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    A Fatal Collection
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    A Fatal Collection
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    A Fatal Collection
    Ebook282 pages4 hours

    A Fatal Collection

    By Mary Ellen Hughes

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Callie Reed pays a long overdue visit to her aunt, Melodie, at her fairy-tale cottage in quaint Keepsake Cove, which is home to a bevy of collectible shops on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Just as they're beginning to reconnect, Callie discovers her aunt's body on the floor of the music box shop she owns. Grief-stricken, Callie finds she can't accept Melodie's death being ruled accidental. How could her strong and healthy aunt take such a fatal fall? And why was she in the shop in the middle of the night?

    As Callie searches for the truth, signs seem to come from her late aunt through a favorite music box, urging Callie on. Or are they warnings? If Callie isn't careful, she could meet a similar deadly fate amid Melodie's collection.

    Praise:
    "Hughes kicks off her new Keepsake Cove series with a charming locale..."—Kirkus Reviews

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLlewellyn Worldwide
    Release dateNov 8, 2017
    ISBN9780738753096
    Unavailable
    A Fatal Collection
    Author

    Mary Ellen Hughes

    Mary Ellen Hughes is the national bestselling author of the Pickled & Preserved Mysteries, the Craft Corner Mysteries, and the Maggie Olenski Mysteries, as well as several short stories including The Woman on the Train. Her Keepsake Cove Mystery Series includes A Fatal Collection, A Vintage Death, and A Curio Killing.. A transplanted Wisconsinite, Mary Ellen lives and writes in Maryland. You can visit her at http://www.maryellenhughes.com

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    Reviews for A Fatal Collection

    4/5

    19 ratings6 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Callie Reed is having boyfriend troubles so she decides to make a long overdue visit to her aunt Melodie on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Before they can have their visit, Callie discovers Melodie on the floor dead in her Music box shop. Devastated by the turn of events that have her inheriting her aunt's estate, she decides to stay and find out why she died. Having visited the Eastern shore frequently in my life, I thoroughly enjoyed this series start at this locale. The characters will need more fleshing out but the start was a great deal of fun.
    • 4/5
      This first book in the new Keepsake Cove Mystery series is a delightful and charming cozy mystery. But don't blink as I believe this is a new all-time record for the fewest number of pages before someone turns up dead. Surely, Callie's aunt was in too fine of shape to fall to her death, as the police intimated. But on the other hand, who would have it in for lovely middle-aged Melodie Reed? You might figure out the culprit early on as I had but that doesn't diminish the charm and sweetness of the story. There's a grand cast of characters for sure but they're all in this together and gladly care for and protect one another. I am grateful to author Mary Ellen Hughes, publisher Midnight Ink and Goodreads First Reads for having provided an uncorrected proof of this book. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.Synopsis (from book's back cover):Callie Reed makes a long overdue visit to her aunt Melodie, who lives in a fairy-tale cottage in quaint Keepsake Cove, home to a bevy of unique collectible shops on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Just as they're beginning to reconnect, Callie discovers her aunt's body on the floor of her music box shop. Grief-stricken, Callie finds she can't accept Melodie's death being called accidental. How could her strong and healthy aunt take such a fatal fall? And why was she there in the middle of the night?As Callie searches for the truth, signs seem to come from her late aunt through a favorite music box, urging Callie on. Or are they warnings? If Callie isn't careful, she could meet a similar deadly fate amid Melodie's collection.
    • 5/5
      Callie Reed is visiting her aunt, Melodie at her cottage in picturesque Keepsake Cove. Home to a bevy of collectible shops on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The morning after her first night with her aunt, Callie discovers Melodie’s body on the floor of the music box shop. Grief-stricken, Callie doesn’t believe that Melodie’s death was accidental, but she’s not sure why. It just doesn’t make sense. How could her robust and healthy aunt take a fatal fall? Why was she even in the shop in the middle of the night?

      Callie searches for the truth after finding out that her aunt left everything, the house, the shop, even the cat to her. Callie finally has a new life, away from her lackluster life thanks to her aunt. She is determined to find out the truth about Melodie’s death, and her aunt seems to be helping her from the grave, sending signs through an old family music box.

      --
      Series: A Keepsake Cove Mystery - Book 1
      Author: Mary Ellen Hughes
      Genre: Business/Career Cozy
      Publisher: Midnight Ink

      A Fatal Collection is a beautiful start to a new series by Mary Ellen Hughes. It combines mystery, intrigue and a slight touch of the paranormal without overwhelming the reader. Ms. Huges’ writing is fluid, transitioning from one chapter or character to another without missing a beat or bogging down the plot. The characters are interesting, and even though this is the first book in a new series, the characters have established backgrounds and characteristics that make them believable and memorable.

      Callie is a perplexed woman who has drifted from one thing to another most of her life. No real career or ambition. Her boyfriend is a country singer whom she has spent years trying to please and making herself miserable in the process. With the death of her aunt, she realizes that her life needs to change, including her boyfriend. She makes the decision to stay in Keepsake Cove and run her aunt's shop. She also decides it's time to ditch her useless boyfriend. This is probably the smartest thing she has ever done.

