Main Street
Dana Canfield never expected to become a widow or have her husband murdered. She is determined to rebuild her life. She Moves her Interior design business to Providence Island off the coast of Virginia. A close call with an out-of-control driver on her very first day appears harmless enough. But when secrets from the past are revealed, she soon realizes that maybe it was no accident.
Dana falls in love with her new home and Nick Warden, a local garage owner, and former cop. When her BMW convertible catches his eye, she thinks it’s funny. Not long after Dana finds out that Nick is interested in her car, she comes to understands that he is more interested in her.
The budding relationship is going well until Nick becomes concerned over a series of strange and terrifying incidents plaguing Dana. How many of the odd occurrences are connected to her late husband’s murder?
Series: Providence Island – Book #1
Author: Dianna Wilkes
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Career/Romance
Publisher: RedBird Books
Rating:
Main Street is the first in a new series by author Dianna Wilkes. The book is well written with little to no grammar issues to distract the reader. The workflows from one scene to another flawlessly. The plot remains true throughout; there is never any worry that the reader will get lost somewhere along the way.
The characters are memorable and entertaining with the type of personalities that make a story come to life. Dana is an older recent widow who is not only dealing with the loss of her husband but also the loss of her life as she knows it. Her son has gone missing, by choice. She has no idea of where he is or why he decided to leave, but every day, she hopes to hear from him and is determined not to give up until she does.
She has moved from her home and taken on a new life in PI, a new business venture, and a budding romance that leaves her almost breathless. When secrets she never knew existed pop up, she accepts them and plans to move on with her life and be happy. Dana is a strong independent woman who can accomplish anything she sets out to achieve, yet she still has some very feminine frailties that increase the reader’s enjoyment.
Nick Warden is a great character but also a welcome romantic lead. He falls for Dana in a flash. He has his own issues to deal with but will do anything he can to keep Dana happy and safe. The other supporting characters are a great addition to the overall story and help keep the reader turning the page.
Although this is a wonderful debut book, there are some issues that should have been resolved. Many of the questions raised in the story are not answered, including who the killer is. Cliff hangers are great for television but few cozy readers like them. The ending of this story is not satisfactory for the reader. Any cozy, even those in a series need to stand alone. All issues need to be wrapped up, and the reader left with no questions about what happened and who is to blame. It is great to build suspense but not having the answers may make many readers toss the book on a pile and never read another installment.
Much of the story in Main Street is interesting and intriguing, but the ending leaves a lot to be desired. Due to these unresolved questions, this book is not highly recommended for anyone who dislikes a cliffhanger or those readers who want all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed by the end of the story.
About the Author
Dianna Wilkes is an award-winning contemporary romance author, known for the Providence Island mystery series. Reading has always been an important part of her life. “I learned how to read when I was four years old,” she said. “Writing my own stories seemed a natural progression.”
Dianna holds a B.A.in Visual Communication and an M.Ed.in Instructional Technology. She worked as an Education Consultant for a medical technology company before leaving the corporate world. Despite all that nerdy stuff, she loves creating stories of romance and mystery with touches of humor. When she isn’t writing or working, Dianna is deep in researching various twigs and branches on her family tree or fulfilling entries on her travel bucket list.
Contact Dianna: https://www.diannawilkes.com/contact/
Find Dianna on Social Media
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DiannaWilkesAuthor
Twitter – https://twitter.com/dwilkesauthor
Contact The Cozy Review
Leave a Reply