Murder on a Snowy Evening

Cat Latimer Mystery #9

by Lynn Cahoon

Change is in the air for New Year's Resolutions!Cat Latimer and her friends have made some changes at the Warm Springs Writers’ Retreat. The new retreat will be a joint session with new attendees and return visitors. The theme? Goal setting for the next year as well as finding the word count magic. First up on the schedule is a joint snowshoeing session. They’ll come back to the warm Victorian for a soup and fresh bread dinner before starting on the more cerebral activities of a January writing retreat.Included in the alumnus is the widow of a famous local author and past. Confronted with not one but two biographers who are planning very different books about her famous husband, she’s not enthused about going on the snowy bonding adventure.When the self-proclaimed secret mistress and writer of a sensational tell-all book goes missing, Cat thinks she’s decided to leave the retreat. Then her body is found in a summer cabin owned by the grieving widow.Can Cat dig out the clues to find who killed the brash young thing or will Cat’s grieving friend lose one more thing to her husband’s death? Her freedom.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy, Cozy Mystery, Holiday

169 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 12, 2023

About the author

NYT and USA Today bestselling author, Lynn Cahoon, writes the Tourist Trap, Cat Latimer, Farm-to-Fork, Kitchen Witch, Survivors' Book Club, the Haunted Life, and the Bainbridge Island cozy mystery series. No matter where the mystery is set, readers can expect a fun ride Sign up for her newsletter at www.lynncahoon.com

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun installment where the snow traps the guests and someone winds up dead. I enjoy these characters and the mystery writing weeks with the authors.

[Lady Galaxy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read. The Cat Latimer series is my favorite of Lynn Cahoon's many series. The mystery was interesting. So was the retreat, though I didn't feel as if I got to know the participants all that well. I like that with each retreat Cat seems to be more comfortable interacting with the participants. It was fun to see Deek, a favorite character from my other favorite series, the Tourist Trap series. The ending was a bit anti-climactic. I really wanted more details about the motives of the killer.

At least this book provided a bit more about the cause of their breakup that so mysteriously appeared in the previous book. I was waiting to see the final confrontation with the couples counselor, but the book ended abruptly without that happening.

I want to encourage Ms. Cahoon to continue this series. It is my favorite of them all. I also would like to encourage her to slow down a bit and take time to make sure the book is the best it can be before sending it out into the world. This one is in serious need of editing and proofreading. Now that the author has taken control over the publishing of the series and is self publishing, it is more important than ever to find somebody to edit and proofread the final document. There are so many errors in this book that it distracts from the narrative. At one point, the narrative says Cat "walked her father to the reception area." Pete isn't her father; he's her uncle. In another place, the text called Cat's house where the retreat is held a "school." It is not a school. There are too many instances where words are left out or are out of order. There are also mistakes with homonyms (there instead of they're) and verb tenses (feed instead of fed).

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining listening 🎶🎧

This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account. This author has few books on Kindle Unlimited so may be the only one I read.

There is a writers session meeting and then there is a murder. There is more about writing than about the murder. Not my style of mystery.

I would recommend you give it a try. 2024

[Brenda Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad that the author is still writing this series. I love the characters and the setting.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was fun to have three reunion guests at the current writing retreat and once again Deek, one of my faves from the author’s Tourist Trap series was a returning guest. When murder struck during the retreat, Cat got the investigator itch again and wondered if one of her own guests did in a fellow guest.

There was a good twist and as always, the farewell dinner for the writers came too soon and goodbyes were underway. I was glad Cat and Seth made some progress with the ongoing issues they’d been having. I hope the next book covers some plans the retreat family was making at the end of the book, it sounds interesting!

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was fine but these books are having an increasing number of misspellings and dropped words. For me, that poses a serious distraction, especially when the sentence is so fractured that I lose the meaning.

I do enjoy returning characters, especially those from other series. And I like seeing the development of Cat and Seth's relationship.

