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Temptation in Florence #1
Delayed Death
What do you do when you find your grandfather dead half an hour before your cousin's wedding? You hide him in his bed and tell everyone he didn't feel like coming. Delayed Death is an entertaining mystery set in Florence, Italy. When Carlina finds her grandfather dead on the day of her cousin's wedding, she decides to hide the corpse until after the ceremony. However, her grandfather was poisoned, and she becomes the attractive Inspector's prime suspect. On top of that, she has to manage her boisterous family and her luxurious lingerie store called Temptation, a juggling act that creates many hilarious situations.
260 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2012
65 people are currently reading
457 people want to read
About the author
Beate Boeker
51 books103 followersI love books with touches of humor and mischief. It doesn't matter if they're romances or mysteries or biographies - as long as they make me chuckle, count me in.
Here's my official author bio:
Beate Boeker is a USA Today bestselling author with a passion for books that brim over with mischief & humor.
Several of her novels were shortlisted for the Golden Quill Contest, the National Readers' Choice Award, the 'Best Indie Books' contest, and the RONE Award.
By day, Beate is a marketing consultant with a degree in International Business Administration. Widely traveled, she speaks German, English, French, and Italian and lives in the North of Germany together with her husband and daughter.
While 'Boeker' means 'books' in a German dialect, her first name Beate can be translated as ‘Happy’ . . . and with a name that reads ‘Happy Books’, what else can she do but write novels with happy endings?
Contact Beate:
Website
http://www.happybooks.de
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beate-...
Twitter
@BeateBoeker
Here's my official author bio:
Beate Boeker is a USA Today bestselling author with a passion for books that brim over with mischief & humor.
Several of her novels were shortlisted for the Golden Quill Contest, the National Readers' Choice Award, the 'Best Indie Books' contest, and the RONE Award.
By day, Beate is a marketing consultant with a degree in International Business Administration. Widely traveled, she speaks German, English, French, and Italian and lives in the North of Germany together with her husband and daughter.
While 'Boeker' means 'books' in a German dialect, her first name Beate can be translated as ‘Happy’ . . . and with a name that reads ‘Happy Books’, what else can she do but write novels with happy endings?
Contact Beate:
Website
http://www.happybooks.de
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beate-...
@BeateBoeker
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 5, 2020
Somehow I found this cozy set in Florence, Italy, while poking around Amazon. It was an enjoyable start to the series. I was not quite comfortable with the choice two cousins made in the first chapters, but it worked out in light of the generally comedic nature of the book.
Some editing was needed here and there, such as the switching from 'grandfather' to 'uncle' and back, but nothing terribly jarring. Got a real kick out of the zany family. The second in series is on my tbr for the next week or two, and I'm hoping we get even more of a feeling of being in Italy.
Some editing was needed here and there, such as the switching from 'grandfather' to 'uncle' and back, but nothing terribly jarring. Got a real kick out of the zany family. The second in series is on my tbr for the next week or two, and I'm hoping we get even more of a feeling of being in Italy.
February 26, 2018
4.45 stars
I very much enjoyed this first entry in the Temptation in Florence mystery series. I had a bit of a tough start into it though because I could not agree to some of the choices the main character and her cousin made in the first chapters. Now I think that I just took it too serious! The story grew on me with every page I read and now by the end I can't wait to read the next one of Carlina's adventures in Florence. There is a lot of humour with laugh out loud funny moments.
I came to love Carlina and the rest of the whole wacky family and I downloaded the next book in this series already.
I requested this book from NetGalley and am thankful that Kobo Writing Life and the author provided me with a copy.
I very much enjoyed this first entry in the Temptation in Florence mystery series. I had a bit of a tough start into it though because I could not agree to some of the choices the main character and her cousin made in the first chapters. Now I think that I just took it too serious! The story grew on me with every page I read and now by the end I can't wait to read the next one of Carlina's adventures in Florence. There is a lot of humour with laugh out loud funny moments.
I came to love Carlina and the rest of the whole wacky family and I downloaded the next book in this series already.
I requested this book from NetGalley and am thankful that Kobo Writing Life and the author provided me with a copy.
February 21, 2018
This was a good little mystery. Very enjoyable and fun to read the antics of the family.
Carlina is part of a very large family. When her grandfather is found dead right before a cousin's wedding, her and her cousin decide to hide him in bed so the wedding won't be ruined. Only, she forgets about him and later the police are called as her great uncle suspects something is wrong with the way the body was in bed. Well, he is right, it was murder, and the murderer won't stop there.
I didn't even suspect the murderer so it was a surprise to me when they were revealed.
I was given a free ecopy through NetGalley.
Carlina is part of a very large family. When her grandfather is found dead right before a cousin's wedding, her and her cousin decide to hide him in bed so the wedding won't be ruined. Only, she forgets about him and later the police are called as her great uncle suspects something is wrong with the way the body was in bed. Well, he is right, it was murder, and the murderer won't stop there.
I didn't even suspect the murderer so it was a surprise to me when they were revealed.
I was given a free ecopy through NetGalley.
August 27, 2016
This is a charming mystery set in Florence. The includes a full cast of interesting characters and motives abound for the murder. I thoroughly enjoyed the continental feel of the whole book including the language.
March 14, 2018
Delayed Death By Beate Boeker is a first in a new series.
This is also a new author for me.
This is a funny, colorful cozy mystery, filled with hysterical characters, a good murder plot and a bit of romance on the side.
Carlina owns Temptations, a high end lingerie shop in Florence, Italy.
Carlina is also part of a huge Italian family, that lives in the same home and shares many meals together.
The book opens on the morning of a wedding, Carlina's cousin is getting married.
When their grandfather doesn't answer his door, Carlina expects to find him in one of his odd moods, citing some bizarre reason why he can't attend the wedding.
Unfortunately for Carlina, that's not the case, instead of finding her grandfather refusing to go to the wedding, she finds him slumped on a chair, dead.
When Emma, the bride, happens upon the scene, she screams and throws a fit that grandfather has ruined her wedding day.
Emma comes up with a plan, not a good one, but a plan none the less.
Once the wedding is over, the plan is to "find" grandfather and mourn his passing.
As we cozy mystery readers know, it's never that simple and when the plan spirals out of control, Carlina finds herself stuck in the middle of a murder investigation.
