Alexis MorganRezensionen

Abby McCree is the liaison for the arts fair, the first one the town has sponsored. She is tasked with talking to some of the artists to see if they have any specials needs that must addressed before the fair opens. She asks a couple of her friends to tag along, to make it a day of fun as well as work as she tracks down the artists at other fairs. When one of the venders is found murdered, Abby and the town council scramble to replace their headliner while the cops scramble to find a killer. Throw in a fortune teller who wants to offer her special talents in locating the murderer and you have a delightful cozy that is both suspenseful and entertaining. The characters are likable and real, (except maybe for that seer who claims to know how to reach the dead), the plot is well thought out and quite intricate, and the conclusion is exciting. This tale has nearly everything cozy readers love to have in the books they devour. (A lovable dog, but alas, no cats!)

A classic

amateur-sleuth, cozy-mystery, divorcee, exmilitary, first-in-series, friction, friendship, inheritance, law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, pet-dog, quilting, read, romantic, small-town, stalking, tenant, vindictive, yard-sale ****

I got this one on sale! Missed it on NetGalley, but it is easier for me if I can listen. Good story with people who are not perfect, a few nasty old ladies, a few old ladies who like to ogle half-naked men working out in the yard, a heroine who faints when a body is found mostly buried in that same yard, and even a pleasant AND competent police chief!
A good cozy mystery.
Coleen Marlo gives a smooth and well differentiated performance as narrator and has a pleasant voice as well.

Washington State, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, friendship, craft-fair, pet-dog, series, murder-investigation, murder, law-enforcement, relationships, veterans, artisans****

This is the first I've read in this series and by this author, but I plan to go back and find more. The characters are definitely engaging, the scenarios believable, the storyline cohesive, and I appreciate the fast pace. A few plot twists and several creative red herrings make this a fun book.
I requested and received a free EARC from Kensington Books/Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Thank you

I almost only gave this two stars, and I was excited about Larem's book but was not too impressed with the romance with Sasha. It seemed sort of one-dimensional. But, I still really like the world Morgan's created, despite the need to seriously suspend my disbelief, due to my knowledge of geology. ;)

Abby McCree inherited her aunt's home and moved to Snowberry Creek after a messy divorce. She's made friends and put down roots, and has become close with her tenant, Tripp Blackston, who resides in the mother-in-law house behind hers.

In fact, she's become so much a part of the community that she was coerced into joining the city council. Now, as its newest member, she's assigned to travel to several arts and crafts fairs around the area in order to see if they, having committed to being a part of Snowberry Creek's first arts and crafts fair, will need anything the day of the fair. Along with her are her two best friends, Bridey Roker, who owns the local bakery, and Dayna Fisk, who works in ceramics.

All seems well when they begin their journey, and they have no problems until they finally reach a noted craftsman. But she can only meet the man's niece, as he seems busy, and decides to return later. But when she does, the tent is closed, and so she returns home.

Then Abby, back home, is visited by Homicide Detective Ben Earle and local sheriff Logan Gage. They have questions about her being at one of the fairs -- it seems someone was murdered and her business card was found at the scene. When she explains her actions, she's determined to stay out of this murder, which pleases the three men in her lives. But when a woman disappears and her friend Dayna is considered a suspect, things change. But how can Abby be there for Dayna and stay out of the murder? She's determined to figure it out -- but fate has a way of changing things all around...

This is the sixth book in the series and I have read them all. I must say that this is my very favorite of them. For some reason, when Abby was sad, I was also. When she cried, I felt my own tears pooling. Usually, I am not drawn into books as deeply as I was in this one, and it was indeed an emotional roller coaster. Following Abby as she tries to navigate caring for her friend and staying away from the murder isn't easy, because Abby is having a difficult time herself. Each time she tries, something else occurs that pulls her closer; it eventually begins to pull at her instincts, and we feel the uncertainty that she does as she tries to figure it all out.

But it is a final note that brings Abby to the truth, and when she does figure it out, she comes to the same conclusion as I did a bit earlier (only because, and I state this regularly, I read a lot of mysteries). Watching Abby in the climax of the book only shows us how intelligent and resourceful that she is.

When the murderer is discovered, the reasons for it seem rather sad on one side and as old as time on the other (read the book and you will understand); and yet -- there is more to come and it brings both joy and calm and expectation for the future. All is well once again in Abby's Snowberry Creek; and I am glad that it is so. Kudos to Ms. Morgan for bringing us a terrific tale of mystery and intrigue. I thoroughly enjoyed it and anxiously await the next in the series. Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

Meh.

