A Literal Mess (An Allie Cobb Mystery)
by J.C. Kenney
About the Book
A Literal Mess (An Allie Cobb Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Lyrical Underground (January 8, 2019)
Print Length: 196 pages
ASIN: B07C6T6X41
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Lyrical Underground (January 8, 2019)
Print Length: 196 pages
ASIN: B07C6T6X41
The first book in a new series featuring Allie Cobb brings the New York literary agent back to her Hoosier home town where a mysterious death keeps everyone on spoiler alert . . .
Allie Cobb left home for the literary circles of Manhattan to make her name out from under the shadow of her legendary father. Now his death brings her and her rescue cat Ursula back to the southern Indiana town of Rushing Creek, population: 3,216. But a tragic new chapter hits the presses when the body of her father’s hard-drinking, #1 bestselling client is found under the historic town bridge. The local police suspect foul play and their prime candidate for murder is the author’s daughter—Allie’s longtime friend.
Determined to clear her bestie, Allie goes into fact-checking amateur detective mode while trying to ignore the usual rumormongers. Those with means, motive, and opportunity include the vic’s ex-wife, his rejected girlfriend, the mayor, and a rival agent trying to mooch clients. With a rugged genealogist distracting her and the imminent Fall Festival about to send tourists descending on their once-peaceful hamlet, Allie needs to stay alive long enough to get a read on a killer ready to close the book on a new victim: Allie . . .
My Review
Allie Cobb is doing well for herself in New York City as a literary agent. She’s a chip off the old block since her father is a top literary agent in her small hometown of Rushing Creek, Indiana. When her father becomes ill and passes away, Allie heads home with her cat Ursula to close down her father’s company. She, also, plans to spend some quality time with her mother, brother, sister and her best friend Sloane.
Tragedy hits the small town when Sloane’s father is found dead. He was also one of her father’s best friends and client. All eyes turn towards Sloane who is the prime suspect. There is no way Allie believes her BFF did the crime and she intends to prove it. It doesn’t take long before Allie discovers the man had quite a few enemies including the town’s mayor and the handsome new guy in town.
I love new cozy mystery series and this one is off to an excellent start. Often in new series the first book feels stiff as we are introduced to the characters, but not in this one. The characters are written well and are filled with so much personality that I felt as if I knew them immediately. Allie is a great amateur sleuth who never backs down, even in the face of danger.
The resolution of the mystery took me by surprise, but it all wrapped up well. I finished this one quickly and I’m looking forward to meeting up with Allie in future books. Even her family grabbed my interest. I already miss Allie and Rushing Creek.
For reading challenges:
The Purrfect Reading Challenge 2019
What An Animal Reading Challenge 2019
Literary Escapes Reading Challenge 2019 (Indiana)
Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge 2019
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.
About the Author
J.C. Kenney grew up in a household filled with books by legends Agatha Christie and Lilian Jackson Braun, among many others, so it was no surprise when he found himself writing mystery stories. When he's not writing, you can find him following IndyCar racing or listening to music. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife, two sons, and a cat who is the inspiration for Ursula in the Allie Cobb Mysteries
.
.Website - https://www.jckenney.com;
Twitter - https://twitter.com/JCKenney1;
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JCKenney1;
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/JCKenney;
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/j.c.kenney/
Purchase links -
Amazon - Apple - Google - Kobo - Nook
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Thanks so much for having me and for your kind words, Yvonne! Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteAlways nice to start right at the beginning of a series. It looks good :)
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