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Chloe Ellefson Mystery #1
Old World Murder
Trying to leave painful memories behind her, Chloe Ellefson is making a fresh start. She's the new collections curator at Old World Wisconsin, an outdoor ethnic museum showcasing 1870s settlement life. On her first day, Chloe meets with an elderly woman who begs her to find a priceless eighteenth-century Norwegian ale bowl that had been donated to the museum years ago. But before Chloe can find the heirloom and return it to her, the woman dies in a suspicious car crash. Digging up the history and whereabouts of the rare artifact quickly turns dangerous. Chloe discovers that someone is desperately trying to cover up all traces of the bowl's existence—by any means necessary. Assisting Chloe is police officer Roelke McKenna, whose own haunting past compels him to protect her. To catch the covetous killer, Chloe must solve a decades-old puzzle . . . before she becomes a part of history herself. "Character-driven with mystery aplenty, Old World Murder is a sensational read."—Julia Spencer-Fleming, Anthony and Agatha Award-winning author of I Shall Not Want "In curator Chloe Ellefson, Ernst has created a captivating character with humor, grit, and a tangled history of her own that needs unraveling. Enchanting!"—Sandi Ault, author of the WILD Mystery series and recipient of the Mary Higgins Clark Award
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2010
119 people are currently reading
2128 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Ernst
57 books380 followersI grew up in Maryland, in a house full of books! Both of my parents were avid readers, thank goodness. Before we traveled to a new area, my librarian-mom used to bring home historical novels set in that place. It was a great way to get excited about history.
I began writing stories when I was maybe 10 or 11. At 15 I wrote my first novel; I sold my first novel to a publisher 20 years later! Writing was my hobby, so during those two decades I just kept practicing, reading, writing some more. What a thrill to finally hold my first book in my hand! Still, I write because I enjoy the process (at least most of the time).
For years I wrote while working at other day jobs. I spent 12 years working at a huge historic site, which was a perfect spot for someone interested in historical fiction. I also developed and scripted instructional videos for public television. Finally, though, it got to be too much to juggle. I now write full-time, and consider myself enormously fortunate to do something I love.
I began writing stories when I was maybe 10 or 11. At 15 I wrote my first novel; I sold my first novel to a publisher 20 years later! Writing was my hobby, so during those two decades I just kept practicing, reading, writing some more. What a thrill to finally hold my first book in my hand! Still, I write because I enjoy the process (at least most of the time).
For years I wrote while working at other day jobs. I spent 12 years working at a huge historic site, which was a perfect spot for someone interested in historical fiction. I also developed and scripted instructional videos for public television. Finally, though, it got to be too much to juggle. I now write full-time, and consider myself enormously fortunate to do something I love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 343 reviews
January 16, 2026
"A cadence in her mind kept time with her steps: Must - make - this - work. Must - make - this - work.After a disastrous breakup with her fiancé in Sweden, Chloe is ready for a fresh start in a new - well old - place. She's back in her hometown but with a brand new job.
She recently cinched the role of curator at Old World Wisconsin and immediately falls in love with the living museum.
But her first day goes off the rails - she manages to piss off most of her colleagues and she finds that one of the buildings has bad energy (for lack of a better word).
"Over fifty historic structures had been restored ... Interpreters in period clothing brought te farmsteads, homes, and service building to life by telling tales and churning butter and making shoes ... "
Then Chloe meets an old woman in search of a very unique bowl that she had donated to the Wisconsin Historical Society years ago. The woman is demanding, desperate even, to find this artifact.
"Chloe paused to get a feel of the century-old building...the impression came...a sense of palpable unhappiness crackled in the air."
Chloe explains, a tad testily, that it's her very first day and she cannot get the bowl back to the woman immediately. And then...the woman DIES on the way home.
Mind reeling, Chloe decides that the one thing she can do is find that bowl and put it on display. One problem: the bowl is actually missing and every trace of its records has disappeared. What the heck?
Well, it's time for Chloe to roll up her sleeves because she's going to find that bowl - one way or another.
I picked this one up because I'm on an American Girl kick and I've read the author's The Runaway Friend: A Kirsten Mystery - and it was honestly was SUCH a well-written historical children's book that I started to see what else Ernst's written - and found this gem.
This book is set in Old World Wisconsin - a living history museum where the author worked for over a decade. I've visited Old World Wisconsin a few times over my life and always enjoyed learning about various historical events and activities.
One of my favorite parts about this book was reading about places in Old World while mentally comparing them to the buildings I remember visiting or activities I remember learning about.
Right off the bat, I will say that I did struggle to figure out where we were in time. The book initially seemed to be in the modern era but I eventually figure out it was set in the 80s (roughly around the time when the author worked at Old World Wisconsin).
I haven't read many books set in that era, I'm either in 00s and above or waaay back in the early 1900s and below, so I did enjoy following the characters as they did various 80s 'things' - like researching using card catalogues, or sorting their index cards of phone numbers, or were wowed by a fax machine.
