Deadly News by Jody Hedlund is set in Britton Bay, Oregon. Molly Owens has moved from Lancaster, California to Britton Bay to become editor for the Britton Bay Bulletin. The Britton Bay Bulletin’s owner, Alan Benedict, is hoping Molly can revitalize the struggling paper to increase readership and revenue. Vernon East, a reporter for the paper, is antagonistic and resents Molly’s presence. She assigns Vernon to interview Vanessa Phillips on her family and two days later he is found dead in his home. The suspect list is long since Vernon was disagreeable, but Molly did spot a good clue at the crime scene. Molly works her way through the suspect list which includes an ex-wife, victim’s son, and her fellow employees. Someone feels Molly is getting too close to the truth and leaves her a threatening message. Molly is a reporter and not about to be dissuaded in her quest for the truth. When not out on the trail of a killer, Molly is settling into her new abode and making friends. She also finds an adorable bouncy puppy in need of an owner. Britton Bay will be a lovely home for Molly once she pinpoints Vernon’s killer.

Deadly News is a cute new cozy mystery. The cover is adorable with the black and white puppy who Molly names Tigger (it suits him). Molly is a likeable main character. She is starting over after catching her boyfriend in flagrante delicto with his ex-girlfriend. Thanks to mechanic, Sam Alderich, she finds a charming carriage house to live in with a landlady who will become a good friend. I would have liked more backstory on Molly, but she is an interesting, friendly character. I did find it odd, though, when she spilled out case details. As a reporter, I expected her to keep details to herself (it seemed out of place). The pace alternates in Deadly News. It starts out brisk, then slows down through the middle (especially when Molly is thinking about the case) with it picking up towards the end of the book. The mystery has several suspects with subtle clues. Avid cozy mystery readers will find this whodunit a cinch to solve. I was surprised by the quick romance between Molly and Sam. The sparks fly right away between them and he jumps into to help her with the mystery. I prefer a romance that develops slowly and is not as prominent in the story (the mystery should be the focus). I am giving Deadly News 3.5 out of 5 stars. A Britton Bay Mystery series has potential, and I will pick up the next book in this new cozy mystery series. ( )

Molly Owens has moved to Britton Bay, Oregon to start a new life after breaking up with her live-in boyfriend. She's accepted a job as the editor of the small Britton Bay Bulletin, the local newspaper. When she arrives for her meet-and-greet, the owner, Alan, introduces her to the staff: Elizabeth, Vernon, and Clay; along with an unpaid intern, Hannah, a teenager who is also Alan's niece. Vernon lets it be known immediately that he doesn't like her and that he has no intention of listening to her. While Molly tries to stay optimistic, she realizes that it will take work for Vernon to accept her.

When she leaves for lunch she finds her jeep sounds wrong, and luckily there's a nearby garage. Looking at her vehicle she sees the air has been let out of all of her tires. Meeting the mechanic, Sam Alderich, she gets a little bump in her heartbeat but reminds herself that she's there to work, not to start a new relationship. She knows that it was probably Vernon who did it, but without proof she needs to let it go.

When she decides to mix things up at the paper, hoping to improve their readership she assigns a story to Vernon about the local founding family. After a rough start, he agrees. But when he doesn't deliver the story, she calls him and he tells her he's taking the day off and will see her the next. When he doesn't show up for work, she goes over to his home only to find the man dead.

Blindsided and overwhelmed she calls the police, briefly questioned, and released. But Molly can't get the idea out of her head that she had something to do with Vernon's murder. Maybe if she hadn't pushed him to go out and get the story...but what could talking to an elderly woman have to do with murder?

Sorting out these thoughts isn't going to be easy, especially since she's being pursued by Sam, and no matter how much he tries to allay her fears, she's sure that his death has something to do with the story she sent him to find. But what? And it becomes even more apparent when she discovers flowers trampled at her home and the vandalism escalates. But how far will a killer go to protect any secrets they might have?

While this author has written other books, it is her first foray into the world of cozy mysteries, and as such a very worthwhile effort indeed. I found the mystery to be well-written, the story line intriguing, the characters well-drawn and the town descriptions delightful.

Molly isn't your usual sleuth, digging into places she shouldn't be and asking overly-invasive questions that make one uncomfortable reading about. Instead she's intelligent, empathetic, has a decent sense of humor, is able to banter flirtatiously with Sam without seeming awkward, and has a desire to actually fit in and make friends, which has her randomly apologizing to people for various things. I do believe the fact that this author has heretofore written romances helps in the fact that the budding romance between Molly and Sam is both convincing and enjoyable to read.

Following the many red herrings strewn into the story is quite fun, never knowing where they'll lead or to whom. Just when you feel you might be on the right track, something else comes around the bend that sends you in another direction. When Molly finally puts it all together and figures out the identity of the killer, it's worth noting that she's not stupid about it, and I appreciate that fact. The reason for the murder is believable, and I found that everything came together nicely at the end. I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended. ( )