Guest Post: Jeanne and Treadmill Books: Vintage Toyshop Mystery series by Barbara Early

Jeanne of the Bookblog of the Bristol Library is back this week with her latest in her Treadmill Book Review series. Even before starting this series of columns last May she had reviewed a lot of books here. You can find her other reviews here by using the search function here on the blog.

Treadmill Books: Vintage Toyshop Mystery series by Barbara Early

When Liz McCall found out her father had opened a vintage toyshop, she had mixed emotions.  On the one hand, she was happy he had purpose again after having to retire from the police force after an injury.  On the other hand… a toy shop?  Sure, the whole family had loved toys and games, but her father has put all his savings into this venture and there’s a good chance it won’t succeed.

Things only get worse when a man who had been trying to sell her father some vintage toys is found murdered inside the shop.  And unfortunately, it appears her father might have had something to do with his death.

That’s the set up for the first book in the series, Death of a Toy Soldier. Like many first in series books, this one is designed to introduce characters and setting and as such, can drag a bit at times.  Liz’s father, Hank, loves puns and the first book is peppered with them.  I enjoy puns, but it got a bit much at times.  The puns are still present but toned down in the second book. Liz also has the cozy standard two boyfriends she is trying to choose between, one of whom is (of course) a policeman. 

The vintage toys make an enjoyable backdrop.  Of course to those of a Certain Age, the toys named are fond childhood memories. . . or memories of their own children’s childhoods.  Interesting bits of history and toy valuation are thrown in with the nostalgia. 

While the first book didn’t wow me, I had read one of Early’s other series (Bridal Shop Bouquet Mysteries, written under the name Beverly Allen) and thought the series delightful after a similarly slow start. 

History seems to be repeating itself, because once again I found the second installment, Murder on the Toy Town Express, was better paced and generally more entertaining.  The author seems more comfortable with both setting and characters, making the latter more likeable for me. The primary setting for the second book was a toy/train/comic book show where Liz and Hank were hawking their wares alongside a neighboring shop owner—an annoying and abrasive man who, in good cozy fashion,  has “Potential Victim” written all over him. There were some nice twists and turns in the plot, and there are indications that the two boyfriend paradox may come to an end. (I base this on Liz’s awareness of the situation, not the teaser bit at the end of the book.)  I find I’ll be looking forward to Death of a Russian Doll, due out in October 2018.