To Helvetica and Back

Paige Shelton comes out of the starting blocks on fire with this first book in a new series. Her setting of Star City (a thinly disguised Park City) is perfect: filled with the fascinating sort of history so many old mining towns have, as well as skiing, lots of tourists, quirky residents, and a strong cast of characters.

The mystery is a good one, based on local history, and Shelton had me eating out of the palm of her hand in the sections dealing with rare books. Everything about The Rescued Word fascinated me: the old building it's housed in, the fact that it's turned into a family business with Clare's young niece also working there, how the Henrys have adapted their business with the passing years-- even how Baskerville the show more ill-tempered cat's favorite napping spots follow the path of the sun from one side of the store to the other.

All of these things provide a strong foundation, but the cast of characters make the entire book shine. Clare is just the right blend of smart, feisty, and capable. Her grandfather Chester is the soul of the business, having built his own Gutenberg press that gave his store its start. Chester loves his family, but he's also got a private life he's not quite ready to share, and that's driving Clare crazy. A handsome geologist named Seth who's new to the area, and Clare's best friend Jodie (who happens to be a local police officer... always a plus for an amateur sleuth) round out the main characters of what's sure to become a favorite new series of mine-- and yours, too. Bring on book two! show less

I am from one of the last generations that learned to type on typewriters rather than on computer keyboards so the delight of the opening of this series is extra-special not only for a terrific store name of "The Rescued Word" and cast of characters the author has introduced but also for the wonderful memories of typing class in 11th grade, all the related idiosyncrasies of typing on the actual typewriter equipment I've used from manual to electric, and the all-nighters with a college roommate, an English major required to turn in many typed compositions but she didn't know how to type and had no desire to learn.

The Rescued Word on Bygone Alley is a haven for locals and an amazing discovery for tourists to Star City, Utah. Baskerville, show more offspring of the original calico that lived in the shop, is a delightful addition with his unique personality and I'm looking forward to more descriptions of his movements and expressions as the series continues. I can't wait to read more mystery-solving adventures by Clare, Chester, and Marion. show less

Paige Shelton is the author of two other series: The Farm Fresh mysteries and the Country Cooking School mysteries. Both are good, but just missing the mark with me, either because of the writing or the characters and yet both also have qualities that have so far kept me coming back for more.

To Helvetica and Back is the first book in her third series and I think it's her best one yet. It might be the Utah setting, or the heavenly sounding shop, The Rescued Word, that caters to all facets of the written word, including fixing typewriters and restoring books. It could be the characters; there's a wit and banter here that is absent in her other books and it really adds a spark to the narrative. It's likely a combination of all three; show more there's still a stiffness in the writing but it's not nearly as prevalent and I thoroughly enjoyed the read.

When a stranger to town demands they turn over an antique Underwood typewriter they’re repairing for a customer, Clare fears she may need to be rescued. A call to the police scares the man off, but later Clare finds his dead body in the back alley. What about a dusty old typewriter could possibly be worth killing for?

I think the murder plot could likely have used a bit of work. It's not that it's bad and it's not that it was obvious; more like it was missing something in the middle, leaving the ending one that no reader could logically predict. The story itself was great - I loved how Shelton hid the clues and I love the very ending of the book, but most of the suspects were at a remove from the story the entire time. I can't decide if I liked it or if it left me feeling vaguely cheated. Shelton makes up for this though - at least for me - by including interesting moments and facts surrounding the old manual typewriters and a very interesting aside about first editions of Tarzan. I can't think of a cooler sounding store than The Rescued Word and I'm looking forward to seeing what she does with it. show less

Star City is known for its slopes and its powder. But nestled in the valley of this ski resort town is a side street full of shops that specialize in the simple charms of earlier eras. One of those shops is the Rescued Word, where Chester Henry and his adult granddaughter Clare lovingly repair old typewriters and restore old books. Who ever thought their quaint store would hold the key to some modern-day trouble?

When a stranger to town demands they turn over an antique Underwood typewriter they’re repairing for a customer, Clare fears she may need to be rescued. A call to the police scares the man off, but later Clare finds his dead body in the back alley. What about a dusty old typewriter could possibly be worth killing for?

A show more Dangerous Type #1 show less

Star City, Utah, known for being a fine ski resort in the winter, has evolved into a year round tourist destination with quaint shops, good restaurants and a captivating history. Clare Henry’s grandfather Chester, began one of those shops in the Sixties. It began with typewriters and a replica Gutenberg press, but Chester added to the mix over the years, keeping it relevant with the bonus of it becoming a destination repair shop for old typewriters and books. After an odd altercation over an Underwood #5, a stranger’s body is discovered the following morning in the alley of the shops area. Clare’s best friend Jodie, and former boyfriend Creighton are both on the police force, so her involvement and knowledge about the crime come show more about naturally. I like that Clare is nosy without being too intrusive—being a longtime resident of Star City, she’s able to chalk things up to natural curiousness. The clues and eventual direction of the story surprised me as it went along. Many of the residents of Star City were revealed over the course of the story and I am sure there are plenty of stories for Shelton to tell with this treasure trove of people. show less

Clare Henry loves working with her grandfather at his shop The Rescued Word where she repairs old typewriters and restores old books among other things. When their friend Mirabelle brings in a typewriter to be repaired, Clare thinks it will be a quick and easy job - until a stranger comes into the store and demands she give him the typewriter. The police scare him off but later Clare finds his dead body near the store. Now she is left wondering why the typewriter was so important that someone was willing to commit murder and fearful that the killer may strike again.

“To Helvetica and Back” is the nicely done first book in Paige Shelton's new Dangerous Type cozy mystery series. I really like the setting of the series - a typewriter show more repair shop that is thriving in a world full of computers. Paige Shelton does such a great job of describing the store and the town of Star City Utah that I felt like I was right there in the middle of the action. I also love the characters - Clare (who can be a tad judgmental at times), her grandfather Chester (how has a habit of telling tall tales), Seth (new in town and a great love interest for Clare), Clare’s best friend Jodi (who is very good at her police job), even Jodie’s cheating brother Creighton. Unfortunately, perhaps because so much time was spent developing the characters, the mystery itself wasn't quite as well-developed. It was certainly interesting enough, but this isn't the type of mystery where I could follow the clues to figure out who the killer is. Having said that, Shelton is a talented and experienced writer and I suspect that now that the characters and setting have been nicely established the mystery in the next book will be a bit more complex.

“To Helvetica and Back” is a nice cozy mystery by the always enjoyable Paige Shelton. show less

Loved the premise of a repair shop for old books and typewriters. In an alternate universe, I'd love to learn how to fix old books, so that was fun. Played with my parents' old typewriter as a child so the love for typewriters was a connection. Likeable characters. There was a lot of info held back until the end so it wasn't really possible to figure out the mystery.