I feel like this review needs to be split into two parts.

First, the positives, I genuinely loved the humor and the sheer hilarity brought on by the innocent, orphaned turtle. It added such a charming, whimsical touch to the story. I'm also a sucker for a bumbling detective who somehow manages to solve the case before anyone else, and that element was executed well here. Another aspect I appreciated was the focus on an often overlooked demographic of the elderly. It's refreshing to see stories told through their perspectives.

Now, onto the down side. I found myself constantly frustrated with the main characters. Amber, for instance, spends so much time complaining and playing the victim it’s exhausting, especially coming from a middle aged woman who seems to have no interest in getting her life together. Even when she's handed a once in a lifetime opportunity to live rent free and have a job provided by a grandmother she’s never met, she still manages to grumble about it. Then there’s Jade, the grandmother, whose steamroller personality pushes everyone into doing her bidding through guilt and manipulation. And finally, the narcissistic mother, who takes every opportunity to berate both her daughter and her own mother, with no real explanation or depth to her behavior.

I truly wanted to love this book, the premise was unique and had so much potential but I struggled to feel any real connection to the characters, which made it hard to fully engage with the story.

*Thank you to Tamara Berry, Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the digital copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.