The story was really interesting to follow - there characters were compelling but also a bit opaque at times. I have a feeling that this is one of those series where you slowly get pieces of information rather than being info-dumped at the beginning.
Chloe starts off very closed to the world - she's had a traumatic event happen to her but we don't find out to much further into the book. I liked her personality and the way she treated the other characters in this book.
I had fun following the history of Chloe's bowl - the author does a great job of providing historical context and significance. The mystery did catch me by surprise - but in a pleasing way (not in a jeez-this-makes-no-sense way).
Overall, I really enjoyed the first book of this series and can't wait for the next one!
April 17, 2023
This is the first book of a series of stories all revolving around Chloe Ellefson. She is a curator/historian and works at Old World Wisconsin. She is from the Midwest and moved back to Wisconsin from Sweden after living there for 5 years and enduring a bad break-up. While trying to fit in starting her new position at Old World Wisconsin, fostering a budding romance with the local police officer, she also gets involved in trying to track down the murderer.
I enjoyed reading this one and found it was an easy read. Chloe and the other characters were very relatable, and it was nice reading about places in Wisconsin that I actually knew where they were!
This was a patron suggestion. I am going to be reading the entire series, so hopefully they are all as good as this first one.
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I enjoyed reading this one and found it was an easy read. Chloe and the other characters were very relatable, and it was nice reading about places in Wisconsin that I actually knew where they were!
This was a patron suggestion. I am going to be reading the entire series, so hopefully they are all as good as this first one.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
December 16, 2020
I love Old World Wisconsin. In high school, my friends and I would visit and wander around speaking in bad British accents. Sometimes we would stop and chat with the cute blacksmith. Sometimes we would spy on wedding parties. We were the height of cool.
I also really like the town of Eagle, a blip of a spot I spent a considerable amount of time in after I graduated college. So you would think a book set at Old World Wisconsin and Eagle with references to Madison where I spent the last three years would be right up my alley.
And you'd be right--if I didn't loathe all the characters in this book so much.
To take a moment and explain: I do think the author tries for some depth. All her characters suffer from problems ranging from suicidal thoughts to abusive husbands to unaddressed anger issues. Even the nice old ladies are closet racists. It is frankly exhausting. This is a cozy mystery. You can dump all that on the reader but I'm telling you, readers don't typically pick up cozy mysteries for that kind of emotional rollercoaster.
But a few other problems:
1. It is super unclear when any of this takes place. The book was published in 2010. Everyone talks about the 70's and 80's as semi-recent history. One (pregnant) woman keeps talking about how she hopes she will give birth the same day as Princess Diana. People mention their fax machines like they are God's latest and greatest gift to earth. No one has a cellphone--not even a Blackberry. I kept snapping out of the worldbuilding because I kept getting distracted by the lack of context.
2. The author does not get Wisconsin. I had high hopes when she describes a certain bar's geography in Eagle. I have no doubt that she visited, perhaps even spent significant time in the area. But she has her pretentious little heroine describe real cheese to the bar waitress and while her description was accurate, come on. Show me this second-class establishment that would serve grilled cheese and use American cheese. Disgusting.
Also, while I am at it, my very German ancestry kept feeling irritated with her obsession with all things Swedish. Milwaukee is New Berlin country. Go eat your lutefisk in Minnesota. (Mostly kidding...)
3. The faux-feminism in this novel made me want to bash my head against a wall. I am all for strong female characters and highlighting issues in the workforce. But these men were universally terrible. It made me wonder again about the supposed timeline of this book. Does Old World Wisconsin not have an H.R. department??? Why does no one blink an eye when the heroine gets harassed by her male co-worker for not going on a date with him? It just irritated me that the diatribes of female empowerment from the main character get propped up because the males universally suck.
OH. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON HOW THE ONLY FRIEND THE FEMALE LEAD IS A GAY GUY WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT HER LOVE LIFE. Talk about tired clichés. If you're going for a strong-feminist vibe, throw in some strong female friendships, by gosh by golly.
4. I couldn't buy the romance. I just saw no spark there. The heroine is always so cranky and defensive around him. My initial pleasure at getting the two POVs quickly dissipated. Also, while the heroine whines about how he has to play white knight and save her constantly, let's return to how he is constantly saving her. Even her parents don't want that much to do with her.
5. The mystery is entirely wrapped up by the 90% mark and the last 3 chapters felt entirely supercilious. And then we get a cliff hanger. Which almost worked for me but I will stay strong and not pick up the sequel.
I also really like the town of Eagle, a blip of a spot I spent a considerable amount of time in after I graduated college. So you would think a book set at Old World Wisconsin and Eagle with references to Madison where I spent the last three years would be right up my alley.
And you'd be right--if I didn't loathe all the characters in this book so much.
To take a moment and explain: I do think the author tries for some depth. All her characters suffer from problems ranging from suicidal thoughts to abusive husbands to unaddressed anger issues. Even the nice old ladies are closet racists. It is frankly exhausting. This is a cozy mystery. You can dump all that on the reader but I'm telling you, readers don't typically pick up cozy mysteries for that kind of emotional rollercoaster.
