Death by the Finish Line (An Abby McCree Mystery Book 5)

Author:    Alexis Morgan

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496731272

Kensington Publishing

336 Pages

$8.99; $7.99 Amazon

December 28, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overcommitted Abby has once again been drafted to use her organizing superpowers -- this time for a 5K charity run that's part of the Founder's Day Celebration in Snowberry Creek, Washington.  At least she has help, albeit from an unlikely source: Gil Pratt, a member of her handsome tenant Tripp Blackston's veterans group and co-owner of a motorcycle repair shop with his brother.  Abby and Gil might seem like an odd couple, but they work great together.

The event seems to be running smoothly -- until city council member James DiSalvo is found murdered in a raving along the race route.  Unfortunately, Gil's brother Gary had a very public argument with DiSalvo minutes before the race, making him the prime suspect.  Now the two race organizers must again team up to prove Gary's innocence -- before the real killer makes a run for it.  But one wrong step and Abby may be the next one to come in dead last...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Abby McCree inherited her late aunt's Victorian home in Snowberry Creek, Washington.  It was fortuitous because after her divorce, she moved in and suddenly the town took to her right away.  Because of her business expertise, Abby has a habit of getting roped into events all year long by the mayor's assistant -- and her tenant, Tripp Blackston, is starting to become something more than just a tenant.

This time out she's working on the Salmon Scoot, a 5k run in which the proceeds of the event will benefit the high school.  Her co-chair is the unlikely Gil Pratt, co-owner of a motorcycle repair shop along with his brother.  Abby is surprised to find that Gil isn't scary at all, and they actually work well together.  But the day of the race, she witnesses an argument between Gil's brother Gary and James DiSalvo, a city council member.

Later, when DiSalvo's lifeless body is found along the race trail, Gary is arrested for the murder.  Gil is beside himself, knowing his brother isn't a killer.  Now Abby, even though she's promised both Tripp and Sheriff Gage Logan that she will stay out of it, is somehow dragged into the investigation anyway.  She's determined that any information she receives she'll turn over to Gage, but if the wrong person thinks Abby might know a little too much, it might also be the last thing she does learn...

This is the fifth book in the series and I have read them all and enjoyed every one of them.  I do like the fact that Abby's relationship with Tripp is progressing (albeit slowly), so there's that, but in this book she befriends biker Gil, who somehow develops a soft spot for Abby, and, of course, her baking skills.  We also get to see a little more of Gage's relationship with his daughter Sydney, and there's a sweet moment that should please anyone.

However, the dead man's daughter is haranguing Gage daily, and there's another woman who's muddying the waters, making it difficult for Abby to figure out the truth.  But her friends are around her, and their tidbits of information are giving her a clue as to what the dead man was truly like, and it might make things easier in the long run.

I will not give out any more information on the plot, but I will say that this book is chock full of action, and the clues are there, even if they are few and far between.  The murderer came as a surprise to me, and I am usually very good at this, so that was pleasant and enhanced my enjoyment of the book.  It was one that I read in one evening, and a very good cozy to keep you entertained.  We also get a hint as to what the next book will be like, and I truly wish I could read it now.  Ms. Morgan is a talented writer that knows how to pull in the reader and make them want to be part of the book itself, and I look forward to the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Finish-Line-McCree-Mystery/dp/1496731271/ref

Goodreads:      https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4346208916

More on Alexis Morgan's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/alexis-morgan/

Death by Intermission (An Abby McCree Mystery #4)

Author:  Alexis Morgan

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496731258

Kensington Publishing

304 Pages

$8.99; $6.99 Amazon

January 26, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ushered once again onto another committee by the mayor of Snowberry Creek, Washington, Abby is tasked with keeping the box office receipts of the town's Movies in the Park nights.  Cut to the director's chair from where she's suddenly organizing the summer's last feature.  From the opening scene through the final credits, Abby feels she's earned nominations for best volunteer, best movie date with her tenant Tripp Blackston -- and best daughter for ignoring her mother Phoebe's own movie date with Owen Quinn.

