The book was an okay read but got a lot better towards the end. It was awkward in the beginning, as book one in a series usually is, but this seemed more awkward than usual. I did not warm up to the main character (Lucy Matthews) until well into the second half of the book. I think the author tried too hard to make Lucy the "quirky" girl next door, so there were moments when Lucy turned into a TSTL character. Eventually, Lucy got her wits about her and started to make real progress towards being a 3d character. I preferred her best friend "Rhonda" (an used book store owner, my dream job), but the nosy way Rhonda tried to help Lucy get a love life was annoying. Peter's ex-wife and Rhonda's "man of the moment" characters were stereotypical. In case you don't like kids in your books, watch out because Jeremy (Peter's kid with the ex) shows up in a lot towards the end. I think Jeremy was adorable and real, but I could relate him to my own son. I knew from the get-go who was the murderer and his motives. No big plot twist at all, but it is a cozy mystery book, not a thriller.
The story did work enough for me to start the second book in the series. I'm already liking the second book more than this one, but that may be due to already knowing the characters and relationships. The writing is definitely smoother and reading it does not seem like a chore, as it did in the beginning of the first book (first two or three chapters). Lucy and Peter make a great couple and Lucy and Rhonda are real friends, not catty or snarky with each other. 3/5 stars.
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