[Joanie Hinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another writer's retreat but this one has a few changes that Cat and Shauna are trying out. Unfortunately another murder occurs, but at least it doesn't happen at the retreat house, the victim is just a retreat guest. Despite Police Chief Pete telling Cat to stay out of the investigation she still looks into who and why someone would kill the victim. And since Pete's girlfriend Shirley is in town for a visit, she assists as well. Lots of writing and clue searching going on and what turns out to be the solution to the murder is something no one would have expected. Excellent read.

[Tonja Torres · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always enjoy keeping up with the characters in this series, but it is becoming more difficult to immerse myself in their world given the lackluster proofreading. Also, the author has become such a zealot for goal setting and list making that it takes me out of all of her stories, regardless of the series. I wish she’d write a goal setting book and get it out of her system so that the books focus more on plot and character again.

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Murder on a Snowy Evening (Cat Latimer Mystery #9)" by Lynn Cahoon is set in January, but despite multiple sources saying its a New Year's themed cozy mystery, I don't agree with that assessment. It's wintery and start of the year only in that they mention going on a vacation in February plus they just finished the holidays.

For this mystery there are some returning characters from past retreats. Even some series jumping returning characters. In particular we get the first book's victim's spouse back and there's some nee scandal around that victim. I can't say much more without some spoilers.

I do have to say that the whole sort of love triangle for Cat is getting old. Especially with this on again off again on again relationship with her high school sweetheart. If she's told the other guy that she's never going to be interested in him then why is it still being constantly brought up this far into the series. Especially if he's also supposedly interested in Shauna now.

[Melmo2610 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid installment in one of my longtime cozy series reads. I liked the mystery elements of rhis one and the return of some familar characters. Good read.

[Karolynn Cechowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, as I love all of Lynn Cahoon's books; however, the Cat Latimer Mystery series is my favorite and is all about writer retreats in Warm Springs, Colorado at a restored colonial house owned by Cat Latimer, a writer who first became a professor at the local college, and then left the college to become a fiction writer. She then thought up the idea of having writers (upcoming as well as now established) come to her hone for quiet time to write (and some instruction) and for extra income for Cat - to support her writing. Cat's best friend Shauna is an excellent cook/baker who feeds everyone (and writes cookbooks), and Cat's boyfriend Seth takes care of restoring the premises and ferries people coming to the retreats from and to the airport. Of course there is a death involving one of the members of the latest retreat. I love this series because it is all about books-my favorite thing. I realize this is more of a synopsis of the series, rather than the current book, Murder on a Snowy Evening, but I am hoping to catch readers not familiar with Lynn Cahoon and this and other cozy series she has written. You will be hooked.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I really enjoyed it!

[Calvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable series.

[Short, Sweet and Cozy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Retreat, Friends & A Cozy Mystery

I love the Cat Latimer series and I am so glad Lynn Cahoon has gotten the publishing rights and is adding to it! Murder On A Snowy Evening is the 9th book in the series and it continues to be an enjoyable and realistic cozy mystery series. Cat Latimer, her boyfriend Seth and her best friend Shauna run Warm Springs Writer's Retreat. Along with 3 first time attendees there are 3 returning writers plus Cat's Uncle Pete's girlfriend Shirley. One of the returning writers is Deek from the Tourist Trap series and he is a fun character. Another returning writer is Linda who came with her husband Tom several years ago. She is now a widow and is writing a book about Tom. Jewel is a first time visitor and she is also writing a book about Tom but she claims to know him. This causes problems and someone ends up dead which really complicates the situation. Cat and Seth have been having relationship problems but they are working to repair their relationship. This added to the realistic feel to the story. The characters are likable and the friendships are wonderful. The killer is fairly easy to guess and there is a fairly straightforward mystery but it is enjoyable and I am happy to have more books in this series. #MurderOnASnowyEvening #CatLatimerMystery @LynnCahoon

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deadly Retreat

I adore this series so much. It's always fun and interesting and has me speed reading to get to the end to see whodunit. I love hanging out with Cat, Seth, Shauna, and all the writer's retreat guests as they discuss writing, publishing, and solving an occasional murder.
I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Read in Bookfunnel and Kindle Unlimited.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book, it's also one of my favorite series...

