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Sam Darling #1
Who Killed My Boss?
A few minutes after he hires Samantha Darling as a therapist, Dr. Burns is murdered. Stunned by his sudden death and desperate to keep the job she just got, Sam vows to find the killer.
She has two things going for her. The first is that her brother Rob is a cop, and she figures the crime-solving thing has to be genetic. The second is that Sam is a little bit psychic—a trait she’s come to accept, though it can be inconvenient at times.
With the help of her landlord and her dog, Sam sets out to solve the murder. Along the way, she spends time with the hot new guy in town and tries NOT to spend time with her old beau.
Using her “psychic vibes,” her wit, and her charm, Sam bumbles along and finally solves the mystery, but not before going in the wrong direction more than once.
She has two things going for her. The first is that her brother Rob is a cop, and she figures the crime-solving thing has to be genetic. The second is that Sam is a little bit psychic—a trait she’s come to accept, though it can be inconvenient at times.
With the help of her landlord and her dog, Sam sets out to solve the murder. Along the way, she spends time with the hot new guy in town and tries NOT to spend time with her old beau.
Using her “psychic vibes,” her wit, and her charm, Sam bumbles along and finally solves the mystery, but not before going in the wrong direction more than once.
169 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2013
275 people are currently reading
444 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
June 13, 2019
Small town intrigue
Love this series! My mother and her siblings grew up in Quincy and I feel like I am back visiting my aunt's and uncles. I love the characters. They are well developed and very real to me. The plot was strong and subplots supported the story and added humor and intrigue!
Love this series! My mother and her siblings grew up in Quincy and I feel like I am back visiting my aunt's and uncles. I love the characters. They are well developed and very real to me. The plot was strong and subplots supported the story and added humor and intrigue!
January 27, 2014
Up front you need to know that I found about this book because a family member knows the author and it was a free Kindle download over the holidays so I picked it up and just got around to reading it.
This is the first book in a series and I suspect the first book published (at least epublished) by the author. Unfortunately it shows. The writing is full of dull description and cliches and the characters are somewhat wooden. The plot is simple and for a mystery there is no tension.
As with most mysteries it is told in first person which comes across almost as though the character was talking over lunch with a friend. Even the humor is flat more often than not. To be fair very few authors first published work is very polished and it is possible the second book in the series is better. There are some interesting themes and constructs in this book that if properly developed could be interesting, such as the telepathic link with the dog and her "vibe" sense, but in this story they were just there.
Unfortunately for MS. Dufresne I have read almost the entire Grafton and Ian Rankin mystery/detective novels and am very spoiled by how good those books are. This author will need to write a lot more books and improve her craft tremendously to get anywhere near that level.
I do encourage her to continue this series because if she can write with more feeling and depth, the basis for the series could become dynamic.
This is the first book in a series and I suspect the first book published (at least epublished) by the author. Unfortunately it shows. The writing is full of dull description and cliches and the characters are somewhat wooden. The plot is simple and for a mystery there is no tension.
As with most mysteries it is told in first person which comes across almost as though the character was talking over lunch with a friend. Even the humor is flat more often than not. To be fair very few authors first published work is very polished and it is possible the second book in the series is better. There are some interesting themes and constructs in this book that if properly developed could be interesting, such as the telepathic link with the dog and her "vibe" sense, but in this story they were just there.
Unfortunately for MS. Dufresne I have read almost the entire Grafton and Ian Rankin mystery/detective novels and am very spoiled by how good those books are. This author will need to write a lot more books and improve her craft tremendously to get anywhere near that level.
I do encourage her to continue this series because if she can write with more feeling and depth, the basis for the series could become dynamic.
February 1, 2014
It had a really slow start and a few frustrating time when I wish the author would just get on with it, but I ended up enjoying it for the most part. However, I didn't like the "solution". I mean I got the whole motive and who did it, but the "twist" I really didn't like.
October 12, 2016
Who doesn’t see something a little mysterious happening in their every day life and think hmm, I wonder how that happened or I wonder who did that? Who doesn’t imagine him or herself a cunning sleuth, able to solve whatever mystery life throws his or her way? But what if that mystery is murder?
Author Jeri Dufresne delivers a fast-paced, entertaining mystery in Who Killed My Boss? in which social worker Samantha (Sam) Darling returns to her hometown to start a new job and finds her murdered boss on his office floor on her first day of work. Office employees, including the receptionist and other social workers, crowd into the boss’s office, but Sam orders them out. Her brother’s a cop, so she knows a little something about police work and gathering clues, and she decides she is going to solve the boss’s murder. What better way to ensure that she keep her job at the clinic than to prove herself indispensable to them by finding the boss’s killer? What ensues is danger and excitement, all wrapped in some lighthearted fun.
Dufresne creates a fun, vivacious sleuth whom readers will identify with. Though Sam wants to solve the murder mystery in order to secure her brand new job, she slows down enough to care for her trusty dog, Clancy, with whom she has an almost psychic connection, as well as the people she interacts with. Readers will also laugh out loud at Sam’s internal thoughts about her surroundings and her cohorts, which include a handsome private eye and an old friend who stood her up for the prom many years ago.
This reader enjoyed Sam’s first venture into sleuthing and looks forward to reading many more.
Tracy Broemmer, author of the Lorelei Bluffs series
Author Jeri Dufresne delivers a fast-paced, entertaining mystery in Who Killed My Boss? in which social worker Samantha (Sam) Darling returns to her hometown to start a new job and finds her murdered boss on his office floor on her first day of work. Office employees, including the receptionist and other social workers, crowd into the boss’s office, but Sam orders them out. Her brother’s a cop, so she knows a little something about police work and gathering clues, and she decides she is going to solve the boss’s murder. What better way to ensure that she keep her job at the clinic than to prove herself indispensable to them by finding the boss’s killer? What ensues is danger and excitement, all wrapped in some lighthearted fun.
