Ginny Frost
Plaid and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae fulfilled
the category “A Book
where the Main Character Works at Your Current or Dream Job” for the PopSugar
2021 Reading Challenge. I have a great job. I’m a writer, and I work at a
library in circulation. So I see all the books. It’s lovely.
I read tons of books about librarians, booksellers,
bookstores, and bibliophiles. I wanted a book for this category that was
different. Most of these titles are cozy mysteries. I’ve tried to read The Bad-ass Librarians of Timbuktu
twice now. Not quite my ideal or current job. I read Death Overdue by Allison
Brook which I realized was a reread. And last, I couldn’t find an audio of one that
looked cute called Nowhere to Be Found by Emily Thomas. Finally, I
settled on Plaid and Plagiarism with the premise of an American opening
a bookstore in Scotland.
I like to think I’m Scottish. My father’s people come from Nova Scotia, and I’m
pretty sure Scotland before that. (Side story, In college, we read A River
Runs Through It, and our TA went on and on about how their nationality was
an unusual thing. “Scottish by way a Nova Scotia, who’s like that?” I raised my
hand and screwed up her point. LOL) Anyway, visiting Scotland is on my bucket
list. I’ve read all MC Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth books. So a bookstore there
sounded jus’ grand. (That is the extent of my highland accent.)
It was a cute book, but there were some issues. It
hit all the cozy mystery beats but not at the right pace. The novel took too
long to give the background and rushed the ending. The ending was just right,
and all the red herrings were tied up nicely. But with four protagonists, the story
became weighed down with information sharing. And yes, it was ingenious for the
characters to use a Google Doc to keep track of things, but… I think if Ms. MacRae had
put the book in first person with Janet, it would have solved the slow start.
The conversations about information sharing would have disappeared, and each
plot point would’ve shone.
I also listened to the audio, and the reader, though
articulate, did not do the book any huge favors. The reader had an English
accent. Most of the characters were Scottish, and their accents were well done
and distinguishable. But the main character and her daughter were mid-western
Americans. Their accents sounded very New York City to me. And having the
narration given with an English accent threw off that the book was really about
Janet, Christine, Natalie, and Summer, three of which were American. It didn’t work. It didn’t ruin it,
but it took away from the story.
Also, the title is a bit of a red herring too… But no spoilers!
Did I like the novel? Yes. Did I wish I’d read the paper? Yep. Would
I recommend it? Yep. Will I read the next in the series? Probably (once I
finish this challenge).
I give Plaid
and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae Four Darling Knitted Nessies.