Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
Death by Committee is the debut of the Abby McCree Mystery series set in the small town of Snowberry Creek, Washington. Abby is recently divorced and has inherited an old rundown Victorian from her beloved Aunt Sybil and along with the house comes her aunt's tenant, Tripp Blackstone and the ladies of the quilting guild.
While cleaning up the overgrown brush in the backyard, Abby's Mastiff Zeke digs up a piece of quilt, and not only is Abby surprised to find the quilt that had a special meaning for her but that it's wrapped around Aunt Sybil's biggest rival, Dolly Cahill. Nobody had seen Dolly in a few months but most assumed that she had gone off to Florida for the winter.
Immediately the police focus on deceased Aunt Sybil or Tripp as the main suspects in Dolly's murder but Abby knows that her beloved aunt wouldn't hurt a fly and she's pretty sure that military vet Tripp wouldn't either. Joining forces with Tripp and the ladies of her aunt's quilting guild, Abby sets out to pin down a killer.
A catchy plot that quickly draws you in. An interesting mix of characters and a deliciously drooling dog point to many more adventures with Abby.
While cleaning up the overgrown brush in the backyard, Abby's Mastiff Zeke digs up a piece of quilt, and not only is Abby surprised to find the quilt that had a special meaning for her but that it's wrapped around Aunt Sybil's biggest rival, Dolly Cahill. Nobody had seen Dolly in a few months but most assumed that she had gone off to Florida for the winter.
Immediately the police focus on deceased Aunt Sybil or Tripp as the main suspects in Dolly's murder but Abby knows that her beloved aunt wouldn't hurt a fly and she's pretty sure that military vet Tripp wouldn't either. Joining forces with Tripp and the ladies of her aunt's quilting guild, Abby sets out to pin down a killer.
A catchy plot that quickly draws you in. An interesting mix of characters and a deliciously drooling dog point to many more adventures with Abby.
Set in the small town of Snowberry Creek, Washington, Death by Committee begins a delightful new cozy mystery series by Alexis Morgan. With likeable protagonist and support characters both, gentle humor, a precious dog, and even a little romance, this story has all that I look for in a tradition cozy and I enjoyed it very much.
Having recently gone through a divorce, Abby moves to Snowberry Creek and into the Victorian home that she inherited from her beloved Aunt Sybil. All the quirky things that came with this inheritance add richness to the story â the attractive tenant who does odd jobs in return for reduced rent, three of Sybil's friends who get Abby involved in Sybil's responsibilities, and the adorable Zeke, a mastiff mix of pure delight. The story is clean, well-written, and flows at a steady pace.
There's just enough characters to make the mystery theme easy to follow, and when someone is described as having ice in their veins ⦠well, that describes the killer. Abby's tenant, Tripp, makes a good romantic interest, although he's a little short tempered. I especially liked how the police â namely, Chief Logan â are involved from the beginning and come across as intelligent and fair. It's also enjoyable to follow Abby along as she garners information to clear her aunt by questioning people. And Zeke proves to be a pretty good judge of character himself!
Death by Committee thoroughly entertains, and its strong ensemble cast makes me eager for more stories in this series. Recommended.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Having recently gone through a divorce, Abby moves to Snowberry Creek and into the Victorian home that she inherited from her beloved Aunt Sybil. All the quirky things that came with this inheritance add richness to the story â the attractive tenant who does odd jobs in return for reduced rent, three of Sybil's friends who get Abby involved in Sybil's responsibilities, and the adorable Zeke, a mastiff mix of pure delight. The story is clean, well-written, and flows at a steady pace.
There's just enough characters to make the mystery theme easy to follow, and when someone is described as having ice in their veins ⦠well, that describes the killer. Abby's tenant, Tripp, makes a good romantic interest, although he's a little short tempered. I especially liked how the police â namely, Chief Logan â are involved from the beginning and come across as intelligent and fair. It's also enjoyable to follow Abby along as she garners information to clear her aunt by questioning people. And Zeke proves to be a pretty good judge of character himself!
Death by Committee thoroughly entertains, and its strong ensemble cast makes me eager for more stories in this series. Recommended.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Death by Committee is a cute cozy mystery. I thought it was a quick and easy to read book. Abby McCree is newly divorced from a cheating husband and out of job since he bought out her share of the company. Moving to Snowberry Cree gives Abby a new start. She has inherited a large Victorian home along with the contents plus the oversized Zeke and a handsome tenant in the mother-in-law cottage. Abby is an appealing character who is helpful and friendly with the elderly ladies of the quilting guild. Louise Allen, Jean Benson and Glenda Unger are the three quilting guild members who rope Abby into various projects and enjoy watching Tripp work in the yard (frequently without his shirt on). Tripp Blackston is ex-military and a college freshman who is renting the mother-in-law cottage. There are frequent mentions of Tripp's physique as the ladies ogle him. The author is setting him up to be Abby's love interest, but I do not admire his bossy attitude and hair trigger temper. The mystery is straightforward with a small suspect list, a red herring and pointed clues. Abby talks with several people to gather information, but that is the extent of her investigating. Solving this whodunit is a piece of cake. I did like how the mystery was wrapped up at the end. I like Gage Logan, the chief of police. He is friendly, helpful and has a sense of humor. Death by Committee is a good start to An Abby McCree Mystery series. I hope the author takes the time to develop her characters in the next book and provide more details on the town. Death by Committee is a light hearted cozy mystery with a charming Victorian home, a cute mastiff mix, beautifully crafted quilts, three busy older ladies and killer on the loose.
Dollycas's Thoughts
Abby McCree hasn't spent much time in Snowberry Creek, Washington of late but she remembers all the good times she had with her Aunt Sybil as a child. She especially remembers a quilt they were working on. Aunt Sybil finished it by herself as Abby's visits became shorter and less frequent. Now her aunt has passed away and left her home to Abby and her aunt's friends have already volunteered her to take over some of the committees Sybil was leading including the quilting guild.
