Review: IRREGARDLESS OF MURDER (Miss Prentice Cozy Mysteries) by E.E. Kennedy

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Amelia Prentice, a forty-something high school English teacher comfortable in her predictable routine, regains consciousness after tripping over the corpse of a former student in the safest of places, the public library. Returning to the classroom, she tries to pretend nothing happened. But when it becomes obvious that the victim’s death wasn’t an accident and she is now a murder suspect, she realizes that her cozy small-town life in New York’s Adirondack region will never be the same.

Crazy things begin to happen: The victim’s mother disappears. Amelia’s friend Lily is thrown overboard from the Lake Champlain ferryboat. A mysterious millionaire from Montreal seems determined to buy Amelia’s house. The school nurse is viciously attacked by a student. Amelia’s old beau Gil suddenly seems determined to rekindle their romance. Amelia is carjacked, and, of course, there’s the Lake Champlain Monster . . .

It will take all Amelia’s wisdom, humor, and faith to figure out what’s going on and embrace the new life that lies ahead. If she survives . . .

Review:

Amelia is your basic English teacher who hates when people say "irregardless". She lives in a quaint town and doesn't expect much excitement. Her life gets complicated from the time trips over Marguerite's body and is considered a suspect.  She has actively avoided interacting with an old beau from her early years and isn't interested in rekindling that relationship - Vern has other ideas. More importantly, who killed this young woman and why?  What is it that Marguerite's mother has for her?  Why did she disappear?  Who is this millionaire trying to buy her house?  What is the friction between Lily and Alec?  Is there a Lake Champlain monster? 

The characters are predominantly middle-aged adults, but the antics and conflicts are ageless.  The storyline includes mystery, a bit of suspense, and romance.  It is well written and a good read.  This is the first in the Miss Prentice Cozy Mysteries.  Others in the series include DEATH DANGLES A PARTICIPLE and MURDER IN THE PAST TENSE.  

AMAZON

Book Review: PECKED TO DEATH (A Sadie Cooper Mystery #1) by Vanessa Gray Bartal

Synopsis
Nothing could compel Sadie Cooper back to her hometown, back to the father she can't get along with and the best friend she betrayed--nothing but death. When her beloved neighbor and mentor dies, Sadie returns home in disgrace after humiliating herself in front of the nation. She intends to stop at home, pay her respects, and start anew somewhere else. But then the will is read, and Abby has left something unusual for Sadie in her will--a request to solve her murder.

Luke Sawyer has finally put his life back on track; he's finally put his old best friend, Sadie Cooper, out of his mind. And then she comes in like a hurricane to rip his careful life apart again. She won't give up her ridiculous quest to solve a murder that doesn't exist, and she won't stay out of Luke's head. The fastest way to get her out of town is to help her figure out what happened to Abby, but the only way to do that is to get close to her again.

Together, Sadie and Luke must team up to figure out what's going on. They'll get closer than they ever wanted to be to each other, and closer to a killer than they know.

Review

A nice combination of romance and suspense, Sadie Cooper is determined that her mentor, Aunt Abby, was murdered. But that's not the way Luke Sawyer sees it.  Her determination can get her in trouble and her failings are readily pointed out by her father.  There's also the complicated relationship that she and Luke had and his determination not to have his heart broken again.  

This is the first in this series with well-developed characters and plot. SLUMBERED TO DEATH is the second, followed by SALVAGED TO DEATH.  

Vanessa Gray Bartal is also the author of the Lacy Steele Mysteries and  I would recommend them as well.

AMAZON