November Rain

While November Rain is the perfect title for a November read, it is actually the second book in this Canadian 'Paradise Cafe' mystery series. Normally, I read book series in order, but for some reason, I jumped from book 1 to 4 and now book 2. That said, I'm kind of glad I bypassed book 2 initially because it's my least favourite book of the series. 

This time out the cafe and its guests/workers take a backseat as the story focuses on two cases - a suspicious suicide and the murder of a garment factory supervisor. With two cases, there were a lot of characters to keep track of and the plot felt sluggish for much of the page time. There was also a bit too much serendipity with the link between the two cases (especially in a city the size of Toronto in the 1930's) and how Charlotte was so willingly pulled into the investigation by the police. Convenient for the plot, but not very believable. 

The strength of this book is Jenning's descriptions of 1930's Toronto. I love recognizing intersections, neighbourhoods and getting the general vibe of the city in that era. I also appreciate how Jennings illustrates the experiences of soldiers after fighting in WWI and how poorly they were treated by those they risked their lives for.

Overall, this murder mystery fell flat for me with not enough tension, too many characters and a plot that seemed to just doddle along.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for a complimentary paperback copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Maureen Jennings

Genre: Historical Mystery, Canadian

Series: Paradise Cafe 2

Type and Source: Trade Paperback from publisher

Publisher: Cormorant Books

First Published: January 1, 2020

Read: Nov 8-10, 2025

Book Description from GoodReads: Charlotte Frayne's boss, Mr. Gilmore, travels to Europe in the fall of 1936 on a mysterious trip, leaving her in charge of the detective agency. The redoubtable Mrs. Jessop hires Charlotte to investigate the untimely death of her son, a disfigured and injured veteran of the Great War. The police ruled it a suicide, but Mrs. Jessop doesn't agree and wants Charlotte to find out what really happened.

On the same day, Charlotte is hired to infiltrate a small women's wear manufacturer to uncover communist agitators the owner believes are responsible for the labour unrest in his company. When the factory supervisor is discovered murdered on the job the same day Charlotte turns up for her first shift at Ladies' Superior Clothing, she finds herself seconded by the police in their investigations.

The November clouds darken and Charlotte is left to struggle to solve two mysteries at the same time-until they intersect.