Scan barcode
graciouswarriorprincess's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
josieg2002's review
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jennyjohn81's review
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
slc333's review against another edition
3.0
Nice small town set up. Good bunch of nosy friends in the walking group keen to help out Ellie and Detective Sam is a very promising romantic prospect. I hope ex hubby Marc doesn’t throw a spanner in those works. As to the mystery, it wasn’t too hard to figure out but it was a fun read anyway. I am keen to read more in the series but mostly for the town and characters and hopefully some progress in Ellie & Sam’s relationship that to solve a mystery.
anne_seebach's review against another edition
2.0
An enjoyable read, surprisingly short and to the point for a cozy. No gushing, no extraordinarily self-indulgent wallowing, no relentless minutai about clothing/interior design/cooking/shoes and the like - just enough to lend relevant colour and context to the story. And no recipes of any kind.
I did 'solve' the mystery before the end, which is fair enough as the author had kindly ensured there were reasonable clues along the way. In all, I found this to be a nicely engaging easy read, and look forward to checking out the next in the series.
I did 'solve' the mystery before the end, which is fair enough as the author had kindly ensured there were reasonable clues along the way. In all, I found this to be a nicely engaging easy read, and look forward to checking out the next in the series.
paperbackstash's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
MUCH better than most small-sized KU independent mysteries tend to be. Writing style, characterization, and small town charm make it a slice above the rest.
While the mystery part didn't start heating up more intensely until later, I was enchanted with the main character, a mother who has come off weight loss with daughters after a mid-life change. It almost felt like the comedy The Burbs, where a group of friends start getting nosy about weird neighbors. Fun stuff.
Her friends and their health walks with the wine and dogs felt absolutely natural. The conflict of still being hung up on her ex-husband who bailed was also natural but not usually touched upon with this kind of novel that usually keeps it simpler, but the new relationship felt mixed between downright cute/funny and warming. Sometimes kids can be annoying in these, but that wasn't the case here - instead the mother has to start letting an older daughter go when she wants to move on with her life, while consoling a younger daughter who doesn't feel the same. Even the dog had a convincing personality.
Mystery wise it was good. There were some small twists. The strength of the story didn't like in a complex mystery, but how the small town was woven up into this tragedy under their noses.
Another thing was a surprisingly dark and gritty finale mixed in with standard cozy mystery fare. Despite convincing humor this book didn't keep it so light and fluffy that it was airy as some cozies tend to be. This helped put it a pace above the rest, with the mental illness coming across chilling, and the final dream sobering - hard to forget.
Highly recommended for cozy mystery fans.
MUCH better than most small-sized KU independent mysteries tend to be. Writing style, characterization, and small town charm make it a slice above the rest.
While the mystery part didn't start heating up more intensely until later, I was enchanted with the main character, a mother who has come off weight loss with daughters after a mid-life change. It almost felt like the comedy The Burbs, where a group of friends start getting nosy about weird neighbors. Fun stuff.
Her friends and their health walks with the wine and dogs felt absolutely natural. The conflict of still being hung up on her ex-husband who bailed was also natural but not usually touched upon with this kind of novel that usually keeps it simpler, but the new relationship felt mixed between downright cute/funny and warming. Sometimes kids can be annoying in these, but that wasn't the case here - instead the mother has to start letting an older daughter go when she wants to move on with her life, while consoling a younger daughter who doesn't feel the same. Even the dog had a convincing personality.
Mystery wise it was good. There were some small twists. The strength of the story didn't like in a complex mystery, but how the small town was woven up into this tragedy under their noses.
Another thing was a surprisingly dark and gritty finale mixed in with standard cozy mystery fare. Despite convincing humor this book didn't keep it so light and fluffy that it was airy as some cozies tend to be. This helped put it a pace above the rest, with the mental illness coming across chilling, and the final dream sobering - hard to forget.
Highly recommended for cozy mystery fans.
marsenault13's review
4.0
this was a fun little cozy mystery. nice characters, a good little mystery, some action, some romance. I look forward to more adventures in Mt Abrams
hosborneauthor's review
5.0
Reviewed on behalf of Readers' Favorite
A Mother’s Day Murder: A Mt. Abrams Mystery by Dee Ernst is a quaint novel of the cozy mystery genre. Mt. Abrams is a quiet, lakeside community, where nothing ever happens, or so people think. Ellie Rocca, recently divorced freelance editor, lives with her two daughters. Her routine is mundane, walking the youngest to and from the bus stop and taking daily walks with her friends and dog, Boot. That is, until she discovers one of the local mothers, Lacey Mitchell, is missing. Ellie and her cohorts take it upon themselves to discover the whereabouts of the stay-at-home mom. Throw in one good-looking police detective for good measure, and you have a town asking, what happened to Lacey Mitchell?
A Mother’s Day Murder: A Mt. Abrams Mystery by Dee Ernst was a fast-paced read, and kept me engaged from the first page. The plot flowed very well, and I was amused by the antics of Ellie and her friends. The dialogue was quick-witted, and I found myself giggling at some of the things said. I enjoyed the author’s descriptions and could easily picture the town in my mind. Ellie’s mother added an even more humorous element to the novel. I felt the ending was perhaps a bit rushed, but I can say I was very surprised as to who the culprit was! I haven’t read many cozy mysteries, but I would definitely pick up another by Dee Ernst. I can firmly say she has created a new fan for the genre.
A Mother’s Day Murder: A Mt. Abrams Mystery by Dee Ernst is a quaint novel of the cozy mystery genre. Mt. Abrams is a quiet, lakeside community, where nothing ever happens, or so people think. Ellie Rocca, recently divorced freelance editor, lives with her two daughters. Her routine is mundane, walking the youngest to and from the bus stop and taking daily walks with her friends and dog, Boot. That is, until she discovers one of the local mothers, Lacey Mitchell, is missing. Ellie and her cohorts take it upon themselves to discover the whereabouts of the stay-at-home mom. Throw in one good-looking police detective for good measure, and you have a town asking, what happened to Lacey Mitchell?
A Mother’s Day Murder: A Mt. Abrams Mystery by Dee Ernst was a fast-paced read, and kept me engaged from the first page. The plot flowed very well, and I was amused by the antics of Ellie and her friends. The dialogue was quick-witted, and I found myself giggling at some of the things said. I enjoyed the author’s descriptions and could easily picture the town in my mind. Ellie’s mother added an even more humorous element to the novel. I felt the ending was perhaps a bit rushed, but I can say I was very surprised as to who the culprit was! I haven’t read many cozy mysteries, but I would definitely pick up another by Dee Ernst. I can firmly say she has created a new fan for the genre.
More...