The synopsis for this book sounded intriguing. The story centers around Julia who moves away from her father Rupert and tries to start a new life for herself. Julia's mother has died and Rupert has married another woman whom Julia does not wish to be around. Julia is settling into her new surroundings when she hears that her father, Rupert has gone missing. She returns to try and locate him and only then realizes that there were more lies and secrets in her family than she ever knew.
I just could not connect with the characters and the storyline did not hold my attention.

The Rhyme of the Magpie by Marty Wingate

258 Pages
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Alibi. Alibi
Release Date: June 2, 2015

Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Bird Watching, English

Julia Lanchester just had a falling out with her father, Rupert, and quit her job as his assistant. Julia is angry at him over his recent marriage to Beryl too soon after Julia’s mother’s death. But she puts her feelings aside when she gets a call from Beryl that Rupert is missing. Julia begins investigating on her own, but things don’t always turn out the way you expect when you are sleuthing.

The book has a steady pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in the first-person point of view. This is the first in the Birds of a Feather Mystery series. I love all the characters and the quirkiness of the town. If you like books like Agatha Raisin, you will love this series.

I have really enjoyed other books by this author and I love the idea of birdwatching so I was intrigued by this series. I enjoyed this book. The mystery was interesting and I really wasn't sure how it would wrap up until the end. My only real issue was Julia herself. Julia is in her 30s and is supposed to be a competent adult but at times I found her irritatingly immature. I didn't really blame her for having issues with her father's remarriage but her reaction to so many other things felt really over the top. I will continue with this series but it is not at the top of my list.

I've read through all the reviews and decided that we would have given 3 Stars if we'd read the book.

It's not the normal type of mystery book we read.

THE RHYME OF THE MAGPIE - Marty Wingate

#1 in the Birds of a Feather mystery series

A BIT DIFFERENT - 3.5 stars

Plot - 4 stars - When Julia's famous father goes missing, she and his assistant go looking for him despite the fact that Julia and her father have been estranged. When one of her father's enemies is found dead, things really start to heat up and the search becomes more urgent, particularly since they keep gathering bits of alarming information.

Writing - 3.5 stars - I was caught up in the story within the first few pages. Rather than the usual cozy mystery format, this book focused more on the search for Julia's father, which I found both more interesting and more personal. Referring to the rhyme so many times tied the story together, but I had to keep going back to the beginning to remember the rhyme and what each number meant. It was frustrating.

Characters - 2.5 stars - Julia is an OK character with good attributes and bad. She is determined and caring, both of which were helpful in her search for her father. On the other hand, I found her judgment about her father and his new wife to be childish and annoying. But since she sort of admitted that, I let it go. She tended to be impulsive, however, and that bothered me quite a bit, especially when she jumped to conclusions, going immediately to anger without thinking things through. Michael is a good foil for her, also determined but with just a bit of underlying secrecy to make him more interesting. A little less secrecy and a lot more conversation would have avoided a lot of their problems, though.

Title - 4 stars - Simple and straightforward. And I liked that the rhyme itself was included at the very beginning of the book.

Cover - 4 stars - Colorful and with a bird prominent and a knife less obvious. Very attractive and eye-catching.

Overall - 3.5 stars - This is a new-to-me author, and I enjoyed reading this book, although I was confused from time to time. The plot was a bit different from the usual cozy mystery, even including a bit of romance (which is good). And then things kept happening to keep the story moving forward quickly and keeping my interest throughout. The characters were well-rounded, with both attributes and flaws, making them seem more realistic. I rolled my eyes several times at Julia's impulsiveness, but mostly I liked her and Michael's persistence. The story got complicated at the end, and I had a hard time keeping track of everyone. But I will continue with this series and will look for more from this author.

Not into cozy mysteries, probably would have read it when I got the galley but am uninterested now.

I loved this mystery, following Julia and Michael as they navigate through their relationship, new roles in life, and of course the mysterious affair involving Rupert. There were plenty of points at which I laughed, ground my teeth and pulled up the covers to cozy into this mystery. It will be a big hit with my adult reading groups!

An entertaining mystery, full of great characters. Would recommend to others

This is a classic British mystery. The right characters, intrigue, unknown evil-doers, etc.
I enjoyed it very much.
Rich characterization.
Uncertain situations.
Who is OK and who is lying?
and a satisfying solution.

It's well done and well worth reading.