I've certainly enjoyed reading the first book in this new recently published series (available only in Kindle and currently at a bargain price). The characters of the four members of the WISE Enquiries Agency are well drawn, very distinct from each other. I'm not sure about the entire credibility of the plot but there was enough good stuff to keep me going.

I will certainly be going on to Book 2 sometime in the future. ( )

Highly entertaining easy reading.

Carol is Welsh, Christine is Irish, Mavis is Scottish; and Annie is English (and not only English but a Cockney). Put their nationalities together, and you've got the name of their agency: the W.I.S.E. agency. That was just TOO CUTE and I thought about giving up the book. But once the background and abilities of each team member were presented, the name just was and it wasn't belaboured anymore.

It was an average mystery; in fact, I don't remember a lot about it, so not memorable. But it was fairly clued I think and the women really are quite likeable. ( )

I just read an amazing book recently, y'all — The Case of the Dotty Dowager: A cosy mystery set in Wales by Cathy Ace. Let me tell you a little about it.

The Case of the Dotty Dowager is the first book in a new series, the WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries. WISE is an acronym for the nationalities of the four Enquiry Agents — Welsh, Irish, Scots, and English. By the way, for those of y'all unfamiliar with the term, my Kindle's trusty Oxford Dictionary of English informs me that Enquiry Agent is a British term for private detective. [This Kindle dictionary has come in handy when I read books set in the UK and Australia, so I can translate English to US English!]

From the very first page of The Case of the Dotty Dowager, I was immediately caught up in the mystery and couldn't stop turning the pages. The story is told in third person from multiple points of view, which I enjoyed and found to be an interesting technique for keeping my attention.

I really like the four women of WISE. They are different ages (20s, 30s, 50s, 60s), nationalities and ethnicities, are from different backgrounds, and have different work experiences prior to forming WISE. They work very well together despite, or perhaps because of, these differences.

I also really like the allegedly-dotty dowager, Lady Althea. She is a Monty Python fan, with a great sense of humor. (Her son Henry, and her Lady's Maid Aide, not so much.)

'She hasn't always been a maid, have you, Jennifer?' said Althea quietly.
'You mean aide, Your Grace,' replied Jennifer.
'Do I?' responded the dowager.

Henry had never understood his mother's love for, and fascination with, the entire canon of those Monty Python chaps. He didn't think they were even slightly amusing. Whenever he dared to mention this fact, his mother would tell him he'd been given a sense of humor bypass immediately after she'd given birth to him....

I like Henry anyway, despite his lack of appreciation for all things Monty.

I think you'll like Henry also, and his mother Althea, and the WISE women — Carol, Christine, Mavis, and Annie — and all the other characters (except the despicable evil-doers, of course) created by Author Cathy Ace in her wonderful new cozy mystery The Case of the Dotty Dowager: A cosy mystery set in Wales. The second book in the series, The Case of the Missing Morris Dancer: A cosy mystery set in Wales, is available for pre-order from Amazon US and will be released on February 1, 2016.


Note: I received a complimentary copy of The Case of the Dotty Dowager in exchange for my honest review. All opinions shared are 100% my own.

Originally published on my blog Jane Reads here.
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Why the W.I.S.E. Enquiries Agency? Carol is Welsh (and since she's pregnant she's put in charge of the command center in London); Christine is Irish (and with her wealthy background, she's perfect for dealing with aristocrats); Mavis is Scottish (and a former nurse); and Annie is English (and not only English but a Cockney). Put their nationalities together, and you've got the name of their agency. Not a bad idea, eh?

Cathy Ace has gathered together four women who have the personalities, skills, and blind good luck to carry off an enjoyable series. For this first book she's also come up with a brilliant mystery involving Waterloo teeth. I knew nothing about these teeth, and I certainly do enjoy learning things while I read.

But while the cast and the mystery are first-rate, the method of delivery fell short for me. I couldn't really immerse myself in the story because most of it was told to me instead of shown. Instead of following along with the characters, becoming accustomed to their voices, and learning things as they learn them, we're told about almost all of it, and that puts a distance between reader and story.

If "told not shown" doesn't bother you, The Case of the Dotty Dowager should be your cup of tea. The book certainly has a lot going for it. As for me, I'm undecided on continuing with the series. ( )