Cindy Sample

I don't usually read cozies, because I generally prefer my mysteries to be more hardboiled. But when I spotted this one on sale on one of the e-letters I get and saw that the heroine's first name is the same as mine--Laurel--I had to buy it. There's not many of us, so we Laurels have to stick together! Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It's a really good mystery--I usually figure out the solution before the end, but I missed it big time with this one. The identity of the culprit never show more occurred to me, but when it was revealed, it made sense. Besides being a good mystery, the book is very funny. Ms. Sample is a witty writer who knows how to make the reader chuckle and sometimes laugh out loud.

I really enjoyed the descriptions of the Hawaiian scenery and life. I've never been there so I can't vouch for the accuracy of said descriptions, but they certainly sounded believable. BTW, this is the third in the series. I haven't read any of the others, but it wasn't necessary to enjoy this book. It stands on its own. I do intend to start at the beginning with the first book now that I've found a cozy mystery series that I like.

All in all, a good read, even if it didn't have the graphic violence and hard language I usually prefer in my mysteries! :-) It's good to take a break and read a G-rated book once in a while! show less

Audible audio read by Pilar Uribe
2.5**

Mortgage underwriter Laurel McKay is a divorced mother of two and ready to get back into the dating scene. She joins “The Love Club” to get matched with likely prospects. Her first date is a CPA accountant with wandering hands. She has to hit him with her cell phone, breaking his nose, to get him to stop. The next morning, he is found dead in his car, obviously murdered, and Laurel is the # 1 suspect.

This is a pretty typical cozy with an amateur show more sleuth trying to solve the crime, so SHE doesn’t get arrested for it. There’s a very handsome detective who keeps warning her off the case, but she ignores him (of course). Laurel’s ex-husband seems to want to get back together. Her real-estate agent mother is a source of conflict. And she has a gay friend at work who is a great wingman.

I didn’t like the main character very much. Laurel took way too many chances and seemed to constantly put her foot in it … only to then SAY that she had to learn to keep her mouth shut. But, of course, she never does actually learn that lesson.

I did rather like Tom Hunter, detective, soccer dad and hunk. The attraction between them seemed rather one-sided in this debut, but I’m guessing the relationship progresses over the course of the series.

Pilar Uribe does a good job of voicing the audiobook. Her diction is clear, and she sets a good pace. show less

Unsure if she is looking for Mr. Right, or Mr. Every Other Saturday Night, divorced mother of two, Laurel McKay reluctantly joins THE LOVE CLUB, a popular local dating service. Dressed to kill, she meets bachelor number one at a trendy restaurant. But the date is a bust, literally, when the guy decides Laurel is dessert, and she breaks his nose with her cell phone. It gets even worse when the man is found murdered the next morning, and Laurel has his blood on her clothes.
Despite her now show more being a person of interest to the police, Laurel bravely ventures out on date number two. When that unlucky bachelor disappears during dinner, Laurel’s only alibi is a bottle of Dom Perignon. The sexy investigating detective thinks she’s innocent and is worried she may be the next target. That’s more than enough motivation for Laurel to find a murderer determined to kill her social life––before dating becomes a dead end she can’t escape. show less

I stayed up until almost 1am to finish this book. I loved it from the very first line. As a mystery writer myself, I struggle to put humor and homicide together. In this book, Cindy does it brilliantly. The story is excellent, the characters are so endearing, and it's also set in the real estate world, my arena. I laughed all the way through, humorous lines on almost every page. I thought I figured out the killer, delighted to discover I was wrong. Brilliant read. I highly recommend.