Scrapbook of Secrets

A Cumberland Creek Mystery, Book 1

By: Mollie Cox Bryan

Narrated by: Barbara Edelman

Having traded in her career as a successful investigative journalist for the life of a stay-at-home mom in picturesque Cumberland Creek, Virginia, Annie can't help but feel that something's missing. But she finds solace in a local "crop circle" of scrapbookers united by chore-shy husbands, demanding children, and occasional fantasies of their former single lives.

When the quiet idyll of their small town is shattered by a young mother's suicide, they band together to find out what went wrong...Annie resurrects her reporting skills and discovers that Maggie Rae was a closet scrapbooker who left behind more than a few secrets - and perhaps a few enemies.

As they sift through Maggie Rae's mysteriously discarded scrapbooks, Annie and her "crop" sisters begin to suspect that her suicide may have been murder. It seems that something sinister is lurking beneath the town's beguilingly calm faade - like a killer with unfinished business.

©2012 Mollie Cox Bryan (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Ehhh

The narrator was exceptionally annoying- bad accents and odd pauses like she was learning to read. Very stilted. The story was not that intriguing and the characters all were stereotypes. Buy only if you're stuck in a traffic jam

Reminds me of Patterson's "Women's Murder Club"

I stumbled onto this series because it was suggested to me based on other purchases I made in this category and I fell in love with these ladies. They remind me of the “Women’s Murder Club” but based in a small town. Guess the small town makes this a “cozy" series. The characters are real whether in a large or small city. I have become a fan.

The women are strong and interesting, and the mystery is intriguing. If you're looking for interesting characters and a solid mystery that pushes beyond traditional cozies, then you'll enjoy “Scrapbook of Secrets” and the chapters are short for bedtime reading.

The book gets off to a fast start with a stabbing and the murder of a young mother, Maggie Rae. The morning after her death all of her photos, letters, notes and scrapping supplies were found dumped on the curb outside of her home. The scrapbook ladies just could not imagine who or why anyone would do such a thing and took all of the mementos and supplies. As a scrapbooker, I loved the way the author wove the story of Maggie Rae’s life and death into the scrapbooks that were being put together by this group of ladies for the woman’s children and husband. The scrapbooking is NOT the central part of the book but rather a backdrop. As the women work and talk other interesting things come to light that are happening to other people in the community and surrounding area. And who stabbed Bea?

You will quickly get caught up in the story and the diverse lives of the women. Good thing I was listening to it as I worked in the garden or everything would have been put on hold.

suprizingly suspenseful with humor

I was surprised of the complex plot mystery and the characters and issues all balanced with humor not my regular type of book I enjoyed it

Not a cozy mystery

Would you try another book from Mollie Cox Bryan and/or Barbara Edelman?

No.

Any additional comments?

This book is full of talk about porn and erotica with the murder victim being into S&M. If you are looking for a cozy look elsewhere. Further, the writing is all over the board. It took me 3/4 of the book to figure out who the protagonist was.

Waste of money

I bought this book because it was on sale. What a Waste!!! The characters were flat and superficial. I couldn't get beyond the first five chapters.

Narrator is awful

If I wasn't so interested in where the story was going I would have given up on this one. The narrator detracts from an already iffy story.