I really enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading more in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
This is also a new author for me.
This is a funny, colorful cozy mystery, filled with hysterical characters, a good murder plot and a bit of romance on the side.
Carlina owns Temptations, a high end lingerie shop in Florence, Italy.
Carlina is also part of a huge Italian family, that lives in the same home and shares many meals together.
The book opens on the morning of a wedding, Carlina's cousin is getting married.
When their grandfather doesn't answer his door, Carlina expects to find him in one of his odd moods, citing some bizarre reason why he can't attend the wedding.
Unfortunately for Carlina, that's not the case, instead of finding her grandfather refusing to go to the wedding, she finds him slumped on a chair, dead.
When Emma, the bride, happens upon the scene, she screams and throws a fit that grandfather has ruined her wedding day.
Emma comes up with a plan, not a good one, but a plan none the less.
Once the wedding is over, the plan is to "find" grandfather and mourn his passing.
As we cozy mystery readers know, it's never that simple and when the plan spirals out of control, Carlina finds herself stuck in the middle of a murder investigation.
I really enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading more in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
March 31, 2015
http://www.njkinnysblog.com/2015/03/b...
This was the first book by Beate Boeker that I read and I enjoyed reading it. The cover is simple and doesn't look very appealing but once you have started reading the book, you start to understand the cover photo better. I was attracted towards this book by the blurb which is intriguing and engaged my love for mysteries and suspense.
The plot is conceived and executed meticulously and the author throws sudden twists and turns with unexpected clues and throws suspicion on new people every time you think yourself coming near to a solution to the mystery! Her writing style is simple and yet engaging and I was kept interested in the story right till the end.
The characterization is admirably done which is no small task considering the huge Italian family of our heroine Carlina. Each and everyone has their own quirks and eccentricities which added fun as well as a new level of complication in solving the mystery. I loved Carlina's character. She is sensible, independent and completely loyal towards her family. I enjoyed the scenes between Carlina and the Commissario Stefano Garini.
Stefano is a good detective and his intense and methodical approach to solving the murder mystery has me appreciating his mystery solving skills, not to mention his growly bear attitude towards Carlina had me giggling and then sighing like a hopeless romantic that I am.
The only thing that I didn't like and which somewhat ruined my complete satisfaction with the story was the abrupt ending which although solved the mystery, gave no closure to Carlina and Stafano's angle.
All in all, Delayed Death is an engaging mystery which will exercise your brain cells thoroughly and also provide you plenty of entertainment. Had the Carlina-Stefano angle been closed, this would have been a 5 star rated book from me but for now I give Delayed Death 4 out of 5 and hope to read more from the author in the future. She is a talented writer and I wish her the very best.
I received the book from the author and the tour organizer and I am very thankful to them. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.
This was the first book by Beate Boeker that I read and I enjoyed reading it. The cover is simple and doesn't look very appealing but once you have started reading the book, you start to understand the cover photo better. I was attracted towards this book by the blurb which is intriguing and engaged my love for mysteries and suspense.
The plot is conceived and executed meticulously and the author throws sudden twists and turns with unexpected clues and throws suspicion on new people every time you think yourself coming near to a solution to the mystery! Her writing style is simple and yet engaging and I was kept interested in the story right till the end.
The characterization is admirably done which is no small task considering the huge Italian family of our heroine Carlina. Each and everyone has their own quirks and eccentricities which added fun as well as a new level of complication in solving the mystery. I loved Carlina's character. She is sensible, independent and completely loyal towards her family. I enjoyed the scenes between Carlina and the Commissario Stefano Garini.
Stefano is a good detective and his intense and methodical approach to solving the murder mystery has me appreciating his mystery solving skills, not to mention his growly bear attitude towards Carlina had me giggling and then sighing like a hopeless romantic that I am.
The only thing that I didn't like and which somewhat ruined my complete satisfaction with the story was the abrupt ending which although solved the mystery, gave no closure to Carlina and Stafano's angle.
All in all, Delayed Death is an engaging mystery which will exercise your brain cells thoroughly and also provide you plenty of entertainment. Had the Carlina-Stefano angle been closed, this would have been a 5 star rated book from me but for now I give Delayed Death 4 out of 5 and hope to read more from the author in the future. She is a talented writer and I wish her the very best.
I received the book from the author and the tour organizer and I am very thankful to them. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.
February 6, 2018
This book initially appealed to me because of the very large and very interesting Mantoni family. I am an only child of only children and while my family is quite small, I have always been drawn to large families, who given all their individual quirks, somehow manage to get along. In the book description, the author states that a relative's death will be concealed so as not to ruin a bride's wedding day. I couldn't picture this being anything but a fun read involving a quirky family and Beate Boeker didn't let me down.
While at first glance, the death seems natural and the decision to delay reporting it makes some kind of strange sense, it doesn't strike Carlina as a really bad decision. However, once it is revealed that this death was in fact, murder, well things quickly spiral out of control. When Carlina becomes a suspect, her interactions with Commissario Garini unfold and sparks fly between them. This was a fun, engaging read that had me laughing at how the Mantoni family dealt with this death, and with all the potential suspects, it wasn't easy to figure out who was responsible for the crime.
Thank you, Beate Boeker, Kobe Writing Life and NetGalley for the digital copy to read and review. I look forward to seeing how much more mayhem and murder befalls this family.
While at first glance, the death seems natural and the decision to delay reporting it makes some kind of strange sense, it doesn't strike Carlina as a really bad decision. However, once it is revealed that this death was in fact, murder, well things quickly spiral out of control. When Carlina becomes a suspect, her interactions with Commissario Garini unfold and sparks fly between them. This was a fun, engaging read that had me laughing at how the Mantoni family dealt with this death, and with all the potential suspects, it wasn't easy to figure out who was responsible for the crime.
Thank you, Beate Boeker, Kobe Writing Life and NetGalley for the digital copy to read and review. I look forward to seeing how much more mayhem and murder befalls this family.
