Review of Hattie Vavaseur

[marta baglioni]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Hattie Vavaseur" by M. Rebecca Wildsmith.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Hattie is old, and her memory is not as good as it used to be. When a taxi comes to fetch her from the funeral she is attending, she has no idea where it is taking her. They arrive at a big, white house, where a disturbingly pink room is ready for her. During her stay, Hattie will try to remember her past; she will meet new friends, including an extravagant medium and occultist named Vamelda, who will reveal a shocking truth. Hattie will also have the occasion to converse with the grumpy (and yet familiar) master of the house. One question remains unanswered: will Hattie restore her memories?

Hattie Vavaseur is the thrilling debut of M. Rebecca Wildsmith. This book conquered my heart in just a few chapters. It is set in the 1920s, and the writing style reminded me of the one used in old novels, so it was extremely easy to soak up the atmosphere of the times. I enjoyed the mystery aspects of this book and how the laws of the afterlife are explored. Part of this novel's charm is its richness in topics: Hattie will help solve a murder; tales of obsession and magic will lull you to sleep, while a slow-burning romance and a love long forgotten will make you want to keep reading until dawn.

The characters were original and amazingly written. Hattie changes so much as we get to know her, and I appreciate how we can see from the beginning hints of the good qualities she will acquire on her journey. Secondary characters deserve no less credit. The first one that comes to mind is Vamelda, of course, thanks to her exuberance, but this applies to all the other members of the household. The dialogues were extremely well-cared-for, and the souls of the characters are clearly visible in their lines: the delivery, the vocabulary, each is different according to the character speaking.

In some chapters, I noticed what I would have marked as a typo at first glance: I was so excited to realize the author had hidden clues inside the text, and I had a lot of fun trying to decipher the secret messages. This feature and the British humour that pervades the dialogues were the cherries on top of an already remarkable novel.

Fans of the mystery and romance genres will love this book, as well as voracious Agatha Christie’s readers. I could not spot a single error, and I believe the book was professionally edited. The writing and the plot were extremely engaging. I did not find negative aspects, and I am thoroughly satisfied. My rating is then an enthusiastic 4 out of 4 stars. I hope there will be an occasion to read more from this author.

******
Hattie Vavaseur
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes

[kandscreeley]

This sounds like a very interesting book. I never really got into Agatha Christie, so I'm not sure this would be for me. It probably wouldn't hurt to go back and revisit this genre, though. Thanks.

[Prisallen]

I read this book as well and thoroughly agree with your take on it. Vamelda was my favorite character and had me laughing several times during the story. Thanks for an excellent review!

[marta baglioni]

This sounds like a very interesting book. I never really got into Agatha Christie, so I'm not sure this would be for me. It probably wouldn't hurt to go back and revisit this genre, though. Thanks.

If you want to dust off her books, I recommend you the Miss Marple series. Poirot is the most famous, but Christie herself described him as "an insufferable egocentric creep"
Thank you for commenting!

[marta baglioni]

I read this book as well and thoroughly agree with your take on it. Vamelda was my favorite character and had me laughing several times during the story. Thanks for an excellent review!

Yes, and she was so kind-hearted. Thank you for stopping by!

[NetMassimo]

Romance is not my thing but the mystery element seems intriguing and well-developed characters are definitely a plus. Thank you for your great review!

[Bradley Shelvie]

Seems a captivating book; the plot looks interesting. I would definitely have this on my shelves. Nice review!

[Sharon Christanto]

The novel has an eye-catching title, and based on your review, I believe this is a great book. As a fan of Agatha Christie, I'm adding this to my TBR pile

[Raluca_Mihaila]

I would love to discover the mysteries that Hattie's memory hides. Thank you for this amazing recommendation!

[NancyDrew12]

I have also read and enjoyed this novel. I agree with you completely about the characters being amazing. There wasn't one I didn't form a connection with. Thanks for a excellent review Marba!

[marta baglioni]

Romance is not my thing but the mystery element seems intriguing and well-developed characters are definitely a plus. Thank you for your great review!

Thank you for stopping by!

[marta baglioni]

Seems a captivating book; the plot looks interesting. I would definitely have this on my shelves. Nice review!

I really hope you like it! Thanks for visiting

[marta baglioni]

The novel has an eye-catching title, and based on your review, I believe this is a great book. As a fan of Agatha Christie, I'm adding this to my TBR pile

I wish you a good reading, then! Thank you for commenting

[marta baglioni]

I would love to discover the mysteries that Hattie's memory hides. Thank you for this amazing recommendation!

Hope you enjoy it! Thank you for stopping by

[marta baglioni]

I have also read and enjoyed this novel. I agree with you completely about the characters being amazing. There wasn't one I didn't form a connection with. Thanks for a excellent review Marba!

Thank you for your words!
(Btw, I absolutely love these colourful messages )