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Nora Black #1
Sense and Scent Ability
My name is Nora Black, and I'm fifty-one-years young. At least that's what I tell myself, when I'm not having hot flashes, my knees don't hurt, and I can find my reading glasses.
I’m also the proud owner of a salon called Scents & Scentsability in the small resort town of Garden Cove, where I make a cozy living selling handmade bath and beauty products. All in all, my life is pretty good.
Except for one little glitch...
Since my recent hysterectomy, where I died on the operating table, I’ve been experiencing what some might call paranormal activity. No, I don’t see dead people, but quite suddenly I’m triggered by scents that, in their wake, leave behind these vividly intense memories. Sometimes they’re unfocused and hazy, but there’s no doubt, they are very, very real.
Know what else? They’re not my memories. It seems I've lost a uterus and gained a psychic gift.
When my best friend's abusive boyfriend ends up dead after a fire, and she becomes the prime suspect, I end up a babysitter to her two teenagers while she's locked up in the clink. Add to that the handsome detective determined to stand in my way, my super sniffer’s newly acquired abilities and a rash of memories connected to the real criminal, and I find myself in a race to catch a killer before my best friend is tried for murder.
I’m also the proud owner of a salon called Scents & Scentsability in the small resort town of Garden Cove, where I make a cozy living selling handmade bath and beauty products. All in all, my life is pretty good.
Except for one little glitch...
Since my recent hysterectomy, where I died on the operating table, I’ve been experiencing what some might call paranormal activity. No, I don’t see dead people, but quite suddenly I’m triggered by scents that, in their wake, leave behind these vividly intense memories. Sometimes they’re unfocused and hazy, but there’s no doubt, they are very, very real.
Know what else? They’re not my memories. It seems I've lost a uterus and gained a psychic gift.
When my best friend's abusive boyfriend ends up dead after a fire, and she becomes the prime suspect, I end up a babysitter to her two teenagers while she's locked up in the clink. Add to that the handsome detective determined to stand in my way, my super sniffer’s newly acquired abilities and a rash of memories connected to the real criminal, and I find myself in a race to catch a killer before my best friend is tried for murder.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2020
947 people are currently reading
1223 people want to read
About the author
Renee George
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About Renee:
USA Today Bestselling author Renee George writes paranormal mysteries and romances because she loves all things whodunit, Otherworldly, and weird. Also, she wishes her pittie, the adorable Kona Princess Warrior, and her beagle, Josie the Incontinent Princess, could talk. Or at least be more like Scooby-Doo and help her unmask villains at the haunted house up the street.
When she’s not writing about mystery-solving werecougars or the adventures of a hapless psychic living among shapeshifters, she is preyed upon by stray kittens who end up living in her house because she can't say no to those sweet, furry faces. (Someone stop telling them where she lives!)
She resides in Mid-Missouri with her family and spends her non-writing time doing really cool stuff...like watching TV and cleaning up dog poop.
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Author Note: For readers who have enjoyed reading my books and taken the time to share their love in reviews, thank you so much! I can't tell you how much it means to me to know my work is valued.
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Renee George
Sign Up Here--> https://www.renee-george.com/newsletter
About Renee:
USA Today Bestselling author Renee George writes paranormal mysteries and romances because she loves all things whodunit, Otherworldly, and weird. Also, she wishes her pittie, the adorable Kona Princess Warrior, and her beagle, Josie the Incontinent Princess, could talk. Or at least be more like Scooby-Doo and help her unmask villains at the haunted house up the street.
When she’s not writing about mystery-solving werecougars or the adventures of a hapless psychic living among shapeshifters, she is preyed upon by stray kittens who end up living in her house because she can't say no to those sweet, furry faces. (Someone stop telling them where she lives!)
She resides in Mid-Missouri with her family and spends her non-writing time doing really cool stuff...like watching TV and cleaning up dog poop.
Connect with Renee George!
