#cozymystery #sarasean #carolynarnold #amateursleuth #cozyanimalmystery
Sara Cain isn’t your typical thirty-two-year-old woman. Murder detective by day, writer and… sleuth by night? Just as long as there’s enough coffee to keep her going…
When her first novel gives her trouble, Sara goes for a walk to clear her writer’s block and ends up stumbling right into a real-life murder mystery. Magnum, an adventurous beagle, comes running off leash toward her in the local park, and she returns him home only to find his master dead on the entry floor.
Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler with a mean streak and a temper, and police are pegging his Golden Pin bowling trophy as the murder weapon. While any number of people could have clocked a strike by knocking him on the noggin, the prime suspect is a friend of Sara’s mother—and she expects Sara to prove the woman’s innocence. A tall order, as the case isn’t officially hers and belongs to a rival detective.
But a promise is a promise, and Sara soon finds herself sleuthing undercover—and off the clock—in a world of polyester shirts and rental shoes. It’s not all bad, though, as she’s taking her friend and partner Sean McKinley along for the ride. They are better together than they’ve ever been split, and they’re not amateurs at finding killers.
Despite being up against small-town hijinks and colorful characters who threaten to roll their efforts into the gutter, they are having fun. That is, until they get close to the killer and a dangerous twist puts their lives at risk.
A completely addictive caper full of twists that offers up a serving of murder, a dollop of romance, and a dash of humor. This perfect blend of robust and sweet is bound to hit the spot with readers who are fans of Verity Bright, Tonya Kappes, and Agatha Frost.
I’ve come to know and love Carolyn Arnold for her ability to portray crime thrillers in writing with such accuracy and depth. I was excited when I learned that she was adding a cozy mystery series to her works. Throughout the book, I enjoyed the little “Easter eggs” that were in place such as the Detective Madison Knight TV series that Sean watches, along with the beagle — a nod at Carolyn’s own beagles, I presume! If you’ve read her other books, you’ll smile when you find them.
Sara and Sean are incredibly perfect for each other. I love their back story and how they hold back on their personal feelings to accomplish great things as work partners. They balance each other out in all the best ways and I love their individual idiosyncrasies (i.e. Sean’s opinion about taking a cell phone into a restroom and Sara’s need for order).
In true cozy fashion, the murder of Cliff Cunningham is kept off-page, yet we’re given enough detail to help see the case through. There are plenty of twists in the storyline that have you sniffing in one direction, then twisted to another in order to find the real culprit. I had my suspicions, but alas, I was wrong! Magnum’s contribution needs to be noted as he poses as a police dog early on in the book, then actually becomes one of the crucial parts in stopping the murderer.
I’m excited to see where Sara and Sean take us in future books and hope to see more fun undercover costumes from Molly’s!
I received a complimentary copy for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
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