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Minokee Mysteries #1
FINDING MIRANDA: Minokee Mysteries, Book One
Nobody "sees" Miranda Ogilvy except the hunky blind deejay next door and the men hired to kill them both. Murder, political corruption, quirky small-town neighbors, and Dave the Wonder Dog work together to make this mystery fun, romantic, and satisfying.
Detailed Plot Summary:
Miranda Ogilvy is accustomed to being invisible. Sometimes people actually see her, but they forget her almost immediately. It’s not a bad life for a ghost, but Miranda is not a ghost. She’s a librarian.
The problem may be that Miranda lives in a big, busy city. So when her aunt dies suddenly and leaves Miranda a century-old cottage forty miles beyond the middle of nowhere, Miranda makes the life-changing move from Miami to Minokee.
Moving doesn’t solve the problem, however; people still don’t notice Miranda. The only two people who seem all too aware of her are a handsome neighbor (way out of her league) and the man who murdered her aunt (too late to move back to Miami?).
Shepard Krausse is a late-night radio talk show host, but it isn’t because he “has a face for radio,” as the saying goes. In fact, Shepard is such a hunk that the little old ladies in his tiny Minokee community set their clocks every day in order to be on their front porches sipping coffee and watching through binoculars as he takes his morning run. Shep waves to the ladies (Psst! Bernice, yer droolin; on yer apron.), but he has never seen them. Shep has been blind since birth. His best friend (and guide dog), Dave, goes everywhere with him, including on the morning run. (Shepard’s the cute one; Dave’s the smart one.)
Shepard’s radio show, “Sheep Counters with Shep and Dave,” caters to insomniacs whose paranoia and conspiracy theories are keeping them awake. People enjoy venting their rage on the air, and Shepard’s audience enjoys, in about equal numbers, either agreeing with or ridiculing his callers.
Shep has a conspiracy theory of his own. He believes his uncle, the governor of the state of Florida, is corrupt in a big way, and may even be behind the murder of Shepard’s former neighbor, Phyllis Ogilvy.
Miranda is small, plain, and, of course, invisible. Shepard is the size of a professional television wrestler and, of course, resembles Adonis. She squeaks by on a librarian’s salary, still wearing clothes she owned in high school. His matching outfits are laid out for him every morning by his chauffeur/valet. She has learned four languages by listening to CDs in her car. He speaks seven languages, which he learned while in boarding school in Switzerland. Her aunt was a small-town librarian and part-time birdwatcher. His uncle is the governor of Florida, and his mother acts like the Queen of England. Miranda attended a community college. Shepard has an Ivy League law degree. Not since the owl and the pussycat has there been a more unlikely pair.
Now that Miranda has moved into Minokee, however, Shep and Dave are determined to protect their new neighbor from the bad guys. They just need to find out who or what the villains are. Miranda and Shep don’t know that soon, on a steamy Florida night, the city girl and the blind deejay will be running for their lives in the inky darkness of Little Cypress National Forest.
Detailed Plot Summary:
Miranda Ogilvy is accustomed to being invisible. Sometimes people actually see her, but they forget her almost immediately. It’s not a bad life for a ghost, but Miranda is not a ghost. She’s a librarian.
The problem may be that Miranda lives in a big, busy city. So when her aunt dies suddenly and leaves Miranda a century-old cottage forty miles beyond the middle of nowhere, Miranda makes the life-changing move from Miami to Minokee.
Moving doesn’t solve the problem, however; people still don’t notice Miranda. The only two people who seem all too aware of her are a handsome neighbor (way out of her league) and the man who murdered her aunt (too late to move back to Miami?).
Shepard Krausse is a late-night radio talk show host, but it isn’t because he “has a face for radio,” as the saying goes. In fact, Shepard is such a hunk that the little old ladies in his tiny Minokee community set their clocks every day in order to be on their front porches sipping coffee and watching through binoculars as he takes his morning run. Shep waves to the ladies (Psst! Bernice, yer droolin; on yer apron.), but he has never seen them. Shep has been blind since birth. His best friend (and guide dog), Dave, goes everywhere with him, including on the morning run. (Shepard’s the cute one; Dave’s the smart one.)
Shepard’s radio show, “Sheep Counters with Shep and Dave,” caters to insomniacs whose paranoia and conspiracy theories are keeping them awake. People enjoy venting their rage on the air, and Shepard’s audience enjoys, in about equal numbers, either agreeing with or ridiculing his callers.
Shep has a conspiracy theory of his own. He believes his uncle, the governor of the state of Florida, is corrupt in a big way, and may even be behind the murder of Shepard’s former neighbor, Phyllis Ogilvy.
Miranda is small, plain, and, of course, invisible. Shepard is the size of a professional television wrestler and, of course, resembles Adonis. She squeaks by on a librarian’s salary, still wearing clothes she owned in high school. His matching outfits are laid out for him every morning by his chauffeur/valet. She has learned four languages by listening to CDs in her car. He speaks seven languages, which he learned while in boarding school in Switzerland. Her aunt was a small-town librarian and part-time birdwatcher. His uncle is the governor of Florida, and his mother acts like the Queen of England. Miranda attended a community college. Shepard has an Ivy League law degree. Not since the owl and the pussycat has there been a more unlikely pair.
Now that Miranda has moved into Minokee, however, Shep and Dave are determined to protect their new neighbor from the bad guys. They just need to find out who or what the villains are. Miranda and Shep don’t know that soon, on a steamy Florida night, the city girl and the blind deejay will be running for their lives in the inky darkness of Little Cypress National Forest.
181 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2014
184 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
About the author
Iris Chacon
14 books80 followersIris Chacon is like a trip to sunny Florida, from the horse country of Ocala to the playgrounds and beaches of Pensacola, Orlando, Miami, Key West and all points in between.
Good, clean, fun is the Chacon mantra, whether on white sandy beaches, on theme park thrill rides, or on the pages of a novel. A good book is a vacation for the mind and spirit, and Iris loves vacationing with quirky characters in quaint locations.
Travel through laughter and tears with surprising people, and see the world in its happiest colors. That's what reading can do for us. That's what Iris Chacon writes for us.
Follow Iris on Bookbub so you will not miss any new books from this author. https://www.bookbub.com/profile/iris-...
Good, clean, fun is the Chacon mantra, whether on white sandy beaches, on theme park thrill rides, or on the pages of a novel. A good book is a vacation for the mind and spirit, and Iris loves vacationing with quirky characters in quaint locations.
Travel through laughter and tears with surprising people, and see the world in its happiest colors. That's what reading can do for us. That's what Iris Chacon writes for us.
Follow Iris on Bookbub so you will not miss any new books from this author. https://www.bookbub.com/profile/iris-...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
August 18, 2019
A fun, fast read, FINDING MIRANDA by Iris Chacon takes place in a small Florida community on the edge of an alligator swamp. There are about a dozen houses in the community and Miranda moves into the one she inherited when her aunt died. On her first morning in her new home, reveling in her solitude, Miranda decides to slip outside in her sleep shirt to gather her paper. She is shocked when her neighbors all call hello to her and ducks down in the shrubbery where she is quickly overtaken by the local heartthrob on his morning run.
This introduction to Miranda, Shepard the heartthrob, and the older women who make up the neighborhood is completed with high humor. The neighbor’s dialogue is written to emulate the local dialect and, while humorous, can slow the reading slightly at the beginning. As the story moves more toward focusing on Miranda, Shepard and people with whom they interact conversation is written more plainly and the book moves faster.
As Shepard returns home after his run, he is confronted by a stranger who has entered his home and threatens his life if he continues spreading his conspiracy theories on his late night radio show. It unfolds that Miranda’s aunt has passed along information of corruption at the governor’s level and Shepard is focused on bringing that corruption to light.
