Donna Mumma is a masterful story-teller. The Women of Wynton’s was engaging from the first page. I wish I was able to visit Wynton’s and have lunch with the ladies as they worked to unravel the mystery and solve a few murders.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

The '40s and '50s have always been particular favorite decades of mine, so I was excited to dive into this read! I learned a lot about department stores' heyday, and how one, at least, might have looked/felt/operated back then. We had a few gems of our own in Washington state--Nordstrom, the Bon Marche, and Frederick & Nelson come to mind--and those provided mental fodder for me as I read _The Women of Wynton's_.

Though the writing style frustrated me at times (allllllllll the similes--let the reader infer sometimes, too!), and I clued into the villain's identity semi-early in the read, the plot and character development were compelling enough to keep me reading. I enjoyed finding out the motive and seeing various loose ends tied up, and the world building was perhaps my favorite part. It reminded me of _Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris_, _The Devil Wears Prada_ (but much cleaner, thank goodness), and other fashion-themed books and movies.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley, Donna Mumma and Barbour Publishing for the ARC.

The story takes us back to the 1950s, to a world of elegance, high-fashion, and an unexpected sequence of murders. Audrey Penault, who is of a privileged background, works for Wynton Sr., at the high-end department store, Wynton’s. She is the epitome of fashion, elegance, and a perfectionist in her job, however she is also the subject of town’s rumor mill for the same reason, and is touted to be an arrogant and unkind boss. The moment we meet Audrey, it is clear that she is a “modern” woman, with beliefs and ideals that were “ahead of her times”, given her upbringing in an upper class suburb of Florida. She believes in equality for everyone, irrespective of gender and race, which marks her as a negative character in the eyes of several of her colleagues, particularly men, save for Mr. Wynton. She finds intellectual compatibility with him, much to the chagrin of Mr. Wynton’s son and daughter-in-law.

Audrey is quickly thrown into situations dealing with high-stake losses for Wynton’s, combined with a trail of murders, beginning with Mr. Wynton’s son. We are introduced to a panel of women, from varying walks of life, who are skeptical of Audrey and her intentions, and yet are forced to rethink their perspectives as the number of murders increase. The Women of Wynton’s embark on a journey which requires letting go of preconceived notions of others and each other, belief in their self-sufficiency, and looking beyond societal norms of what is expected of women in that era. Women of Wynton’s did a beautiful job capturing all these emotions and did its best in highlighting the societal problems of that era with commentary by characters who would be most affected by these norms. The author’s note at the end does a wonderful job of describing the “dedicate dance” that takes place in trying to balance maintenance of traditions, whilst being “progressive” during this era in the South. I believe the author did a commendable job of doing her best to give realistic details regarding the experiences of African Americans and women in this era, though in the 21st century, there is always a sense that more could be discussed. I give this book a 5 star review due to it fulfilling my requirements in what I consider a cozy mystery, with additional highlights of the glamours and reality of the 1950s era

*I received an ARC from NetGalley to honestly read and review this book*
This book had so much potential to be great. However, it did not live up to all it could be in my opinion. The first 50% of this book was so slow but it did eventually pick up the pace. The pacing of this book was off as well. I enjoyed parts of the book but felt there were some story lines that needed more information. There was a mean girl vibe to this book that I didn't really understand. Things would be said or done without any information to go along so the reader could understand what was going on. The "mystery" was not much of a mystery at all. However, I did enjoy the setting and I haven't read many books that take place in the '50's. The author did a great job of portraying that time period. We mainly follow Audrey, Gigi, Mary Jo, and Vivien at work. Mr. Wynton is the boss and someone is out to kill him. The people try to set Audrey up but she is too smart for them. Audrey & Vivien finally convince Gigi and Mary Jo to help them uncover those behind the plot to do away with Mr. Wynton.

This was a historical cozy mystery that takes place in a department store named Wynton’s in the 1950’s. I thought this setting was really fun and I liked meeting the various women that worked in the store. They were a fun group of ladies who had a passion for hard work and fashion. I liked our main protagonist Audrey, she was a fashionable former model who was also a smart cookie. I haven’t read too many books that take place in the 1950's so I enjoyed reading about this time period. The book deals with social issues at the time like race and gender inequality. It was done well and opened my eyes to things in our past I was unaware of. The mystery was well done, although a bit predictable by the 30% mark. I still had fun reading this book and would read from this author again.

