By Kathleen Ernst
Chloe Ellefson series #3
Midnight Ink, 2017
Summary
Chloe Ellefson is excited to be learning about Wisconsin’s Cornish immigrants and mining history while on temporary assignment at Pendarvis, a historic site in charming Mineral Point. But when her boyfriend, police officer Roelke McKenna, discovers long-buried human remains in the root cellar of an old Cornish cottage, Chloe reluctantly agrees to mine the historical record for answers.
She soon finds herself in the center of a heated and deadly controversy that threatens to close Pendarvis. While struggling to help the historic site, Chloe must unearth dark secrets, past and present . . . before a killer comes to bury her.
My thoughts
Mining for Justice is an outstanding story in an equally outstanding series, one that has quickly become a favorite of mine. These stories with a strong historical flavor are thoroughly entertaining. Ernst’s intelligent writing flows effortlessly, characters are well developed, and the engrossing plot has emotional depth. Third in series, it easily stands alone.
Chloe Ellefson, curator at the outdoor ethnic museum, Old World Wisconsin, is such an appealing character. I’m fascinated by how she occasionally perceives lingering emotions in old structures. The discovery of skeletal remains in a root cellar of a cottage in the Cornish mining village of Pendarvis leads to a dual timeline, and I was drawn to 1827 Cornwall in the story of 11-year-old bal maiden, Mary Pascoe.
Historical elements can sometimes be boring or overpower a story, but not so here. Instead, the historical background breathes life into the storyline and characters. I also love watching the relationship between Chloe and Roelke grow. Strong secondary characters also add richness and depth. I hope this series continues for a long time.
Highly recommended.
I was provided a free copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
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Kathleen has also written many mysteries for young readers. Honors for her work include a LOVEY Award and Agatha and Edgar nominations. Kathleen lives and writes in Wisconsin.
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I'm not familiar with Mining for Justice by Kathleen Ernst. I enjoyed the review and will check out this author and her books. I know I will enjoy the historical aspect of this story.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your hospitality, and for the lovely review! I love having the opportunity to explore and imagine the lives of everyday people, now long gone.
ReplyDeleteBeing unfamiliar with Cornish immigrants, I'd love to read this book, which you so highly recommend.
ReplyDeleteI've never read any of your books, Kathleen, but I'm really excited to be introduced to them! I'm a Michigander so I'm interested in learning more about the Cornish immigrants in the area!
ReplyDeleteI have read all the books in this series and love it! I wouldn't really categorize it as a cozy mystery though. I think of cozies as being light, easy reading but this series has richly developed characters and isn't a fluff piece. I do enjoy cozies but I think their is a lot more to this series than a typical cozy mystery.
ReplyDeleteSue, thank you for sharing your thoughts, and I totally agree with you. Sometimes it's hard to fit a book into one particular category. While Mining for Justice has the cozy elements of small-town setting, murder off screen, and amateur crime solver, it has much more seriousness, depth, and complexity than the typical cozy. Yet it doesn't have the grittiness or violence of more traditional mysteries.
DeleteThanks for pointing that out, Sue. I crave character depth and this is one of my favorite series.
I have never read any of Kathleen's books. I was looking for a new series to read and came across the giveaway for Mining for Justice. After reading Carole's blog on the book I decided I needed to read this. I'm interested in the Cornish communities and thought I will learn a lot from reading this book and maybe others in the series. My favorite genre are cozy mysteries. This book will give me that as well as a lot more. Definitely have added it to my want to read list on Goodreads.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a wonderful book. Excellent blog, as well :)
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