Catherine Lee (8)

There’s a new Alphabet series to enjoy, and it delightfully had surprises beyond anticipation with each new chapter. I am so excited that I discovered this cozy series!

Addison Lake has just moved with her daughter Olivia to Getaway Bay, a seaside town in Queensland, Australia. It will be a different life away from the hustle and bustle of Sidney and memories. After Olivia leaves for university, Addison plans to continue renovating the beach house to welcome bed and breakfast guests. show more However, a night of celebrating with Cousin Layla takes an unbelievable turn.

It is a well-written cozy in a small-town beach setting. The well-crafted plot introduced multiple characters of family, neighbors, and townspeople. Each character's development adds interest to their personalities and the relationships from past to present to future possibilities. There are themes of grief recovery, new beginnings, friendship, home renovation, a father's dementia, a furry rescue, and sleuthing, to name a few. All are seamlessly blended into a cozy with more than the usual suspense. And as to the investigation, I didn't guess the motive accurately, so I chose the wrong suspect.

I loved it and can’t wait to read more of the series. show less

I enjoyed this little mystery. I loved that the killer wasn't obvious. The clues were given but spaced out so that you kept guessing and never suspected the final killer until the final clues were given. Nothing extraordinary about it but I would definitely read more of the series.

Being the first book in the series, the reader got introduced to the reoccurring characters. The twist and turns in this book will keep the reader guessing as to who murdered Layla’s sister. The why of murder was unexpected, but it did make sense. I enjoyed the book, but I will enjoy the next one better since I now know the town and its people. The author gives a good sense of community and friendship.

cosy-mystery, Australia, family-dynamics, murder, law-enforcement, lawyers

Having an offensive demeanor may be a good thing for a lawyer, but it's hard on close family members and can get one killed. The publisher's blurb is pretty good, but can't really prepare for the suspects that seem to come out of the woodwork or the other twists. An excellent cosy mystery!