But a few other problems:
1. It is super unclear when any of this takes place. The book was published in 2010. Everyone talks about the 70's and 80's as semi-recent history. One (pregnant) woman keeps talking about how she hopes she will give birth the same day as Princess Diana. People mention their fax machines like they are God's latest and greatest gift to earth. No one has a cellphone--not even a Blackberry. I kept snapping out of the worldbuilding because I kept getting distracted by the lack of context.
2. The author does not get Wisconsin. I had high hopes when she describes a certain bar's geography in Eagle. I have no doubt that she visited, perhaps even spent significant time in the area. But she has her pretentious little heroine describe real cheese to the bar waitress and while her description was accurate, come on. Show me this second-class establishment that would serve grilled cheese and use American cheese. Disgusting.
Also, while I am at it, my very German ancestry kept feeling irritated with her obsession with all things Swedish. Milwaukee is New Berlin country. Go eat your lutefisk in Minnesota. (Mostly kidding...)
3. The faux-feminism in this novel made me want to bash my head against a wall. I am all for strong female characters and highlighting issues in the workforce. But these men were universally terrible. It made me wonder again about the supposed timeline of this book. Does Old World Wisconsin not have an H.R. department??? Why does no one blink an eye when the heroine gets harassed by her male co-worker for not going on a date with him? It just irritated me that the diatribes of female empowerment from the main character get propped up because the males universally suck.
OH. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON HOW THE ONLY FRIEND THE FEMALE LEAD IS A GAY GUY WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT HER LOVE LIFE. Talk about tired clichés. If you're going for a strong-feminist vibe, throw in some strong female friendships, by gosh by golly.
4. I couldn't buy the romance. I just saw no spark there. The heroine is always so cranky and defensive around him. My initial pleasure at getting the two POVs quickly dissipated. Also, while the heroine whines about how he has to play white knight and save her constantly, let's return to how he is constantly saving her. Even her parents don't want that much to do with her.
5. The mystery is entirely wrapped up by the 90% mark and the last 3 chapters felt entirely supercilious. And then we get a cliff hanger. Which almost worked for me but I will stay strong and not pick up the sequel.
October 24, 2010
THIS is the kind of traditional mystery I love, which is so hard to find nowadays. Strong characters all down the line -- clearly drawn, believable, and people you care about. Even minor characters have a 3-D mix of attitudes and behavior that make them feel real. A steadily snowballing plot which interlaces plenty of puzzles -- some I figured out before the answers were revealed, the main one got by me completely. A wonderful sense of place -- small-town Wisconsin -- and a great behind-the-scenes look at how a historical site like Old World Wisconsin works.
But maybe my favorite part of Old World Wisconsin is the tone. Thoughtful. Compassionate. This is a cozy in that it is not gruesome or gratuitously nasty. But it still manages to deal with ugly facets of human nature in a serious way. Don't get me wrong, I love zany off-the-wall cozies too -- but these days, it's hard to find cozies with the rhythm and feel of real life. (Tiny example -- boy, did the author nail that discombobulated feeling when you start a new job.)
And after that last sentence -- can't wait for the next in the series!
But maybe my favorite part of Old World Wisconsin is the tone. Thoughtful. Compassionate. This is a cozy in that it is not gruesome or gratuitously nasty. But it still manages to deal with ugly facets of human nature in a serious way. Don't get me wrong, I love zany off-the-wall cozies too -- but these days, it's hard to find cozies with the rhythm and feel of real life. (Tiny example -- boy, did the author nail that discombobulated feeling when you start a new job.)
And after that last sentence -- can't wait for the next in the series!
May 28, 2020
Honestly I thought this book would have a totally different vibe from the blurb and the person who ravingly recommended it to me. I didn't like Chloe, I didn't like the victim, and I didn't like the constant bleep-worthy language. On top of that, the narrator on my library book had a problem with pronunciations, which was exasperated when she attempted to assign accents to people who shouldn't even have accents to begin with.
I have a much later novel in the series for review, so I'll try that one and see if it's better.
Content: Profanity and four letter words
I have a much later novel in the series for review, so I'll try that one and see if it's better.
Content: Profanity and four letter words
September 24, 2011
This is a debut novel in what I hope will be a long-lived series. Our sleuth, Chloe Ellefson, has just taken a new job as a Collections Curator for a living museum, "Old World Wisconsin." Now this museum is real and can be accessed on the computer which added a surprising dimension to the book. The story/characters are fiction but several settings are real.
The setting is unique and these were historical/genealogical situations that I had never thought about in my Celtic/American upbringing. I learned so much about Norwegian lifestyles and habits living in the Midwestern states of America. This was all woven around a mystery of a lost artifact, then a murder, suicide, crime and a strong reminder that people carry unpleasant traits along with rich and valuable traits in all cultures.
There are even mysteries built in the main character herself.
This is a strong, well-written novel with likable and complex characters.
