BOOK REVIEW: Pane and Suffering by Cheryl Hollon

Pane and Suffering (A Webb's Glass Shop Mystery #1)

by Cheryl Hollon (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 320 pages

Published September 29th 2015 by Kensington

Goodreads synopsis: To solve her father's murder and save the family-owned glass shop, Savannah Webb must shatter a killer's carefully constructed façade. . .

   After Savannah's father dies unexpectedly of a heart attack, she drops everything to return home to St. Petersburg, Florida, to settle his affairs--including the fate of the beloved, family-owned glass shop. Savannah intends to hand over ownership to her father's trusted assistant and fellow glass expert, Hugh Trevor, but soon discovers the master craftsman also dead of an apparent heart attack. 

   As if the coincidence of the two deaths wasn't suspicious enough, Savannah discovers a note her father left for her in his shop, warning her that she is in danger. With the local police unconvinced, it's up to Savannah to piece together the encoded clues left behind by her father. And when her father's apprentice is accused of the murders, Savannah is more desperate than ever to crack the case before the killer seizes a window of opportunity to cut her out of the picture.

***

I totally enjoyed this glimpse of the inner workings of a glass artist's world. My great uncle does stained glass and through this book I can see what a great art it is and how intricate and detailed you have to get to make it look so wonderful.

Savannah "don't call her Vanna" Web has been called back to St. Petersburg, Florida because of her father's untimely death. It is labeled as a heart attack, but Savannah begins to question everything when her father's best friend, Hugh, also dies within weeks of her father. Something sinister is going on here and it takes Savannah quite a while to get the police to take her suspicions seriously. Her father used to be a code breaker for the government in his younger years, as did Hugh. So, when she finds a coded message from her father telling her he was murdered, she knows she must act. 

While searching for the answers to her father and Hugh's death she is trying to figure out what to do with her father's glass shop. She has to take over all the classes her father had been teaching and meets the pub owner next door, a nice British guy. And two different men keep coming around wanting to purchase Webb's for well under the normal asking price. Savannah is perplexed. Should she stay and run Webb's or sell and go back to her life in Seattle.

I really enjoyed reading this cozy mystery adventure and recommend it highly for anyone who likes this type of mystery. It is definitely worth the read.

4 Stars

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from Net Galley in return for an honest review. I thank Net Galley, the publisher and the author for letting me read this great book.