Strawberries and Strangers

This is the first book in the Pelican Cove series by Leena Clover.  I had previously read one of her Meera Patel books, Gone with the Wings, and enjoyed it.  I didn't find the characters quite as compelling and likeable in this book.  I hope that as the series progresses I will like Jenny more.  In this book she seems far to aggressive and compulsive in her attempts to clear her Aunt from being accused of murder.   I realize she is frustrated but she is downright rude and abrasive to Sheriff Adam.  

I do think Clover did a wonderful job of portraying the community as one that is fixated on its founding families and the division that can occur when you are an outsider to those groups.  It puts an added spin on being an outsider in a small town.  The history of the families and how they came to be established as patriarchs of the town was interesting and added a good touch of detail.

The mystery itself was well structured and in looking back you realize the clues were there as to who was the murderer.  It was a bit of an abrupt ending but the explanations did clarify the why and how.  Although I am not certain the guilty party would have been so quick to confess in the real world.  This abruptness and the irritating main character are why I felt this was only a 3 star book. 

Overall I thought the series has promise and I will try some more in the Pelican Cove novels to see if Jenny becomes a more appealing character.  

Strawberries and Strangers by Leena Clover
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While I enjoyed the story and the mystery, I found Jenny to be a bit annoying and thus didn't enjoy the book quite as much as I would have liked. I thought her character was a bit too forceful and rude. I did enjoy the layers of the mystery and how it had multiple suspects and secrets. The tightness of small town life and its good and bad points were well done. I will continue trying other books in the series to see if Jenny grows on me more

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #54
2. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #64
3. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
4. Cruisin thru Cozies  free choice 25
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #48
6. Craving for Cozies  Book #41
7. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  yes restaurants
8. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 

Beach or shoreline

• Weapons
• Row 5
• Hands or fists
• Detectives- Jenny King/ Adam
• Victims- John 
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #44  Shot #2