Several decades ago, when I started reading cozies, they were actually good; well written and well plotted puzzles that didn’t involve the grimy underbelly of society or graphic violence (the gory kind).

They’re still puzzles that don’t involve the grimy underbelly of society or graphic violence (the gory kind), but somewhere along the way – about a decade ago – publishers turned them into a commodity to be standardised; they created a formula for maximum efficiency and higher returns via quantity. And they seemed to have completely done away with quality.

This is starting to piss me off, because as much as I enjoy a good vintage cozy/traditional mystery, sometimes I want a good cozy/traditional set in my own time, and I’m dammed if I can find one anymore (and by this, I mean new series, not the good ones that have lasted).

I thought Death by Committee had potential at the beginning, but by the halfway mark it became clear that the author (or her editor) was falling into the standard equation, and not only following formula in plotting, because sometimes there’s no escaping those tropes that work, but following a worn out formula for her characters too. The current fad seems to be a middle aged woman riding heard on a band of hyperactive seniors. Sophie Kelly makes this work with her series, but Morgan does not. The seniors were flat and took advantage of the MC. The MC’s righteous indignation failed to feel righteous, and the MC’s romantic interest failed to seem like anyone other than someone with a mood disorder.

The highlight of the book was the MC’s mastiff-mix, Zeke.

Editing was subpar, with several dropped time-lines (a memorable one is where the MC and her romantic interest make plans to meet for dinner that night and it never happens – the entire scene just disappeared).

It’s morning here as I write this, and I’m not a morning person, so let me just say this: it wasn’t a bad book. It just wan’t a good one, either.

What an excellent cozy!! Though this is the 5th book in the Abby McCree series is, I hadn't read any books in this series before reading this one. I loved it so much I'm planning to immediately go back and read the earlier books. Thoroughly enjoyable with an interesting plot and likeable characters.

Abby and biker, Gil, organize the town's running race and, as the title indicates, there's a dead body near the finish line. While the characters seem to eat something on every page (OK, maybe every other page) they manage to progress on solving the mystery.

Highly recommended for cozy fans!!

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.)½

Abby McCree inherited her late aunt's Victorian home in Snowberry Creek, Washington. It was fortuitous because after her divorce, she moved in and suddenly the town took to her right away. Because of her business expertise, Abby has a habit of getting roped into events all year long by the mayor's assistant -- and her tenant, Tripp Blackston, is starting to become something more than just a tenant.

This time out she's working on the Salmon Scoot, a 5k run in which the proceeds of the event will benefit the high school. Her co-chair is the unlikely Gil Pratt, co-owner of a motorcycle repair shop along with his brother. Abby is surprised to find that Gil isn't scary at all, and they actually work well together. But the day of the race, she witnesses an argument between Gil's brother Gary and James DiSalvo, a city council member.

Later, when DiSalvo's lifeless body is found along the race trail, Gary is arrested for the murder. Gil is beside himself, knowing his brother isn't a killer. Now Abby, even though she's promised both Tripp and Sheriff Gage Logan that she will stay out of it, is somehow dragged into the investigation anyway. She's determined that any information she receives she'll turn over to Gage, but if the wrong person thinks Abby might know a little too much, it might also be the last thing she does learn...

This is the fifth book in the series and I have read them all and enjoyed every one of them. I do like the fact that Abby's relationship with Tripp is progressing (albeit slowly), so there's that, but in this book she befriends biker Gil, who somehow develops a soft spot for Abby, and, of course, her baking skills. We also get to see a little more of Gage's relationship with his daughter Sydney, and there's a sweet moment that should please anyone.

However, the dead man's daughter is haranguing Gage daily, and there's another woman who's muddying the waters, making it difficult for Abby to figure out the truth. But her friends are around her, and their tidbits of information are giving her a clue as to what the dead man was truly like, and it might make things easier in the long run.

I will not give out any more information on the plot, but I will say that this book is chock full of action, and the clues are there, even if they are few and far between. The murderer came as a surprise to me, and I am usually very good at this, so that was pleasant and enhanced my enjoyment of the book. It was one that I read in one evening, and a very good cozy to keep you entertained. We also get a hint as to what the next book will be like, and I truly wish I could read it now. Ms. Morgan is a talented writer that knows how to pull in the reader and make them want to be part of the book itself, and I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

i read a lot of books - this is the first book in a very long time that actually surprised me with the end.

