Enchanted Hill

October 15, 2023
Haunted by past mistakes, an aspiring private investigator goes undercover to make a name for herself in Murphy's adult fiction debut. It's 1930. Rejected by the police department for her gender, Cora McCavanagh is forced to make her own way as a private investigator. She's hired by Mabel Byrd, the scorned wife of media mogul Truman Byrd, to go undercover as a maid at Truman's infamous Enchanted Hill estate with instructions to obtain photographs of her husband in a compromising position with his latest mistress, Clementine Garver. The shocking appearance of presumed-dead Jack Yates, unrecognized by the other guests, soon throws a wrench into her careful plans. Fifteen years after escaping from prison, Jack seeks justice for his wrongful conviction, and he's not thrilled to see the girl who helped him break out but could turn him in at any moment. Sparks, of course, fly, but they deliver more sizzle than steak. For a detective mystery there is remarkably little detecting here. Instead, the author crafts an ample, and more interesting, backstory full of daring prison escapes, murders, and art heists for her two protagonists. By comparison, the present-day mysteries prove lackluster, and rarely do the characters encounter true foils or danger. A heavily sprinkled bird motif provides an opportunity for Cora--and Jack--to showcase some actual PI skills, but it's all too fleeting. Indeed, their greatest challenge seems to be their distraction with each other, in spite of mob threats, gunshots, and wrathful wives. Too somber for a cozy but lacking the bite of a gumshoe, this mystery's saving grace is its likable characters and riveting backstory. Would have benefited from tighter edits and more risks.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 6, 2023

Bain's adult fiction debut (after YA fantasies Splinters of Scarlet and The Disappearances) is an atmospheric historical novel/mystery set in 1930 amongst the glitz and glamour of fictional media mogul Truman Byrd's legendary California mansion. Aspiring private investigator Cora McCavanagh is working for Byrd's scorned wife, trying to obtain evidence of Byrd's extramarital affair by posing as a maid at the estate. She's shocked when she recognizes one of the Byrds' guests, Jack Yates, an escaped convict with his own secret: he's posing as a cattle tycoon. The plot unfolds over one week in the present tense but travels back in time to both Cora's adolescent years on Pelican Island, where her father worked as a prison guard, and to Jack's youth in Boston. She and Jack warily agree to help each other uncover Byrd's own guarded past and keep each other's secrets. VERDICT Although the suspense is never gripping, there are plenty of twists and turns, and readers will want to learn how Cora and Jack's history intertwines with Byrd's. A will-they-won't-they romance adds to the intrigue and fans of both historical mystery and romance will find much to like here.--Carrie Voliva

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.