I really enjoyed this cozy mystery (with a romance element). The characters are solid, and I like that the hero, Michael, is a good person, who wants to help people (as opposed to the cynics and such who often people mysteries). The small-town Southern setting was well-done, and the pacing matched the setting and characters. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and checking out the author's other works. ( )

Wow, this one sneaks up on you! I loved the main character, Michael, a small town officer of the law. Obviously, this is about a murder but a challenging one to solve for sure. I found Murder at the Courthouse amusing, deep, and suspenseful. The dialogue going on in Michael's head is written so well. I could not put this one down until the mystery became clear. A.H. Gabhart captures the flavor of the small town atmosphere, dilemmas, and foibles. This was enjoyable to read and I understand this book is a real change from her normal writing. I will definitely read more of her books.

I highly recommend Murder at the Courthouse!

I received a copy from Net Galley for my honest review which I have given. ( )

Hidden Springs is a quiet little town that is about to have a shake up. When Miss Willadean, the town busy body comes across a passed out drunk stranger on the courthouse steps, she lets the Sherriff's office hear about it. When Michael, the deputy heads out to check it out, he finds out that it is not a drunk, but a dead man. The mystery begins.

The characters in this new series are introduced in this story and they are extremely likeable. Michael's story of his parents being killed in a terrible accident when he was only 15 was heart breaking, especially that he was in the car and almost died himself. His spunky Aunt Malinda (Lindy) stayed by his side, praying and talking to him and nursed him back to health. She raised him with the help of the judge next door who became a sort of surrogate father. Michael takes an interest in troubled teenagers and has tried to keep Anthony out of trouble. Anthony's story of being abandoned by his mother at the age of 5 and raised by his aunt hits home with Michael. The rest of the Sherriff's office staff all have quirks of their own and Lester is a hoot. The newspaper man, Hank, is always in the way but gets his story. There are a couple of love interests for Michael, but that is not the main part of the story, just an interesting aside, which will probably develop more in future books.

As more bodies show up, Michael is in a race to find the killer and protect Anthony, who he thinks knows more about the murders than he is telling. A good read. I did figure out the killer about 2/3 of the way in, but it was still a great mystery. I am looking forward to the next in this series.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. ( )

Can't say that I had previously read a cozy murder mystery based in Christian faith and was frankly curious how one would approach such grizzly material framed with a faith-based message. I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised. The murder scenes were not overly graphic and there was good depth within the main characters of the book. The characters were not perfect and as such very believable. I found the beginning rather slow but with the appearance of a second incident, the tension heightened and the pace picked up and kept on from there through to the end. The main character, Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane, is one you're eager to follow. He has endured much and you want to see him succeed (perhaps in spite of himself). I am eager to see how he fares in life within the next installment in the Hidden Springs Mystery series.

Favorite line: "Sometimes it's hard to do the right thing."

I am grateful to Goodreads First Reads, author Ann H. Gabhart and publisher Revell for having provided a free copy of his book. Their generosity did not, however, influence this review - the words of which are mine alone. ( )

An unidentified body is found on the courthouse steps and the everyone in Hidden Springs is in an uproar. Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane has to try to identify the body before he can even start an investigation. At the same time, Keane is battling with a rebellious teenager. With all the players that are getting the way, the clues to the murder seem a bit out of the ordinary.

I really loved the mystery and the way that the history of the characters were interwoven into the story.

The characters need a bit more fleshing out but for a first in a series it was really good. ( )