Can't wait to read the next one!

A really good book. At one point I thought i knew who the killer was but not sure, and I was right.

Snowberry Creek always seems to have a lot going for it. Movies in the park for the summer is Abby McCree's latest committee job, and a successful one at that. When a body is found during clean up, Abby's mom's new beau is first on the suspect list. I liked the addition of some new characters, but Abby and her mom's regressive teen like relationship will hopefully even out if her mom decides to remain in town.

Good emotion packed love story that has you laughing and crying. All these characters are so real and flawed that you can't help but root for them to have a happy ending.

Fun and quick cozy. Victorian house and quilting. I like the audiobook, the performance of this narrator is good.

Death by Committee is the first book in the new Abbey McRee Mystery series. The series is set in Snowberry Creek, WA. The author also has a contemporary romance series set in the same town.

Abbey McRee is recently divorced and starting her life all over again. She recently inherited her Aunt Sybil's victorian style home in Snowberry Creek. She moves in with her dog, Zeke. Along with the house, she also inherited her aunt's quilting group, a spot on the local senior affairs committee and a tenant, Tripp Blackston. When an enemy of her aunt's is discovered dead and buried under junk in a corner of the yard, suspicion falls on her deceased aunt and Tripp. Abbey is determined to clear her aunt's name and identify the murderer. It proves to be a dangerous quest!

All in all, a nice start to a new cozy series. The premise of inheriting a victorian home from an elderly relative is pretty tropey, but the story was still a fun read. I like Abbey as a main character. She's trying hard to start her life over after a failed marriage and endures the snarkiness of small town busybodies. Her pet mastiff, Zeke, is a great addition to the story as is her renter, Tripp and the rest of the side characters. The quirky members of the quilting group jump in to help Abbey investigate. Nothing like a feisty group of senior citizens to help ferret out a killer. The ending wasn't really a surprise, but there was enough twists, suspects and surprises in this book to keep my attention. I will definitely read more of this series.

The cover art is colorful and cute. It really caught my eye, and first drew me to read this book. :)

Alexis Morgan is the author of several romance series, even a paranormal one. I don't read the romance genre, but I will definitely read any cozies she writes. I like her writing style, the characters, background theme and setting for this new cozy series. Makes for an enjoyable, relaxing reading experience.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Redeemed in Darkness (1/08)
Paladin series. Ok. Characters continue to appear and have real substance to succeeding plots. Local author.

Abby McCree is on a real date - such as it is, outdoors surrounded by other people watching a movie in the park - with her tenant Tripp Blackston, whom she's getting closer to each day. Unfortunately, her mother is also there with her boyfriend, Owen Quinn, whom Abby isn't too sure about since no one seems to know anything about him except he has a part-time barbeque restaurant and fishes the rest of the time. But she can't worry about it, because it's her job to clean up after the movie and make sure the park is pristine.

Helped by her mother, they sweep the area with flashlights until her mom comes across a grisly discovery: a dead body. Now, with Owen suspected of the murder, her mother angry at Gage for not finding a killer and declaring him incompetent, Abby is stuck in the middle of an investigation Tripp doesn't want her anywhere near. But if Abby doesn't find the real killer, Owen - or someone else who's innocent - could be stuck behind bars for a long time...

This is the fourth book in the series and each time I read one of them I find them getting more and more delightful. No, this is no earth-shattering series; it's not deeply mysterious nor terribly suspenseful. But what it is, is fun. And quite a lot of it.

We watch Abby as she's dealing with her mother temporarily staying with her - and that's no picnic for Abby at all - as the two women are going head to head quite a bit, with Tripp stuck in the middle trying to protect Abby for all it's worth. Not that Phoebe is mean; she's just worried about Owen. But Owen is keeping secrets, and he's not telling.

Then when his employee has a problem that scares her, Abby is once again called in the middle of the investigation she's supposed to be staying out of. Now she's dealing with more than just her mom, her budding relationship with Tripp, and trying to keep her temper. But things soon heat up and somehow she discovers that there's just no way to stay out of the fire...

When the murderer is discovered, it is somewhat of a surprise, not fully getting what seems easy to detect. It makes for an entertaining ride that keeps going up and down, the mystery intertwined with Abby's relationship issues with the people around her, and the climax of discovering a killer.