Unfortunately, Abby and the others are treated to a post-credits scene: the body of local insurance agent Mitchell Anders.  This discovery is followed by a plot twist revealing that the murder weapon comes from Owen's food truck.  With her mother's boyfriend suspected of murder, Abby starts her own investigation determined to shine a spotlight on the real killer...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Abby McCree is on a real date - such as it is, outdoors surrounded by other people watching a movie in the park - with her tenant Tripp Blackston, whom she's getting closer to each day.  Unfortunately, her mother is also there with her boyfriend, Owen Quinn, whom Abby isn't too sure about since no one seems to know anything about him except he has a part-time barbeque restaurant and fishes the rest of the time.  But she can't worry about it, because it's her job to clean up after the movie and make sure the park is pristine.  

Helped by her mother, they sweep the area with flashlights until her mom comes across a grisly discovery: a dead body.  Now, with Owen suspected of the murder, her mother angry at Gage for not finding a killer and declaring him incompetent, Abby is stuck in the middle of an investigation Tripp doesn't want her anywhere near.  But if Abby doesn't find the real killer, Owen - or someone else who's innocent - could be stuck behind bars for a long time...

This is the fourth book in the series and each time I read one of them I find them getting more and more delightful.  No, this is no earth-shattering series; it's not deeply mysterious nor terribly suspenseful.  But what it is, is fun.  And quite a lot of it.

We watch Abby as she's dealing with her mother temporarily staying with her - and that's no picnic for Abby at all - as the two women are going head to head quite a bit, with Tripp stuck in the middle trying to protect Abby for all it's worth.  Not that Phoebe is mean; she's just worried about Owen.  But Owen is keeping secrets, and he's not telling.

Then when his employee has a problem that scares her, Abby is once again called in the middle of the investigation she's supposed to be staying out of.  Now she's dealing with more than just her mom, her budding relationship with Tripp, and trying to keep her temper.  But things soon heat up and somehow she discovers that there's just no way to stay out of the fire...

When the murderer is discovered, it is somewhat of a surprise, not fully getting what seems easy to detect.  It makes for an entertaining ride that keeps going up and down, the mystery intertwined with Abby's relationship issues with the people around her, and the climax of discovering a killer.  

It's great enjoyment to read a book that sticks to its subject matter and takes us out of life's daily problems and into the life of Abby McCree, which is always worth reading, pulling us into a neat murder mystery that always has us wondering what will come next.  I can't wait for the next in the series and wish I could read it immediately.  I dare you to end this book without a smile on your face.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Intermission-Abby-McCree-Mystery/dp/1496731255/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3617559377

More on Alexis Morgan's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/alexis-morgan/

Death by Auction (An Abby McCree Mystery #3)

Author:  Alexis Morgan
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; [Audio CD]; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781496719553; [9781690595434]
Kensington Publishing; [Dreamscape Audio]
320 Pages
$7.99; [$19.99]; $6.89 Amazon
May 6, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's hard to say no to Tripp Blackston.  That's how Abby found herself on yet another committee, organizing a bachelors' auction to raise money for Tripp's veteran group.  The former Special Forces soldier is mortified when Abby enlists him to be one of the prizes, but she has a covert plan to bid on him herself.  Before she can, she's foiled by a sniper bid from a gorgeous stranger, who turns out to be Tripp's ex-wife, Valerie.

Still reeling from the shock that Tripp was married and wondering what his ex is suddenly doing in town, Abby goes looking to pay the auction's emcee, radio personality Bryce Cadigan.  She finds him in the parking lot, dead in his car.  Valerie appears to be the last one to have seen Bryce alive, so she's the cops' best bid for suspect.  When she asks Tripp for help -- and lodgings -- ot's Abby's turn to block by inviting Val to stay with her.  But did she just open her home to a murderer?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Abby McCree lives in Snowberry Creek, Washington, after having inherited her late aunt's home and carriage house tenant, Tripp Blackston.  Over the course of time she and Tripp have become closer, even though he keeps his past a secret.  But he's enlisted her (without her consent) to be part of the veteran's group, and Abby has retaliated by enlisting him as one of the people who are being "auctioned off" for a date night in order to raise money for the group.  What she hasn't said, though, is that she plans on making a sniper bid herself and 'winning' him.  But just as she's ready to make her bid, a voice in the back of the room yells out a lot more cash than anyone expects -- and Tripp is now being paired with his ex-wife, Valerie.  The ex-wife he never told her about...

