The Executrix By Courtney Pierece

[Birdlady1950]

Contemporary Novel
Three Sisters
Mystery, Laughter, and Snarkiness
Tragedy, Family Dynamics
A Poodle Named Pogo, Criminals, And Mobsters
You Don't Want To Miss This One
It Is A Winner! 5 Stars


STORY LINE:
Olivia Novak's life was perfect; a successful romance author, a loving husband, a beautiful home. Yes, Olivia's life was perfect until the day her husband was killed in a hit and run auto accident. Her obsession in finding the driver has over-shadowed her life. Her career is going strong but she is dissatisfied; she wants to write a serious novel, one her mother would appreciate.


Then to top off an awful 2 to 3 year period, her widowed mother dies. Olivia is executrix to her mother's estate and finds she didn't know her mother as well as she thought. Her mother had hidden depths none of the sisters knew existed as well as hidden talents.


Olivia, Lauren, and Danielle are sisters living in the same town. Olivia has known tragedy and obsession, Lauren the heart-break of losing her spouse to cancer, and Danny fearing Ryan, her ex-fiance and Police officer, would die in the line of duty, has retreated from life and refused to live life to its fullest. She had been nestled in the bosom of her mother.


Olivia is dog sitting her elderly mysterious neighbor, R. D. Griffin's, destructive poodle Pogo, trying to satisfy her literary agent, housing her two sisters in her home during this time of grief, planning her mother's funeral, handling the estate, trying to find her husband's killer, and resolve family issues. To say her life is full and spinning at full stilt is an understatement. Come and follow these three sisters as they journey though revelations, grief, resolution, commitment, and family unity.



CHARACTERS, PLOTTING, AND DEVELOPMENT:
This book had two of my favorite things, Freesia a beautiful Himalayan cat and Pogo the Poodle. Ms. Pierce descriptions were so vivid I could see these two and their antics.


Ms. Pieces writing style was funny, witty, and refreshing. She has the art of humor, snarkiness, and sarcasm down to a fine art. I laughed out loud reading this book. The antics of the sisters, Freesia, and Pogo, felt very real and Ms Pierce portrayed each expertly.


There were so many moments of expert repartee. I could fill this page with humorous dialogue and snarky quotes from book that I loved: when the sisters turned Pogo into a Service Dog to visit R. D. in the hospital, Olivia thinking of sticking her head under the wine spigot, watching Lauren dig through a purse that had everything from a pair of pliers to band-aides, at the funeral discussing their Mother's bacon etched urn, Pogo and the Bag Piper's fling, and so many more. I howled with laughter. Ms. Pierce added the elements of mobsters and their crimes, and the results of unwise decisions.


Ms. Pierce infused this book with twists and turns, mystery, and family dynamics in which the framework could represent any family in America. She expertly revealed the relationship issues between parent and their children and siblings; favoritism, jealousy, insecurity, envy, and not least of all, commitment and love. I felt right at home reading this book as I could identify with each sister's perspective of their life, their mother's love and their place in that relationship and their relationship with each other. I loved the humor in this story, it was a feel good read.


Her characters were well-developed and the pacing of the book was well done. Ms. Pierce had many threads in this story. She brought all the threads together to create a fantastic novel filled with everything that makes a great story. The twists and turns, emotional dynamics, and mystery kept me fused to this book. I read it straight through; I refused to put it down. This story was addictive and was a roller coaster ride.


RECOMMENDATION:
I highly recommend this novel to anyone that loves a good story filled with mystery, crime, mobsters, humor, and human relationships. This was the first work of Ms. Pierce I have read; I would buy her next novel without hesitation. Ms. Piece is a talented author that has plotting, characterization and development down to fine art.


I received this book from Readingalley in return for an honest book review.


Books reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion; book reviews on line under my name and on my blog are my opinion.