Thank you Barbour Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Historical Mystery set in Florida 1955 in which four very different women team up to protect their employer and uncover who's killing off their fellow department store employees.

4/5 stars: This is the first entry in Mumma's Classy 1950s Mystery series which is a Historical Mystery set in 1955 Florida and is written in multiple POVs featuring four very different women: Audrey – a former model turned personal secretary, Mary Jo – a shy housewife, Vivian – bridal salon owner and designer and Gigi – a lunchroom waitress, who must work together to protect the beloved employer of the department store they all work for and uncover who's killing off their fellow department store employees. With plenty of twists and turns, Mumma has crafted a mystery that balances the suspects and weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings that will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Additionally, Mumma's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Each of the MCs hold their own and have distinct voices. It's great to see them come together despite their differences to figure out the mystery. Mumma touched on some sensitive topics, so take care and the CWs. This is a great start to a new series and I look forward to reading more.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing | Barbour Fiction in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

They say to never judge a book by it's cover, but with a beautiful cover like this one, how could I not?

Set in the 1950s, The Women of Wynton’s is a cozy mystery book that was delightful to read. I loved the mystery, I loved the setting, I loved the glimmer of romance, but not too heavy. The description of the settings and characters is what really captured my heart and the essence of this time period. I found myself imagining eating lunch with these women and so desperately wanting to dress up in the dresses they were wearing!

The reasons I hesitate in giving it five stars were that I did find it to be a bit slow in the beginning and there were a couple of times in the chapters where I was confused by the language and dialogue so I couldn’t figure out who was talking when. I also found some of the themes to feel a bit forced.

But overall, I give this book 4.5 stars and I felt like it was a fun read! I especially loved that it was a mystery but wasn’t too detailed or graphic on the mystery portion. I love mysteries but struggle when they describe too much in detail. I also loved that this book was squeaky clean in the romance department. No inappropriate scenes! Last but not least, I found this book to be a nice Christian read because it wasn’t cringey, stuffing Christian language down your throat, yet there were still some Christian themes throughout. I don’t know if it could specifically be classified as a Christian book, but I enjoyed that it didn’t contain any gross content and it wasn’t cringey.

*I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review*

A delightful who-dunnit that will keep you on the edge of your seat with all of its twists and turns. The character development will have you loving, hating, gasping and screaming at each one as the story unfolds. A solid reminder and conviction that gossip is rarely true or helpful, and that no one should be judged on shallow appearances. Great read! Highly recommend.

Four very different women work at Wynton’s Department Store in 1950s Florida. They aren’t friends, at first. In fact, Gigi badmouths Audrey every chance she gets. Mary Jo is skittish, unhappy about having to work outside the home, and easily influenced. Vivian is a bridal designer and a bit of a mystery. They rally together when Wynton’s and their jobs are under threat
At first, it seemed like too much backstabbing, but then the story picked up. The setting in the fifties makes it unique.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.

Wow, this was a fabulous book. I was pulled in within the first chapter. You’re taken back to the 1950s in a gossip-centered department store. There are four different POVs from four very different ladies. Usually, I wouldn’t say I like multiple POVs, but this was the exception. Audrey, Vivian, Mary Jo, and Gigi, all with different lives and personalities, come together to help solve murders and potential murders. Each character was so unique it kept me pulled in. I don’t want to put too much into this review cause I want people to experience it themselves.

Overall, this was a 5/5 star review. I was hooked and wanted to step into the world and help work with the ladies in this mystery. I also wish I could slap some characters and their attitudes, but I’ll leave that alone for now. Check this book out! I will be buying a physical copy for my library.

It's so refreshing to see more cozy mysteries popping up within the Christian fiction genre, and The Women of Wynton's was a fun, original story that I had a hard time wanting to put down. A mixture of mystery, combined with a women's fiction tale about the workforce in the 1950's, set amidst a backdrop of a fancy department store, this one was a definite winner in my eyes, and unlike anything I'd truly read before.

The reader follows four women across differing positions in Wynton's prestigious department story. Audrey is one of the head honcho's, and has had to deal with being at the center of the store's gossip for many years. Vivienne has been designing bridal gowns for more years than she can count, and has established her salon as one of the nation's most sought after. Gigi is a little down on her luck, and is desperate to move herself out of the cafeteria line up. And Mary Jo is a former homemaker, who due to situations outside her control has had find work on the shop floor at Wynton's. While the women don't seem to have much in common on the surface, they all have a desire to see justice served when murder and mayhem starts wrecking havoc on their beloved workplace. Working together, this unlikely group just might be able to achieve the impossible.

