Book 21 Plaid and Plagiarism

 

Plaid and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae fulfilled the category “A Book where the Main Character Works at Your Current or Dream Job” for the PopSugar 2021 Reading Challenge. I have a great job. I’m a writer, and I work at a library in circulation. So I see all the books. It’s lovely.

I read tons of books about librarians, booksellers, bookstores, and bibliophiles. I wanted a book for this category that was different. Most of these titles are cozy mysteries. I’ve tried to read The Bad-ass Librarians of Timbuktu twice now. Not quite my ideal or current job. I read Death Overdue by Allison Brook which I realized was a reread. And last, I couldn’t find an audio of one that looked cute called Nowhere to Be Found by Emily Thomas. Finally, I settled on Plaid and Plagiarism with the premise of an American opening a bookstore in Scotland.

I like to think I’m Scottish. My father’s people come from Nova Scotia, and I’m pretty sure Scotland before that. (Side story, In college, we read A River Runs Through It, and our TA went on and on about how their nationality was an unusual thing. “Scottish by way a Nova Scotia, who’s like that?” I raised my hand and screwed up her point. LOL) Anyway, visiting Scotland is on my bucket list. I’ve read all MC Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth books. So a bookstore there sounded jus’ grand. (That is the extent of my highland accent.)

It was a cute book, but there were some issues. It hit all the cozy mystery beats but not at the right pace. The novel took too long to give the background and rushed the ending. The ending was just right, and all the red herrings were tied up nicely. But with four protagonists, the story became weighed down with information sharing. And yes, it was ingenious for the characters to use a Google Doc to keep track of things, but… I think if Ms. MacRae had put the book in first person with Janet, it would have solved the slow start. The conversations about information sharing would have disappeared, and each plot point would’ve shone.

I also listened to the audio, and the reader, though articulate, did not do the book any huge favors. The reader had an English accent. Most of the characters were Scottish, and their accents were well done and distinguishable. But the main character and her daughter were mid-western Americans. Their accents sounded very New York City to me. And having the narration given with an English accent threw off that the book was really about Janet, Christine, Natalie, and Summer, three of which were American. It didn’t work. It didn’t ruin it, but it took away from the story.

Also, the title is a bit of a red herring too… But no spoilers!

Did I like the novel? Yes. Did I wish I’d read the paper? Yep. Would I recommend it? Yep. Will I read the next in the series? Probably (once I finish this challenge).

I give Plaid and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae Four Darling Knitted Nessies.