Lorena McCourtney

When I read and reviewed Death Takes A Ride last month, I knew I had to go back to the scene of the crime, er, first book in the series. Dying to Read, book 1 in Lorena McCourtney’s Cate Kincaid Files is a great place to start for those who love cozy mysteries. Cate, who is new to the PI business, gets her man, along with getting into life threatening situations. But this is a cozy series, so you know that the good guys always prevail and that there will be a good dose of humor as show more well.

Cate has her first assignment from her uncle’s PI agency — find the current address of a young woman for her family. But right from the start, Cate knows she is in over her head. A dead woman, a book club full of suspects as well as a tree-hugging missing housekeeper keep Cate looking into the mystery long after she discovers the address. Along the way Cate is continually mistaken for one of the suspects and finds herself in trouble and a budding romance. A lovable deaf cat also plays a big role in the action.

Cate is a great character. She has had some disappointments in life and love and is unsure where to go next. Her PI gig is only temporary, or so she thinks. But her inner instincts keep Cate going. Maybe she really should be a PI! The other characters add color and enough quirk to be funny, but not so much that they strain credibility. Moral issues, such as one character’s problem with telling the truth, are death with in a tongue in cheek naturalness that is never preachy. Cate’s faith is also natural — just the way she lives her life.

So if you are looking for a fun cozy mystery, start with Dying to Read. You won’t be sorry, especially since there are two more books in the series!

Audience: Older teens to adults. show less

Nothing’s going right for Cate Kinkaid: Her erstwhile fiancé has find himself a new love, she’s between jobs and filling in as an assistant to her private detective uncle, and, at 29 years of age, she has no idea what to do with the rest of her life. But the snobby widow Amelia Robinson is much worse off: She’s dead, fallen off the back steps that she rarely used. Was it murder? Cate suspects as much.

The vain and overbearing Amelia wasn’t much beloved by the catty elderly members of show more the Whodunit Book Club or by her own money-grubbing niece. But the police are satisfied that Amelia, befuddled by her habit of taking too many sleeping pills, met with an unfortunate accident; if only Cate could feel more sure….

I checked this book out of the library without really knowing what it was, intrigued by the premise and by the pet cat. (Hey, I love cats! What of it?)

Lorena McCourtney’s Dying to Read is a Christian-laced light-hearted cozy, cute but not predictable. You can tell immediately whether this is the kind of thing you’ll like. The “God message” doesn’t pop up at all until several chapters in and is slight enough not to offend most non-believers. However, while Dying to Read doesn’t descend to the sappiness or formulaic writing that besets most Christian literature, anyone who’s put off by prayer, habitual church-going, and unnatural cheerfulness, or who’s looking for sexy romance or edginess should definitely look elsewhere. Although no one will confuse Dying to Read with The Time Traveler's Wife, The Cuckoo's Calling, or Stately Pursuits, readers looking for an undemanding but amusing read could definitely do worse than the generous and frequently comical Cate Kincaid to while away a few hours. show less

I got this free from Amazon for my Kindle; otherwise, I probably would not have been interested in it, as it falls in the "cozy" mystery category, one that I find generally rather tedious. However, for those who favor that sort of thing, "Invisible" should prove a fairly satisfying read. The first in a series, "Invisible" has as its protagonist Ivy Malone, a widow and self-described LOL (Little Old Lady) who discovers that, as an aging woman, she has become "invisible" to most people (shop show more clerks, policemen, etc.). After the death of her last close friend, Ivy is rather at loose ends, a condition that leads her to try new things and, ultimately, leads her into unlikely and dangerous circumstances. Unlike a number of other "little old lady" sleuths (such as Miss Marple, Mrs. Pollifax, Miss Seeton, et al.), Ivy distinguishes herself not by any endearing eccentricities but by being almost stereotypically bland and normal: a retired librarian and faithful churchgoer, whose idea of adventure is eating out at foreign restaurants on Thanksgiving Day. What drives Ivy is her conventional sense of decency -- she is unwilling to let wrongs go unacknowledged or uncorrected.

In this first of a series, Ivy makes some new friends who will undoubtedly be making returns in future novels, including a couple of potential romantic interests (Mac MacPherson, a travel writer who specializes in chronicling "unusual celebrations [such as a] do-something-strange or eat-something-yucky contest," and Jordan Kaine, a retired lawyer). I have a feeling this series will improve as it goes along, as Ivy gets more accustomed to taking chances.

I notice that a number of Amazon readers have complained bitterly that they discovered "too late" that the sleuth is a Christian -- apparently, they think that this is something offensive, about which the unsuspecting reader should be warned (Christianity being regarded much as violence or pornography used to be). I, however, see no reason to relegate this book to the literary ghetto of "Christian fiction." It's true that Ivy is a church-going Christian (as are many of her friends, unsurprisingly), and she even invites one or two people to attend church with her; what is more, sitting out under the stars at night her thoughts turn to the God who made them all. Aside from these details, however, which might be attributed merely to character development, there is nothing particularly "Christian" about the novel -- the plot does not depend on a Christian point of view, nor does the book push a "Christian" agenda. Non-Christians are not demonized, nor is there any sermonizing embedded in the story. It seems to me that the only potential readers who might insist that this novel be branded "Christian fiction" would be those in one of two extreme groups -- either knee-jerk militant "secularists" who find all non-derisive references to Christians or their faith to be abhorrent or, at the other extreme, sectarian Christians who choose to live in an imaginary Christian ghetto and consume popular culture only if it bears the "Christian" brand. I say, let the story sink or swim by its merits as a mystery novel, and on that basis, "Invisible" is pretty good. show less

This is the first book by Lorena McCourtney that I've had the pleasure of reading. I have to say that she is extremely talented and definitely knows what to give her readers when it comes to captivating, page-turning mystery! From start to finish, Ms. McCourtney held my attention and didn't let it go for anything! Cozy mysteries are always the best and this book is definitely a wonderful cozy mystery, along with being a great start to a sure-to-be exciting series!

Mx. McCourtney introduces us show more to assistant PI Cate Kinkaid. What Cate thought was a simple task given to her by her uncle turned out to be so much more! Sent to the home of an elderly lady to check on her, Cate finds herself a dead body....and among a group of mystery loving suspects. She's not entirely convinced that the body found wasn't murdered. That's where the fun loving, often laughable moments come in as she seeks the clues to the puzzle, getting help from (and feeling some beyond professional feelings for!) the oh-so-cute Mitch, and dealing with a cat that can't hear a thing she says.

Cate Kinkaid is sort of a Stephanie Plum of the Christian variety. Not officially licensed as a PI but definitely having the guts and attitude to jump in and tackle the situation.....err, ummm....situations that run amuck, and make the reader say 'seriously?!'???.... head on. I can definitely see this series gaining quick popularity and becoming a competition for the Plum series! And, I have to say, with the charming Mitch (and is he ever charming-definitely better than any Ranger or Morelli!) and the kitty of an unusual kind(um, yea. Don't ask!), you definitely get the laughs in this page-turning cozy! Oh and we can't forget Willow!!! Willow is a character that will make the reader feel like they are experiencing deja vu!

I definitely recommend this laugh-out-loud, edge-of-seat, witty, charming mystery read to all those out there that are looking for a fast-paced story. It is 5 Book worthy, attention grabbing and filled with messages of faith, understanding and self discovery! I'll definitely be excited to read the next Cate Kinkaid File installment! Well done, Ms. McCourtney!

*This review is based on a complimentary copy which was provided for an honest review* show less