The twists and turns of the book include an unfolding of connections and attributes of the characters which are revealed as the reader moves deeper into the book. These are best experienced by the reader as they move deeper into the book, and are therefore not highlighted here. The characters have excellent depth and Chacon has an excellent blend of description, plot, and humor that is entertaining.
A fast read, this book is a highly enjoyable piece of entertainment. Any reader who is looking for something light and breezy might find this an excellent choice. Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this novel. I look forward to reading the second book in the series.
This introduction to Miranda, Shepard the heartthrob, and the older women who make up the neighborhood is completed with high humor. The neighbor’s dialogue is written to emulate the local dialect and, while humorous, can slow the reading slightly at the beginning. As the story moves more toward focusing on Miranda, Shepard and people with whom they interact conversation is written more plainly and the book moves faster.
As Shepard returns home after his run, he is confronted by a stranger who has entered his home and threatens his life if he continues spreading his conspiracy theories on his late night radio show. It unfolds that Miranda’s aunt has passed along information of corruption at the governor’s level and Shepard is focused on bringing that corruption to light.
The twists and turns of the book include an unfolding of connections and attributes of the characters which are revealed as the reader moves deeper into the book. These are best experienced by the reader as they move deeper into the book, and are therefore not highlighted here. The characters have excellent depth and Chacon has an excellent blend of description, plot, and humor that is entertaining.
A fast read, this book is a highly enjoyable piece of entertainment. Any reader who is looking for something light and breezy might find this an excellent choice. Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this novel. I look forward to reading the second book in the series.
October 17, 2019
Currently a Kindle Unlimited book!!!
Gorgeous romantic mystery/ comedy with a healthy dose of wit kept me reading long past my bedtime!!! Finding Miranda by Iris Chacon is well written with a quick pace and plenty of surprise plot twists! This is a perfect read as the characters have such depth that it is easy to get wrapped up in the story. (Oh, and the southern elderly ladies are my favorites! They are such a hoot!) Finding Miranda is the first book in a new series called Minokee Mysteries, and I can't wait to read the rest of the books!!
Miranda is new to the tiny village of Minokee and she meets the group of ladies outside her door one morning and discovers they are all watching Shep while he is taking his morning run. Shep works at the radio station and discusses conspiracy theories that put him in danger... Shep's new love interest, Miranda in also in danger. Who wants them dead? Tons of secrets and twisty plot just the way I like it!
Thank you to author Iris Chacon, NetGalley, and BooksGoSocial for an advanced reader copy of Finding Miranda for me to read and enjoy! As always, my opinions are my own!
Gorgeous romantic mystery/ comedy with a healthy dose of wit kept me reading long past my bedtime!!! Finding Miranda by Iris Chacon is well written with a quick pace and plenty of surprise plot twists! This is a perfect read as the characters have such depth that it is easy to get wrapped up in the story. (Oh, and the southern elderly ladies are my favorites! They are such a hoot!) Finding Miranda is the first book in a new series called Minokee Mysteries, and I can't wait to read the rest of the books!!
Miranda is new to the tiny village of Minokee and she meets the group of ladies outside her door one morning and discovers they are all watching Shep while he is taking his morning run. Shep works at the radio station and discusses conspiracy theories that put him in danger... Shep's new love interest, Miranda in also in danger. Who wants them dead? Tons of secrets and twisty plot just the way I like it!
Thank you to author Iris Chacon, NetGalley, and BooksGoSocial for an advanced reader copy of Finding Miranda for me to read and enjoy! As always, my opinions are my own!
March 26, 2022
If there is such a thing as a perfect mystery/romance/humorous book, then Finding Miranda is it! When I first selected the book, it bounced around on my TBR list for a week. When I started reading it, I was hooked. So much so that I read the book in one evening. It's that good!
Miranda is a shy librarian who inherits a house from her recently deceased Aunt Phyllis who died under mysterious circumstances. Located in a small neighborhood, on the edge of a Florida forest, the neighborhood is comprised of a group of seniors who are quirky, lovable and perfectly capable of setting things right with a shotgun. One of the major morning entertainments, is watching the handsome late night talk radio host, Shepherd Krausse and his dog Dave, jog through the neighborhood. One morning, Miranda gets a little too close to her fence, to retrieve her newspaper, and the adventure begins!
I loved the mystery, quirky characters and the pace of the book. The main characters, Shepherd and Miranda are a joy to read and the supporting characters are well written - enough to have a book of their own. The dialogue is witty, the mystery fast-paced and the story is unique and has all the elements I love in a mystery. And we can't forget the wonderful Dave the dog and the loyal Pietro who are Shep's best friends.
You'll gasp, cry, cheer and fall in love with these characters! I immediately bought the second in the series and am impatiently waiting for the third book!
I received an ARC from NetGalley for a fair and honest review of the book.
Miranda is a shy librarian who inherits a house from her recently deceased Aunt Phyllis who died under mysterious circumstances. Located in a small neighborhood, on the edge of a Florida forest, the neighborhood is comprised of a group of seniors who are quirky, lovable and perfectly capable of setting things right with a shotgun. One of the major morning entertainments, is watching the handsome late night talk radio host, Shepherd Krausse and his dog Dave, jog through the neighborhood. One morning, Miranda gets a little too close to her fence, to retrieve her newspaper, and the adventure begins!
I loved the mystery, quirky characters and the pace of the book. The main characters, Shepherd and Miranda are a joy to read and the supporting characters are well written - enough to have a book of their own. The dialogue is witty, the mystery fast-paced and the story is unique and has all the elements I love in a mystery. And we can't forget the wonderful Dave the dog and the loyal Pietro who are Shep's best friends.
You'll gasp, cry, cheer and fall in love with these characters! I immediately bought the second in the series and am impatiently waiting for the third book!
I received an ARC from NetGalley for a fair and honest review of the book.
November 14, 2019
What a fun story? It was a quick read and I couldn't put it down. Miranda is a shy girl and people overlook. Her Aunt has died and left Miranda a house in Minokee. She has been hired to replace her Aunt at the local library.
Shepherd is blind and depends on his dog Dave and helper. Shepherd and Dave run every day and 4 elderly women wait on their porches for this run. He has nightly talk show called THE SHEEP COUNTERS. He is determined to expose the Governor of Florida corrupted actions. He meets Miranda at her home in Minokee and fall in love with her. I was turning the pages as fast as I could as I wanted to see what happened. Beware there is violence at the end so if that bothers you skip the book. There is no sex. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES.
Shepherd is blind and depends on his dog Dave and helper. Shepherd and Dave run every day and 4 elderly women wait on their porches for this run. He has nightly talk show called THE SHEEP COUNTERS. He is determined to expose the Governor of Florida corrupted actions. He meets Miranda at her home in Minokee and fall in love with her. I was turning the pages as fast as I could as I wanted to see what happened. Beware there is violence at the end so if that bothers you skip the book. There is no sex. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES.
January 6, 2017
Finding Miranda by Iris Chacon was an Online BookClub.org book of the Day (BOTD) on 04 January 2017. It was a completely free download from Amazon. To be redundant, the price was USD 0.00. It was not a Kindle Unlimited (KU) book. An OnlineBookClub review stated the genre was romance but with interesting twists of humor. I stay away from the romance genre but I like well-done humor so I am happy to recommend this book as hilarious. My kind of humor is understated and almost stereotypical British. This story takes place in the US but I found the humor atypical and great. I couldn't stop turning the pages because of the humor.
