High Strung (Glass Bead Mystery, #1) by Janice Peacock

High Strung (Glass Bead Mystery, #1) Reviews

• 
  LORI CASWELL

  Dollycas’s Thoughts
  
  Jax O’Connell gets the chance to follow her dreams when she inherits a house and a bit of money from her aunt. She packs as much as much as her new VW Bug can hold including her cat and leaves Florida behind and heads for Seattle. The house has been converted into a duplex but needs a little TLC. Jax fixes up a few things so she can work on her beads and jewelry from home and makes some friends in the bead-making world. She is excited when she is invited teach a class and show her work at a bead-making event. The store’s owner is not the nicest person on the planet but Jax knows she can work with her. When the owner is injured during the event and another young beadmaker is found dead in a dumpster the next day things get a little heated. Especially when the police are convinced one of Jax’s friends is the killer. Jax knows she must work fast stringing together the clues to not only clear her friend but catch the killer before anyone else is strung up.
  
  This was a fun read. You know right away that Janice Peacock is a beading enthusiast. She describes that processes of bead making and making jewelry with those beads so well that it is very easy to picture. The beads sound just beautiful and making them sounds so unique. I have heard about glass blowing, but glass bead making is brand new to me. I have seen them everywhere but never thought much about how they were actually made. Her enthusiasm is also apparent in most of the book’s characters.
  
  High Strung is populated with eclectic group of characters you expect to find in a cozy mystery. Jax is a strong woman, on her own after leaving her less than stellar boyfriend in Florida. Her tenant and friend Val is a hairdresser, aspiring baker and quite the spitfire. Her best friend since kindergarten, Tessa, has her own studio, where she gives classes. Rosie, the owner of Aztec Beads, where the event is taking place, is pretty cantankerous and a little odd. Marta is a fellow beader that Jax met at a beadmakers’ conference. She is staying with Jax so she can take part in the weekend event. She also brought her “animal companion”, Stanley, along without even asking Jax if that was o.k. Gumdrop is Jax’s kitty, addicted to catnip, maybe a little physic, and definitely not a Stanley fan. The are also a couple of young bead makers that sell their wares on the street. We also meet Jax’s other friends and of course the local police, Detective Grant.
  
  As is the case with most books that are the first of a series the mystery starts to happen several chapters in to give readers time to get to know the players. But when it starts the pace picks right up and continues on to the end. There are really 2 mysteries to solve because we don’t know if the cases are connected. In fact, the police believe one was either self inflicted or just an accident. Jax has other ideas.
  
  At just 222 pages this cozy is a bit shorter than normal but they are jam packed with detail, deception and more than a few twists and surprises. The characters are very believable and their dialogue is very well written. I also enjoyed a few laugh out loud moments.
  
  A fast read for a cozy afternoon. I have moved the next book in this series to the top of my To-Be-Read list on my Kindle.
• 
  Lisa Ks Book Reviews

  HIGH STRUNG is a fun, fast mystery that I couldn’t put down!
  
  I really like books where I am not only entertained, but where I can learn new things as well. My time spent reading HIGH STRUNG contained both.
  
  Author Janice Peacock has created a series and protagonist that really captured my imagination. Jacqueline “Jax” O’Connell is a strong, intelligent character who is a pleasure to read. From her passion for making glass beads, to the way she handled investigating a murder, I enjoyed getting to know her. The rest of the cast of characters were fun to get to know. Such varying personalities, and all so multilayered.
  
  This first installment in the Glass Bead mysteries was a wonderfully written mystery that I really loved. A great storyline that flowed at just the perfect pace. The reveal wasn’t exactly an action packed one, but it did surprise me when I read who the killer was.
  
  I had book two, A BEAD IN THE HAND out and ready to read after this one and I was just as pleased!
  
  Give HIGH STRUNG a try. You’re going to be happy you did!
  
  Audio Review
  Narrated by Mary Ann Jacobs
  
  Author Janice Peacock has written a book that with the narration of Mary Ann Jacobs, has translated to audio perfectly.
  