March 5, 2018
I do not understand the type of love Caroline had for her grandfather, when she was so easily convinced by her cousin for them to hide his death from the rest of the family, by placing his body in his bed like he wasn’t up to attending the wedding, until his twin went to wake him after the wedding and got the surprise of his life, that was utterly deceitful by Carolina, Emma, and a bit selfish, I believe. What a shameful thing for Caroline to condone but the Mantonies are a weird bunch it seems, Because of her lies to the Police, Carolina now has to deal with the fallout of that, she has now become their number one suspect in the murder of her grandfather, what would be the odds of that, A bunch of erratic and crazies these Mantonies are but they are the life of the book, giving it all the juices for the making of a delicious delight. The storyline is an engaging and intriguing one and the characters blend well, a bit of comedy mixed with murder makes for an interesting and entertaining package.
May 19, 2015
Delayed Death is the first in the Temptation in Florence Series. This cozy mystery takes place in Florence Italy and features Carlina who is an owner of a boutique lingerie store. She’s part of a large Italian family who all live in a home that’s split into apartments. When Carlina’s grandfather dies immediately before her cousins wedding they make a mistake that haunts her once they discover he was murdered.
Carlina is a wonderful character with a good head on her shoulders. Her family is a little strange but mostly lovable if you can get past their quirks. Since they all live with another (for the most part) she has to deal with their ‘quirks’ and does a good job at not letting things get to her. But when she makes a mistake and is suspected of murder her strong personality starts to shine through. She’s hurt that the police think she’s guilty and she’s frustrated dealing with the Inspector who does a great job of grilling her on her own activities as well as those of her large family.
While spending so much time with the Inspector we start to see some sparks start to fly between them. It’s hard to imagine that Carlina could get past her annoyance at him but things take some twists and turns and I can see how there’s some strong potential for a romance here.
The mystery is done well and I didn’t figure out who the guilty person was until about the time it started to be revealed. It was so hard to imagine Carlina’s family being guilty of anything so I just felt like it was impossible for any of them to be responsible. I was really impressed with how it played out.
This is a fun read that made me laugh out loud more than once. The characters in this book have strong personalities and they really came alive. At first I wasn’t sure about keeping everyone straight because there are a lot of them. But as the book goes on they became more clear of who was who. And it was easy to just go with it anyway.
I have to comment on the setting. I LOVE that it takes place in Florence. I could imagine the setting beautifully and could picture myself there with everyone. All I can do for now is visit through books and this worked well.
When I finished this book I had a strong urge to pick up the second one immediately. I really didn’t want to leave Carlina, her strange family and this maybe potential romance. I’m so anxious for more!
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
Carlina is a wonderful character with a good head on her shoulders. Her family is a little strange but mostly lovable if you can get past their quirks. Since they all live with another (for the most part) she has to deal with their ‘quirks’ and does a good job at not letting things get to her. But when she makes a mistake and is suspected of murder her strong personality starts to shine through. She’s hurt that the police think she’s guilty and she’s frustrated dealing with the Inspector who does a great job of grilling her on her own activities as well as those of her large family.
While spending so much time with the Inspector we start to see some sparks start to fly between them. It’s hard to imagine that Carlina could get past her annoyance at him but things take some twists and turns and I can see how there’s some strong potential for a romance here.
The mystery is done well and I didn’t figure out who the guilty person was until about the time it started to be revealed. It was so hard to imagine Carlina’s family being guilty of anything so I just felt like it was impossible for any of them to be responsible. I was really impressed with how it played out.
This is a fun read that made me laugh out loud more than once. The characters in this book have strong personalities and they really came alive. At first I wasn’t sure about keeping everyone straight because there are a lot of them. But as the book goes on they became more clear of who was who. And it was easy to just go with it anyway.
I have to comment on the setting. I LOVE that it takes place in Florence. I could imagine the setting beautifully and could picture myself there with everyone. All I can do for now is visit through books and this worked well.
When I finished this book I had a strong urge to pick up the second one immediately. I really didn’t want to leave Carlina, her strange family and this maybe potential romance. I’m so anxious for more!
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
February 8, 2015
I was given a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
I love, love, love this cozy mystery with a splash of romance. It is set in Florence, Italy and really captures the taste and feel of being there. Even the lingerie shop Carlina owns is typical of the culture and makes for some very fun mishaps. I enjoyed the eccentricities of the Mantoni family who were so much fun to read about. I felt as though I was part of the family…ahem…an Italian family. This book is filled with humor and mystery and a dash of romance. I believe you will thoroughly enjoy Commissario Stefano and his "strict" efforts to keep his suspect in check. Carlina keeps him on his toes with her attempts to protect her family until she is the one who needs his protecting. The mystery will keep you guessing and you will fall in love at the same time. I can’t wait to read the next book and meet Stefano and Carlina again.
Heat Level: PG-13. Although this is a cozy mystery and there is no sex, I still felt I should put a PG-13 only because of the murder, but nothing more intense than you might see in the TV show Castle. Note: my heat level ratings are my opinion only which for my purposes means: anything you may expect to see in a PG-13 movie, you may expect to read on the page. It is my practice to put a heat level on all my reviews because I consider it an important factor in determining whether or not I want to read a book.
I love, love, love this cozy mystery with a splash of romance. It is set in Florence, Italy and really captures the taste and feel of being there. Even the lingerie shop Carlina owns is typical of the culture and makes for some very fun mishaps. I enjoyed the eccentricities of the Mantoni family who were so much fun to read about. I felt as though I was part of the family…ahem…an Italian family. This book is filled with humor and mystery and a dash of romance. I believe you will thoroughly enjoy Commissario Stefano and his "strict" efforts to keep his suspect in check. Carlina keeps him on his toes with her attempts to protect her family until she is the one who needs his protecting. The mystery will keep you guessing and you will fall in love at the same time. I can’t wait to read the next book and meet Stefano and Carlina again.
Heat Level: PG-13. Although this is a cozy mystery and there is no sex, I still felt I should put a PG-13 only because of the murder, but nothing more intense than you might see in the TV show Castle. Note: my heat level ratings are my opinion only which for my purposes means: anything you may expect to see in a PG-13 movie, you may expect to read on the page. It is my practice to put a heat level on all my reviews because I consider it an important factor in determining whether or not I want to read a book.
November 28, 2015
Welcome to Florence, Italy!! We are going to the historic center’
of Florence to visit the Mantoni family. Most of them live in one
apartment housing unit or ear the apartment building.
It is the day of Emma’s wedding. Caroline better known by the
name Carlina is helping Emma dress. Carlina goes down to her
Grandfather’s apartment to take him to the wedding with them.
