Death of a Mad Hatter by Jenn McKinlay

Death of a Mad Hatter (Hat Shop Mystery, #2)

by Jenn McKinlay

ONE IN A MILLINER

Scarlett Parker and her British cousin, Vivian Tremont, are hard at work at Mim’s Whims—their ladies’ hat shop on London’s chic Portobello Road—to create hats for an Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon tea, a fund-raiser for a local children’s hospital. It seems like a wonderfully whimsical way to pass the hat, and Scarlett and Viv are delighted to outfit the Grisby family, the hosts who are hoping to raise enough money to name a new hospital wing after their patriarch.

Unfortunately, the Grisby heir will not live to see it—he’s been poisoned. When traces of the poison are found on the hat Scarlett and Viv made for him, the police become curiouser and curiouser about their involvement. Now the ladies need to don their thinking caps and find the tea party crasher who’s mad enough to kill at the drop of a hat…

Reviewed by Mystereity Reviews on

3 of 5 stars

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3 1/2 stars

The plot was quite good, but it was overshadowed by the schmaltzy, almost forced, romantic tension between the MC and the token hunky guy. I thought the investigation was a little far-fetched, (let's visit a funeral home to find clues!) but overall, I enjoyed it.

The only big gripe I have is the dialogue and vernacular between characters. I'm sorry, but you can't insert things like "codswallop" into a person's dialogue and expect that will make them sound British. And, in this book, it doesn't. The British people sound like they're more American than the American is. It just puts me off, more so than the MC's immaturity, the love-triangle-that-isn't and the cheesy will-they-or-won't-they romance.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 22 April, 2016: Finished reading
  • 22 April, 2016: Reviewed