Dying to Go (Nothing to Gush About)

Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery #1

by Marcy Blesy

A fresh start, a twist of fate, and a whole lot of unexpected drama.

Freshly divorced Rosi Laruee—named Rosisophia Doroche after her mother’s beloved Golden Girls—is ready for a quiet, stress-free reset at the Tucson Valley Retirement Community. What she doesn’t expect? Tripping (literally) into a murder mystery. But when local troublemaker Salem Mansfield turns up dead, Rosi’s peaceful retreat turns into a full-blown investigation.

With nothing but her rusty reporter instincts, a mischievous Golden Retriever puppy (who’s more trouble than she bargained for), and a lovable crew of nosy seniors who think they’re the real detectives, Rosi is all in—whether she likes it or not. Add in a suspiciously handsome landscaper, a less-than-helpful police officer, a raucous karaoke night, and more juicy secrets than you can keep up with at a bingo night, and Rosi finds herself knee-deep in a case that’s equal parts puzzling, hilarious, and heartwarming.

From tangled love lives to pickleball drama, Dying to Go (Nothing to Gush About) is a rollicking, laugh-out-loud whodunit that’s sure to warm your heart, keep you guessing, and maybe even have you looking for your own puppy sidekick.

If you love:

Quirky characters

Found family

Golden Girls meets Thursday Murder Club vibes

Clean, funny mysteries with midlife heroines

And a dog who steals the show...

You’ll adore this laugh-out-loud cozy mystery set under the Arizona sun!

Perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Finlay Donovan, Hannah Swenson Mysteries, and Murder She Wrote.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Ebooks, Cozy, Fiction, Amazon

281 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 9, 2023

About the author

Marcy Blesy is the author of over thirty books across genres, best known for her Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery Series and the Monthly Murder Movie Club Cozy Mystery Series —humorous, heartwarming whodunits filled with senior sleuths, quirky characters, and animal sidekicks. Her cozy mysteries spotlight midlife reinvention, found family, and laugh-out-loud amateur sleuthing, perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Finlay Donovan, and The Golden Girls.

Marcy also writes the Ghost Texter Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series, starring a kindergarten teacher-turned-reluctant sleuth, and the Secrets romantic mystery duo (The Secret of Blue Lake and The Secret of Silver Beach), transporting readers to the scenic and suspenseful shores of Michigan.

For younger readers, Marcy’s best-selling Be the Vet series offers interactive veterinary mysteries for kids ages 9–13. Her early chapter book series—Evie and the Volunteers, Niles and Bradford, Third Grade Outsider, and Hazel, the Clinic Cat—delight animal lovers and growing readers alike.

When she’s not writing, you’ll find Marcy treasure-hunting along Lake Michigan in search of rare red beach glass. She believes every story should offer heart, humor, and a hint of hope—whether it’s solving a mystery or chasing a dream.

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - Dying To Go is a lovely cozy mystery with enjoyable characters. I loved the idea of a cozy mystery series set in a retirement community in Arizona, but with the amateur sleuth being the adult daughter of one of the couples living there.

Rosi is at a crossroads in her life, being newly divorced and out of a job. She heads from her home in Illinois to Tucson to help out with her dad, who is having knee surgery, planning to stay for a couple of weeks.

Since this is a cozy mystery, you can guess that she will come across a dead body, and she does. Her background is in journalism, so she makes a believable amateur sleuth. There are a lot of funny moments among the various seniors in the book, including a couple of her mother’s friends who don’t seem like anyone I’d want to have for a friend! Her mother’s annoying friend, Jan, is trying to fix Rosi up with her equally annoying nephew. Luckily not everyone is awful and Rosi meets and makes a friend in a lovely older man whose dog has recently had puppies, as well as a handsome landscaper who becomes a possible romantic interest for Rosi.

I am looking forward to reading more of Rosi’s adventures!

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dying To Go is THE perfect cozy mystery.

