A Bead in the Hand (Glass Bead Mystery, #2) by Janice Peacock

A Bead in the Hand (Glass Bead Mystery, #2) Reviews

• 
  Lisa Ks Book Reviews

  Even better than the first book in this series, HIGH STRUNG, A BEAD IN THE HAND was a fun, entertaining page turner!
  
  Really upping her game from the first installment of the Glass Bead mysteries, author Janice Peacock topped herself when I wouldn’t have thought it possible for her to do so.
  
  It was great to spend more time with Jax, Tess, and the rest of the great characters in this series. I so much enjoyed the wit and intelligence in the way they are written.
  
  With even more mystery, fun, and drama than book one, I didn’t want to set down, A BEAD IN THE HAND for even a second. This book was page after page of great reading. I flew through the story in one setting. A fantastic plot with an exciting reveal, I didn’t want it to end!
  
  I sure hope author Peacock has a third book coming out soon! (Updated note – she did! And more after that!)
  
  Audio Review
  Narrated by Mary Ann Jacobs
  
  Once again the writing/narrating team of author Janice peacock, and the narrator for her audios, Mary Ann Jacobs, have brought to life the cozy side of the town (well, city) of Seattle, Washington.
  
  When I read A BEAD IN THE HAND, Ms. Peacock brought to life her characters in a way that I felt like I was in the room them. While listening to the audio that feeling only intensified. Between the fabulous writing of author Peacock, and the pleasant voice of narrator Jacobs, I feel as though I know protagonist Jax, and her entire group of friends.
  
  I’ve read all of the amazing books the Glass Bead Mysteries so far, and now I can’t wait to listen to all of them!
  
• 
  Teresa Kander

  This is the second book in the Glass Bead series, and it is just as enjoyable as the first. It is an easy read, full of drama and humor. As with the first book, there is educational information about bead making, which is a fascinating process.
  
  Once again, Jax is caught up in a murder investigation--and is the prime suspect. With the help of her friends, and some new people we hadn't met in the first book, she follows clues and solves the mystery. She also gets herself into some difficult situations, putting her life in danger.
  
  I found the mystery part of the story very engrossing, and was totally surprised by the identity of the killer, as well as the reason behind it. I certainly hope we will get to read MANY more of Jax's adventures in the future.
  
  **I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**
• 
  LORI CASWELL

  Dollycas’s Thoughts
  
  Jax and Tessa are off for a weekend of fun. They are excited to be attend a bead filled bazaar in Portland. Jax plans to sell, sell, sell, and Tessa plans to buy, buy, buy. Just after the event starts the room in plunged into darkness and the first night is cancelled. Hoping things are a go the next day Jax hurries to get her booth ready but instead she finds a very famous beader under her table and she has been there a while. Jax’s screams for help are answered by a hunky security guard and both of them know there is no hope, the woman is clearly dead and because she is under Jax’s table she becomes a prime suspect. For the rest of the weekend Tessa spends her time selling beads for Jax while she tries to figure out who really killed the bead diva. Val arrives just in time to “help” and brings her own chaos to the weekend.
  
  I recently read and reviewed the first book in this series, High Strung, and then pushed this one to the top of of my To-Be-Read list and the author sure did not disappoint.
  
  I loved trailing around with Jax, Tessa and Val. Since they were away from home Detective Grant had a much smaller role. Instead we met Ryan, a security guard that really catches Jax’s attention and Detective Tiffany Houston, who methods of investigation are completely different than Detective Grant, and not in a good way. Some of the bead makers from book one return and they are joined by several more. They make a very eclectic group and to Jax every one of them is a suspect.
  
  The pace of this one is pretty brisk from the start. The author has strung together a web that has almost the entire cast connected in some way to the victim, Saundra Jameson. She was a woman very full of herself and treated many people terribly. The plots and subplots blended together naturally and kept my attention to the very last word.
  
  Again the author’s knowledge of bead making and creating jewelry was very evident and with her descriptions I could easily envision each bead, necklace and earring.
  
