Lee James’s Marsh Madness (The Cynthia Shade Mysteries #2)
Description
All signs scream that Lysa murdered someone, but she swears she’s innocent; as her sister, Cynthia can’t just stand by and do nothing.
Cynthia has been between jobs all her life, never settling into something that actually suits her. Finally, after solving some local mysteries in town, she may be forging a path of her own.
In this line of work, one never wants to do a job for family, but when her sister gets wrapped up in a murder case, Cynthia gets to work.
Disclosure
I personally bought this book. There was no agreement with the author, publisher, or any third party that I would publish a review. The following review is unsolicited, unbiased, and all opinions are my own.
Note: I personally know the author of this book, this does not affect my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.
Review – Spoiler Free
I read Casket Case, book one of Lee James’s The Cynthia Shade Mysteries (read the review here), and really liked it. The wonderfully quirky and relatable character that James has developed in Cynthia Shade was a joy to read, and I was happy to continue the series with Marsh Madness.
Reading book two, Marsh Madness, was much the same – I was interested in the story and the mystery at hand, but what really propelled me through the book was Cynthia’s character. I love her personality and her down-to-earth style, and it’s easy to see her as a tangible character and to get invested in her life.
An amateur detective in the making, in Marsh Madness, Cynthia is coming more into her own: deciding things more confidently, and standing up for herself when others try to steamroll her. But she hasn’t yet grown out of her tendency to walk into dangerous situations that she could have avoided – some that are understandable while others are more unbelievable.
I was curious how James planned to make a mystery series contained in a small town and a small cast, but this book did not disappoint. Again, while the storyline took second seat to Cynthia’s character for me, it was great to see James dropping hints and weaving in lines that point to where the series is heading, even the book’s last line provided a clue as to the possible mystery in book three.
Marsh Madness had some formatting errors that didn’t draw away from the story but were definitely present. There were also some moments where the police procedural seemed lacking – in a way that may leave the reader wondering if the police involved are competent and proactive, or are just following where the wind blows. It would be great to see these two aspects polished in book three, as they are the two main drawbacks to both Casket Case and Marsh Madness.
Which brings me to the relationship between Cynthia and the sheriff. There were hints of romantic tension in book one, but in Marsh Madness their interactions shift slightly. A shift that makes me very grateful for some chapters that give us the sheriff’s point of view (POV). These chapters reveal a lot about his choices during his interactions with Cynthia, and bring to light more story layers that should come into play as the series continues.
These chapters from the sheriff’s POV were important in maintaining the sheriff’s good graces with the reader, since he comes across differently between the two books, and the tension between he and Cynthia could be baffling for new readers coming into the story with Marsh Madness and missing the history developed in Casket Case. There were a few other details that would be difficult for new readers to follow if they are picking up the series with book two, which could have been remedied with a few more lines referencing back to, or giving context to, the events in book one.
Overall, I enjoyed Lee James’s Marsh Madness. I’m looking forward to reading book 3 when it comes out (which I’m told will be after the release of book 2 in James’s the Watchmen Saga series – read my review of that series’ book 1, Azriel, here). I would recommend Marsh Madness to people who have read Casket Case, like light mysteries, amateur detectives, and quick reads. I would not recommend starting the series with Marsh Madness, as it builds on the characters and dynamics that are painted more fully at their beginning in Casket Case. Fortunately both books are short reads and you won’t lose much time getting into the series by starting with book 1.
Quote
What are you if you are not your sister’s keeper?
Sofia Marsh (Marsh Madness, Lee James)
Ratings
- Quality of Writing – 3
- Plot – 3
- World Building – 3
- Characters – 4
- Ease of Reading – 4
- Overall Enjoyment – 3
- Final Rating – 3.5 (Actual: 3.33) – Liked It / Really Liked It
Want to learn more about the numbers I use for rating, and the qualities I’m thinking about when writing a book review? Check out my post How I Rate and Review.