I liked the dialogue and then I couldn't get past the anachronisms in the first 20 pages. Pretty sure there wasn't any chardonnay or merlot in 1937. Extremely sure that women weren't wearing nylons then.
I would be open to reading something by this author set in the current era. I have tried but I cannot keep myself from giving advice for her period work -- have an old person reader as part of the proofing.

Hamish DeLuca arrives in 1937 Boston to stay with his cousin, Luca Valari. Luca intends to open a new high end dance club, The Flamingo, and would like to use Hamish’s skills while also using the connections of his secretary Regina 'Reggie' Van Buren.
This is a slow paced, well-written mystery, with well-drawn out characters which allows the scenes to be set before a body is finally discovered. Then Hamish and Reggie want to find the killer.
A good and enjoyable start to this new series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ( )

Let me start by saying I love the cover. Upon first seeing it, it looked like a good murder mystery read and I’m a sucker for murder mysteries. Plus, the description of a character that investigates a murder yet suffers from an anxiety disorder. That sounded interesting to me. Author Rachel McMillan does an excellent job describing the typical symptoms one might experience when suffering from anxiety or having a panic attack.

The actual murder doesn’t take place until halfway through the book. That’s the main complaint I’ve noticed from other reviewers. Readers are introduced to the players, especially focusing on Hamish and Regina as they’re separate worlds eventually collide prior to the crime. While these readers don’t care for the character building, it is necessary to understand where they’re coming from, especially the two main characters. They broke away from their past lives where they’d felt imprisoned and are now free and making their own way in the world. Regina comes from money, so her goal is to be self-sustaining. Hamish wants to prove his father wrong, that he’s capable of making his own way through the world, despite his disability, without being given handouts. Perhaps the character building lasted a bit longer, but really it was fine. And the author obviously loves Boston, so readers will have a lot of description regarding that area.

Another comment I’d run across is that Regina comes across as too feisty, but then again too much of a damsel in distress. Uh, which is it? I found Regina to be a perfect partner for Hamish. Like Nora Charles “light”, she has the tenacity, the witty repartee that makes for some entertaining conversations. At the same time, she does come from a privileged family, so would she really have the knowledge and know how to defend herself properly? Regina can hold her own in a conversation and she has a passion for detective work. Maybe the conversations are on par with Nick and Nora, but while reading, I definitely got that vibe and knew exactly what the author was shooting for.

Overall, this is a good read for mystery lovers. If you’ve enjoyed the old Black and White movies like the Thin Man series, you’ll enjoy Murder at the Flamingo. I received a complimentary copy from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest opinion. I hope to have a chance to read the next book, Murder in the City of Liberty. ( )

I really enjoyed this book and the time period it was set in. I don't know why but I felt like I was transported back to a time where clubs were fun and the music was swinging. The people were having a great time and happy times were on everyone's minds. Not everyone was happy though. Hamish suffers from anxiety and it comes up at the most uncomfortable moments in his life. When Hamish makes a decision to move to Boston, his life will never be the same. Does Hamish remember that you can't run away from your problems?

Reggie Van Buren is also on a quest to start a new life and Hamish and Reggie's lives will collide into a mystery that will take them to the seedy side of club life. What better way to open a club than to have a murder take place on opening day. The place is in chaos and Hamish and Reggie team up to solve the case.

I love the pairing of these two characters and they reminded me of a duo set to conquer the world. I loved the description of Boston and thought the author did a great job of taking us back to the 1930s in style. Her writing intrigues me and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next in the book. There are a few slow parts that made me almost give up on the story. I'm happy to say that the book shined at the end and I look forward to the next in this new series.

I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild. The review is my own opinion. ( )

Murder and Mayhem, O My! If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you’ll know Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan is a little out of my reading comfort zone (as far as the time period and it being a murder mystery). So I am pleasantly surprised by how much I did enjoy this book!

The story is a great one that focuses a lot on the characters and not a whole lot on the actual murder, blood and grime, etc. Our main characters, Reggie and Hamish, are both looking for adventure and really trying to find themselves, each in their own way. Hamish is not the usual hero, but one I think many readers will love. Hamish deals with panic attacks and anxiety (mental health is addressed in such a loving way through Hamish’s character). Hamish is very relatable, sweet, bookish and a real gentleman. I really like Hamish’s love of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and the way he uses passages from the book to help calm his anxiety. I enjoyed Reggie’s character as well. She is very adventurous and independent. I didn’t like how Reggie has a boyfriend (who is back in her home town), but at the same time she is sort of developing a romance with another man.

Mystery and suspense readers will find much to love in the story of Luca (Hamish’s cousin) and his nightclub, where the mysterious murder takes place. I enjoyed the literary references in Murder at the Flamingo and reading about the pop culture of the time. This is published by a Christian publisher, but there isn’t any overt faith content (except characters visit a church and mention it as a safe haven for all religions) but it is still very clean and has Christian themes, such as sacrificial love.

Overall, this is a great read! I listened to part of it through an audiobook which I highly recommend, due to the narrator who does all of the different accents. Murder at the Flamingo presents wonderful themes of family loyalty (characters struggle with how far one should go in being loyal as compared to choosing one’s conscience), being the hero of one’s own story and learning to live in the moment.

Content: This is a clean read. I would rate it PG for some minor content. This is a murder mystery that takes place in nightclubs during the 1930s, so keep that in mind. Some examples of the content are: the main character deals with panic attacks and anxiety; references to alcohol; a man makes unwanted physical advances on a woman but is unsuccessful; a mention of the devil and hell; a mention of cursing, but the words aren’t actually written; a woman is a man’s mistress; violence and talk about the mob; a murder takes place; a lot of drinking and smoking in the nightclubs.

Rating: I give this book 3.5 stars.

Genre: Mystery; Historical Fiction; Romance

I want to thank The Fiction Guild, Rachel McMillan and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255. ( )