A Murder of Magpies

By Judith Flanders

Rating: 3/5 Stairs

I have mixed feelings on this book. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the characters. Samantha Claire is a great character. She’s got a dry sense of humor, which I love. She is surrounded by a glamorously perfect mother, an eccentric recluse of a neighbor, a gothic assistant, and a detective who just might be a potential love interest. The characters typically make or break the book for me, and in A Murder of Magpies they really work.

On the other hand, the mystery piece just never grabbed me. I’m not sure why. There was a lot going on, but it just never really interested me. I would read for a while, set the book down, and then be content to not pick it back up for long periods of time.

So what prompted me to pick the book back up? I ran out of renewals from the library. I had to finish.

If Ms. Flanders writes another book with these characters, I would give it a try. I really did like her characters and their interactions. I just hope the next one has a story that grabs me.