  I did enjoy the bit of romance that started to bud in the story and am anxious to see how it plays out in future installments.
  
  Jax, Tessa, and Val are treasures and this story was so much fun to read. I need to squeeze in Be Still My Beading Heart: A Glass Bead Mini-Mystery soon because Off the Beadin’ Path (Glass Bead Mystery Series Book 3) will be out March 11 and I want to be ready for it.
• 
  Carla

  A Bead in the Hand is the second book in the Glass Bead Mystery series by Janice Peacock. In this book we catch up with Jax O'Connell and her best friend Tessa at a Bead Bazaar. Jax is trying to promote her name and sell her handmade glass beads and jewelry. Tessa is there as a buyer. When the power goes out, the exhibition room is closed and everyone is ushered out. The next morning when things reopen, Jax finds a dead body under her table. The victim was the artist in the next booth and because she and Jax had argued the day before, she is the first suspect. Jax and Tessa must figure out who the murderer was, or Jax may find a new home in a jailcell.
  
  I enjoyed this story with it's mystery, characters, humor and a little romance. Jax and Tessa have a great relationship and have been friends since grade school. They are there for each other and do whatever is needed to support one another. Tessa's family is a hoot. She is a mom who tries to micromanage everything, even when she is away, so there is some humor there. I like that the setting and occupation of the protagonist is something different, and I learned some about glass art and jewelry making. The mystery was a good one, and although Jax investigates, she doesn't put herself in too much danger. The policewoman investigating seems competent, but in the end, it is Jax who solves the crime and brings down the culprit. There is a bit of a romance line in the story and I liked the male interest, Ryan. I hope to see where their relationship goes in future books. Overall, a quick and enjoyable story. If you enjoy a fun cozy mystery, then I suggest you pick up this book and series.
• 
  RO G'ma

  This is the second book in Janice Peacock’s Glass Bead Mystery series. This book is well written and the characters are well developed and relatable. Ms. Peacock provided sufficient background information for the characters that it can be read as a stand-alone. I found this book to be an easy read that had me laughing at times. I was caught up in the mystery and the reveal was a complete surprise. As with the first book, the bead descriptions were vivid and I felt like I could actually see and feel them. There is no graphic violence, sexually explicit scenes, or inappropriate language. I highly recommend this book. I’m looking forward to reading more books written by Ms. Peacock.
  
  Jax O'Connell and her best friend and bead mentor, Tessa, are attending a bead bazaar. Jax and Saundra Jameson, a famous bead artist, have booths next to each other and a disagreement ensues regarding the boundaries of each booth. While preparing for opening night, Jax discovers a dead body beneath her sales table. Homicide detective, Tiffany Houston, determines Saundra was murdered and Jax is her number one suspect. Jax and Tessa work together to prove Jax’s innocence and find the killer. Since Saundra wasn’t well liked, there are plenty of suspects.
  
  I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of a promotional event.
  
• 
  Big Time Book Junkie

  I enjoyed the second in this series, A Bead In The Hand. Although this is the second book, it can certainly be read as a stand alone or out of order. There were some small mentions of people or things from the first book, but in no way would a new reader feel left out or wondering what had happened.
  
  There were several characters that returned from the first book, which I always like because it gives that continuity throughout the series. I knew nothing about bead making when I read the first book, but quickly learned a lot as some bead making techniques are described. It's kind of fun to learn things like that while reading. The bead bazaar sounded like any other type of bazaar, tons of people, lots of vendors sitting at crowded tables that are close together and it reminded me of many such bazaars that I'd visited in the past.
  
  The whodunit part of the mystery actually did keep me guessing up until the end and the characters were a lot of fun. They were quirky, unique and some very friendly and others a little strange, making for a pretty believable mix of people.
  
