Review of FLIP-FLOPS AND MURDER by H.Y. HANNA

 

 Published: August 1, 2020
Book One of the BAREFOOT SLEUTH MYSTERIES
Cozy Mystery, Amateur Detective

 

A FUN STORY THAT’S PACKING A SOLID MYSTERY!  

Ellie Bishop is craving more than a drab job and boring life offer. Travel and excitement are what she’s after, and her wish is answered by the surprise delivery of plane tickets courtesy of her eccentric Aunt Olive. Ellie is already mentally packing, but there’s the convincing her parents to let her quit her dull-as-dirt job and travel over the holidays ahead. But the combination of luck, enthusiasm, and Santa on her side, she prevails. Florida turns out to be a paradise. She quickly falls under its sunny spell. The only problem is that her aunt is nowhere to be found. Her room empty, it’s the first mystery that Ellie encounters, but not the last. A dead body fills that bill, and it draws the young girl on a holiday into a search for a killer.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Ellie Bishop is just a doll and one of the most likeable characters I’ve encountered in a long while. Think author H.Y. Hanna hits it just right with her … and with the entire read for that matter. There’s a relaxed feeling going on, but there’s also a tension when there needs to be so there are chills and scares along the way. It’s a nice juxtapositioning of elements and helps set up this book as one you’ll be reading past your bedtime.

Ellie’s actions and thoughts are appropriate given the set of circumstances, so there is a realism to this fiction. It’s a book that could have gone on forever with no objection from me, but, luckily, it’s the first in the BAREFOOT SLEUTH MYSTERIES, so there’s lots more to go around!

Highly recommend this to any fan of cozy mysteries … or those just wanting a mystery to solve. And speaking of solving, this one does keep you guessing right up to the end. Despite the pleasant nature of the book, the murder is complex and that means you’ll have to put your thinking caps on to discern the culprit … and even then, you just might be surprised!

It’s five stars from Perfect at Midnight for FLIP-FLOPS AND MURDER. Enjoy!

 

DOWNLOAD NOW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REVIEW of DEATH IN AN ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE by SARA ROSETT

 

Hey all you Cozy Mysteries Fans! If you’re into stories featuring some pretty entertaining murder, I have three recommendations for you that should satisfy that inner detective … or is it bloodhound? No matter! Both will more than be satiated by this trio of page-turners. And just to put a little arsenic-laced icing on the cake, they are all the first entries in a series! You know, ‘series’ as in lots and lots of sequels featuring the characters you’ve fallen in love with? And the new favorite author you’ve been introduced to? All working towards diverting our attention from the drab reality to the intriguing world of murder! Yes, that kind of series! Remember: Trulia and I do the reading so you can reap the benefits of just diving in and finding the water fine … so get thee to the springboard and take the plunge!

We are going in no particular order, here's the first, DEATH IN AN ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE. 

 

Published: September 11, 2014
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Detective, Amateur Detective

 

DISCOVERING THIS FANTASTIC COZY MYSTERY SERIES IS A BIT LIKE FINDING MR. DARCY!  

Kevin Dunn is missing and it falls upon employee Kate Sharp to find him. The errant boss disappeared while scouting locations for the firm’s newest client, a production company scheduled to shoot a remake of Pride and Prejudice. Since there is no way a Jane Austen aficionado like Kate is going to let Dunn’s vanishing act jeopardize a dream job like this, she’s high-tailing it to the English countryside to locate the man she suspects got caught up in some uninhibited pub crawling. He’s out there … face-planted somewhere on some tavern’s planked flooring. After all, she’s one of the few that is familiar with her mentor’s past history. It’s why she’s certain that Dunn’s dropping off the radar is attributable to another round of carousing. But no matter the reason, Kate is determined to retrace his steps knowing that they will lead her straight to him. And, unfortunately, for Kate, she’s right. They do lead her straight to Kevin Dunn, but now the question becomes whether it was murder that ended his life.

Thus begins this superb little tale. Kudos to author Sara Rosett for even coming up with the concept of building a series of comfy cozy mysteries around Jane Austen. The result is just the most fun read ever. The writing excellent, the story is chock full of likeable characters like Kate Sharp. She’s just one of those characters that you like having around. And if that isn’t enough, there’s even a Mr. Darcy thrown in to add a little romance to the mix! Of course, in this case, Alex Northcutt serves as Darcy. Handsome, charming, he offers to help Kate until he himself becomes a suspect.

What emerges is unique, imaginative, and a pleasure to read. It’s a gem of a book, and we trust this author so there’s no wondering if the train will hop a track. We can simply kick back and relax while immersing ourselves in the clever plotting. The suspects are plentiful and the pacing just right to hold our attention. Everything about this book is pretty much delightful. It’s why we’re heartily recommending this while giving the read five-stars! A totally deserved five-stars!

So do yourself a favor and check out DEATH IN AN ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE by Sara Rosett. Ms. Rosett has won me over and made me a fan, and I am more than looking forward to reading her entire series.

 DOWNLOAD NOW