When Abby sees Valerie arguing with the emcee Bryce, a local boy made good who left town, she notices it because she needs to pay him the rest of his fee.  But shortly after, she hunts him down in the parking lot, and finds him dead, hanging half out of his car.  Calling Sheriff Gage Logan, who's also attending the event, he tells Abby not to leave while the police figure things out.  But it's not long before Valerie becomes the main suspect, and Tripp asks Abby if Valerie can stay with her - because the only other option is Tripp's small one-bedroom home.  While Abby's not pleased, she'd rather host the woman she privately refers to as 'the barnacle' than have her in Tripp's home.  Now Tripp has asked for Abby's help in proving Valerie innocent, and Gage has warned them both not to investigate or they'll wind up in jail.  So what's the worst evil between the two - letting Gage take his time in finding the right person, or having Tripp's ex in her home - making her life miserable and a play for him...

This is the third book in the series and I am glad to say that it's just as good as the first two.  I actually like Abby quite a bit, since she's not one of those women who go around blatantly accusing people of being a murderer and at least tries to couch her questions nicely.  Her relationship with Tripp is growing every day, and it's nice to see that they're taking their time while they dance around each other, in more ways than one.

Naturally, I couldn't stand Valerie (and I question anyone who liked her) and couldn't wait for her to leave.  It was hilarious with Abby calling her 'the barnacle' and was the main indication that Abby was jealous of the woman (although she did have other private thoughts from time to time about it); Tripp, for his part, was completely oblivious to it for the first part of the book, but while he felt sympathetic to Valerie and wanted to protect her, you could tell he was more protective of Abby, which is how it should be.

We had a few red herrings as to murder suspects - and those that were, other than Valerie, seemed to surprise us with their responses to the questions.  With the ones that were out there, it seemed obvious who the murderer would wind up to be, but even still, there were surprises yet to come and although there was a hint earlier that made it easy to figure out who the killer would be, the journey getting there made all the difference.

The plot was drawn nicely with Bryce's past eventually coming out and reasons why people would have motives to murder the man; although we knew that this must be the cast all along, it was still interesting to hear the stories why.  Even Valerie's reasons seemed plausible, but like Tripp, I couldn't see her doing the deed; as awful as she was, I just couldn't see her killing anyone.

While I'm becoming fond of all the main characters in this series, it's nice to keep getting glimpses of their pasts and who they are now.  I really enjoying learning about them and the mystery itself is believable enough to keep you reading in one sitting.  While I was sorry for the book to end, it gives me something to look forward to as I wait for the next one to make its appearance.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Auction-Abby-McCree-Mystery/dp/1496719557/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3280670896

More on Alexis Morgan's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/alexis-morgan/

Death by Jack-O-Lantern (An Abby McCree Mystery #2)

Author:  Alexis Morgan
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; [Audio CD]; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781496719546; [9781974971459]
Kensington Publishing; [Dreamscape Publishing]
304 Pages
$7.99; [$29.99]; $5.99 Amazon
August 27, 2019

⭐⭐⭐⭐

-

The small town of Snowberry Creek, Washington, is gearing up for the Halloween Festival, and naturally Abby is on the planning committee.  As part of her duties, she's picking up a pumpkin order from ornery farmer Ronald Minter.  But what she finds instead is the farmer in the middle of his corn maze with a knife in his back.