It's great enjoyment to read a book that sticks to its subject matter and takes us out of life's daily problems and into the life of Abby McCree, which is always worth reading, pulling us into a neat murder mystery that always has us wondering what will come next. I can't wait for the next in the series and wish I could read it immediately. I dare you to end this book without a smile on your face. Highly recommended.

This first book in a new series has interesting characters and a good plot. Abby is looking to rebuild her life after a divorce that also took away her livelihood, since her ex-husband bought out her half of the business they built together. Inheriting her aunt’s house, tenant, and mastiff, she also becomes part of a quilting group. And don’t forget about the dead body in her back yard. In trying to track down some missing quilts, Abby gets more than she bargained for. Readers will likely figure out who the bad guy is long before Abby does, but that won’t detract from the story’s enjoyment. And no doubt, Abby will become a better sleuth in future books. A very good beginning for the series.

Abby only wanted to help out a friend and pick up some pumpkins, but instead she finds the owner, murdered. She really doesn’t want to get involved trying to find the murderer, but she just can’t help herself. Her tenant and friend, Tripp, defends one of his friends, a homeless veteran who has become a person of interest in the crime. The murder victim was the town grump, and though many people disliked him, Abby wants to find out who hated him enough to kill him. The mystery is quite intriguing, and the characters, both the good and the bad, are delightful in their own way and well developed. The interaction between the characters was well written, and everything came together for an entertaining and interesting tale. Another positive aspect of the story was the careful and constructive way the author dealt with the problem of PTSD.

A tried and true fundraising venture is an auction. Abby is definitely a member of the Snowberry Creek community now, and she can't say no to help this veteran's group. She was happy to discover a local man, Bryce Cadigan, who has made it big in radio to emcee the bachelor auction. A surprisingly large bid by her tenant Tripp Blackstone's ex wife surprises Abby, but not as much finding her emcee slumped over the wheel of his car. I liked how Abby can manage to open her home and heart to let Tripp's ex stay at her house while the police investigate. It's in Abby's best interest to play amateur sleuth to help rid herself of Val, so sleuthing she goes. I really enjoy her aunt's old friends, they seem to make a splash whenever they appear.

Abby McCree lives in Snowberry Creek, Oregon, after having inherited her late aunt's home and carriage house tenant, Tripp Blackston. Over the course of time she and Tripp have become closer, even though he keeps his past a secret. But he's enlisted her (without her consent) to be part of the veteran's group, and Abby has retaliated by enlisting him as one of the people who are being "auctioned off" for a date night in order to raise money for the group. What she hasn't said, though, is that she plans on making a sniper bid herself and 'winning' him. But just as she's ready to make her bid, a voice in the back of the room yells out a lot more cash than anyone expects -- and Tripp is now being paired with his ex-wife, Valerie. The ex-wife he never told her about...

When Abby sees Valerie arguing with the emcee Bryce, a local boy made good who left town, she notices it because she needs to pay him the rest of his fee. But shortly after, she hunts him down in the parking lot, and finds him dead, hanging half out of his car. Calling Sheriff Gage Logan, who's also attending the event, he tells Abby not to leave while the police figure things out. But it's not long before Valerie becomes the main suspect, and Tripp asks Abby if Valerie can stay with her - because the only other option is Tripp's small one-bedroom home. While Abby's not pleased, she'd rather host the woman she privately refers to as 'the barnacle' than have her in Tripp's home. Now Tripp has asked for Abby's help in proving Valerie innocent, and Gage has warned them both not to investigate or they'll wind up in jail. So what's the worst evil between the two - letting Gage take his time in finding the right person, or having Tripp's ex in her home - making her life miserable and a play for him...

This is the third book in the series and I am glad to say that it's just as good as the first two. I actually like Abby quite a bit, since she's not one of those women who go around blatantly accusing people of being a murderer and at least tries to couch her questions nicely. Her relationship with Tripp is growing every day, and it's nice to see that they're taking their time while they dance around each other, in more ways than one.

Naturally, I couldn't stand Valerie (and I question anyone who liked her) and couldn't wait for her to leave. It was hilarious with Abby calling her 'the barnacle' and was the main indication that Abby was jealous of the woman (although she did have other private thoughts from time to time about it); Tripp, for his part, was completely oblivious to it for the first part of the book, but while he felt sympathetic to Valerie and wanted to protect her, you could tell he was more protective of Abby, which is how it should be.