Join Renee's Rebel Readers (Facebook Group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/renee...
Like "Renee George, Author" fan page:
https://www.facebook.com/authorreneeg...
Follow Renee on Twitter: @reneegeorge2008
Instagram: author_renee_george
Author Note: For readers who have enjoyed reading my books and taken the time to share their love in reviews, thank you so much! I can't tell you how much it means to me to know my work is valued.
Hugs,
Renee George
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
February 8, 2022
Sense and Scent Ability by Renee George
Paranormal women’s fiction.
After dying on the operating table, Nora Black has a new ability to see memories that are not hers, based on a triggered scent. When her BFF’s abusive boyfriend is found dead, Nora finds herself in the middle of the investigation because of her new paranormal ability.
Intriguing and entertaining. A bit of sass, and sarcasm as Nora bumbles through her new skill. I’m very interested to see where this goes and how she skills expand. And maybe a bit of a romance in the future?
Paranormal women’s fiction.
After dying on the operating table, Nora Black has a new ability to see memories that are not hers, based on a triggered scent. When her BFF’s abusive boyfriend is found dead, Nora finds herself in the middle of the investigation because of her new paranormal ability.
Intriguing and entertaining. A bit of sass, and sarcasm as Nora bumbles through her new skill. I’m very interested to see where this goes and how she skills expand. And maybe a bit of a romance in the future?
July 21, 2022
Wow.. so I hovered between a 2.5 and a 3 stars on this book. I loved the premise, the mystery was good, but man oh man did I seriously dislike.. I mean to the ends of the world and back, DISLIKE the main character. She was rude, condescending, rude, rude, know it all, rude, I swear if I met her in person I would have put tape over her mouth to stop her from taking. She believed that because she was the daughter of the late Sheriff (eons ago) that somehow gave her special insight into knowing how to run investigations better than the actual detectives. If she actually spoke to detectives the way she did to the “love interest” in the book, she would have been arrested for interfering with the investigation. She was doing more harm than good and was so self righteous about it 🙄🙄🙄ughhh it seriously soured my enjoyment of the book.
What otherwise could have been a great book, became barely tolerable.
What otherwise could have been a great book, became barely tolerable.
February 21, 2021
Sense and Scent Ability is a delightful start to a new cozy mystery series. Nora Black died on the operating table for exactly twenty-seven seconds and since she came back she has the ability to sense other people’s memories. She uses this new ability to help the hunky (younger) detective solve the case of who killed her bff’s abusive ex-boyfriend.
Nora is a total hoot and her friends encourage her in the best ways. This was a wonderful way to meet Nora and her crazy cast of friends. I look forward to more adventures with the lot.
Nora is a total hoot and her friends encourage her in the best ways. This was a wonderful way to meet Nora and her crazy cast of friends. I look forward to more adventures with the lot.
March 31, 2020
Love Nora
Nora is one of the most relatable characters to come along in a while. Hot flashes, mood swings, and not taking crap from no one! AND she can solve mysteries with her nose. What’s not to like?
Nora is one of the most relatable characters to come along in a while. Hot flashes, mood swings, and not taking crap from no one! AND she can solve mysteries with her nose. What’s not to like?
February 13, 2022
This was a quick little read. It fits in well with the Paranormal Women’s Fiction reads I have read before now. I liked that while Nora’s age was a factor and mentioned or eluded to a good deal, it didn’t feel over the top. Her ability is interesting and gave the book a cozy mystery vibe. I liked the fierce friendships and the general feel of being at peace with your past choices. Good book and promising series!
March 1, 2022
Being a woman of the same age as the main character I thoroughly enjoyed her sarcasm, her issues with her body changes, and her spunk. I’m sure this book isn’t for everyone but I enjoyed it. I liked the characters and the idea of smell-o-vision. It was a light, fun read.
