When it’s possible, I enjoy toggling between a book and its audio version. That way I can read when I have time and listen while on walks, etc. This is a system that works well for me and one that I was able to employ with this historical mystery. It is part of a series, with three titles having been released thus far.

Readers will enjoy getting to know Olive. She may just have been given an appropriate surname as she will needs her intelligence in working through the events of the story.

It is WWII. Olive’s close friend George has joined the Air Force while Olive remains (stuck) in her small village. She is helping out her father, a vet, but would like to do so much more. Her hope is that she will find an assignment with her pigeons. Well, happily for Olive and the reader, there is work to be done, quite a bit actually.

Olive becomes involved in a secret project. She also investigates the death of a local busy body.

Here is such an enjoyable read/listen. It is just perfect for fans of historical mysteries. I will definitely read and/or listen others in the series. The narration of the audio book is sport on and easy to follow.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books and Tantor Audio for this title. All opinions are my own.

All is Not Quiet on the Homefront

Audiobook Review:
I quite liked this book through the beginning to at least 75% way through. I love books that take place in a small town and especially ones that happen during a pivotal moment in history. There is something about seeing what happens on the homefront during times of war. This one takes place in small-town England at the start of the second world war. At first, the book seemed to be simply caught up in the minor comedies and tragedies that beset small-town life, especially during war. As a massive Jane Austen fan, I appreciated all the Jane Austen references and even the fact that the town was going to put on a play of Pride and Prejudice. I found the pigeoneer aspect fascinating as well. Pigeons certainly did have a role in early 20th century wars. Unfortunately, I thought this book lacked in particular areas. The heroine, the eponymous Olive Bright of the book's title, came across as headstrong and reckless, and I found her a bit tedious at times. I think at least some of that was the fault of the narrator and the way she voiced the character as strident, especially when talking to Captain Aldridge. I also felt the book was too focused on the cozy aspect of “cozy mystery” rather than the mysteries. In fact, the mysteries seemed nearly irrelevant until the end. For me as the reader/listener, I didn't feel like there were enough clues to figure out the blackmailer and the murderer. I also felt like the author rushed the end with a lot of plot strings left dangling. The semi-sum-up in the final chapter didn't quite do it for me. Much of what was discussed through the book we never got to see happen or end satisfactorily, like Olive becoming FANY, the play, the perhaps budding enemies-to-lovers romance between Olive and the captain, and even more of the pigeons work. We never even learn Captain Aldridge’s real name! I don't know if this is supposed to be the start of a series, but I ended up disappointed because the book did not feel truly tied up to me.

Olive Bright, Pigeoneer is a pleasant historical mystery set in World War II by Stephanie Graves. If you're not familiar with Ms. Graves, you may be with her work under the name Alyssa Goodnight. I listened to the audiobook version, which was narrated by Rachael Beresford. Though not an exciting mystery, I enjoyed the story as I drove to and from work.

Olive Bright is a young woman living in the small village of Pipley in Hertfordshire, England. She helps her father in his veterinary practice, but primary takes care of her racing pigeons at the family's Bright Lofts. They keep hoping their loft will be chosen by the National Pigeon Service (NPS) to use their birds to deliver coded messages for His Majesty's Forces , but it doesn't look likely. Since her best friend George joined the Royal Air Force, Olive is feeling a bit left behind, especially as she wants to somehow do her part for the war effort. When two men arrive at the loft, Olive believes they are from the NPS; however, Jameson Aldridge and his partner are tied to a covert British intelligence organization known as Baker Street. They want to use the loft's services, but it must be done in secret, and Olive agrees. Meanwhile, Pipley's resident busybody, Miss Husselbee, is found murdered outside at Bright Lofts. Is this connected to Olive's new job, or has the busybody met her comeuppance?