It takes place in a quaint retirement village, is LOL funny and has amazing characters, including a gossiping bunch of funny old ladies, a nod to The Golden Girls (the OG funny old ladies) and a litter of puppies. What's not to love.

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Dying to Go (Nothing to Gush About)" by Marcy Blesy is the first in a new cozy mystery series "Tuscon Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery Series." This book has the makings of a good cozy mystery series. I think the only thing it felt like it was missing was that really sassy/goofy senior lady. There were plenty of sassy senior ladies but in more of a gossipy way than goofy. I hope that's a character that gets introduced as the main character starts to find her place around the residence of the retirement community.

For being a quicker read, I didn't feel rushed through the story. I was actually quite surprised how much information came across. It was well thought out. In the end I was kinda right about what happened but was never sure about it during the story.

[Bookish_Aly_Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun, cozy read! This is book one in the A Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery series and I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved following Rosi as she sleuths around the retirement community in order to help solve the death of local bookstore owner, Salem.

There was never a dull moment while reading this one. The mystery is fast paced, but it doesn’t feel rushed. It definitely kept me guessing who did what until the very end.

If you love fun, quick mysteries make sure to pick this one up as you’re sure to enjoy it.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. But I found it boring. And the more of it I read, the more of a chore it became. I didn’t care for Rosi at all. Maybe it was me? Either way, I won’t be visiting anymore books in this series.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great start for a new (to me) series! I loved Rosi and the residents of the retirement community in Tucson. I’m never a fan of the bumbling cop trope but he does improve as the book goes on so I’ll let it slide. The mystery was well-paced and nestled well in the story about life in the retirement community. Looking forward to diving into the rest of the series.

I received a copy from the author for an honest review.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dying to Go is a cute cozy mystery, and I enjoyed getting to know the main characters in this new series. Rosi Laruee is staying with her parents in a Tucson, Arizona retirement community to help out since her dad is having knee surgery. I like the relationship Rosi and her father have right from the beginning, but liked seeing how Rosi and her mom find common ground as the story progresses.

Rosi catches up on all the local gossip as she meets other residents of the community, which comes in handy when she begins investigating a murder. We don't get to know all of these residents well, but I assume that could come as the series continues. I liked a couple of Rosi's mom's friends, but a couple of them are very unpleasant and most of their rude behavior goes unchecked. Rosi does speak out a couple of times, but I hated that her mom was so concerned about pleasing these difficult people.

There is character growth for Rosi, and I like the direction her life seems to be taking. The murder investigation has a surprising resolution, which I appreciated since I like being surprised in a mystery. The humor and the fast pace of the story made this a fun read for me. I look forward to future books with Rosi and seeing what comes next for her. I would recommend this book to fans of J.C. Eaton's Sophie Kimball series.

I received a copy of the book from the author at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

[Arizona Parrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story! The main character is so funny and relatable and her parents reminded me of my own! I’m excited to read the next one!

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn’t a bad read and there were elements I liked but not enough to buy the 2nd book

[Susan Moxley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read that kept me guessing till the very end. It was well written and is a new author that l love.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started out with laughs and a great cozy sleuth introduction. I liked Rosi right away and thought she was a very good judge of the people she encountered. Her backstory had me crushed and I felt all the anger and hurt she was experiencing, especially being stuck in a less than idea situation with her house and dealing with her gross ex, while trying to be a good mother and daughter. But she is not a pushover and I always enjoyed seeing her stick up for herself especially with some of the (purposefully) awful characters she met during her time in Arizona. The mystery was cozy and not too complicated, which made it a delightful story to listen to. I honestly think just following Rosi and learning more about her, and her potential budding romance were the best parts, but I was of course invested in figuring out the killer! I enjoyed having an "older" sleuth in someone that is looking to start their next phase of life and I can't wait to see what other adventures she gets involved in.

Note: I was lucky enough to listen to an audiobook of this book and I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend this format especially for the characterization of some of the characters.

Thanks to the author for a free audiobook copy to review!

