A Table by The Window by Lawana Blackwell

Published: 2005
Pages: 413
Genre: Fiction (with a tad of mystery)

Frustrated with her current life and job, Carley Reed is happily surprised when she inherits a small fourtune and a house from her late grandmother. After much debate, she moves into the house and falls in love with small-town living. Carley even fulfills her dream of opening her own cafe! But when she finds out about a brutal murder that remains unsolved, her newfound happiness is threatened forever.

This was a totally random find for me - I've never seen or heard of this book before. When I read the back and saw that it was supposed to include a murder mystery, I decided to give it a shot (If you're a regular reader you'll know that I almost never pass up a mystery novel)!

Overall, I'd say that this was a solid book. I enjoyed being a follower of Carley's life in Tallulah and found that the book generally moved at a good pace; I don't remember ever being bored while reading. Blackwell's writing definitely won't go down in history, but it was good nonetheless. Some passages (like the one I used for my Teaser Tuesday) were very well described and allowed you to easily picture the scene in your head.

I do, of course, have a few complaints! I was expecting the mystery aspect to be a more substantial element of the storyline. Rather, it felt like an afterthought and was confined to the last 50 or so pages of the novel. I personally prefer being able to analyse the mystery throughout the story and watch it slowly develop. However, once it did appear I felt it was well thought-out and fit well with the characters and the established atmosphere.

Final say: If you happen to see this one in the library, I suggest giving it a read. It's entertaining and keeps you engaged once the mystery is finally introduced.