Since this book had the word "pigeoneer" in the title, I was expecting this story to mainly be about the role of pigeons in the war effort. I was really excited about learning more about this topic as it was totally unfamiliar to me. However, the story mostly revolved around Olive's investigation into the murder of Miss Husselbee. Olive was a big fan of Agatha Christie's novels, and she and George liked to investigate growing up. With George gone she hoped for help from Jameson, but he wanted Olive to leave it alone. Yet she persisted, and soon was also investigating blackmail in addition to murder. Olive was a fun heroine, and the brooding, mysterious Jameson was intriguing. It was an entertaining mystery, just not the pigeoneering I was expecting. The narration by Ms. Beresford was nicely done and I think she did very well with both male and female characters. Her speech was so slow, however, and I was beginning to think I'd never get done with the book. When I sped up the narration to 1.25 percent, however, the speed was perfect. It's an entertaining story...just don't be expecting lots of pigeons.

I received an ARC of this audiobook courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Olive Bright, Pigeoneer by Stephanie Graves is an entertaining story set during WWII. The story follows the title character, Olive, as she yearns to help the war effort in some way that feels meaningful and worthwhile. She was raised on stories of her late mother's heroics during the first world war and wants to live up to her memory. Her best friend George and her older brother have both left for the front lines and she only wants to do her bit. She would love for her pigeons to be called into service carrying messages for the National Pigeon Service, but as of yet they have not come to call. Instead, Baker Street, a secret organization also known as Station 17, comes calling, along with Captain Jameson Allred. If Olive wants her pigeons to be of service, she must do so through Baker Street, and in complete and total secret. In order to perpetuate this secret, she must pretend to be in a relationship with the good captain himself, something both of them have a hard time with! When the local busybody is found dead outside of Olive's pigeon loft, even more craziness ensues. Was she poisoned, as Olive believes? And who is blackmailing people now? Fancying herself the next great detective, Olive sets out to find the answers. But, she might get more than she bargained for. Filled with twists and turns, laughs and adventure, Olive Bright, Pigeoneer is an engaging read for fans of historical fiction. I had the pleasure of listening to it on audio and it did not disappoint! Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to and review this story. #OliveBright #Pigeons #Bookstagram #all_the_pages

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of Olive Bright, Pigeoneer by Stephanie Graves. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this audio book prior to publication. My opinion are my own, and no one has influenced them.

Olive Bright, Pigeoneer is set in a sleepy British village during WWII. I listened to the audio and struggled with focusing on the story. The characters didn’t pull me in, and the pacing is slow. I am being kind in giving it three crowns. Normally, I thoroughly enjoy novel set during WWII, and found the premise of carrier pigeons intriguing, so I truly wanted to like this book.

Olive Bright’s character is extremely impulsive and determined to break the rules to such an extent, it kept me from liking her. She seemed much younger than her age. Her willingness to deceive her father did not sit well with me.

This was supposed to be a mystery, but it never pulled me in as this genre usually does. While there is murder, spying, and some suspense, it fell flat for me, but that may not be the case for others. Reading is subjective, and what appeals to one reader doe not to another. I fell in that second category. Happy reading and listening!

The narrator has a wonderful, expressive voice. She is able to do variations to distinguish between characters well. As an American, I had a few moments when I had to replay a sentence to understand what she said due to British pronunciations for some words being quite different from American ones.

The story starts off at full speed with Olive dealing with a deploying friend, her ailing step mother, a temperamental father, small minds in a small town and general wartime stresses.

Many interesting characters (soon to be suspects) are introduced. The town busybody is murdered just after Olive is inducted into a secret agency supplying carrier pigeons to undercover agents on the continent.

In order to create a cover for her many comings and goings, not to mention the dishy gentleman who she is frequently liasing with, she and her contact at the agency form a faux courtship.

