well crafted story encompassing history, family, mystery, intrigue, heartache and allsorts of other things.

This book was hard for me to get into. I was VERY confused by the letters/notes that were thrown in there especially at the beginning. It pulled me out of the story more than I was hoping for. It was a slow start but this was a great read. Different than I'd normally pick up, but still great.

Bearer of Bad News is a breath of fresh air! It’s a creative and interesting debut, and I can’t wait to get more from this author. It doesn’t keep a thriller pace, but it’s confident and it delivers family drama that keeps the reader guessing. I didn’t love all the letters and case notes, but a reader can still skim those and enjoy this book and the groundwork that the author lays to keep the story moving forward. The author’s law background comes through. The setting is vivid and the characters are nuanced. I will definitely recommend this book, and not just because the cover is great.

This was a good read! It was a fun combo of a spy book, a fiction, a historical fiction, and had funny parts. The dept of missing items was a fun and interesting concept. It was well written, I liked the characters and how they were acting. The book was good as a whole!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Part comedy spy caper, part historical fiction mystery, I really enjoyed this one. This is a present day story of an out of luck hairdresser, who takes on a far fetched assignment from an eccentric countess to find a priceless necklace. Interwoven with a historical story of a pair of young girls who are trying to escape Nazi Germany. I liked the story, but there is a lot going on here. Each chapter is told in the present and then closes with the historical story and correspondence both past and present relating to the necklace. I found myself getting confused by all the moving parts and backtracking to remember who was who.

This is a good debut and I would read her next book.

I was excited to read this one, because the concept and the cover immediately captivated me. I love the idea of a Department of Lost Things. The characters were quirky and there was some levity. But interwoven with this tale of an unemployed hairdresser from Reno whose grandmother is a retired movie star and a pair of feuding sisters is a serious and sad story of two best friends from Germany in WWII and the Italian woman they knew when they were young. The twists and connections were interesting, but when old letters and modern correspondence broke up the narrative, it sometimes pulled me out of the story, and I had to backtrack to remember who was who and how they connected. It was good but not the lighthearted romp I was expecting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I didn’t see the Bearer of Bad News going where it went, but I really enjoyed that we had a historical mystery at the heart of this modern fiction and comedy book.

Lucy is a not very good hairdresser with a well off and famous grandma who raised her who she is estranged from. This is important because she’s stuck in Vegas discovering her fiance is drawn to men, not women (like her), with the challenge of having to pay her leases alone for the next few months. While trying to recover from the shock at her best friend’s house she takes up an Instagram ad to be the bearer of bad news for $25K. While the job is unconventional (as is the boss), she accepts the offer for it and finds herself in Italy, discovering a WW2 mystery involving her family and others that seem to be related to the lady she need to break bad news to. My own blurb reads a little batty, but trust me, this book brings it all together, having you laughing and tearing up in equal measure. The WW2 mystery was so poignant I have to give massive props to the author for fitting it in in a way that made sense and resonated without changing the overall tone in the book. And Lucy is a main character you’ll be able to get behind, along with the many people in her life.

I love a good mystery and the Bearer of Bad News is that, with light elements of a spy caper, family saga, and comedy. Pick this up, you’ll find yourself sucked in!

This was a hilariously quirky read that was fast paced with a great plot. The characters were great and well developed. You'll have fun reading this one!

Beautifully set in the Dolomites, Lucy was a likable FMC, with a bit of a sticky finger issue, drama with an influencer, and a mission to deliver some bad news for her eccentric employer.

Not knowing what she was in for, she stumbled upon a greater endeavor than she had anticipated. Let going of her potential future only to discover more about her families past.

WWII, a family mystery, and stolen jewels. Bearer of Bad News, was a quick, enjoyable, and touching read.

Thanks to NetGallry for the ARC!

LOOOOVE THIS BOOK! IT's so funny and the plot and storyline keep you in it. Would highly recommend

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/175449309-rmplift-rachel-phillips

I found this book—which I started because it sounded quirky and funny—to be extremely compelling. What began as a fairly light-hearted story about a young woman at a crossroads, personally and professionally, who takes an unusual job to deliver a piece of bad news to a woman whose last known location is in northern Italy, became a mystery stretching back to WWII. The protagonist, Lucy, is a bit of a mess, but she discovers hidden talents as she tracks down the missing woman, deals with a rather-unhinged employer, and makes her way through the Dolomites. In this fabulous setting she flirts, is accused of a crime, and becomes wrapped in a complicated puzzle. I found this book very engaging and I couldn’t stop reading. I hope that this book finds a large audience! Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****