We had a few red herrings as to murder suspects - and those that were, other than Valerie, seemed to surprise us with their responses to the questions. With the ones that were out there, it seemed obvious who the murderer would wind up to be, but even still, there were surprises yet to come and although there was a hint earlier that made it easy to figure out who the killer would be, the journey getting there made all the difference.

The plot was drawn nicely with Bryce's past eventually coming out and reasons why people would have motives to murder the man; although we knew that this must be the cast all along, it was still interesting to hear the stories why. Even Valerie's reasons seemed plausible, but like Tripp, I couldn't see her doing the deed; as awful as she was, I just couldn't see her killing anyone.

While I'm becoming fond of all the main characters in this series, it's nice to keep getting glimpses of their pasts and who they are now. I really enjoying learning about them and the mystery itself is believable enough to keep you reading in one sitting. While I was sorry for the book to end, it gives me something to look forward to as I wait for the next one to make its appearance. Highly recommended.

Abby McCree is a young divorceé who inherited her late aunt's home in small-town Snowberry Creek, Washington. It's getting close to Halloween, and she's on one of the planning committees. But she has more on her mind -- her tenant, ex-Special Forces soldier Tripp Blackston, often has trouble sleeping and walks around, and she's seen him head to the park with a full backpack and come back with it empty. So on this night, she decides to allow her curiosity get the better of her and follows him, which isn't a good idea. Mostly because she's accosted by a man who sneaks up behind her and she soon discovers that he's Sergeant Kevin Montgomery, and a friend of Tripp's. Once she meets him and realizes he's having problems, she promises Tripp she'll stay out of it.

But the next day she's having coffee in town and sees him in an altercation with an ornery farmer, Ronald Minter, who accuses him of trespassing and stealing pumpkins from him. Before the altercation can get physical, Montgomery walks back into the park and the forest. But that's not all -- someone is carving pumpkins with very lifelike features and leaving them on peoples' porches around town. It's a puzzle no one seems to be able to figure out.

Then Abby is asked to take her elderly friend Glenda out to Minter's farm to get a box of pumpkins for the Halloween Festival, and she gladly agrees. Because it's raining, she tells Glenda to stay in the car and she'll get them. But she can't find Minter anywhere, so she checks to see if he's in his corn maze -- and he is. Dead. After calling the cops, Police Chief Gage Logan shows up with detectives from elsewhere, since it's their jurisdiction. After being questioned, Abby leaves and figures that will be the end of it. But little does she know that both she and Tripp will be pulled into the investigation, and it will get worse. Montgomery is suspected of the crime, and Abby doesn't think he's guilty. Will she be able to find a killer before an innocent man is arrested for murder?

This is the second book in the series and I enjoyed it immensely. Abby is a delightful character; she's strong, independent, intelligent, has a fierce sense of loyalty; yet she's also soft-hearted and at times a tad (shall we say) overly curious. She stands up for what she believes in, and doesn't back away from confrontations.

The dialogue is witty and fun, and there were many humorous moments along with the somber. It kept the story moving along at a rapid pace, and therefore I read it in one sitting (without even getting up for a new cup of coffee. High praise indeed). The townspeople are more involved in this tale, and we are seeing that Abby's friendship with many of them is growing. While as in any story there are unlikable characters, at least in this one there is a reason for them being around, and it only made it more convincing.

The mystery is, of course, the reason for the story, and it is quite intriguing. While of course we know Sergeant Montgomery isn't the killer, there is a lot of fun looking for the person who may be so. Since I read a lot of these mysteries, I was pretty sure I knew the answer, but it's the journey that is the most fun to see the reason why Minter was murdered. And it's one I don't think anyone could have discovered, yet finding out the identity of the murderer is rather sad. The reasons people kill will never cease to amaze me, even when those reasons are age-old.

In the end, everything comes together perfectly just the way it should be, and we are given a bit of a tease regarding the next book (but I will tell you that this book doesn't 'hold you hostage' because I absolutely detest authors who do that). This author, while new, is a welcome addition to the cozy genre and I eagerly await the next in the series. Recommended.

I got the book for free, in exchange for my honest opinion by NetGalley.