Very engaging. The plot twisted and turned and kept you guessing until the end.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* so, i used my points to get this book on bookishfirst, uh, first, and ended up received the audio from netgalley. i bumped this book up to a 4 (tho its a 3.5) because tho it was somewhere in between a historical fiction and a mystery, the audio was pretty good and the print copy i got from bookfirst came with a bunch of cool little trinket things

Unfortunately this audiobook was sucked out of my Netgalley app before I was finished listening to it, so this review is just on the part I was able to hear.

The narrator has an accented, but easy to understand voice. She speaks a bit slow, but this can be remedied by speeding up the playback. Her accent veers a little to much to 'English governess/finishing school' for my taste Also, I'm not sure if it is right for the character of Olive who is supposed to be from a small village in England..

This review relates to the audiobook narration only as I was unable to finish the book. 3.5/5

historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, cosy-mystery, England, murder, family-dynamics, friendship, romantic, amateur-sleuth****

Olive Bright is a pigeoneer, and she does train her pigeons to be of covert service to Britain during early World War II not The Great War as was more usual. She becomes an amateur sleuth as well when a local gossip is poisoned.
Sorry, but I thought that the narrator was not really engaged in the project. I have enjoyed her narrations of other books, so I was disappointed this time.
I requested and received a free audiobook from Kensington Books via NetGalley.
I was very disappointed that it was archived when I was only halfway through listening.
If you care to read a novel about the British Pigeon Service I heartily recommend The Long Flight Home by Alan Hlad also by Kensington Books.

Olive Bright, Pigeoneer by Stephanie Graves
Narrated By: Rachael Beresford
Publication Date: December 29, 2020 - Out Now!
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Description from NetGalley...
“Though war rages across mainland Europe and London is strafed by German aircraft, the little village of Pipley in Hertfordshire bustles along much as it always has. Adrift since her best friend, George, joined the Royal Air Force, twenty-two-year-old Olive Bright fills her days by helping at her father's veterinary practice and tending to her beloved racing pigeons. Desperate to do her bit, Olive hopes that the National Pigeon Service will enlist Bright Lofts' expertise, and use their highly trained birds to deliver critical, coded messages for His Majesty's Forces.

The strangers who arrive in Pipley are not from the NPS. Instead, Jameson Aldridge and his associate are tied to a covert British intelligence organization known as Baker Street. If Olive wants her pigeons to help the war effort, she must do so in complete secrecy. Tired of living vicariously through the characters of her beloved Agatha Christie novels, Olive readily agrees.

But in the midst of her subterfuge, the village of Pipley is dealing with another mystery. Local busybody Miss Husselbee is found dead outside Olive's pigeon loft. Is the murder tied to Olive's new assignment? Or did Miss Husselbee finally succeed in ferreting out a secret shameful enough to kill for?”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @tantoraudio @kensingtonbooks for the audiobook ALC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
In general the narrator was good enough for me to continue listening. The story itself kept me interested. I really liked how Olive kept referring to her favourite detective, Hercule Poirot that it became more “WWHPD?” What Would Hercules Poirot Do? throughout the book, funnily enough the story was more a Miss Marple type as it was more a cozy village mystery with a group of eccentric characters. A WWII story that centered on pigeons that I felt was a fresh take on historical fiction. I really enjoyed this because I have not read any historical fiction centering on the roles of pigeons in the wars. I also felt there was a budding romance that I would like to read more about.
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The book was written well enough that I did a mini research on war pigeons. I learned that the Racing Homer breed of Carrier pigeons was the one used to carry messages in both the World Wars. One RAF pigeon flew 22 miles in 22 minutes that delivered a message to rescue two seaplanes. And about 32 pigeons were given medals for their roles in the wars.

As someone who listens to many audiobooks [due to issues with my eyes], I have discovered I am very particular about my narrators. And while the narrator was actually good in some ways [she sounded English and spoke well], her delivery was extremely slow and her inflections were practically nonexistent, which made for a rather bland listening experience, especially in parts that should have been more of an edge of the seat kind of reading rather than a bland, monotone delivery. I am afraid I was rather disappointed with this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.