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March 30, 2020Nora is recovering from surgery and her best friends are acting like mommies with her, but she has had enough the doctor says she can go back to work. She opened a business about 8 months ago. Now her best friend Gilly is dating Lloyd but he's abusive and she sees that Gilly dumped him but not physically. She has changed since the surgery but she is scared to tell her friends. Things start to heat up when Lloyd comes to her house drunk one night looking for Gilly, from there things seem to go down hill for both of them until Detective Ezra Holden steps in and he is investigating and Nora is not sure he is trying to help or to hinder her own investigation. Lot's of action, suspense, mystery and romance. The story line is very intriguing and realistic as well as characters are very interesting.
I was given an ARC as a gift from author without obligations. I am providing an honest review.
I was given an ARC as a gift from author without obligations. I am providing an honest review.
August 21, 2021
I enjoyed this cozy mystery. The first novel in a series it introduces Nora, a 51 year old woman. She is herself both good and bad. The mystery is well-developed and the characters are fun and interesting. I was a little disappointed in the author's descriptions of 'an older woman'. I think the 'infirmness' described is more typical of a woman 15 or 20 years older than Nora but I understood the intent and of course we all experience aging differently. I really enjoyed the uniqueness of Nora's new ability resulting from her momentary death on the operating table. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
July 10, 2021
As a middle-aged woman myself, I loved all of the ways that RG conveys the age and mindset of Nora. Bodily aches, energy levels, hot flashes, hormones ... I can confirm that despite my chronological age, I also feel in my twenties mentally! I really appreciated that Nora was childless-by-choice, and had the strength to leave a marriage because her partner's goals ran counter to her own. There isn't enough of that representation of bodily autonomy in our media.
June 10, 2021
DNF--too much unneeded detail about family heath problems at the beginning. Also, immediate excess description of character for no reason.
Did not grab me. Writing was fine, but not exciting. It did not make we want to read more. This one was free, but I learned about it because the 2d one was on sale for 99 cents. Too bad I bought it. Good luck to Ms. George, but just not for me.
Did not grab me. Writing was fine, but not exciting. It did not make we want to read more. This one was free, but I learned about it because the 2d one was on sale for 99 cents. Too bad I bought it. Good luck to Ms. George, but just not for me.
July 18, 2023
I made the mistake of reading this series out of order! I didn't care for Nora in this story! I felt her actions made her and Gilly prime suspects, and she should have known better! I did like her while reading Aroma Holiday, which why I went back to the beginning of the series. Otherwise, I enjoyed the series premise, that Nora gets visions from scents.
June 29, 2021
I thought this was a fine, middle of the road story and the narrator did a fine (if inconsistent) job with the audio. I liked Nora. I liked the decisions to let her be a 50+ year old woman who decided not to have children and that not be a point of contention in the novel. I liked the younger potential romantic partner. I liked the female friendships and that there isn't any jealous among them.
I did think Nora (who's 51) feels too infirm for the age. Sure, as the body gets older, there's the occasional ache or pain. But she sounds like she's far older, if her failing body is anything to go by. Sometimes I feel like aches, pains, and a leaky bladder are the only things authors can think of to signal a middle-aged or above woman. And as Nora hasn't had children the bladder is off the table as an option. So, I guess George had no other option than to focus on her achy knees...or something.
All in all, the book did the job of keeping me distracted and I'd read another one.
I did think Nora (who's 51) feels too infirm for the age. Sure, as the body gets older, there's the occasional ache or pain. But she sounds like she's far older, if her failing body is anything to go by. Sometimes I feel like aches, pains, and a leaky bladder are the only things authors can think of to signal a middle-aged or above woman. And as Nora hasn't had children the bladder is off the table as an option. So, I guess George had no other option than to focus on her achy knees...or something.
All in all, the book did the job of keeping me distracted and I'd read another one.
April 4, 2022
In the midst of recovering from surgery, running a successful business, and learning to deal with her new psychic ability, Nora Black has a murder to solve. And the main suspect is her best friend.
