The Evening's Amethyst

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC.
American writer Nora Tierney has moved to her Oxford home with her fiance DI Declan Barnes and her young son when she gets an urgent call from her stepsister Claire who has just found the body of her friend and fellow student who died in a fall from steep stairs at college. She says there's no way the girl committed suicide and she wants Nora to help prove it. She's a suspect, but Nora knows there's no way. Declan is SIO on the case as well as looking into the cold case of a young man who thinks he may be the boy who was kidnapped many years ago. Both cases are fascinating and I really enjoyed this read. I also loved Typo the puppy and Sean, Nora's toddler, they are adorable.
This is the 5th in the series, but can definitely be read as a standalone, I had no problem following the story even though I hadn't read any of the previous books. I will be checking them out on Amazon.
Highly recommended!

The Evening's Amethyst by M.K Graff is the fifth book in the Nora Tierney series. I have come to this series so late! Never having read the previous books, I wondered how it would be for me. I must say I do think reading the previous books would give even more depth to this book. On the other hand, I think it is fine as a standalone novel, too.
A story that is very engaging with more than one mystery that needs solving by our main character, amateur sleuth, Nora Tierney, and her fiancé DI Declan Barnes.
The fact that we have a professional detective and an amateur one together creates a different angle for us to work from; it had me attempting to think like a copper (all be it a dodgy one!).
The storyline, along with the characters, made this a compelling and very interesting read. M.K Graff has brought a realism to her characters that lies bare their flaws as well as the glamour that they try to blind you with. This gives a lot of depth to them, which made this story even more real.
Nora herself is like the woman who could be my next-door neighbour, and that really helped me to connect with her. The author has skillfully managed to create a novel in which I feel both the plot and the characters drive this story. That's how I think anyway.
I love the fact that murder is not overworked or even glorified in this story; it is plainly there to help drive the story. I spent a good two days in Nora's world and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to ZooLoos Book Tours, Netgalley and the publisher.

M.K. Graff is known for her characters, setting, and plot. The 5th book of the Nora Tierney amateur sleuth series about an American author living in Oxford, England, does not disappoint.

The Evening's Amethyst is the fifth book in the series but the first for me.

There are several stories interwoven in the story. It starts with a man spotting a child alone in a playpen unattended. His wife is desperate for a child and an idea is planted. He drives by often and sees the same child alone. One day he decides to take the child and bring home to his wife. Next, a young university student falls to her death. Nora Tierney’s step-sister is the first one the scene, she and fiancé Declan Barnes will investigate the cause of death to clear Claire, Nora's step sister, after finding the young woman. The two stories are separate one which happened in the past and one in the present. There is a surprising revelation about the missing child that I did not see coming which was a nice twist.

It was my first book of the series. There was some back history shared about the characters, but it didn't add or take away from this story. It is easily a stand alone book, and is easy to read. The characters were likeable as well as interesting. The only thing that bothered me was that children were left alone in the yards. Not something I like to see, although I understand for the plot it was necessary, but unsettling just the same.

This is my first Nora mystery and it now will certainly not be the last. I can't wait to read the other books! Love me a good mystery! Engaging is what this book is. It had me on the first page. I loved all the characters and really felt like I knew each and every one of them. What a story. Did she fall or was she pushed? you will have to read tro find out!