Orville Farnham's niece; murder was passenger.
In coming to Whistlcreig, Genevieve Langley expected to find an ailing uncle in need of gentle care. In reality, her charge is a cantakerous Shakespearean actor with an affinity for fencing and a penchant for placing impossible bets.
When a body shows up in a field near Whistlecreig Manor and Vivi is the only one to recognize the victim, she is unceremoniously baptized into the art of crime-solving: a field in which first impressions are seldom lasting and personal interest knocks at the front door.
Set against the russet backdrop of Northamptonshire fog, Anon, Sir, Anon cuts a cozy path to a chilling crime.
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WARNING: Possible Spoilers
(though I will do my best not to give ANYTHING away, because it's a mystery)
{The Basics}
Oh dear, oh dear, tut tut. You don't know how long this post has been in my drafts. It's embarrassing. And I have two more reviews waiting in the wings! Gah. I'll get 'em done. Eventually. :]
First of all, I LOVE Rachel Heffington's novels. But this one probably blows the other one and a half outta the water. Oh so good! The humor! The wit!
Mysteries have always been dearly loved by me. I suppose in part, because I am gullible and easy to surprise. . . but nonetheless, they are quite intriguing and enjoyable. You agree?
Dear Ms. Heffington crafted an excellent tale of murder, fun, and intrigue. The characters were realistic and well fleshed out. The relationship between young Vivi and her strange, bachelor uncle was hilarious! Their wit and constant confrontation never left a dull moment, and you could definitely sense their fondness for each other.
{Positives}
As mentioned above, the relationship between Vivi and Uncle Farnharm is rather sweet, if not strained at times. But they definitely care for the other. Farnham's good friend, Dr. Breen, is rather like another uncle to Vivi, and both men will do whatever is necessary to protect her.
{Negatives}
A porter, when asked where she could find Mr. Farnham's manor, tells her straight out that she's rather ugly. [I love her reply, "I'm not beautiful, but I am a lady, which is more than most can honestly say." (Chapter 1, p. 7)]
Genevieve (Vivi) is rather snobby and uppity toward a young inspector, though I suppose she had a right to be, simply because he'd just claimed her as a suspect to a murder.
Vivi foolishly enters a man's hotel room, essentially to speak with him and discern his motives. She later pulls a gun on him.
{Spiritual Content}
Brief mentions of God. Prayer.
{Violence}
Remember, this is a mystery! A murdered woman's face is smashed in. . . Blood, bone, and bruising. Vivi nearly faints at the sight.
Vivi pulls a gun on a man, who has her pinned to the wall. (Nothing happens, just tense talk.)
{Language, Alcohol & Drugs}
At least four uses of "d---." One of "d--nable." An "Oh, H--l." Several slang uses of "demmed."
An American woman on the train asks the conductor for a cigarette. . . Dr. Breen speaks of being drunk. Mention of "need[ing] a smoke."
{Love-y Content}
An old acquaintance of Vivi's, Michael Maynor, comes to visit her uncle's manor. Vivi leads him to the study (in a darkened hall) and he sticks WAY too close for comfort, causing her to nearly panic as she fumbles to open the door. Nothing happens.
Michael calls her cute. Many think her plain, but her close friends know her as sweet and pretty.
Vivi makes an offish comment, causing Michael to spring to his feet and take her hands. Later, at one point, Michael jumps up and shoves her against the wall (she had just asked if he murdered a woman. . . Again, nothing happens.)
Two kisses.
{Conclusion}
All in all, this is one of my absolute favorites. (I hope I didn't give anything away. . .) I can't wait for the next Vivi & Farnham mystery!! If you are in need of a good read and love puzzles, I'm sure you'll enjoy this one.
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Recommended ages: 16+
My rating:
Thanks for reading, y'all! I'm going to do my best to be faithful in posting more. Hopefully, I can get my A+A post up for tomorrow and pick up the Names again. I'm so grateful for you, my lovelies!
Hope your day is full of blessings! Fairfarren, for now.
Ooh, I love a good mystery! The only main problem I have with them is that, a lot of times, the character development is lost in the process of crafting the mystery. Glad to hear that's not the case with this one! Thanks for the review! Added to my TBR.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the review, Sarah! I am so glad you enjoyed it after going through the trouble to get a signed copy and all. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteAlly: Yes! a must-read! I think you'll definitely enjoy this one. :]
ReplyDeleteRachel: My pleasure!! I am VERY proud of my signed copy and totally enjoyed the story. It was no trouble at all. Thanks for commenting!