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In my continued quest to read caper-style mysteries as inspiration for my current work-in-progress, I stumbled upon this one by C. J. Wray and absolutely loved it. Josephine, Penny and their nephew Archie had me laughing and crying throughout this romp. Each is a lovable character that you can easily follow through whatever adventure they become embroiled in.
Told in a dual timeline, the story begins with Archie trying to corral his two ninety-year-old aunts from lunch out to a ceremony meant to honor them for their service during WWII. Along the way we realize that the younger of the two sisters, Penny, might be a kleptomaniac. That is just the tip of the iceberg as Archie ponders all the excitements his aunts have brought to his life. From there, we are taken into the past when Josephine and Penny were both teenagers, enjoying a visit with their godparents in Paris, France months before the German invasion and occupation. Josephine is experiencing first love with a young Jewish refugee, while long-suffering younger sister Penny is just trying to keep from dying of boredom now that Josephine is too busy to spend time with.
Switching back and forth between the past and present kept the plot of the story intriguing. I was thoroughly engrossed in figuring out how all of the characters and plot threads would eventually come together. I, along with Penny, also constantly questioned which characters were on the side of right during the war years and what happened to their friends in France and the priceless jewels revealed to Penny and her sister one memorable afternoon before the war began. Just when I thought I'd begun to figure it all out, a new twist in the plot would occur.
This story truly contains it all, forbidden romance, jewel heists, plot twists, danger, and heartbreak, combined with lovable characters and loads of humor. If you love stories with all of these elements combined or have ever been a fan of Miss Marple, then you should add The Excitements to your must-read list.
For my September reads, I'll be reviewing some great books that feature ghosts and witches to get me ready for spooky season.
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