The police suspect a homeless veteran named Kevin Montgomery, who was seen arguing with Minter when the farmer accused him of trespassing and stealing pumpkins.  Abby's tenant Tripp Blackston, a veteran himself who's been helping Kevin, is sure he's innocent.  Together, Abby and Tripp follow the twists and turns of the case to corner the corn maze killer -- before someone else meets a dead end...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Abby McCree is a young divorceé who inherited her late aunt's home in small-town Snowberry Creek, Washington.  It's getting close to Halloween, and she's on one of the planning committees.  But she has more on her mind -- her tenant, ex-Special Forces soldier Tripp Blackston, often has trouble sleeping and walks around, and she's seen him head to the park with a full backpack and come back with it empty.  So on this night, she decides to allow her curiosity get the better of her and follows him, which isn't a good idea.  Mostly because she's accosted by a man who sneaks up behind her and she soon discovers that he's Sergeant Kevin Montgomery, and a friend of Tripp's.  Once she meets him and realizes he's having problems, she promises Tripp she'll stay out of it.

But the next day she's having coffee in town and sees him in an altercation with an ornery farmer, Ronald Minter, who accuses him of trespassing and stealing pumpkins from him.  Before the altercation can get physical, Montgomery walks back into the park and the forest.  But that's not all -- someone is carving pumpkins with very lifelike features and leaving them on peoples' porches around town.  It's a puzzle no one seems to be able to figure out.

Then Abby is asked to take her elderly friend Glenda out to Minter's farm to get a box of pumpkins for the Halloween Festival, and she gladly agrees.  Because it's raining, she tells Glenda to stay in the car and she'll get them.  But she can't find Minter anywhere, so she checks to see if he's in his corn maze -- and he is.  Dead.  After calling the cops, Police Chief Gage Logan shows up with detectives from elsewhere, since it's their jurisdiction.  After being questioned, Abby leaves and figures that will be the end of it.  But little does she know that both she and Tripp will be pulled into the investigation, and it will get worse.  Montgomery is suspected of the crime, and Abby doesn't think he's guilty.  Will she be able to find a killer before an innocent man is arrested for murder?

This is the second book in the series and I enjoyed it immensely.  Abby is a delightful character; she's strong, independent, intelligent, has a fierce sense of loyalty; yet she's also soft-hearted and at times a tad (shall we say) overly curious.  She stands up for what she believes in, and doesn't back away from confrontations.

The dialogue is witty and fun, and there were many humorous moments along with the somber.  It kept the story moving along at a rapid pace, and therefore I read it in one sitting (without even getting up for a new cup of coffee.  High praise indeed).  The townspeople are more involved in this tale, and we are seeing that Abby's friendship with many of them is growing.  While as in any story there are unlikable characters, at least in this one there is a reason for them being around, and it only made it more convincing.

The mystery is, of course, the reason for the story, and it is quite intriguing.  While of course we know Sergeant Montgomery isn't the killer, there is a lot of fun looking for the person who may be so.  Since I read a lot of these mysteries, I was pretty sure I knew the answer, but it's the journey that is the most fun to see the reason why Minter was murdered.  And it's one I don't think anyone could have discovered, yet finding out the identity of the murderer is rather sad.  The reasons people kill will never cease to amaze me, even when those reasons are age-old.

In the end, everything comes together perfectly just the way it should be, and we are given a bit of a tease regarding the next book (but I will tell you that this book doesn't 'hold you hostage' because I absolutely detest authors who do that).  This author, while new, is a welcome addition to the cozy genre and I eagerly await the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Jack-Lantern-McCree-Mystery/dp/1496719549/ref=

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3246208388

More on Alexis Morgan's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/alexis-morgan/

Death by Committee (An Abby McCree Mystery #1)

Author:  Alexis Morgan
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; [Audio CD]; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781496719539; [9781974938094]
Kensington Publishing [Dreamscape Media]
288 Pages
$7.99; $17.26; $6.89 Amazon
January 29, 2019

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

After a rough divorce, Abby McCree only wants to stitch up her life and move on.  But other loose ends appear after her elderly Aunt Sybil passes away, leaving Abby to tend to a rundown estate, complete with a slobbery Mastiff of questionable pedigree and a sexy tenant who growls more than the dog.  As Abby gets drawn into a tight-knit quilting guild, she makes a twisted discovery - Aunt Sybil's only known rival is buried in her backyard!