The humor was not present only in language but in situations created. Miranda is in the DMV for license renewal. There is the expected waiting line which is not only long but crowded. The descriptions of who is in front of and behind her will keep a reader laughing (with empathy). She had to go to the license branch because she needed a better picture; the one on her driver's license was of the back of her head. What an absurd situation. It gets worse.
Miranda is the kind of person who nobody really sees. Not only that, when she speaks no one pays attention to her. This causes her to receive a lot of “What did you say?” responses. The reader sees this in the early pages of the book when an employee at the license branch continues to call “Next” even when Miranda is standing in front of her. We may all know someone almost like this but the humor in this novel carries it to the point of absurdity.
Miranda also wants her new license to reflect her new address. She has recently moved to Minokee, a place the civil servants can't believe still exists. No one moves to Minokee; there is no reason to live there. Miranda has a reason; her aunt died and she will occupy the house. From there she will travel to neighboring Live Oak where she will work as a librarian. To sum up, a totally nondescript person will move to the totally nondescript town of Minokee (which means ““chock full of big, hungry reptiles”)
where she will commute to a nondescript job. Chacon sets this scene with humor I have rarely encountered. And then the adventure begins.
On her first day in the new house Miranda ventures outside very early in the morning to retrieve her newspaper. She is wearing a minimum of clothing for decency because she is sure no one will see her in the early hours. But she is greeted by four women, all neighbors from surrounding homes, who gather each morning to watch Shep and Dave do their daily morning run. One of the women has binoculars the better to see pectorals of the runner(s). Miranda is still outside as the runner(s) approach. She hides in the leaves of a Castor Bean Tree and is not spotted, but is smelled by the runners. It seems Miranda's scent has overpowered the familiar scent of a Castor Bean Tree, causing the runners to stop. One of the runners talks to Miranda through the tree. The two do not see each other but the watching neighbors were impressed. At this point, there is no way I am going to abandon this book.
Up to this point, I am expecting the novel to veer off into a predictable boy meets girl, conflicts arise and are resolved, love conquers all. This novel rushes off in all directions. There is a possible murder mystery. Did Aunt Phyliss die naturally or as she killed? There can't be an autopsy because Phyliss was cremated. But that is OK because the reader will soon encounter other murders. Then there is a corruption scandal possibility. The Governor of the State may have diverted tax funds to favorite contractors. The Governor is a brother of Hermione, who will soon appear as a major irritant in Miranda's life.
Then we have the story of Hermione Montgomery-Strausse with an emphasis on the hyphen. Narcissistic and imperious, for her there are two kinds of people in the world, her and everybody else. Chacon invests a lot of well-crafted humor with this character because she is a candidate to be Miranda's future mother-in-law. Mothers-in-law are always good for a laugh but Hermione is not laughing.
There are different levels of humor in this novel. Following is one example. To set the stage, Miranda is going through the after effects of a huge crisis. She has to make a change in the direction of her life. While reflecting she has an epiphany. “Miranda resolved to take decisive action. She would charge the enemy lines; she would storm the battlements; she would fearlessly face the foe. She would make a list.” (p.156). This is not laugh-out-loud funny. I got several internal chuckles out of this. You almost had to be there (in the setting of the crisis). It is a good reason to read the book.
And finally, a language warning. A naughty language alert. The following is as bad as it gets: “Gee whiz gosh golly holy moley!”(p. 125). When this kind of language is so freely bandied about, the bar for language trigger warnings will have to be adjusted frequently.
This is a novel that ambushes readers. No description I read prepared me for how good this is. I highly recommend this for all readers from YA through adults. There are so many surprises (spoilers) in the novel it is difficult to write a review. I have tried not to reveal any of them.
The humor was not present only in language but in situations created. Miranda is in the DMV for license renewal. There is the expected waiting line which is not only long but crowded. The descriptions of who is in front of and behind her will keep a reader laughing (with empathy). She had to go to the license branch because she needed a better picture; the one on her driver's license was of the back of her head. What an absurd situation. It gets worse.
Miranda is the kind of person who nobody really sees. Not only that, when she speaks no one pays attention to her. This causes her to receive a lot of “What did you say?” responses. The reader sees this in the early pages of the book when an employee at the license branch continues to call “Next” even when Miranda is standing in front of her. We may all know someone almost like this but the humor in this novel carries it to the point of absurdity.
Miranda also wants her new license to reflect her new address. She has recently moved to Minokee, a place the civil servants can't believe still exists. No one moves to Minokee; there is no reason to live there. Miranda has a reason; her aunt died and she will occupy the house. From there she will travel to neighboring Live Oak where she will work as a librarian. To sum up, a totally nondescript person will move to the totally nondescript town of Minokee (which means ““chock full of big, hungry reptiles”)
where she will commute to a nondescript job. Chacon sets this scene with humor I have rarely encountered. And then the adventure begins.
On her first day in the new house Miranda ventures outside very early in the morning to retrieve her newspaper. She is wearing a minimum of clothing for decency because she is sure no one will see her in the early hours. But she is greeted by four women, all neighbors from surrounding homes, who gather each morning to watch Shep and Dave do their daily morning run. One of the women has binoculars the better to see pectorals of the runner(s). Miranda is still outside as the runner(s) approach. She hides in the leaves of a Castor Bean Tree and is not spotted, but is smelled by the runners. It seems Miranda's scent has overpowered the familiar scent of a Castor Bean Tree, causing the runners to stop. One of the runners talks to Miranda through the tree. The two do not see each other but the watching neighbors were impressed. At this point, there is no way I am going to abandon this book.
Up to this point, I am expecting the novel to veer off into a predictable boy meets girl, conflicts arise and are resolved, love conquers all. This novel rushes off in all directions. There is a possible murder mystery. Did Aunt Phyliss die naturally or as she killed? There can't be an autopsy because Phyliss was cremated. But that is OK because the reader will soon encounter other murders. Then there is a corruption scandal possibility. The Governor of the State may have diverted tax funds to favorite contractors. The Governor is a brother of Hermione, who will soon appear as a major irritant in Miranda's life.
Then we have the story of Hermione Montgomery-Strausse with an emphasis on the hyphen. Narcissistic and imperious, for her there are two kinds of people in the world, her and everybody else. Chacon invests a lot of well-crafted humor with this character because she is a candidate to be Miranda's future mother-in-law. Mothers-in-law are always good for a laugh but Hermione is not laughing.
There are different levels of humor in this novel. Following is one example. To set the stage, Miranda is going through the after effects of a huge crisis. She has to make a change in the direction of her life. While reflecting she has an epiphany. “Miranda resolved to take decisive action. She would charge the enemy lines; she would storm the battlements; she would fearlessly face the foe. She would make a list.” (p.156). This is not laugh-out-loud funny. I got several internal chuckles out of this. You almost had to be there (in the setting of the crisis). It is a good reason to read the book.
And finally, a language warning. A naughty language alert. The following is as bad as it gets: “Gee whiz gosh golly holy moley!”(p. 125). When this kind of language is so freely bandied about, the bar for language trigger warnings will have to be adjusted frequently.
This is a novel that ambushes readers. No description I read prepared me for how good this is. I highly recommend this for all readers from YA through adults. There are so many surprises (spoilers) in the novel it is difficult to write a review. I have tried not to reveal any of them.
January 5, 2017
Ebook discovery Freebie, wanted to end 2016 and start the new year with something sexy and light, after I did not manage to torture myself through the last third of The Circle.
No sex (!), bad sign for a romance, and could have done with some hot, steamy sex, for me at least. Romance was ok, but for me also not very good.
A few unexpected killings/deaths, some quite gruesome.
Also in one case the culprit gets away and someone other frames, not something I like.
