If you are looking for a light-hearted mystery, look no further than the newest Cambria Clyne book by Erin Huss. This is the third book in the series, but the author does a fantastic job of not alienating new readers.
(Side note #1: That’s one of my pet peeves. I totally appreciate an author who can slyly reference previous books and makes me want to read them to see what I’ve missed. I dislike authors who make so many references that I feel like I need to stop reading and get previous books just to catch up. This book is 100% the former)
From Cambria’s 3 year old who yells at her in Vietnamese (thanks to her erstwhile babysitters the Nguyens) to the quirky tenants of the apartment complexes, the book is filled with well-written characters. The plot is fast paced and detailed, but never feels heavy. The author seems to speak from experience when it comes to property management.
(Side note #2: I worked at an 840-unit apartment complex for a few years when I was in college. Tenants not knowing what constitutes an emergency, busybodies, and all of the other quirks mentioned in this book are absolutely true to form.)
This book just released today, but the first two are currently on sale for 99 cents each. I highly recommend grabbing these while you can; you’ll be glad you started the series! (Links are at the bottom of this post)
Following is my Goodreads review:
This light-hearted mystery was super-fun to read. Cambria is a heroine I can really get behind. She’s witty, self-deprecating, and kind of a mess, but she’s also good-hearted and smart. The plot clipped along at a good pace. The characters were vibrant and real. I especially liked the tone of the book. I was very much reminded of the TV show “Psych” as I was reading; it had that clever-but-not-serious vibe to it that I really love (the 3 year old’s temper tantrum in Vietnamese about killed me). This is the first of the series that I have read, but the author smartly does not make arcane references; she mentioned just enough that made me want to go back and buy the previous two (which I did). Also, having worked at an 840-unit apartment complex, I can verify that everything Cambria says about property management and tenants is absolutely true! A delightful series that I am glad to have found. I received a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
