Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Book Review: Chime and Punishment by Julianne Holmes (Clock Shop Mysteries #3)



Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Wonderful characters
Cons: Pacing a little uneven
The Bottom Line:
Fund raising murder
Means time to revisit Ruth
And her group of friends




Chiming in with My Thoughts on the Third Clock Shop Mystery

Usually, by the second book in a cozy mystery series, the characters are set, with the victim being introduced in the pages of each book book.  So I was shocked when I discovered who the victim was in Chime and Punishment.  After all, this is the third book in the clock shop series, so I didn’t expect the victim to be anyone we had met before.

The book itself opens six months after the previous book in the series.  During the time, Cog and Sprocket owner Ruth Clagen has been leading the charge to get the clock tower in Orchard, Massachusetts, running again.  Of course, a project like this costs money.  With a couple of weeks to go before the big unveiling, Ruth and her friends and employees are putting on a fund raiser to help with the expenses.

As part of the fund raiser, Kim Gray, the town’s manager, is supposed to give a short speech.  Only she never shows up for the pre-event press photos or to give her speech.  As the event is winding down, Ruth’s friend Pat finds Kim’s dead body under the bell that is supposed to go up in the tower.  Someone was making a statement about how much they hated Kim.  But who?

Kim has been a presence in the first two books in the series, and I must admit that I was kind of hoping she’d be bumped off earlier, so I was thrilled when I found out I was going to get my wish in this book.  She is the perfect murder victim, well hated by everyone who knows her.  However, Ruth doesn’t know just how nasty Kim truly is, and she learns about other things Kim has been doing as the book progresses.  I did feel the pacing was uneven and one aspect of the mystery wasn’t resolved, but it is a minor aspect.  I was satisfied with who the killer was and the motive, and I appreciated the creative climax.

The characters in this series are definitely a draw, and they entertained me again.  While some of the relationships we’ve explored in the past aren’t in the forefront in this book, we still got to see those characters.  Some of the other supporting players get time in the spotlight in this book, and it is nice to get to know them better.

Fans of this series will definitely enjoy Chime and Punishment.  And if you aren’t a fan of the series, isn’t it time you fixed that?

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Just leave me a comment with your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you if you win.  I will pick the winner next Tuesday, August 8th, so please leave your comment before 12:01AM Pacific Time on 8/8.  You will have until midnight on 8/13 to get back to me, or I will choose a new winner on 8/14.

17 comments:

  1. I hadn't realized her third one was coming out. Loved the first two. Great review, glad to hear Kim gets it.
    momzillasteel at gmail dot com

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  2. Looking forward to reading this next book. Thanks for the chance to win.
    Becky Prazak
    rjprazak6@gmail.com

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  3. This is the first I've heard of this series. Thank you for bringing it to my attention and for the chance to win one of the books. mbradeen@yahoo.com

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  4. I just found out about this series and immediately put it on my TBR list. Thanks for the review. aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com

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  5. I am looking forward to this new book! Thanks for the review and chance to win!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. Thanks for bringing this series to my attention.
    kckendler at gmail dot com

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  7. I haven't read this series yet. Really enjoyed your review of the book and I'm looking forward to start reading the series.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. I haven't read anything by this author yet. The series and this book sound really good. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
    Cathi_7@yahoo.com

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  9. She is a New to me author....love this kind of book. als(at)foxgull(dot)com

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  10. Great review of a super series! Thanks, Mark.

    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

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  11. Have not read this author yet, would love to read. parkeremma2003 at yahoo dot com

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  12. Thanks for your review and for a chance to win a copy of the book!
    salvatoresmom71(at)yahoo)dot)com.

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  13. Looking forward to reading book 3. Loved the first two. patwalkerp@gmail.com

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  14. I'm looking forward to reading this third book. Thanks for the chance to win! chatcozy1@gmail.com

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  15. How did I miss this series when the first book came out? I love when the victim is someone completely unexpected. Usually in cozies it's the new arrival to town without fail.

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  16. Your review has intrigued me enough to want to read this series. The storyline, setting and characters are what I like.
    conatymaureen@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

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