  As entertaining in audio as it was in print, I had just as much fun listening to HIGH STRUNG as I did reading it. Narrator Jacobs brought to life the cast from this series in such a way, that along with Peacock’s written descriptions, I now feel as though I have really met these wonderful characters.
  
  As with my printed copies, I had the audio of book two, A BEAD IN THE HAND ready to listen to at the end of HIGH STRUNG.
  
  If you’re a fan of audio/Audible books, you have got to give HIGH STRUNG a listen.
  
• 
  Amy

  The author's detail in describing the process of making glass art and beaded jewelry was incredible. That being said, I felt that the mystery itself was lost in the process. The murder didn't occur until much later in the book and I found myself feeling like I had to finish it out of respect for the author's hard work for writing about her passion in bead making.
  
  I will give the next book in the series a chance, perhaps the mystery will be easier to follow.
• 
  Erin Mcmillen

  As a glass beadmaker and also being from Seattle, this was an amazingly fun read for me! Looking forward to the next!!!
• 
  Andrea Guy

  What a fun quick cozy mystery. This is the first book in the glass bead mystery series and it is a wonderful introduction to this series.
  
  Jax moves from Miami to Seattle to the house she inherited from her aunt. The characters are all believable and some are quiet eclectic. I really loved Jax's friend Tessa and Dylan was really great too and I loved how he tied in with the mystery.
  
  This is definitely is a first in the series book. There was a lot of buildup before the first crime, and yes there were two and they were kind of tied together.
  
  Rosie was definitely a character that you could understand someone wanting to kill, though not to worry, she wasn't the character that was killed. Then there was the poor homeless beadmaker that was found dead in the dumpster behind Aztec Beads
  
  There are a lot of things that are quite funny in this book. Jax and Allen's first meeting and the Mojitos was hilarious and then there was the neighbor Mr. Chu
  
  I loved learning about bead making, which isn't something I ever really thought about. The story had some really funny parts too, which is always a plus for me, as I'm a fan of comedy in my books, because what would life be without some hilarity?
  
  There's also some good-looking guys in the horizon for Jax. Allen a local reported, and possibly the detective on the case. This could definitely make for an interesting love triangle.
  
  The person "whodunit" was definitely not who you would expect. In fact, as the pieces started to fall into place I have to stay I was really surprised.
  
  I can't wait to read the next book.
  
  
  
• 
  Teresa Kander

  First in a series, and I can hardly wait to read more. Jax O'Connell, the main character, is fun and personable. During a weekend of festivities at a local bead shop opening, she finds herself in the middle of the investigation of a murder and an attempted murder. There is no lack of suspects, and Jax is just as confused as the police--until pieces start to fall into place.
  
  I enjoyed all the information on bead and jewelry making throughout the book. The interaction between all the characters is fun to read, and there are plenty of humorous incidents as well. Mojitos will make me smile for the rest of my life!
  
  I would highly recommend this book to everyone.
• 
  Nada Sobhi

  Note: I received a free copy from Booktrope Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
  
  High Strung by Janice Peacock is the first instalment in the Glass Beads Mystery series. The novel begins with Jax O'Connell receiving a letter from the lawyer of her late aunt Rita, who offers to give her her house in Seattle, on the condition that she – Jax – must do what she loves.
  
  The letter, contains two of the most beautiful lines in the novel:
  "I know inside your tired heart is a woman waiting to start living." Then she sets the condition, "You must live in my house and find your creative passion. I hope my gift helps you live the life you love."
  Jax accepts the offer and begins to make beads in a studio she sets at the end of Aunt Rita's complex.
  The novel is narrated from Jax's first person perspective, which is fun since Jax is sarcastic, fun and very down to earth.
  High Strung revolves around a bead makers' event, hosted by Rosie at her shop Aztec Beads, which includes several workshops given by various bead makers from several states.
  Rosie is an obnoxious and domineering character. Even her dog is annoying.
  "Rosie was a fireplug of a woman; her dark hair, complete lack of neck, and right now the intense look of anger on her red face made her look like a very serious fireplug."
  
  Ms. Peacock does a great job in drawing her characters, bringing them to life and making the reader feel as if they were part of the setting and the novel as a whole. It is easy to imagine characters; in fact, I felt as if I'd become part of the book and that going out the door I'd find Aztec beads and Jax around the corner.
  
