It's 1923 and Lola Woodby and her partner Berta Lundgren of the Discreet Retrieval Agency are employed by Sophronia Whiddle, to retrieve her daughter Grace's diary. Just in case it contains secrets that might cancel Grace's wedding. All this leads to murder.
Found I didn't really like the two partners, and Lola was just too accident prone, and I dislike women who call themselves Mommy when they are referring to a dog. ( )

This is another of those “the second in the series doesn’t hold up” books. I don’t know whether Chance was trying too hard, or not hard enough, to capture the 1920s feel, or whether her characterization was off, whether she was writing too fast and carelessly or I simply knew the shtick from the last book, but this fell flat for me in a pretty big way. It was enjoyable enough to burn through, gave me an adequate number of laughs, was strong enough not to give away the culprit or motive, but I’m not sure I’ll be continuing with the series and I was glad to close it and move on to something else.

Warnings: Not really, but another of those “white and straight” ones. Heterosexual does he/doesn’t he shenanigans.

5/10 ( )

Lola Woodby is barely scraping by in her new business, the Discreet Retrieval Agency, with her former Swedish cook, Berta. When they're asked by one of Lola's mother's friends to retrieve the diary of her daughter, Grace Whiddle, who is currently staying at a health farm they have no choice but to accept. But while attempting to retrieve the diary at the farm, another one of the guests is murdered and Lola and Berta find themselves suddenly embroiled in another murder investigation.

Just as charming as the first entry in this Roaring Twenties cozy mystery series, Lola's deductive skills continue to amaze while she manages to muss up endless dresses and shoes, consume a bit more chocolate than entirely wise, and try and figure out exactly the state of her relationship with private detective Ralph Oliver. And of course Berta is on fine form as always. Recommended if you enjoyed the first in the series. ( )

Wow, what an unbelievably poorly written book.....

So you ask: "Why did you keep reading it?" It was there & I was bored & needed a break from my computer & artwork.....

The main character (M.C., because I can not remember her name) & her former cook, Berta, have opened the "Discreet Retrieval Agency"; these two are anything but discreet.... She just can not keep her mouth shut about her investigations...

M.C., is a former member of society, he husband has died & left her with nothing... His brother has taken over the family home & is about to marry M.C.'s sister.

M.C. & Bertha are hired to retrieve a young woman's diary; which will have serious implications for some rich society man.... M.C. & Berta check into a health farm which is run by M.C.'s brother-in-law. The retrieval of the diary is for naught; the young disappears; and an older society matron is found dead w/ an empty bottle of rum in her hand (but she only drank gin).

M.C. is hot for Ralph Oliver, who has recently returned from Cuba. He too is an investigator, but a very subtle & discreet one, who divulges little or nothing to M.C. about his case, which parallels hers.

The dialog between the characters makes M.C. seem shallow, insipid & inane.

The ending was totally ridiculous and uninspiring.

No matter how much this author strove for cute, she failed.

If you want a better mystery set in the 1920's read: Phryne Fisher, Grace and Favor, or Amory & Milo.... ( )

Teetotaled by Maia Chance is the second book the Discreet Retrieval Agency Mysteries. Lola Woodby is a thirty-one-year-old widow living in New York. Lola has started the Discreet Retrieval Agency with Berta Lundgren (a former cook). They have not had much luck in finding paying cases. If they do not get some money soon, they will out on the street. Luck comes through their door in the form of Sophronia Widdle, a New York society lady, who wishes the ladies to retrieve her daughter’s diary (she wants to know what her daughter is up to). Her daughter, Grace is very protective of her diary. She keeps the older versions in a safe in her room and the current book does not leave her side (at night she keeps it under her pillow). Grace is currently spending the week before her wedding to Gilbert Morris at Willow Acres (a health farm). Lola calls her brother-in-law, Dr. Chisholm Woodby (who will soon be marrying Lola’s sister, Lillian) who runs Willow Acres to get them two rooms. Lola and Berta believe they can get the diary quickly and head back home (because the food leaves something to be desired). Unfortunately, you know what they say about best laid plans! Locked rooms and a diligent nurse keep them from getting the diary during the first two days of their stay. Then their target, Grace flies the coop. She has decided to elope and thwart her mother. Lola and Berta are about to pack up and head home when they hear a scream. Muffy Morris, who was to be Grace’s mother-in-law, is dead in her room (wife of a Senator Winfield Morris). After speaking with the police, Lola and Berta can leave. In the parking lot is Senator Morris. He wishes to hire the Discreet Retrieval Agency. He needs them to find the killer discreetly. The senator does not want any negative publicity. They take the case and set out to find the culprit. It is a good thing they have a new case, because Mrs. Widdle fires them (it is not their fault Grace took off). Lola and Berta have their work cut out for them. Will they be able to solve the case and get their much-needed fee?

Teetotaled is the second book in the series, and, as I discovered, you do need to read the first book in series. The author tries to update the reader, but I was definitely out of the loop. There was information from the first book that the reader needs to understand Lola’s situation (not for the mystery though). I found Teetotaled easy to read and it contained a complex mystery. There are inconsistencies (a few of them). Lola is told the doors to the rooms at Willow Acres are locked at night and during the day. Then Lola is shocked when she finds the doors locked. This is just one example. Lola is a hard character to like. She is a grown woman who is afraid to tell her mother about her current circumstances (broke and now working as a private investigator). I preferred Berta and wished she was more dominant in the novel (she is very much in the background). The author tries to capture the 20s feel with phrases from that era. She tosses them around like confetti. I give Teetotaled 3 out of 5 stars (it was okay). The mystery was the best part of the book (which helped raise the score). Teetotaled was just not for me. I will not be continuing with this series. ( )