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Psychic Eye Mystery #1
Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye
Abby Cooper is a P.I., psychic intuitive. But her insight failed her when she didn't foresee the death of one of her clients-or that the lead investigator for the case is the gorgeous blind date she just met. Now, with the police suspicious of her abilities and a killer on the loose, Abby's future looks more uncertain than ever.
Mass Market Paperback
First published December 7, 2004
200 people are currently reading
14618 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Laurie
53 books3,177 followersVictoria Laurie is the New York Times bestselling author of 32 books and counting. Over the past 16 years Victoria has created several series and a few stand-alone novels. Her mystery series include: The Psychic Eye Mysteries, The Life Coach Mysteries, and The Ghost Hunter Mysteries. She's also the author of two YA books, When and Forever Again, as well as a middle-grade series called The Oracles of Delphi Keep.
Currently, Victoria is working on the 17th book in both the Psychic Eye Mysteries and the 3rd book in the Life Coach Mysteries, along with also working to produce a brand NEW series called Spellbound set for release winter/spring 2020.
Victoria loves to connect with her fans, and you can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Victo...
Currently, Victoria is working on the 17th book in both the Psychic Eye Mysteries and the 3rd book in the Life Coach Mysteries, along with also working to produce a brand NEW series called Spellbound set for release winter/spring 2020.
Victoria loves to connect with her fans, and you can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Victo...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,086 reviews
September 23, 2011
While I didn't expect an intense, à la Simenon mystery, I didn't contemplate reading something so chatty, either. For the first one hundred pages, it's just useless talk, talk, talk. About the friend of narrator Abby moving out to California, Abby's dog Eggy, Abby and Eggy having breakfast together, Abby's moody clients. I wonder: Does Victoria Laurie perhaps confuse chatty with witty? While there are entertaining moments, and a murder plot finally emerges, Laurie is neither a Janet Evanovich nor a Mary Higgins Clark. Nor should she be. But should she perhaps aspire to slightly more than whipped cream and a little cherry on top? For underneath all that there is very little substance.
Does being entertained necessarily mean plunging into vacuity?
Laurie is herself a psychic. I would have hoped then for a more interesting character. Although the reader is being warned on the very first page of Chapter One -probably the best, funniest page of the whole novel, that she is boring like vanilla ice cream. All in all, the book has all the commercial ingredients: a superficial mystery and a predictable love story. Plus, on occasion, a voice that could shine but chooses to glow instead. It's fun fluff to take to the beach. As soon as you will be done, your brain will act like waves on sand and erase it all.
Does being entertained necessarily mean plunging into vacuity?
Laurie is herself a psychic. I would have hoped then for a more interesting character. Although the reader is being warned on the very first page of Chapter One -probably the best, funniest page of the whole novel, that she is boring like vanilla ice cream. All in all, the book has all the commercial ingredients: a superficial mystery and a predictable love story. Plus, on occasion, a voice that could shine but chooses to glow instead. It's fun fluff to take to the beach. As soon as you will be done, your brain will act like waves on sand and erase it all.
February 24, 2015
I was looking for brain candy; this was the verbal equivalent of Pop Rocks. Actually, I don't know a candy awful enough to stand as an analogy to this book.
Egregious quotations: "Me liiiiikes it!"
"kissed the bejesus out of me."
"He had that effect on people; he was someone who quite literally exuded virility [oh, dear God], and like a scent in the air it tickled the noses of everyone interested. A flutter of insecurity tickled my tummy, and I wished for not the first time [!!!] that day that I had put more effort into my appearance before leaving the house."
"Dutch opened the door to a bedroom just down the hall. I was surprised to see that the room was painted a pale lavender with white trim. Lace doilies and antique porcelain knickknacks dotted every surface. I cocked one eyebrow at him, as if to question his sexual orientation . . ." She should definitely be questioning something, but way to insert a gross stereotype!
Then there are the 19 quotations of "Liar, liar, pants on fire." The protagonist, a psychic, apparently hears this rhyme every time someone lies. It gets old fast.
The only reason I picked up this cornball was because I liked the author's YA books, or at least those I've read. The contrast between the two series perfectly illustrates the fact that YA is not just dumbed-down, oversimplified adult stories.
Egregious quotations: "Me liiiiikes it!"
"kissed the bejesus out of me."
"He had that effect on people; he was someone who quite literally exuded virility [oh, dear God], and like a scent in the air it tickled the noses of everyone interested. A flutter of insecurity tickled my tummy, and I wished for not the first time [!!!] that day that I had put more effort into my appearance before leaving the house."
"Dutch opened the door to a bedroom just down the hall. I was surprised to see that the room was painted a pale lavender with white trim. Lace doilies and antique porcelain knickknacks dotted every surface. I cocked one eyebrow at him, as if to question his sexual orientation . . ." She should definitely be questioning something, but way to insert a gross stereotype!
Then there are the 19 quotations of "Liar, liar, pants on fire." The protagonist, a psychic, apparently hears this rhyme every time someone lies. It gets old fast.
The only reason I picked up this cornball was because I liked the author's YA books, or at least those I've read. The contrast between the two series perfectly illustrates the fact that YA is not just dumbed-down, oversimplified adult stories.
January 16, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I think I may have found a replacement for the now horrid Stephanie Plum series. Not that Abby Cooper is anything like Stephanie Plum. But sometimes I need a light mystery with some laughs, and this fits the bill. The characters are pretty likable, but flawed. Like, Abby actually has a bad day and goes off on people for no reason. You know, like a normal person. I appreciated that. And the psychic angle adds a nice little quirk. I really liked the fact that Abby's sister spends her money. I hate when there are rich characters in books who are too noble to spend their money. What's the point in being rich if you don't spend the money? There were a couple of things that did annoy me, but overall I really enjoyed this and would definitely read another in the series.
April 14, 2021
Whoever has mused that covers attract hasn't lied, for I admit the cover of this book is what first drew me to it. I always am a sucker for cozy mysteries, and this proved to be a fun one.
Abby's personality is a contagious mixture of bubbling awkwardness, firm self-assurance, and strong sense of humanity. Although she's a psychic, she's sure to limit her clients to only two visits per year, in order to prove to them true answers lie within themselves, and not to fall into the trap of being a scam artist causing others to depend on psychics for all their endless answers. Detective Dutch Rivers was a fun, protective guy...what is it about detectives that usually ends up so hot in most books? His personality was great, from the awkward set-up date to the interrogations and, finally, to the ultimate revelation of his feelings.
The mystery itself was also a pay-off, as it was hard to pinpoint who the culprit was. As Abby tried on a few red herrings for size - and enraged the detective at the same time - it was good times. The slow unraveling of clues produced a decent mystery that wasn't conveniently answered, and the suspense scenes when shown (there weren't many), were well-written. Thankfully Abby did the clever thing when she was threatened at the end, not being overly heroic (read: silly and stupid). This gave her a depth of realism I always like to read about with my characters.
Not to mention, the psychic ability itself was just plain cool! Okay, I know there's misconceptions about psychics, but this is an ability I'd kill to have. She doesn't get strange premonitions out of the blue by touching various objects like overly-dramatic lifetime movie renditions, but instead it's just a natural flow of things for her. She's a strong psychic, as well, and I always like when it seems realistic.
There's humor, too, but not to where it's cloying. Some amusing situations that fit with the ironic side of life, but nothing forced and too comedic to where it takes over the book. Nothing overly violent - there are deaths, of course - but no descriptive phrases that would make the violence-weary shudder in their beds. It's an addictive book that's easy to get through; I read it in one day. The length isn't atrociously short, being 295 pages, but something about the subject and the author's great writing style made it easy to breeze through quickly. I can't wait for more of this series!
Abby's personality is a contagious mixture of bubbling awkwardness, firm self-assurance, and strong sense of humanity. Although she's a psychic, she's sure to limit her clients to only two visits per year, in order to prove to them true answers lie within themselves, and not to fall into the trap of being a scam artist causing others to depend on psychics for all their endless answers. Detective Dutch Rivers was a fun, protective guy...what is it about detectives that usually ends up so hot in most books? His personality was great, from the awkward set-up date to the interrogations and, finally, to the ultimate revelation of his feelings.