Surprise….He is dead!!!
Emma pressures Carlina to not tell anyone until the next day
hat he is dead. Emma wants to get married & go on a
honeymoon first. So they undress Grandpa then put him to bed.
The next morning Grandpa’s twin brother finds the body. He
knows his twin did not die naturally because Grandpa still had
on his socks!! Great cast of characters…they all have some kind
of unique, weird quirks.
Now enter Commissario Stefano Garini, the by-the-book, no
nonsense police officer. He will be the prime investigator. He
will meet and investigate everyone in this crazy family and
others as Grandpa is pronounce a homicide. He finds tons of
suspects each colorful in their own way. I enjoyed the chemistry
starting to develop between Stefano and Carlina.
This was a very enjoyable, fun filled cozy murder mystery which
had a lot of humor in addition to thrills, chills, drama, suspense,
unexpected twists and romance. Be sure to read.
Thanks to the author for this eBook. The opinion is my own.
of Florence to visit the Mantoni family. Most of them live in one
apartment housing unit or ear the apartment building.
It is the day of Emma’s wedding. Caroline better known by the
name Carlina is helping Emma dress. Carlina goes down to her
Grandfather’s apartment to take him to the wedding with them.
Surprise….He is dead!!!
Emma pressures Carlina to not tell anyone until the next day
hat he is dead. Emma wants to get married & go on a
honeymoon first. So they undress Grandpa then put him to bed.
The next morning Grandpa’s twin brother finds the body. He
knows his twin did not die naturally because Grandpa still had
on his socks!! Great cast of characters…they all have some kind
of unique, weird quirks.
Now enter Commissario Stefano Garini, the by-the-book, no
nonsense police officer. He will be the prime investigator. He
will meet and investigate everyone in this crazy family and
others as Grandpa is pronounce a homicide. He finds tons of
suspects each colorful in their own way. I enjoyed the chemistry
starting to develop between Stefano and Carlina.
This was a very enjoyable, fun filled cozy murder mystery which
had a lot of humor in addition to thrills, chills, drama, suspense,
unexpected twists and romance. Be sure to read.
Thanks to the author for this eBook. The opinion is my own.
February 4, 2015
This is a delightful, funny, suspenseful debut book in the Temptation Florence series. Carlina, the owner of Temptations, a lingerie store in historic Florence, is also a member of a large eccentric Italian family. When Carlina & her cousin Emma find their grandfather dead just before Emma's wedding, what do they do? Well, move the body, undress it & put it to bed, of course. What could it matter if the announcement of their grandfather's death is delayed a day? Well, as the story unfolds, a lot. When the police get involved, will more deaths follow? Will Carlina's cover-up make her a prime suspect in the death? I loved the chemistry between Carlina and the Commissario Stefan Garini & the rapport between Carolina's family members. I am looking forward to reading more books in this entertaining series. Although I received a copy of this book from the author, this review is submitted voluntarily & solely my experience with the book.
March 31, 2015
I love a good cozy mystery but I'm not always a fan of the cutesy side of cozies. However, every once in awhile I find a cozy that is just so much fun that the cutesy just really works and I think I've found that in Delayed Death. It reads a bit like a contemporary romance with crazy characters and lots of banter. However, mystery itself is very good and there's an endless list of suspects and motives. I really had no idea of the who until close to the end and I was entertained the entire time. If you like dark and gritty this probably not the book for you. However, if you are looking for a fun mystery or are usually a romance reader but are wanting to read something a bit different this would definitely be a great choice. I'm looking forward to seeing where this series goes and seeing more of Carlina, her beautiful store and her wacky family.
Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot...
Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot...
December 26, 2013
4.5/5.0
Beate Boeker takes a very odd but close family and infuses light-hearted humor and love into their story.
Read full review in the 2013 Dec/Jan Holiday issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Beate Boeker takes a very odd but close family and infuses light-hearted humor and love into their story.
Read full review in the 2013 Dec/Jan Holiday issue of InD’tale Magazine.
May 29, 2017
From the very first page the author draws you in with interesting characters. This only grows as you meet the whole crew. The size of the family and the crazy antics they get up to reminded me of my own family. Though I am not Italian, I had to laugh because change the names and the location and you’ve got my family in many ways - at least when we all get together.
The names of the characters (Nico, Teo, Marco, Benedetta, Carlina, Stefano, Fabbiola… etc) all bring to mind an Italian family and so that puts you in the right frame of mind to enjoy the story like you are meant to.
The suspense is great, the hints of potential romance are wonderful, all the characters are alive and truly fascinating. I dare say I am a bit like both Carlina and Stefano in terms of what they think of the whole crew as I think they are hilarious and completely nuts (in the most darling way, of course).
I had a few favorite characters - the two main ones (Carlina and Stefano), Nico with all his quirks, and Teo.
I must say that I guessed the person responsible right at the beginning, but I truly believe that is because I am really good at mysteries. It is not a flaw in the writing as there were multiple times when I started to wonder if I had been mistaken with my first guess. I was pleased to know I still am good at figuring them out with limited information.
All in all, this book had me riveted from the very beginning. I stayed up until two in the morning in order to finish it because it was that good. The writing is great, the plot is well done. I can’t wait to read the next one in the series as I must know what happens to everyone.
The names of the characters (Nico, Teo, Marco, Benedetta, Carlina, Stefano, Fabbiola… etc) all bring to mind an Italian family and so that puts you in the right frame of mind to enjoy the story like you are meant to.
The suspense is great, the hints of potential romance are wonderful, all the characters are alive and truly fascinating. I dare say I am a bit like both Carlina and Stefano in terms of what they think of the whole crew as I think they are hilarious and completely nuts (in the most darling way, of course).
I had a few favorite characters - the two main ones (Carlina and Stefano), Nico with all his quirks, and Teo.
I must say that I guessed the person responsible right at the beginning, but I truly believe that is because I am really good at mysteries. It is not a flaw in the writing as there were multiple times when I started to wonder if I had been mistaken with my first guess. I was pleased to know I still am good at figuring them out with limited information.
All in all, this book had me riveted from the very beginning. I stayed up until two in the morning in order to finish it because it was that good. The writing is great, the plot is well done. I can’t wait to read the next one in the series as I must know what happens to everyone.