  If you like easy going, cozy type mysteries, definitely give this a try. This novel was a fast read and something fun to break up a long, cold winter day. I am grateful to the author for the early reader copy I received in exchange for my honest review.
• 
  Paula Ratcliffe

  This book takes place in the world of glass beading which many people love to make and sell and even purchase. Our local beadmaker Jax is heading to a bazaar with her good friend Tessa for a weekend of fun and relaxation. Tessa sorely needs a break from her teenage daughters who know how to throw down a good fight. While setting up for the bazaar Jax learns who will be tabling next to her is the one person Jax could do without with is Saundra who is a bead diva in the worst way. She has definitely alienated herself be upsetting so many people. That is when the weird stuff begins blackouts which close down the first night of sales followed the next day by Saundra winding up dead. The big question remains who had the most to gain by Saundra's death? The sleezy promoter who flirts with anyone?, two hipsters in love one of them being Saundra's assistant? Or someone else no one has even considered?
  
  I loved learning about bead making and seeing well actually reading how a bazaar goes and what is put into one add the murder to the mix and I was hooked to see how Jax and Tessa were going to get to the bottom of it. Especially considering Jax's alibi for the night in question wasn't there. Talk about putting the main character up against the wall.
  
  I think anyone who loves beads or crafts in anyway with love delving into this mystery. I also love the cover picture on this book I think it's beautifully done and different then typical cozy mysteries. Can't wait to see what is next in the Glass Bead Series.
• 
  Laura

  Jax O’Connell is looking forward to profitable sales and time spent with friends at the big bead bazaar.
  It is close quarters as she sets up her booth next to the well known Saundra Jameson, who is also touting her newest bead design book. Sparks fly and the lights go out - permanently for Saundra.
  
  I am partial to crafty cozies. I like looking behind the scenes and gathering new techniques and ideas.
  Jax and friends Tessa and Val must gather clues as to who wanted to cut the competition before this bizarre bazaar is over and the suspects depart.
  
  Add in some sparks flying between Jax and a hunky security guard and unexpected new attention towards her from the darling detective back home, and this cozy is designed for success.
  
  It also makes me want to read the next book to find out what will happen.
  
  I did receive this book to review.
• 
  Msgypsy

  Cute, fun read...but I have a bone to pick
  
  First, the good stuff. The story moves along nicely, with enough twists to keep the reader guessing. The final resolution isn't surprising but it's not telegraphed unreasonably early. All in all, a satisfactory cozy mystery.
  
  And if the character Indigo is based on a real person, I'm pretty sure I made earrings out of a pair of her beads.
  
  I have two bones to pick, however. One is the ongoing character Val. She feels like such a stereotype. First she's a stereotypical hairdresser (dumb, using malapropisms) and then a stereotypical sci fi fan. I know lots of fangirls. I am one. We don't *always* reference sci fi media for all occasions. It's kind of annoying in an otherwise well written book.
  
  But my *BIG* complaint is this. Here in Portland, OR, we do NOT consider VooDoo Donuts exceptional. We barely consider them good! We consider them tourist bait. Yes, everyone who visits needs to try their stuff once but Blue Star or Sesame are the donuts to get around here! 😁
• 
  Karen

  Actually, I listened to this on audiobook. I don't know why that edition is not listed on Goodreads.
  
  I did a lot of beading many years ago, so I was interested in reading this series.
  
  I attended Janice's session at Left Coast Crime in Reno recently.
  
  Since my library system does not have her books, I have been buying them.
  
  Even though I have not yet read book one, which I have in ebook only, I was able to listen to book two without any problems. It did not seem to spoil what happened in book one.
  
  Jax attends a Bead Convention in Portland, Oregon with Tess, and encounters the murder of the bead designer at the table next to hers. A victim not many people are sorry to see die, as it turns out.
  
  Conventions are a great way to pull together a great many different people and avoid the Cabot Cove problem of finding too many suspicious deaths in one place.
  
  The reader was quite good with the voices.
  
  I look forward to more in this series.
• 
  Goth Gone Grey

  An ode to lampworking, plus murder
  
  Lampworkers turn author with more frequency than you'd expect. The beads are a huge feature of the story here, with a oft-repeated description of how to make them:
  
  "Mine were lampworked, sometimes called flameworked beads. I’d made each one by melting glass in a torch, and then wrapping and sculpting different colors of glass around a long thin metal rod, called a mandrel. After completing a bead, I cooled it overnight in a kiln. The next day when I removed the mandrel from the middle of the glass, a hole remained. The bead was now ready to be used in jewelry."
  
