April Book Club: A Well Constructed Murder by Reagan Davis
A Well Constructed Murder by Reagan Davis
Reagan Davis nailed it!
Karla Bell has experienced more than her share of loss and heartbreak in her life, but she finds solace in returning to her hometown, Bellbrook in Canada. With her family members on the police force and her best friend being the town coroner, Karla can rely on them to help uncover the truth when a contractor dies at the cottage she is having renovated.
The beauty of this story lies in the layers of relationships that slowly unfold between the characters. Karla’s complicated past with her parents, the bond between Karla and her late grandmother who raised her, the banter between her police officer father and sister, and her charming best friend – each relationship is vibrant and has its own effect on the plot. Even her grandmother’s friend Rosalie imparts sound wisdom and cooks with love for her, in addition to having a cat with a great name, Purrnest Hemingway.
I especially appreciated how Davis integrated Karla’s ADHD into the book. Not only did it add an extra layer of complexity to her character, but it also created realistic challenges that she had to tackle with grace and the help of her sister and friend.
There are plenty of clues and twists to keep you guessing until the end. This book kept me up past my bedtime, which is my measure of a good read. There are four books already in this series, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging cozy mystery. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!
Reagan Davis also writes another successful cozy mystery series, the Knitorious Murder Mysteries, so if you like her style there is plenty to keep you reading for a while.
Kelly Brakenhoff is the author of 15 books and a seasoned ASL interpreter. She splits her writing energy between two series: cozy mysteries set on a college campus and children’s books featuring Duke the Deaf Dog.
Parents, kids, and teachers love the children’s books and activity guides because they introduce ASL and the Deaf community through fun, engaging stories. And if you enjoy a smart female sleuth, want to learn more about Deaf culture, or have ever lived in a place where livestock outnumber people, the Cassandra Sato Mystery series will have you connecting the dots faster than a group project coming together the night before it’s due.
A proud mom to four adults, head of the dog-snuggling department, and grandma to a growing brood of perfectly behaved grandkids, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.