March 28, 2018
If you'd have told me when I was 10% through this book that I would end up enjoying it, I'd have thought you were crazy.
If you'd have told me when I was 40% through this book that I would end up enjoying it, I still would have thought you were crazy.
As it is, I pushed through, and I ended up really enjoying it. It picked up about 60% of the way through and ended up being really entertaining. The last half of the book I could hardly put down. The first half....ehhhh... wasn't my particular cup of tea.
Some of the characters make crazy, weird decisions that I really struggled to understand. There were wee bits of fat shaming here and there that I did not appreciate. And there were so many characters that it took me a while to get them all straight (and, to be honest, I still couldn't tell you which cousin belonged to which aunt and uncle, etc.).
But overall, it made sense. Characters' motivations started making more sense, the dialogue got more believable, and it ended up being a good story. I just wish it hadn't taken so long for it to get there. Frankly, I probably would have DNF'd this book if I wasn't reading it for a specific purpose in a reading challenge. But since I was, I pushed through -- and I'm glad I did.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If you'd have told me when I was 40% through this book that I would end up enjoying it, I still would have thought you were crazy.
As it is, I pushed through, and I ended up really enjoying it. It picked up about 60% of the way through and ended up being really entertaining. The last half of the book I could hardly put down. The first half....ehhhh... wasn't my particular cup of tea.
Some of the characters make crazy, weird decisions that I really struggled to understand. There were wee bits of fat shaming here and there that I did not appreciate. And there were so many characters that it took me a while to get them all straight (and, to be honest, I still couldn't tell you which cousin belonged to which aunt and uncle, etc.).
But overall, it made sense. Characters' motivations started making more sense, the dialogue got more believable, and it ended up being a good story. I just wish it hadn't taken so long for it to get there. Frankly, I probably would have DNF'd this book if I wasn't reading it for a specific purpose in a reading challenge. But since I was, I pushed through -- and I'm glad I did.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2019
Another first for me, my first read by this author and I was very pleased with the book. Though this is a big ass crazy family and the beginning had me super frustrated with how selfish Emma was, it turned out to be a very engaging murder mystery. With so many family members involved it was extremely difficult to pinpoint the correct murderer and when it finally came out, I was shocked because I didn't expect it to be this person nor did I expect the reason for their evil crimes.
Despite my enjoyment of the book, I will say that I was very disappointed in the abrupt ending, I thought it would go on to show the family's reactions and I was very interested in seeing the murderer's spouse's reaction. None of that happened, Stefano made the arrest and BOOM..end of story! Him and Carlina didn't even get together, though it was implied..with the way they were around each other I was hoping for more..another disappointment!
Overall even though there were a few questions left up in the air, I did enjoy the book and look forward to reading the next one.
Despite my enjoyment of the book, I will say that I was very disappointed in the abrupt ending, I thought it would go on to show the family's reactions and I was very interested in seeing the murderer's spouse's reaction. None of that happened, Stefano made the arrest and BOOM..end of story! Him and Carlina didn't even get together, though it was implied..with the way they were around each other I was hoping for more..another disappointment!
Overall even though there were a few questions left up in the air, I did enjoy the book and look forward to reading the next one.
May 3, 2020
This was a delightful read! The mystery was very good and involves an Italian family so you know there are plenty of suspects. There was also a little romance going on that will hopefully grow as the series progresses. Carlina, the main suspect and lead, is a very endearing character. She loves her family along with leopard print. LOL!! She is a very strong, independent woman with an intimates shop. Stefano Garini, the detective, is having trouble believing this family is for real as they all have rather unique idiosyncrasies. He is also having trouble keeping his distance from Carlina while trying to determine if she is the murderer. A very amusing cozy and a great beginning to a series.
May 15, 2018
The first book was a definite page-turner. I easily grew attached to the main characters: Carlina (Caroline Ashley) and Commassario Stefano Garini. The plot was well thought out and the writing superb. I particularly like how the author didn’t tell the reader everything up front but instead let the reader try to figure things out first. I thought the ending (no spoiler here) came a bit too suddenly though. Maybe I was just hoping there was still more to read. I’m into book two now and I’ve laughed out loud several times already. I highly recommend reading book 1.
October 27, 2020
A fun read, albeit a predictable mystery, but nonetheless enjoyable. The story is well-written and gives us an entertaining whodunit that is a nice start to this series. Romance, mystery, and some humor provide us with an interesting story complete with quirky and eccentric characters with a mix of Italian and American flair. I will likely read the others but without knowing anything else or that this was even part of a series, I read this in order to provide my review because I received a complimentary copy from which to provide an evaluation and feedback.
November 29, 2021
I really liked this book and would have given it at 4 1/2 but didn't know how. I loved the whole concept of hiding the death because of the wedding etc. it was totally believable. I loved the characters and the whole family thing made me think of large Italian families I know. I can't wait to read another book by Beate Boeker.
July 1, 2019
Loved the Mantoni family and the main characters Carlini and Stefano the police detective.
Ready to read the 2nd book and how the relationship evolves between Arlini and Stefano. It seems the family has murder on their minds.
Ready to read the 2nd book and how the relationship evolves between Arlini and Stefano. It seems the family has murder on their minds.
August 11, 2019
This was a darling read. I loved all the quirky characters. The story development was casual and had a satisfactory ending. My only complaint was the over use of ironic. Maybe the author will think of another word in book 2.
May 19, 2018
I found this book took far too long to come to a conclusion and I felt almost as if I was reading the script of a bad comedy stage play. Not sure if I'll read more in the series.
June 26, 2019
I enjoyed reading this first adventure of this series! I was giggling and caught up in the characters and mystery. This was a fresh and giggle worthy take to the cozy mystery genre!
May 5, 2015
Delayed Death is a cozy mystery that had a wanting more after finishing it. It has an intriguing mystery, unforgettable & fun characters, and shippable (is this even a word? LOL) romance.
The Mystery! The story started with the death of Uncle Nico at Emma's wedding day. Emma, not wanting to ruin her big day, asked Carlina to help move the body thinking that the death occurred naturally. And surprise! surprise! It was a murder through poison.