  Two events take place almost hours apart: Rosie is strangled by her own bead necklace and shortly after another character is killed. At first, it is unclear whether the events are connected, and later Jax and her best friend Tessa work on the how and why they may be connected.
  
  Although the actual mystery does not begin till halfway through the book, High Strung was a fun read, especially since the characters had day-to-day ups and downs and interactions that would seem bizarre in real life but are believable when read.
  
  The only thing I disliked about the novel was how the mystery was unfolded; it was kind of sudden in a weird way. I wanted a stronger confrontation.
  
  Still, I liked how ordinary people had to run around looking for clues and interviewing their friends in order to discover who the killer was and why they did it – Don't depend on "Detective Grant" for that. I also enjoyed Jax's and Tessa's analysis of what they had, the possible motives and so on.
  
  I also loved the use of bead-imagery with regards to the mystery. At one point Jax tells Tessa: "We just have to sort through the junk. You know, like organising a jumbled box of beads. All we have to do is put each piece in its proper place, and we'll be able to see what we have."
  
  In High Strung, it is clear that the author has done massive effort and research to provide explanations for the bead-making process and descriptions for the beads, which were all colourful and just made you want to see – and acquire – many of them in real life.
  
  There's also lots of comedy from start to finish, making it an even cozier and more enjoyable read.
  "I didn't think an exploding cake was a reason to call 911, so I called you instead," Val [told Jax].
  
  "My own animal companion was going to have a kitten (although anatomically impossible for a variety of reasons) if another animal of any kind entered his house. I was sure Gummie considered this his house, and that he let me live here simply for his own convenience, because I knew hwo to open cat food cans."
  
  One of the best things about the novel, apart from character depth, is character development. Both protagonist Jax, and the "fireplug" Rosie see some development towards the end of the novel, which is rare in mystery novels in general.
  
  Overall, High Strung is a fun, cozy read with beautiful characters and an interesting mystery. It is also a great start to my reading list for 2016.
  
• 
  Sabrina

  *** This book was received for free through Goodreads First Reads ***
  
  HIGH STRUNG is the first entry in Janice Peacock's new cozy murder mystery series taking place in Seattle, the glass bead capital. Jax O'Connell is a likeable heroine who ends up embroiled in the attempted murder of local bead shop owner Rosie Lopez. It's up to Jax and her best friend and bead mentor Tessa to unravel the mystery, lest they risk being accused of the crime themselves. Light-hearted and pleasant to read (although the conclusion came a bit unexpectedly for me), I found it was an enjoyable book and a promising debut. I am looking forward to reading more of what Janice Peacock has to offer.
• 
  Richard

  For me, this was kind of an artsy/crafty squee fest from end to end. I'm familiar with the Seattle area; the cast is super cozy and amusing; and the author seems to know her glass pretty well... I felt the first-person narration has a high believability index: it's not too "literary", but sounds quite real and is not excessively polished, as one would expect from a narrator who is artsy and smart—but not necessarily steeped in a high-falutin’ literary tradition—setting out to tell her story. To be clear: I think that quality is not always easy to accomplish, so it's a positive thing, not a flaw.
• 
  Suzanne

  This was a quirky book from the start. Jax O'Connell inherited a house and money from her great Aunt Rita. Only stipulation, Jax has to live in the house. Ok, but Jax lives in Miami and her Aunt Rita lived in Seattle. After looking at her life she decides to shake it up and move and follow her dream of making jewelry.
  
  What starts out in the first chapter as the letter from the lawyer, and her deciding to move and the second chapter, is a few years later.
  Thankfully as the story progresses we do get glimpse of the time during those years, and it fills in the story when needed. And we're not bogged down with chapters of cross country drives etc.
  
  What was enjoyable for me was the fact that the murder didn't happen right away. This gave me time to get a sense of the characters and when the murder did happen, there were more questions about why that person than the one I would have picked.
  
