Peril at Pennington Manor by Tracy Gardner - Book Review

Peril at Pennington Manor by Tracy Gardner

An Avery Ayers Antique Mystery #2

Publication Date: 07th June 2022

Genre: Cozy Mystery 

3.7 Stars 

One Liner: Timepass read 

*****

Avery Ayers and her team at Antiques and Artifacts Appraised got the assignment to appraise and catalog the contents of the Hudson River. The manor (that feels more like a castle) is being sold by the duke, who happens to be a good friend of Aunt Midge (Avery’s aunt). 

The first time Avery and her dad William visit the manor, they realize that the Viktor Petrova pocket watch is missing. The duke is stunned but determined to ensure all the antiques are cataloged and accounted for. 

On the first day of work, the team ends up being a witness to the death of Suzanne, the housekeeper at the manor. Avery’s instincts tell her it’s not a simple case of accidental death. Detective Art Smith steps into the scene to aid with the investigation and keep Avery safe. Moreover, the duo has to decide the future of their relationship (if there is one). 

As more antiques turn out to be fake, the duke ends up in a riding accident, and another employee of the manor is found dead. With the list of suspects including every person in the manor, Avery and Art must sort through the maze to arrive at the truth. 

Are the missing antiques and the deaths related? Are there two different criminals to track and unearth? Can the duo solve the cases before they face the bullet? 

My Observations: 

• The book began with an interaction between Avery and Art, and I wasn’t sure of the dynamics. It took me a while to get into the subplot (the family, relationships, etc.). The case, however, was clear enough. 

• There were quite a few characters to track, which made it a little difficult to stay up to date with the developments concerned with the main plot. Luckily, I wasn’t in a mood to solve the case, which made it easy to go with the flow (and round the rating to 4 stars). 

• Getting to Avery and Art was nice. I had a better knowledge of their relationship by the end of the book. I would love to know where it heads in the future books. 

• Avery was intelligent (even if she jumped to conclusions at times). She was nosy too, which is rather a prerequisite to becoming an amateur detective. But the book balanced her sleuthing and antique appraisal work. I learned something about the field. That was fun. 

• The book has a super friendly dog and seven teeny kittens! Yeah… one kitty is black and white, and another has tiger stripes. Sigh! (Can you see my heart-eyes?) 

• Tilly appeared childish and strange in the first half. Must be her teenage acting up. Still, I couldn’t understand her sudden shifts in mood. 

• The pacing was uneven (it slumps in the middle), but the end wrapped up things pretty well. The characters weren’t fully developed, though they serve the intended purpose. No far-fetched theories or solutions, so that’s a plus. 

To sum up, Peril at Pennington Manor is a blend of cozy mystery and family drama. The book would make a nice read when you want something that doesn’t demand too much of your energy. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #PerilatPenningtonManor