Against the Odds

Mackenzie Owens Mysteries, Book 2

De: Jasmine Webb

Narrado por: Brittany Pressley

Mackenzie Owens is happy to finally settle in and sell some books in peace by the Cornish seaside after solving the murder she was suspected of on her arrival. But you know what they say about the best laid plans....

When a friend of Maggie’s dies, everyone believes it’s by natural causes, including the local authorities. But Maggie knows better. Someone killed her friend, and she enlists Mack’s help to prove it. And just when Mack thinks a new murder to solve is enough for one week, she finds herself embroiled in the middle of a theft at a poker game involving many of the less savory characters in town.

And she’s not talking about the Cornish pasties.

Unfortunately for Mack, Aksel and his twinkling eyes and annoyingly gorgeous smile seem to be her best bet when it comes to getting some of the answers she’s after. But there’s someone dangerous out there, too. And as Mack doubles down to prove Maggie’s friend was killed, she realizes someone out there is intent on making sure she folds…permanently.

©2023 Jasmine Webb (P)2023 Jasmine Webb

Jasmine Webb for the win!

Another home run! All of Jasmine‘s books contain unstoppable wit, fun, and intrigue! She creates a funtastic cast of characters and a terrific plot that is thoroughly enjoyable each and every time!

Finished in one day

Quick read! Really enjoyed this one as much as the first. Cannot wait to continue the mystery series! Go Mackenzie and squad!

Not as good as the 1st

I kept listening because I love Brittany! The story was just ok. Predictable and the “you can buy a gun in any grocery store in America with no ID” repeated multiple times got old… All the political stuff is just a turn off to all her books. It’s a shame authors can’t just write a book….

Bland characters, and no Cornwall-feeling

In seem to have a knack for picking books I don't like. This is another one. The story was kinda ok. A little uninspired. The solution wasn't exactly a shocker, but it was a nice enough mystery. So that wouldn't put me off getting the next in the series.

However, the whole setting doesn't work for me. While I had similar feeling listening to the first book, I gave it a second shot and during the second book I got the distinct impression that the author probably has never set foot in Cornwall. This book feels very American and could easily (and more convincingly) have been set somewhere in the US. The description of the small town doesn't work out - the town feels much too large for Cornwall. The port sounded more like something where container ships dock. Then there are warehouses where the local crooks play poker, book shops in a town center that have high ceilings and large windows as well as a local café mainly serving cupcakes, cheesecake and coffee. It all doesn't feel English at all and makes the British voices feel more like charicatures.

Also there's no atmosphere. No mention of the extreme tides that will let the harbours fall dry twice a day, the ever-present noise of the sea gulls, the smell of the sea and often fish, the often rapidly changing weather or anything else that defines a seaside town in Cornwall. Also someone might fact-check the author and tell her that since Cornwall isn't exactly know for large forests, mushrooms are not really the most common dish in Cornwall - especially in the spring. You can forage for mushrooms only in fall... (Pretty sure it's the same in the US). That in itself basically kills the whole premise of the story. She also gets a lot of the lingo wrong (with the British characters) which adds to the feeling of everything being off.

In addition the author totally failed to create interesting characters. While in the first book the back-and-forth between Mac and her grandmother made for some fun dialogue, that has died down completely in the second book, with them getting along now. All the people she befriends are totally nice, bland and completely interchangeable. The most painful interaction is with the obvious future love interest in the form of a ex-cop-turned-private detective with a (maybe) slightly shady past. He's so annoying to her and so mysterious ...

Brittany Presley did a pretty good job and tried to bring some atmosphere to the whole thing by creating different voices and accents, and while some of them weren't 100% convincing, at least it added variety and helped distinguish between the similar characters. That basically got me through it till the end.

I really wanted to like this series and got myself the second book. But that was two credits down the drain.