The setting is unique and these were historical/genealogical situations that I had never thought about in my Celtic/American upbringing. I learned so much about Norwegian lifestyles and habits living in the Midwestern states of America. This was all woven around a mystery of a lost artifact, then a murder, suicide, crime and a strong reminder that people carry unpleasant traits along with rich and valuable traits in all cultures.
There are even mysteries built in the main character herself.
This is a strong, well-written novel with likable and complex characters.
June 18, 2012
I enjoyed this, but the author didn't pay much attention to its supposed time period. I suppose she sets it in 1982 because that's when she herself worked at the historic site featured in the book, but hell, couldn't she either have pretended that the site was just the same today or spent more time reinforcing the 1982-ness? A character cooking portobello mushrooms totally seemed anachronistic to me (dictionary says first known occurrence of the word is 1986--aha!), and I had to keep forcibly reminding myself of the year it was supposed to be.
Anyhow, yeah yeah, nitpicks. It was an enjoyable story with nicely complex, imperfect characters and interesting glimpses of Wisconsin/Scandinavian-American history.
Anyhow, yeah yeah, nitpicks. It was an enjoyable story with nicely complex, imperfect characters and interesting glimpses of Wisconsin/Scandinavian-American history.
September 3, 2024
I'm so frustrated. I grew up going to Old World Wisconsin. Love mysteries. Became a historian because the past is interesting. I'm primed to enjoy this book and this is what it is? Grr.
Long before this book I grew tired of the sad girl (or sad boy) detective trope. I don't get why the detective's life has to be in shambles for them to solve mysteries. Especially when the MC seems to be contributing to their own demise by being a shirking employee, failing to feed themselves, pushing loved ones away for no reason, blah blah blah. Ernst tried so hard to work in some mental health rep here but it just did not work for me (and I endured a decade of serious depression). Here's the thing: I was promised a setting I know and love personally. Yet, that setting is squandered on a protagonist who doesn't appreciate it. Why can't Chloe just enjoy her job (or just DO her job), or make one (1) friend at work. The child in me who loved going to OWW was severely disappointed. Also, I don't get why every male employee at OWW had to be such a moron.
The mystery just did not hold up for me. So many loopholes and a motive that didn't hold water. The title is driving me batty the more I think about it: the murder happened after page 100, which is just not right in a murder mystery novel (it could have been enough of a mystery without a murder). The murder didn't happen at Old World Wisconsin, it was of a briefly introduced side character, and it wasn't a driving factor in the investigation since Chloe and her cop buddy (who didn't have jurisdiction where the murder happened) barely seemed to care. Excuse me while I scream into the void.
Back from the void. The 1982 setting did not really live up to itself. Every time there was a reference to Princess Di or an 80s TV show or fax machines I was like, "Wait, it's the '80s?" LOL. I guess this technically qualifies as a historical mystery since it was set more than 30 years before it was published. And don't even get me STARTED on how bad the Wisconsin-ness is, or I will tear my hair out. The author LIVES in Wisconsin and I can't remember how to write 1, 1000, 51, and 500 in Roman numerals.
I enjoyed Ernst's writing in the Caroline books, and I'd like to try some of her other adult novels. I can't say I wasn't warned by other reviews that this book was shoddily written. I really felt like there's some potential here, but the novel deserved a serious overhaul and rewrite.
Long before this book I grew tired of the sad girl (or sad boy) detective trope. I don't get why the detective's life has to be in shambles for them to solve mysteries. Especially when the MC seems to be contributing to their own demise by being a shirking employee, failing to feed themselves, pushing loved ones away for no reason, blah blah blah. Ernst tried so hard to work in some mental health rep here but it just did not work for me (and I endured a decade of serious depression). Here's the thing: I was promised a setting I know and love personally. Yet, that setting is squandered on a protagonist who doesn't appreciate it. Why can't Chloe just enjoy her job (or just DO her job), or make one (1) friend at work. The child in me who loved going to OWW was severely disappointed. Also, I don't get why every male employee at OWW had to be such a moron.
The mystery just did not hold up for me. So many loopholes and a motive that didn't hold water. The title is driving me batty the more I think about it: the murder happened after page 100, which is just not right in a murder mystery novel (it could have been enough of a mystery without a murder). The murder didn't happen at Old World Wisconsin, it was of a briefly introduced side character, and it wasn't a driving factor in the investigation since Chloe and her cop buddy (who didn't have jurisdiction where the murder happened) barely seemed to care. Excuse me while I scream into the void.
Back from the void. The 1982 setting did not really live up to itself. Every time there was a reference to Princess Di or an 80s TV show or fax machines I was like, "Wait, it's the '80s?" LOL. I guess this technically qualifies as a historical mystery since it was set more than 30 years before it was published. And don't even get me STARTED on how bad the Wisconsin-ness is, or I will tear my hair out. The author LIVES in Wisconsin and I can't remember how to write 1, 1000, 51, and 500 in Roman numerals.
