Puzzle at Peacock Perch
Table of Contents
Puzzle at Peacock Perch
Puzzle at Peacock Perch is the latest thing to be checked off my to be read list. It is the first in a three part short story series from author Suzanne Rudd Hamilton called The Secret Senior Sleuths Society.
“I really didn’t know what to make of all this. The whole affair was as repugnant as a prize pig in a prom dress and tiara waving from a county parade float. Yuck!”
Suzanne Rudd Hamilton, Puzzle at Peacock Perch
When I read the name The Secret Senior Sleuths Society, I imagined if the Golden Girls lived in a nursing home and started solving crimes. That is the image I had in my head when I started this book.
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Have you read Puzzle at Peacock Perch? Come on in and let me tell you about it!
About Puzzle at Peacock Perch
Can a group of senior amateur detectives solve the mystery and find their missing neighbor?
Willow Wisteria disappeared, but not without a trace. Now it’s up to Madame Sleuth and the members of the Secret Senior Sleuths Society of Peacock Perch to find out what happened to her. They’ve set aside their bingo and bridge games and daily tennis and pickleball matches to investigate “The Case of the Vanishing Vixen.”
They’ll use all their cunning, life experience and the knowledge from their former occupations to follow the trail of gossip and social media posts about Willow to gather clues and find suspects with means, motive and opportunity.
In this first book in the Secret Senior Sleuths Society of Peacock Perch Series, these seniors are tasked with a genuine puzzle and their original investigation of many. People think retirement communities are quiet with sleepy residents, but in fact, Peacock Perch is a typical senior village full of misdeeds and mystery that keeps the detectives very busy. And they know just where to look.
Thoughts on Puzzle at Peacock Perch
This is a fairly short and quick read, at less than two hundred pages. It is perfect for a rainy afternoon, curled up on the couch with a blanket and nothing to do but read and listen to the rain. Which was the perfect way to spend the afternoon, in my opinion.
It is also funny to read about senior citizens using social media and words like “interwebs” in the book. I wasn’t necessarily a fan, but I’m nitpicky on words.
“We need facts, not stupid conspiracy theories about alien abduction. This is Peacock Perch, not Area 51.”
Suzanne Rudd Hamilton, Puzzle at Peacock Perch
Puzzle at Peacock Perch starts out with a list of our characters, or sleuths involved. There are fifteen total, and that seems like a lot of main characters to keep track of. I wasn’t entirely sure I was going to enjoy the book, just based on that.
There isn’t a lot of true character development, which keeps this story from being truly memorable for me. There is a definite lack in that department. This does keep the story moving at a faster pace than a longer novel, so if you want something quick and easy, this is perfect for you!
But it gets better. The first chapter is a bit boring, but as our sleuths are introduced and they start working on the case, I found myself enjoying the story and wanting to read more. I found myself wanting to read more as the book went on, and it was a lot easier to follow along with than I anticipated. Although I did notice that I still didn’t really pay attention to who the main character was in each chapter, or remember their background, because there were too many to keep track of.
Final Thoughts on Puzzle at Peacock Perch
Puzzle at Peacock Perch is a fun and simple mystery novel to read on a cold and rainy afternoon to pass the time. I certainly enjoyed it, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Despite the lack of character development, it kept me entertained for a couple of hours instead of mindlessly scrolling social media, and I appreciate that.
Discussion
Have you read Puzzle at Peacock Perch or any other writing from author Suzanne Rudd Hamilton? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
About the Author
To my readers…
A friend once told me “Love what you do and you will never work a day in your life.”
I always wanted a mantra that I could truly believe and live every day. I spent my first career in journalism, public relations, real estate, and marketing, trying to find my bliss. But other than raising my children, I only had bouts of loving my various careers. It never lasted, but you have to make a living.
Now I’m in my second career, the search has ended. I moved from Chicago to the year-round warmth and gentle breezes of Southwest Florida. And I am doing things I have always wanted to do, just for the love of it. I am writing fictional novels, children’s books, short stories, and essays that relate and retell everyday life experiences in a fun-filled read. I am writing, directing, and acting in a series of mystery “whodunit” plays. And I am continuing my first love of singing. Now, I have a mantra.
I write to tell everyday women’s stories through fiction with heart, humor, and humanity, and all the flaws, choices, and discovery that come with their individual journey. I invite you to come along for the ride with me and meet some interesting people you may know or would like to know. It may even be you. I promise to try to make you laugh, love, and feel, and I will try not to bore you. I would be honored to be your guide. Welcome.
Purchasing Puzzle at Peacock Perch
If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Puzzle at Peacock Perch, click here.
Click here for the Kindle version.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.
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