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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2141 KP) rated Death Crashes the Party (Liv And Di In Dixie Mystery #1) in Books

Mar 9, 2018

Liv McKay is working with some clients to plan an anniversary party for them when they find two dead bodies in their garage. The murder victims worked at the trucking company Liv’s father-in-law owns. Soon, rumors are swirling about Liv’s family, and the police are uncovering some things that are upsetting the family. Liv and her best friend Di Souther start their investigation to find out what is really happening. Can they figure it out?

This was a very enjoyable debut with some twists on the usual cozy set up, which I really enjoyed. Liv is a fantastic main character, and Di is a wonderful sidekick. I did feel they were a bit passive early on, but that soon changed and they threw themselves headlong into solving the mystery, which featured plenty of surprises and twists. Throw in a bit of humor, and you have a winner. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/07/book-review-death-crashes-party-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.

Kudos

Gail (4 KP) rated Seventeen Days in Books

Jun 4, 2018

Seventeen days to fall in love. To give your everything to one person and hope for forever. Morgan is spoiled but not in the traditional way. Her mother wants nothing to do with her. She just wants her to stay out the light and press. She has no father either. So after a trip to Paris where she ends up in jail. She has been sent to live with her aunt.
Harrison is pretty awesome. Morgan has been through so much and yet she keeps moving. Nothing prepared her for Harrison and definitely wasn’t ready for his love or the consequences of that love. Harrison has overcome hardships and is a great catch for any girl. The love is instant and some what believable but I enjoyed it anyway.
This is a great book for an debut. I was amazed at home put together it was. No grammatical errors that I noticed. The plot and character growth were great. I can’t wait to see what she has in story for us next.

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2141 KP) rated Death by Dumpling in Books

Jul 18, 2018

Lana Finds Herself Delivering Death

Lana Lee has landed back at her parents’ Chinese restaurant as a waitress in an effort to get her life back together. She thinks she’s hit rock bottom, but she’s wrong. Not too long after delivering Mr. Feng his usual order of dumplings, the man is found dead. Somehow, he got shellfish dumplings instead of the pork he ordered. With the police looking at everyone at the restaurant, Lana starts poking around to clear herself and the rest of the employees. But is one of them really guilty?

This was a very fun debut. The mystery is good, although the pacing does lag a bit in the middle. It does pick up again in the final third, giving us some great twists and turns before we reach the logical climax. The characters are mostly strong, which some room to grow as the series progresses. I did feel that Lana’s mother was the weakest characters, and I hope she is fleshed out more as the series progresses. I will definitely be back for seconds.

Kudos

James Koppert (2698 KP) rated From the Shadows in Books

Oct 25, 2019

From The Shadows

I'm not an avid reader of crime thrillers as I often find them unbelievable, predictable or rediculous. This is neither. I was gripped from the beginning and found it hard to put down. Just one more chapter was my continuous mantra. Like Jane Harper's brilliant novels, as well as the character, the setting itself shines like the main character. Here the cold Highlands of Scotland paint the bleak setting for the dark crimes unfolding.
Bravely, Halliday doesn't feel the need to add romance or standard go to characters to make it work. He relies on his storytelling and strong individuals and how refreshing to see a book featuring a social worker that isn't female or a do gooder.
I'm gobsmacked this is a debut, it reads like a hardened crime writer who is a master at their trade. I can imagine this becoming an ITV drama in the future and look forward to the next installment. An absolutely cracking read for any crime or thriller fan.