[Sharon Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too good to put down...

I enjoyed how familiar characters from Cahoon's other collections appeared in this read. Deek is one of my favorites. Another book that, once begun, needs to be completed before you lay it down.

[Sheri Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice read. The mystery was a little odd and the ending was abrupt but I'm looking forward to the next installment.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a series I really used to like. However, since the change to self-publishing the quality has disintegrated. Too many grammatical/typo mistakes, lack of story development and uninteresting personal relationships. At this point I think I'm moving on from this series.

[John Presler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat Latimer has scheduled a new Writers' Retreat that is slightly different from past retreats. This retreat features a combination of new writers and returning writers from previous retreats. The main goals for this session is Goal Setting and a Word Count contest. One of the returning authors, Linda Cook, is the widow of a famous author. Two of the new authors, Jewel Doan and Ryan Garett, are planning to write books about her deceased husband, but with totally different viewpoints. An early activity for the group is a snowshoe hike, but Linda elects not to join the group. Her decision is primarily based on a comment by Jewel stating that she had an affair with Linda's husband, Tom. Linda does not believe the accusations and accuses Jewel of lying.

Linda tells Cat that she intends to go to their summer cabin in the nearby hills. Jewel seems to go missing and Cat had to wonder if she decided to forego the retreat after her confrontation with Linda. Later, Jewel is found dead in Linda's summer cabin.

Who killed Jewel? Was Jewel lying about having an affair with Tom? Where was Linda when Jewel was killed? Can Cat, her uncle, and the writers unravel the mystery?

Lynn Cahoon has another great addition to her fantastic Cat Latimer series. She shows great insights to being an author with wonderful characters who write both fiction and non-fiction, as well as plenty of twists, turns, and red herrings to keep the reader engaged throughout.

[Helen Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cat Latimer Series is one of my favorites by Lynn Cahoon. I especially enjoy the premise of having periodic writers retreats at a restored historical mansion in a small Colorado town. It’s also a college town and Cat Latimer used to teach at the college.

In this latest book the writers retreat has both new members and several who have attended the retreat before. Of course a new member is murdered in the cabin now owned by one of the former retreat members. Cat and several members of the retreat want to solve the murder. With input from several people, an unexpected party turns out to be the killer.

Since the retreat is always having new characters, it adds more variety in picking the victim and killer. I enjoy getting to know these new characters every book.
There are also recurring characters from the college and town who contribute to the stories. This time the majority of the character interactions are with those participating in the retreat. I do miss the interactions with the college librarian this book, although she is mentioned.

I have read this series from the beginning. Cat, Seth, and Shauna who are all involved in the retreats are wonderful characters and I have enjoyed getting to see how the relationships continue to develop. Cat’s Uncle Pete, who is the law in town also adds some additional charm to the story.

I certainly hope Lynn Cahoon continues to write this wonderful series.

[Darla Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cat has made some changes for the newest session at Warm Spring Writers' Retreat. This time in addition to the new attendees, she has brought a group of previous guests back. And this session has a theme. Along with reaching their word counts, the authors will be setting goals. One of the returning visitors is Linda Cook who's the widow of famous author, Tom Cook. However, things get tense when one of the women in the new group says she had an affair with Tom. When that young woman is later found dead in the Cook's cabin, Cat is ready to prove her friend, Linda's innocence.

I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest, unbiased review. I've really enjoyed this series and this book is no exception. It's well-written with wonderful characters and a fast-paced plot. I was drawn in and hooked from start to finish. I did think there could be a tad more to the investigation from Cat's perspective. I also want a bit more romance between Cat and Seth that shows them as more than friends. That being said, I love Lynn Cahoon's books. She's an amazing author and storyteller and her books are a can't-miss. I highly recommend both book and series which I think is best read in order. Yes, each book has its own mystery contained in the pages, but you get a more comprehensive feeling for the characters when you read all the books.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the nineth in the Cat Latimer Mystery series. It is a standalone story but I prefer to read them in order to catch the character development. I missed the last story and was thrown for a loop when the mercenary information came out. I have that book and am moving it to the top of my to be read list.