  I like the three main characters, Jax or Jaqueline, her best friend Tessa, and her neighbor and renter Val.
  They all have distinct personalities and for some reason all fit together in an odd way.
  The descriptions given of Seattle put me right in the area and the shops, and even though I haven't a clue on blowing glass or making jewelry everything was so well written I understood completely.
• 
  Carla

  High Strung is the first instalment in the Glass Beads Mystery series. After reading this one, I am looking forward to the next.
  
  The book begins with Jax O'Connell, living in Florida with her deadbeat boyfriend, receiving a letter from the lawyer of her late aunt Rita. She has been left in her will her house in Seattle, with one condition. She must move there and live in the house. The letter she is sent reads: "I know inside your tired heart is a woman waiting to start living." Then she sets the condition, "You must live in my house and find your creative passion. I hope my gift helps you live the life you love."
  
  Jax accepts the offer, dumps her boyfriend, quits her job and moves to Seattle. The house has been divided into a duplex so she fixes up one side and rents it out to flamboyant Val. Her side contains a studio, Aunt Rita was a quilt artist, that she turns into a studio to make glass beads.
  
  A bead event, hosted by Aztec Beads, brings together bead and jewellery makes from all over. There are workshops, parties and of course displays of the beautiful items. When Rosie, the hostess of the event almost dies after falling down the stairs and being choked by her beaded necklace, Jax is there to save her and get he to the hospital. The next morning while helping Tessa, her best friend and mentor clean up, they discover the body of a young homeless bead maker in the dumpster. Are these two events related? Who killed Missy? Both Tessa and Jax are suspects at one point in the story.
  
  The many characters that are introduced in the story are wonderful. From the shy beadmaker, to Rosie and her daughter, Val and Tessa and all their families, the book tells you as much about the life in the town and the bead making business as it does about solving the mystery, but it is all entertaining.
  
  I did not have the slightest idea of who the murderer was which makes the book more interesting to me. I am looking forward to the next instalment.
  
  I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Big Time Book Junkie

  This was a fun, easy read that had a good mystery and lots of very interesting information on making beads. I loved all the information about the beads because honestly, I guess, had I stopped to think of it, I'd have assumed they were all made in some factory in China. It was exciting that the author worked so much of her art into the book, seamlessly, so it didn't feel as if the reader was sitting at a lecture. Quite frankly, now I want someone to make me some special beads in the colors I love!
  
  The characters were great, well rounded and relatable. I really enjoyed the humorous bits of the story and doubt I will ever look at a mojito the same again! I don't want to include spoilers, so I'll let you find out about the mojito on your own, but it was funny. I was laughing out loud while my husband stared, wondering what I found so funny.
  
  I'm very much looking forward to the other books in this series, so please write fast, Ms. Peacock! And thank you for the wonderful read and the chuckles along the way. I received a copy of this book after taking part in a cover reveal on Facebook, but would have reviewed it just the same whether I won it or paid for it. It's a book I've already recommended to friends.
• 
  Lisa Morin

  They say beading is a nice way to relax and be creative. Well, if you're Jax O'Connell, you might not feel that way, especially after the harrowing experiences she had.
  After inheriting a house from her Aunt, Jax makes a big move and is happy and content creating beautiful bead jewelry.
  When Jax is offered the chance to display her pieces during a weekend event at another store, she is not only thrilled and honored, but she finds herself in the middle of a murder. Jax forgot she offered to let another beader, Marta, stay in her home, but when Stanley, Marta's canine companion tags along, the fur begins to fly.
  
  As a first in a new series, this book was fun and exciting to read. I liked learning about the different beading techniques and the story kept me interested from beginning to end.
  I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
  If readers enjoy a good, strong mystery with a crafting theme, this book will appeal to them.
  
  I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
• 
  Cathie Whitmore

  An enjoyable easy read.
  
  Jax is a likeable and very relatable main character I found myself drawn to from the start. I loved the casual feel of this entertaining and engaging story, filled with many twists and turns as the plot thickens. In the most part light-hearted and humorous, with a bit of murder and mayhem thrown into the mix to keep the reader guessing to the end. Jax’s passion for glass bead creation is an interesting concept which I thought added a unique touch, culminating in a very enjoyable easy read.
  
