I thoroughly enjoyed Lavender House so was greatly anticipating The Bell in the Fog. Overall it was lackluster in comparison, which is probably on me for thinking the sequel can stand up to the original. I liked how we saw Mills’ progression as a PI with new offices above the Ruby, as well as the will-they-won’t-they flirtation with Gene. I also liked how we got a taste of what life was actually like during that time period, especially seeing the transition of ex-sailors into domestic life and the never ending police raids of the time. This was helpful for placing the reader in Mills’ world.
However, the overall plot was bland at best. I couldn’t care less about James, Danny, Donna, or even Helen. It felt like these characters were pulled out of a hat to push the plot device of diving into Evander’s past. I found that I didn’t quite care for his past because it was equally bland. All plot twists were predictable and I found myself not caring because I didn’t already care for the characters they involved. Where Lavender House shined was an intricate locked room mystery centered around a family where emotions ran wild. This helped build up the suspense and keep the reader on their toes.
The second book didn’t really read like a mystery but rather a repetitive series of events more akin with police work. While I like our main character, his inability to make smart choices or really have any personality in this one made it a solid 3/5. I’ll keep an eye out for the next in the series but I’ll keep my expectations lower than I had for this one.
However, the overall plot was bland at best. I couldn’t care less about James, Danny, Donna, or even Helen. It felt like these characters were pulled out of a hat to push the plot device of diving into Evander’s past. I found that I didn’t quite care for his past because it was equally bland. All plot twists were predictable and I found myself not caring because I didn’t already care for the characters they involved. Where Lavender House shined was an intricate locked room mystery centered around a family where emotions ran wild. This helped build up the suspense and keep the reader on their toes.
The second book didn’t really read like a mystery but rather a repetitive series of events more akin with police work. While I like our main character, his inability to make smart choices or really have any personality in this one made it a solid 3/5. I’ll keep an eye out for the next in the series but I’ll keep my expectations lower than I had for this one.