The Great Jewel Robbery by Elizabeth McKenna ~ A Page Before Bedtime

Series: Book 1, A Front Page Mystery
Category: Adult fiction; Genre: Cozy mystery
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 204 pages
Published: May 2019

Mystery with a splash of romance…Chicago Tribune reporters Emma and Grace have been best friends since college despite coming from different worlds. When Grace is assigned to cover an annual charity ball and auction being held at a lakeside mansion and her boyfriend bails on her, she brings Emma as her plus one. The night is going smoothly until Emma finds the host’s brother unconscious in the study. Though at first it is thought he was tipsy and stumbled, it soon becomes clear more is afoot, as the wall safe is empty and a three-million-dollar diamond necklace is missing. With visions of becoming ace investigative journalists, Emma and Grace set out to solve the mystery, much to the chagrin of the handsome local detective.

Mystery with a splash of romance indeed! This little cozy mystery by Elizabeth McKenna is a pure delight. The novel features two strong female protagonists - Emma and Grace, an engaging plot, and a little romance that propelled this reader from the beginning to end in just a few days.

The Great Jewel Robbery is the first book in a series and also this author's first attempt at the cozy mystery genre. McKenna definitely succeeded in her efforts. Emma and Grace are friends from college, and when Grace is assigned to work at a charity ball, she invites Emma as her plus-one. Shortly upon their arrival, madness ensues. A guest is assaulted, jewels are stolen, and strange things keep happening. The women's interrogative spirits get the best of them and they choose to stay nearby and help solve the crime of the missing valuables. This decision brings one of the friends, Emma, in close contact with Detective Ryan O'Mara, and that's where the romantic spark is lit. Even so, the book focused more on the mystery than the romantic element, which I appreciated. Overall, the storyline was captivating, and the mystery was intriguing enough to keep the reader's attention. The author provided enough detail and clues that allowed for the mystery to be solved while reading along. McKenna effectively injected humor and provided vivid descriptions. In the end the story wrapped up nicely, and maybe just a bit too quickly, but provided the reader with a satisfying ending.

Recommendation: I enjoyed this book. I especially liked the supportive friendship between the two women. I think this book would be great for readers who appreciate cozies in a modern day setting. Its lighthearted tone would make it nice to take along on a fun weekend trip. I'm looking forward to book 2 in the series.

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Elizabeth McKenna’s love of books reaches back to her childhood, where her tastes ranged from Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to Stephen King’s horror stories. She had never read a romance novel until one Christmas when her sister gave her the latest bestseller by Nora Roberts. She was hooked from page one (actually, she admits it was the first love scene). She combined her love of history, romance, and a happy ending to write the historical romance novels Cera’s Place and Venice in the Moonlight. Her contemporary romance novel, First Crush Last Love, is loosely based on her life (she eventually married her first crush).

The Great Jewel Robbery is her debut cozy mystery, and she hopes readers will like it as much as they have enjoyed her romances. Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband, two beautiful daughters, and a sassy Labrador. When she isn’t writing, working, or being a mom, she’s sleeping.

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