Beautiful Dreamer by Clay Boutwell

Beautiful Dreamer Reviews

• 
  Steve

  I still don't care for opera, but I loved the story
  
  This addition to the growing list of Agora Mysteries delivers the same fun reading experience that I have come to enjoy. Carl has a great sense of humor and I enjoy seeing the world through his eyes. The story is long enough to get all the details in but short enough to read in one sitting. The mystery has enough twists that even though you may figure out some parts of it before the end, you may find that some of what you thought turns out to be wrong. The various characters you meet along the way, even briefly, add old-world charm and a melodrama feel to the adventure.
  
  Even though this is Number 11, I invite you to make it your first read as it can be read independently. Once you get through this one, I bet you will want to go back and read all the stories.
• 
  Colin Rochford

  
  Beautiful Dreamer: A 19th Century Historical Murder Mystery Novella by
  Clay Boutwell
  
  Another one of the Agora Society series. This one had a quite convoluted plot with many tracks for us to follow. However, all finally led back to the denouement. Excellent work.
  
  The characters of Carl and The Captain did not appear to develop much more than when we were introduced to them at the beginning of the series. Although The Captain’s playfulness with his staff was new and quite fun.
  
  While I enjoyed this story on one level, on another it seemed a little pedestrian.
• 
  Reena

  I've read most of the Agora Mysteries (and those few I haven't read are on my TBR list), and this one was as good as my first read of the series.
  
  A cozy mystery, set in 19th century Boston, full of wonderful and well-defined characters. Mr. Boutwell's vivid descriptions capture the essence of the era. I felt as if I was there, at that time and that place, living Carl's adventures myself. The writing was flowing effortlessly and laced with light humor, while the plot was full of twists and turns that added to the mystery.
  
  Although I usually guess who did it, "Beautiful Dreamer's" ending was unexpected. The person who confessed the murder couldn't have done it, while there are at least three who could, but there's not enough evidence to prove who did. Still, I believe the ending was brilliant!
  
  I highly recommend not only "Beautiful Dreamer" but all of "Agora Mysteries" books.
• 
  Pete

  The books in this series are all very entertaining, I love the characters and their Victorian manners, so alien to us today. But even more than that I love the original story lines, and the unconventional methods that Carl uses to reveal the truth.
  This book is no exception and, I think, is one of the best in this series. If you have read any of the other books in this series you will love this one, if you haven't then give it a go, I think that you will really enjoy it.
  I am fortunate enough to get advance copies of these books, but I have voluntarily written this honest review based on my own opinions.
• 
  Renee Arthur

  I really enjoy the Agora Letters and this one is no exception. Captain Barnwell invites Carl Brooke to his office and tells him about a new murder. A man was murdered in the roof of a building and there is a confession. The problem is that the woman who confessed couldn't possibly have committed the murder. The setting is 19th century London and the characters are always interesting. Besides the real mystery, I particularly enjoyed Cabby and his youthful antics. I totally enjoyed reading this mystery unfold and how it was solved. Excellent cozy mystery!
• 
  Judy Johnson

  The author does a fabulous job in providing us with another great read in this wonderful Agora Mystery Series. A captivating mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end...what seems to be obvious is just not what it seems to be! You need to read this story! Set in 19th Century England, well-developed characters accompany a marvelously written story...It works absolutely wonderfully as a standalone, however, you will be doing yourself a real disservice if you don't go back and read the others.
• 
  C.

  I don't know what makes these "Agora Mysteries" so good but I have loved each and every one of them. The period is brought to life by an exceptional author who captures just enough to allow you to put your own spin on things. I love when an author allows their readers to use their own imagination to fill in the blanks.
• 
  Katie Thompson

  This was another brilliant outing for the Agora society. Carl Brooke once again shows his amazing ability to sort through various forms of data to uncover the truth. The plot is engaging, the mystery has plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes.
• 
  Bev

  This story starts out one way and BAM! you could not be farther from the true story. I enjoy how well these stories are written by Clay Boutwell.
• 
  Linda

  This is a nineteenth century story set in Boston. The police try to find a murderer but everyone they talk is lying. They have to sift through the lies to find the truth. A nice short story
• 
  Jay Williams

  While the murder mystery is more a whodunit than a mystery, the many unusual and likeable characters make this a very enjoyable read. The staff includes many of the weird people from the earlier books, augmented by a few more rare cases. The historical environment is fun to read about, the antics of many of the characters create many laughable situations. This book is worth buying and reading.
• 
  Jackie

  An amazing and intriguing mystery. All the clues are there, but did she do it. I couldn’t stop reading.