[Tara Kat (MagnoliaPigeonBookBlurbs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visiting your parents in a retirement community should be relaxing, right? Well, not for Rosi Laruee! When she arrives at her parents home to help her father recover from knee surgery she is swarmed by a horde of adorably chaotic puppies, introduced to a flock of quirky neighbors, entranced by a bookish mystery, swooned by handsome landscaper and…has the unfortunate luck of discovering a murdered community member! Now, instead of peace and quiet she is chasing after runaway puppies, doing research, exploring a budding romance and putting on her sleuthing cap to solve the mystery before anyone else gets hurt!

👵🏼 Golden Girls Vibes
🫶 Family
🔍 Cozy Mystery
📚 Series Debut
🐾 Adorably Chaotic Puppies
🧳 Starting Over
😹 Hoot & a Half

This was such an amazing series debut and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment!

Thank you Marcy Blesy for the gifted copy!

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Rosisophia Doroche, (Rosi) was named for her mother’s favorites, The Golden Girls. She is 39 years old, the mother of a son, Zak in college, a newspaper reporter, and in the final stages of dissolving her 20-year marriage and needs to get away. Her father’s upcoming knee surgery seems like a great reason to visit her parents at their Tucson Valley Retirement Community. Upon arrival, she is quickly introduced to her mother’s friends, one with a nephew who would be perfect for Rosi. Now, she needs a break from her mother.

On a walk around the neighborhood, she meets an older gentleman, Bob, walking his golden retriever and learns Suzi recently gave birth to a litter of 5 “rambunctious puppies” and he offers one to Rosi. Since she is just visiting she had a good excuse for declining. Later she meets Keaton, a handsome landscaper, Bob’s grandson, Devin, and bookstore owner, Salem, who happens to be Bob’s ex and part-time babysitter of the five puppies.

The next day Rosi again visits the bookstore to pick up a book and visit the pups. The puppies are happy to see her but she is shocked to find their caretaker dead in the mystery section of the store, and soon the police want her fingerprints! So Rosi is using her skills learned as a reporter to track down a killer while taking care of her dad, attending all the activities her mother ropes her into, dealing with her cheating ex, and yes, taking care of her new puppy.

This series is off to a delightful start.

The core group of characters Ms. Blesy introduced are fun, engaging, and full of life. Rosi’s parents have busy lives in the Tucson Valley Retirement Community, from golf to pickleball, and karaoke nights. They have a great group of friends and are thrilled to introduce Rosi to all of them. Rosi’s relationship with her dad reminded me of my relationship with mine. I love the blooming relationship between Keaton and Rosi too. And the puppies, you just can’t go wrong with puppies.

The victim wasn’t well-liked, but who had she driven to murder? Rosi didn’t know any of the suspects but was nosy and a top-notch interviewer who didn’t give up. I liked that the mystery had unique twists and how Rosi followed the clues. She is a very capable amateur sleuth. I had fun tagging along with her each step of the way.

Tucson Valley Retirement Community has everything you find in a typical small town filled with a quirky group of residents. Everybody knows or wants to know everybody’s business. Gossip runs rampant and at times people act like high schoolers when it comes to competitiveness. That competitiveness and other events bring a lot of humor to this story.

Dying to Go was a cute and enjoyable read. I was entertained by great characters who made me giggle often and a puzzling mystery. I am interested to see what Ms. Blesy has planned for her characters next because the final lines left me with a smile on my face and a happy heart.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

a really wonderful cozy! I loved the complex and quirky characters, especially Rosi! Lots of twists and turns and a murder and mayhem, make this a real page turner and a must read. this book made me laugh out loud at times and kept me turning the pages wanting more! I look forward to more by this author and hope to see these characters again! I fell in love with this book!

[Angel (Bookn.All.Night) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finishing this one, the title makes sense now and has me cracking up. Pretty fun cozy mystery.

