Synopsis

When personal concierge Keri Armstrong swings by her favorite client’s mansion to drop off groceries, she expects a heartfelt chat along with a cup of tea—not Fiona Sullivan dead in bed and her room ransacked. Though police chalk it up to a botched robbery, Keri isn’t so sure. Whispers around town suggest Fiona wasn’t as adored as Keri had believed, and many of the philanthropist’s so-called friends in affluent Sunny Grove, Florida seem glad she’s gone. As Keri digs deeper, she discovers her late mentor had a gift for extracting people’s secrets and using them like fine china—carefully storing them until they could serve a purpose. But Fiona also kept a few skeletons in her own walk-in closet. Now, with danger creeping closer, Keri must race to crack the case before her number comes up next… and Murder Pays a Call.

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Review

This fun, new, cozy series blends a likeable protagonist with an interesting business. Personal Concierge services can be necessary, especially for those with busy lives or who are not able to get around. Keri has a small staff, but that doesn’t stop her from stepping in for some of her favorite clients. Fiona is one of them. Keri goes from planning an 80th-birthday celebration to planning a funeral meal. She isn’t afraid to investigate to help determine who killed Fiona and why.

I enjoyed this series, and sometimes I am lucky enough to sort out the killer before they are revealed. I can’t say that in this book, but I did suspect the killer. I can’t tell you why, but something about this character seemed off. However, there are diversions away from this character with reasonable explanations.

I liked how there are several potential love interests for Keri. Will one of them win out, or will someone new come upon the scene in future books?

Keri has some really good friends, and I found that her reporter friend wasn’t rushing to file stories for print. In a way, it felt like “old-time” reporting. I do think Keri tried to help everyone, and while that is admirable, she probably needed to step back at times and let people come to their own conclusions.

This is a fun new series starter, and if you like the author’s Bad Hair Day series, you will probably like this one too.

We give it 4 paws up.

About the Author

Nancy J. Cohen has published over 30 books, including the Bad Hair Day mystery series and the Keri Armstrong cozy mysteries. Her novels have won numerous awards along with her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook. Active in the writing community, Nancy is a past president of Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter and Florida Romance Writers. She’s currently the vice president of Citrus Crime Writers and is a frequent speaker at conferences, libraries, writing workshops and book club events. When not busy writing, she enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World.

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