Solving the Case. Right from the moment Uncle Nico's body was discovered, I started looking deeper into everyone. It's a fun, quirky, odd, and huge family indeed, the Mantonis. It wasn't easy to narrow down who the murderer is. Throughout the solving of the case, (Aawful) Commissario Stefano Garini found a few dead ends, unhelpful leads, and a few more things that really just makes him question the family members even more.
Delayed Death has a very engaging pace. It started with a very odd way of expressing or revealing the murder. Definitely unique, if you ask me. Investigations were done. Questions were raised. They were all very interesting and really kept me thinking. It allowed me to meet the family, the friends of the family, some of their stories, and even some of their habits. While Delayed Death had its thrilling moments, it also had those humorous moments. I laughed a lot.
Carlina is a noteworthy heroine. I LOVE HER. She's quite sharp. She's independent. She trusts and loves each member of her family. She's got humor. Garini is a very charming character. I liked him right from the very beginning. He's very professional and tries not to trust anyone involved in the case. While he trusts his intuition, he still heavily relies on proofs. The Mantonis were quirky. As Garini investigates the family, he hears the many stories of Uncle Nico during his Bad Vibe Phase - it's where he learns more of the family and just how odd (and suspicious) everyone actually is.
The romance between Carlina and Garini is definitely one of my favorites now. Carlina was totally being hot-and-cold around Garini. She obviously likes him but tries to block that away through the impression she tries to stick to her mind. Garini, on the other hand, is that charming straight face guy. He throws in the right words at the right time. I like how the romance between the two develops as well as how they interact with each other.
The Revelation. Delayed Death's climax really just had me gripping. It literally kept me up until 3AM. I was so interested to know who the murderer is especially with the thrilling pace it started to have around 70% of the book. The revelation of the murderer surprised me. For me, it seems that it lacked emphasis on the clues given. The clues pointing to the real murderer didn't really come up until half of the book (or even later).
All in all, Delayed Death is a MUST READ. It's not only for mystery lovers but also for romance fans! It has an engaging mystery, great romance, unforgettable characters, and a romance pair with humor.
this review can also be found at: the Blacksheep Project
The Mystery! The story started with the death of Uncle Nico at Emma's wedding day. Emma, not wanting to ruin her big day, asked Carlina to help move the body thinking that the death occurred naturally. And surprise! surprise! It was a murder through poison.
Solving the Case. Right from the moment Uncle Nico's body was discovered, I started looking deeper into everyone. It's a fun, quirky, odd, and huge family indeed, the Mantonis. It wasn't easy to narrow down who the murderer is. Throughout the solving of the case, (Aawful) Commissario Stefano Garini found a few dead ends, unhelpful leads, and a few more things that really just makes him question the family members even more.
Delayed Death has a very engaging pace. It started with a very odd way of expressing or revealing the murder. Definitely unique, if you ask me. Investigations were done. Questions were raised. They were all very interesting and really kept me thinking. It allowed me to meet the family, the friends of the family, some of their stories, and even some of their habits. While Delayed Death had its thrilling moments, it also had those humorous moments. I laughed a lot.
Carlina is a noteworthy heroine. I LOVE HER. She's quite sharp. She's independent. She trusts and loves each member of her family. She's got humor. Garini is a very charming character. I liked him right from the very beginning. He's very professional and tries not to trust anyone involved in the case. While he trusts his intuition, he still heavily relies on proofs. The Mantonis were quirky. As Garini investigates the family, he hears the many stories of Uncle Nico during his Bad Vibe Phase - it's where he learns more of the family and just how odd (and suspicious) everyone actually is.
The romance between Carlina and Garini is definitely one of my favorites now. Carlina was totally being hot-and-cold around Garini. She obviously likes him but tries to block that away through the impression she tries to stick to her mind. Garini, on the other hand, is that charming straight face guy. He throws in the right words at the right time. I like how the romance between the two develops as well as how they interact with each other.
The Revelation. Delayed Death's climax really just had me gripping. It literally kept me up until 3AM. I was so interested to know who the murderer is especially with the thrilling pace it started to have around 70% of the book. The revelation of the murderer surprised me. For me, it seems that it lacked emphasis on the clues given. The clues pointing to the real murderer didn't really come up until half of the book (or even later).
All in all, Delayed Death is a MUST READ. It's not only for mystery lovers but also for romance fans! It has an engaging mystery, great romance, unforgettable characters, and a romance pair with humor.
this review can also be found at: the Blacksheep Project
September 18, 2014
In the historic center of Florence, Italy lives a large eccentric Italian family. Most of the family is housed in an apartment type housing unit all under one roof. Try to imagine that for a while, having aunts, uncles, grandfather, mother, and cousins around you every time you turned around. That would be enough to drive me crazy!
On Emma’s wedding day Carlina and Emma discover their grandfather, Nico, passed away at the kitchen table when they stop in to pick him up to head to Emma’s wedding. Rather than ruin her wedding day Emma wants to wait until after the wedding to have his body “discovered”. So Emma enlists Carlina to help her move his body from the kitchen table back to bed and tell everyone he wasn't feeling well enough to come to the wedding. Luckily the wedding goes off without a hitch.
The next morning when Nico is discovered Uncle Tio, Nico’s twin brother, is positive there has been foul play because Nico was wearing his socks in bed. Now it is homicide department Commissario Stefano Garini’s job to get to the bottom of the matter and solve the mystery. Since Carlina was the last one to see her grandfather Nico “alive” she ends up being the prime suspect. Commissario Garini is a staunch no nonsense type of officer who shows no emotion while on the job. Unfortunately he ends up training a bumbling assistant during this case, who happens to be his boss’s son.
The plot moves along at a fast pace as Garini questions each family member and he has to make heads or tails out of each of their eccentricities. When Carlina confesses to lies she told from the beginning, Garini is able to buy into her story. Now the race is on to uncover the murderer before more victims start piling up. Garini is under pressure from his boss to bring in a suspect whether they are guilty or not just so it looks good on the books.
As Carlina and Commissario Garini work together to solve the murder Garini finds himself in Carlina’s luxury undergarment store Temptations far too often for his comfort. I enjoyed watching Garini’s gruff exterior crack as his feelings for Carlina developed. It was also just as much fun to watch Carlina soften her attitude towards Garini as she realized that he was doing everything he could to watch out for her best interests during the investigation. It is going to be fun to watch the relationship between these two ripen to perfection.
