Book Review (and a Giveaway): Death in Advertising by Laura Bradford

When Tobi Tobias decided to open her own ad agency, having to moonlight in a pet shop wasn’t part of her vision . . . of course, neither was murder.

Sometimes when opportunity knocks, the door you open leads to a closet. That’s certainly the case for Tobi, whose weekends spent cleaning cages in her best friend’s pet shop may soon be over. She’s just landed her first big break—Zander Closet Company needs a catchy campaign slogan ASAP, and Tobi thinks she’s got the right hook to knock ’em dead: “When we’re done, even your skeletons will have a place.”

But when a real dead body topples out of a showcase closet, she’s about to discover there is such a thing as bad publicity. To save her fledgling business and not get killed by the competition, Tobi takes on a new pet project: solving the murder. But with a stressed-out parrot as the only witness to the crime, Tobi will really have to wing it to put the cagey killer behind bars.

SERIES:  Tobi Tobias Mystery #1
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
PUBLISHER: Lyrical Underground
RELEASE DATE: February 7, 2017
PAGES: 206

“What I needed to do more than anything else was stop assuming.”

I really enjoy Laura Bradford’s brand of humor, mystery, characters, and romance – and this first book in her newest series is a great example of all four.

Tobi Tobias is a witty, relatable heroine who endears you from the first faces she makes at herself in the mirror to the copious bowls of Cocoa Puffs she consumes over the course of the novel to her enthusiasm for Bruce Springsteen’s music. However, she can’t win for trying, it seems – personally or professionally – and you’ll soon find yourself rooting for her success in both realms. Aiding in both is Andy Zander, the sweet and hunky co-owner of Zander Closet Company and a possible (i hope, i hope) romantic lead in future books.

Rounding out the cast of players are a couple of African grey parrots, her colorful friends Mary Fran and Carter, her Grandpa Stu (who uses the word Yowza!) and Mary Fran’s super sweet son Sam. (Alliteration!) There’s also a sleazy businessman or two, a sparkly Mitzi, faithful employees, and Tobi’s crotchety (and nosy) neighbor Ms. Rapple. Each one is well-defined and unique, and though some are of course more stereotypical than others the ones who are supposed to be fun and endearing… are.

Bottom Line:  Death is Advertising by Laura Bradford is nicely plotted and well written. While some aspects of the mystery seem fairly obvious at first, it’s not as cut and dried as it appears. The story keeps a steady pace, and when all is said and done you won’t be quite ready for it to be over. Tobi and the other characters are so likable that you’ll wish you had your hands on book 2 right away – not because there’s a cliffhanger (there isn’t) but because you just want to keep spending time with them.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / Love it!

Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there is some occasional swearing throughout the book, but nothing excessive or vulgar.

While spending a rainy afternoon at a friend’s house more than thirty years ago, Laura Bradford (a.k.a. Elizabeth Lynn Casey) fell in love with writing over a stack of blank paper, a box of crayons, and a freshly sharpened number two pencil. From that moment forward, she never wanted to do anything else.

Today, Laura is the national bestselling author of the Amish Mysteries, the Jenkins & Burns Mysteries, and the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey). A new cozy mystery series will be added to the mix in 2016 with the release of The Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries. Laura is a former Agatha nominee and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award in romance. In her free time, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, traveling, baking, and visiting the sea lions at the Central Park Zoo. For more information and all the latest book news, visit her website at www.laurabradford.com.

website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Other Books by Laura Bradford

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow along with the Great Escapes Blog Tour for more chances to win!