The mystery itself was also a pay-off, as it was hard to pinpoint who the culprit was. As Abby tried on a few red herrings for size - and enraged the detective at the same time - it was good times. The slow unraveling of clues produced a decent mystery that wasn't conveniently answered, and the suspense scenes when shown (there weren't many), were well-written. Thankfully Abby did the clever thing when she was threatened at the end, not being overly heroic (read: silly and stupid). This gave her a depth of realism I always like to read about with my characters.
Not to mention, the psychic ability itself was just plain cool! Okay, I know there's misconceptions about psychics, but this is an ability I'd kill to have. She doesn't get strange premonitions out of the blue by touching various objects like overly-dramatic lifetime movie renditions, but instead it's just a natural flow of things for her. She's a strong psychic, as well, and I always like when it seems realistic.
There's humor, too, but not to where it's cloying. Some amusing situations that fit with the ironic side of life, but nothing forced and too comedic to where it takes over the book. Nothing overly violent - there are deaths, of course - but no descriptive phrases that would make the violence-weary shudder in their beds. It's an addictive book that's easy to get through; I read it in one day. The length isn't atrociously short, being 295 pages, but something about the subject and the author's great writing style made it easy to breeze through quickly. I can't wait for more of this series!
February 21, 2011
Review originally posted on Bitten Books and given 4 stars.
This book was a quick, fun, and light read. It didn't have much substance but I wasn't hoping for any. Laurie had me laughing out loud at certain parts and commending her on many of her witty and sarcastic remarks. I really enjoyed the writing style and feel of this book. It was fast paced without being overwhelming and the subject of a psychic detective never felt contrived or unrealistic.
I enjoyed all of Laurie's characters. Abby grew on me quite quickly. She was funny, caring and in a little over her head, which I always find fun when paired with humor. She had a great voice that kept me interested and chowing down chapters. I especially loved Abby's interactions with other characters. Her budding relationship with Dutch was the highlight but I also really enjoyed the interactions she had with her sister, Cat. I can't wait to see the Abby/Dutch relationship furthered in future books. Getting to know and trust one another was funny in this book but I can't wait to see a true partnership form between them (both professionally and personally).
Usually I don't mention any author information in my reviews but I felt this was too relevant not too. Victoria Laurie is a real life police psychic. While my personal opinion is that that's a load of hoo-ha, I couldn't help but think how how cool it was that she made a cozy mystery out of her life. I think she did a great job touching on preconceptions people have and treating them with humor and levity. I think if more psychics had her attitude and approach, my image of a psychic wouldn't be Professor Trelawney.
This book was a quick, fun, and light read. It didn't have much substance but I wasn't hoping for any. Laurie had me laughing out loud at certain parts and commending her on many of her witty and sarcastic remarks. I really enjoyed the writing style and feel of this book. It was fast paced without being overwhelming and the subject of a psychic detective never felt contrived or unrealistic.
I enjoyed all of Laurie's characters. Abby grew on me quite quickly. She was funny, caring and in a little over her head, which I always find fun when paired with humor. She had a great voice that kept me interested and chowing down chapters. I especially loved Abby's interactions with other characters. Her budding relationship with Dutch was the highlight but I also really enjoyed the interactions she had with her sister, Cat. I can't wait to see the Abby/Dutch relationship furthered in future books. Getting to know and trust one another was funny in this book but I can't wait to see a true partnership form between them (both professionally and personally).
Usually I don't mention any author information in my reviews but I felt this was too relevant not too. Victoria Laurie is a real life police psychic. While my personal opinion is that that's a load of hoo-ha, I couldn't help but think how how cool it was that she made a cozy mystery out of her life. I think she did a great job touching on preconceptions people have and treating them with humor and levity. I think if more psychics had her attitude and approach, my image of a psychic wouldn't be Professor Trelawney.
September 3, 2012
I'm reading this now and really enjoying it! Smart and feisty heroine, sexy boyfriend/cop and a good romance going on, mystery, action, and suspense, all done with a great sense of humor!
April 16, 2010
After years of struggling to accept her psychic ability, Abby Cooper decides to put her gift to use and starts a business as a psychic intuitive. Her business is doing very well and she is booked months in advance. Abby sees so many clients she can't remember them all and even though she got an "icky" feeling while doing a reading for Allison Pierce, she soon forgets about her. But Allison is murdered and the police, skeptical about Abby's psychic powers, think Abby had something to do with the murder since she knows a lot about it. Abby, needing to clear her name, beings to investigate Allison's life and death. Hunky police detective Dutch Rivers is soon convinced of her innocence but is unhappy that Abby is investigating the case because he realizes the real killer is dangerous. Abby soon realizes she should have listened to Dutch as she faces very real danger.
"Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye" is a wonderful debut novel in what promises to be a fun cozy mystery series. Author Victoria Laurie does a good job of explaining how Abby's psychic powers came to be and how the psychic mind works. There's a nice sense of humor throughout the book, especially when Abby does her readings. Abby is a fully developed character, with Laurie giving little tidbits about Abby's relationship with her parents, plus good insight into her relationship with her sister, Cat, who is another great character. Abby's relationship with Dutch is also well done and realistic as she struggles to accept that he is a cop who doesn't want her involved in the case and he struggles to accept her psychic abilities. As for the mystery itself, while the murder and motive are all too real and tragic, armchair sleuths may be disappointed that they don't really have a chance to figure out who the murderer is. Still, it is the characters that make this book so enjoyable and worth reading.
I really enjoyed reading "Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye" and have already picked up the next book in the series. Well done.
"Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye" is a wonderful debut novel in what promises to be a fun cozy mystery series. Author Victoria Laurie does a good job of explaining how Abby's psychic powers came to be and how the psychic mind works. There's a nice sense of humor throughout the book, especially when Abby does her readings. Abby is a fully developed character, with Laurie giving little tidbits about Abby's relationship with her parents, plus good insight into her relationship with her sister, Cat, who is another great character. Abby's relationship with Dutch is also well done and realistic as she struggles to accept that he is a cop who doesn't want her involved in the case and he struggles to accept her psychic abilities. As for the mystery itself, while the murder and motive are all too real and tragic, armchair sleuths may be disappointed that they don't really have a chance to figure out who the murderer is. Still, it is the characters that make this book so enjoyable and worth reading.
I really enjoyed reading "Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye" and have already picked up the next book in the series. Well done.
July 29, 2016
Ever noticed how superheroes always have really useful superpowers?
Strength, speed, the ability to read minds. No superhero has autoclave vision, or breath so bad that it gets rid of vermin. No superhero has the ability to recite π to 1000 places. Maybe there are semi-heroes who can do those things but I guess they're not superheroes because there's nothing super about that stuff.
Abby Cooper is in the superhero group. She can see into the future with uncanny accuracy. So uncanny errr...so accurate....uncannily accurate that you couldn't help but believe her. She knows stuff she couldn't possibly know if she wasn't magical psychic girl.
And that's kind of what I don't like about the book. I think it would have been better if her abilities were underplayed, less obvious, less accurate, more open to interpretation. I think there is a sort of beauty to ambiguity. I like the idea of a story that isn't so obvious, that even after I've turned the last page I'm still not sure if she's the real deal or a fake.
So it's a good book that could have been but sadly isn't great
Strength, speed, the ability to read minds. No superhero has autoclave vision, or breath so bad that it gets rid of vermin. No superhero has the ability to recite π to 1000 places. Maybe there are semi-heroes who can do those things but I guess they're not superheroes because there's nothing super about that stuff.
Abby Cooper is in the superhero group. She can see into the future with uncanny accuracy. So uncanny errr...so accurate....uncannily accurate that you couldn't help but believe her. She knows stuff she couldn't possibly know if she wasn't magical psychic girl.
And that's kind of what I don't like about the book. I think it would have been better if her abilities were underplayed, less obvious, less accurate, more open to interpretation. I think there is a sort of beauty to ambiguity. I like the idea of a story that isn't so obvious, that even after I've turned the last page I'm still not sure if she's the real deal or a fake.
So it's a good book that could have been but sadly isn't great
February 2, 2008
My love of cozy mysteries has no end. Most of the books I read are actually very good (or I’ve been very lucky) and I just finished another good one today. One of the books in this series was set to be discussed at one of my groups and my friend Leya was so nice she sent me a copy of this one I couldn’t find anywhere.
In the Royal Oak suburb of Detroit, thirtysomething Abby Cooper lives a life that’s kind of like vanilla ice cream—good enough, but a little bland. Her work as a P.I—psychic intuitive—can be rewarding, but she feels like somehow she’s missing out on the hot fudge topping…
Now she’s getting what she wished for—as one of her clients turns up dead and the clues start pointing in Abby’s direction. She just knows too many details about the murder for her own good. To make matters worse, the hot blind date she just met turns out to be the lead investigator on the case. And gorgeous Detective Dutch Rivers is convinced she’s a fraud.
No matter how great her psychic abilities are, Abby isn’t completely sure she can solve this case. Unfortunately for her, though, the killer’s pretty convinced…
A Psychic intuitive is someone that receives information about the people she meets or just comes across. After years of trying to ignore her gift Abby Cooper decides to start a practice by giving psychic advance. She is quite successful being booked with several months in advance. I liked the down to earth approach to psychic abilities, how Abby’s reads always involved quite a bit of humour and how she didn’t read the same person more than twice a year so they wouldn’t decide their whole life’s based on her reads.
She’s having some trouble finding her Prince Charming so she decides to join an internet dating service where she meets Dutch. She feels the date went really well so when he doesn’t call her back she thinks she must have scared him by showing off her abilities and telling him that the case of a missing 4 year old that has been talked on the news is actually a murder case and the mother is to blame.
Although generally a nice person she can be cold and a bit rough on occasion especially if people ask for more reads than the 2 a year, 1 every 6 months, she thinks is right. This happens with one of her clients who is found murdered and Abby feels a bit responsible because maybe she could have given her some answers that could have prevented the murder.
In the mean time Dutch reveals himself to be a cop and although a bit suspicious at first ends up believing in Abby psychic talents and actually asks her for information on her client’s murder. Abby is a bit too bold when it comes to investigating, always believing she will be warned of there’s any danger, which unfortunately is not always so…
The book is more about Abby’s powers and her relationship with Dutch than it is about giving clues to solve the murder mystery. The killer is a surprise because there’s a lot of information only given in the end. However Laurie’s humour and characterization of Abby’s talents and way of life really convinced me I have to look for the others in this series.
Grade: B+
In the Royal Oak suburb of Detroit, thirtysomething Abby Cooper lives a life that’s kind of like vanilla ice cream—good enough, but a little bland. Her work as a P.I—psychic intuitive—can be rewarding, but she feels like somehow she’s missing out on the hot fudge topping…
Now she’s getting what she wished for—as one of her clients turns up dead and the clues start pointing in Abby’s direction. She just knows too many details about the murder for her own good. To make matters worse, the hot blind date she just met turns out to be the lead investigator on the case. And gorgeous Detective Dutch Rivers is convinced she’s a fraud.
No matter how great her psychic abilities are, Abby isn’t completely sure she can solve this case. Unfortunately for her, though, the killer’s pretty convinced…
A Psychic intuitive is someone that receives information about the people she meets or just comes across. After years of trying to ignore her gift Abby Cooper decides to start a practice by giving psychic advance. She is quite successful being booked with several months in advance. I liked the down to earth approach to psychic abilities, how Abby’s reads always involved quite a bit of humour and how she didn’t read the same person more than twice a year so they wouldn’t decide their whole life’s based on her reads.
She’s having some trouble finding her Prince Charming so she decides to join an internet dating service where she meets Dutch. She feels the date went really well so when he doesn’t call her back she thinks she must have scared him by showing off her abilities and telling him that the case of a missing 4 year old that has been talked on the news is actually a murder case and the mother is to blame.
Although generally a nice person she can be cold and a bit rough on occasion especially if people ask for more reads than the 2 a year, 1 every 6 months, she thinks is right. This happens with one of her clients who is found murdered and Abby feels a bit responsible because maybe she could have given her some answers that could have prevented the murder.
In the mean time Dutch reveals himself to be a cop and although a bit suspicious at first ends up believing in Abby psychic talents and actually asks her for information on her client’s murder. Abby is a bit too bold when it comes to investigating, always believing she will be warned of there’s any danger, which unfortunately is not always so…
The book is more about Abby’s powers and her relationship with Dutch than it is about giving clues to solve the murder mystery. The killer is a surprise because there’s a lot of information only given in the end. However Laurie’s humour and characterization of Abby’s talents and way of life really convinced me I have to look for the others in this series.
Grade: B+
March 31, 2023
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I am so glad that I finally took the time to listen to this audiobook! I liked Abby a lot and I was totally invested in the mystery of the story. I really liked seeing Abby use her gift to help others. I was hooked by this story right away and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out. I found this to be a very entertaining mystery.
Abby works as a psychic and her predictions are eerily accurate. When she shares a few things she has seen with her date, she doesn’t realize that he is a detective. Before she knows it she is in the middle of an investigation. I like the idea of the budding romance with the detective, Dutch, and I thought that the other supporting characters were very well done.
I thought that Elizabeth Michaels did a great job with the narration of this audiobook. I thought that she did a great job of bringing Abby’s character to life. I found her voice to be very pleasant and I had no problem listening to the book for extended periods of time. I do believe that her narration increased my enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a really fun cozy and I really liked the way that Abby’s abilities helped to solve the mystery. I would love to read more of this entertaining story in the future.
Book Source: Purchased
I am so glad that I finally took the time to listen to this audiobook! I liked Abby a lot and I was totally invested in the mystery of the story. I really liked seeing Abby use her gift to help others. I was hooked by this story right away and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out. I found this to be a very entertaining mystery.
Abby works as a psychic and her predictions are eerily accurate. When she shares a few things she has seen with her date, she doesn’t realize that he is a detective. Before she knows it she is in the middle of an investigation. I like the idea of the budding romance with the detective, Dutch, and I thought that the other supporting characters were very well done.
I thought that Elizabeth Michaels did a great job with the narration of this audiobook. I thought that she did a great job of bringing Abby’s character to life. I found her voice to be very pleasant and I had no problem listening to the book for extended periods of time. I do believe that her narration increased my enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a really fun cozy and I really liked the way that Abby’s abilities helped to solve the mystery. I would love to read more of this entertaining story in the future.
Book Source: Purchased
August 25, 2017
Ovo mi je super, obavezno tražim nastavke!
Odlučih ponoviti, obožavam ovaj serijal!
Odlučih ponoviti, obožavam ovaj serijal!
September 21, 2011
The Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series starts off well and could prove to be very entertaining in the long term, if the main character can get over one annoying and convenient personality trait.
Abby Cooper is a psychic and a powerful one at that. With the help of her guides, she has the ability to interpret just about anyone's future. Through the course of this first book, Abby manages to get wrapped up in a murder investigation. Obviously, Dutch, detective and potential love interest, is skeptical of her abilities and through his interactions with Abby readers get to know a lot about her and her ability.
I loved this book. I loved Abby and her abilities. I loved Dutch and the romantic tension that's brewing. My only complaint is that Abby is forgetful. Conveniently forgetful. She psychically learns details but once they become important to the case, she forgets them for at least a short time. This leaves the reader repeatedly wondering why the author is dragging out the story in certain places when she's already given us the answer we need. Abby claims that she sees too many people to remember all of them and the details of their readings, but one has to wonder how she could have possibly forgotten the reading she gave Dutch when she first met him. She was drinking? It wasn't business? She wasn't taping it? None of these really explain why she forgets every single thing she said to him.
I could really love this series, but if the forgetfulness doesn't come to an end, I 'll get too annoyed to continue. An excellent series starter, marred by obvious page-count padding.
Abby Cooper is a psychic and a powerful one at that. With the help of her guides, she has the ability to interpret just about anyone's future. Through the course of this first book, Abby manages to get wrapped up in a murder investigation. Obviously, Dutch, detective and potential love interest, is skeptical of her abilities and through his interactions with Abby readers get to know a lot about her and her ability.
I loved this book. I loved Abby and her abilities. I loved Dutch and the romantic tension that's brewing. My only complaint is that Abby is forgetful. Conveniently forgetful. She psychically learns details but once they become important to the case, she forgets them for at least a short time. This leaves the reader repeatedly wondering why the author is dragging out the story in certain places when she's already given us the answer we need. Abby claims that she sees too many people to remember all of them and the details of their readings, but one has to wonder how she could have possibly forgotten the reading she gave Dutch when she first met him. She was drinking? It wasn't business? She wasn't taping it? None of these really explain why she forgets every single thing she said to him.
I could really love this series, but if the forgetfulness doesn't come to an end, I 'll get too annoyed to continue. An excellent series starter, marred by obvious page-count padding.
April 26, 2018
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I love the author’s Ghost Hunter Mystery series, but I also heard a lot about this one. It was then with pleasure that I discovered the first volume. And what to say? It is always a pleasure to find her stories!
Abby is psychic, and even a real one! She receives the people who desire a lecture, to know more about their future. She does not see everything, does not read in thoughts, but she happens to perceive certain things, that is to say from a photograph if the person is alive or deceased or whether a person to whom she speaks lies. These are very useful gifts in this type of careers. But one evening, in a blind date, she finds herself unknowingly facing a policeman who does not believe her and she explains to him what she saw of a public affair. Passing from suspect to aid, she will allow Dutch to apprehend a culprit. But it is not over, and she will find herself embarking on another matter when one of her clients finds herself killed. Under the weight of guilt, she will do everything to understand what happened, while allying once again with Dutch and of course putting herself in grave danger …
I really liked the idea, to see that although Abby can sense a lot of things, she is not omniscient. I also appreciated the fact that she tries to hide/run away when she thinks it’s too dangerous. She is a sensible woman but who puts all her soul in to help others. I loved Dutch too, who despite his roughness, tries to understand, help and learn to know our heroine. Then there is Dave and his kindness, or Cat and her freshness! Lots of very good characters and it is true that I spent a very good time with this novel.
I am now eager to read more and to find all the characters again.
My English review
I love the author’s Ghost Hunter Mystery series, but I also heard a lot about this one. It was then with pleasure that I discovered the first volume. And what to say? It is always a pleasure to find her stories!
Abby is psychic, and even a real one! She receives the people who desire a lecture, to know more about their future. She does not see everything, does not read in thoughts, but she happens to perceive certain things, that is to say from a photograph if the person is alive or deceased or whether a person to whom she speaks lies. These are very useful gifts in this type of careers. But one evening, in a blind date, she finds herself unknowingly facing a policeman who does not believe her and she explains to him what she saw of a public affair. Passing from suspect to aid, she will allow Dutch to apprehend a culprit. But it is not over, and she will find herself embarking on another matter when one of her clients finds herself killed. Under the weight of guilt, she will do everything to understand what happened, while allying once again with Dutch and of course putting herself in grave danger …
I really liked the idea, to see that although Abby can sense a lot of things, she is not omniscient. I also appreciated the fact that she tries to hide/run away when she thinks it’s too dangerous. She is a sensible woman but who puts all her soul in to help others. I loved Dutch too, who despite his roughness, tries to understand, help and learn to know our heroine. Then there is Dave and his kindness, or Cat and her freshness! Lots of very good characters and it is true that I spent a very good time with this novel.
I am now eager to read more and to find all the characters again.
April 30, 2017
4.5 stars
Lately, I’ve been into cozy mysteries. This is only my second officially, but it really sets the bar high for the genre.
Cozy mysteries in general are pretty light and don’t have a lot of substance. Despite that, this book was very enjoyable. First off, we have our protagonist, Abby Cooper, who is a complete badass. She’s snarky, funny, and definitely a strong character throughout. She’s also a psychic, which gives the mystery an unique twist. But Abby also has her flaws; she’s pretty nosy (a.k.a putting herself in danger a lot) and she sometimes runs off when things get tough (which, mind you, can actually be a smart move). Regardless, she’s a good role model for others, while also making us laugh throughout the book.
Now let’s talk about the love interest. It’s pretty obvious who this is, but he’ll rename nameless for the sake of the review. Mr. Love Interest is not only incredibly hot, he’s also very sweet with Abby, while also possessing his own flaws. Plus--the chemistry is there, which I appreciated. I can’t help but compare our love interest to that of the only other cozy mystery I’ve read, Loose Screw by Rae Davies, where the love interest is actually quite rude, and the chemistry just isn’t there. The romance was done much better in Abby Cooper.
And because this is a mystery, after all, we have to talk about just that. The mystery is very intriguing to begin with. One of Abby’s clients has recently been murdered, and Abby becomes entangled with the case, using her psychic abilities along the way. What I enjoyed about this was how developed everything was and how many pieces had to fall into place before the mystery could be solved. It was thorough without being overwhelming, which I liked. I do tend to prefer books where the killer is one of our ‘suspects’ introduced at the beginning of the story, but that wasn’t the case in Abby Cooper, which I actually didn’t mind.
Overall, this is a very quick, fun mystery that I greatly enjoyed. I’m very excited to follow Abby through the second book (as well as the 9 books following that)!
I would definitely recommend this book to a friend.
Lately, I’ve been into cozy mysteries. This is only my second officially, but it really sets the bar high for the genre.
Cozy mysteries in general are pretty light and don’t have a lot of substance. Despite that, this book was very enjoyable. First off, we have our protagonist, Abby Cooper, who is a complete badass. She’s snarky, funny, and definitely a strong character throughout. She’s also a psychic, which gives the mystery an unique twist. But Abby also has her flaws; she’s pretty nosy (a.k.a putting herself in danger a lot) and she sometimes runs off when things get tough (which, mind you, can actually be a smart move). Regardless, she’s a good role model for others, while also making us laugh throughout the book.
Now let’s talk about the love interest. It’s pretty obvious who this is, but he’ll rename nameless for the sake of the review. Mr. Love Interest is not only incredibly hot, he’s also very sweet with Abby, while also possessing his own flaws. Plus--the chemistry is there, which I appreciated. I can’t help but compare our love interest to that of the only other cozy mystery I’ve read, Loose Screw by Rae Davies, where the love interest is actually quite rude, and the chemistry just isn’t there. The romance was done much better in Abby Cooper.
And because this is a mystery, after all, we have to talk about just that. The mystery is very intriguing to begin with. One of Abby’s clients has recently been murdered, and Abby becomes entangled with the case, using her psychic abilities along the way. What I enjoyed about this was how developed everything was and how many pieces had to fall into place before the mystery could be solved. It was thorough without being overwhelming, which I liked. I do tend to prefer books where the killer is one of our ‘suspects’ introduced at the beginning of the story, but that wasn’t the case in Abby Cooper, which I actually didn’t mind.
Overall, this is a very quick, fun mystery that I greatly enjoyed. I’m very excited to follow Abby through the second book (as well as the 9 books following that)!
I would definitely recommend this book to a friend.
July 25, 2013
I picked this book hoping for a quirky cozy mystery but ended up in romantic suspense hell.
Abby Cooper is a psychic intuitive that can call on her spirit guides for advice and wisdom. She uses her ability to run a successful business advising people on everything from cheating lovers to financial matters. I like the general idea of a psychic but man, she was spot on all the time. Any little tidbit Abby spit out would be verified sooner or later, allowing her an "I told you so" smile.
In this vein many times Abby would do a reading for someone she thought didn't believe her. A simple, "...and you should get that knee checked out, the next time you lift something heavy it's going to pop" would have sufficed but no, she had to tell them about their wives and daughters and upcoming vacations. Always right, always on the nose, often annoying. In fact, the only time she ran into trouble was when she didn't listen to her "crew"... they're infallible, of course.
That time she didn't pick up the "intuitive phone", along with any other fishy happening, felt like it had a neon sign with "THIS IS FORESHADOWING!" painted on top. Grah.
A few lines that bugged me:
"I looked at the painted decal on the back hood." Hoods are in the front. Trunks and tailgates are in the back. Decals and stickers are usually put on by owners, insignia and logos by the maker.
"I knew immediately that I'd have to tip the mailman extra big come Christmas." Postal workers are federal employees and are legally obligated not to accept cash tips over $20. Getting some extra nice chocolate or maybe knitting a pair of convertible mittens would be fine, but not an extra big tip.
"In my next lifetime I wanted to come back as a guy. They always seemed to get the upper hand." No irony, no nothing.
And I haven't even gotten into the romantic or suspense bits. Abby goes on a date with a guy she met online who happens to be a cop. Of course, Dutch ends up being the lead investigator of a case that ends up falling into her lap. If he ends up doing anything Abby perceives as less than perfect she storms off, vows she's done with him, and screams like holy hell the next time they meet. Yet he is still attracted to her.
I don't get it, either.
As for the mystery surrounding an apparent suicide, Abby's leads us via one perfect hunch after another to the bad guy. I felt zero suspense because the perfect spirit guides would never let her fail. Don't they get annoyed with her, too? Wouldn't they want to slip her a bum piece of info about something trivial and have a good laugh? I would, but maybe that's why I'm not a spirit guide.
Not bad enough to abandon halfway through, but also not deserving of more than one star.
Abby Cooper is a psychic intuitive that can call on her spirit guides for advice and wisdom. She uses her ability to run a successful business advising people on everything from cheating lovers to financial matters. I like the general idea of a psychic but man, she was spot on all the time. Any little tidbit Abby spit out would be verified sooner or later, allowing her an "I told you so" smile.
In this vein many times Abby would do a reading for someone she thought didn't believe her. A simple, "...and you should get that knee checked out, the next time you lift something heavy it's going to pop" would have sufficed but no, she had to tell them about their wives and daughters and upcoming vacations. Always right, always on the nose, often annoying. In fact, the only time she ran into trouble was when she didn't listen to her "crew"... they're infallible, of course.
That time she didn't pick up the "intuitive phone", along with any other fishy happening, felt like it had a neon sign with "THIS IS FORESHADOWING!" painted on top. Grah.
A few lines that bugged me:
"I looked at the painted decal on the back hood." Hoods are in the front. Trunks and tailgates are in the back. Decals and stickers are usually put on by owners, insignia and logos by the maker.
"I knew immediately that I'd have to tip the mailman extra big come Christmas." Postal workers are federal employees and are legally obligated not to accept cash tips over $20. Getting some extra nice chocolate or maybe knitting a pair of convertible mittens would be fine, but not an extra big tip.
"In my next lifetime I wanted to come back as a guy. They always seemed to get the upper hand." No irony, no nothing.
And I haven't even gotten into the romantic or suspense bits. Abby goes on a date with a guy she met online who happens to be a cop. Of course, Dutch ends up being the lead investigator of a case that ends up falling into her lap. If he ends up doing anything Abby perceives as less than perfect she storms off, vows she's done with him, and screams like holy hell the next time they meet. Yet he is still attracted to her.
I don't get it, either.
As for the mystery surrounding an apparent suicide, Abby's leads us via one perfect hunch after another to the bad guy. I felt zero suspense because the perfect spirit guides would never let her fail. Don't they get annoyed with her, too? Wouldn't they want to slip her a bum piece of info about something trivial and have a good laugh? I would, but maybe that's why I'm not a spirit guide.
Not bad enough to abandon halfway through, but also not deserving of more than one star.
October 30, 2015
Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye
3 Stars
Abby Cooper is a psychic therapist who helps her clients find their own paths in life. Unfortunately, Abby’s abilities give her no warning of the upcoming upheaval in her own life when a client is found murdered and her charming blind date turns out to be a detective who now sees her as a prime suspect…
Abby’s humor and practical approach to being psychic make her a particularly likable heroine although there are one or two moments when her behavior is somewhat questionable and her terrible memory for details leads to a lot of wasted time and misunderstandings that could be avoided.
The mystery is good with several intense moments and a slew of plausible suspects. That said, the ultimate explanation falls short mainly due to the fact that the author’s terminology is incorrect - and this shows a decided lack of knowledge and research. Moreover, the dialogue is childish at times and the tone of the book far too cutsey for my tastes.
The romance has potential. Even though Dutch does not make a good first impression, his developing love/hate relationship with Abby is entertaining.
Unfortunately, Elizabeth Michaels narration is weak. To begin with, she sounds at least 10 years older than Abby and her voices are all the same. There is no distinction between male and female characters nor does she differentiate accents. This is exceedingly disappointing as the first person perspective necessitates audio for me and it is unlikely that I would listen to another.
3 Stars
Abby Cooper is a psychic therapist who helps her clients find their own paths in life. Unfortunately, Abby’s abilities give her no warning of the upcoming upheaval in her own life when a client is found murdered and her charming blind date turns out to be a detective who now sees her as a prime suspect…
Abby’s humor and practical approach to being psychic make her a particularly likable heroine although there are one or two moments when her behavior is somewhat questionable and her terrible memory for details leads to a lot of wasted time and misunderstandings that could be avoided.
The mystery is good with several intense moments and a slew of plausible suspects. That said, the ultimate explanation falls short mainly due to the fact that the author’s terminology is incorrect - and this shows a decided lack of knowledge and research. Moreover, the dialogue is childish at times and the tone of the book far too cutsey for my tastes.
The romance has potential. Even though Dutch does not make a good first impression, his developing love/hate relationship with Abby is entertaining.
Unfortunately, Elizabeth Michaels narration is weak. To begin with, she sounds at least 10 years older than Abby and her voices are all the same. There is no distinction between male and female characters nor does she differentiate accents. This is exceedingly disappointing as the first person perspective necessitates audio for me and it is unlikely that I would listen to another.
May 18, 2016
This is a good little cozy with a psychic twist. Abby Cooper is a psychic, she is also single and has been using a dating service, with one date going well at least she thought it had, but it turns out he is a cop getting a feel for her after one of her clients is killed. At first she has no interest in working with the police but when she realizes that this girl called her and asked for a second reading and Abby blew her off. Now she is feeling guilty and wondering if she would have been more available would this girl still be alive?
This was a good start to this series it has the beginnings of what may turn out to be a romance, a murder mystery and some humor. Which always makes for a good cozy, what makes this one different is the psychic twist, she gets these intuitive vibes about people and sometimes straight out here’s what’s going to happen but that only seems to be if someone is going on vacation not if they are going to be murdered or is a murderer. Her psychic intuition does seem to be a hit and miss but that makes it fun because she doesn’t always know immediately what is going to happen.
I enjoyed this book and will continue on with this series. I listened to this on audio narrated by Elizabeth Michaels who reminded me of a cross between Barbara Rosenblat & Lorelei King.
4 Stars
This was a good start to this series it has the beginnings of what may turn out to be a romance, a murder mystery and some humor. Which always makes for a good cozy, what makes this one different is the psychic twist, she gets these intuitive vibes about people and sometimes straight out here’s what’s going to happen but that only seems to be if someone is going on vacation not if they are going to be murdered or is a murderer. Her psychic intuition does seem to be a hit and miss but that makes it fun because she doesn’t always know immediately what is going to happen.
I enjoyed this book and will continue on with this series. I listened to this on audio narrated by Elizabeth Michaels who reminded me of a cross between Barbara Rosenblat & Lorelei King.
4 Stars
March 28, 2011
This was the first book I had read by Ms. Laurie she has a knack for writing a great story mixed in with mystery, psychic abilities and humor. I found myself laughing out loud at some parts of her story. We follow Abby Cooper who is in her thirties and works as a psychic intuitive. She hasn't had a steady relationship for a long time. She decides to put herself on a dating site. Where she meets Dutch who's a bit shady with his profile. Abby is deathly afraid police won't take her seriously and almost has her fears confirmed through Dutch who's a cop. While a set of sisters are dead within a short time of each other, the police rely on Abby's abilities to help them nab the killer. Being open to psychics I think it's a great story. I also find myself thinking Ms. Laurie has hit on something with Abby's motto on her meetings with clients only 2 in one year so that one doesn't become a junkie to it. Definitely a great series beginner and one that has me hooked. Look out Sookie Stackhouse you have some stiff competition.
November 27, 2008
Abby Cooper is a psychic intuitive; she runs a business wherein she gives readings to others and advises them on future choices. She owns her own house, has a terrific sister, and a fun dog; the only thing missing is a love interest.
Deciding to throw caution to the wind, Abby signs up for an online dating service and is introduced to Dutch, who turns out to work for the local law enforcement agency and is a skeptic when it comes to psychics. While there's a strong attraction between the two, they definitely don't get along, and things become more heated when Abby finds out that one of her clients has been brutally murdered.
Feeling guilty, Abby launches herself into the investigation, and Dutch is less than happy to have her involved. Using her psychic abilities, Abby is able to give the police more information that leads them to the killer, and along the way, Dutch discovers that he is willing to have an open mind to both Abby and her psychic intuition.
Deciding to throw caution to the wind, Abby signs up for an online dating service and is introduced to Dutch, who turns out to work for the local law enforcement agency and is a skeptic when it comes to psychics. While there's a strong attraction between the two, they definitely don't get along, and things become more heated when Abby finds out that one of her clients has been brutally murdered.
Feeling guilty, Abby launches herself into the investigation, and Dutch is less than happy to have her involved. Using her psychic abilities, Abby is able to give the police more information that leads them to the killer, and along the way, Dutch discovers that he is willing to have an open mind to both Abby and her psychic intuition.
January 3, 2011
Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye was a great start to what should be a fun series. It introduces us to Abby Cooper, a psychic who works hard, tells it like it is and won't allow her clients to become addicted to relying on her and what she sees in their futures.
One of her clients turns up dead, she becomes obsessed with finding out what happened and, in the process, puts herself in danger. In the romance department, she compares herself to be vanilla ice cream and signs up with an online dating service. She meets detective and skeptic, Dutch Rivers. They immediately hit it off, but he's not entirely forthcoming about his career after hearing Abby praddle on about her dislike of the police and their distrust of her profession.
The story was a wonderful blend of romance and mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to continuing the series.
One of her clients turns up dead, she becomes obsessed with finding out what happened and, in the process, puts herself in danger. In the romance department, she compares herself to be vanilla ice cream and signs up with an online dating service. She meets detective and skeptic, Dutch Rivers. They immediately hit it off, but he's not entirely forthcoming about his career after hearing Abby praddle on about her dislike of the police and their distrust of her profession.
The story was a wonderful blend of romance and mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to continuing the series.
August 15, 2012
This book was an odd combination of good and bad things, for me. I liked it well enough to give the second book in this series a shot, which is certainly something. On the other hand, this took me a much longer time to get through than I normally take for this kind of book. I actually breezed through the entire first half in a couple of hours and then put it down. Finishing the rest of the book took quite a bit longer. I would pick it up, read a little more, remember why I'd put it down to begin with, put it down again. Lather, rinse, repeat.
It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the book, as I purchased the sequel so I obviously did. There were just a couple of things that either didn't connect with me or that I found downright annoying.
Let's start with the heroine. I actually enjoyed her quite a bit, for the most part. Okay, I was a little thrown at times by her vehement reaction to Dutch's open skepticism of her abilities. Granted, there's an undercurrent of romance (rather more undercurrent-y than I typically like, but more on that later), so I suppose she's more upset that he doesn't believe her than she would be if he was just some random guy off the street. She liked him; she was interested in him; she's disappointed he thinks she's a liar...okay, I guess I can go with that.
Still, there were a couple of times I just wanted to smack her. She's a psychic; a good number of people don't believe in psychics. A good number of people who DO also will acknowledge that many (if not most) of the people who claim to be psychic are charlatans. Is it really that unreasonable that Dutch wouldn't take her word for it? Is it really that shocking to her that he's skeptical? Is she an idiot? Was she born yesterday? Or has she just never met anyone else outside of her little circle of super-supportive friends...like...ever?
I say this having known people who profesed psychic abilities in the past.
That said, his skepticism wasn't just in the line of, "Well, I don't know that I believe you." It was in the line of, "I don't know if I believe you...and I think you may be a murder suspect." I can see how that would put a damper on what had appeared to potentially be a promising relationship. So I was more or less able to give that a pass.
In terms of the psychic ability in general, it was nice that the author did her best to describe how the power worked, what it was and wasn't able to do, and I REALLY liked how she explained at one point that Abby isn't always right in her psychic intuitions. It makes things more exciting, in my opinion. Otherwise, the psychic ability just becomes a bit too much of a deus ex machina at worst, and a crutch to baby your reader at best.
Now for Dutch. I liked Dutch. I was actually a little surprised - even a tad dismayed - at the lack of romantic development in this book. Let's face it: I don't read these niche mysteries for the engaging mystery part. Now, I will say that the mystery was handled better in this than in some niche mysteries, in that I didn't actually know who the murderer was for a good portion of the book. They aren't always like that, and I try to read them anyway. I read niche mysteries more for the characters, the character interations, etc. than I do to play "whodunit."
Having said that, I do also recognize that this is the first in a series. Both characters were introduced, I don't feel like either lacked the requisite page-time to develop their characters and get a sense of who they are, so I'm willing to wait for subsequent books in the series to flesh their relationship out a bit.
So now that I've given some general positives, I'll add a few more. There was some humor in this book, which was nice. The characters - even the supporting characters - were generally engaging, reasonably well-developed for their roles in the books, and flushed out enough to seem like they were there for a reason. The mystery was rather light fare, but it framed the story well, and the killer wasn't obvious.
Now to some things that either annoyed me or caused this book to not have a higher rating, which I otherwise might have given it:
This first issue isn't exclusive to this particular book, but I have noticed a trend so I have to ask. Is there a checklist given to authors of niche mysteries, that I am not aware of? If there is, can I take a look at it? In particular, I'm curious about the item number that discusses the requirement that every niche mystery must have a pet involved. Actually, I'm more curious about the subpoints that the pet must 1) have a cutesy name that's 2) related to some quirky little mcquirk that's so darn quirky and cute and 3) antropomorphises the animal in some way, if at all possible.
I'm actually a pet lover. Ask anyone who knows me, and they'll tell you. I have a cat that I spoil rotten, and I couldn't live without him. But even I am getting a little annoyed with this trend, at this point. In this particular instance, Abby has a dog named Eggy. Eggy is so named because he just loves eggs so darn much. The reader is treated to every instance in which Eggy is treated to a plate of egg-based products, just to show what a darn cute and quirky little egg-lover Eggy is. Enough. I can almost guarantee that I am far less interested in a dog's discriminating palate than I am in pretty much any other reason one might have for including a pet in a novel.
The second issue IS related to this book, and it is the single-most annoying thing about this novel. It is, in fact, the main reason why I seriously debated not buying the second book in this series. And here it is: "Liar, liar, pants on fire." I never knew those five little words could be so over-used and irritating in my life.
There are a couple reasons why this bothered me. The first reason is that it's an immature chant, and it reminds me of children under the age of 14 - the only people I've heard use this refrain. Which then makes me think of Abby as an immature character, possibly aged 14. Which seriously puts my brain in a mental freeze when I realize that there's some romance to be happening in these books. But that's not actually my big problem with the use of these five little words.
I'll be honest. I don't read these mysteries trying to solve the mystery before the main character does. Actually, if I figure out who the murderer is well before the main character does, that's a huge mark against the book, in my opinion. I have marked an author off my to-read list entirely in the past, just because I figured out who the killer was in the second chapter and saw at the end that I was right. I breeze through these novels pretty quickly, and I let myself go along for the ride.
That said, I do have friends who like to try to "solve" the mystery before the main character does. I would never, ever recommend this book to one such friend. It comes off like spoon-feeding the audience. The author wants the reader to know that what Abby was just told is a LIE. It's a big fat steaming pile of shameless lie, in fact. You know that thing the author just told you? TOTAL LIE, READER! IT WAS A LIE!
Now, even I - who don't try to beat the detective - find that annoying. I would much rather the author let the audience determine whether or not they should believe what the main character was told. The author could describe the speaker's actions, body language, tone, and say that the main character doesn't believe it - or does - but the reader has a choice to go along with the main character's assessment or not. After all, one should think the detective in these things is occasionally wrong.
When you have it flagged as a lie due to some psychic ability's singsong immature chant, it really acts as a huge red flag from author to reader to say, "YOU SHOULDN'T BELIEVE THIS." And that just takes the fun out of trying to go along for the ride, so to speak.
But, actually, I'll be honest in saying I didn't mind it AS MUCH when it was used to flag something some random supporting character said as a lie. It really, really, REALLY annoyed me when it was use to flag something ABBY said as a lie.
This is a first person narrative. We as readers are in Abby's head. We know what she knows, and we don't know anything that she doesn't actually know. WE KNOW SHE'S LYING. If you say she's calling an estate attorney to get the inside scoop on a murder victim, we know she's not calling because she was suddenly struck with an unquenchable desire to draw up a will. WE KNOW. When the author flags that sort of thing as a lie, I honestly cannot help but think the author thinks her readers are so incredibly stupid that we can't follow the main character's train of thought from one sentence to the next. It's spoonfeeding the audience to a level that is frankly a little insulting and a whole heck of a lot more annoying.
I really hope the author got some feedback on that issue prior to publishing book 2. Honestly, as much as I really enjoyed the characters, the tone, the feel of this story, if the "Liar, liar, pants on fire" thing continues in subsequent novels to the prevalance that it was used in this novel, I will likely not continue with this series.
It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the book, as I purchased the sequel so I obviously did. There were just a couple of things that either didn't connect with me or that I found downright annoying.
Let's start with the heroine. I actually enjoyed her quite a bit, for the most part. Okay, I was a little thrown at times by her vehement reaction to Dutch's open skepticism of her abilities. Granted, there's an undercurrent of romance (rather more undercurrent-y than I typically like, but more on that later), so I suppose she's more upset that he doesn't believe her than she would be if he was just some random guy off the street. She liked him; she was interested in him; she's disappointed he thinks she's a liar...okay, I guess I can go with that.
Still, there were a couple of times I just wanted to smack her. She's a psychic; a good number of people don't believe in psychics. A good number of people who DO also will acknowledge that many (if not most) of the people who claim to be psychic are charlatans. Is it really that unreasonable that Dutch wouldn't take her word for it? Is it really that shocking to her that he's skeptical? Is she an idiot? Was she born yesterday? Or has she just never met anyone else outside of her little circle of super-supportive friends...like...ever?
I say this having known people who profesed psychic abilities in the past.
That said, his skepticism wasn't just in the line of, "Well, I don't know that I believe you." It was in the line of, "I don't know if I believe you...and I think you may be a murder suspect." I can see how that would put a damper on what had appeared to potentially be a promising relationship. So I was more or less able to give that a pass.
In terms of the psychic ability in general, it was nice that the author did her best to describe how the power worked, what it was and wasn't able to do, and I REALLY liked how she explained at one point that Abby isn't always right in her psychic intuitions. It makes things more exciting, in my opinion. Otherwise, the psychic ability just becomes a bit too much of a deus ex machina at worst, and a crutch to baby your reader at best.
Now for Dutch. I liked Dutch. I was actually a little surprised - even a tad dismayed - at the lack of romantic development in this book. Let's face it: I don't read these niche mysteries for the engaging mystery part. Now, I will say that the mystery was handled better in this than in some niche mysteries, in that I didn't actually know who the murderer was for a good portion of the book. They aren't always like that, and I try to read them anyway. I read niche mysteries more for the characters, the character interations, etc. than I do to play "whodunit."
Having said that, I do also recognize that this is the first in a series. Both characters were introduced, I don't feel like either lacked the requisite page-time to develop their characters and get a sense of who they are, so I'm willing to wait for subsequent books in the series to flesh their relationship out a bit.
So now that I've given some general positives, I'll add a few more. There was some humor in this book, which was nice. The characters - even the supporting characters - were generally engaging, reasonably well-developed for their roles in the books, and flushed out enough to seem like they were there for a reason. The mystery was rather light fare, but it framed the story well, and the killer wasn't obvious.
Now to some things that either annoyed me or caused this book to not have a higher rating, which I otherwise might have given it:
This first issue isn't exclusive to this particular book, but I have noticed a trend so I have to ask. Is there a checklist given to authors of niche mysteries, that I am not aware of? If there is, can I take a look at it? In particular, I'm curious about the item number that discusses the requirement that every niche mystery must have a pet involved. Actually, I'm more curious about the subpoints that the pet must 1) have a cutesy name that's 2) related to some quirky little mcquirk that's so darn quirky and cute and 3) antropomorphises the animal in some way, if at all possible.
I'm actually a pet lover. Ask anyone who knows me, and they'll tell you. I have a cat that I spoil rotten, and I couldn't live without him. But even I am getting a little annoyed with this trend, at this point. In this particular instance, Abby has a dog named Eggy. Eggy is so named because he just loves eggs so darn much. The reader is treated to every instance in which Eggy is treated to a plate of egg-based products, just to show what a darn cute and quirky little egg-lover Eggy is. Enough. I can almost guarantee that I am far less interested in a dog's discriminating palate than I am in pretty much any other reason one might have for including a pet in a novel.
The second issue IS related to this book, and it is the single-most annoying thing about this novel. It is, in fact, the main reason why I seriously debated not buying the second book in this series. And here it is: "Liar, liar, pants on fire." I never knew those five little words could be so over-used and irritating in my life.
There are a couple reasons why this bothered me. The first reason is that it's an immature chant, and it reminds me of children under the age of 14 - the only people I've heard use this refrain. Which then makes me think of Abby as an immature character, possibly aged 14. Which seriously puts my brain in a mental freeze when I realize that there's some romance to be happening in these books. But that's not actually my big problem with the use of these five little words.
I'll be honest. I don't read these mysteries trying to solve the mystery before the main character does. Actually, if I figure out who the murderer is well before the main character does, that's a huge mark against the book, in my opinion. I have marked an author off my to-read list entirely in the past, just because I figured out who the killer was in the second chapter and saw at the end that I was right. I breeze through these novels pretty quickly, and I let myself go along for the ride.
That said, I do have friends who like to try to "solve" the mystery before the main character does. I would never, ever recommend this book to one such friend. It comes off like spoon-feeding the audience. The author wants the reader to know that what Abby was just told is a LIE. It's a big fat steaming pile of shameless lie, in fact. You know that thing the author just told you? TOTAL LIE, READER! IT WAS A LIE!
Now, even I - who don't try to beat the detective - find that annoying. I would much rather the author let the audience determine whether or not they should believe what the main character was told. The author could describe the speaker's actions, body language, tone, and say that the main character doesn't believe it - or does - but the reader has a choice to go along with the main character's assessment or not. After all, one should think the detective in these things is occasionally wrong.
When you have it flagged as a lie due to some psychic ability's singsong immature chant, it really acts as a huge red flag from author to reader to say, "YOU SHOULDN'T BELIEVE THIS." And that just takes the fun out of trying to go along for the ride, so to speak.
But, actually, I'll be honest in saying I didn't mind it AS MUCH when it was used to flag something some random supporting character said as a lie. It really, really, REALLY annoyed me when it was use to flag something ABBY said as a lie.
This is a first person narrative. We as readers are in Abby's head. We know what she knows, and we don't know anything that she doesn't actually know. WE KNOW SHE'S LYING. If you say she's calling an estate attorney to get the inside scoop on a murder victim, we know she's not calling because she was suddenly struck with an unquenchable desire to draw up a will. WE KNOW. When the author flags that sort of thing as a lie, I honestly cannot help but think the author thinks her readers are so incredibly stupid that we can't follow the main character's train of thought from one sentence to the next. It's spoonfeeding the audience to a level that is frankly a little insulting and a whole heck of a lot more annoying.
I really hope the author got some feedback on that issue prior to publishing book 2. Honestly, as much as I really enjoyed the characters, the tone, the feel of this story, if the "Liar, liar, pants on fire" thing continues in subsequent novels to the prevalance that it was used in this novel, I will likely not continue with this series.
October 30, 2018
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Basic Info
Format: Kindle
Pages/Length: 304pgs
Genre: Mystery; Paranormal
Reason For Reading: I liked the bio.
At A Glance
Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: Nope.
Cliff Hanger: No.
Triggers: Suicide.
Rating: 4 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 7
Plot: 9
Characters: 9
World Building: 8
Flow: 10
b>Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 8
Ending: 10
Total: 9/10
In Depth
Best Part: Twist and turns.
Worst Part: Dutch.
Thoughts Had: Pretty good start.
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: yes
Recommending: yes
Short Review: What can i say, i like cozy mysteries! I really liked Abby, connected with her real quick, and love her dog Eggy! The plot was good, i really didn't see the killer coming at all, nor did i see some of the other things so that's always good. I hated Dutch thou, and dumb nickname btw, he was all over the damn place; super nice to Abby, then a total dick, wanted to play only by the rules, then throw the rules out the window, Overall, a very good first book, and i look forward to reading the rest of the series. Also the neighbor with the flowers was super cute!
Misc.
Book Boyfriend: Pass.
Best Friend Material: Abby!
January 20, 2025
Abigail Cooper is a real psychic. She gives readings to clients, but she also helps her private-investigator gal pal out on cases. But that doesn’t mean the police believe Abby’s real, not even good-looking Roland “Dutch” Rivers, who had a single blind date with Abby.
When Abby gets flashes that help the police figure out who killed little a 4-year-old, even Dutch starts to think Abby might be the real deal. He and his partner Milo ask Abby about a former client of hers, Allison Pierce, who has just been murdered. But will Abby’s cooperation lead to danger to herself?
This cozy rom-com mystery at times is laugh-out-loud funny and always clever and amusing. I really want to hear more from Abby, and you will, too. I’ve already started No. 2, Better Read Than Dead.
When Abby gets flashes that help the police figure out who killed little a 4-year-old, even Dutch starts to think Abby might be the real deal. He and his partner Milo ask Abby about a former client of hers, Allison Pierce, who has just been murdered. But will Abby’s cooperation lead to danger to herself?
This cozy rom-com mystery at times is laugh-out-loud funny and always clever and amusing. I really want to hear more from Abby, and you will, too. I’ve already started No. 2, Better Read Than Dead.
December 13, 2018
Odlicna!
March 1, 2017
A great start to what I think will be a really fun series....
Abby is a psychic intuitive... she is very straightforward and honest with her clients... she is also a very likable character.... I really liked how she would confer with her people and how her psychic phone would sometimes ring.... there are also some really good laugh out loud moments in this book..... can't wait to get to the next book in the series...
Abby is a psychic intuitive... she is very straightforward and honest with her clients... she is also a very likable character.... I really liked how she would confer with her people and how her psychic phone would sometimes ring.... there are also some really good laugh out loud moments in this book..... can't wait to get to the next book in the series...
February 24, 2010
Abby Cooper is a P.I., psychic intuitive. But her insight failed her when she didn't foresee the death of one of her clients-or that the lead investigator for the case is the gorgeous blind date she just met. Now, with the police suspicious of her abilities and a killer on the loose, Abby's future looks more uncertain than ever.
This is a book I checked out and then it sat in a stack for several weeks until I finally got down to it. I started reading it on break one morning. Then I read at lunch, then before my doctor's appointment, then during my hair appointment, and then finished it when I got home that night. Now, granted, it is my favorite kind of story - a psychic heroine and a cop hero. :) The characters had some depth and there was lots of humor. It was not what I would call light reading, but it was not dark either. Kind of both, taking turns. There were parts where I laughed out loud. There was romance and suspense. There was mystery, though not a really in-depth mystery, and overall the whole book was fun. I went back the next day and checked out the next four in the series. Definitely recommended reading. :)
For those of you who don't like first person point-of-view, it is written entirely in first person.
This is a book I checked out and then it sat in a stack for several weeks until I finally got down to it. I started reading it on break one morning. Then I read at lunch, then before my doctor's appointment, then during my hair appointment, and then finished it when I got home that night. Now, granted, it is my favorite kind of story - a psychic heroine and a cop hero. :) The characters had some depth and there was lots of humor. It was not what I would call light reading, but it was not dark either. Kind of both, taking turns. There were parts where I laughed out loud. There was romance and suspense. There was mystery, though not a really in-depth mystery, and overall the whole book was fun. I went back the next day and checked out the next four in the series. Definitely recommended reading. :)
For those of you who don't like first person point-of-view, it is written entirely in first person.
April 15, 2019
Psychic Eye. Those are the only words you need to know to understand what this book is about. A quirky psychic who has lived her life earning money by doing readings on people. That is until she's connected to the murder of one of her clients.
I found this book absolutely refreshing. It was, of course, about a murder, but somehow managed to keep it light. Which can, of course, be a good or a bad thing. By keeping it light, you keep the reader from becoming too scared, or disliking the book because it's too 'dark'. But it also keeps the reader from feeling for the character like you typically would with such a novel.
Don't get me wrong, I loved the book. I have already ordered the next three and fully intend to read all of her books. The writing was decent and the characters well formed. I even enjoyed the main character who knew way too much, which I sometimes find annoying. There were a couple parts in the book that gave me some hesitation. Such as the male lead, who I thought sometimes acted out of character, but other than that, I enjoyed the read.
Over all, I look forward to the next of the series arriving so I can continue to read about Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye. I have high hopes that the series can only get better.
I found this book absolutely refreshing. It was, of course, about a murder, but somehow managed to keep it light. Which can, of course, be a good or a bad thing. By keeping it light, you keep the reader from becoming too scared, or disliking the book because it's too 'dark'. But it also keeps the reader from feeling for the character like you typically would with such a novel.
Don't get me wrong, I loved the book. I have already ordered the next three and fully intend to read all of her books. The writing was decent and the characters well formed. I even enjoyed the main character who knew way too much, which I sometimes find annoying. There were a couple parts in the book that gave me some hesitation. Such as the male lead, who I thought sometimes acted out of character, but other than that, I enjoyed the read.
Over all, I look forward to the next of the series arriving so I can continue to read about Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye. I have high hopes that the series can only get better.
July 16, 2010
I thought this book would be a piece of fluff - like cotton candy, maybe. I was completely and pleasantly surprised at the wide range of savory flavors I got instead - a pretty well-balanced meal of education, mystery, romance, and intrigue - I'm definitely hungry for more! To specify a little, the education I'm talking about is twofold. Laurie addresses stereotypes so well (I enjoyed seeing scenes of Abby's childhood and how her family related - or rather, didn't - to Abby's gift) - I really empathized with Abby, hated that people automatically jump to a certain conclusion about her gift, and being able to relate made me feel more involved in the story. I also enjoyed being educated about what a psychic intuitive is - what it means and how it happens; I was fascinated. This book was full of surprises and so well-written; despite the thrill and action, nothing felt choppy or dangling. The fluid pace, the details, the movement of the relationships, the ending - all felt right. I'm looking forward to reading more!
August 26, 2011
I never ever write reviews of books. However this book was so bad that it prompted me to write this review in order to warn everybody away from it!!! I have read the first three in the Abby Cooper series. I was drawn to them because of a psychic woman solving crimes! It sounds like a great read, right? Wrong. The writing style is very immature. I feel like, when I read a description, or a conversation, that it is the kind of writing that I would use! I am not a professional writer and I would like to read a book by someone that is. I do not like Abby Cooper, I do not like her FBI boyfriend, I do not like much of anything in this entire series. Why did I read three of them?? you might ask. Well, there was a time span of about a year in between and each time I tricked myself into believing that they weren't as bad as my mind was telling me they were. THEY WERE! Trust me if you want a fun quick read pick up something different!
However, I do have a fondness for her handyman..he is one of the only characters that I DO like, haha.
However, I do have a fondness for her handyman..he is one of the only characters that I DO like, haha.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2010
Victoria Laurie never fails to impress me with her writing! I cannot believe I allowed this little gem of a book to sit on my TBR for so long. The story was so engaging, I devoured it in only 2 sittings!
Abby is a psychic intuative who has a nifty little gig going with her best friend Theresa. (who communicates with the dead) When Theresa moves away, Abby goes on a blind date with Dutch (whom she met online) and quickly learns he is a police detective.
When one of Abby's clients turns up dead, she uses her abilities to help Dutch uncover the truth about her murder.
This was a well thought out story that comes full circle at the end. No un-answered questions with this one. The plot moves quickly, and there are no dull moments. Theres no sex an no cursing that i can remember. Its the perfect little cozy. :)
Abby is a psychic intuative who has a nifty little gig going with her best friend Theresa. (who communicates with the dead) When Theresa moves away, Abby goes on a blind date with Dutch (whom she met online) and quickly learns he is a police detective.
When one of Abby's clients turns up dead, she uses her abilities to help Dutch uncover the truth about her murder.
This was a well thought out story that comes full circle at the end. No un-answered questions with this one. The plot moves quickly, and there are no dull moments. Theres no sex an no cursing that i can remember. Its the perfect little cozy. :)
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