BOOK REVIEW: Hang on Every Word

Even in a small town, things and people aren't always what they seem. 

This fourth, stand-alone book from Julie Cosgrove's Wordplay mysteries once again marries some of the best things together - mysteries and word puzzles. 

I love them both, so this totally works for me. But let me catch you up to speed. 

Wanda Warner is a closet sleuth that is suddenly not so closet anymore. In fact, she's the head of the neighborhood watch for the whole town of Scrub Oak, Texas, and she takes that role seriously. 

In this fourth stand-alone book of the Wordplay Mysteries, Wanda herself is up against it. Somehow, she has foreknowledge of terrible crimes, and a lot of the townspeople are beginning to doubt her integrity. 

Horrors. 

Here are the details from the back of the book: 

It can't be happening again!

Wanda Warner is delighted to design the wordplay puzzles in The Oakmont Gazette. But when the clues to her Hangman puzzle are used to coordinate robberies, some people in tiny Scrub Oak, Texas wonder if she's masterminding the thefts so she can "solve" them in order to bask in more glory.

Then her own nephew, one of the town's cops, hauls her into the police station as her neighbors look on. The totally embarrassed Wanda is determined to crack this treacherous word puzzle crime spree, but can she do it before her fellow citizens hold a lynch party?

My Take

Since I'm already a fan of word games (Can't get enough of Wordle!) these books are right down my alley. But I also really like the way Mrs. Cosgrove has built consistent characters with realistic responses and genuine friendship. 

Take Wanda for instance. She has a cute little dog. She doesn't forget the dog, draws her into the "at home" scenes, and generally pays attention to her dog. Like a normal person. And she struggles with exercise and her eating habits. She's even been known to put her foot in her mouth and regret a harsh word to a friend. 

Never once does the author paint Wanda outside of those lines. She doesn't change her stripes for the sake of a scene. She's consistently kind, sometimes a little impatient, sincere in her faith, and very sharp. I love it when characters are so real. They make an impact, and their stories (or in this case the entire series) are more memorable for it. 

I also like the interplay between Wanda and her nephew and friends. It isn't the same type of interaction with any of them. Another example of real life. I tend to speak differently to my husband than I do to my grown kids, than I do to my neighbor, than I do to my best friend. So does Wanda. The depth of these characters is keeping readers coming back again and again. 

Add to that a twisted little mystery that kept me guessing to the end. With a well-woven story, I can always reflect and see the details that led to the revelation of the culprit, even if I don't catch them upon the first read. While it's always satisfying to beat the sleuth to the punch, I love being able to plainly see what I missed if I fail. Mrs. Cosgrove does a brilliant job of layering the details that will ultimately make a difference.

I really enjoyed this book as I have enjoyed all of the Wordplay Mysteries. While you don't have to read them in order, it is more fun to watch Wanda's progression through them. 

HANG ON EVERY WORD is available on Amazon as an e-book or a paperback. 

Are you more a fan of cozy mysteries or of word puzzles? Which type of word puzzles do you like the best? (I'm a fan of logic problems along with Wordle!) Share your thoughts in the comments and you might win an e-copy of the first book of this series.