BOARDING WITH MURDER
SERIES: A Sierra Pines B&B Mystery #1
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
PUBLISHER: Camel Press
RELEASE DATE: March 9, 2021
PAGES: 190
Take one quaint B&B, two kind but quirky caretakers, a dead aunt, a murdered friend, and you have mystery. Ali Winston finds she’s inherited trouble along with her aunt’s B&B, but can she reveal the killer before the curtain closes?
This is my first book by Kathryn Long, but I hope it’s not my last! I enjoyed meeting Ali, Gladys, Ollie, and swoonilicious Quint – and I look forward to spending more time with them as the series progresses.
Poor Alexis (Ali) – she’s just lost her job and heads from New York to California to spend some much-needed time with her aunt Julia. Only to discover upon arrival that Julia has passed away – and her best friends (and caretakers of her B&B) think she was murdered. When there really is a murder on the premises a couple days later, those caretakers – quirky and endearing sibling pair Gladys and Ollie – are the prime suspects, though sheriff Quint tries his best to put off the inevitable as long as possible. The plot is full of potential suspects, and while I had my suspicions as to the correct culprit, my certainty wavered more than once as everything unfolded. The author did a great job with twists, turns, and red herrings, and it solidly held my attention from beginning to end.
The romance factor in Boarding With Murder is a bit more of a focus than it usually is in a cozy mystery but you won’t hear me complaining! Did I mention how yummy Quint is – and his kisses? He moved pretty fast but that’s understandable considering how many sparks flew whenever he and Ali were in the same room. I loved everything about this smoldering sheriff with his amused grins and romantic side.
Bottom Line: Boarding With Murder by Kathryn Long is a delightful start to a new cozy mystery series with quirky characters, old Hollywood charm, a lovely setting & a dash of romance. I enjoyed Ali’s first person narrative – and getting to know her character better through it. I also have a feeling that readers will fall for the Bellwether siblings, Gladys & Ollie, as much as I did. Their interactions with each other and various other characters added plenty of smiles to the story, as did swoony sheriff Quint (and the romantical possibilities for his character & Ali’s). The mystery, though loaded down with possible suspects, gets sharper as it unfolds and this complexity kept me guessing throughout. Loved the classic Hollywood nods too!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / loved it!
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Retired teacher, Kathryn Long now spends her days plotting and writing mysteries. Her most recent credits are romantic suspense novel, A DEADLY DEED GROWS and mystery, BURIED IN SIN. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime as well as of International Thriller Writers. Under the pen name, Bailee Abbott this author writes the Paint by Murder cozy series, starting with A BRUSH WITH MURDER soon to be released. Kathryn lives with her husband and furry friend Max in the quiet suburbs of Green, Ohio.
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What about you? What makes you want to read Boarding With Murder by Kathryn Long?
I enjoy reading new authors to me.