Murder Pays a Call (A Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery Book # 1) by Nancy J. Cohen

Personal concierge Keri Armstrong will accept almost any job, but solving murders wasn’t on her to-do list—until now.

When personal concierge Keri Armstrong swings by her favorite client’s mansion to drop off groceries, she expects a heartfelt chat along with a cup of tea—not Fiona Sullivan dead in bed and her room ransacked. Though police chalk it up to a botched robbery, Keri isn’t so sure. Whispers around town suggest Fiona wasn’t as adored as Keri had believed, and many of the philanthropist’s so-called friends in affluent Sunny Grove, Florida seem glad she’s gone.

Keri refuses to let Fiona’s memory be reduced to malicious gossip. Armed with a keen eye, insider access, and a fully charged tablet, she sets out to uncover the truth. Soon her file of suspects grows faster than her to-do list. Between sneaky neighbors, resentful relatives, and tight-lipped charity board members, Fiona left behind a trail of frenemies who’d happily skip her memorial brunch.

As Keri digs deeper, she discovers her late mentor had a gift for extracting people’s secrets and using them like fine china—carefully storing them until they could serve a purpose. But Fiona also kept a few skeletons in her own walk-in closet. Now, with danger creeping closer, Keri must race to crack the case before her number comes up next… and Murder Pays a Call.

A Fresh Pick at FreshFiction.com!

“Fans of award-winning author Nancy J. Cohen’s long-running Bad Hair Day Mysteries will be thrilled to learn there’s a new sleuth in town.” Lois Winston, author of the bestselling and award-winning Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries.  (Summary via Goodreads)

I fell in love with the Bad Hair Days Mystery series written by Nancy J. Cohen so when I found out she started a new series, I was very excited !!!  And boy has she started this new series off with a bang !!

Murder Pays a Call is the first book in her Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery series.  This series follows main character Keri in her personal concierge business.  She helps others make their lives easier and simplier.  Unfortunately when Keri finds one of her favorite customers who is like a grandmother to her dead in her bedroom and it is ruled murder, she jumps right into looking for the killer.

Sadly Keri soon learns that Fiona wasn't liked by all and was downright mean to many.  Keri doesn't want to believe that but as the list of suspects continues to grows, she is going to have to face facts ....

As with the Bad Hair Day series Cohen provides readers with a strong main character that you immediately are drawn to and love.  And I know that Murder Pays a Call is the first book in this new series but Cohen knows how to end the story to ensure that readers will be back for more.

Murder at Cape Costumers (Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery Book # 7) by Maddie Day

In Agatha Award-winner Maddie Day’s delightfully spooky Cozy Capers Book Group mystery, it’s Halloween, and Cape Cod bike shop owner Mackenzie “Mac” Almeida and her book club must unmask a killer…

Just in time for Halloween, a new costume shop has opened on Main Street in Westham, Massachusetts. Cape Costumers is a cut above the usual seasonal pop-up stores with their flimsy mass-produced outfits and cheap plastic masks, mostly due to co-owner Shelly, a former Broadway costume designer. But when Shelly discovers her elderly boyfriend Enzo—a Broadway star who retired to Westham—dead of unnatural causes, Halloween suddenly gets a lot scarier.

Sleuthing, Mac has found, is a lot like riding a bicycle: once you learn how, you never forget. Far from being spooked, Mac and the members of the Cozy Capers Book Group put down their weekly book selection and put their heads together to see past a bag of tricks and find a malice-making murderer who’s hiding in plain sight . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

Murder at Cape Costumers, the seventh book in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery series, has multiple stories to follow which will keep you reading for sure. 

If you've read any or all of the previous books in this series by Maddie Day, you know that main character Mac cannot stay out of trouble.  When there is a murder, whether she knew the victim or the suspects, she will begin investigating ... but don't worry, she has the Cozy Capers book club watching her back .... hopefully.

On the morning after Halloween Enzo, a gentlemen that was a recent customer at Mac's Bike's is found dead on his deck still wearing his skeleton costume.  Before the death is determined to be murder or natural causes, Mac is already looking into things.

In Murder at Cape Costumers not only is Mac looking into Enzo's murder but her sister-in-law and two small children are visiting.  Unfortunately Jamie, Tim's sister, goes out one night claiming to be meeting a friend for dinner and never returns.  This leaves Mac and Tim looking after Ella and Luca.  Luckily Ella and Mac's niece Cokey become fast, best friends and Mac's family is there to help until Jamie returns.  Tim and Mac, both being business owners try to settle into their new home life but, of course, Mac needs to make sure her hometown and it's residents are safe .... so until she knows who killed Enzo and they are arrested, she will still stick her neck out ..... 

Murder at Cape Costumers, in my opinion, is different than the others as it digs deeper into the family aspect and has a storyline that draws from that.  Not only are we working on a murder but a missing loved one as well.  I personally got emotional with Jamie's disappearance and that could be because after six books, Tim is fictional family.

Regardless as to what drew you into this series or what draws you in, I know you will enjoy your time spent with Mac, Tim and the rest of the town of Westham.