Romance was also not that fluffy. Not my usual, but if I wanted some crime-romance-mystery, I could have read early Lisa Gardner or re-read early Tess Gerritsen, which is what I would suggest instead of picking up this book.
female MC was ok, but not overwhelming - I had picked up this book because I like the type "glasses wearing librarian" (yup, I am that shallow).
No errors, some southern (?) slang, and all rounded nicely saved it from getting 1 star. So not recommended, 2 stars it is.
My suggestion still, even if it is free, stay away from it, there should be better, fluffy reads available and preverably without hard crime, vigilantes, deaths and killings.
Some of the supporting cast where a bit uneven and also most of the time card-board like (Annabelle!).
Given the cover and the blurb I did not suspect what happened in this book, nor did I want to (crime, gruesome killings).
One thing to note: on my Kindle (Voyage) remaining reading time in chapters stopped working (I think! it worked for first few chapters, but maybe wrong). Also I could not jump to a chapter, as the menu on the Kindle did not show them, only the title.
And the time remaining reading for the whole book was skewed, as 20-30% of the whole text are preview chapters for other books (if I remember 3-4 books and each with 3 preview chapters). All in all way too much, and for that it seemed like a filler to suggest a longer book, for the people who pay for it. Where it not skewed, I would have finished it sooner, realizing I was near the end. So, I had to push myself to read this for more than 5 min. .
No sex (!), bad sign for a romance, and could have done with some hot, steamy sex, for me at least. Romance was ok, but for me also not very good.
A few unexpected killings/deaths, some quite gruesome.
Also in one case the culprit gets away and someone other frames, not something I like.
Romance was also not that fluffy. Not my usual, but if I wanted some crime-romance-mystery, I could have read early Lisa Gardner or re-read early Tess Gerritsen, which is what I would suggest instead of picking up this book.
female MC was ok, but not overwhelming - I had picked up this book because I like the type "glasses wearing librarian" (yup, I am that shallow).
No errors, some southern (?) slang, and all rounded nicely saved it from getting 1 star. So not recommended, 2 stars it is.
My suggestion still, even if it is free, stay away from it, there should be better, fluffy reads available and preverably without hard crime, vigilantes, deaths and killings.
Some of the supporting cast where a bit uneven and also most of the time card-board like (Annabelle!).
Given the cover and the blurb I did not suspect what happened in this book, nor did I want to (crime, gruesome killings).
One thing to note: on my Kindle (Voyage) remaining reading time in chapters stopped working (I think! it worked for first few chapters, but maybe wrong). Also I could not jump to a chapter, as the menu on the Kindle did not show them, only the title.
And the time remaining reading for the whole book was skewed, as 20-30% of the whole text are preview chapters for other books (if I remember 3-4 books and each with 3 preview chapters). All in all way too much, and for that it seemed like a filler to suggest a longer book, for the people who pay for it. Where it not skewed, I would have finished it sooner, realizing I was near the end. So, I had to push myself to read this for more than 5 min. .
January 16, 2018
Miranda is a shy librarian who's new in town and chronically invisible. So it's ironic when her handsome neighbor, Shepard, sees her--even though he, well, doesn't. And not to mention that now there are some men around who see both Miranda and Shepard and apparently want them dead in Finding Miranda, a novel by author Iris Chacon.
I wasn't sure what this book was, exactly, when I picked it up. A cozy mystery? A romance? Chick lit, maybe? Well, no, not chick lit. But now that I've read it, I can't say as I truly know what to call this romantic comedic mysterious heart-tugging thingamabob of a book. But I enjoyed the heck out of it!
I thought the read would be more Miranda-central than it is, but it includes other characters' perspectives, and that's okay. Miranda is one unique cookie, the romance is too cute, and though I (lover of love that I am) very, very rarely ever read of a hero I'd call swoon-worthy, I might call Shepard that. Not because of his long hair or muscly build (honestly, the more it seems a story is trying to make me swoon over a romantic hero's looks, the more it annoys me.) But Shepard shines as a layered, likable, flawed, and interesting person, not just the dashing or lovey-dovey figure the heroine falls for because that's what's "supposed" to happen in romances.
And the mystery. It's not a whodunit or sleuthing type of thing, but it includes some politics, corruption, enough danger to keep you suspicious, and it actually escalates to the gripping level of a thriller.
Yet, the story remains its own, remarkable something, where the humor is quirky but the tale isn't silly. The characters aren't just caricatures that stuff happens to, and the story doesn't pull punches and let everyone off easy. It came to a point or two when I had to set the book aside and give my affected heart a break for a minute.
Oh, and for the dog lovers, did I mention the cast of characters includes an awesome dog?
Here's a winning tale with a bespectacled woman in the bushes and a great message on where courage comes from. I'd highly recommend this book to fellow readers who can rightly appreciate a thingamabob.
I wasn't sure what this book was, exactly, when I picked it up. A cozy mystery? A romance? Chick lit, maybe? Well, no, not chick lit. But now that I've read it, I can't say as I truly know what to call this romantic comedic mysterious heart-tugging thingamabob of a book. But I enjoyed the heck out of it!
I thought the read would be more Miranda-central than it is, but it includes other characters' perspectives, and that's okay. Miranda is one unique cookie, the romance is too cute, and though I (lover of love that I am) very, very rarely ever read of a hero I'd call swoon-worthy, I might call Shepard that. Not because of his long hair or muscly build (honestly, the more it seems a story is trying to make me swoon over a romantic hero's looks, the more it annoys me.) But Shepard shines as a layered, likable, flawed, and interesting person, not just the dashing or lovey-dovey figure the heroine falls for because that's what's "supposed" to happen in romances.
And the mystery. It's not a whodunit or sleuthing type of thing, but it includes some politics, corruption, enough danger to keep you suspicious, and it actually escalates to the gripping level of a thriller.
Yet, the story remains its own, remarkable something, where the humor is quirky but the tale isn't silly. The characters aren't just caricatures that stuff happens to, and the story doesn't pull punches and let everyone off easy. It came to a point or two when I had to set the book aside and give my affected heart a break for a minute.
Oh, and for the dog lovers, did I mention the cast of characters includes an awesome dog?
Here's a winning tale with a bespectacled woman in the bushes and a great message on where courage comes from. I'd highly recommend this book to fellow readers who can rightly appreciate a thingamabob.
October 13, 2019
Truthfully when I spotted this on NetGalley, I thought what a cute cover and didn’t really pay that much attention to the blurb but it turned out to be a good little read!
Miranda inherits a house in the small town of Minokee from her late aunt who dropped dead suddenly. Used to being practically invisible to everyone she’s shocked when the town’s heartthrob, Shepard Krausse notices her.
But Miranda has made some powerful enemies without even knowing and they’re gunning for her and Shepard but she has no idea why!
Finding Miranda is one of the most fun reads I’ve picked up in awhile! It’s quirky, it’s fast paced and there’s a nice sprinkling of humour throughout.
The characters were all good fun but I really connected with Miranda, that feeling of being invisible is something that I can relate to.
I liked the town of Minokee. it’s pretty much a few houses on the edge of a jungle in Florida. I personally wouldn’t like to live there as a) I can’t stand the heat and b) it’s far too close to nature for my liking but I’d enjoy sitting round with the elderly residents because they just seem like a lot of fun!
I admit it’s probably a little heavier on the romance than the suspense than I would have liked but of course that’s just my opinion.
Finding Miranda is a perfect little pick me up, fun, lighthearted and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Miranda inherits a house in the small town of Minokee from her late aunt who dropped dead suddenly. Used to being practically invisible to everyone she’s shocked when the town’s heartthrob, Shepard Krausse notices her.
But Miranda has made some powerful enemies without even knowing and they’re gunning for her and Shepard but she has no idea why!
