Book Review A Match of Wits by Jen Turano

Book Review:       A Match of Wits Author:       Jen Turano Personal Quality Rating:       4 Pages: 348 Publishing house: Bethany House ISBN 978-0-7642-1127-0 Reviewer:       Yvette van Niekerk Summary: A Match of Wits is such a beautifully written Romance set in the 1880’s. The main characters in this novella are Miss Agatha Watson, Zane Beckett, Drusilla, and Mr. Blackheart. The story takes you to Colorado Springs which is an up and coming Mining Community.  Zane Beckett left New York to peruse the love of his life Helena but we find him drunk and hanging out with a couple of unsavory ladies.  He is so drunk that he needed to be carried up to his quarters.  Agatha didn’t expect to find Zane in Colorado Springs and especially in such a state.  Zane has no idea that Agatha is hiding out in Colorado Springs because someone is trying to assassinate her.  Mr. Blackheart is her bodyguard and Drusilla is a paid companion. The characters in the story are all known to us as they are seen in the previous books such as “A Talent for Trouble” and “A Most Peculiar Circumstance.” There is a lot of bantering, the story and the plays of words are absolutely great. The suspense in unraveling the mysterious killer takes you to the end of the story and it was a most unlikely suspect from my point of view. The ending very good and you will feel absolutely happy with the results. Social / Historical Context: This book was written both evocations as well as commonplace. The narrative is based on four main characters and a cute little pig. From the outset, Agatha and Zane are constantly misunderstanding each other. Mr. Blackheart and Drusilla are the people who come to the aid of both Agatha and Zane. I believe the social setting and historical context is well thought out. This story is a continuance of the previous stories and the characters all come into play near the end. Writing Style: I believe the author enjoyed writing this story; she was drawing her inspiration from her previous books and bringing all the characters to life. In doing this the story flows and we already know the previous characters and know the background. It’s almost like a true life story based on a certain family and the adventures the children enjoy. The author narrates her special kind of humor which is fresh and catching. I found that Agatha was steadfast concerning her faith and belief in God where Zane was a little upset and angry with God. If you have read the previous books I am sure you will enjoy this page turner. My Thoughts: I enjoyed the read and would recommend it for light reading. I love the characters and Agatha and her little pig Matilda had me in stitches. Charlotte's invention was something to experience, I felt sorry for Zane but he actually got the hold of the contraction. Yes, I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to you!  Loved the story.