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading book one in A Tucson Valley Retirement Community mystery series. This book is a fun cozy mystery with an interesting cast of characters and beautiful setting. Rosi Laruee is recently divorced and goes to the Arizona retirement community to stay for a few days with her parents while here father recovers from knee replacement surgery. Rosi uses her skills as a newspaper reporter to help solve the murder of a local business owner, Salem Mansfield.

Some of my favorite parts of this book are the romantic interest, a handsome landscaper named Keaton and a Golden Retriever puppy that Rosi adopts, named Barley. I think the setting and characters make a wonderful start to this series and I look forward to reading Rosi's future adventures!

[Jamie Lindemulder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is super cute and fun to read. If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check it out. It reminded me a little bit of the Flower Shop mysteries by Kate Collins. I do have to say, though, that the main character, Rosi, is 39 and younger than me, but some of the stuff she says and wears makes me feel like she is 10 years older than me. Her mother's meddling got on my nerves A LOT. Her little schemes will make you scratch your head. And she's 55, but also acts older than her age. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This was a fun cozy mystery set in a retirement community in Tucson, AZ. I loved the "down to earth" characters and the fact that the main character is a "later in life" woman with a grown child.

[Rachaelbookhunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The Tucson Valley Retirement Community is not a vacation destination Rosi Lauree would have chosen, but, being the good daughter she is, she heads there to help out with her Dad having knee surgery. After some upheavals in her personal life she doesn't have any reason not to go.

One would think a retirement community would be calm and boring. Soon, however, Rosi is caught in the middle of her Mom's gossiping friends, a tangle of puppies, and the murder of the local bookstore owner. Luckily Rosi has Keaton the landscaper to soothe her worries and help keep her sane as she deals with the seemingly incompetent police officer in charge of the case.

This is a quirky read. It starts with the title (fun) and continues with the characters. From the way Rosi got her name (Golden Girls inspiration) to the little secret Rosi has, to the way Rosi isn't afraid to speak her mind, this book will have you laughing.

There is a realistic feel to everything as Rosi reacts like a lot of regular people would and not a seasoned sleuth. My favorite scenes were the ones with Rosi and her parents. They have a great relationship. I also liked the scenes with Daniel the police officer. It's nice when characters show more than one side to them.

I would have liked more technical details on the cause of death. I'm not sure if they just weren't available yet to the police. It took me by surprise when the murder was solved.

Dying To Go is a quick read with a side or two of dogs and romance. The romance is a little unbelievable to me. Keaton seems sweet but I wouldn't mind for things to go slower with him.

The story is set up nicely for the next one in the series. Thank you to the author for a copy to read and review in exchange for an honest review.

[Mr Francy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK AND CAN NOT WAIT TO DIVE INTO BOOK 2!

PREMISE: In this series we follow Rosi Laruee (Rosisophia Dorche after he mothers love of Golden Girls) as she arrives in Tuscon Valley's Retirement Village to spend time with her partents while her father is recovering from surgery. After meeting the odd woman who runs the bookstore, Rosi buys some books and doesn't accept the offer to adopt one of the 4 puppies the woman is looking after. The following day Rosi goes back to the bookstore to find the odd woman dead. With pretty much everyone in town having an issue with this woman and Rosi's background as a former reporter, she dons a sluething cap to solve the mystery. Add in a hunk named Keaton who is a landscaper and the eventual adoption of one of the puppies, Barley, in your in for an extremely fun ride!

THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed this book. It's different to what I assumed it would be, but I'm not complaining about that. Barley the puppy makes the book even cozier than it already was. The elderly ladies who gossip makes it entertaining and the love interest is so refreshing from the usual cozy mystery romance trope. Truly a book I enjoyed and hope to get to book no 2 soon!

5 Stars!
xoxo.

[booksy.tx.ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, cozy mystery! I really, really liked this one. Rosi was a great character. Her snooping made sense with her background. I enjoyed the situations that she encountered! They were funny and irritating. But in a good way! You could understand why she was annoyed or acted a certain way because those people were horrible. I loved the budding relationship and flirtation with Keaton. It was cute and funny. Overall, it was very believable and entertaining. Absolutely continuing on to book 2!