      The character of Callie is very much in tune with today’s world. A young woman who really doesn’t know what to do with her life. It is easy for the reader to connect with Callie and her circumstances. Many young people in today’s world have no direction and no idea of what they should do for the rest of their lives. Many people dream of being able to start life over, with a new profession, home, town and most of all, new relationships. Callie is perfectly written to encompass all of these things.

      Other characters in this book are a study in small-town life, and jobs that are dependent on the tourist trade. Delia and Brian are fantastic supporting characters who give a level of realism to situations that can sometimes be unimaginable. However, most of the situations in the story are very believable and not in any way outrageous for even the most grounded reader.

      The town of Keepsake Cove would be a lovely place to visit with its old-time collectible shops. It has everything from children’s toys to glass ornaments, jewelry and music boxes, items from a bygone era. It has the feel of a small town where a person can spend endless days exploring and finding treasures at every turn. The author's description of the stores and restaurants are detailed without being flowery and at times are mouthwatering.

      Readers will be entertained throughout the story from start to finish. A Fatal Collection is a fast-paced page-turning read that leaves the reader with a smile on their face. This book is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys small town politics and business based cozies. As well as characters that will evolve with the series into family and friends who are always there to help when Callie needs them.
    • 5/5
      A Fatal Collection by Mary Ellen HughesBook #1: Keepsake Cove Mystery SeriesSource: NetgalleyMy Rating: 4½/5 starsCallie Reed’s life is something of a mess. She has a job she isn’t particularly passionate about and a boyfriend who takes lackluster to a whole new level. With a real need to re-set and re-focus, Callie heads to her beloved aunt Melodie’s home for a breather and a chance to figure out what she wants for her future. As fate would have it, Callie’s future is laid out before her when her aunt is found dead in her own collectible music box shop. Though the death is ruled accidental, Callie isn’t at all certain. Her aunt Melodie was young, vibrant, healthy, and had no valid reason for being in the shop so late at night. What’s more, there were no signs of forced entry and nothing was stolen from the shop. Accident just doesn’t add up and as soon as she gets a free moment, Callie intends to find out what really happened to her aunt that fateful night. But first . . . . Much to Callie’s great surprise, her aunt not only left her a home, but also a successful business in a delightfully small town full of (mostly) welcoming and friendly folks. With the help and advice of the other shop owner’s and one delightfully quirky part-time employee, Callie is able to re-open the music box shop. With the steady stream of local and just-visiting-the-town customers, Callie is secure in her financial future which allows her some free moments to begin piecing together the last days of her aunt’s life. What Callie discovers is a great deal of mystery and not a lot of answers. Her aunt apparently had a significant other not even her best friend knew about, she had a burner phone, and access to a lot of valuable merchandise. Every question brings few answers and a host of new and more perplexing questions. Being new in town means Callie doesn’t know precisely who she can and cannot trust which eventually puts her shop and her life in jeopardy. The Bottom Line: I got a great deal of pleasure out of this book! Keepsake Cove is such a wonderful world full of delightful and sometimes crazy characters. Each character, even the minor characters, are so well-developed and interesting. Each new person Callie encounters has a story of his/her own to tell and a willingness to help Callie acclimate into their world. There’s a great deal of misdirection in this read which will keep you guessing as to the identity of the big bad right up to the reveal. Between the characters, the fun plot, and the perfectly delightful town of Keepsake Cove, I am sold on this series and thoroughly look forward to the continuation of the series.
    • 3/5
      A Fatal Collection by Mary Ellen Hughes is the first book in A Keepsake Cove Mystery series. Callie Reed is visiting her Aunt Melodie in Keepsake Cove, Maryland. Melodie owns House of Melody, a music box shop and lives in an adorable red cottage behind the shop. The next morning, Callie goes looking for Melodie and finds her dead in the shop. The police rule it an accidental death, but Callie is not so sure. After the funeral, Callie discovers that she inherited the shop and cottage. It is the perfect time for a change, and Callie embraces her new life. When Callie goes through her aunt’s belongings, she finds a second disposable cell phone. Why did Melodie need a second phone? Then someone tries to break into the shop. What are they after and why is Grandpa Reed’s music box playing on its own? Questions are piling up and Callie wants answers. A Fatal Collection is nicely written, great main character, and it had a nice pace. I enjoyed the descriptions of the various collectible shops in Keepsake Cove (unique town). Mary Ellen Hughes created some good characters in a quaint tourist town. I wish, though, that she had developed the main character a little more. We are not given enough background on Callie. I am hopeful the author will rectify it in the next book. Readers are introduced to many of the shop owners. I did tire of the numerous clothing descriptions of Callie’s part-time employee (she has an unusual clothing style). The investigation is minimal and the killer easily identified. I wish Ms. Hughes had made the mystery more enticing. I felt the flirting and romance between Callie and Brian Greer inappropriate since Callie has just left her husband (I could have done with less of him too). I did enjoy the paranormal element and I hope there will be more of it in future books in A Keepsake Cover Mystery series (with a better explanation). A Fatal Collection is a cute start to the series. With a few tweaks, it could be a delightful cozy mystery series.
    • 5/5
      What a lovely mystery! The plot had a lot of good twists and turns, kept me guessing til the end and I enjoyed the characters.. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
      Many thanks to Midnight Ink and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book!