A Front Page Affair (Kitty Weeks Mystery, 1)

It is 1915 in New York. Capability "Kitty" Weeks is nineteen years old and a reporter for the Ladies Page of the New York Sentinel (she wants to report real stories but women are not allowed in the newsroom). Miss Helena Busby is her boss and showing her the ropes (she is also her assistant). Kitty was assigned to cover the Independence Day Gala organized by Mrs. Elizabeth Basshor. Kitty was enjoying the unique fireworks display and then there is screaming. Hunter Cole is dead in the stables. Why was Hunter killed and what was he doing in the stables? Hunter is not a well-liked gentleman. Hunter married a burlesque star, Aimee (scandalous to his family). Since Kitty was at the event, she is asked to help Mr. Flanagan, the reporter assigned the story. Kitty gets to help with background material. Kitty is determined to do a good job (with the hopes of getting her toes into the newsroom). Kitty sets out to interview people at the event and those close to Hunter Cole. Can Kitty's inquiries help her find the killer?

A Front Page Affair by Radha Vatsal was okay, but not great. The writer tried to make the mystery complicated, but it was easy to solve (the killer was so very obvious). I had a hard time reading the novel (some books you read, others you live). The pace is slow (except for the last few pages) which makes the novel feel longer than it really is. The book contained a lot of information on getting a passport (when the law had just passed), fashion (we get plenty of dress descriptions), and parties. There are a great many details on the beginning of World War I. The basic idea for the book was good, but I did not really enjoy the finished product. Kitty Weeks came more across as a socialite who decided to become a journalist for something to do. She wears beautiful clothes and drives a bright yellow roadster (reminds me of another young sleuth with her car). I just felt the book needed more work to make it a good, finished novel. I give it 3 out of 5 stars. A Front Page Affair would have made a better young adult mystery (with just a little tweaking) because it reminded me of mystery series aimed at that age group.

I received a complimentary copy of A Front Page Affair from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.