
Washington Weirdos
by: Gayle Wigglesworth
Published by: Koenisha Publications
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Reviewed By: Christine Edlun
Washington Weirdos is the second novel in Gale Wigglesworth's mystery series featuring Claire Gulliver.
Tea is for Terror was about her adventurous and dangerous trip to Europe.
Claire wants to enjoy her independent San Francisco bookshop, Gulliver's Travels. Yet, when Vantage Airlines writes to congratulate her heroism in helping their company (and invites her to a board meeting and a gala in Washington, D.C.), she can hardly refuse. Although Claire has no idea what the gala is about and is not sure she wants to risk another uncertain flight, she ends up in D.C. fighting bad guys. Once again, she solves another mystery with the aid of trusted friend, new "love interest," Jack, a CIA Agent.
The novel starts off cute and entertaining, but regrettably falls short as the author writes about characters from her first book, which mixed me up.
The sequence and the pacing are all off. For instance, in the second chapter, Claire is walking around at night, at the Vietnam War Memorial and almost gets mugged. Why would someone go to a tourist attraction, late at night, and walk around alone in a city she knows nothing about?
There was no mention why she was apprehensive about flying. And, how did she get settled in Washington? Where was she staying? She just ends up at the War Memorial. Why?
Although, it is important to start a novel off with a bang, I want my heroine to be smart and savvy, not almost killed in the second chapter (for no particular reason)--except that it might relate to her previous book.
This book was obviously the continuation of the previous novel. It would have been better for the author to write a book with a totally different plot and then, pick a better title. The first two things I am drawn to are the author and then the title. Washington Weirdos doesn't catch my interest--at all. I have not read her other book, Tea is for Terror. After suffering through this confusing novel, I don't plan to. Washington Weirdos was not my cup of tea.
Armchair Interviews says: One confused reviewer may give you an indication about the book.
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