Finding Miranda is one of the most fun reads I’ve picked up in awhile! It’s quirky, it’s fast paced and there’s a nice sprinkling of humour throughout.
The characters were all good fun but I really connected with Miranda, that feeling of being invisible is something that I can relate to.
I liked the town of Minokee. it’s pretty much a few houses on the edge of a jungle in Florida. I personally wouldn’t like to live there as a) I can’t stand the heat and b) it’s far too close to nature for my liking but I’d enjoy sitting round with the elderly residents because they just seem like a lot of fun!
I admit it’s probably a little heavier on the romance than the suspense than I would have liked but of course that’s just my opinion.
Finding Miranda is a perfect little pick me up, fun, lighthearted and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
June 23, 2017
There is no beating around the proverbial bush with this one – I loved it. Chacon’s style of writing is smooth and lovely, her words float off of the page and into your heart. Miranda is a librarian, invisible to most around her, save the ones who matter! We discover Miranda has inherited a house from an aunt in Florida but all is not as it may at first seem. Having spent some time in Florida myself I felt that the author has captured it perfectly. I could feel the heat on the back of my neck and picture Miranda’s tin can of a car perfectly. Her descriptions of the old ladies sitting on their porches each morning were well drawn and entertaining. They were so well-drawn that I found myself imagining sitting alongside them! Miranda is original and funny. She has her own mind and is not afraid to use it. The story flows with ease which is a testament to the great writing. Without giving away any spoilers Finding Miranda is ultimately a love story with some thrilling twists, which were original and well thought through. I was rooting for Miranda without realising it, again another sign of a good writer. My only complaint is that the book was not long enough, I would happily have devoured more chapters! Miranda is definitely my kind of gal! If you like chick lit with a touch of mystery then this book is for you. With summer upon us, I would heartily recommend this book as a great holiday read, you won’t be disappointed!
April 30, 2019
Loved this book! Funny, full of surprises, short (about 158 pages?) and sweet, but sad in a couple of places. Miranda is shy, quiet, and has been invisible all her life. But she doesn't care. After her aunt dies, Miranda inherits her aunt's house and her job at the library. Even starting over in a new town, she is still invisible to those around her. Except for her backyard neighbor. Shephard sees her and almost immediately falls in love. But her doesn't really see her, because he's blind. They come from two different worlds, but dangerous circumstances throw them together.
Sweet mystery with twists and turns. Loved the dog, Dave. I will be looking for more stories from this author. Recommend.
Sweet mystery with twists and turns. Loved the dog, Dave. I will be looking for more stories from this author. Recommend.
October 11, 2019
FINDING MIRANDA is Book 1 of the MINOKEE MYSTERIES, set in Little Cypress Forest in North Central Florida, in a tiny insular community, Minokee. No real estate sales, just lifetime living and inheritance. No businesses.
It's problematical not to love a novel featuring a dog, a librarian, a sweet-hearted blind guy, and lots of suspense leavened with gentle humour. Fortunately I really enjoyed the story, and am gleefully anticipating the next (THE MAMMOTH MURDERS, release Nov. 1)
It's problematical not to love a novel featuring a dog, a librarian, a sweet-hearted blind guy, and lots of suspense leavened with gentle humour. Fortunately I really enjoyed the story, and am gleefully anticipating the next (THE MAMMOTH MURDERS, release Nov. 1)
March 3, 2017
Hugely entertaining with endearing, well-drawn characters that pull you into their world. With plenty of humour, great dialogue and an old-fashioned community spirit the story moves along at an easy pace. Unexpected situations abound and there is plenty of intrigue and several not-so-welcome surprises.
Thoroughly enjoyable and a writing style that has convinced me to read another of the author's books.
Thoroughly enjoyable and a writing style that has convinced me to read another of the author's books.
February 13, 2017
This was such a cute and quick read. Fluffy and funny, though not without its own tearjerker moment. I loved all the characters, which is rare for me.
April 7, 2017
I am not sure why I liked this as much as I did. The author's writing is grammatically better than most and the style is suited for light, quick reading, but the plotting was pretty weak. The most unsettling thing about this book was the repeatedly broken promises from the author. She starts with (and indeed the cover reflects) the somewhat campy style of humor, but the author takes us to some very dark places without warning. She promises romance, but the relationship is rather predictable and forced. The author writes sporadically about faith and prayers, even skewering the villains for lack of prayer, but there are several curse words and mentions of "God" as well as unapologetic ruthlessness from some major "good guy" characters. This is billed as a clean read, and I suppose it is as far as sex and petting, but the main male is idolized for his body and one character's dialogue is heavily suggestive. One last nit-pick, the story ended way before the last page. The romance was a foregone conclusion; we didn't need three more chapters to wrap it up.
August 25, 2019
The story unfolds bit by bit at a rather steady pace that escalates in intensity and danger. All of the characters truly are! From the ogling older ladies of the neighborhood to the vamp at the library to the incredible guide dog to the pair of main characters. Follow the fun, get caught up in the danger, feel the grief, and rejoice at the ending! Another great read by the author of Schifflebein's Folly and Duby's Doctor! And every bit as surprising!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thank you!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thank you!
February 5, 2017
Fun!
Lovable heroine who finds her courage and gets the hunk. Fun! I will look for more books by Iris Chacon.
Lovable heroine who finds her courage and gets the hunk. Fun! I will look for more books by Iris Chacon.
March 5, 2015
I enjoyed this book. I wish it was the start of a series. They could solve mysteries together.
January 7, 2017
This is one of the sweetest stories I have ever read! Shepard is cute and funny and totally endearing. Will read again on a rainy day.
January 8, 2017
Loved it
I am so happy to read a clean story that doesn't include cursing or mature content. I really enjoyed the characters. I wish it was a series.
I am so happy to read a clean story that doesn't include cursing or mature content. I really enjoyed the characters. I wish it was a series.
January 31, 2017
Loved the opening chapter, and the rest of the book did not disappoint. Finding Miranda is a winner.
July 24, 2019
Finding Miranda: Minokee Mysteries Book 1
Author: Iris Chacon
Narrator: Joshua Bennington
Listening Time 5 hours 16 minutes
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this honest review.
I always like to preface any reviews I give with this information.
I am a 68 year old female who has been an avid reader since I was around 10 or 11 years old.
I read mainly for entertainment purposes although I do a lot of research in areas of personal interest.
Review: This is a review for the Audiobook version of: Finding Miranda.
The protagonist in this novel is one Miranda Oglivy; a rather unprepossessing and seemingly nondescript young woman who moves from Miama to Minokee Florida. Miranda has inherited her Aunt Phyllis's home upon the death of her aunt. Miranda is a librarian and finds a position at the Live Oak Library in the town of Live Oak which is an hour away from Minokee.
Miranda's neighbors are some elderly ladies whose morning ritual is to drink coffee on their porches, visiting together while waiting for a view of the young single man, Shepard Krause, who has a late night radio talk show "Sheep Counters", and rounds off his after work shift by running a couple of miles every morning with his seeing-eye dog, Dave. Shep is in superb physical condition and the elderly ladies enjoy the eye candy that seeing Shep presents to these funny and very unique women.
Shepard's home is behind Miranda's house.
Initially Miranda seems to be a rather backward, shy, and socially inept kind of person. Upon seeing Shep, she hides under a Castor Bean plant since she is only wearing her sleep shirt and had gone outside to get her newspaper.
Knowing she is hidden, Miranda doesn't know how Shep knew she was there as he is passing by and he explains to her he could tell someone was under the leaves because castor bean plants don't smell good and as he had passed by he could scent her presence.
For some time in this book, her comments are very backward responses to other people's speaking.
