4.5 Hoots!
The Dummy Did It is book three in the Mrs. Avery Adventures series and once again Williams bring the magic back! I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advanced copy of this book (don’t worry, that never affects my ratings of books) and it I devoured it in one sitting. One of the things that I really enjoy about this series is that you can really finish then in a short amount of time. I love waking up an a weekend and just starting it with a good book, and that is exactly what you get with this book!
Once again Piper finds her way into a crime scene, she really just does not get a break. A kind and wealthy gentlemen has invited her into his home to view his sculptures so that she can showcase them in her galley. When she is finally lead into his office his body is laying on the ground and his prized dummy has a note pinned to him stating “the dummy did it!”. That note really just creeped me out. Who would be so heartless that they would kill a man and dishonor his puppet like that? Oh I probably should mention that he would use that puppet to read stories to the local children…again, he was a kind man.
Of course the police arrive, but not before Piper gets and even more surprising shock…her son is here and he is comforting the granddaughter of the victim. Why is he here and how does he know everyone so well? What was really going on in this mansion, and who could have possibly wanted this man to die?
I love this series, all of the characters are written so well. Even the two dogs in this book are given a fantastic personality. Piper is the main protagonist and I love that she is not some young 20 something who is just throwing herself into the line of fire. She is a smart woman who has a keen eye and amazing problem solving skills. I mean seriously, I love seeing how she pieces everything together in these books. The only reason that this book did not get 5 stars is because I was able to figure out who was behind everything rather quickly. It did seem a little obvious but I really enjoyed all of the red herrings that Williams threw at the reader.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Williams really knows how to bring each of her characters to life and you really do end up being invested in their lives. Yes, with each book you get some new characters, but you also get to revisit some of the other people in the town. I really love that because it helps make this world a lot more real. If you are looking for a new cozy mystery to read, I strongly recommend this series!
The Owl's Book Nest 