WOW! I absolutely adored this book! The writing was done with such charm and nostalgia. I would not classify this as a thriller or even a mystery really. I mean, its a mystery, but not a dark one. I don't read "cheesy mysteries or cozy mysteries". I feel that this one kind of bordered those two territories somewhat, though. I fell in love with Clarity's character as well as Cora's. This book was a quick read. The chapters flew. It may have become repetitive at times, but it was not enough to sway my feelings about it. Lilian West is a lovely writer, and I am looking forward to more books from her in the future.

Pretty dead things opens with a woman named Cora purchasing a jar of baubles from an estate sale, in which she finds an engagement ring and a wedding ring. The story follows her in the present as she seeks to find the owners of these rings. There are also flashbacks to the 1940s-1960s where Clarity's story is revealed.

The writing itself was fine but the amount of filler in a book less than 300 pages boggled my mind. We get pages and pages of Cora describing every single thing going on in the scene around her for absolutely no reason. It takes PAGES to get through a dialogue of 5 lines.

Also, and I'm not sure if this is just a mystery novel trope, but every single heterosexual couple SUCKS. I'm talking referring to the old ball and chain type of stuff.

I think cheating storylines can be done well, but I did not find that to be the case in this book. The narrative almost tries to make you sympathize with the cheaters because the guys wife... nags? And there are multiple instances of the narrative showing that the cheating husband has a conscience.... WHILE STILL CHEATING.

"Lewis, however, was not like other men. He had taken his marriage vows seriously, as well as his breaking of them, and he wanted to serve a penance for the sin."

Oh he feels BAD. Well as long as he feels BAD all is forgiven, right?

The last thing I will say is that Cora adds absolutely nothing to the plot. This story could have had potential if her character was cut entirely and we just got the flashbacks as the main narrative that eventually gets resolved 50 years later.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I loved this book and I am happy to recommend it to others. From the cover, to the description, to the whole BOOK! I was sucked in and DEVOURED it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

I really love dual time line books so this was perfect for me. I liked the different time period too. This was a cozy mystery and and I really wanted to keep reading to see what happened.

#PrettyDeadThings #NetGalley intrigued me from the cover and the description. I'm not familiar with the author, but this book absolutely made my day.
Cora is living in a small Midwest town, planning her wedding and trying to fit in.
While Cora is out driving through her.
small town, she happens upon an estate sale, where she happily buys a jar of baubles.
The brightly colored buttons, marbles and brooches captures her attention, ocbut then, hidden among a few items, she finds an engagement ring and wedding band. Cora wants to return the rings, thinking that the family will want them back.
The innocent discovery reveals secrets from decades ago, giving closure to one, while devastating others.
I loved this book and I am happy to recommend it to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Pretty Dead Things drew me in from the first page. Told in dual timelines, you just want to keep reading. The cover is pretty, but also might lead you to believe this is a cosy mystery, and I wouldn't put it in that box.
Cora is new to a small town in preparation for her wedding and new life. She finds an estate sale, with a jar full of little trinkets...marbles, buttons, and suddenly, a ring.
She decides that she needs to find the rightful owner, or at least a relative, but she stirs up a hornet's nest she can't let go of, despite just about everyone telling her to let it go...it was 70 years ago.
What she finds is a wife and young mother who went missing years before, and her disappearance seems to have been pushed aside and left to history.
This was a intriguing and interesting book. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#PrettyDeadThings #CrookedLaneBooks #NetGalley