People treat her as if she is indeed invisible and while there are people in real life who don't stand out, I do feel the point was belabored in this novel.
This book/audiobook is a romance as well as a political, and murder mystery. It is a clean romance and I did enjoy very much the progression of the relationship between Shep and Miranda.
This novel also has a great amount of suspense that builds throughout the story line and there are very sad and heartbreaking aspects in this book as well.
With the exception of Miranda, I feel most of the main characters were well written. I am guessing we see Miranda as she is initially, so that her character is able to progress throughout the story, as indeed she does.
Iris Chacon's book is fairly well written, with the exception of the point I mentioned above. I enjoyed the progression of the story and the characters. The humor and friendship of the four elderly ladies, Martha, Bernice, Charlotte, and Wynene are very well written and it would be a real pleasure to see these 4 formidable ladies in a book of their own.
I must say that for me the real star of this audibook is the narrator.
Narrator Joshua Bennington's voice is one of those voices that is ruggedly gruff, yet very expressive. He has a very deep base gravelly sounding voice, and I was very amazed that he could express feminine voices so very well. In no time at all I was caught up in the story and as often happens when I listen to an audiobook with an exceptional narrator; I forget that I am listening to one voice actor acting all the characters within the story. He has a very wonderful grasp of different accents, intonations and nuances of speech and truly made each character in the novel stand out in their own right. He is an exceptional voice actor.
Overall, I really enjoyed Iris Chacon's writing and would read her work again.
I also will be looking forward to listening to Joshua Bennington again as well.
It is hard for me to gauge a reading age for this book since it is what I would term "Chick Lit" and doubt that many male readers of any age would find it appealing and it might not grab the attention of younger female readers right away.
Author: Iris Chacon
Narrator: Joshua Bennington
Listening Time 5 hours 16 minutes
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this honest review.
I always like to preface any reviews I give with this information.
I am a 68 year old female who has been an avid reader since I was around 10 or 11 years old.
I read mainly for entertainment purposes although I do a lot of research in areas of personal interest.
Review: This is a review for the Audiobook version of: Finding Miranda.
The protagonist in this novel is one Miranda Oglivy; a rather unprepossessing and seemingly nondescript young woman who moves from Miama to Minokee Florida. Miranda has inherited her Aunt Phyllis's home upon the death of her aunt. Miranda is a librarian and finds a position at the Live Oak Library in the town of Live Oak which is an hour away from Minokee.
Miranda's neighbors are some elderly ladies whose morning ritual is to drink coffee on their porches, visiting together while waiting for a view of the young single man, Shepard Krause, who has a late night radio talk show "Sheep Counters", and rounds off his after work shift by running a couple of miles every morning with his seeing-eye dog, Dave. Shep is in superb physical condition and the elderly ladies enjoy the eye candy that seeing Shep presents to these funny and very unique women.
Shepard's home is behind Miranda's house.
Initially Miranda seems to be a rather backward, shy, and socially inept kind of person. Upon seeing Shep, she hides under a Castor Bean plant since she is only wearing her sleep shirt and had gone outside to get her newspaper.
Knowing she is hidden, Miranda doesn't know how Shep knew she was there as he is passing by and he explains to her he could tell someone was under the leaves because castor bean plants don't smell good and as he had passed by he could scent her presence.
For some time in this book, her comments are very backward responses to other people's speaking.
People treat her as if she is indeed invisible and while there are people in real life who don't stand out, I do feel the point was belabored in this novel.
This book/audiobook is a romance as well as a political, and murder mystery. It is a clean romance and I did enjoy very much the progression of the relationship between Shep and Miranda.
This novel also has a great amount of suspense that builds throughout the story line and there are very sad and heartbreaking aspects in this book as well.
With the exception of Miranda, I feel most of the main characters were well written. I am guessing we see Miranda as she is initially, so that her character is able to progress throughout the story, as indeed she does.
Iris Chacon's book is fairly well written, with the exception of the point I mentioned above. I enjoyed the progression of the story and the characters. The humor and friendship of the four elderly ladies, Martha, Bernice, Charlotte, and Wynene are very well written and it would be a real pleasure to see these 4 formidable ladies in a book of their own.
I must say that for me the real star of this audibook is the narrator.
Narrator Joshua Bennington's voice is one of those voices that is ruggedly gruff, yet very expressive. He has a very deep base gravelly sounding voice, and I was very amazed that he could express feminine voices so very well. In no time at all I was caught up in the story and as often happens when I listen to an audiobook with an exceptional narrator; I forget that I am listening to one voice actor acting all the characters within the story. He has a very wonderful grasp of different accents, intonations and nuances of speech and truly made each character in the novel stand out in their own right. He is an exceptional voice actor.
Overall, I really enjoyed Iris Chacon's writing and would read her work again.
I also will be looking forward to listening to Joshua Bennington again as well.
It is hard for me to gauge a reading age for this book since it is what I would term "Chick Lit" and doubt that many male readers of any age would find it appealing and it might not grab the attention of younger female readers right away.
October 8, 2019
Quirky? Witty? A breath of fresh? I can think of many adjectives to describe why I loved Finding Miranda. Turns out that author Iris Chacon has the best description for her book- Finding Miranda is dessert after a week of broccoli and kale. Here is Ms.Chacon’s bio on Amazon. Reading it will give you a sense of the author and her books:
“From parking tickets to Income Tax instructions, there is plenty of "required reading" in our lives. My goal is to provide quick, easy, fun reads for those times when we need a vacation from current events. Laughter is good medicine -- for body, mind, and spirit. All the nonfiction we have to read each day is our broccoli. An Iris Chacon novel is pure dessert. Reading is our cheapest, fastest, most effective and accessible tool for exploring the universe. I've been to Nebraska and I've been to the planet called Dune. I've seen the outsides and insides of real and fictional people. And I've become whoever I wanted to be in every story I entered. Fellow Trekkies, remember Mr. Spock telling Captain Kirk, "The more complex the mind, the greater the need for play"? Well, our 21st century world has become so complex that our minds can't even keep up -- and diversion is more important than ever to our mental health. That's why I write novels designed to divert our busy minds from our grimy streets, dusty houses, dirty laundry, unwashed kids and unbathed dishes -- or maybe the other way around -- and Internal Revenue forms. Grab an Iris Chacon novel! Come play with me!”
Are you ready to play? Finding Miranda is part romance, part mystery and all entertainment. Miranda inherits her aunt’s home in in the tiny, rural Florida town of Minokee in Little Cypress National Forest. Minokee doesn’t have air conditioning, sidewalks or a downtown. But, it does have good neighbors who like to sit on their porches- old ladies and one gorgeous Adonis.
Miranda has lived the quiet life of a librarian. Except for one special person, nobody sees her, she just blends in. But she’s spunkier than you might think as she gets to know everyone, including Dave and Shep. One of them is a dog.
Turns out there are some bad guys in Florida’s government and Miranda and her new friends get swept up in the cross-fire. Warning: there are shotguns, fires, and explosions!
“Them fellers picked the wrong place ta do their mischief in. We takes care of our own in Minokee.”
I don’t want to give away any spoilers and the fun of reading this book is discovering all the odd and colorful characters and their trials and tribulations. The author has a wonderful way with words. This is a light-hearted read with a powerful message. You may get misty when Miranda finds herself in a “change-the-things-I can” situation. So, it’s like a dessert that’s good for you!
There is a second book in the series, and I hope more are coming. Thanks to to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a review cop. This is my honest review.
