Dawn Eastman

Dawn Eastman, the author of the highly entertaining Family Fortune cozy series, is branching out with this book. Unnatural Causes is a fast-paced, solid mystery that kept me guessing, and the main characters are well placed to solve mysteries. Katie LeClair is a caring, gifted doctor, and what makes her a good doctor makes her a good investigator. Her brother Caleb is very good with computers, and since Katie saved the life of the police chief's dog, she also has an "in" with the police show more department.

All elements mesh together well and run like a finely tuned machine. The trouble is, I just didn't find myself warming up to any of the characters-- which is one of the main selling points of mysteries on the cozier end of the genre. Unnatural Causes is well-written and does have an appealing main character, so don't be afraid to give it a try. Your mileage may definitely vary! show less

I enjoy Dawn Eastman's Family Fortune cozy series. The main character Clyde (short for Clytemnestra-- don't tell anyone) has a police background which comes in handy whenever she trips over a body, and she's funny, smart, and full of common sense to boot. The paranormal element in this book-- and the entire series-- is done with the very lightest of touches, which is something that I prefer.

Eastman does an excellent job in the scenes that take place during that Zombie Apocalypse Fun Run, show more making them both extremely creepy and very funny. Thank heavens for that humor because zombies give me the willies. (Yes, I know that's silly.)

As in all the best cozy series, characters are the strength of the Family Fortune mysteries. In An Unhappy Medium we finally get to meet Clyde's sister Grace and her husband Paul. Since they've seemed perfectly happy to have their son Seth move across country to live with Clyde and go to school, this was a much-needed meeting. Something's got to be going on, right?

Probably the biggest character of them all in this series is Aunt Vi, supposed pet psychic, owner of the new Psychic Finders business, and all-around yarn bomber. Yes, she's more than a bit kooky, and... if her businesses are so popular, why does she always have the time to stick her nose into Clyde's business, hmmm? She's one of those family members that you just have to shake your head at and laugh.

Amidst all these characters and relationships, Eastman has created a good solid mystery. There's more going on than meets the eye, and there's some excellent misdirection. If you're in the mood for well-written, light-hearted reads, I recommend Eastman's Family Fortune series, which just keeps getting better with every book. show less

Pall in the Family is liberally sprinkled with laugh-out-loud humor, and although the investigation is slow to get off the ground, once all those family members buckle down and divvy up their self-imposed surveillance detail, the pace-- and the laughs-- pick up speed nicely.

What shines the brightest in this book (besides the humor) is Eastman's sterling cast of characters. Clyde has a smart alecky sense of humor that always wins me over, a knowledge of how investigations should be conducted, show more and a few mysteries in her past that make readers want to ferret out the facts. Her teenage nephew is in effect her sidekick throughout the book, and he's the perfect blend of impulsive teenage boy, common sense, and empathy. Two of the characters vaguely reminded me of two of Janet Evanovich's: Aunt Vi with her attitude and wacky opinions would get along fine with Grandma Mazur, and Clyde's dad, who can usually be found hiding behind his newspaper and listening to his police scanner, could easily be best buddies with Stephanie Plum's father. But before you think this book is just an Evanovich clone, let me assure you that it's not. Oh, and did I mention that Clyde's old flame is a member of the Sheriff's Department? He is, and he adds just the right touch of romantic spark.

One of the things that surprised me a bit was that-- for its setting and its characters, this book has very little paranormal goings-on, so anyone who can't deal with "woo-woo" should be able to read and enjoy Pall in the Family.

All in all, this book is a very enjoyable read, and with its cast of characters in place, I'm looking forward to reading more of Clyde's adventures. show less

4.5 stars.
Do No Harm by Dawn Eastman is an intriguing mystery that is fast-paced and multi-layered. Although this newest release is the second installment in the Dr. Katie LeClair Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone.

Dr. Katie LeClair has settled into life in Baxter, MI. She enjoys working in the family practice clinic with her mentor and she is in the early stages of a relationship with Dr. Matt Gregor. As a newcomer to Baxter, Katie lacks the background information of her newest show more patient, Eugene Lowe. Years earlier, Eugene was convicted of manslaughter in the death of Heather Stone. Having served his sentence, he has returned to Baxter to live with his mother. Not everyone is happy to have him living in town and Eugene is targeted by unknown persons as they attempt to force him to leave. These attempts have turned violent which is how Eugene's path crosses Katie's. She wants to trust her instincts that Eugene is not dangerous, but new information leaves Katie doubting her intuition.

Katie is very upset when she learns Taylor Knox, a college student whom she mentored, is now missing. Even more alarming is the discovery that Taylor is working on a class project about Heather's death and Eugene's conviction. Katie is worried that the advice she gave to Taylor right before she vanished is somehow connected to her disappearance. What, if any, new details did Taylor unearth about Heather's death that might have led to foul play?

Katie is a resourceful woman whose medical training also makes her an excellent investigator. With her computer wiz brother Caleb's assistance, she searches through Taylor's research to see if she can pinpoint exactly what raised the young woman's suspicion that Eugene might not have murdered Heather. Following the scant leads she unearths, Katie re-interviews key witnesses from the old case. She also discovers some very troubling information that lends weight to the theory that Eugene was not Heather's killer. But if Eugene did not murder Heather then who did?

Do No Harm is an engrossing mystery with a clever plot and a fantastic cast of characters. Dawn Eastman keeps readers on the edge of their seats as the novel hurtles to an action-paced conclusion. A suspenseful addition to the Dr. Katie LeClair Mystery series that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy. show less