• 
  Kimberly

  This wasn’t too bad for a first book. I liked the characters and the mystery was interesting. Right up until the killer revealed their motive. It seemed awfully weak to me. But, it wouldn’t stop me from trying the next one.
• 
  Janice Richardson

  Fun cozy read with a strong protagonist. Learned the hows of beading, and almost guessed the killer.
  
• 
  DelAnne Frazee

  Title: High Strung - Glass Bead Mystery Book 1
  Author: Janice Peacock
  Published: 8-31-15
  Publisher: Booktrope
  Pages: 220
  Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
  Sub Genre: Women Sleuths, Cozy Mystery
  ISBN: 978513700649
  ASIN: B0140HQ483C
  Reviewer: DelAnne
  Reviewed For: NetGalley
  
  .
  Hugh Strung may be a cozy mystery that takes a while to get to the murder, but you really don't notice until it happens. You are so caught up in the storyline and characters that they draw you in and you can't put it down. Jacqueline "Jax" O'Connell is feeling fed up with her life and her boyfriend when the letter from her great-aunt's lawyer arrives telling her she is the beneficiary of her estate with the stipulation that she live in her great-aunt's home Jax is hesitant. The lawyer tells Jax she has 1 day to decide. Jax's boyfriend's attitude makes decide to accept and she packs up and moves to Seattle.
  
  The story takes up 2 years later. Jax is settled in her home and has set up a studio where she creates her handmade glass beads. Jax has agreed to teach a workshop at weekend long event celebrating the grand opening of a new bead crafting store. She is also hosting another bead crafter from out of town for the long weekend. Jax and Gumshoe, her cat are shocked when Marta arrives with uninvited guest, her dog Stanley. When Gummie runs away at the invasion Jax is crushed. Trying to keep it together and complete her obligations leaves Jax exhausted. Not mention the new guy in her life, a reporter doing a story on Jax and her beads.
  
  As the weekend progresses, Jax learns a few secrets out her friends and the other bead artists. The she is drawn into an attempted murder and a successful one. When her best friend is suspected of the murder Jax steps into clear her of the charges. In the process she attracts the deadly attention of a murder. There is so much happening in the story you are glued to the story until the final page. Good luck figuring out how to trust and who to watch. Ms Peacock will keep you guessing until the end. A great story to relax with.
  
  Amazon link:
  http://www.amazon.com/High-Strung-Gla...
  
  Barnes and Noble link:
  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/high-...
  
  Goodreads link:
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
  
  The Reading Room link:
  https://www.facebook.com/The-Reading-...#
  
  
• 
  RO G'ma

  Janice Peacock has written an intriguing storyline with realistic, well-developed characters. While some of the characters are not likeable, all of them are believable. This book is well thought out and written with just the right combination of mystery, family life, and humor. I found this book to be an easy read that had me laughing while still being caught up in the mystery that kept me guessing until the reveal. The bead descriptions were so vivid I felt I could actually see and feel the beads. I highly recommend it to all cozy mystery lovers. I’m looking forward to reading more books written by Ms. Peacock.
  
  Jax O'Connell moves from her home in Miami when learns she’s inherited her Great Aunt Rita’s house in Seattle but she must live in it or it will be sold and the proceeds given to charity. When someone attempts to murder Rosie Lopez, a local bead shop owner, and the murder of Misty, a young beadmaker, is discovered Jax isn’t satisfied with the police investigation and decides to do a little sleuthing of her own. Jax and her best friend and bead mentor, Tessa, discover there is no lack of suspects and she is no less confused than the police are … and then the pieces all start to fall into place for her.
  
  I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of a promotional event.
  