I enjoyed Ernst's writing in the Caroline books, and I'd like to try some of her other adult novels. I can't say I wasn't warned by other reviews that this book was shoddily written. I really felt like there's some potential here, but the novel deserved a serious overhaul and rewrite.
June 12, 2020
Chloe works at Old World Wisconsin--an outdoor museum filled with mid 19th century buildings and artifacts of mainly Scandinavian origin. She is a curator who is struggling with her demons. A desperate old woman asks for help to find an historic ale bowl that appears to be missing. Shortly afterwards, she dies.
Roelke (RAA-kuh) is the first cop on the scene. He's attracted to Chloe. Chloe finds Roelke interesting in between trying to find the missing bowl, keeping from getting fired and staying alive.
Smooth read with an exciting and unexpected ending.
BTW If you read a book until 2 AM which "Date Finished" do you classify it under?
Roelke (RAA-kuh) is the first cop on the scene. He's attracted to Chloe. Chloe finds Roelke interesting in between trying to find the missing bowl, keeping from getting fired and staying alive.
Smooth read with an exciting and unexpected ending.
BTW If you read a book until 2 AM which "Date Finished" do you classify it under?
August 13, 2011
I had read about this book in the newspaper and it sounded good, I especially liked that it was set in Wisconsin. I put the book on hold at the library and surprisingly got it shortly after visiting Old World Wisconsin. I really enjoyed the book and it was even better that I was able to visualize the story in the Old World setting. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series and hope there are many more!
January 24, 2022
Old World Murder is not normally the kind of book I pick up, but I read it for a book club and it was so fun. The local places, details from the author's experience and research, and the mystery made for a fast and engaging read.
Almost more fun than the book itself, is all the extras on the author's website. You can catch videos and blogs full of photos with shots from around Old World Wisconsin, collections exhibits, historic homes and artifacts, and more.
Almost more fun than the book itself, is all the extras on the author's website. You can catch videos and blogs full of photos with shots from around Old World Wisconsin, collections exhibits, historic homes and artifacts, and more.
February 14, 2020
This book was so fun! You’ll especially like this one if you love history!
December 28, 2015
This was a good, steady paced mystery. Its characters were realistic and kept the story going. Chloe the curator is definitely not your typical cozy protagonist. So, despite me disliking her personality, it was refreshing to actually have a character with flaws. A good read for the State Challenge for Wisconsin.
August 17, 2017
I'll be honest. For a challenge reader, that author's initials and title isn't something that can be abandoned. On top of that, this book is set in Wisconsin, and very few books I've read are set in that state. So, it's not as if I expected a whole lot. Even so, this was only okay. I suspect it has more to do with my audiobook reader, Elise Arsenault, whom I've taken a dislike to. There's something in the way she pronounces certain words like 'suggests' bothered me a little too much.
I've read the bad reviews on here, and most of them have a problem with Chloe herself. I don't. To begin with, she did seem like the standard whiny character, but once it's mentioned in the book that she's clinically depressed, it does make sense. As someone who has occasionally had the blues, I can understand every thing she did, even the fact that she refused to do anything her bosses told her to do. It's something I'm very used to - all that procrastination for barely any reason. That she could get herself out of bed is something.
She has this weird relationship with Roelke McKenna, a part time cop who helps her and who seems to be interested in her. I say weird because as needy as Chloe is, Roelke has protective instincts of a mother bear. I'm guessing that would get stifling very soon, unless he changes his behavior. The other characters aren't developed as much, although I was interested in Neeka (I'm not sure I spelled that right), the intern working with Chloe. The mystery itself was only so-so, because it took a long time for Chloe to find a clue, and there's a little too much repetition of the 'facts as we know it' to add to the page count. I guess being a detective is a lot of drudge work, but, it's not very interesting to read about.
I'll read a couple of other books in this series before I can make a decision on it, but as far as beginnings go, I wasn't very impressed by this one.
I've read the bad reviews on here, and most of them have a problem with Chloe herself. I don't. To begin with, she did seem like the standard whiny character, but once it's mentioned in the book that she's clinically depressed, it does make sense. As someone who has occasionally had the blues, I can understand every thing she did, even the fact that she refused to do anything her bosses told her to do. It's something I'm very used to - all that procrastination for barely any reason. That she could get herself out of bed is something.
She has this weird relationship with Roelke McKenna, a part time cop who helps her and who seems to be interested in her. I say weird because as needy as Chloe is, Roelke has protective instincts of a mother bear. I'm guessing that would get stifling very soon, unless he changes his behavior. The other characters aren't developed as much, although I was interested in Neeka (I'm not sure I spelled that right), the intern working with Chloe. The mystery itself was only so-so, because it took a long time for Chloe to find a clue, and there's a little too much repetition of the 'facts as we know it' to add to the page count. I guess being a detective is a lot of drudge work, but, it's not very interesting to read about.
I'll read a couple of other books in this series before I can make a decision on it, but as far as beginnings go, I wasn't very impressed by this one.
