Wednesday 23 August 2023

#Blogtour Deach Comes to Santa Fe by Amanda Allen

It's my turn on the Blogtour Death Comes to Santa Fe by Amanda Allen.

About the Author

Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)

She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion.  She lives in Santa Fe with two rescue dogs, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many books and royal memorabilia collections. 

When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook. Follow @amandamccabeauthor on Tiktok, @amandamccabeauthor on Instagram, Visit ammandamccabe


About the book 

Former New York darling turned amateur sleuth Madeline Vaughn-Alwin is once again thrown into a colourful yet deadly web of secrets, lies and soirees to die for!

It's the week of Fiesta in Santa Fe and Maddie is looking forward to enjoying the celebrations. But as 'Old Man Gloom' Zozobra goes up in flames, so too do Maddie's hopes for a carefree life . . . Human remains are found in the dying embers of Zozobra, and then Maddie and her dashing beau Dr David Cole find a body washed up in the arroyo at the edge of town.

Soon identified as Ricardo Montoya, a wealthy businessman and head of one of the most affluent families in Santa Fe . . . the plot starts to thicken. While his beautiful wife Catalina and her complicated children seem less than heartbroken at his untimely demise, and with many disgruntled locals crawling out of the woodwork, Maddie is surrounded by suspects.

With the celebrations of Fiesta continuing around them, Maddie and her 'Detection Posse' get busy infiltrating the best parties and hobnobbing with old and new faces - but can they bring the murderer to justice before they strike again?


Review

This can be read as a standalone book, but I would recommend reading the previous books in the series. It gives a better sense of the character development, as Maddie grows with each encounter after a tragic loss defines who she is and how she wants to engage with life. Unfortunately for her, but all the more interesting for us, death and mystery seems to follow her around.

This mystery crime series is set in the 1920s in Santa Fe - an area that brings a vast amount of rich history, culture, traditions and folklore. It's seen through a certain lens, but I'd be mindful of the fact this is a cosy mystery series and much like other characters and duos in specific eras and settings, it depends on how the individual reader experiences the read.

The author has also captured the flair and essence of a hive of artists and their community, where creativity becomes a visible thing as the artists become a bounce off each other experience for each other. In the case of the effigy it is also a cathartic experience, but also one that sets the footprints of a crime and the solution in motion.

It's a cosy mystery with a sparky undercurrent - the vibe is one of a journey, following Maddie as she not only masters the world of crime also as she grows as a person, through the pain and trauma she also finds some happiness.

Buy Death Comes to Santa Fe at Amazon Uk or go Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Severn House - pub date 1 Aug. 2023. Buy at Amazon com.

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