Victoria Abbott (1)

Vera Van Alst, the wealthy book-collecting recluse of Harrison Falls, New York, is furious. Her first-edition Dorothy L. Sayers novels have been stolen, and to make matters worse, they landed in the hands of a local book dealer, who sold them to someone else, unaware of their provenance. It’s up to Jordan Bingham to retrieve the books. This proves to be easier said than done, as a social call to the new owner of the books lands her in the middle of a dangerous scheme, with bodies piling up show more and nefarious elements afoot. Whose body? We hope not Jordan’s.

I enjoy this series, written by mother-daughter team Mary Jane Maffini and Victoria Maffini. It is not terribly gritty by most mystery standards, but it feels grittier than the cosy packaging might lead you to believe. Harrison Falls and the neighbouring town of Burton are populated with plenty of colourful characters, including Jordan’s army of uncles (who are probably my favourites). Sometimes Jordan’s crime-solving techniques stretch the bounds of credulity, but overall it is simply fun to read. This installment was fairly action-packed as well; it will be interesting to see what the fallout is in the third installment, The Wolfe Widow. show less

In this third Book Collector outing, Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin are Jordan's role models to solve the mystery of Muriel Delgado, who's swiftly isolating Vera from anyone who could possibly help her. Vera may be without a safety net, but so's Jordan, who's recuperating from a bad accident. The only person who can possibly lend a hand is her Uncle Kevin about whom Jordan says (with great affection and a dusting of fear): "Having Uncle Kev as an ally is like playing catch with a grenade." show more She needs all the tricks Nero and Archie can teach her in order to save both Vera and herself.

Watching Jordan solving the mystery is a joy, due in large part to the humor in this book. The Wolfe Widow is filled with comedic touches sure to bring smiles to any reader's face. I've also learned while reading this series that one of its bonuses is being so intrigued by each book's featured classic mystery writer (so far we've had Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Rex Stout) that I've started sampling-- and enjoying-- books that I normally avoid.

The only thing that bothered me was the character of Muriel Delgado. For me, she was a bit over the top, and I kept envisioning a strange combination of Cruella de Vil and Joan Crawford whenever Muriel had a scene. This woman had some serious issues that her cartoon-like description detracted from. Dial her back a couple of notches, and Muriel Delgado would've been a kickass villain. Hmmm... perhaps too kickass for a cozy mystery? I'll have to ponder this for a while.

In the mean time, it was another wonderful outing with Jordan, and I can't wait to see what she gets up to next! show less

In The Wolfe Widow, by Victoria Abbott, Jordan Bingham’s comfortable world (in which she lives with and works for Vera Van Alst, searching for and buying rare and valuable books) falls apart from one evening to the next morning. The front doorbell of the house rings and with that, Muriel Delgado enters the life of the house. The following morning, Jordan is fired, and it’s only a matter of days before Vera’s long-time cook and her newest handyman (Jordan’s Uncle Kev) are also fired, show more for no apparent reason. Clearly Muriel has some kind of hold over Vera, but can Jordan discover what it is and hopefully change it before further mayhem, up to and including death, ensues?.... I’ve been enjoying this series, of which the current volume is the third; although I don’t usually go for cozies that include recipes, I am having fun with this one because Jordan and her not-quite-straight uncles are so entertaining, and the authors (a mother-daughter team) play with the conventions of the mystery genre is such a fun way. Each book features a classic author and the story is written to emulate that author, which in this case means the book ends with a gathering of suspects seated in a semi-circle, with law enforcement officials present too - classic! The fourth book is due out very soon, and I for one will be very happy when it arrives. Recommended! show less

In a mystery filled with lovely San Francisco ambiance (especially if you love climbing hills), the writing team known as Victoria Abbott has hit another one out of the ballpark. Besides that setting, there's plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, narrow escapes, and an excellent whodunit that takes time for readers to put all the pieces in the proper places. The bonus is-- like with the other books in the series-- The Hammett Hex is brushed with a bit of fairy dust reminiscent of the crime show more fiction great mentioned in the title. (We've already been graced with Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Rex Stout, and Ngaio Marsh.)

One thing that I particularly enjoyed, although other readers might not, is the absence of some of the secondary characters. Don't get me wrong, Vera Van Alst, Signora Panetone, and Jordan's Kelly relatives are wonderful characters, but they can be overwhelming and have the tendency to elbow their way into the action. It was nice to see how Jordan can handle herself without her usual backup, and now that I've had a little break from curmudgeons, cooks who specialize in ambrosia, and crooks with hearts of gold, I'm raring to see them again.

Quite simply, I love Victoria Abbott's Book Collector mysteries with a passion, and if the series ever ends, I will pout so hard that I'll trip over my lower lip. Haven't met Jordan and the gang? You have to do something about that, quick! show less