Pretty Dead Things: A Mystery
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A bride-to-be’s discovery of long-lost wedding rings at an estate sale reveals the key to a decades-old cold case in a small-town mystery perfect for fans of Louise Penny. 2024. Recently-engaged city girl Cora is new to the small town of Hickory Falls. Still adjusting to the change in pace, she’s delighted when she stumbles upon a quaint estate sale. Drawn in by the knickknacks, she buys a jar of colorful baubles and is surprised to find two rings at the bottom of the jar. When she innocently sets out to find the original owner of the rings, she instead stumbles upon a decades-old mystery. 1953. Clarity Grey should’ve known better than to get involved with a married man, but their connection went too deep to ignore. When he divorces his wife for her, they marry, and she gets the family life she’s always dreamed of, with a new stepdaughter and a child of her own. But just as suddenly, her new life slips out of her hands when she simply vanishes, never to be seen or heard of again. Clarity is labeled as flakey and a homewrecker, so nobody in town takes her disappearance seriously--until Cora, seventy years later. Told in dual timelines, this engrossing novel exposes one family’s secrets and the twisted lies that are hidden in small towns.
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Book Review: Pretty Dead Things by Lilian West 📚
Rating: 3 Stars
I recently finished reading Pretty Dead Things by Lilian West, and I have to say it was an intriguing little mystery, though it didn’t quite blow me away. The story follows Cora, a bride-to-be who has just moved to the charming small town of Hickory Falls in 2024. While settling into her new life, she discovers a quaint estate sale that draws her in with all its knickknacks. Among her purchases is a jar filled with colorful trinkets, but the real surprise comes when she finds two wedding rings tucked away at the bottom. What starts as a simple quest to discover the rings' original owner soon leads her down a rabbit hole of a decades-old cold case. 🕵️♀️🔍
The narrative alternates between Cora’s modern-day journey and the haunting tale of Clarity Grey from 1953. Clarity finds herself entwined in a complicated relationship with a married man, which eventually leads to her marrying him after he divorces his wife. Just when she seems to have it all—a new family and the life she always wanted—she mysteriously vanishes, leaving everyone in town questioning what happened to her. Sadly, the stigma attached to her disappearance leads many to dismiss her case as that of a flaky homewrecker. 💔🕰️
What I really appreciated about Pretty Dead Things was how West masterfully connects these two women across time through something as simple as a jar of trinkets. The cover art is absolutely delightful and captures the essence of the story beautifully. The mystery itself had enough twists and turns to keep me engaged, although I did find some elements a bit predictable. Still, the resolution wrapped everything up nicely, providing closure for both characters and readers alike. 🎨✨
In summary, while Pretty Dead Things offered a charming journey through time and mystery, it didn't leave me breathless. If you're a fan of small-town mysteries and enjoy narratives that intertwine past and present, it’s worth a read. Just don’t expect to be completely blown away; instead, enjoy the ride and the satisfying ending that brings justice to the past. 📚👍
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
Originally posted at tinyurl.com.