Murder mysteries are not my usual genre and I found myself quite tense as the plot twisted into a second murder. So, I did buy into the characters and the plot. If you are looking for a unique murder mystery perhaps this is what you are looking for.
Format/Typo Issues: I found no significant errors.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** September 11, 2014
On Emma’s wedding day Carlina and Emma discover their grandfather, Nico, passed away at the kitchen table when they stop in to pick him up to head to Emma’s wedding. Rather than ruin her wedding day Emma wants to wait until after the wedding to have his body “discovered”. So Emma enlists Carlina to help her move his body from the kitchen table back to bed and tell everyone he wasn't feeling well enough to come to the wedding. Luckily the wedding goes off without a hitch.
The next morning when Nico is discovered Uncle Tio, Nico’s twin brother, is positive there has been foul play because Nico was wearing his socks in bed. Now it is homicide department Commissario Stefano Garini’s job to get to the bottom of the matter and solve the mystery. Since Carlina was the last one to see her grandfather Nico “alive” she ends up being the prime suspect. Commissario Garini is a staunch no nonsense type of officer who shows no emotion while on the job. Unfortunately he ends up training a bumbling assistant during this case, who happens to be his boss’s son.
The plot moves along at a fast pace as Garini questions each family member and he has to make heads or tails out of each of their eccentricities. When Carlina confesses to lies she told from the beginning, Garini is able to buy into her story. Now the race is on to uncover the murderer before more victims start piling up. Garini is under pressure from his boss to bring in a suspect whether they are guilty or not just so it looks good on the books.
As Carlina and Commissario Garini work together to solve the murder Garini finds himself in Carlina’s luxury undergarment store Temptations far too often for his comfort. I enjoyed watching Garini’s gruff exterior crack as his feelings for Carlina developed. It was also just as much fun to watch Carlina soften her attitude towards Garini as she realized that he was doing everything he could to watch out for her best interests during the investigation. It is going to be fun to watch the relationship between these two ripen to perfection.
Murder mysteries are not my usual genre and I found myself quite tense as the plot twisted into a second murder. So, I did buy into the characters and the plot. If you are looking for a unique murder mystery perhaps this is what you are looking for.
Format/Typo Issues: I found no significant errors.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** September 11, 2014
June 6, 2013
What's a girl to do when she finds her grandfather's dead body just hours before her favorite cousins wedding? Well that's just the predicament that Carlina Mantoni finds herself in just hours before her cousin Emma's wedding, thing is Emma is with her when they find their seventy-nine year old grandfather Nico dead sitting at his kitchen table. Thinking he died of natural causes Emma reasons that if they tell the family it will ruin her wedding and convinces Carlina that they should just put grandpa to bed and let everyone think that he passed away in bed later that night. The plan seemed like it might work, until Nico's twin brother insists that something is awry, because his brother would never go to bed with his socks on, and insists on calling the police. What seemed like a run of the mill death quickly turns into a police investigation with Carlina and her family becoming prime suspects! Surely it was a run of the mill death because who would want to murder grandpa?
"Delayed Death" is a cozy mystery that was often laugh out loud funny! The cast of characters, which were comprised of the Mantoni family were totally off the wall. Eccentric seems almost a tame way to describe them! Ms. Boeker creates quirky characters whose personalities just jump off the pages! Carlina's action concerning Nico's body had me wondering about her, but once I met the rest of her family I realized that she might just be the most normal one in the bunch! Even though Grandpa Nico was dead the author allows his character to play a big part in the story. We learn about several of his odd eccentricities such as eating cat treats for a snack because he thought they were healthy! Most of the family lived in separate apartments in the same house which made for a very interesting setting. Beate Boeker does a fabulous job of describing this unique living situation, allowing me to easily visualize the various apartments, and the way the family just sort of was always around! Stefano Garini,the detective assigned to investigate the case finds himself tossed into the midst of this odd family. The verbal sparring between Stefano and Carlina was often funny, and the electric undercurrent indicating attraction was certainly there. As Stefano interviews the various family members family secrets are spilled and more than a few people had motive to want grandpa dead. Several twists makes this a great who-dun-it murder mystery, and the quirky members of the Mantoni family provided several laughs which made "Delayed Death" a page turning cozy mystery that left me wanting to read more from this author.
Reviewed for Readersfavorite.com
"Delayed Death" is a cozy mystery that was often laugh out loud funny! The cast of characters, which were comprised of the Mantoni family were totally off the wall. Eccentric seems almost a tame way to describe them! Ms. Boeker creates quirky characters whose personalities just jump off the pages! Carlina's action concerning Nico's body had me wondering about her, but once I met the rest of her family I realized that she might just be the most normal one in the bunch! Even though Grandpa Nico was dead the author allows his character to play a big part in the story. We learn about several of his odd eccentricities such as eating cat treats for a snack because he thought they were healthy! Most of the family lived in separate apartments in the same house which made for a very interesting setting. Beate Boeker does a fabulous job of describing this unique living situation, allowing me to easily visualize the various apartments, and the way the family just sort of was always around! Stefano Garini,the detective assigned to investigate the case finds himself tossed into the midst of this odd family. The verbal sparring between Stefano and Carlina was often funny, and the electric undercurrent indicating attraction was certainly there. As Stefano interviews the various family members family secrets are spilled and more than a few people had motive to want grandpa dead. Several twists makes this a great who-dun-it murder mystery, and the quirky members of the Mantoni family provided several laughs which made "Delayed Death" a page turning cozy mystery that left me wanting to read more from this author.
Reviewed for Readersfavorite.com
August 20, 2014
Delayed Death is Book #1 in the Temptation in Florence Series, a cozy murder mystery romance series with a strong dose of humor. The title of the series comes from the lingerie store that the protagonist, Carlina, owns and runs, Temptation, on one of Florence, Italy's, premier shopping streets.
The Temptation in Florence Series follows the life, adventures and loves of Italian-American Carlina, and of her extended eccentric Italian family, many of whom live in apartments in the same building in central Florence as Carlina and her mother. Carlina's U.S. American father passed away when Carlina was in her teens, after which her Italian mother moved back to Italy with Carlina and her two siblings.
