Title: Venus Rising
Author: Tammy D. Walker
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Book Blurb:
Almost as soon as recent divorcee Amy Morrison begins her dream job as librarian aboard the world's most expensive luxury cruise liner, she nearly sinks it. She's tasked with hosting the debut of a painting celebrated but hidden for nearly sixty years. But the artist claims the painting isn't hers. And then, the artist goes missing. With the help of a retired academic couple lecturing aboard the ship, a dashing IT manager, and a housekeeping staff with a love of literature, Amy tries to solve the art fraud and kidnapping while rediscovering the adventurous side of herself.
A note from the author:
I just signed a contract with The Wild Rose Press for a follow-up novel to Venus Rising titled Down to Earth. In the new novel, Amy's older sister Stacey solves the mystery of a fallen radio antenna while trying to balance life on her farm, her work for a local wine and pecan festival, and her concerns about her daughter's eagerness to leave their small Texas hometown.
My Review:
What could possibly be more fun to read than a cozy mystery?
How about one that takes place on a luxury cruise line?
That’s where we meet Amy Morrison, ship librarian, right before the unveiling of a celebrated work of art that hasn’t been viewed by the public in sixty years. When the painting is revealed, the aging artist claims it’s not her work. Amy sets out to find the truth.
This story has many delicious layers. First, there are the missing painting, and later, the missing artist. Amy teams with a married couple, retired professors, and lecturers on the ship, to piece together the puzzle. They’re a delightful pair who care for her and, oh, they harbor an illegal cat.
We meet members of the crew who crave books and smuggle them out of the library. Amy cuts repeated deals—a bit of information for the promise of the purchase of their favorite books. Her encounters with these characters are charming.
Kevin, the IT manager, sorts out her internet problems reluctantly, at first. But soon, the two are working together to find the truth over lunch and a friendship forms.
What I love most about this story, though, is the way the author deftly weaves the action in with Amy’s backstory. A woman in her mid-forties, she’s a bundle of emotions every woman can relate to. She’s recently divorced and mulling that over. She’s also dealing with her feelings as her only son went off to college while she started her new job on the cruise line.
Venus Rising is everything a cozy mystery should be—and more.
My Rating: 5 stars
Buy it Now:
Author Biography:
Tammy D. Walker writes mysteries, poetry, and science fiction. Her debut cozy mystery, Venus Rising, was published by The Wild Rose Press in 2023. As T.D. Walker, she’s the author of three poetry collections, most recently Doubt & Circuitry (Southern Arizona Press, 2023). When she’s not writing, she’s probably reading, trying to find far-away stations on her shortwave radios, or enjoying tea and scones with her family. Find out more at her website: https://www.tammydwalker.com
Social Media Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tdwalker_/
Reviewed by: Terry