Dawn Eastman

This is my first book to read by this author but I will be going back and getting all her books. She is very gifted and the story was incredible. The book is a paranormal cozy mystery and it sure kept my interest. It has a great cast of characters that make the story so enjoyable to read. The details of the town were so vivid I wanted to go there and be a part of it. The book is sure to a winner for this author as she cleverly placed creative characters like Zombies and tarot readers in the show more town. Did I mention the Zombies?

It's a great day in the little town as Clyde and her crew are having a Zombie Run. Of course not everyone is on board with this great idea. When something horrible happens during the run, Clyde seems to be at the forefront of the investigation. The town comes out in full force to point fingers and whisper like a group of gossips about the horrible incident. I have to mention the town meeting. It was hysterical and it made me think of a scene from the Gilmore Girls. Whenever they had a town meeting, it was like a big production complete with quirky characters and snacks. I was so sure I would figure out the mystery. I was so wrong. The author did a tremendous job of keeping readers guessing with the twists and turns. This is one book that you definitely don't want to miss.

I was given a copy of this book from Great Escapes Books Tour for an honest review. show less

If a book can hold your attention when you're in a slump, it can't be half bad right?

I enjoy this series as it's one of the few rational cozy series out there; most of the characters are likeable, the small town setting is vivid and the plotting is usually pretty good. Clyde is a strong, normally intelligent main character trying to come to grips with a psychic gift she's ignored most of her life and her family is just crazy enough to be realistic. Mac is a great romantic lead who doesn't show more define himself by his ability to alpha male everyone around him.

This book's plotting, though, wasn't quite as strong as the others. I'm left with the impression that the mystery itself was just an excuse to further Clyde's family's story arc along. To string the mystery out, the author made Clyde dim: her visions were fairly easy for the reader to interpret as events unfolded, but Clyde remained clueless and the final denouement revealed a culprit that was never a suspect either for anyone in the book or the reader as there simply wasn't any forward progression after the initial murder scene.

I was going to ding the rating for this, but my rating reflects my enjoyment and I did enjoy this book; the character sub-story was interesting enough that I didn't miss what was missing from the mystery itself. 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

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