I'm a sucker for any and all Halloween themed books. Whether it be horror, middle grade, or as this book falls into; mystery. Unfortunately, this story is a little played out. It's' the age old story, kind of like the "Boy meets Girl" story. We have a woman aged between 30-50 who is either single or married. She suspects or witnesses a crime, usually a murder, and inserts herself into the police investigation. The police tell her she's too nosy, but she ends up cracking the case. The next time crime comes to town, the cycle is started all over again. Add in a holiday and its a overused story.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not ragging on stories with this plot. One of the series' I enjoy reading has one of these plots. But execution is key. And this just fell flat for me. I know its an advanced copy, but the grammar left something to be desired. There were several times over the course of a single chapter that I had to read, re-read, and re-re-read, to understand the point. Overall, the words didn't mesh well together and it was clunky. While I'm an avid lover of curse words, I don't expect the books I read to have them. The author really went above and beyond to make sure the story was free of those types of words. That's fine. But I don't think those phrases were well-written. I'm backtracking and saying again, its clunky.

Some books and movies, you can guess the "Who-Dun-It?" before finishing, it didn't even take half the book for me to figure it out. It was fairly quick, and saw the plot twist coming from a mile away. It made reading the rest of the difficult as I just wanted to wrap it up and be done with it.

I just feel this is just another basic story that blends in with the rest. There's not really anything that sets this story from the hundreds of others with the same plot. If you haven't been turned onto a story like this before, its great. However, if you're like me, you may just want to skip this one.

Death by Jack-O’-Lantern by Alexis Morgan is the second An Abby McCree Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. Abby McCree has been “volunteered” to help with the planning of the Halloween Festival. When Glenda’s driver bails because of the pouring rain, Abby takes her neighbor out to Ronald Minter’s farm to pick up the pumpkins for the festival. Abby finds the cranky farmer dead in a shed in the middle of the corn maze. When Tripp and his friend, Kevin Montgomery find themselves afoul of the law, Abby begins searching for the guilty party. I thought Death by Jack-O’-Lantern was easy to read with a charming town and a variety of quirky characters. Abby keeps getting herself “volunteered” to committees and projects (I think gullible is written on her forehead). When Abby is not helping others, she is whipping up baked goods that come in handy for bribes and to offer to police when they inevitably end up at her house. Zeke, Abby’s dog, is my favorite character. He is such a lovable and smart fellow. Gage Logan, the chief of police, is a good guy. He is a fair minded individual who cares about his daughter. I wish Gage was Abby’s love interest. The murder of Ronald Minter provided a couple of suspects along with misdirection and direct clues. I would have liked the mystery to be more challenging. It seemed like the author was pointing a giant neon arrow at the culprit. I thought the reveal was interesting and entertaining. There were some appealing aspects to the crime, and I appreciated that it was completely resolved. The pumpkin carving sculptures were a delightful addition to the story especially Gage Logan’s. I would have liked less repetition of case details (I got it the first time). Death by Jack-O’-Lantern is a cute Halloween themed cozy mystery with purloined pumpkins, copious cookies, a humorous hound and a vigorous volunteer enforcer.

Death by Jack-O'-Lantern by Alexis Morgan is a 2019 Kensington Books publication.

Snowberry Creek is gearing up for the annual Halloween festival and Abby McCree, the committee queen, is busy with the preparations. When she heads out to pick up an order of pumpkins from the least popular guy in town, Ronald Minter, she discovers his body in a corn maze with a knife in his back.

Abby gets sucked deeper into the investigation when her tenant, Tripp, volunteers her for yet another planning committee, a fundraiser for his veteran’s group. As it turns out, one Tripp’s buddy's, a homeless vet, named Kevin, has become suspect number one. Knowing Kevin is innocent, Abby sets out to find out who the real killer is.

I’m in a cozy mystery mood and in the mood for Halloween themed novels, too, which made this book an obvious choice. Although it is the second book in this new series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone, so if you are looking for a fall/Halloween mystery, just dive right in. But, if you are like me, you’ll want to go back and read the first installment and continue with the series from here.

While the characters are in the early stages of their developments, I can see a lot of potential and room for growth. The most intriguing character, for me, was Tripp. The mystery is very solid, with several likely suspects to keep one guessing. Abby’s amateur sleuthing is on the practical side, thankfully, avoiding any insult to my intelligence. I also liked her faithful dog companion, Zeke, as he plays a big role in the story and melted my heart more than once.

Overall, this book is very nice Halloween or fall themed novel, with a solid mystery that kept me guessing to the end, plus I found a new cozy series to follow!