This was such a fun read. Nora and her best friend Gillian are a great team and their friendship was wonderful to witness. Pippa, the assistant at Nora's store, makes up the trio and is a great addition. I'd love to spend more time in their company.
The mystery was interesting and the writing was fluid. I'm not sure if I'd classify Nora as a fully-fledged investigator because she did lean heavily on her newfound talent. The twist at the end threw me (in a very good way) and nicely rounded out the story.
This book was one of those that I couldn't leave alone once I started it. Absolute entertainment. I'm looking forward to the next one.
This was such a fun read. Nora and her best friend Gillian are a great team and their friendship was wonderful to witness. Pippa, the assistant at Nora's store, makes up the trio and is a great addition. I'd love to spend more time in their company.
The mystery was interesting and the writing was fluid. I'm not sure if I'd classify Nora as a fully-fledged investigator because she did lean heavily on her newfound talent. The twist at the end threw me (in a very good way) and nicely rounded out the story.
This book was one of those that I couldn't leave alone once I started it. Absolute entertainment. I'm looking forward to the next one.
January 28, 2022
Improbable and throughly enjoyable
Love these cosy mystery/paranormal/older women protagonist stories. There's a delightful set of very real characterswho celebrate the vicissitudes of ageing bodies, sharp minds, long friendships and years of wisdom, and dont wait for permission to save themselves and their friends. Light, enjoyable reading.
Love these cosy mystery/paranormal/older women protagonist stories. There's a delightful set of very real characterswho celebrate the vicissitudes of ageing bodies, sharp minds, long friendships and years of wisdom, and dont wait for permission to save themselves and their friends. Light, enjoyable reading.
October 25, 2021
Definitely a unique psychic twist and a fun and relatable cast of characters! I can't wait to continue the series!
December 10, 2021
Really liked the characters.
December 5, 2024
I liked this midlife crisis with a sniffer twist. Nothing new, but still a fine cozy mystery.
April 1, 2020
Great book
The main character is a divorced woman, 51 years old, no children. She has two very close girlfriends, and she is the godmother to two teenage twins. I can relate with this character. I am much older, but many aspects of her life were like mine at that age, sans the murder mystery and the psychic talent. So she is perfect for my escape reads. Who wAnts normal. I get that every day. I liked More's character. I liked everything about her. And it was a great mystery. Good ending too.
The main character is a divorced woman, 51 years old, no children. She has two very close girlfriends, and she is the godmother to two teenage twins. I can relate with this character. I am much older, but many aspects of her life were like mine at that age, sans the murder mystery and the psychic talent. So she is perfect for my escape reads. Who wAnts normal. I get that every day. I liked More's character. I liked everything about her. And it was a great mystery. Good ending too.
July 5, 2021
Ok, this was the cutest little mystery. Unfortunately I would never have imagined a superpower run off smell because my allergies are so bad, i can't smell a thing, lol. That made it all the better, because this book literally gave me something i've never imagined before. And Ms George delivered it in an amusing and heartfelt way. I love it when characters are just as sarcastic and smartass as i am and Nora, Gilly, and Pippa are a trio made for my kind of humor. I can't wait to read more in this series!
March 18, 2022
Very nice entertaining read, perfect to wind down
January 26, 2025
Paranormal women's fiction.
Cozy Mystery
I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading the entire series
Characters were relatable.
Cozy Mystery
I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading the entire series
Characters were relatable.
January 16, 2023
This is a great start to this series! It jumps right in with Nora recovering from surgery – where she actually died on the table. When she wakes up, she finds that certain spells trigger memories – but they are someone else’s memories. Nora’s best friend is accused of murder and all the evidence seems to point right at her. I liked the world building and I can totally relate to Nora’s creaky knees! Looking forward to watching the characters grow!
