On Flashback Fridays I will share with you the books I missed when they were first
released that have been screaming at me from my To-Be-Read bookshelf.
I reviewed Forever Beach
Just Killing Time (A Clock Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Massachusetts
A Berkley Prime Mystery (October 6, 2015)
An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425275528
E-Book ASIN: B00SI026TW
Ruth Clagan may be an expert clockmaker, but she’s always had a tendency to lose track of time. And when trying to solve a murder, every minute counts…
Ruth’s beloved grandfather instilled in her a love of timepieces. Unfortunately after her grandmother died and he remarried, Ruth and Grandpa Thom became estranged. She’s wanted to reconnect after her recent divorce, but sadly they’ve run out of time. Her grandfather has been found dead after a break-in at his shop—and the police believe he was murdered.
Now Ruth has been named the heir to Grandpa Thom’s clock shop, the Cog & Sprocket, in the small Berkshire town of Orchard, Massachusetts. As soon as she moves into the small apartment above the shop and begins tackling the heaps of unfinished work, Ruth finds herself trying to stay on the good side of Grandpa’s bossy gray cat, Bezel, while avoiding the step-grandmother she never wanted. But as old secrets and grudges start to surface, Ruth will have to kick into high gear to solve the killer case before someone else winds up dead…
Dollycas’s Thoughts
It happens to a lot of us. Life gets in the way and we miss out on connecting with those that love us as often as we should. Ruth Clagan was very close to her grandmother. When she died it was hard on Ruth. Ruth became all twisted up in her own drama and when her grandfather remarried she just couldn’t accept it. Some time passed and she got her own life back on track and was ready to reconnect with her grandfather. But she was too late. Her grandfather was found dead behind his clock shop. She comes home to find that her grandfather has been murdered and he had left his clock shop to her. Before she can make any decisions about staying in Orchard she has to find out who killed her grandfather and why. She doesn’t have time to waste, the clock is ticking and she doesn’t want to become another victim.
Ruth Clagan is a strong woman and she is smart. I liked her immediately. I had sympathy for her situation. I was impressed with her determination to not only sleuth out a killer but the way she is wants to make her grandfather’s dream come true. It is not going to be easy but she is up to the task. I also enjoyed her reconnecting with people she hadn’t seen in years. I will admit parts of Ruth’s story had me teary eyed and missing some my own family who have passed away. Her story fits the “tomorrow is never guaranteed, so cherish what you have today” line really well.
As far as the mystery there are several good twists but I did figure it out early. That can be common in first books in a series because you have to introduce the characters and the setting which is a big task. In this case the main character is also on an emotional roller coaster. So a complex mystery would be tough to get in with only 300 pages. The author has built a nice foundation for this series the mysteries to come.
This was an enjoyable debut. The next book in this series, Clock and Dagger
You can find out more about Julianne Holmes on her webpage here.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
My father was a clock collector and I was blessed to have been able to keep several of his clocks when he passed. The one I love the most is the Grandfather clock he made for me. It hold a special place of honor in our home.
Thanks for the review and the opportunity to win..
Thank you for sharing your review. This one has been on my wish list forever – I’ve got my fingers crossed. 🙂
Your review was very helpful thank you
That cover is killer fun! And it’s the first in a series! I’m always jumping into a series mid stream and it would be wonderful to start one with the first book. LOL And a new author for me too!