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Mystery At Casa Largo
When Samantha Davis is made redundant, she turns to her boyfriend Steve for consolation - only to discover he is cheating on her. With both job and relationship having vanished in the space of one day, she feels left on the scrapheap, until her mother suggests she travel to Portugal to work at her friend Georgina's guesthouse. There, she meets Georgina's attractive son, Hugo - and the mysterious, taciturn Simon...
- GenresCozy MysteryMystery
288 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 25, 2016
Sam has been fired from her job ... and on the same day she finds her boyfriend with another woman.
Her mother comes to the rescue. Her mother's friend owns and operates the Casa Largo guest house and she needs help. Maybe a temporary job is just the thing.
Sam falls in love with the place, but she thinks something is wrong. Georgina, the owner, is a bit secretive about her partner, Simon. He's always demanding money from her and he does not like her adult son, Hugo.
Sam beings looking into Simon's comings and goings. She follows him winding up at a place called Bliss. Fearing money laundering, or worse, she wants to warn Georgina, but hesitates.
Meanwhile Sam and Hugo are working on a friendship, maybe more.
This was just an okay read for me. The mystery isn't much of a mystery; the romance not much of a romance. I can't even call it a cozy. There wasn't much to hold my attention, but at least it was really short, 139 pages.
My thanks to the author and Endeavour Press who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Her mother comes to the rescue. Her mother's friend owns and operates the Casa Largo guest house and she needs help. Maybe a temporary job is just the thing.
Sam falls in love with the place, but she thinks something is wrong. Georgina, the owner, is a bit secretive about her partner, Simon. He's always demanding money from her and he does not like her adult son, Hugo.
Sam beings looking into Simon's comings and goings. She follows him winding up at a place called Bliss. Fearing money laundering, or worse, she wants to warn Georgina, but hesitates.
Meanwhile Sam and Hugo are working on a friendship, maybe more.
This was just an okay read for me. The mystery isn't much of a mystery; the romance not much of a romance. I can't even call it a cozy. There wasn't much to hold my attention, but at least it was really short, 139 pages.
My thanks to the author and Endeavour Press who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
January 19, 2017
Title: Casa Largo Mystery
Author: Miranda Barnes
Published: 8-12-2016
Publisher: Endeavour Publishing
Pages: 139
Genre: Mystery; Thriller & Suspense
Sub Genre: Romance; Women Sleuths; Women's Fiction
ISBN: 13: 9781537056203
ASIN: 978-1537158624
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Rating: Stars
I received a copy of "Casa Largo Mystery" from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Description From the Publisher:
Sam is down on her luck…
Sacked by her boss and betrayed by her boyfriend in the space of a single day, she needs something to ward off her despair.
Her mother believes that a job at the Casa Largo guest house is the answer to all her problems.
Surrounded by palm trees and orange groves, Casa Largo is a beautiful old farmhouse in the hills of Portugal that caters for tourists who crave a tranquil holiday.
The guest house’s owner, Georgina, is grateful for the support of a fluent English speaker, as she faces pressure on all fronts – especially from her often evasive partner, Simon, who is constantly demanding money.
Sam begins to suspect that Simon’s ambiguous behaviour masks something more sinister, and when she learns that some of the Algrave’s residents live under false identities and engage in money laundering, her fears only intensify.
As the mystery deepens, Sam finds herself distracted by Hugo, a young man who was adopted by Georgina many years ago.
His relationship with his English girlfriend troubles Sam – but why?
Can Sam save her newfound friend and employer from a man who may be trying to rob her of everything she holds dear?
And can she get to the bottom of her confused feelings for Hugo?
Or will she be down and out at last?
Case Largo Mystery is a wonderfully unique combination of thought provoking mystery and captivating romance.
My Review of "Casa Largo Mystery":
Sam, Georgina and Hugo show themselves to be strong characters that hold the story together. I believe if the story had been a bit longer the intrigue and mystery would have been better served. There was nothing in the writing or the story itself that made this a bad book to read. Being only 139 pages it is a quick read, good for the long wait for a doctor visit or when wanting something light to read that will not keep you awake late into the night. It took less than an hour for me to read.
Miranda Barnes did a good job within the limits of a novella to write a story that was entertaining and interesting. My rating was 4 out of 5 stars.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K4MK15C/...
Barnes and Noble link: Not Available
GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
The Reading Room link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Author: Miranda Barnes
Published: 8-12-2016
Publisher: Endeavour Publishing
Pages: 139
Genre: Mystery; Thriller & Suspense
Sub Genre: Romance; Women Sleuths; Women's Fiction
ISBN: 13: 9781537056203
ASIN: 978-1537158624
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Rating: Stars
I received a copy of "Casa Largo Mystery" from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Description From the Publisher:
Sam is down on her luck…
Sacked by her boss and betrayed by her boyfriend in the space of a single day, she needs something to ward off her despair.
Her mother believes that a job at the Casa Largo guest house is the answer to all her problems.
Surrounded by palm trees and orange groves, Casa Largo is a beautiful old farmhouse in the hills of Portugal that caters for tourists who crave a tranquil holiday.
The guest house’s owner, Georgina, is grateful for the support of a fluent English speaker, as she faces pressure on all fronts – especially from her often evasive partner, Simon, who is constantly demanding money.
Sam begins to suspect that Simon’s ambiguous behaviour masks something more sinister, and when she learns that some of the Algrave’s residents live under false identities and engage in money laundering, her fears only intensify.