February 7, 2016
I really enjoyed this first in a series that features a woman who works as a curator in an outdoor historic site. The characters are very likeable, both strong and fragile, and the story kept me engaged. I look forward to the next in this series.
May 28, 2021
Excellent, especially for a first in series book. Good job of introducing the characters and giving us the set-up. I loved the setting, especially learning about the history of Wisconsin settlers and the customs they brought with them. Will definitely be reading more in this series.
December 27, 2015
donna recommended it
nice read, strong main characters, excitement elevates to an unexpected ending, a touch of budding romance
nice read, strong main characters, excitement elevates to an unexpected ending, a touch of budding romance
Read
August 22, 2012Wonderful book! As a museum worker myself it is fun to see the backstage of others doing a job like mine. I couldn't put it down and can't eating until I can find the next in the series.
August 7, 2025
I generally liked this - a rather fun and easy read, although a bit of a convoluted plot surrounding the ale bowl. The Chloe/Roelke relationship was decent, but he seemed weirdly attached to her almost immediately - overly concerned and proprietary. Some of the "hey we're in Wisconsin" insertions were a bit hamfisted, as well; as a native Wisconsinite, those jump out to me as shoehorned in when not authentic. I read a later installment in this series a while back, The Lightkeeper's Legacy, and I feel like the writing was better than it was in this first book. I'll likely try #2.
May 26, 2021
Probably more of a 2 or 2.5 but with the story being set at Old World Wisconsin (!), lots of local place name dropping, and a museum curator as the main character, I had to bump it up to a 3.
October 23, 2010
I should start off by saying that I won this book through Goodreads. There were times at the beginning where I would have set it aside if I hadn't felt like I needed to finish it in order to give a review, which would have been a shame, because I definitely ended up enjoying it.
The book begins by introducing the reader to Old World Wisconsin, as Chloe herself begins her first day on the job. I know next to nothing about Wisconsin, new or old, or about living history sites, but I had no trouble forming a vivid picture of the setting. The first part of the book really focuses on getting the reader acquainted with the setting, and the author's prose provides a wealth of detail with which to do so. Once the setting is established, the book moves on to focus on developing the characters, who are also quite realistic and vividly drawn. At the beginning, I wasn't sure if I was going to like Roelke or Chloe, but as I got to know them better, I found them to be both sympathetic and well-developed. The author does a good job of letting you see inside their heads, to their histories and motivations. The depiction of Chloe's issues with depression rang especially true. I also appreciated that the secondary characters were complex, and often their seemingly-obvious motivation turned out to be something else entirely. In general, none of the characters in this book felt like fictional characters; they felt like real people.
The problem with this is that with all of the focus on character development and drawing a detailed picture of the setting at the beginning, it takes a while for the mystery plot to take off. I love a mystery with well-drawn and memorable characters, which is why the description of this book as character-driven mystery appealed to me, but I also love to follow the clues along with the main character and see if I can figure it out for myself. That's really hard in the first part of the book, because it takes a long time for Chloe to find anything resembling a definite clue; it felt like it was close to page 200 before the plot hit that, "Okay, there's definitely something going on here, and I don't want to put the book down before I know what it is," sweet spot. Before that, I would have gladly sacrificed some of the detail and character development for a little bit more plot; I found myself wishing I knew less about the historical society Chloe was calling for clues, or about the life of Roelke's cousin and her children, and more about what was going on with this mysterious ale bowl.
If you can stick it out through the slow start, this book is well worth reading. The setting is unique and interesting (I found myself googling rosemaling and Old World Wisconsin after I'd finished), the characters feel like real and likable people, and the plot is engaging once it does take off.
The book begins by introducing the reader to Old World Wisconsin, as Chloe herself begins her first day on the job. I know next to nothing about Wisconsin, new or old, or about living history sites, but I had no trouble forming a vivid picture of the setting. The first part of the book really focuses on getting the reader acquainted with the setting, and the author's prose provides a wealth of detail with which to do so. Once the setting is established, the book moves on to focus on developing the characters, who are also quite realistic and vividly drawn. At the beginning, I wasn't sure if I was going to like Roelke or Chloe, but as I got to know them better, I found them to be both sympathetic and well-developed. The author does a good job of letting you see inside their heads, to their histories and motivations. The depiction of Chloe's issues with depression rang especially true. I also appreciated that the secondary characters were complex, and often their seemingly-obvious motivation turned out to be something else entirely. In general, none of the characters in this book felt like fictional characters; they felt like real people.
The problem with this is that with all of the focus on character development and drawing a detailed picture of the setting at the beginning, it takes a while for the mystery plot to take off. I love a mystery with well-drawn and memorable characters, which is why the description of this book as character-driven mystery appealed to me, but I also love to follow the clues along with the main character and see if I can figure it out for myself. That's really hard in the first part of the book, because it takes a long time for Chloe to find anything resembling a definite clue; it felt like it was close to page 200 before the plot hit that, "Okay, there's definitely something going on here, and I don't want to put the book down before I know what it is," sweet spot. Before that, I would have gladly sacrificed some of the detail and character development for a little bit more plot; I found myself wishing I knew less about the historical society Chloe was calling for clues, or about the life of Roelke's cousin and her children, and more about what was going on with this mysterious ale bowl.
