Miss Fortune by Sara Mills is a book that I’m rather excited about. It’s pegged as “Christian fiction” but I’d peg it more as just being “clean fiction” which I heartily appreciated!
The main protagonist in this story is Allie Fortune, the only female private eye in New York City, 1947. In the opening chapters you can almost visualize Humphrey Bogart or something. Drawn blinds, flickering electric lights, 1940’s fashion, danger, intrigue and peeling paint on old office walls. The setting Mills gives to her story is true classic appeal. You feel like you are watching a classic movie complete with a few outrageous scenarios that Hollywood liked to throw people’s way including burly Soviet Spies racing against time and East German agents. It’s seriously good stuff. I enjoyed myself while hunting down stolen gold treasures and long lost beaus. It almost has a Nancy-Drew-A-Little-Bit-More-Grown-Up feel to it.
Sara Mills is also a fan of puns which is a fact easily gathered by the title of the book and name of her main character. If you like mysteries, classic movies, clean reads and good fun – high tail it to your local bookstore and snatch up a copy of Miss Fortune. Then, once you are done reading this one, you will no doubt feel compelled, just as I was, to read the sequel, Miss Matched.
Miss Match picks up where Miss Fortune left off and it also leaves in you in a position of waiting for the third book to come out. (This is a serious I can see myself being devoted to for the duration.) If it’s possible, Mills writing style has improved dramatically from first to second book and I enjoyed the second book even more than its predecessor.
Allie is an unmarried, marriageable kinda gal in the 1940’s with a mother who would desperately like to see her little girl settle down into the care and management of a home. The relationship between Allie and her mother reminds me very much of Lauroli and her mother in The Gilmore Girls (i.e., refined and cultured mother with some bitterness and humor vs. the young twerp that you can’t help but love). Sarcasm reigns supreme a few times here and I felt like I was watching a (cleaner) episode of Gilmore Girls and I liked that.
Miss Match goes at a much faster pace and I was intrigued from page one until the very end. I’m about to name this a “must read” mystery series just because it’s so much fun. Looking for a new clean, classic and fun mystery? Look no further, folks! This is it. I’m jumpin’ on the bandwagon and intend to ride around for awhile.
As if all of this news, informing you of this book, wasn’t great enough, the good news just get better! Moody Publishers, publishers of the Allie Fortune Mysteries, have offered to give away two sets of these two books to one of you readers. Again, TWO sets of the books will be given away to two separate individuals (U.S. Residents only, please).
To win – leave a comment below. We’ll announce the winners in next week’s column.
As a P.S., I was initially drawn to this book because of the cover art which is so perfectly 1940’s. I love the 40’s and knew this series would be a perfect fit for me.
The winner of last week’s giveaway of The Household Guide to Dying is #17 Stacie.
Other current giveaways include the Latino Books Month giveaway of five books.
Carrie comes by her book obsession honestly, having descended from a long line of bibliophiles. She blogs about books regularly at Reading to Know.
Jen says
I would love to win these. I love reading!!
Carol Lawrence says
This is great, a new heroine to follow and it’s set in a new era,the 40’s,enter me.
C. flanigan says
Oh this is so perfect…my favorite kind of book! Pick me, PRETTY PLEASE!!! 🙂
Susan C says
I love clean fiction too, especially in a mystery!
scottsgal says
Sound like great books for the summer!
thanks for the giveaway
michele anne says
books are great things….want to win
pag says
sounds like good books would like to win them
Susan Smith says
Looks like a good book
Adrian Lamont says
Sounds like great books, please count me in.
Molly Capel says
YAY! New books! I hope I win.
Erma says
I would love the chance to win, thanks.
Claire says
These look interesting, thank you!
Cynthia Mercado says
I would like to add this set to my collection.
mercsmercado at yahoo dot com
stephanie says
These look great. 🙂
Melanie says
I love mysteries, so these would be great for me.
Jennifer says
I would like to win
Laura G says
this sounds like my kind of book.
Ed Nemmers says
Happy Monday!
christopher h says
sounds like a good idea
christina says
Thanks for the giveaway!
kim v says
Thanks for the giveaway!
Kimspam66(at)yahoo(dot)com
Lisa Taylor says
I would love to read these Please enter me
Christina says
These sound like very intriguing books! I’d give the second set to my niece! Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!
Miranda Allen says
Looks like a great read
Auriette says
I love the idea of a book I can pass on to my mom without worrying that something’s going to offend her. I think she skips over some of the racier and raunchier stuff in most books, but it would be nice to have a book that we can both read cover to cover without embarrassment.
Gabriel J. says
Great read, great contest!
Jessica Kaufman says
I would like to read these book also. Thanks for the giveaway.
Ann says
This series sounds like a lot of fun!
Kerry S. says
I checked these out of my library and really enjoyed both titles. I would love to win a copy of each for myself!
Linda Howard says
I love to read. Please enter me. Thanks!
kathy pease says
Thanks for the GREAT giveaway
please count me in 🙂
Lily Kwan says
Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!
Timothy Sternberg says
These sound like fun reads!
john ferris says
These sound lie really great boos to read.
Gianna says
Please enter me 🙂
Betty C says
This sounds like a great new find. I’d love to read this
Jason Nickolay says
I love a good mystery. Thanks for the chance
Lori Walker says
i’ve been waiting for a good series to come out! i’m excited
Renee G says
These both look great. Would love to read these.
rsgrandinetti(at)yahoo(dot)com
Jennifer Jozwiak says
I love to read and i’ve seen these books on a few book review websites. they sound like they’d be good reads!
Marcy Strahan says
I am a book worm! I would love to read these books!
Michelle H. says
I would love win.
Trin R says
Thanks for the oppurtunity to win these exciting books.
Helen says
I love a good mystery!
Kristin says
Off to see if my library has these!