  Make beads? You can recite the above with little to no prompting.
  
  The group of quirky, unique lampworkers at the bead show fit perfectly into a cozy mystery setting, though one wonders how much they're based on reality. Sometimes they feel more like caricatures than characters, with a heavy hand against hipsters. There's a small side bit discussing, though not showing, BDSM that seems more based on frightening stereotype than reality.
  
  Overall an amusing, pleasant read that doesn't require a lot of thought.
• 
  Elizabeth Edwards

  so i see on Amazon that the top 100# reviewer has reviewed this ... i mean that must take such time. writing reviews TAKE TIME. i bet that person has like 100 assistants ...it is nuts. i tell say the genius who comes up with the ability to come in and review on multiple sites you are the bestest ... please get on that will u?!? so this was a great mystery. i love the cover. i have seen lots of jewelry similar to this ... yet to see one in years though. kind of like that Christmas tree that i saw a kid and still can't find one to save my life because the thrift stores what ridiculous prices. so silly ... any who .. read this one. so fun!
• 
  Bonnie Beaning

  I think I'm the only one, after reading several reviews, who thought the book was slow reading. There was a lot of descriptive writing of how to make glass beads.......I didn't care. The character of Tessa was along for the ride and to baby sit her stall while she was off solving the crime....nothing more. Sal was about the same.....sleezy.....so... Val was comic relief....if you have to have Sal couldn't you name him something a bit more than one letter removed from Val? Kept having to re-read a sentence with Val or Sal in it. I won't be seeking out the first in this series nor buying the next one.
• 
  Monica

  Battle of the Beaders
  
  As a handmade jewelry designer who has attended many bead shows, I loved this 2nd installment in the series. It's so much fun to read about other bead ladies. Lol. Also, the charming friendships between Gumdrop, Tessa, Jax and Val make me laugh out loud and wish I had some fun friends like that. A murder mystery at a bead bazaar is an original idea and I'm looking forward to book 3.
• 
  Theresa

  Cozy fun at the Bead Bazaar
  
  The epitome of a cozy craft mystery. This second entry in the series has the cast of human - and one non-human - characters off at a retail bead show. Author's familiarity with the venue and stereotypes provide verisimilitude to a plot whose resolution is obvious from the moment the body is discovered.
• 
  Pamela

  Glass Bead Series
  
  This is a funny and different type of cozy series than I usually read. It's very chatty and a little slow to unfold but it's funny and real. The characters are like people I have known since I once did art shows. Every show is murder to do and Jax had 2 actual murders to solve. This is an enjoyable series. Ms Peacock is a talented writer and artist.
• 
  Melody

  Good read. Who knew there was much subterfuge in the beading world? And that someone could be killed over it. But then again the victim wasn’t very nice . Max and her friend go to a bead bizarre that begins with a bizarre death and ends a little romance and a mundane explanation for a haunted elevator.
• 
  MELVIN BROWN

  Not exactly on the edge of my seat
  
  I started this when on Holiday. It has taken me ages to finish because its not one of those books that make you want to keep picking it up every spare minute. It was OK and easy reading but that's it.
• 
  L Kate

  Love beads and mysteries.
  
  A good mystery with a host of interestingly different bead vendors and bead buyers at the Bead Bazaar weekend in Portland ... and then the lights go out! Jax and her friends have a mystery on their hands. Great bead making ideas, too.
• 
  Loretta

  Lots of funny things happen while selling Beads at a craft show. Jaz makes bead to sell and suddenly find the lady that has the table next to her dead. Of course she is a suspect and tries to solve the case along with two of her friends
  
• 
  Julie

  When the next door vendor dies at a bead show, this bead maker turns sleuth to prove she did not have anything to do with the death. The bead diva was not very likable, but who was willing to take matters into their own hands?