“From parking tickets to Income Tax instructions, there is plenty of "required reading" in our lives. My goal is to provide quick, easy, fun reads for those times when we need a vacation from current events. Laughter is good medicine -- for body, mind, and spirit. All the nonfiction we have to read each day is our broccoli. An Iris Chacon novel is pure dessert. Reading is our cheapest, fastest, most effective and accessible tool for exploring the universe. I've been to Nebraska and I've been to the planet called Dune. I've seen the outsides and insides of real and fictional people. And I've become whoever I wanted to be in every story I entered. Fellow Trekkies, remember Mr. Spock telling Captain Kirk, "The more complex the mind, the greater the need for play"? Well, our 21st century world has become so complex that our minds can't even keep up -- and diversion is more important than ever to our mental health. That's why I write novels designed to divert our busy minds from our grimy streets, dusty houses, dirty laundry, unwashed kids and unbathed dishes -- or maybe the other way around -- and Internal Revenue forms. Grab an Iris Chacon novel! Come play with me!”
Are you ready to play? Finding Miranda is part romance, part mystery and all entertainment. Miranda inherits her aunt’s home in in the tiny, rural Florida town of Minokee in Little Cypress National Forest. Minokee doesn’t have air conditioning, sidewalks or a downtown. But, it does have good neighbors who like to sit on their porches- old ladies and one gorgeous Adonis.
Miranda has lived the quiet life of a librarian. Except for one special person, nobody sees her, she just blends in. But she’s spunkier than you might think as she gets to know everyone, including Dave and Shep. One of them is a dog.
Turns out there are some bad guys in Florida’s government and Miranda and her new friends get swept up in the cross-fire. Warning: there are shotguns, fires, and explosions!
“Them fellers picked the wrong place ta do their mischief in. We takes care of our own in Minokee.”
I don’t want to give away any spoilers and the fun of reading this book is discovering all the odd and colorful characters and their trials and tribulations. The author has a wonderful way with words. This is a light-hearted read with a powerful message. You may get misty when Miranda finds herself in a “change-the-things-I can” situation. So, it’s like a dessert that’s good for you!
There is a second book in the series, and I hope more are coming. Thanks to to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a review cop. This is my honest review.
March 23, 2023
Oh man where to start with this book...
The good: The main characters are charming: shy, unassuming Miranda and Shep, repeatedly described as looking just like Thor with huge muscles and long blond hair, but blind. I am always there for a sexy blind guy character, and having the other characters repeatedly swoon over him makes this sweet as a delicious slice of cake. The writing is lively and there's an unusual but solid sense of the setting.
BUT
The not-so-good: There is a major problem with genre mismatch. This is neither a mystery/thriller nor a romance, but sort of halfway between both. Neither the mystery nor the romance are fully developed. I'm all in favor of genre crossing and not slavishly following genre rules. But the problem here is the tonal whiplash. The story starts out with lighthearted hijinks and cartoonish, over-the-top characters, but then takes a sudden u-turn to brutal thriller, then back to fluffy romance. The tragic emotional beats don't land at all because the characters are so shallow.
Despite the detailed, real-world setting, the characters don't seem real at all. They are fabulously, ridiculously wealthy and every plot problem is solved by throwing money and privilege around. Important physical descriptions are left out until later scenes, and some details are never filled in. When and how did Shep lose his sight? Why doesn't he use a white cane? We're repeatedly told how capable he is but he doesn't seem to use any real-world adaptations, instead relying on a magically telepathic (untrained) guide dog and his friend/servant/cook/chauffeur/assistant Pietro. Who is Italian and talks with a cartoonishly stereotyped accent. He's supposed to be young and handsome but I just kept picturing Super Mario. All the dialects are stereotyped and cringey, to be honest.
I appreciate when authors take big swings and don't just write the same old content endlessly. There is so much potential here, I just wish it was somewhat better realized.
But did I enjoy reading? Yes
Will I go on to read the next book immediately? also yes
The good: The main characters are charming: shy, unassuming Miranda and Shep, repeatedly described as looking just like Thor with huge muscles and long blond hair, but blind. I am always there for a sexy blind guy character, and having the other characters repeatedly swoon over him makes this sweet as a delicious slice of cake. The writing is lively and there's an unusual but solid sense of the setting.
BUT
The not-so-good: There is a major problem with genre mismatch. This is neither a mystery/thriller nor a romance, but sort of halfway between both. Neither the mystery nor the romance are fully developed. I'm all in favor of genre crossing and not slavishly following genre rules. But the problem here is the tonal whiplash. The story starts out with lighthearted hijinks and cartoonish, over-the-top characters, but then takes a sudden u-turn to brutal thriller, then back to fluffy romance. The tragic emotional beats don't land at all because the characters are so shallow.
Despite the detailed, real-world setting, the characters don't seem real at all. They are fabulously, ridiculously wealthy and every plot problem is solved by throwing money and privilege around. Important physical descriptions are left out until later scenes, and some details are never filled in. When and how did Shep lose his sight? Why doesn't he use a white cane? We're repeatedly told how capable he is but he doesn't seem to use any real-world adaptations, instead relying on a magically telepathic (untrained) guide dog and his friend/servant/cook/chauffeur/assistant Pietro. Who is Italian and talks with a cartoonishly stereotyped accent. He's supposed to be young and handsome but I just kept picturing Super Mario. All the dialects are stereotyped and cringey, to be honest.
I appreciate when authors take big swings and don't just write the same old content endlessly. There is so much potential here, I just wish it was somewhat better realized.
But did I enjoy reading? Yes
Will I go on to read the next book immediately? also yes
July 21, 2019
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions expressed herein are mine.
This is the first book in The Minokee Mysteries series. It is a standalone story with no cliffhanger ending.
Here, Miranda has moved to a small town after inheriting a house from her aunt. The problem - Miranda is a wallflower - literally. No one remembers her or notices her - she is just part of the background. One day, Miranda sees a very attractive jogger, Shepard - who notices her, even though he is blind. Shepard is a host of a radio show - which covers conspiracies - and has a great guide dog in Dave. Miranda wonders what this man could possibly see in her - invisible to everyone Miranda.
From the blurb, I thought this was going to be light-hearted and comical - and it was but it is so much more. This book really doesn't fit into a box - it has romance, a dog, a mystery, political intrigue, humanity, and comedy. The characters of Shepard and Miranda tug at your heart and Dave - Dave will break your heart! The evolving relationship between Miranda and Shep is realistic, enjoyable and fun. This book is well-written and paced. I absolutely loved this book. Highly recommend!
I listened to this book - the narrator was fantastic. He has a smooth deep voice - which is exactly how I believe based on the description, Shep should sound. However, he also does voices for all of the characters - and it was great how timid the voice of Miranda was at the beginning and then slowly changed as she got more courageous. His narration was a compliment to the written word and made the book so much more enjoyable.
This is the first book in The Minokee Mysteries series. It is a standalone story with no cliffhanger ending.
Here, Miranda has moved to a small town after inheriting a house from her aunt. The problem - Miranda is a wallflower - literally. No one remembers her or notices her - she is just part of the background. One day, Miranda sees a very attractive jogger, Shepard - who notices her, even though he is blind. Shepard is a host of a radio show - which covers conspiracies - and has a great guide dog in Dave. Miranda wonders what this man could possibly see in her - invisible to everyone Miranda.
From the blurb, I thought this was going to be light-hearted and comical - and it was but it is so much more. This book really doesn't fit into a box - it has romance, a dog, a mystery, political intrigue, humanity, and comedy. The characters of Shepard and Miranda tug at your heart and Dave - Dave will break your heart! The evolving relationship between Miranda and Shep is realistic, enjoyable and fun. This book is well-written and paced. I absolutely loved this book. Highly recommend!