Her aunt also left her a couple of other surprises. a bull mastiff named Zeke and a cantankerous but very easy on the eyes tenant named Tripp Blackston. Abby also uncovers another surprise among the blueberries, Dolly Cayhill's body. Dolly was a snowbird who usually takes flight during the winter months, so sadly no one even knew the woman was unaccounted for. Dolly and Sybil were rivals in almost everything they did. Finding her body in Sybil's yard wrapped in one of Sybil's quilts lands Sybil square at the top of the suspect list. Abby believes there is no way her aunt could have committed such a heinous crime but the rumors are flying and evidence is stacking up. Is there any way to clear her aunt's good name? There may be if she can live long enough to stitch all the clues together.
I like Abby McCree, but she needs to learn to say no! Those elderly ladies really ran roughshod over her. By the end of the story, she was getting her bearings and getting stronger, which I was very happy to see. Those ladies reminded me so much of some of the older ladies I have known in my life. A little pushy, but with huge hearts and kind souls. Tripp Blackstone, on the other hand, was a tough nut to crack, ex-military tough, and a little closed off. He starts to soften as he finds himself in the role of protector to Abby as digs into Dolly's death and right into the line of fire. Tripp and Abby grow a lot for this being the first book in the series. I liked the way the author has started them on their journey. My favorite character of all was Zeke. A big dog who is a gentle giant, at least most of the time. The only time he leaves Abby's side is when he is with Tripp. He is truly my kind of canine, even with all the drool ð
The plot was complex with two real mysteries. The first, the murder, had its share of suspects, but one after another are eliminated and Abby becomes a target. The second deals with 13 missing quilts the quilt had hoped to use for a calendar fundraiser. Given to a new member to photograph who then abruptly leaves town without returning the quilts or the pictures to the guild. As the new president of the guild, Abby tries her best to locate them. I used to love to quilt so this subplot really interested me. The two mysteries mesh together so well. The story had some really exciting events and I was on the edge of my seat for the nail-biting ending.
Ms. Morgan has taken the time to fully describe each person and place so clearly that I could picture every element of the story. The people came alive. Abby's home, the yard, the garage, and all the places around town were easily pictured in my mind. I was in each moment right along with Abby.
What I love most about this story was that it is written for the long haul of a series. The main characters evolved a great deal in this book but there is still so much to know about them. I am definitely invested in their lives and want to know more about them. The secondary characters are fun and entertaining too and have plenty of room to grow.
Ms. Morgan has sewn together a wonderful treat for her readers. Death by Committee was a perfect escape for me and I know fans of this genre will enjoy it too!
Abby McCree hasn't spent much time in Snowberry Creek, Washington of late but she remembers all the good times she had with her Aunt Sybil as a child. She especially remembers a quilt they were working on. Aunt Sybil finished it by herself as Abby's visits became shorter and less frequent. Now her aunt has passed away and left her home to Abby and her aunt's friends have already volunteered her to take over some of the committees Sybil was leading including the quilting guild.
Her aunt also left her a couple of other surprises. a bull mastiff named Zeke and a cantankerous but very easy on the eyes tenant named Tripp Blackston. Abby also uncovers another surprise among the blueberries, Dolly Cayhill's body. Dolly was a snowbird who usually takes flight during the winter months, so sadly no one even knew the woman was unaccounted for. Dolly and Sybil were rivals in almost everything they did. Finding her body in Sybil's yard wrapped in one of Sybil's quilts lands Sybil square at the top of the suspect list. Abby believes there is no way her aunt could have committed such a heinous crime but the rumors are flying and evidence is stacking up. Is there any way to clear her aunt's good name? There may be if she can live long enough to stitch all the clues together.
I like Abby McCree, but she needs to learn to say no! Those elderly ladies really ran roughshod over her. By the end of the story, she was getting her bearings and getting stronger, which I was very happy to see. Those ladies reminded me so much of some of the older ladies I have known in my life. A little pushy, but with huge hearts and kind souls. Tripp Blackstone, on the other hand, was a tough nut to crack, ex-military tough, and a little closed off. He starts to soften as he finds himself in the role of protector to Abby as digs into Dolly's death and right into the line of fire. Tripp and Abby grow a lot for this being the first book in the series. I liked the way the author has started them on their journey. My favorite character of all was Zeke. A big dog who is a gentle giant, at least most of the time. The only time he leaves Abby's side is when he is with Tripp. He is truly my kind of canine, even with all the drool ð
The plot was complex with two real mysteries. The first, the murder, had its share of suspects, but one after another are eliminated and Abby becomes a target. The second deals with 13 missing quilts the quilt had hoped to use for a calendar fundraiser. Given to a new member to photograph who then abruptly leaves town without returning the quilts or the pictures to the guild. As the new president of the guild, Abby tries her best to locate them. I used to love to quilt so this subplot really interested me. The two mysteries mesh together so well. The story had some really exciting events and I was on the edge of my seat for the nail-biting ending.
Ms. Morgan has taken the time to fully describe each person and place so clearly that I could picture every element of the story. The people came alive. Abby's home, the yard, the garage, and all the places around town were easily pictured in my mind. I was in each moment right along with Abby.
What I love most about this story was that it is written for the long haul of a series. The main characters evolved a great deal in this book but there is still so much to know about them. I am definitely invested in their lives and want to know more about them. The secondary characters are fun and entertaining too and have plenty of room to grow.
Ms. Morgan has sewn together a wonderful treat for her readers. Death by Committee was a perfect escape for me and I know fans of this genre will enjoy it too!
