Jax Finds Vacation Turns Political
I’m transitioning Sarah E. Burr’s Court of Mystery series from audio to ebook since that’s how I got the rest of the series. But I wasn’t good about putting the ebooks on my schedule, so it’s been longer than I intended before I returned to Paradise Plagued, the sixth in the series.
This series is a little different from the cozies I typically read. They are set in the Realm of Virtues, a fictional continent with a strong Medieval vibe. There’s no magic, but I do feel like we’ve got that light fantasy touch to it.
The main character is Jacqueline, Jax to her friends, who is the ruler of the biggest kingdom in the realm. She’s recently taken over the kingdom from her deceased parents, and solving their murder has led her to getting involved in other cases.
This book finds Jax, her new husband, and her closest friends escaping to the Ogdam Oasis for a much-deserved vacation. She is going under an assumed name in a hope to truly be able to relax. However, Jax finds a dead body their first night there. When some things at the scene don’t add up, Jax determines that it was murder. Can she find a way to bring about justice without giving away who she really is?
Because of who Jax is, these books are part political intrigue. Unfortunately, reminding us of the political landscape and updating what has happened in the months since we last visited the characters makes the opening a little slow. I did figure out one part of the story early, but I was still caught up in watching Jax figure things out and bring us to a logical conclusion.
I love the characters, and our favorites were all here. I enjoyed getting to spend some time with them in a different setting. A few of the new characters stood out, although some of the others didn’t get enough page time to truly come alive.
I’d heard that this book marked a change for the series, and having read it, I can see that. It might bother some readers, but I’m invested in this series and am curious to see how things are going to play out. In fact, with how this book ends, I’m even more anxious to read the next in the series.
It was interesting reading this book having listened to the first five. I could hear the narrator’s voice in my head when I started, although that began to fade as I got into the story. I also enjoyed seeing some of the words, mainly character and place names, I’d just guessed at how to spell before.
While this book references earlier entries in the series, it doesn’t outright spoil them. Still, I recommend you go back to the beginning to fully appreciate where the characters are coming from in this book.
Hybrids seem rare to me in the mystery genre, but this series is one that works. Fans will enjoy seeing Jax’s story take a step forward in Paradise Plagued.
Pick up the rest of the Court of Mystery novels.
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