Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Frozen in Motion by Lori Roberts Herbst

FROZEN IN MOTION by Lori Roberts Herbst
SERIES: Callie Cassidy Mysteries #3
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
RELEASE DATE: January 25, 2022
PAGES: 288

A murder at the local hockey rink leaves photographer Callie Cassidy nursing a few injuries of her own, but that won’t stop her from trying to catch the killer—before someone else gets iced…

When hockey coach Renata Sanchez asks for Callie’s help getting her annoying ex-husband to leave Rock Creek Village, Callie hesitates. After all, Renata’s brother, Detective Raul Sanchez, has been known to bristle at Callie’s interference. But with her own second-chance romance on rocky turf and her best friend’s engagement to a man Callie doesn’t entirely trust, she could use the distraction of an investigation.

Before she can even begin her research, a confrontation between Renata and her ex erupts right outside Sundance Studio. Later in the day, the man literally drops dead, falling from the hockey arena catwalk and landing with a thud on top of Callie. Renata immediately takes top spot on the suspect list, with her boyfriend Ethan MacGregor not far behind. With time running out to save her friends, Callie must enlist the help of her inquisitive cat and her loyal golden retriever to develop a picture of the true culprit.

Other Books In This Series

I jumped into this series with Frozen in Motion which is book 3, but I only rarely felt at a disadvantage and I quickly became fully invested in the characters & the community.

Callie is a plucky, independent journalist-turned-photographer-turned amateur sleuth who has a solid network of friends and family in the small Rocky Mountain town of Rock Creek Village. Even her beloved golden retriever and cat are admirable sidekicks. Besides the murder mystery Callie is trying to solve, there are several other layers to her character that we get to explore. From her romance with loyal Sam to her relationship with her friends and her meddling tendencies, we get to watch her character grow as the story progresses. I always enjoy books where character flaws are acknowledged and worked on, because I think it helps me relate to that character even more.

The murder mystery is intriguing & very well-plotted, and I have to say the ‘discovery’ of the body was the most unique one I’ve ever read! Lots of elements converge to form a perfect storm of suspects, and there are plenty of surprises in store for both Callie and the reader. She certainly has her hands full with this case – and all the stuff going on in her personal life too – which delightfully keeps the story moving at a steady pace.

Bottom Line: Frozen in Motion by Lori Roberts Herbst is entertaining and engaging, with lovable characters (Mrs. Finney!) and a charming setting. The murder mystery is original and unpredictable, and while I had begun to piece together the solution just before Callie does I wasn’t completely sure I was right until I was. While I haven’t read the first two books in this series, I will definitely be following this series from now on! A fun & touching story that kept me invested from beginning to end.

(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

KissingBook Level: 3 / may forget to breathe on occasion

Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there is some mild cursing and implications of people involved in intimate activity outside of marriage (nothing more than implied).

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Also available to read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Lori Roberts Herbst is the author of the Callie Cassidy Mystery series. Her debut novel, Suitable for Framing, won first place in the Murder and Mayhem category at the 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and serves as secretary of the North Dallas chapter. She is also a member of the national Guppy chapter and Mystery Writers of America. A former educator, Lori spent much of her life writing, editing, and psychoanalyzing. Through thirty years of teaching journalism, advising newspaper and yearbook staffs, instructing budding photographers, and counseling teenagers, she still managed to hang on to a modicum of sanity. Then she retired and assumed her third career: author.

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Lori Roberts Herbst is offering an ebook copy of Frozen in Motion to one of my readers! (Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

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What about you? What makes you want to read Frozen in Motion by Lori Roberts Herbst?