As the mystery deepens, Sam finds herself distracted by Hugo, a young man who was adopted by Georgina many years ago.
His relationship with his English girlfriend troubles Sam – but why?
Can Sam save her newfound friend and employer from a man who may be trying to rob her of everything she holds dear?
And can she get to the bottom of her confused feelings for Hugo?
Or will she be down and out at last?
Case Largo Mystery is a wonderfully unique combination of thought provoking mystery and captivating romance.
My Review of "Casa Largo Mystery":
Sam, Georgina and Hugo show themselves to be strong characters that hold the story together. I believe if the story had been a bit longer the intrigue and mystery would have been better served. There was nothing in the writing or the story itself that made this a bad book to read. Being only 139 pages it is a quick read, good for the long wait for a doctor visit or when wanting something light to read that will not keep you awake late into the night. It took less than an hour for me to read.
Miranda Barnes did a good job within the limits of a novella to write a story that was entertaining and interesting. My rating was 4 out of 5 stars.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K4MK15C/...
Barnes and Noble link: Not Available
GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
The Reading Room link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
September 23, 2016
I really enjoyed the book. It was fast paced and fun, good character development and a likable main character. I would have like to have seen more interaction between Sam and Hugo. Also, I felt like the ending was too abrupt and tied up too quickly and nearly. That is the only reason that I gave it a 4 start and not a 5. I loved the setting and hope that this author writes more about the village.
* I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review *
* I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review *
September 16, 2016
IDK, this was fine but I never really felt a connection to the characters or their story.
August 15, 2016
A mystery without a mystery
Netgalley Honest Review #2 Stars ~ IT WAS OK!
Casa Largo Mystery by Miranda Barnes
What do you do when you catch your boyfriend cheating and are made redundant in the same day?
Yep. Sam's day couldn't get any better after that. Thankfully for her, her mother suggests that she goes to work for her close friend in Portugal for the summer. A different location might help mend a broken heart and sort out her working situation.
Hugo is Georgina's son {she's the owner of Casa Largo} and he's a little mysterious and elusive. Everything that Sam is trying to stay away from. She's there to mend a broken heart not jump into another relationship.
There wasn't much of a mystery; no gruesome murder or "dodgy" dealing as us Brits like to say. It was very blasé. Would I recommend it? No, the story missed a really bad guy. Someone that you end up loving and hating at the same time.
Netgalley Honest Review #2 Stars ~ IT WAS OK!
Casa Largo Mystery by Miranda Barnes
What do you do when you catch your boyfriend cheating and are made redundant in the same day?
Yep. Sam's day couldn't get any better after that. Thankfully for her, her mother suggests that she goes to work for her close friend in Portugal for the summer. A different location might help mend a broken heart and sort out her working situation.
Hugo is Georgina's son {she's the owner of Casa Largo} and he's a little mysterious and elusive. Everything that Sam is trying to stay away from. She's there to mend a broken heart not jump into another relationship.
There wasn't much of a mystery; no gruesome murder or "dodgy" dealing as us Brits like to say. It was very blasé. Would I recommend it? No, the story missed a really bad guy. Someone that you end up loving and hating at the same time.
August 16, 2016
Sam is at rock bottom she has just been made redundant from work and went to tell her boyfriend and found him in bed with another woman! She tries to find another job but there is nothing out there and when her mother says that a friend who runs a guest house in Portugal is looking for an English girl to help out for the summer she decides to go for it.
She soon gets to like Georgina and the pair of them work hard at the guest house but she is very concerned about Georgina's boyfriend who seems to float around the place and then shouts at her demanding money what is he up to? Georgina also has an adopted son Hugo and their seems to be some mystery surrounding him and why is Georgina always warning her off him? Sam is intrigued and so she is determined to find out more but will she get more than she bargains for!
An easy reading light hearted summer read great for the beach
She soon gets to like Georgina and the pair of them work hard at the guest house but she is very concerned about Georgina's boyfriend who seems to float around the place and then shouts at her demanding money what is he up to? Georgina also has an adopted son Hugo and their seems to be some mystery surrounding him and why is Georgina always warning her off him? Sam is intrigued and so she is determined to find out more but will she get more than she bargains for!
An easy reading light hearted summer read great for the beach
August 18, 2016
An entertaining and well written quick read in a terrific setting (I want to go to the Algarve regardless of the activities of some of the residents!) Georgina is as interesting in her way as Sam. You'll be rooting for both of them, and for Hugo Thanks to netgalley for the ARC= this is perfect for an afternoon in the garden.
August 19, 2016
When Sam is made redundant and is betrayed by her boyfriend all on the same day, she is glad to eventually be offered a job at Casa Largo in the Algarve.
Didn't really care much for the characters and there didn't seem to be much of a mystery either, but it didn't take long to read.
A NetGalley Book
Didn't really care much for the characters and there didn't seem to be much of a mystery either, but it didn't take long to read.
A NetGalley Book
January 6, 2017
Sam loses her job and finds her boyfriend cheating on her, a familiar sounding plotline. She goes off to the Algarve to help at a guesthouse run by an old friend of her mother's. But she finds things are not as expected. The story perks up a little as it runs on, but I'm afraid that I didn't really engage with the characters so I wasn't captivated.
September 27, 2016
Good
the story of a young woman who lost her job due to a large business failing.the economy being down could not find a job in England.
the story of a young woman who lost her job due to a large business failing.the economy being down could not find a job in England.
September 30, 2016
Quietly enjoyable. Definitely ended with a fizzle.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews