~Murder-mystery, Small-town, Plot-twists, and more!~

A Fair Chance of Murder by Camille Sharp follows Maiden Harlow at the Summerfest carnival in her hometown of Golden Glen. After the last murder at Maiden and her family's business, Harlow House, Maiden is more than ready to ditch all the attention that came with solving the murder. With the carnival in town, she is prepared to relax with her family and enjoy the rides. So when Maiden and her sister, Vonny, stumble upon a body, Maiden knows things are about to get anything but relaxing, especially since her father is one of the suspects. As Maiden starts sleuthing, she realizes things aren't as they seem, with lies, secrets, and betrayal riddling the employees. Will Maiden be able to figure out who did it before things get worse? And will she and Captain McAlister be able to keep things civil?

2| Rating this book was hard. The actual story is great. I loved the descriptions of scenery in the beginning, though it did taper off as the story went on. I enjoyed seeing Maiden and Vonny's relationship in the beginning, even though I wish her presence were a bit more consistent. It also seemed like the Kylie and Gloria storyline disappeared aswell and was only briefly resolved at the end. It seemed too much like an afterthought to me. One part I loved was Miaden and Captain McAlister's banter and dynamic. It was fun to read their interactions. The mystery was great, with lots of twists and turns with secrets coming out constantly. I liked getting to see more of Maiden's interaction with her father. The overall continuation from the last book to this one was well done. The continued library book storyline was a fun touch, and I enjoyed the banter we got through it. Though there were a lot of new characters at once, I did enjoy the new places we got to see, like the cafe. I did wish we got to see more of the Inn. It was only mentioned in passing; I missed some of the day-to-day we got in the last book.

My main issue with this book, and honestly the only reason I rated it so low, is the offensive language towards weight. This may be due partly to the writing style, which I still think clashes with this story and causes a bit of confusion at certain points. Besides Maiden's figure and looks constantly being mentioned throughout the book, weight was also used to put certain characters down. At one point, it was even said a character was "too skinny" to get pregnant, which was used as an insult. At another point, a character was straight-up called overweight, but that didn't matter because their bright clothes distracted from it. It's just odd and offensive language that could have easily been avoided. Not to mention that Bille was called plain-spoken multiple times. Again just strange that so much emphasis was put on that.

Overall, this story has a lot of potential. I hate that my rating is so low because I genuinely enjoyed so much of this story. If the offensive weight talk was taken out, this could easily be a 4-star read. There is so much potential with the characters and story here. This author can write a fantastic mystery, no doubt, and I loved the descriptions of the scenery in the beginning. If things were more constant and the lanugue was less offensive, this would have been 5 stars. I hope this language is fixed for the next book because I enjoy the characters and the story the author has created.

Welcome to Golden Glen, where the summer days are filled with fun and excitement…and murder. The town is celebrating Summerfest when a visiting carnival arrives, bringing with it a wave of chaos and tension.

When one of the most hated members of the traveling show is found dead, Maiden Harlow’s father becomes a suspect in the murder investigation. Determined to clear his name, Maiden must use all her sleuthing skills to uncover the truth behind the murder. As she delves deeper into the secrets surrounding the carnival, she discovers a web of betrayal, jealousy, and dangerous rivalries that could lead to even more bloodshed.

Maiden finds herself entangled in a series of events that not only challenge her investigative abilities but also put her loved ones at risk. With increasing danger around her, she stumbles over another scary scene, landing in a tangle of trouble and danger. The story promises twists and turns as Maiden navigates through personal relationships and the complexities of solving a murder.

If you enjoy twisty plots and smart heroines who find themselves mixed up in murder mysteries, “A Fair Chance of Murder” offers an engaging narrative set against the backdrop of summer festivities in Golden Glen.

Loved this cute and quick read. A carnie who was hated by most is killed and you have to go through how the least obvious person did it. It was fun to go through and figure out who did it.