March 31, 2020
Once I started this book, I just couldn't put it down. Renee George has done it again with a wonderful first book in a new cozy mystery series with a touch of the paranormal. Nora is a middle aged protagonist who has just had a major operation where she had to be brought back on the operating table. Her best friend Gilly and her employee, Pippa in her shop where she sells homemade soaps and scents and makeup, have an eagle eye on Nora to make sure she is ready to return to work. When Gilly's latest boyfriend Lloyd follows Gilly to Nora's house drunk and abusive, Nora gets in his face and chases him away. BUT not before she has a vision of something he may have done in the past. Seems, since her being brought back to life in her operation, she has visions if she smells a scent on or near someone. When Lloyd is found dead near her friends burned barbeque restaurant Gilly gets arrested. Circumstancial evidence piles up on Gilly and Nora is on a tear to clear her friend. Detective Ezra Holden, is in charge of finding the evidence directly putting Gilly at the scene of the murder. Seems things become a love/hate type relationship between Ezra and Nora while she tries to get him to look elsewhere. To boot the chief of police is Nora's exhusband from 20 years ago. Can she find the murderer in time or will the murderer find her first. Will all the evidence against Gilly be explained? Will Nora end up with Gilly's teens? Wow so much happens. This book is a fast read because you just can't put it down so you have to read it in one sitting! I really like this new series and there are some promising threads hanging out there for another great book 2! I received and ARC from the author but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
April 1, 2020
I truly love this story and the fact that the heroine is over 50! Nora is a quirky ol lady who isn't afraid to stand up for a good friend. You feel empathy for her losing her mom and then starting her life over a second time. I love the shop she tends and how it blends in with her new found ability. Pippa sounds like she'd be an awesome friend to have and Gillian too. Ezra sounds hunky and am loving how he and Nora hit it off! I enjoyed how the clues kinda hit her out of nowhere and lead her to the next clue or important puzzle piece. Although now I may rethink anything smoked! LOL! I do so love the idea that the star of the show is an over 50 woman and not some young willowy thing....it is refreshing to read of Nora as a sexy older woman! It's easy to picture yourself in Nora's place =) I have come to enjoy the sluethy type of story (cozy mystery) even though paranormal is my first love. I very much look forward to reading more about Nora and group of friends! A great, quick read for a lazy afternoon!
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for my review! Thank you Renee for a great afternoon get-away!
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for my review! Thank you Renee for a great afternoon get-away!
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March 27, 2021
Sense and Scent Ability is now in audiobook! The narrator Magaret Strom does such a great job with Nora's POV, and I am so excited that she's doing the whole series!
https://www.renee-george.com/audioboo...
October 31, 2022
There were so many things about this book that I enjoyed. I liked that Nora is older. She's enjoyed her life and knows that it's not over just because she's over fifty. I love the friendships that she has. When her best friend is the prime suspect in her ex-boyfriend's death, Nora is there for everything. She helps with her kids even though she never wanted to be a mother. It was a great book and I'm looking forward to reading about more of Nora's adventures.
February 21, 2021
This book was cute enough, and there were some things I enjoyed, but there were more that I found disappointing.
First the good:
I enjoyed her "super sniffer" ability. I found it a creative application in the genre and well presented. The ease with which people around her believed her, however, was unbelievable to me.
I enjoyed the mystery. The author dropped all the clues, and led us to the answer but there were plenty of twists along the way.
The bad:
I found the representation of hysterectomies and menopause a bit over the top. Not just in Nora, but also Gilly. The hysterectomy is presented as the culprit in all her problems, but Gilly, the same age as Nora, is also menopausal. That is because Nora would be menopausal with or without the hysterectomy. So, the way this is treated here totally baffles me. And, it irritated me.
The sex discussions. I just don't get it. Maybe I'm just over the PWF genre of all the menopause and sex discussions. Yes, we are old. Yes, we can still be "involved". But, the stereotypes are getting, well, old to me. Surely we have something better to talk about than chin hairs and dryness. I love the fact that we have older heroines and I realize we have different issues, but they should be . . . different. Not all the same.