The mixed heritage shows in Carlina's unusual sense of humor that has a rich sense of the absurd. She is also lacking in ego, which makes Carlina something of a willing doormat for her strong-willed relations. The family's eccentric members and their whims and wishes are a never-ending source of amusement for Carlina. While often treated like the family's Cinderella, Carlina is also a sexy, saucy, funny thirty-two-year-old woman.
When a crisis occurs, right at the beginning of Delayed Death, and Carlina gives in to her domineering cousin's wishes, Carlina sets herself on a collision course with police Commissario Stefano Garini.
The English in Delayed Death is easy to read and well-edited. The cover is very eye-catching, as are the covers of each book in the series. There are interesting contrasting characters, lovely Florentine locations, gentle humor, and an entertaining possible love match that rings true.
The story builds nicely and keeps the action varied with enjoyable interplay between the oddball characters, and especially between Carlina and Stefano. The Temptation lingerie shop offers lots of opportunity for laughs, among the panties, bras and thongs.
My only reservation is the abrupt ending. I wanted to hear from the killer how the killings were done and why they were committed. The love-story felt unresolved, too, at the end. I would have given the book 5 stars if not for the ending. Perhaps the author wanted to leave that for the next book in the series? I'll have to read them to find out.
Please read my full and illustrated review at my Italophile Book Reviews site:
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
The Temptation in Florence Series follows the life, adventures and loves of Italian-American Carlina, and of her extended eccentric Italian family, many of whom live in apartments in the same building in central Florence as Carlina and her mother. Carlina's U.S. American father passed away when Carlina was in her teens, after which her Italian mother moved back to Italy with Carlina and her two siblings.
The mixed heritage shows in Carlina's unusual sense of humor that has a rich sense of the absurd. She is also lacking in ego, which makes Carlina something of a willing doormat for her strong-willed relations. The family's eccentric members and their whims and wishes are a never-ending source of amusement for Carlina. While often treated like the family's Cinderella, Carlina is also a sexy, saucy, funny thirty-two-year-old woman.
When a crisis occurs, right at the beginning of Delayed Death, and Carlina gives in to her domineering cousin's wishes, Carlina sets herself on a collision course with police Commissario Stefano Garini.
The English in Delayed Death is easy to read and well-edited. The cover is very eye-catching, as are the covers of each book in the series. There are interesting contrasting characters, lovely Florentine locations, gentle humor, and an entertaining possible love match that rings true.
The story builds nicely and keeps the action varied with enjoyable interplay between the oddball characters, and especially between Carlina and Stefano. The Temptation lingerie shop offers lots of opportunity for laughs, among the panties, bras and thongs.
My only reservation is the abrupt ending. I wanted to hear from the killer how the killings were done and why they were committed. The love-story felt unresolved, too, at the end. I would have given the book 5 stars if not for the ending. Perhaps the author wanted to leave that for the next book in the series? I'll have to read them to find out.
Please read my full and illustrated review at my Italophile Book Reviews site:
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
February 1, 2015
Enough has already been said about the plot of the book, so I’ll skip that part and go right ahead to what I liked and didn’t like about the story.
What I liked:
I love that we get the point of view of both the hero and the heroine. It’s something that you don’t find in a lot of cozies, but it really works here. Since the hero is a police officer, the story takes on some characteristics of a police procedural - accompanying him when he interviews suspects and witnesses. This also means that one of my biggest pet peeves is neatly circumvented: The heroine doesn’t have to go around asking pushy questions and meddling in a police investigation where she has no business being.
Another thing I adored was the humor. I’m a sucker for a book that makes me laugh, and this one definitely delivered. There were several scenes that made me laugh out loud and lots of chuckle-worthy moments. Carlina’s family is pretty hilarious and totally crazy in a lovable way.
Speaking of characters: Both Carlina and the commissario are likable. She’s funny, loyal, practical, down-to-earth, and with two small exceptions has no TSTL moments. Another pet peeve avoided, yay! The commissario is a police officer with iron-clad integrity and a passion for his work. It takes a little longer for him to become a three dimensional character, but I enjoyed the chapters from his perspective very much.
The mystery itself was interesting and kept me guessing. I suspected the identity of the murderer about halfway through, but there were enough red herrings that I was never quite sure.
What I didn’t like:
Some details concerning police procedure seem a little off. For example, the commissario has a search warrant and needs to search a whole house for evidence. He does this all by himself. He doesn’t have help from any of his colleagues or crime scene technicians.
Also, he’s very, very open about the details of the case. He tells his suspects way more than he needs to. It’s rather unrealistic and also out of character.
There are a few other minor things like this.
Conclusion:
This is a great cozy mystery with lots of humor and a strong romantic subplot. If you like cozy mysteries, you should give this one a try.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked:
I love that we get the point of view of both the hero and the heroine. It’s something that you don’t find in a lot of cozies, but it really works here. Since the hero is a police officer, the story takes on some characteristics of a police procedural - accompanying him when he interviews suspects and witnesses. This also means that one of my biggest pet peeves is neatly circumvented: The heroine doesn’t have to go around asking pushy questions and meddling in a police investigation where she has no business being.
Another thing I adored was the humor. I’m a sucker for a book that makes me laugh, and this one definitely delivered. There were several scenes that made me laugh out loud and lots of chuckle-worthy moments. Carlina’s family is pretty hilarious and totally crazy in a lovable way.
Speaking of characters: Both Carlina and the commissario are likable. She’s funny, loyal, practical, down-to-earth, and with two small exceptions has no TSTL moments. Another pet peeve avoided, yay! The commissario is a police officer with iron-clad integrity and a passion for his work. It takes a little longer for him to become a three dimensional character, but I enjoyed the chapters from his perspective very much.
The mystery itself was interesting and kept me guessing. I suspected the identity of the murderer about halfway through, but there were enough red herrings that I was never quite sure.
What I didn’t like:
Some details concerning police procedure seem a little off. For example, the commissario has a search warrant and needs to search a whole house for evidence. He does this all by himself. He doesn’t have help from any of his colleagues or crime scene technicians.
Also, he’s very, very open about the details of the case. He tells his suspects way more than he needs to. It’s rather unrealistic and also out of character.
There are a few other minor things like this.
Conclusion:
This is a great cozy mystery with lots of humor and a strong romantic subplot. If you like cozy mysteries, you should give this one a try.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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