Death Comes to Santa Fe

I was very excited to see this third book about Maddie, an artist in 1920s Sante Fe. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two, and this one didn’t disappoint. The author does such a great job of giving you a sense of place as well as of the characters. The mystery itself was well-plotted and kept me guessing, and the historical detail is seamlessly incorporated and never forced or distracting. You could read this as a stand-alone, but I would recommend reading the first two books in the series, partly because they’re excellent.

I loved the mix of historical and fictional characters in this mystery set in 1924 during the early modern fiestas. Not only is the plot intriguing, the characters are wonderfully drawn, and the author, who lives in Santa Fe herself, really captures the feel of this special place. This period is important in creating the city of today, and I loved the way the book captured the people, the place, and the history.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love historical mysteries, and was intrigued by the setting of A Death in Santa Fe — and I wasn’t disappointed. Although the mystery was well done, it was the setting that drew me in. Snappy dialogue, speakeasies, and an enchanting landscape cast a spell on me.

Although this is the third in a series, it worked well as a standalone. Maddie was a capable (and not too annoying) amateur sleuth. I have already taken out the first two in the series from my library, and look forward to reading any more to come!

Death Comes to Santa Fe, the third in a series, is a well-plotted story set among the newly-arrived artists and old Hispanic families of Santa Fe. NM. Amanda Allen does a great job bringing 1920s Santa Fe to life. The mystery is interesting with characters both old and new, and it is delightful to watch the relationship between Maddie (our heroine) and her boyfriend David develop. Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC. #AmandaAllen #DeathComestoSantaFe

A Lively Narrative..
The third in the Santa Fe Revival Mystery series and celebrations abound as Fiesta time approaches and sometime amateur sleuth Madeline Vaughn-Alwin is in town. Events are to soon turn fatal in more ways than one and Madeline finds herself amidst chaos. With a wonderfully well drawn and atmospheric setting, a keenly observed cast of characters and a swiftly moving and lively narrative, the time and place of this engaging mystery is masterfully done. A worthy addition to a most enjoyable series.

This was such a good mystery and I was engaged with what was going in this world. Maddie was a great main character that worked with what I was looking for. The plot had everything that I was looking for in a mystery novel. It does everything that I was looking for and can’t wait to read more from Amanda Allen.

The writing is full of DETAIL! Although it's a mystery, it's got some, but not all, elements of Regency Romance. There are some details about the story which would have been scandalous in the 1920s. There are details in everything while leaving the book suitable for all readers, some things which were frowned upon, some dishonest dealings, and some which offended old family sensibilities. There are some out-of-date words used, some of which I had to look up, that all fits in with the setting and time.

There are numerous people who had motives for murder, but nobody seemed like an evil murderer.

I'm only giving this 4 stars rather than 5 because in some places, in the middle of a numbered-chapter, the scene and characters change, without any discussion of how we got from one place to another if the character(s) are the same, and without any sort of separator if it's a different segment within the story.

Maddie Vaughn-Alwin grew up in the upper crust of New York, the soul of an artist crushed into the finest clothing and the most proper old-money social circles. She married for love, a young man who was lost in the trenches of WWI, and she traveled west, settling in Santa Fe to start over again. This book catches up with her two murders later, participating in an enormous festival with her friends and newly adopted extended family. But all is not well as the smoking remnants of Zozobra reveal not just the ashen worries of the citizens of this western village, but parts of one of the least popular of them all.

I read the first two books in this series about four years ago and really enjoyed them. When I saw this one was coming out I was excited to return to 1920's Santa Fe, New Mexico. Some of the characters in this series are based on real people who lived there during that time period, special people who helped this city become what it is today. Though there wasn't a lot of mystery and not a lot of investigation in this book, it had a little of everything. Mystery, intrigue, romance, unrequited love, and ultimately a happy ending. This series is a definite must read for any fan of historical cozies.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Maddie's remade her life in Santa Fe. It's the 1920s and she's happily working as an artist, building a found family, and solving murders. This is the third in an atmospheric love letter to the city but it will be fine as a standalone, especially for fans of historical cozies. Ricardo Montoya was an important man in Santa Fe but someone wanted him dead- and Maddie and David find his body in an arroyo. Why and who? This is clever, with just enough twists to keep you guessing. And always remember that it's the 1920s. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Santa Fe, NM 1924 A wonderful blend of history and fiction, Death Comes to Santa Fe pulls out all the stops to entertain!

Maddie is such a interesting character, having come from fast pace NY to more settled NM to get away from her sorrows. But what she finds is death and a mystery!

Engaging characters and a journey to find the truth make this a page turner, with only wanting more in this series!

Welcome to 1924 and a week of Fiesta in Santa Fe with Maddie, an artist, who has met most of the artists as well as the more influential people of the area who has also become an amateur sleuth. With activities throughout the week, Socialite Maddie is a welcome guest at private parties, speakeasies, as well as working on preparing the construction of one of the main events, the burning of Zozobra, Unfortunately, a body is discovered which later turns into two dead bodies and many suspects. The historical aspect is fantastic and Maddie is more than adequate in her clue skills. Don’t miss the notes by the author at the end of the book although a description of Maddie’s lipstick was actually available until the 1950s. Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for an ARC of this book; this is my honest opinion.

A delicious slice of New Mexico social life and customs with a terrific murderous twist set during the Roaring Twenties, this clever whodunit will definitely makes you pine for the glamorous and luscious atmosphere of Santa Fe. I simply loved this wonderful novel with its exquisitely drawn characters and really unexpected plot...
A captivating treat that deserves to be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!

Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this terrific ARC

This is the third novels in this entertaining series, and it can be read as a stand-alone as there’s a lot of backstory, you will surely want to read the previous novels and I guarantee they’re as likeable as this one.
I found the Santa Fe setting intriguing as there’s a lot of info about the history, the places, and the people. There’s a mix of historical and fictional characters and the mix works well.
If you want to learn more about the Fiesta or the artists there’s a bibliography at the end of the book.
I enjoyed this book as I like Maddie and the cast of characters, there’s a lot of world building and we are introduced to the characters, their relationship, and the atmosphere of the city before the Fiesta.
I enjoyed this part, but I think that some less details would have helped and start the proper mystery part sooner.
The mystery is solid, twisty, and full of surprises. I couldn’t guess the culprit and enjoyed the storytelling and the story.
This is a lovely series, and this is the best instalment so far. I read it as fast as I could, and I can’t wait to read the next story as there could be some big news.
Highly recommended
Many thanks to Amanda Allen, Severn House and Rachel’s Random Resources for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.