To Helvetica and Back by Paige Shelton

To Helvetica and Back by Paige Shelton ISBN-13: 9780425277256 Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: Jan. 5, 2016

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Star City, Utah, is known for its slopes and its powder. But nestled in the valley of this ski resort town is a side street full of shops that specialize in the simple charms of earlier eras. One of those shops is the Rescued Word, where Chester Henry and his adult granddaughter Clare lovingly repair old typewriters and restore old books. Who ever thought their quaint store would hold the key to some modern-day trouble?

When a stranger to town demands they turn over an antique Underwood typewriter they’re repairing for a customer, Clare fears she may need to be rescued. A call to the police scares the man off, but later Clare finds his dead body in the back alley. What about a dusty old typewriter could possibly be worth killing for?


My Review:
To Helvetica and Back is a cozy mystery. The mystery was mostly "why does someone want the typewriter" since the police were having trouble identifying the murdered man. Clare tracked down the history of the typewriter and any clues relating to it. Her best friend, a police detective, focused on the murder. Both had new romances going on at the same time.

The main characters were engaging, interesting, and generally nice. Their interactions brought out the humor found in life and solid friendships. The mystery was clue-based, and Clare solved the typewriter mystery by using those clues. The story ended as a suspense with a confession from whodunit solving the murder. The suspense scene came about from accidentally crossed paths and purposes, and I liked that it was "heroines to the rescue."

There was a very minor amount of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable story.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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