If you’re looking for something that is easy-to-read yet will satisfy the curiosity of your inner private detective, then Messy Affair (The Lena Szarka Mysteries) written by Elizabeth Mundy is the book for you. Lena Szarka has her own cleaning company, but it isn’t just houses that she likes to leave in a pristine condition, she has the same determination to cleanse the lives of those she cleans for and those close to her. After the untimely death of her unwitting side-kicks (Lena’s cousin, who is often more of a hindrance than a help to the patient protagonist) ‘boyfriend’, Lena realises that all is not as it seems and is determined to decontaminate the surprisingly murky world of Islington by finding out who is responsible. Driven by the danger that her cousin, Sarika, is placed in and Lena’s worry about her becoming the next murder victim (a fate suffered by Lena’s best friend), Lena puts herself in danger to piece together parts of a crime that others are not even aware- or want to know-exists.
What I thought of the book
Written from the perspective of Lena, this is the third book in the Lena Szarka Mysteries. You don’t have to read them in sequence though as Lena helpfully provides you with snippets of information from the previous stories. If you’re anything like me and you haven’t read the books before this one, you will want to go back and explore the way in which Lena first got herself entangled in the sullied world which she finds herself in A Messy Affair. It’s clear that throughout the novel, Mundy draws on her Hungarian roots to Provide the reader with a perspective that captures your attention and almost makes you do a little fist pump when all definitely doesn’t seem to be perfect in suburbia!
Although I’m always sceptical of something that involves the world of reality shows, I was quickly hooked into Lena’s investigations into the blurred lines between the reality shows, the real life of the characters in the book, and the dangerous liaisons when those lines meet. This book has a little bit of everything from the unnerving notes that Lena and her cousin receive, warning them not to continue with their investigations, to the insight into the duplicitous lives of those that Lena cleans for. All is definitely not as it seems in Islington!
The intertwined mysteries streak their way through the 27 chapters and Lena is on hand with her magic cleaning formulas (which I’d really like to get my hands on!) to wipe them out. The light-humour that Lena has to contend with, in the shape of her dramatic, hapless cousin, adds another enjoyable element to the book. Together with the mixed signals, Lena is receiving from the perfect police officer in her life: Cartwright, the book gives you plenty to get your teeth into. In A messy Affair, Mundy has created a likeable, resilient character, who will not take no for an answer as she entices you into her world of cleaning potions, chocolate chip biscuits and murder. I really warmed to Lena and rooted for her as she persisted in uncovering the truth where others would have given up. You’ll find yourself not wanting to put the book down so that you can find out if Lena manages to overcome the trials put before her. It seems as though one person, in particular, doesn’t want to make it easy. Now, where’s that duster got to!
How much is the book and how can you buy it?
A Messy Affair (The Lena Szarka Mysteries) Elizabeth Mundy, published by Constable, can be found on Amazon.co.uk. The book is available in several formats: the paperback version is £8.99 or purchase it as a kindle edition for £5.99.
About the author
Elizabeth Mundy’s grandmother was a Hungarian immigrant to America who raised five children on a chicken farm in Indiana. Elizabeth Mundy is an English Literature graduate from Edinburgh University and is currently a marketing director for an investment firm. She lives in London with her messy husband and two young children. She writes the Lena Szarka Mysteries, featuring a Hungarian cleaner as the detective. Her early relationship with her husband sparked the idea for the perspective the book is written from.
About the book
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Constable
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-1472126399
Product Dimensions: 12.6 x 2.2 x 19.6 cm
Review by: Row Jukes
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* Disclaimer: We were given a copy of the book in return for a feature. All opinions are our own.
14 comments
This sounds right up my street! Although I do find making time to read almost impossible these days.
I’m going to check out this series x
Hope you do, reading is so important and we all need to make more time for it
I like this kind of mystery books, they are great to read whilst on the beach, without realising when time passes by. The story sounds very intense and I like that it is part of a series following the main character around different adventures.
I was surprised that I could not put the book down once I started, it was so interesting
It sounds like an intriguing read, it’s good to know that you don’t have to have read the first books in order to enjoy this one
Agree, glad I could pick up the read and read it without wondering what happened before that
This book sounds just the type of thing I love to read, am going to look out for this and recommend to a friend as we were talking the other night about books to read
So glad you are adding this book to your reading list
I love reading and I am trying to read a lot more books this year. This doesn’t sound like something I would normally pick up, But I have read a few books last year that really surprised me, so I never say no to any book now
Reading is so important and picking a book you don’t normally pick will surprise you
I’m always reading and this looks like just the sort of book that I would enjoy
So glad to hear that Hannah, I enjoyed reading the book
I don’t believe I have heard of this author before but the book sounds super interesting! I wish I had more time read these days!
Try to make time to read Kristina, it is such a great hobby to have