GP Gardner

This is the second book in the Cleo Mack series. I won a copy in a Goodreads Giveaway. This was my first time reading G. P. Gardner.

I have become enchanted by Fairhope, Alabama. I want to go live in Harbor Village. It took me a bit to get into this book. I’m not a car enthusiast. The story has quite a bit for a car enthusiast to enjoy. For someone like me, it has quite a bit that may turn you into wondering when the next car show is going to held near by. The story gradually gripped me, show more then before I realized it, it refused to let me go. I honestly did not know who did it until the reveal. I had quite a few suspects, including the killer. My list, though, was written all over and suspects were scratched out only to be added back. I really had a better time with this book than I first thought I would. I was genuinely sorry to get to the end! I became friends with many characters. I’m so curious about them. I was left hanging with a question I had regarding Patti. I like the slow burning romance with Cleo and Riley, though at times I wished she would reunite with Travis. Maybe that is for Stephanie rather than Cleo or Travis. There are many other characters that I could speak about. I’m intrigued by many. Yes this series has me hooked. When is the next book coming out? show less

Cleo Mack is a young widow in Alabama who is offered early retirement from her teaching job at a university. While she's still deciding - her daughter wants her to move to Birmingham - she stops off in Fairhope and immediately falls in love with the town. Then she meets an older woman who tells her how nice her retirement community is; and a younger woman who is an RN at the same facility, and she makes the decision then and there to call Fairhope home.

When she's offered a job at the show more facility the next day, she's surprised but accepts. Then someone is murdered and she's offered the job of Executive Director - which she agrees to take on a temporary basis only. Soon enough she finds out that there's more to the story, and as circumstances will have it, that there's also a very real reason she was offered the job...

I honestly wanted to love this book. It's a mystery, which I love, and the cover was enticing. However, there were too many unnecessary details, which seemed like the author only wanted to get her 'word count' up enough to get it published. Things like, "I added some chocolate covered almonds and put the snacks into a plastic bag from the grocery store." Do we really need to know it was a 'plastic bag from the grocery store'? Or about all the snacks? Then there were conversations (and thoughts in her head), things like asking where the detergent is, the bed linens, where to put the modem, etc. These are all superfluous and too much like the things we do in our ordinary life. We know they need to be done; we don't need to hear Every Single Detail. Even to putting the iron on the shelf in the laundry room. Did we think it would be on the coffee table instead?

But then it explains why Cleo - in her 40's - would want to move into a retirement community and hang out with people in their 80's playing dominoes. Who would do that? Isn't that like a teenager wanting to hang around with people in their 40's? I can't see how anyone would think this was normal behavior. It's nice that she's friends with the residents; but they shouldn't be her only source of a social life if they think playing dominoes, eating sandwiches and going to bed at 8 pm is a fun night. (I also can't see someone owning two cats and just leaving one to fend for herself while taking the other with her. I'm a cat owner, and I would never do anything like this.)

So while the first half of the book was really strange and didn't make any sense, the second half picked up a bit and it got interesting. I enjoyed reading about how Cleo was actually taking charge of everything and figuring out what was going on; it brought the book to a nice pace. The writing was done very well, and the descriptions of the harbor area were lovely; I do believe this author has potential.

Although I never felt that Cleo was threatened in any way or in danger of any kind, and I felt the circumstances surrounding the murder was rather 'mild' to put it, it was still a decent start for a first book, and I hope to see this author hone her skills and improve over time. I'd like to see less mundane details and more teeth in the series. All in all, not a bad beginning for a new series and I will read the next. show less

Murder at Harbor Village by G.P. Gardner is the debut novel in A Down by the Bay Mystery series. Cleo Mack has been offered a chance at early retirement from the university where she is department chair and teaches social work. Cleo decides to visit Fairhope, Alabama while trying to decide about her future. She falls in love with the picturesque town and a chance encounter with Nita Bergen helps the final pieces fall into place. Nita introduces her to Harbor Village, a retirement community, show more where she lives with her husband, and her circle of friends who welcome Cleo. Cleo is contacted by Jamie Barnes, Director of Assisted Living at Harbor Village, who offers her a part-time job handling resident services and Cleo works an apartment into the deal. A month later, Cleo returns to move into her new apartment and begins a new chapter of her life. The next morning, Lee Ferrell, the executive director, is found dead in the pool and Cleo finds herself in charge of Harbor Village. Travis McKenzie, Cleo’s ex-husband of twenty-three years, runs Harbor Health Services, needs fresh eyes on Harbor Village, and he feels Cleo is the right woman for the job. Something fishy is going on in this quiet community and Travis is relying on Cleo to ferret out the truth. How does is relate to Lee’s death? That is just what Cleo intends to find out.

Murder at Harbor Village is a light cozy mystery with friendly characters and a striking town. Cleo is looking forward to this new phase of her life when a murder disrupts her plans. She is suddenly thrust into an administrative roll (there goes the retirement) with a host of problems. She is shocked when she learns the victim is Travis’ new wife (makes him a good suspect). Cleo soon learns that murder is not the only mystery at Harbor Village. We are taken through Cleo’s daily tasks as she learns her new role which she handles with grace considering she has no clue what she is doing (practical knowledge goes a long way). We are introduced to numerous characters and learn the complexities of running a retirement village. I liked the author’s relaxed writing style which makes the book easy to read. The mysteries were complex and multifaceted. The suspects are limited, but I believe readers will find it challenging to identify the killer. I like how she bounces ideas off Nita, Jim, Dolly and Riley (her new circle of friends) and works with Chief Ray Boozer on solving the whodunit. The resolution relies on speculation instead of firm facts and there was an unanswered piece of the puzzle. I enjoyed reading the refreshing Murder at Harbor Village and I look forward to reading the next A Down by the Bay Mystery. show less

Murder at Royale Court is the second story in A Cleo Mack Mystery series. I recommend reading Murder at Harbor Village before picking up Murder at Royale Court. It will allow you to learn how Cleo came to be living in Fairhope and managing Harbor Village. Cleo Mack is enjoying her new life in Fairhope, Alabama. She has a close group of friends, an active social life and is busy learning her new job at Executive Director of Harbor Village. As part of their new lecture series, Reg Handleman show more will be giving automobile themed talks for three days which ties in with the upcoming automobile show to benefit the hospital. Cleo is surprised to learn that money can be made by investing in cars and that there are scam artists who take advantage of that fact. When Devon Wheatley, a local financial planner is murdered, Cleo finds herself searching for answers. The mystery is complex as Cleo plunges into the world of finance looking for suspects. One clue, though, gave away the identity of the culprit to me. I wish solving the crime had been more of a challenge. The resolution of the crime was supposition instead of facts. I would have preferred definitive answers. There are a numerous characters in Murder at Royale court, and I found it difficult to keep track of them (employees, residents, guests, shopkeepers at Royale Court). While I found some of the information on automobiles interesting, I could have done with less of it (though car lovers will relish it). I thought it bogged down the story. I like the developing romance between Cleo and Riley. They make a cute couple and seem compatible. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story and lovely descriptions of Fairhope. I liked the reference to Fannie Flagg and the movie Fried Green Tomatoes based on her book. Murder at Royale Court has charming characters, frisky felines, a complex crime, amazing automobiles, and vindictive villain. show less