Book Review: Playing Mrs. Kingston by Tony Lee Moral

 

Playing Mrs. Kingston

by

Tony Lee Moral

 

Firstly I would just like to thank the author of this book Tony Lee Moral for sending me a copy for me to read and review for him. I really do appreciate this.

 

New York City 1959, and Catriona Benedict is an actress who has big dreams, but after her latest acting job in the theatre is a huge flop she has to work out her next move. Enter Miles Kingston an extremely influential rich playboy. Miles offers her an acting job like no other. The role: To be his wife. Catriona knows that the pay in this job can set her and her boyfriend up to be able to live out their dreams but when tragedy strikes Catriona realises that living with the Kingstons has a very dark and dangerous twist.

 

I will be honest, I did not know what to expect from this book. Firstly it is Tony Lee Moral's debut novel and secondly I have not read many books that are set prior to the 1980's.

 

The book starts off very quickly and the main characters are introduced in the first couple of chapters. The scene setting is minimal but gives you a great incite into the lives of these people. I really liked that about the book. Some books you read take 2-3 pages to describe say a kitchen, which sometimes frustrates me. It did not take me long before I felt as though I was there in 1950's New York mixing it with some of the richest people in the country.

 

The characters on a whole are written very well. You get to know what they are all about, but it felt like each one of them had a dark secret to tell ,which I loved as it kept your mind wondering as to who was hiding what. One of my favourite characters in the book is Freddie the fashion photography who came to be a great ally for Catriona. He is set out from the start as a bad person but that is only one person's point of view.

 

The main story throughout the book is a murder mystery but it had everything. Deception, cover-ups, robberies, gangsters, smuggling the lot. There was twist after twist and this kept going all the way to the end, even when you thought it was over the author stuck in another twist just for good measure. This book was definitely a page turner and the chapters were just the right length to convince yourself to read another. 

 

Is there anything I didn't like about this book? Not really. I have been trying to think of something but I am struggling.

 

I scored this book a 5 out of 5. I loved it from start to finish. I hope that Tony Lee Moral writes another book as I will definitely be buying it. If you love murder mysteries, then this book if for you. If this book is anything to go by I will be looking to buy more crime/murder books set in the 50's. If anyone has any recommendations I would love to hear them.

 

I would love to know what other people think who have read this book. If you agree with me or not. Let me know.

 

Speak soon,

 

CBailey31