If you can stick it out through the slow start, this book is well worth reading. The setting is unique and interesting (I found myself googling rosemaling and Old World Wisconsin after I'd finished), the characters feel like real and likable people, and the plot is engaging once it does take off.
April 20, 2021
I was so excited to read this book for a few reasons- I love that it's set in Old World Wisconsin, a historical site I've enjoyed visiting my whole life, and I love cozy mysteries. That being said, I really, truly, could not stand this book. The mystery itself was nothing to complain about, but I just couldn't rally behind any of the characters. Our protagonist Chloe is personally + professionally clueless, not to mention pretentious (who orders a grilled cheese at a rural diner and gets upset that it's made with regular American cheese?). Ethan is the worst kind of gay best friend cliché; he exists only to lap up details about the Chloe's love life. He's supposed to be her best friend and one of the most important people in her life, but we know literally nothing about him. Roelke feels like a cartoon cop with no actual personality other than a vague, traumatic backstory, killer abs, and a deep-set desire to protect (cough, badger) pretty women he barely knows.
My main issue with this book was the depiction of mental illness. I realize that this is set in the 1980's, but it was written in 2010. I don't know how much research she did on mental health or what experiences she's had personally with mental health, but the author could have done so much better.
My main issue with this book was the depiction of mental illness. I realize that this is set in the 1980's, but it was written in 2010. I don't know how much research she did on mental health or what experiences she's had personally with mental health, but the author could have done so much better.
November 28, 2010
I just decided to "throw this in my cart" at the library, as I thought it might turn out to be good. As it turns out, I did enjoy this, overall.
I did have some problems, with the heroine, Chloe Ellefson, spending so much time away from her official duties at her new job as curator at a historic site in Wisconsin, especially after a troubled past, while she pursues the mystery of a missing Norwegian ale bowl. I guess my problem deals with my past as a goody two shoes - always following the rules. She just completely seems to ignore her official duties and is totally sidetracked by the missing relic. Then, see "has the nerve" to get depressed by her troubles and failures to excel at the new job, even though she is is rude to co-workers, tells of the director, a she single-mindedly pursues the missing ale bowl, at the cost of all else in her life. She also seems to dwell too much on her past failed romance, thought there are "complications" that explain why this failed romance may be harder than most.
Though it sounds as if I was really annoyed with the heroine (and I guess I was to a degree), I really enjoyed this book. I liked the evolving relationship that she has with the local police officer, Roelke McKenna. Very predictable, in a sense, with its misunderstandings and difference due to the sensibilities of the sexes, but both characters seem to be self aware enough to avoid the normal consequence that these differences and misunderstandings are trite and boring.
This is a new "adult" mystery by this author and I frankly do look forward to the next in the series, even if I may have been a bit critical in this review.
I did have some problems, with the heroine, Chloe Ellefson, spending so much time away from her official duties at her new job as curator at a historic site in Wisconsin, especially after a troubled past, while she pursues the mystery of a missing Norwegian ale bowl. I guess my problem deals with my past as a goody two shoes - always following the rules. She just completely seems to ignore her official duties and is totally sidetracked by the missing relic. Then, see "has the nerve" to get depressed by her troubles and failures to excel at the new job, even though she is is rude to co-workers, tells of the director, a she single-mindedly pursues the missing ale bowl, at the cost of all else in her life. She also seems to dwell too much on her past failed romance, thought there are "complications" that explain why this failed romance may be harder than most.
Though it sounds as if I was really annoyed with the heroine (and I guess I was to a degree), I really enjoyed this book. I liked the evolving relationship that she has with the local police officer, Roelke McKenna. Very predictable, in a sense, with its misunderstandings and difference due to the sensibilities of the sexes, but both characters seem to be self aware enough to avoid the normal consequence that these differences and misunderstandings are trite and boring.
This is a new "adult" mystery by this author and I frankly do look forward to the next in the series, even if I may have been a bit critical in this review.
January 26, 2011
How could I resist this book with a title like "Old World Murder" I am a Wisconsin girl who has spent some interesting hours at the Old World Wisconsin site. I enjoyed reading about the area that I am so familiar with, however, I did not, as a whole, really love this book.
The main character drove me insane! She did incredibly stupid things and I kept thinking, "Wow, with all her supposed education, she's still so clueless!"
Also, is it too difficult for a writer to give us a good mystery without a lecture on the evils of sexism, or racism or whatever the cause du jour is, today?
No wonder I read so much classic noir.
The main character drove me insane! She did incredibly stupid things and I kept thinking, "Wow, with all her supposed education, she's still so clueless!"
Also, is it too difficult for a writer to give us a good mystery without a lecture on the evils of sexism, or racism or whatever the cause du jour is, today?
No wonder I read so much classic noir.
