Book Review: Twilight Falls by Juneau Black

Reporter Vera Vixen hadn’t anticipated that moving to Shady Hollow would lead to her involvement in quite so much crime-solving, particularly when it comes to murders. Thankfully, things seem to have calmed down with spring finally bringing its warmth to her small town. Nowadays, her main concern outside of her own career lies in convincing her overworked boyfriend Chief Constable Orville Braun to hire a deputy so he can finally get some rest.

So when he suggests that they both take a day off to travel by ferry to local beauty spot Twilight Falls, she’s more than happy to say yes. They pack a picnic lunch with plans to travel back by the last boat, accompanied by a wide variety of creatures also intent on a lovely day out. Surrounded by near-universal merriment, the fox and bear revel in a relaxing day, in a gorgeous environment with something for everyone:

While little ones play their games, older creatures pair off as well, strolling along the quieter stretches of the river or exploring the many forest paths nearby, where they may find some privacy from the rambling crowds. More than one couple has proposed or wed here, and why not? It is a place to inspire great emotion.

 

Therefore, it is not surprising that it will also inspire a crime.

While Shady Hollow has been crime-free for a while, it certainly hasn’t been free of strife. The entire town knows of the heated conflict surrounding the relationship between spoiled socialite Stasia von Beaverpelt and hardworking handyman Jonah Atwater. While the pairing is unusual, most of the opposition comes from the couple’s parents. Stasia’s mother Edith is horrified that her daughter is dating the help, but Jonah’s father Shelby has an even more inflexible line, despising Stasia for not being an otter like himself and Jonah. Shelby and the lovers have gotten into very public rows on the subject, including while on the ferry to Twilight Falls that day. So when a struggle takes place at the top of the falls and Shelby plunges over to certain doom, suspicion almost immediately lands on headstrong Stasia as his murderer.

Stasia protests her innocence, and Vera is inclined to agree. The former heiress might put on airs, but she isn’t the kind of person to dirty her hands with the physical activity of murder. Alas that Orville does not see things the same way, inevitably causing a strain in his and Vera’s relationship. It isn’t that Vera wants to doubt her beau. But with Edith threatening to bring in big-time city lawyers to destroy Orville’s case and possibly career, Vera wants to get to the truth before her straitlaced boyfriend’s reputation and health can suffer even more.

Unfortunately for Vera’s cause, all the clues point to Stasia’s guilt. Worse, no one else seems to have anything even remotely resembling a grudge against Shelby. Will Vera be able to find the real culprit before her efforts to clear Stasia’s name land her in grave danger once more?

This fourth book in the anthropomorphic cozy crime series is one of its strongest, as even greater details are established regarding not only the geography surrounding Shady Hollow but also the mores of the world at large. The discussions of food and the (prior) predator-prey dynamics are engrossing, as is the heartwarming consideration of interspecies relationships. This passage is from Vera’s perspective, after she witnesses yet another disagreement between Shelby, Jonah and Stasia:

So the spat at the popcorn cart hadn’t been a one-off! Shelby really had dug in his heels over the matter. Vera sighed. Relationships between different species were certainly not a unique thing, but they had never been common. On a personal level, the issue had become more salient when she began dating Orville. She had dated only other foxes before, so the association with a creature who was so completely different from what she was used to was a new (and exciting) experience for Vera. She tried to imagine what her family might say–not that they were around to discuss it. While Vera could guess that her mother would make all sorts of remarks to the effect of but I wanted grandkits, she couldn’t ever picture either parent forbidding the relationship entirely. 

The fully realized world of Shady Hollow is a delight to escape to, as justice is served and love eventually conquers all. I was lucky enough to be able to recently attend a talk by half of the Juneau Black writing team, who went into great depth about the series and what we can expect from it in future. Jocelyn Cole promises even more in store for readers who love these charming novels and their world-building, and I cannot wait to explore more!