Come read with me on instagram @booksy.tx.ana

[ET Berg · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy, cozy mystery to dive into.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had a lot of fun reading this book. What I really enjoyed, though, was the representation of the seniors in the story. Marcy does a wonderful job of NOT writing stereotypes of people in their 60's, 70's etc. Not a cane, support hose or house dress in sight (okay, our heroines dad has a cane/walker but that's due to surgery, not age). There are characters you can't help loving and a few you wished high school was the last time you saw the "type". Highly suggest!

[Books With Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Was such an easy and digestible read! Really enjoyed the setting, I could picture the entire retirement village like a scene played out in a movie. The relationship between the main character, Rosi, and her parents felt so organic and relatable. Had a great amount of humor and some romance. Will deff be continuing with the series!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks so much to author Marcy Blesy @marcy_blesy for introducing me to her cozy mystery series! There is nothing I love better than finding a new series and Dying to Go (Nothing to Gush About): A Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery was a lot of fun!

Thirty-nine-year-old Rosi Laruee finds herself out of work and her 20 year marriage over. She decides that a trip to visit her parents at their Tucson Valley Retirement Community while her dad has knee replacement surgery is just the break she needs. But not long after her arrival, Rosi finds the body of local business owner Salem Mansfield, murdered. Salem doesn’t have a great reputation so the suspect list is long. The local police investigating are a bit bumbling, so Rosi uses her newspaper reporter sleuthing skills to help find the culprit. Along the way she meets a handsome landscaper and adopts a Golden Retriever puppy. Some changes are for the best.

This was such a fun, quick read with laugh out loud moments and great side-characters. The mystery is fast paced and the setting vibrant. I could picture the community and its residents perfectly in my head. And I adored watching Rosi come into her own after a year of hardship. I will most certainly be reading book two!

[Kayla - kaylasbooklist · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I was interested in the personal challenges our main character, Rosi, is facing and loved the setting at her parents retirement community in the desert. Life in the neighborhood with “seasoned” adults and the dynamics of their friendships made me laugh. The mystery was fun to solve along with the characters which is always necessary in a good cozy mystery! Looking forward to reading more in this series!

Thank you to the author for my gifted copy!

[Lois Crockett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun Cozy!

I really enjoyed reading this book… the characters are well-fleshed out and engaging. I cared about the main character and liked her personality. Easy fun cozy, enjoy!

[Deborah Almada · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will start out by saying this is a new series and author for me. I really enjoyed the whole premise of this book, our MC Rosi has left the cold of an Illinois winter to come to Arizona and the Tucson Valley Retirement Community to help her folks as her Dad is having knee replacement surgery. Newly divorced, approaching 40, and recently unemployed, Rosi feels she can take some time and help her folks out, but she had no idea what she is getting herself into. With a fascinating group of senior citizens, an interesting local businesses community, and some colorful folks of all different ages, Rosi life gets quickly out of control when she finds herself singing karaoke, adopting a puppy, meeting an charming gardener and finding a dead body. Come also for an amusing and mysterious adventure. I have already ordered book two in the series. Many thanks to the author for a complimentary copy of this book. #MarcyBlesy #DyingtoGo-NothingtoGushAbout #ATuscanRetirementCommunityCosy #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

[bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this one in less than a day!!!! It was so good!

Rosi is taking a break from her life as newly divorced and newly fired [see her origin story in the prequel Rosi's Great Escape] and she is visiting her parents in Tuscan, while her dad recovers from knee surgery. However it seems like life in a retirement community is not quiet at all, especially when a fiery bookshop owner is found dead and Rosi puts her reporter skills to the test to find the culprit.

Loved it! I loved Rosi and her sense of adventure and the mystery was great. It really kept me guessing. I can't wait to start book 2.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect cozy mystery! All the right elements and great storyline. Thoroughly enjoyed it.