Cat and the crew are running another Warm Springs Writers’ Retreat with a twist. They have three returning authors and the new writers are mostly non-fiction writers and a few are writing books on organization techniques.

Per usual, there is a death during the retreat. Was the victim whom she said she was and was her backstory true. All will come out by the end.

I found the story well-crafted and plotted. I found out more about recurring characters and Uncle Pete’s relationship with Shirley hits the rocks. Will it survive? There were a few surprises which I don’t want to give away.

I am excitedly waiting the next installment. I was given an advanced reader’s copy and am not required to leave a positive review.

[Deborah Almada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another interesting trip to Aspen Hills to spend time with Cat, Shauna, Sean and this month's aspiring authors. What I really enjoyed was that we got to catch up with some of our past retreat members as this was an experiment with past retreaters as well as the new group. I loved catching up with Deek, a favorite from one of this author's other series, Andi, a local, former student and Linda the wife of the author killed in the first book of this series! When a new retreat member claims to have had an affair with the dead author, then turns up dead in the couple's local cabin, it sets Linda up to look like a killer. Even though Cat would love to make her uncle happy and stay out of it, her friendship with Linda is going to make this impossible. With an interesting mystery and more information about being an author, getting published etc this was another enjoyable read in the series. I am so glad it continues!

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Return to snowy Colorado for a new Writer’s Retreat mystery (technically it’s a Cat Latimer mystery, but I always think of it as writer’s retreat).
Cat, Shauna and Seth host a new group of writers along with several writers from previous retreats as they open the west wing of Cat’s house.
The mystery involves the writer who died in the very first book, Tom Cook. His wife Linda Cook is part of this retreat as well as a woman named Jewel.
I enjoyed the return of previous characters and the relationship between Cat, Seth and Shauna.
I figured out the mystery and had to wait for Cat to catch up.
The setting is January and includes some writers writing about goal setting, planning and organization. It seemed a spot on theme for early January.
Thanks to the author for an opportunity to see an early copy of the book.

[Valeri Sullivan (vsulvn29) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I just classified a retreat with only one murder as a success.”

We’re gifted with an unexpected twist in the latest Cat Latimer series when our suspect list is littered with guests, new and old, as our amazing author takes us all of the way back to book one’s victim, Tom Cook and his wife Linda. While this is a pleasurable enough read, it’s mystery lite and danger free but that’s fine with me, any visit to the Warm Springs’ Writers’ Retreat is always guarantied to be a good read!

[SM Stoner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read. I enjoyed the story overall, but felt it would have been better as a full-length book instead of a novella. Cat latched onto a theory even though there were no reasons given to suggest it was a valid theory until later in the story. The ending was anticlimactic. I wanted to read the scene between Cat and her therapist, and to know if Uncle Pete had made any decision about his job, but the story ended without tying up those loose ends.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 9th book in a series that I have not read before. Cat and her two colleagues run an author's retreat in her Victorian B&B in January. When one of her guests ends up dead, Cat uses her amateur detective skills to figure out who done it. There is some repetition here that bogs down the story a bit. I'm not sure that I will continue reading more of this series.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat, Shawna and Seth are back! There is another writers retreat and of course another murder. We get to read more about Uncle Pete. This is always a great series with a variety of writers. This time some come back for the retreat. I read this book slowly because I did not want it to end. It is a great book and I highly recommend it!

[Carola Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

I liked it. Even though I found ir a bit confusing at times. Pity it’s not on Kindle Unlimited, books in English are very difficult to buy here but at least I had the opportunity to read this one.
I will be looking to see if another of this series comes by free.