I listened to this book - the narrator was fantastic. He has a smooth deep voice - which is exactly how I believe based on the description, Shep should sound. However, he also does voices for all of the characters - and it was great how timid the voice of Miranda was at the beginning and then slowly changed as she got more courageous. His narration was a compliment to the written word and made the book so much more enjoyable.
March 7, 2020
I have had this read pending for a while, and once I started, I had to see it through. I was lucky to have both the first and second with me and could read them in order. This book is the first in the series and introduces us to some very endearing characters. We have Miranda who is lost in the crowd, she is used to being invisible, and her neighbour seems to have made a decision to change that. Shep and his dog Dave are the lead investigators of the 'case' in the storyline. There is something shady going on in their city as well as state and Shep may have the keys to unlocking it. I do not want to say more because there were revelations that were laid out at just the right time and that timing provided the punch lines for jokes I did not even realise they had begun to tell.
The character growth of Miranda through the trials that she and Shep face in the book was very believable and did account for some of the vocal cheerings I did.
It's a simple story with a small cast and had unexpected twists which I do not usually expect from a book in this genre. I shed tears with the people involved and found the snappy conversations a treat and really looked forward to revisiting them all.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
The character growth of Miranda through the trials that she and Shep face in the book was very believable and did account for some of the vocal cheerings I did.
It's a simple story with a small cast and had unexpected twists which I do not usually expect from a book in this genre. I shed tears with the people involved and found the snappy conversations a treat and really looked forward to revisiting them all.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
August 12, 2019
I received a free copy of FINDING MIRANDA (Book 1 of the Minokee Mysteries) by Iris Chacon in exchange for an honest review. Miranda Ogilvy is used to being forgettable. People forget her after meeting her; people who see her frequently don’t notice when she doesn’t show up; those same people forget her name; even the DMV can’t pay her attention long enough to get a viable identification photograph. When Miranda inherits her aunt’s house, she moves to Minokee where she takes over her aunt’s job at the library. To Miranda’s surprise, she’s been noticed by the people in her neighborhood. The cadre of neighbor ladies who have coffee out on their porches every morning act like they already know her. Shepard Krausse, Miranda’s backdoor neighbor and the eye candy reason why coffee on the front porch is so popular, also notices Miranda. Miranda finally has a community and, possibly, a handsome love interest, so she’s happy. However, Shep’s got a family secret that puts both him and Miranda in danger.
I liked this book. It was a cozy mystery and clean romance. I found it very entertaining. I liked Miranda a lot; she had a healthy attitude about her problems.
#FindingMiranda #NetGalley
I liked this book. It was a cozy mystery and clean romance. I found it very entertaining. I liked Miranda a lot; she had a healthy attitude about her problems.
#FindingMiranda #NetGalley
November 18, 2017
( Format : audiobook )
"She knew a scary woman when she saw one."
Had this reader noticed that Finding Miranda was billed as a romance, I almost certainly wouldn't have listened to it - and what a loss that would have been. Yes, it is a love story: the girl no one can see until a gorgeous hunk discovers her hiding behind a castor bean plant, and she, like all the other ladies in Magnolia Street, joins the daily coffee ritual watching him and his giant dog jog past.
It is above all a laugh out loud comedy mixed with mystery, thrills, dastardly deeds and pathos.
Brilliant characterisation, too, especially the dog!
Narrator Joshua Bennington is, quite simply put, superb. And, like the book, extremely quirky, with an unconventional drawling reading, with odd gaps and accents, deep voice and great intonation. It fits the delightfully odd story to perfection. Oh, and special mention must be made of the wonderful doggy 'Groofs'. The addition of an occasional harmonica rift between chapters is the final cherry on the cake.
Ignore the 'romance' label. Weird, wonderful and gloriously funny, this is a book not to be missed
"She knew a scary woman when she saw one."
Had this reader noticed that Finding Miranda was billed as a romance, I almost certainly wouldn't have listened to it - and what a loss that would have been. Yes, it is a love story: the girl no one can see until a gorgeous hunk discovers her hiding behind a castor bean plant, and she, like all the other ladies in Magnolia Street, joins the daily coffee ritual watching him and his giant dog jog past.
It is above all a laugh out loud comedy mixed with mystery, thrills, dastardly deeds and pathos.
Brilliant characterisation, too, especially the dog!
Narrator Joshua Bennington is, quite simply put, superb. And, like the book, extremely quirky, with an unconventional drawling reading, with odd gaps and accents, deep voice and great intonation. It fits the delightfully odd story to perfection. Oh, and special mention must be made of the wonderful doggy 'Groofs'. The addition of an occasional harmonica rift between chapters is the final cherry on the cake.
Ignore the 'romance' label. Weird, wonderful and gloriously funny, this is a book not to be missed
August 11, 2019
Finding Miranda is a thriller with mystery elements, and romance and humor. Miranda is a person who isn’t been seen by others. She moved from Maine to Minokee, a little place in the forest with nice neighbors'. The house belonged to here aunt Phyllis (who’s dead now), and Miranda’s job in the library was also aunt Phyllis’. The backside neighbor is Shepard and his dog Dave. He is a DJ at a local radio station, but the conspiracy theories he’s talking about, are bringing him in great danger. And now he is getting friends with Miranda and she is in danger too.
It’s a funny story with al lot of humor in the dialogs. The story is going rather slowly, but that’s probably a way tot learn al lot about Miranda and Shepard. An explosive twist sets their life's upside down. The story introduces al lot of other characters, like the neighbors in Minokee and the family of Shepard. Also funny is the way the dialogs of miss Martha and Pietro are written. Both in the way they speak, Miss Martha with her own dialect en Pietro with his great Italian way of speaking.
It’s a great first part of a new series Minokee murder books and I’m looking forward to part 2.
It’s a funny story with al lot of humor in the dialogs. The story is going rather slowly, but that’s probably a way tot learn al lot about Miranda and Shepard. An explosive twist sets their life's upside down. The story introduces al lot of other characters, like the neighbors in Minokee and the family of Shepard. Also funny is the way the dialogs of miss Martha and Pietro are written. Both in the way they speak, Miss Martha with her own dialect en Pietro with his great Italian way of speaking.
It’s a great first part of a new series Minokee murder books and I’m looking forward to part 2.
September 19, 2019
Finding Miranda is a thriller with mystery elements, and romance and humor. Miranda is a person who isn’t been seen by others. She moved from Maine to Minokee, a little place in the forest with nice neighbors'. The house belonged to here aunt Phyllis (who’s dead now), and Miranda’s job in the library was also aunt Phyllis’. The backside neighbor is Shepard and his dog Dave. He is a DJ at a local radio station, but the conspiracy theories he’s talking about, are bringing him in great danger. And now he is getting friends with Miranda and she is in danger too.
It’s a funny story with al lot of humor in the dialogs. The story is going rather slowly, but that’s probably a way tot learn al lot about Miranda and Shepard. An explosive twist sets their life's upside down. The story introduces al lot of other characters, like the neighbors in Minokee and the family of Shepard. Also funny is the way the dialogs of miss Martha and Pietro are written. Both in the way they speak, Miss Martha with her own dialect en Pietro with his great Italian way of speaking.
It’s a great first part of a new series Minokee murder books and I’m looking forward to part 2.
It’s a funny story with al lot of humor in the dialogs. The story is going rather slowly, but that’s probably a way tot learn al lot about Miranda and Shepard. An explosive twist sets their life's upside down. The story introduces al lot of other characters, like the neighbors in Minokee and the family of Shepard. Also funny is the way the dialogs of miss Martha and Pietro are written. Both in the way they speak, Miss Martha with her own dialect en Pietro with his great Italian way of speaking.
It’s a great first part of a new series Minokee murder books and I’m looking forward to part 2.
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