September 9, 2024
1.5 stars, I really didn't enjoy this, and I kind of feel bad because multiple patrons and a coworker have recommended this to me. I did not care about the missing bowl whatsoever and I didn't feel connected to the characters so the additional romance plot etc. didn't entertain me either. The writing wasn't the best either in my opinion so nothing was really gripping me or making want to pick it up. The 3rd book in the series takes place in Door County where I grew up so I might check that one out just to see but not sure when I would get to it.
November 10, 2020
4.5* Wonderful debut of the Chloe Ellefson adult mysteries set in and around Old World Wisconsin. There were no weaknesses that I could see. The characters, setting, plotting and end of chapter hooks were terrific; as were the police procedures and amateur detecting. Humor and complication hiccups were dolloped throughout. Already reading the second in the series.
March 3, 2014
The story was fine, but I found the almost all the characters hard to like.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
September 9, 2017
La protagonista di questa serie fa la curatrice presso un museo all'aperto, uno di quelli che, oltre a vecchi edifici, ha anche i figuranti in costume. Uno dei libri più avanti nella serie parla di quilt e la casa nella prateria (sì, quella del telefilm!) e mi attirava molto, così, approfittando di un'offerta, ho comprato i primi tre... e mi sono dimenticata di leggerli! Almeno fino ad ora.
La prima sorpresa è stata che questo libro è ambientato nel 1982: niente cellulari, il computer non è menzionato e il fax è la novità del momento. Tutto ciò mi ha fatto meditare su quanto sia cambiato il nostro mondo in una trentina di anni...
La storia gira intorno a un boccale o a una ciotola norvegese scomparsa. Sì, norvegese, perché il museo, realmente esistente, si trova in una zona ad alta immigrazione scandinava e tedesca. Mi è piaciuto scoprire varie cosette al riguardo. L'unico morto ammazzato è quasi un accidente, non voluto, e capita parecchio in là nel libro.
Mi sono piaciute le indagini e il colpevole è stato una vera sorpresa. Mi piace la protagonista, che ha avuto (ha ancora?) problemi di depressione e anche colui che, credo, sarà il coprotagonista anche nei libri successivi. Due bei personaggi, ognuno con le sue luci e le sue ombre. Credo che rifarò presto un tuffo nel passato...
La prima sorpresa è stata che questo libro è ambientato nel 1982: niente cellulari, il computer non è menzionato e il fax è la novità del momento. Tutto ciò mi ha fatto meditare su quanto sia cambiato il nostro mondo in una trentina di anni...
La storia gira intorno a un boccale o a una ciotola norvegese scomparsa. Sì, norvegese, perché il museo, realmente esistente, si trova in una zona ad alta immigrazione scandinava e tedesca. Mi è piaciuto scoprire varie cosette al riguardo. L'unico morto ammazzato è quasi un accidente, non voluto, e capita parecchio in là nel libro.
Mi sono piaciute le indagini e il colpevole è stato una vera sorpresa. Mi piace la protagonista, che ha avuto (ha ancora?) problemi di depressione e anche colui che, credo, sarà il coprotagonista anche nei libri successivi. Due bei personaggi, ognuno con le sue luci e le sue ombre. Credo che rifarò presto un tuffo nel passato...
March 12, 2022
I've enjoyed one of the later books in this series and wanted to follow the character development by starting at the beginning.
"Old World Murder" does a great job setting up the series with strong characters and setting. I love the historical detail and Old World Wisconsin educational tourist attraction. As the female lead, Chloe has potential. She's a little headstrong and disrespectful of authority, but I liked her overall. Her backstory is interesting and influences her thoughts and relationships. Chloe's past also resurfaces for a nice twist at the conclusion.
The only negative for me, and the reason I couldn't give a higher rating, is the level of profanity. Had the storyline not been as strong, I would not have finished. I don't remember the other book I read being this bad, so I'll give the next story a chance.
"Old World Murder" does a great job setting up the series with strong characters and setting. I love the historical detail and Old World Wisconsin educational tourist attraction. As the female lead, Chloe has potential. She's a little headstrong and disrespectful of authority, but I liked her overall. Her backstory is interesting and influences her thoughts and relationships. Chloe's past also resurfaces for a nice twist at the conclusion.
The only negative for me, and the reason I couldn't give a higher rating, is the level of profanity. Had the storyline not been as strong, I would not have finished. I don't remember the other book I read being this bad, so I'll give the next story a chance.
April 21, 2024
This book sweats the 80's like Richard Simmons. I loved that! It's an unusual setting for a cozy (not many cozies were being written at that time, I don't know that the term cozy mystery had even been coined yet). I liked Chloe, she was the typical 80's feminist and while she could be a tad annoying about it, it was cute how she considered herself so modern when her ancestors had been liberated women for generations. The mystery was great and I loved the museum setting. Reminded me of Colonial Williamsburg. Her research into the historical records was so fun and I loved the fact that so many of the characters were questionable, it made the story very suspenseful. I definitely want to continue this series!
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