Blog Tour: The Pryce of Conceit (The Arabella Pryce Historical Ghost Cozy Mystery #1) by Kari Bovee: A Book Review
Book Title: The Pryce of Conceit - An Historical Ghost Cozy Mystery by Kari Bovee
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 270
Genre: Historical Ghost Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Bosque Publishing
Release date: May 23, 2023
Source: This book was given to by iRead Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
Content Rating: G - Book has no bad language, sex, or violence on the page
Someone’s trying to frame this ambitious theater performer for murder. Can she get back to her adoring public and escape the noose?
1885. Arabella Pryce is struggling with heartbreak. And with her recently deceased husband’s will demanding she leave her celebrity behind and refurbish her namesake hotel in Colorado, the distressed actress is forced to board a westbound train. But she’s barely arrived at the haunted, broken-down lodge when the town beauty shows up dead in one of the rooms… and Arabella is named the prime suspect.
Already feeling the sting of the community’s disapproval, she grits her teeth and works with a mischievous ghost to help prove her innocence. But with blood-stained evidence, handsome sheriffs, and libelous journalists turning her investigation into a dangerous drama, this determined thespian fears she’s missed her cue for survival.
Can she shine the spotlight on a killer before more than her reputation dies a horrible death?
The Pryce of Conceit is the suspenseful first book in The Arabella Pryce Historical Cozy Mystery series. If you like driven heroines, atmospheric settings, and dashes of humor, then you’ll love Kari Bovée’s lighthearted twists and turns.
Buy The Pryce of Conceit to put the guilty party at center stage today!
My Review:
Arabella Pryce is a successful actress. However, she leaves the stage in New York City and goes out West to run her late husband’s hotel. As soon as she arrives at the hotel, there is a murder. Arabella immediately becomes the prime suspect. Arabella teams up with a ghost that haunts the hotel to find the real murderer and clear her name. Could Arabella solve the murder before she is arrested for murder?
Arabella was a hard character to like. It took most of the novel to warm up to her. She is very self-centered and vain. It was not until two-thirds of the novel that she has more compassion and gratitude towards others. I did find Arabella to be very intelligent and inquisitive. She also learned to listen to good advice from those around her to help solve the mystery. Thus, Arabella was a very competent amateur sleuth. Even though I did not find her a compelling character, I believe that she has potential in future installments.
Overall, this novel is about friendship, belonging, and ambitions. I like how the story was set on the American Frontier. It was very refreshing from the Victorian and WWII mysteries that I usually read. I also like the characters, who seemed very real and complex. I also liked the roughing ghost. The mystery was very predictable. The romance was very cliché but could be developed more in the sequel. Despite these flaws, it was fun and fast-paced! I read the story in one sitting! The Pryce of Conceit was a very entertaining and light mystery! I can’t wait for the sequel, The Pryce of Deceit! I am excited to revisit the characters that Mrs. Bovee has created! I recommend this novel for fans of The Spirit of Grace, The Secrets of the Chateau, and Echoes of the Storm!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Amazon
When she’s not on a horse, or walking along the beautiful cottonwood-laden acequias of Corrales, New Mexico; or basking on white sand beaches under the Big Island Hawaiian sun, Kari Bovée is escaping into the past—scheming murder and mayhem for her characters both real and imagined in her award-winning historical Annie Oakley Mystery series, Grace Michelle Mystery series, and Pryce Murder series.
In her past life, Bovée worked as a technical writer for a Fortune 500 Company, has written non-fiction for magazines and newsletters, and has worked in the education field as a teacher and educational consultant.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram
Sounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your review
ReplyDeleteI would love to read this.
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