• 
  FangirlNation

  In High Strung by Janice Peacock, Jax O’Connell has moved to Seattle after inheriting her great-aunt’s home and sets to work making amazing and intricate glass beads. She is excited to be invited to participate in a high brow bead show, but getting there, she discovers that Rosie, the woman staging the event, is the meanest person around. Putting up with Rosie, Jax and her best friend, Tessa, do their best to enjoy the opening evening. But then Jax hears the screams of Rosie’s 20-something daughter and rushes to find Rosie being strangled by her beaded necklace tied to the stair railing. Managing to get the necklace cut, Jax joins Rosie in the ambulance and is glad to learn that the woman will pull through. Everyone assumes this was an accident of Rosie’s slipping on the steps and her necklace’s getting caught in the railing. But then the next day, Jax goes to throw away trash in a dumpster and finds the body of a young bead maker. When they learn that the woman has been strangled, it leads to questions that Rosie may have been attacked intentionally. And disturbingly, the police seem to be focusing on Tessa as the criminal, so Jax gets involved in the case.
  
  Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at
  Fangirl Nation
• 
  Terri Crossley

  Great new series!
  
  I really enjoyed this book! Jax is giving a second chance when she is left a house in Seattle the one stipulation is she must do something creative and live in the house! Since her life is not going the way she hoped she packs up her belongings and starts off a new adventure ! Her creative outlet is lampwork beads and she is getting ready for a big weekend and hoping that sales will be great! When the weekend starts out with a fellow bead maker being killed and another one almost killed Jax starts to wonder if one of her fellow bead makers is the murderer. When he best friend falls under suspicion she starts to dig into the murder. When digs into her fellow bead makers past she realizes maybe she doesn't know these people like she thought she did. When she gets closer to the truth her life is on the line and if she doesn't figure this out quick she will be the next victim! I highly recommended this book and I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
• 
  Cassidy

  This was a fun read. I liked Jax and enjoyed reading about how she created a new life for herself as a bead-maker. She is smart, talented and good-hearted. The bead-makers in the story made for a quirky collection of believable characters. Some endearing, others downright unpleasant. The story was rounded out by her close friendship with Tessa and the introduction of a potential romantic interest into Jax’s life. All in all, the plot was nicely developed, with twists befitting a cozy mystery.
  As I am neither a bead-maker nor bead fan, I hesitated before agreeing to read this book. I am happy to report that, unlike some craft-focused cozy mysteries that bore me with an excess of technical details, this cozy had enough description of bead-making for me to appreciate the complexity of the process without going overboard.
  FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of this blog tour. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
  
• 
  Jolina Adams

  I was so excited to read this book because it involved flame-worked glass bead making. I enjoyed that very much, but it felt like a first book. I liked that it was not long or drawn out. I look forward to reading more from Janice Peacock because I make glass beads and jewelry too.
• 
  Lynda Lafond

  Pure awesome
  
  A little bit of mystery and mayhem rolled up with beads, glass and lampworking. Perfect summertime reading for mystery fans, crafty folk, art lovers & pet fans!
• 
  Carolyn Injoy

  High Strung, A Glass Bead Mystery by Janice Peacock High Strung, A Glass Bead Mystery by Janice Peacock published by Booktrope Editions is an entertaining mystery. Jacqueline O'Connell, aka Jax, received a house and savings account from her Great-Aunt Rita Haglund. The only condition was that she live in the house in Seattle, Washington and be creative. The house was divided so one side was a rental unit. I gave it four stars.
   
  She had a fluffy gray cat named Gumdrop who she thought had psychic powers. When her boyfriend Jerry came home and started bossing her around, she called the attorney and told him that she would move.
   
  Val had moved in opposite where Jax lived in her Great-Aunt's house. She had her bead studio in the back of the house. She hadn't thought it was what she would be doing but she was happy.
   
  "Val was forever after me to look nice and act pretty. Or was it look pretty and act nice? I could never remember. I wasn't particularly good at either--at least not at the same time."
   
  Jax went to Tessa's Aztec Bead shop and came across Dylan McCartney there. "Dylan never seemed to be in a hurry and was always scruffy around the edges. That comes with being a 22-year-old guy. If he’d been in Southern California, I’d have called him a surfer dude. Here in the Pacific Northwest, his T-shirt, flip-flops, and threadbare jeans looked out of place. He never looked like he was cold, but I couldn’t wear so little without freezing to death when temperatures dipped to the 40s outside."
   
  I received a complimentary copy from itunes. This did not change my opinion for this review.
  Link to purchase:
  https://www.amazon.com/High-Strung-Gl...