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Fiction. Mystery. HTML: Trying to leave painful memories behind her, Chloe Ellefson is making a fresh start. She's the new collections curator at Old World Wisconsin, an outdoor ethnic museum showcasing 1870s settlement life. On her first day, Chloe meets with an elderly woman who begs her to find a priceless eighteenth-century Norwegian ale bowl that had been donated to the museum years ago. But before Chloe can find the heirloom and return it to her, the woman dies in a suspicious car crash. Digging up the history and whereabouts of the rare artifact quickly turns dangerous. Chloe discovers that someone is desperately trying to cover up all traces of the bowl's existence�??by any means necessary. Assisting Chloe is police officer Roelke McKenna, whose own haunting past compels him to protect her. To catch the covetous killer, Chloe must solve a decades-old puzzle . . . before she becomes a part of history herself. Praise: "Clever plot twists and credible characters make this a far from humdrum cozy."�??Publishers Weekly "This series debut by an author of children's mysteries rolls out nicely for readers who like a cozy with a dab of antique lore. Jeanne M. Dams fans will like the ethnic background."�??Library Journal "Information on how to conduct historical research, background on Norwegian culture, and details about running an outdoor museum frame the engaging story of a woman devastated by a failed romantic relationship whose sleuthing helps her heal."�??Booklist "Old World Murder is strongest in its charming local color and genuine love for Wisconsin�??s rolling hills, pastures, and woodlands...a delightful distraction for an evening or two."�??New York Journal of Books "A wonderfully-woven tale that winds in and out of modern and historical Wisconsin with plenty of mysteries�??both past and present. In curator Chloe Ellefson, Ernst has created a captivating character with humor, grit, and a tangled history of her own that needs unraveling. Enchanting!"�??Sandi Ault, author of the WILD Mystery Series and recipient of the Mary Higgins Clark Award "Propulsive and superbly written, this first entry in a dynamite new series from accomplished author Kathleen Ernst seamlessly melds the 1980's and the 19th century. Character-driven, with mystery aplenty, Old World Murder is a sensational read. Think Sue Grafton meets Earlene Fowler, with a dash of Elizabeth Peters."�??Julia Spencer-Fleming, Anthony and Agatha Award-winning author of I Shall Not Want and One Was A Soldier "Museum masterpiece."�??Rosebud Book Reviews "A real find...5 stars."�??… (more)
User reviews
One thing I really enjoyed about this story was its setting. Ernst has brought us this story in 1982 Wisconsin and it's a perfect way to retain some of the historical/modern day aspects of the story. I don't think I would have enjoyed Chloe's research so much if she just had to check Ebay for pictures of Norweigian ale bowls.
The secondary characters in the book are well thought out too. I really liked Roelke's relationship with his cousin and her children, and certainly Chloe's nearby family turned out to be very useful. I will definitely keep an eye out for another Chloe Ellefson story set at Old World Wisconsin, this was a great read.
Most of the novel is a mystery about a particular artifact that has vanished from the collection. Ellefson is stubbornly determined to find it and a series of out-of-the-usual events occur, raising the tension in the novel and between her and the police officer who becomes determined to keep her from danger. Questions of race and prejudice (not entirely racial) are dealt with, without preaching but significantly.
The climax is unexpectedly dramatic and is followed by a satisfying tying up of all the threads. The unexpected and sudden finale will set the reader to wondering what comes next in the characters' lives. This is a most satisfying read.
That and why the hell would anyone steal an old ale bowl no matter how nice its decorative qualities. It just seemed so strange that I wanted to know. Because Chloe isn't a detective or anything even close, the investigation, such at it was, isn't exactly organized or straightforward. She blunders into a lot of things and of course a lot of strange shit happens because of her proximity to the real mystery. This isn't a straight up clue and consequence type book though and the haphazard style fit the way Chloe barges through the world.
I don't think I'll be reading any more of these, but it was enjoyable to see Chloe kind of straighten out her life, let go of her crush on her gay friend (out in 1982? hm....?), save her job, find the ale bowl and maybe succumb to Roelke's charms.
On the other hand, I recognize all these symptoms from trying to write my own novels. I suspect the author or wanting to take a truly real-world situation and inject some excitement into it by adding mystery, by justifying her characters' actions with real-world issues like self-destructive depression. As I've mentioned so many times before, I prefer my fiction on the less-well grounded side. I'll take whimsey over caution any day.
The resolution to the mystery, at least, was satisfying enough, and the prose well-written. A quick, easy read.