With strong female characters, a lovely setting, a well plotted mystery, and many important pieces of actual history woven into the narrative, The Women of Wynton's is a lovely read, and a wonderful treat for any fans of cozy mysteries. While the faith element is light, there is a beautiful emphasis on not judging others by misconceived perceptions, and how there's more to every one of us than first meets the eye.

While I felt the culprit was a little obvious, I still enjoyed the way the characters came together to see justice served, and how emphasis is put on friendship alongside the journey. It also speaks to the author's talent that she was able to have the story be told through four different POV's, without it ever being confusing to the reader.

All in all, this is a delightful read that I would wholeheartedly recommend, and I hope to read more from this author in the future. I also hope Barbour continues to publish more Christian cozy mysteries.

Lastly, I can't conclude my review without mentioning the stunning cover. It suits the story perfectly, and the design team did such a beautiful job.

Final Rating: 4/5.

Thanks so much to Barbour for allowing me to advance read and review this title.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Barbour) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

Review to come.

Love the cover✔️
Interesting description ✔️
New Author to me ✔️

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC ❤️

The Women of Wyntons are a very diverse group who work together to save their store and its owner. The four-Audrey, Vivienne, Mary Jo and Gigi- all work in different departments of the store. As strange things begin to happen they become concerned about the welfare of the store and Mr. Wynton who is a wonderful person to work for. His illness prevents him from taking a full role but are his son and daughter-in-law trustworthy? Dead bodies turning up at major store events has everyone concerned.
Will business drop until the store must close? Will the store be saved by four strong women?
This book is a page turner for sure. There is a lot going on and a lot of wondering who can be trustedamong the employees. Some of the women feel caught in the middle about who is truly trustworthy. In
the end it all comes together as justice is served. Nice surprise at the end, though I was suspicious.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

A classy fun clean mystery!

The women of Wyntons is the perfect book for fans of cozy mysteries, looking for an immersive, vintage book that will transport them straight to the 50s!

The characters vary so much when it comes to their personalities and personal struggles, it makes for some very interesting dialogue with 0 boring moments! .

The plot surprisingly isn't predictable either which is a huge plus!

Overall absolutely recommend especially if you're looking for a gift to an older person or a book to unwind

The Women of Wynton's is an upbeat and exciting "backstage" look at life working in a 1950s department store in Florida. There are friendships, enemies and a good deal of back-biting among the staff as the characters try to solve the mystery of strange occurrences that are taking place at the store. There is plenty of glamour, fashion and style, humor, and strong female characters who channel the no-nonsense actresses of the 1950s like Rosalind Russell (Auntie Mame) and Lauren Bacall. The ensemble of women is reminiscent of the 1939 film The Women with an all-star cast of actresses who portray women of all ages and dispositions in Manhattan. Beyond the female relationships in this novel, the harsh realities of Southern segregation are also depicted in a realistic and sympathetic way, and give an additional dimension to the story. This book was a real page-turner. Can't wait to read more from Donna Mumma!

This book was a nice mystery read, with vintage vibes and well thought out characters.

It was little long, and took awhile for me to get into the story.

I enjoyed the interactions and the store setting. It was a lovely insight into working women's lives in the 50s.

The writing style was great and I would definitely read more from Donna Mumma.

I ended up really liking The Women of Wynton's! The characters were all so charming, and the department store setting was rather fun.

I don't usually like multiple POVs, but this is the second book I've read where I didn't mind it too much. As long as the many POVs aren't first person, I seem to do okay. We had four POVs here: I didn't like Audrey and Gigi at first, but both ladies ended up growing on me. Mary Jo was too cute, and I loved her devotedness to being a housewife. Miss Vivien was my favorite character--she was so sensible, matronly, and smart.

As for other characters: Vivien's assistant, Mirette, was super sweet, and SO funny! She made me smile. Mary Jo's husband, Kenny, was such a gentleman. He really cared for Mary Jo and their girls, and he and Mary Jo were a cute couple. Mr. Wynton was a nice man, and Joshua McKinnon made me swoon a little. I was shipping him and Audrey. Alvid was annoying--such a nosy busybody! Sheesh, man, give people a little space and some benefit of the doubt! I didn't mind Cissy too much at first, but she quickly grew VERY annoying. Bobby was awful! He didn't deserve a woman like Gigi at all.

