Title: The Hanged Man's Noose: A Glass Dolphin Mystery (Book 1)
Author: Judy Penz Sheluk
Published: July 2015
Published By: Barking Rain Press
Format Read: eBook, Kobo
Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Date Read: September 25 2015
Rating: 3.5/5
I received a copy of The Hanged Man’s Noose from the author
in exchange for an honest review.
Garrett Stonehaven is a big shot Toronto developer, who has
set his eyes on a piece of property in the small town of Lount’s Landing.
Unfortunately for him not everyone agrees with his plan to destroy a closed
school in the downtown core to build a shopping centre in its place. Then one
of Stonehaven’s biggest opposer’s dies of an apparent allergic reaction.
Meanwhile a young freelance writer by the name of Emily Garland moves to town
under the disguise of the new editor for a local magazine. However her real task
is to spy on Stonehaven and report back to her boss in the city. Centered on a
group of downtown merchants The Hanged Man’s Noose also follows Arabella, a new
antiques dealer and Johnny a paint shop owner.
My thoughts:
Several weeks ago I saw an article about a local author who
had recently released her debut novel and I jumped at the chance to offer my
support. I was especially excited to learn that The Hanged Man’s Noose is a
mystery novel set so close to home.
Small town, big plans:
Lount’s Landing is a work of fiction, which is based loosely
on the real town of Holland Landing, Ontario. Historic downtowns are some of my
favourite places to visit here in Ontario, so I was able to create a vivid
picture of the setting in my head. Also being from a small town myself, I was
able to relate with the residents reactions to redevelopment and expansion.
There are always people who are against any kind of change, no matter how big
or small and it is common for small town folk to be leery of big city companies
moving in. Growing animosity opens the flood gates for all kinds of trouble and
with that brings inspiration for a creative story.
It’s all in the details:
One thing I have noticed in other mysteries is the lack of
backstory or history of its characters and setting. This is definitely not the
case in the Hanged Man’s Noose. In fact the past is a very integral part of the
mystery. Readers learn of connections between several key characters that date
back to the time of their youth. Even the history of Lount’s Landing’s namesake
is also mentioned. I was very impressed by the attention to detail the author
gave to the story. I found myself getting excited at the mere mention of even a popular radio station and other Ontario related tidbits and locations. The cast:
As the plot developed readers are introduced to several
characters who become suspects in the mounting mysteries, some are more familiar
and others are briefly mentioned. I admit that I became a bit confused as to
which character was which, especially in the example of the secondary
characters. I think that I would benefit from re-reading this book so that I
can pay more attention to these individuals. Emily’s career as a freelance
investigative journalist made for a believable sleuth and Arabella’s keen
interest in history made them a great team. However in the real world, I
believe that these two intelligent ladies would have solved the mystery in less
time than it took in the book.
In conclusion:
The Hanged Man’s Noose was an enjoyable novel and I look
forward reading more by Judy Penz Sheluk in the future. I would recommend this
book to those who enjoy cozy mysteries with a little more meat to its story.
Notable Quotes:
“HavenSent Developments is exploring a development opportunity in Lount’s Landing. Nothing unusual, though it is a bit far afield, even for someone as ruthless as Garrett Stonehaven. But our source tells us there’s more to Stonehaven’s latest plan than meets the eye. Much more.”
“Eyes so dark brown they looked black. Miner’s eyes, her old pals at boarding school would have called them, the kind of eyes that would dig their way into the depth of your soul.”
“Wasn’t Lount’s Landing named after Samuel Lount? What kind of town was named for a man who’d been hanged for treason?”
“Honestly there are more horses’ asses than horses in this town.”
Additional Information:
For more information about the author and where to
purchase The Hanged Man’s Noose please visit her website:Judy Penz Sheluk
