Review: Die Me a River by Denise Swanson

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
E-ARC

Publisher:
Sourcebooks Landmark

Release Date:
September 4, 2018









Synopsis from Goodreads:

The chips are down in Scumble River

School psychologist Skye Denison-Boyd had hoped that her maternity leave would be at least a little relaxing, but when she and her husband, Wally, meet with the priest to discuss their newborn twins' christening, an explosion at the nearby bowling alley rocks the rectory. And although the business was closed at the time of the blast, there's a body inside.

As police chief, Wally is inevitably drawn into the investigation, which seems to indicate that foul play is afoot again in Scumble River, and Skye can't help but do a bit of her own sleuthing. But the clues come fast and furious, ranging from an odd new stranger in town to animosity toward the gambling machines that had recently been installed at the bowling alley, and Skye finds herself wondering if this could be the puzzle that stumps her for good.

New York Times bestselling author Denise Swanson has penned another hit for cozy fans with Die Me a River, the latest installment in her beloved Welcome Back to Scumble River mystery series.

My Review

Skye Denison-Boyd is still on maternity leave, but it doesn’t mean she is totally stepping away from her job. Besides caring for her twins, she’s also trying to help her temporary replacement. To add to her already full plate, there is an explosion at a.a local bowling alley leaving one person dead.

Skye can’t help but jump into the investigation with her police chief husband, Wally. Things take a dangerous turn when most of the small town is on the suspect list.

A little Scumble River background - it’s one of the first cozy mystery series I read before I knew they were called cozy mysteries. There are 19 books in the original series, but I still need to catch up. I was delighted to see the author created a sequel series called “Welcome Back to Scumble River. I read the first book in the new series and loved it. This is the second book. The author provides background information throughout this book so if you are a new reader, you won’t miss a thing. The mystery itself is contained in this book - no cliffhangers.

Die Me a River brings Skye and her family and friends right into the middle of joy and danger. The joy is the celebration of Skye and Wally’s twin babies. The danger is another murder in Scumble River.

The characters are a lively, quirky group. I’m so happy Skye finally found the happiness she deserves with Wally and their children. Of course that doesn’t mean the murders and mystery are coming to an end. Not by a long shot.

Denise Swanson always does a wonderful job of creating a clever, suspenseful murder mystery. This book is no exception. We are given a wide array of suspects in this fast-paced visit back to Scumble River. I couldn’t stop reading until I knew who the culprit was and I was surprised at how it all wrapped up. I’m so looking forward to the next book in this fun series.



For reading challenges:
Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge 2018
Literary Escapes Reading Challenge 2018 (Illinois)

FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.