Despite what local detectives say, Abby refuses to accept that her beloved aunt had anything to do with the murder.  While navigating a busy social calendar and rediscovering the art of quilting, she launches an investigation of her own to clear Aunt Sybil's name and catch the true culprit.  The incriminating clues roll in, yet Abby can't help but wonder - can she survive her new responsibilities in Snowberry Creek and still manage to patch together a killer's deadly pattern without becoming the next victim?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Abby McCree is a recent divorceé who's been left her Aunt Sybil's big Victorian home and its contents.  She's also doing well financially due to the fact she escaped her marriage with half the proceeds of the company that she and her husband started and ran together, and her aunt left her a tidy sum as well.  So for now, she doesn't need to work, because it seems she already has a full schedule - even if it's not one of her choosing.

It seems she's also inherited her aunt's obligations to the town, which include running the Quilting Guild and chairing the town's Committee on Senior Affairs, even though she doesn't quilt and isn't a senior.  Somehow she hasn't been able to free herself of these duties, so decides to make the best of it until someone else takes over.

She's also 'inherited' her aunt's tenant, Tripp Blackston, an ex-soldier who's now a student at the local college and lives in the carriage house behind her home.  Tripp isn't the friendliest of people, but he handles his part of the bargain - doing chores around the home in exchange for reduced rent.  Last but not least, she's also inherited her aunt's mostly-Mastiff dog Zeke.  Yes, Abby definitely has a full life.

One day she's trying to cut the blackberry bushes in her yard when Tripp suggests that they hire goats, who will eat their way through.  Strange as it seems, Abby is willing to go along with it.  But she's not so willing to go along with what the goats seem to have dug up - a body buried in her yard, wrapped in a shroud that appears to be part of a quilt she recognizes as belonging to her aunt.

When the police determine it's the body of Dolly Cayhill, whom everyone thought was still out of town (which she does every year after Christmas, being a snowbird), Abby begins hearing rumors how her aunt and Dolly hated and were constantly trying to one-up each other.  She also hears that they got into a fight over the Senior Committee, and Sybil was accused of poisoning members of the guild using Dolly's famous crab dip.

Even though she and Tripp don't believe a word of it, it doesn't count - especially since Tripp is also in the rumor mill of being the one to move and bury the body.  While the sheriff, Tripp's friend Gage Logan, is investigating, he won't tell Abby anything and she doesn't want to sit around twiddling her thumbs while waiting to find out who murdered the woman.  After all, she has her aunt's reputation to protect, so what if she ruffles a few feathers?  However, those feathers don't want to be ruffled, and Abby soon finds that maybe the murderer isn't done with killing yet...

This is the first book in a new series, and I really didn't know what to expect.  I must say that I am pleasantly surprised by it.  The plot is well written and well thought out, giving the reader something to look forward to - and it's not another nosy amateur sleuth who walks around demanding answers and accusing everyone of murder.

She's also not one of those women who can't cook and eats fast food whenever she's hungry, or doesn't even have dog food in the house and needs to run to the store every night when she realizes she needs to feed her pet.  Abby, having once run her own business, bakes quite a bit when she's restless and keeps her pet in plenty of food and treats.

She's also not invasive in her questioning.  While she does ask questions, they're innocuous and basically just to get people to offer whatever information they want to give her.  She never presses anyone or makes them uncomfortable.  It's a breath of fresh air in the 'crime-solving' world.  I like the fact that she's not making enemies in town (although she did 'inherit' once again, enemies in the form of Dolly's friends). 

When the ending comes and the killer is revealed, the clues were there all along, and while I knew who the murderer was, it was enjoyable to watch it all play out; while Abby didn't knowingly put herself in danger, yes, she took a risk, but what kind of mystery would it have been if she played it safe throughout the entire story? 

All in all, an entertaining tale that is worth reading.  So get your self a cup of coffee (or tea, if you prefer), sit back, relax and travel with Abby on a lively journey of intrigue and discovery.  I look forward to the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Committee-Abby-McCree-Mystery/dp/1496719530/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2992730532

More on Alexis Morgan's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/alexis-morgan/