Book Review: The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club by Holly Tierney-Bedord

It’s always very exciting to get on a second blog tour for an author you love. The author in question is Holly Tierney-Bedord, whom I had never heard of before I read Sweet Hollow Women. Would I go as far as saying this book is even better? Yes, I would.

Blurb

The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club by Holly Tierney-Bedord opens by telling the reader about the deaths of Evangeline Maddingly, daughter of one of the town’s wealthiest old-money families, and Oliver Prescott, son of one of the town’s wealthiest new-money families. The circumstances surrounding their untimely deaths are murky at best, thanks in large part to a coroner with connections to the town’s founding families and a sweeping effort from those in power to shut down any negative publicity that could harm the reputation of their pristine community.

Five years later, a small group of strangers gather to create jewelry for one of Port Elspeth’s many fundraisers. Before long, friendships are forming and old secrets are being revealed. Along with solving the mystery of how to make a perfect pair of chandelier earrings or cabochon necklace, these unlikely friends find themselves at the heart of solving the murders that took place half a decade earlier.

Goodreads blurb

Review 

The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club has a more sinister edge than the title or book cover would suggest, and we find this out immediately in the opening chapter. So, if you like suspense it has plenty of that, while also being a charming story about friendship. I would go as far as saying it has something for everyone.

Each chapter focuses on a different character within the book. It is a good way to learn more about that characters. It emphasizes the fact that although they were initially quite different from each other, including in age, a strong friendship and circle of support was able to be formed. Because essentially, these are women who don’t fit in, whether it be at school, in the family, or in the general locality. It made me happy that these women were able to form a strong bond and reminded me that there is someone out there for everyone, not only in romantic relationships but friendships too.

There were some other themes in The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club that I enjoyed very much. One was starting all over in a new place and the other was returning home after living abroad and it not feeling like home anymore. Both of these I can relate with. There was also the theme of social climbing and how vicious it can get. Thankfully this is not something I’ve ever experienced.

I didn’t want to go too much into the plot of this book as I feel that it is well explained from the blurb. What I wanted to showcase here is that it is not and through and through thriller nor is it a fluffy type of book. It combines both elements seamlessly to provide a quick read with some important themes. I hope you were able to gather that from my ramblings and feel encouraged to take a chance on The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.