The mystery was pretty guessable. I knew right away who was behind the entire thing. The very end surprised me a little bit, but other than that... Nonetheless, I enjoyed following the characters, and seeing them help each other.

There were strong themes of value throughout the story: Value of the colored employees at Wynton's, who at that time couldn't have the same liberties as the whites; Gigi, who didn't think herself valuable because she wasn't thin or as pretty as the other ladies, and deemed herself an outcast; Kenny, who struggled with the loss of his arm. I thought it a lovely theme.

I did have some nitpicks about the writing style that were a little distracting for me, and pulled me from the story a bit. It brought the book down from a four-star read to a three-star read, personally. The pacing in some instances was weird, especially with action between dialogue. There were some instances where the amount of time to take the action didn't seem to line up eith the amount of time to say the dialogue, but a break in between lines would have been awkwardly long. Something like this (this is just a made-up example):
Bob sat down to eat his dinner. "Hey Kevin, did you see the game last night?"


"No," Kevin sawed into his steak. "Who won?"


Bob put his dirty dishes into the sink. "Our team!"


There were instances of shopping-list action descriptions too--the kind that makes a reader wonder if the author trusts us--and sometimes they made me have to think really hard to see what they were doing in my head. But those didn't bother me quite so much. Another thing though, was, I wasn't sure whether it was supposed to be a deep POV or a more distant narrator, because the characters all used many of the same expressions. Referring to gossip as a vine, and using gigged frogs as a likeness of those in trouble, for instance. The characters also used the same body language when feeling certain ways too. There was quite a bit of pounding fists on the tables when they were annoyed, and putting their hands up to interrupt someone. AND MOUTHING. There were so many instances of people mouthing to each other, especially the words "Thank you." There was the occasional 'As You Know, Bob', and some times I couldn't tell who was speaking.

Overall, however, I liked this book. I would love to see how things turn out for these charries in the future, and I might consider reading more by this author.

***Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC. This review is my honest opinion.***

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of four women who work in an upscale department store of the 1950s, where something obviously nefarious is taking place. Audrey gave up a successful modeling career and is the secretary to Mr. Wynton, who owns the store; the bridal salon within Wynton’s is owned and managed by Vivian; Gigi is not happy working in the cafeteria, and is hoping for a transfer to another department; Mary Jo, a housewife and mother is forced into the workforce because of an injury her husband sustain in the military. She works in perfume, but would prefer to eventually be moved to cosmetics.
The vast cast of characters play important roles, some good, and others are stirring up trouble behind the scenes. Audrey seems to be blamed for much of what is going on. Her loyalty to Mr. Wynton is unquestionable, as well as his allegiance to her, however, he mysteriously continues to be suffering from various illnesses.
This is fast-paced, with much going on in and out of the store, including murders, missing shipments, a fire, sabotaging the annual fashion show, and even the Christmas parade is tampered with. Much of it seemingly points to Audrey as the perpetrator, as the actual culprit continues to win favor with the employees. Vivian finally has had enough, and rounds up the other women to unravel the cause of the mysterious events, reveal the truth and bring those causing such havoc to justice.
This is a well-written, clean mystery that takes place in the 1950s which includes an excellent portrayal of the culture during that era, as well as an intriguing plot that kept me turning the pages to the very end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

The glamour of a huge, famous department store is the setting of this throw back to the glamourous 50’s.

Four women who work there and are not fond of each other, soon come together to save the store and the owner, Mr. Wynton from death of the man and the store he created so many years again as it becomes evident that someone is out to kill him and take over the store.

This is a great mystery that has so many twists and turns that you do not want to put it down until the mystery is solved.

Thanks to Barbour and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

The Women of Wynton’s was a fun read perfect for relaxing. I wouldn’t call it a mystery, per se, because the culprit was pretty easy to figure out, but that’s not the purpose of this book. The author does a fantastic job of creating characters you fall in love with in the context of a real life historical setting. I didn’t know much about women in the 1950’s, but this gave me an accurate and fun glimpse. I loved the lead character. She had depth, backstory, and she grew along with her compatriots. Well done, Mrs. Mumma!