30 Days of Book Discussion: Day 24

A book that you wish more people would’ve read

This is an easy one.  There is a good mystery that I read a few years ago, and I have kept up with each new novel in the series so far.  It's called The War Against Miss Winter by Kathryn Miller Haines.  It's set during WWII, and Rosie is living in New York trying to make it as an actress.  She works on the side as a secretary for a detective, and when he turns up dead one of his clients enlists Rosie to finish what he started.  It's a decent mystery, moving along well, and Haines has done a remarkable amount of research into WWII-era New York City.  She brings the sights and sounds of it alive.  Haines was a screen writer before she started working on this series, and I think she has a good sense of timing and keeping things moving.

But by far the best part of this series is Miss Winter herself.  I love this character.  She is sassy and witty and loyal and adventurous, and is absolute fun to read.  She says quippy things like, "Her sincerity was so thin you’d be arrested for wearing it out in public."  I just hear Katharine Hepburn's voice saying that, don't you?

What's sad to me is that this series isn't more popular or well known.  I think the first book suffers from unfortunately bad cover art, and that can really affect readership sometimes (something that they've rectified with further books).  But I think most of the check-outs of this book in my library have come from my own recommendations.  I've even had people come up to me later and say, "You know that WWII mystery you recommended for me?  It was really good!"  Well, yeah!

This is a good pick for people who enjoy historical fiction and whodunnit mysteries, especially for those with interest in the WWII era.  Book #2 in the series wasn't great, but the rest after that have been pretty good, like the first.  Rosie even goes on a USO tour in the South Pacific!  It's fun but still sobering at times with the war taking place all around her.  Very enjoyable.