Also, I hate that they love interest is 15 years younger than she. That is something that just irritates me. I *know* it happens. In fact, I have 2 people in my own life that have this type relationship. But, here, it *feels* like she is trying to prove to herself that dating a younger man makes her somehow more valuable? beautiful? younger? I don't know. But, it is disappointing to me.
I didn't hate this one. I enjoyed the story. It was the stereotypes that left me looking for more.
First the good:
I enjoyed her "super sniffer" ability. I found it a creative application in the genre and well presented. The ease with which people around her believed her, however, was unbelievable to me.
I enjoyed the mystery. The author dropped all the clues, and led us to the answer but there were plenty of twists along the way.
The bad:
I found the representation of hysterectomies and menopause a bit over the top. Not just in Nora, but also Gilly. The hysterectomy is presented as the culprit in all her problems, but Gilly, the same age as Nora, is also menopausal. That is because Nora would be menopausal with or without the hysterectomy. So, the way this is treated here totally baffles me. And, it irritated me.
The sex discussions. I just don't get it. Maybe I'm just over the PWF genre of all the menopause and sex discussions. Yes, we are old. Yes, we can still be "involved". But, the stereotypes are getting, well, old to me. Surely we have something better to talk about than chin hairs and dryness. I love the fact that we have older heroines and I realize we have different issues, but they should be . . . different. Not all the same.
Also, I hate that they love interest is 15 years younger than she. That is something that just irritates me. I *know* it happens. In fact, I have 2 people in my own life that have this type relationship. But, here, it *feels* like she is trying to prove to herself that dating a younger man makes her somehow more valuable? beautiful? younger? I don't know. But, it is disappointing to me.
I didn't hate this one. I enjoyed the story. It was the stereotypes that left me looking for more.
January 10, 2021
A mediocre example of a genre that, in my experience, tends to mediocrity. The mystery is largely progressed through the main character's unexplained superpower, but the solution ends up basically being dropped in her lap anyway. The romance subplot is even less developed, and seems to exist basically because it's expected to, not because the couple is particularly likely; there's little if any justification on the page for their romance.
"Expected" describes the book pretty well, in fact. The love interest even has green eyes - that's the level of cliche we're dealing with. The main character (I hesitate to say "protagonist" - she does try to solve the story problem, but as I mentioned doesn't really resolve it, instead being handed the solution) is the usual small-town small business owner. She can take extended time away from her business without issue in order to deal with the plot, though, because she has a faithful assistant. Her BFF doubles as the murder suspect. There's a hot cop as the love interest. It's all made from box mix.
If you have an endless appetite for books exactly like this, this is one. If you're looking for originality and capable execution of mystery and romance plots that work in their own right, which I was, this is not the book for you.
"Expected" describes the book pretty well, in fact. The love interest even has green eyes - that's the level of cliche we're dealing with. The main character (I hesitate to say "protagonist" - she does try to solve the story problem, but as I mentioned doesn't really resolve it, instead being handed the solution) is the usual small-town small business owner. She can take extended time away from her business without issue in order to deal with the plot, though, because she has a faithful assistant. Her BFF doubles as the murder suspect. There's a hot cop as the love interest. It's all made from box mix.
If you have an endless appetite for books exactly like this, this is one. If you're looking for originality and capable execution of mystery and romance plots that work in their own right, which I was, this is not the book for you.
April 2, 2020
Nora Black is a very interesting woman. She’s endured so much grief in the last year, starting with the death of her mother and ending with her own death (for 27 seconds) on the operating table recently. Now she has a weird new ability to see visions triggered by scents. An ability that she needs to figure out if she wants to prove her best friend’s innocence. All she has to do us convince Ezra, the hot detective on the case of her psychic nose.
This is one of the best cozy mysteries I’ve read recently and I strongly recommend it.
This is one of the best cozy mysteries I’ve read recently and I strongly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews