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Casey Cook, PI #1
The Missing Comatose Woman
Private eye Casey Cook lands her first case, and it’s a doozy: find a missing comatose woman. Eager to prove herself, Casey does whatever it takes to get answers, from pretending to be pregnant to fawning over a hairless cat.
As she runs into one dead end after another, Casey wonders whether she should have left her retail job. Determined to show that she can do the PI thing, Casey refuses to give up, chases down every lead, and snags herself a girlfriend along the way.
As she runs into one dead end after another, Casey wonders whether she should have left her retail job. Determined to show that she can do the PI thing, Casey refuses to give up, chases down every lead, and snags herself a girlfriend along the way.
154 pages, Paperback
First published February 25, 2013
4 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Ettritch
34 books42 followersSarah Ettritch writes stories featuring strong female characters. Her protagonists are often lesbian.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 15, 2018
I'll be the first to admit that I am not fan of mystery reads that don't include paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi, Agatha Christie, or Sherlock Holmes so this was an unusual choice for me. However, as cozy mysteries go, I really loved it.
Casey is a twenty-three year old woman who has a knack for finding cats. She's yet to have an official case and the first one she lands as a legit P.I. is finding a missing comatose woman. Because that's not hard at all.
There's a lot to love about the book. The characters in this read are great, the mystery was actually interesting and the paths Casey follows are fun. The dialogue was excellent and the pacing was perfect. As leads go, Casey is smart and resourceful and very realistic. She's also really endearing and likable.
The tone of the book is fairly light and comedic. And, to boot, we get a sweet romance added to the story. Casey and her love interest also communicate well and have a healthy relationship which is pretty amazing to find these days. Just, in general, the overall quality of the book is high.
And, for cat lovers, there's plenty in this book.
I definitely recommend the read if you like mysteries or are in the mood for something fun and light. I just thought it was really well done.
For a snippet of dialogue, here's a good example:
Gran snorted. “It wasn’t that bad. And don’t knock marrying young. We didn’t need all that in-vitro fertilizer back then, because we didn’t wait until we were old before we tried to get pregnant.” She wagged a finger. “And don’t get me started on substitute mothers.”
“Surrogate mothers,” Casey said with a sigh.
“Next they’ll be buying babies at the store, like out of a science fiction movie. Thank god I’ll be dead by then. Though some things have changed for the better, eh?” She threw her arm around Casey and squeezed her. “Promise me you’ll get married before I kick it. I bet the wedding will cost a fortune, with two brides.”
“Two brides who won’t need wedding dresses and a fancy wedding.” At least, she wouldn’t.
Gran shook her head. “First things first, though, eh? You’ll find someone, don’t worry.” She pursed her lips. “You know, I’ve always wondered where they put it.”
“Put what?”
“The fertilizer.”
It took Casey a few seconds to understand what Gran was saying. “It’s in vitro fertilization, Gran.” She kept her voice even with difficulty. “They used to call them test tube babies, maybe because they did it in a test tube.”
Gran’s expression grew even more confused. “It must have been a big test tube.”
Casey is a twenty-three year old woman who has a knack for finding cats. She's yet to have an official case and the first one she lands as a legit P.I. is finding a missing comatose woman. Because that's not hard at all.
There's a lot to love about the book. The characters in this read are great, the mystery was actually interesting and the paths Casey follows are fun. The dialogue was excellent and the pacing was perfect. As leads go, Casey is smart and resourceful and very realistic. She's also really endearing and likable.
The tone of the book is fairly light and comedic. And, to boot, we get a sweet romance added to the story. Casey and her love interest also communicate well and have a healthy relationship which is pretty amazing to find these days. Just, in general, the overall quality of the book is high.
And, for cat lovers, there's plenty in this book.
I definitely recommend the read if you like mysteries or are in the mood for something fun and light. I just thought it was really well done.
For a snippet of dialogue, here's a good example:
Gran snorted. “It wasn’t that bad. And don’t knock marrying young. We didn’t need all that in-vitro fertilizer back then, because we didn’t wait until we were old before we tried to get pregnant.” She wagged a finger. “And don’t get me started on substitute mothers.”
“Surrogate mothers,” Casey said with a sigh.
“Next they’ll be buying babies at the store, like out of a science fiction movie. Thank god I’ll be dead by then. Though some things have changed for the better, eh?” She threw her arm around Casey and squeezed her. “Promise me you’ll get married before I kick it. I bet the wedding will cost a fortune, with two brides.”
“Two brides who won’t need wedding dresses and a fancy wedding.” At least, she wouldn’t.
Gran shook her head. “First things first, though, eh? You’ll find someone, don’t worry.” She pursed her lips. “You know, I’ve always wondered where they put it.”
“Put what?”
“The fertilizer.”
It took Casey a few seconds to understand what Gran was saying. “It’s in vitro fertilization, Gran.” She kept her voice even with difficulty. “They used to call them test tube babies, maybe because they did it in a test tube.”
Gran’s expression grew even more confused. “It must have been a big test tube.”
November 22, 2018
- Casey wanted to groan. How many lesbians went on dates arranged by their grandmothers? -
A shout out to all grandparents, thank you for making efforts to bond and to love your grandchildren unconditionally. As for the grandkids, thank you for always conspiring with your grandparents behind your parents' backs to exercise their veto powers on their children to your advantages.
Fact #1
Casey Cook had a tight relationship with her Gran. Get ready to laugh out loud during their scenes. I bookmarked and highlighted plenty.
Fact #2
Casey's characterization was written perfectly. She had minor insecurities issue but she stayed strong and pushed forward to be the best P. I. for her client/s.
Fact #3
The romance might caused you chanting O.M.G. With Gran being the undercover cupid, Casey and Emily were really relaxed as they took small steps into couplehood. They didn't rush anything as they knew it would happen at exactly the right moment.
Fact #4
Pet food business is worth about USD94 billion.
Fact #5
Casey had a strained relationship with her parents but it had nothing to do with her being a lesbian.
The most important fact
Read this book, it's only 198 pages and packed with- a great storyline, amazing characters, laugh out loud scenes, plot twist and an irresistible Gran.
A shout out to all grandparents, thank you for making efforts to bond and to love your grandchildren unconditionally. As for the grandkids, thank you for always conspiring with your grandparents behind your parents' backs to exercise their veto powers on their children to your advantages.
Fact #1
Casey Cook had a tight relationship with her Gran. Get ready to laugh out loud during their scenes. I bookmarked and highlighted plenty.
Fact #2
Casey's characterization was written perfectly. She had minor insecurities issue but she stayed strong and pushed forward to be the best P. I. for her client/s.
Fact #3
The romance might caused you chanting O.M.G. With Gran being the undercover cupid, Casey and Emily were really relaxed as they took small steps into couplehood. They didn't rush anything as they knew it would happen at exactly the right moment.
Fact #4
Pet food business is worth about USD94 billion.
Fact #5
Casey had a strained relationship with her parents but it had nothing to do with her being a lesbian.
The most important fact
Read this book, it's only 198 pages and packed with- a great storyline, amazing characters, laugh out loud scenes, plot twist and an irresistible Gran.
April 27, 2025
Casey Blunt has just received her private detective license and her very first case. She must find a woman who was in a coma and who has inexplicably disappeared from the hospital.
This is a humorous and cozy feel-good detective story with a well-woven lesbian love story. The characters are interesting and engaging and the plot was really entertaining.
Closer to 4.5 🥰
This is a humorous and cozy feel-good detective story with a well-woven lesbian love story. The characters are interesting and engaging and the plot was really entertaining.
Closer to 4.5 🥰
October 18, 2018
I started listening to this at a really weird time right before an exam so I was only able to enjoy it 1-2 chapters a day. The narration is fantastic, in some audiobooks, the pacing or interval where there are silences are a bit too long or awkward. Jessica Geffen does an excellent job with this and bringing out the characteristics of the characters she voices.
To the story, I'm a bit wary of detective stories but I thought I'd give it a try after reading lov2laf's review and it was quite enjoyable. The characters had their own personality and none of them made me question why they existed.
If you've got the time I definitely recommend the audiobook if not read it but be warned you're missing some great narration.
PS: I really would have liked some karmic justice with the woman in the red car (forgot her name).
To the story, I'm a bit wary of detective stories but I thought I'd give it a try after reading lov2laf's review and it was quite enjoyable. The characters had their own personality and none of them made me question why they existed.
If you've got the time I definitely recommend the audiobook if not read it but be warned you're missing some great narration.
PS: I really would have liked some karmic justice with the woman in the red car (forgot her name).
April 5, 2017
I loved it!
A mystery about a PI who stumbles onto her first case. Casey has doubts on her ability to be an PI but the alternative is not very attractive. There are only a few people who believe in her and therefore a failure is not an option. Casey is determined to solve this case. It was great to see how Casey grows and how her confidence grows. This is a well written, captivating, smart, funny and unconventional mystery with a beautiful blooming love. The characters are easy to like. I hope there will be a next adventure with Casey. I highly recommend this book.
A mystery about a PI who stumbles onto her first case. Casey has doubts on her ability to be an PI but the alternative is not very attractive. There are only a few people who believe in her and therefore a failure is not an option. Casey is determined to solve this case. It was great to see how Casey grows and how her confidence grows. This is a well written, captivating, smart, funny and unconventional mystery with a beautiful blooming love. The characters are easy to like. I hope there will be a next adventure with Casey. I highly recommend this book.
August 11, 2018
This story surpassed my expectations because I had a few chuckles at Casey’s expense as she stumbled along to solve the case and serve her client. I just love the way the author described these vibrant and hilarious characters and the landscape because I felt as though I was tagging along with Casey during the investigation. I love a good mystery and I love to laugh so this story will become one of my favorite re-reads!
June 16, 2020
3.75/5, is it cheating to say "just read Farah's review" for all my similar thoughts? Light, fun, different read.
November 17, 2020
An Enjoyable Mystery, with a fun cast of characters. PI Casey Cook is 23 and living with her lively Gran. She just took her Private Investigator test and got her license, and has been hired for her first real case. The only problem is how do you find a comatose woman who just disappeared?
Casey ends up becoming more than friends with the girl, Emily, at the local bakery/coffee shop, but both are a little shy together, which is adorable. So it's all very PG.
Casey ends up meeting some whacky people through her investigation and getting herself into some strange scrapes and discussions.
I did enjoy the story, but overall it was quite average. There was nothing overly special about it, not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just a nice casual read to sit back and relax with, without too much to think about.
Casey ends up becoming more than friends with the girl, Emily, at the local bakery/coffee shop, but both are a little shy together, which is adorable. So it's all very PG.
Casey ends up meeting some whacky people through her investigation and getting herself into some strange scrapes and discussions.
I did enjoy the story, but overall it was quite average. There was nothing overly special about it, not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just a nice casual read to sit back and relax with, without too much to think about.
April 22, 2022
3 stars. Such a fun and light read. I enjoyed it. I will say though that as great of a character that Casey was she wasn’t that great of a PI. She was way too naive and trusting. She went into situations with no plans and it was so frustrating. She solves the case in the end but I was annoyed with how she went about certain things.
Other than that this was funny and the characters were a bit wacky which was entertaining. I also enjoyed the budding romance between Casey and Emily. They were adorable together. I’m surprised that this is a stand alone as I could totally see this being the start to a new series but as it is it was a very enjoyable read.
Other than that this was funny and the characters were a bit wacky which was entertaining. I also enjoyed the budding romance between Casey and Emily. They were adorable together. I’m surprised that this is a stand alone as I could totally see this being the start to a new series but as it is it was a very enjoyable read.
March 21, 2025
First, I found this on my TBR shelves. What a cute , different mystery ! Who would want to kidnap a comatose woman out of the hospital. How did she get sick and go into a coma in the first place? She has no son according to her daughter to have signed her out! So Jackie's daughter hires Casey Cook to find her mother!
This is the new PI's first case and at times she feels like a fraud. I love her indecision, but then her belief in herself and gumption to keep on going. There's even a love interest. 5 stars!
This is the new PI's first case and at times she feels like a fraud. I love her indecision, but then her belief in herself and gumption to keep on going. There's even a love interest. 5 stars!
October 4, 2021
This cozy little mystery was actually quite delightful. And it also offered a cute, definitely-no-insta-love-here romance, too.
Casey Cook never knew what she wanted to do when she grew up, but she knew university wasn't it. It's how she ended up working at Walmart full-time until a hobby of finding missing pets turned into her getting a PI licence. The only problem is she doesn't have any clients and not a particularly large network for word-of-mouth referrals. But she finally gets the a call about a case about (yup, you guessed it) a missing comatose woman. It's not the ideal first case and the police aren't even actively working on it anymore, but Casey's not in the position to turn down work.
Meanwhile, her dating life is a disaster and she's oblivious to the fact that the cute waitress at her local coffee shop is always trying to hold an actual conversation with her.
This is a cozy mystery, so the stakes are fairly low, but that's not to say that it wasn't interesting or that I had ever really had it all figured out. It was quite a fun ride. And I definitely want to read the next book in the series.
Casey Cook never knew what she wanted to do when she grew up, but she knew university wasn't it. It's how she ended up working at Walmart full-time until a hobby of finding missing pets turned into her getting a PI licence. The only problem is she doesn't have any clients and not a particularly large network for word-of-mouth referrals. But she finally gets the a call about a case about (yup, you guessed it) a missing comatose woman. It's not the ideal first case and the police aren't even actively working on it anymore, but Casey's not in the position to turn down work.
Meanwhile, her dating life is a disaster and she's oblivious to the fact that the cute waitress at her local coffee shop is always trying to hold an actual conversation with her.
This is a cozy mystery, so the stakes are fairly low, but that's not to say that it wasn't interesting or that I had ever really had it all figured out. It was quite a fun ride. And I definitely want to read the next book in the series.
May 12, 2013
New private investigator Casey Cook has her first case and it's a doozy. She must find a comatose woman who was kidnapped from the hospital. Who in the world would do something like that. It's up to Casey to find out.
I liked this book so much I read it twice. I recommend it to anyone who likes cozy mysteries.
I liked this book so much I read it twice. I recommend it to anyone who likes cozy mysteries.
June 19, 2020
When Casey Cook quit her job at Walmart to become a private investigator, she assumed that she would be finding people’s pets for a living. But it turns out that her first-ever case is to find a missing woman—a task that the local police have almost but not quite given up on. The twist is—as is more than implied in the title—the missing woman ws in a coma.
It seems that a mysterious man claiming to be the woman’s son showed up at the hospital one morning and told the hospital staff that he was moving his mother to a private care facility. He had what appeared to be a legal power of attorney signed by the woman years before. Trouble is, the woman didn’t have a son! So who took the woman from the hospital? And why? And, of course, where is she now?
Although Casey is a newbie PI and worries every other minute that she will fail and everyone will laugh at her, her tracking methods are logical and believable—even when she finds clues that the police missed. Despite her rawness—and the fact that she rides a bike everywhere—Casey’s s search yields pieces of information, one at a time, in a plausible manner. There is a freshness, an innocence about Casey that I last saw in Idaho Code’s Bil Hardy.
But Casey isn’t the only interesting character in The Missing Comatose Woman. The woman that Casey is romantically interested in, Emily, seems to be a truly caring person, someone that is totally interested in Casey despite a big difference in their levels of education. And Casey’s grandmother is more than a hoot. In a genre filled with irascible grandmothers, “Gran” stands tall. In one humorous scene, she sees a Sphynx cat for the first time. “You’ve heard of hairless cats” Casey tells her.
“Hearing about something and actually seeing it are two different things. I said as much to your grandfather on our wedding night.”
All in all this is a delightful gem or a cozy with a touching romance and not a hint of sex unless you count Gran’s quip above. Well written, well edited, and well proofread, it doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. But what it is puts it at the top of its class.
Final Rating: 4
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
It seems that a mysterious man claiming to be the woman’s son showed up at the hospital one morning and told the hospital staff that he was moving his mother to a private care facility. He had what appeared to be a legal power of attorney signed by the woman years before. Trouble is, the woman didn’t have a son! So who took the woman from the hospital? And why? And, of course, where is she now?
Although Casey is a newbie PI and worries every other minute that she will fail and everyone will laugh at her, her tracking methods are logical and believable—even when she finds clues that the police missed. Despite her rawness—and the fact that she rides a bike everywhere—Casey’s s search yields pieces of information, one at a time, in a plausible manner. There is a freshness, an innocence about Casey that I last saw in Idaho Code’s Bil Hardy.
But Casey isn’t the only interesting character in The Missing Comatose Woman. The woman that Casey is romantically interested in, Emily, seems to be a truly caring person, someone that is totally interested in Casey despite a big difference in their levels of education. And Casey’s grandmother is more than a hoot. In a genre filled with irascible grandmothers, “Gran” stands tall. In one humorous scene, she sees a Sphynx cat for the first time. “You’ve heard of hairless cats” Casey tells her.
“Hearing about something and actually seeing it are two different things. I said as much to your grandfather on our wedding night.”
All in all this is a delightful gem or a cozy with a touching romance and not a hint of sex unless you count Gran’s quip above. Well written, well edited, and well proofread, it doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. But what it is puts it at the top of its class.
Final Rating: 4
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
August 5, 2019
This started off as your typical cozy mystery...where a woman has disappeared from the hospital under the guise of her relatives, but her own relative said that couldn't possibly be, since
she
was the only relative. So begins Casey Cook's first real mystery as a PI. As the story progresses however, this reader realizes this is not your typical heterosexual cozy, but a lesbian cozy. And that was a nice surprise. The "romance" part of this cozy was so casually, and discretely done, that it was an absolute delight to read. The romance flowed nicely with the story and made me wish there was more following this book. Is there more following this? This reader certainly hopes so! Either way, I am going to read more by this author.
Four stars.
Four stars.
January 6, 2023
A Must Read Cozy Mystery!
I found this book after a review was posted recently on “The Lesbian Review” twitter feed. I am so glad I purchased this. It has everything a cozy mystery should have and a budding romance. The story itself had depth and the characters had serving roles to keep the story moving. This book may be from 2013 but it has staying power. If you haven’t read it yet, do so now. I am moving on to “The Perfect Christmas Gift” written a couple of years later but has Casey and Emily back again.
I found this book after a review was posted recently on “The Lesbian Review” twitter feed. I am so glad I purchased this. It has everything a cozy mystery should have and a budding romance. The story itself had depth and the characters had serving roles to keep the story moving. This book may be from 2013 but it has staying power. If you haven’t read it yet, do so now. I am moving on to “The Perfect Christmas Gift” written a couple of years later but has Casey and Emily back again.
June 2, 2017
Fun read of a new PI whose first case is to find her client's comatose mother who was taken from the hospital. She follows clues and gets in trouble all the while falling in love with the neighborhood barista.
I loved these characters, especially Grandma. She's a riot. The story is far-fetched but the telling is good. I got caught up in it as Casey works on the mystery. It is a quick read. I hope there is more coming with these characters.
I loved these characters, especially Grandma. She's a riot. The story is far-fetched but the telling is good. I got caught up in it as Casey works on the mystery. It is a quick read. I hope there is more coming with these characters.
April 6, 2025
A cute, fun story. The plot itself is interesting. I mean, who would want to kidnap a comatose woman? Well, Casey's about to find out.
The writing was easy but that suited the story. It flowed nicely and it was easy to finish in one day. The characters were all fun and the romance cute and realistic.
Recommended!
The writing was easy but that suited the story. It flowed nicely and it was easy to finish in one day. The characters were all fun and the romance cute and realistic.
Recommended!
December 29, 2021
This is a "cozy" mystery - right up my alley.
July 18, 2014
I came across this one while browsing the titles at sapphicabooks.net. The cover screamed “cozy mystery,” which isn’t exactly — or even remotely — my cup of tea. The title and the brief description were enough to pique my interest, though. I immediately asked myself the same question as does our protag, fledgling PI Casey Cook: Why would someone kidnap a comatose woman?
Casey has left her job at Walmart and gotten her PI’s license. Bit of a stretch? Sure, but anything beats Wally World, right? Problem is, she’s yet to get her first case, and, among other things, she’s imagining the way her friends are gonna rag on her for not being able to make a go of things after the time and money she’s invested getting her license. Some friends, huh? Enter the daughter of the snatched sleeper and suddenly Casey has a paying client. Plenty of plot twists, mostly potential clues that lead nowhere, hold your interest, and there’s a nice budding romance between Casey and Emily, a barista at her favorite coffee shop.
Casey is an engaging character, for the most part, and though she’s a newbie in her profession, and is, just maybe, in over her head, she soldiers on, partly out of loyalty to her client and partly to avoid her friends’ I-told-you-so comments. Also, as she has some serious self-worth issues, she needs to prove to herself that she can succeed at “the PI thing.” She does seem to have a helpful head for details, and a stick-to-itiveness that proves to be an asset. She’s funny without being over-the-top silly, likeable — again, for the most part, about which more later — and I definitely wouldn’t mind reading more about her should the author decide to turn this into a series. She reminds me just a bit of Jae Baeli’s Jobeth O’Brien in her AKA Investigations series, especially in Book One of that saga; Jobe has also left a dead-end job and started her own investigative business.
My favorite character, however, is Emily, who’s been interested in Casey for a while, though the latter’s gaydar seems hopelessly out of whack. Emily’s also smart and funny, and determined to not let Casey get away. Something about her reminds me a little of Michaela in Kate Genet’s Michaela and Trisha novels and the relationship is similar, too, with the very bright college student Emily akin to Michaela and the rather too self-deprecating Casey like Trisha. Supporting characters are interesting, colorful additions, particularly Casey’s gram.
I appreciated that the nascent romance doesn’t intrude on the mystery element, but serves merely to punctuate it. This contributes to the novel’s successful pacing. I also like that duo want to proceed slowly. I have absolutely nothing against sex, even if graphically presented, in a story, but here, it would have been totally out of character with the personae the author has drawn.
Ettritch’s fast, easy-to-read narrative uses limited third person POV centering around Casey. This works well as it allows us to follow the progress of both her investigation and her growing attraction to Emily without any digressions. The overall writing style is humorous and that suits the cozy mystery story well and also fits the characters’ personalities. There aren’t any truly laugh-out-loud moments à la Kate Allen’s Alison Kaine series, but that’s okay, I think; not everybody can carry off that sort of thing with the skill Allen displayed. The amount and type of humor in here is just right.
One of my favorite scenes: Casey’s “date” with Leah, on whom she’s been crushing for a long time. Turns out Leah is totally self-centered, oblivious to anything not about herself and interested in sex, pure and simple, while Casey likes to know someone better before slipping between the sheets. (“ ‘You’re so cute,’ Leah said with a giggle. ‘I’m liking this idea more and more. What do you need to know?’ Her last name, for a start— hopefully very early on in their relationship”)
The plotting is consistent and you care enough about the mystery and the characters to keep you reading. Ettritch is particularly good at characterization and realistic dialogue. The passages between Casey and Emily are especially well-written and the dialogue just right. More descriptive detail throughout would have been nice, though there’s still a feeling of realism without it.
My general feeling about The Missing Comatose Woman is positive. A couple of reviewers on goodreads described it as fluff, but I find that a little harsh. A cozy mystery, certainly, but with more substance than “fluff” might suggest. That said, if I may be permitted a quibble ot three:
Most, if not all, US states require as much as three years experience with a licensed investigative firm or government investigative agency before granting a PI’s license. I doubt the rules in Canada are all that different, and this makes Casey’s status as such an extreme neophyte unlikely. Secondly, although I understand that Casey’s self-worth problems are one of the themes at work here, the point seems belabored, especially vis-a-vis Emily. (Why would such a hot, smart woman be interested in a former Walmart associate/ PI wannabe?) It gives Casey an “oh, poor me” feeling that makes her less engaging simply because it’s so frequently mentioned. Finally, while the writing is fluid and grammatically sound, there’s some repetition that I found annoying. For example, during Casey’s disastrous dinner date with Leah, we get “Pizza for dinner twice in a row. Good thing she loved it;” then during her outing with Emily, “Apart from having pizza yet again— thank god she loved the stuff.” There are several similar incidences.
I have a bigger problem with the ending, however. Casey doesn’t actually solve the case; instead, the mystery is explained to her after she’s been (easily) kidnapped, a deus ex machina conclusion which is very unsatisfying.
Despite the objections noted above, The Missing Comatose Woman was a quick, entertaining read with very likable characters. A pleasurable way to pass a couple of ideas hours if you're looking for something that’s not all angst-y and dripping with gore.
Casey has left her job at Walmart and gotten her PI’s license. Bit of a stretch? Sure, but anything beats Wally World, right? Problem is, she’s yet to get her first case, and, among other things, she’s imagining the way her friends are gonna rag on her for not being able to make a go of things after the time and money she’s invested getting her license. Some friends, huh? Enter the daughter of the snatched sleeper and suddenly Casey has a paying client. Plenty of plot twists, mostly potential clues that lead nowhere, hold your interest, and there’s a nice budding romance between Casey and Emily, a barista at her favorite coffee shop.
Casey is an engaging character, for the most part, and though she’s a newbie in her profession, and is, just maybe, in over her head, she soldiers on, partly out of loyalty to her client and partly to avoid her friends’ I-told-you-so comments. Also, as she has some serious self-worth issues, she needs to prove to herself that she can succeed at “the PI thing.” She does seem to have a helpful head for details, and a stick-to-itiveness that proves to be an asset. She’s funny without being over-the-top silly, likeable — again, for the most part, about which more later — and I definitely wouldn’t mind reading more about her should the author decide to turn this into a series. She reminds me just a bit of Jae Baeli’s Jobeth O’Brien in her AKA Investigations series, especially in Book One of that saga; Jobe has also left a dead-end job and started her own investigative business.
My favorite character, however, is Emily, who’s been interested in Casey for a while, though the latter’s gaydar seems hopelessly out of whack. Emily’s also smart and funny, and determined to not let Casey get away. Something about her reminds me a little of Michaela in Kate Genet’s Michaela and Trisha novels and the relationship is similar, too, with the very bright college student Emily akin to Michaela and the rather too self-deprecating Casey like Trisha. Supporting characters are interesting, colorful additions, particularly Casey’s gram.
I appreciated that the nascent romance doesn’t intrude on the mystery element, but serves merely to punctuate it. This contributes to the novel’s successful pacing. I also like that duo want to proceed slowly. I have absolutely nothing against sex, even if graphically presented, in a story, but here, it would have been totally out of character with the personae the author has drawn.
Ettritch’s fast, easy-to-read narrative uses limited third person POV centering around Casey. This works well as it allows us to follow the progress of both her investigation and her growing attraction to Emily without any digressions. The overall writing style is humorous and that suits the cozy mystery story well and also fits the characters’ personalities. There aren’t any truly laugh-out-loud moments à la Kate Allen’s Alison Kaine series, but that’s okay, I think; not everybody can carry off that sort of thing with the skill Allen displayed. The amount and type of humor in here is just right.
One of my favorite scenes: Casey’s “date” with Leah, on whom she’s been crushing for a long time. Turns out Leah is totally self-centered, oblivious to anything not about herself and interested in sex, pure and simple, while Casey likes to know someone better before slipping between the sheets. (“ ‘You’re so cute,’ Leah said with a giggle. ‘I’m liking this idea more and more. What do you need to know?’ Her last name, for a start— hopefully very early on in their relationship”)
The plotting is consistent and you care enough about the mystery and the characters to keep you reading. Ettritch is particularly good at characterization and realistic dialogue. The passages between Casey and Emily are especially well-written and the dialogue just right. More descriptive detail throughout would have been nice, though there’s still a feeling of realism without it.
My general feeling about The Missing Comatose Woman is positive. A couple of reviewers on goodreads described it as fluff, but I find that a little harsh. A cozy mystery, certainly, but with more substance than “fluff” might suggest. That said, if I may be permitted a quibble ot three:
Most, if not all, US states require as much as three years experience with a licensed investigative firm or government investigative agency before granting a PI’s license. I doubt the rules in Canada are all that different, and this makes Casey’s status as such an extreme neophyte unlikely. Secondly, although I understand that Casey’s self-worth problems are one of the themes at work here, the point seems belabored, especially vis-a-vis Emily. (Why would such a hot, smart woman be interested in a former Walmart associate/ PI wannabe?) It gives Casey an “oh, poor me” feeling that makes her less engaging simply because it’s so frequently mentioned. Finally, while the writing is fluid and grammatically sound, there’s some repetition that I found annoying. For example, during Casey’s disastrous dinner date with Leah, we get “Pizza for dinner twice in a row. Good thing she loved it;” then during her outing with Emily, “Apart from having pizza yet again— thank god she loved the stuff.” There are several similar incidences.
I have a bigger problem with the ending, however. Casey doesn’t actually solve the case; instead, the mystery is explained to her after she’s been (easily) kidnapped, a deus ex machina conclusion which is very unsatisfying.
Despite the objections noted above, The Missing Comatose Woman was a quick, entertaining read with very likable characters. A pleasurable way to pass a couple of ideas hours if you're looking for something that’s not all angst-y and dripping with gore.
December 12, 2024
Newly qualified P.I., Casey Cook, 23, lives with her grandmother and hasn't even had business cards printed yet.
Her first case involving a human (she's good at finding cats) is an usual one. Pet food scientist Jacqueline Rose gets ill at an office party and later goes into a coma.
On the one weekend her daughter is out of town - *poof*.
Someone claiming to be her son turned up with Power of Attorney papers and shipped her to another medical facility. 'Cept they didn't and she can't be found.
At first Casey is winging it but after singling out one detail she slowly unravels a tricky tale.
It's no great shakes as a mystery story but I liked Casey, her new girlfriend, and her grandmother.
Granny btw gets the best lines:-
“Hearing about something and actually seeing it are two different things. I said as much to your grandfather on our wedding night,”
“Gran’s brow furrowed. “The cat doesn’t have any fur and lives in Ontario. How intelligent can it be?”
I'd like to read more but there's just another novella.
3 Stars.
Her first case involving a human (she's good at finding cats) is an usual one. Pet food scientist Jacqueline Rose gets ill at an office party and later goes into a coma.
On the one weekend her daughter is out of town - *poof*.
Someone claiming to be her son turned up with Power of Attorney papers and shipped her to another medical facility. 'Cept they didn't and she can't be found.
At first Casey is winging it but after singling out one detail she slowly unravels a tricky tale.
It's no great shakes as a mystery story but I liked Casey, her new girlfriend, and her grandmother.
Granny btw gets the best lines:-
“Hearing about something and actually seeing it are two different things. I said as much to your grandfather on our wedding night,”
“Gran’s brow furrowed. “The cat doesn’t have any fur and lives in Ontario. How intelligent can it be?”
I'd like to read more but there's just another novella.
3 Stars.
October 31, 2019
4.25 stars
April 22, 2022
Nice and cute.
May 10, 2013
Fun, fluffy mystery. It kept my attention and didn't have any egregious issues to throw me out of the story. The relationship sub-plot fit in well with the story, neither overshadowing the mystery nor feeling like an afterthought.
My rating is based on Goodreads scale - 3 stars means "I liked it". This one is closer to 3.5. It would be higher if I was only comparing with other new short mystery novels because it is well-written and I've read some pretty bad ones recently. The plot hung together well. The characters were not stereotypes. The ebook doesn't have noticeable typos. I rated it lower mainly because I was comparing with the other novels I've read by Sarah Ettritch (the Rymellan series and Threaded in Time). For me, those were breaking new ground. This one was enjoyable but not special.
While adding the ebook edition to Goodreads I noticed that this was published on my birthday. I didn't know about it at the time, but it's a very nice birthday present. Thank you Sarah Ettritch :)
My rating is based on Goodreads scale - 3 stars means "I liked it". This one is closer to 3.5. It would be higher if I was only comparing with other new short mystery novels because it is well-written and I've read some pretty bad ones recently. The plot hung together well. The characters were not stereotypes. The ebook doesn't have noticeable typos. I rated it lower mainly because I was comparing with the other novels I've read by Sarah Ettritch (the Rymellan series and Threaded in Time). For me, those were breaking new ground. This one was enjoyable but not special.
While adding the ebook edition to Goodreads I noticed that this was published on my birthday. I didn't know about it at the time, but it's a very nice birthday present. Thank you Sarah Ettritch :)
March 11, 2014
I listened to this book on Audible. it wasn't enjoyable to listen to and it was the dialogue less than the narrators. Some books don't do well when spoken and this one fits that bill. The narrator was okay but needs more and different female voices. There were a couple of times i just wished that the Casey would get shot and the book would end. Casey, the new PI, just seemed to make the dumbest mistakes like she had never seen a cop show in her life. Adding eh to the end of a half a dozen or more sentences so you'd know it was in Canada was annoying and stereotypical. The plot was funny and it did make me keep on listening but not sure if I'll try another. If I did, I'd try by reading it to see if the dialogue came across better.
September 6, 2013
I did win this book as a Firstreads in a contest.
April 14, 2014
Light and fluffy mystery with just the beginnings of a possible romance. This could be developed into a decent series if the author wanted to take it that way, but otherwise stands well on its own.
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