Dufresne creates a fun, vivacious sleuth whom readers will identify with. Though Sam wants to solve the murder mystery in order to secure her brand new job, she slows down enough to care for her trusty dog, Clancy, with whom she has an almost psychic connection, as well as the people she interacts with. Readers will also laugh out loud at Sam’s internal thoughts about her surroundings and her cohorts, which include a handsome private eye and an old friend who stood her up for the prom many years ago.
This reader enjoyed Sam’s first venture into sleuthing and looks forward to reading many more.
Tracy Broemmer, author of the Lorelei Bluffs series
August 3, 2014
I enjoyed the character, Samantha Darling and her fur ball Clancey. I also enjoyed her siblings, her neighbors Georgeanne and Gus, and her police officer friend BH (George). I liked that the book started out with the murder from the get go. I guessed who the murderer was but not the accomplice. The book was very enjoyable and quite easy reading yet there was a bit of suspense. I stumbled upon this book accidentally. I'm guessing there is a book preceding this one and more after. I'll have to check it out. Looking forward to reading more about Samantha's sleuthing adventures!!!!
March 2, 2014
A really good read
A really good read
The title of this book really caught my eye, but it was a way better book than I thought it would be. the characters were superb and the storyline was excellent.
A really good read
The title of this book really caught my eye, but it was a way better book than I thought it would be. the characters were superb and the storyline was excellent.
April 27, 2014
Really well done!
I had a tough time putting this one down. The cast of characters was well thought out and I love the fact that her best friend is her dog. Can't wait to read the next one!
I had a tough time putting this one down. The cast of characters was well thought out and I love the fact that her best friend is her dog. Can't wait to read the next one!
February 4, 2018
The concept of it was good but I had a hard time taking Sam seriously since she acted like she was 14 instead of 40. I think this one would need a rewrite to turn into a good book. I was happy to actually make it to the end.
March 23, 2014
I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would when I started. It did repeat the story a few times but it flowed well regardless. It was humorous in places and I loved the dog!!
June 12, 2014
This was a very interesting read. It had humor, had good detail, but was well written with an unexpected twist at the end.
June 14, 2014
An easy enjoyable read.
November 6, 2016
I am not sure why cozy mysteries need to have immature 40 yr old women bumbling around when as an educated social worker Sam could use her brain. I won't be reading any more in this series.
February 22, 2018
bored. too many repetitive words to develop characters. have "box set" so may rrad 2nd to see if it gets better?
February 22, 2018
Loved the whole book from beginning to end,didn't have to wait for the first murder to happened, it happened in the first couple of pages. Sam Darling is in her early forties with two college kids and brothers and sisters, her best friend Clancy who's a dog(canine). Owners of her cottage and neighbors Gus and Georgianne Granville. A few characters who hated the dead man and could've killed him. Some people hated this book because the woman didn't act her age. It's just a fun book to read. Lots of people have heighten instincts like Sam does. I guess people who read this book needs to have a sense of human and a imagination.
January 3, 2019
I'm having a love/hate with this book. I bought a set of 6, real cheap, on Book Bub. It's a sort of typical cozy mystery. The protagonist is in her mid 40's and so seemingly immature. That gets annoying. The writing is not great either. The author tends to tell us about something....and then tell us again, with a little more detail, where I think to myself, "you already told us that....don't waste my time." That's the hate side. The love side is, it's a mystery and sometimes it's pretty funny. I'll read the second one soon and see how I feel about them. They'll either grow on me or I'll delete them from Kindle.
March 30, 2018
Absolutely Charming
This read is fun, love the quirkiness of the lead character. Written with humor, and characters are well rounded and had a solid story line. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author and this series.
I highly recommend this book for mystery lovers as well. The writer made you think you knew who committed the crime and then rethink your choice
This read is fun, love the quirkiness of the lead character. Written with humor, and characters are well rounded and had a solid story line. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author and this series.
I highly recommend this book for mystery lovers as well. The writer made you think you knew who committed the crime and then rethink your choice
May 5, 2018
So many cliches, so many hooks and threads taken from other writers. I felt as if the author was trying others styles out to see which fit best. The premise is good, I enjoyed some of the characters, but it didn't flow, the dialogue was stilted, and at times felt as if I were reading a story about a teenager, not a 40 something woman.
Downloaded as a free book on my Kindle, Thankfully. Will probably try book 2 to see if any improvement, but only if it too, is free. Otherwise would not buy.
Downloaded as a free book on my Kindle, Thankfully. Will probably try book 2 to see if any improvement, but only if it too, is free. Otherwise would not buy.
August 21, 2018
This is actually a decent story.
Pro's. It's well written and has good character development.
Con's. The main character relies on her "feelings" to determine if someone is guilty or not. It does not matter if those feelings are identical towards a murderer, or someone she has a crush on. Identical feelings, different meanings. One's guilty, one's not.
(Oh yea, sometimes her feelings don't connect to one of the guilty parties, therefore they are deemed innocent.)
Pro's. It's well written and has good character development.
Con's. The main character relies on her "feelings" to determine if someone is guilty or not. It does not matter if those feelings are identical towards a murderer, or someone she has a crush on. Identical feelings, different meanings. One's guilty, one's not.
(Oh yea, sometimes her feelings don't connect to one of the guilty parties, therefore they are deemed innocent.)
August 22, 2019
Omg. So this book was on my kobo for like forever. (I remove off bookshelf once I finish) but this one just never got done.
Finally today I said screw it I gotta finish.
IT'S SO PAINFUL.
THE WRITING IS SOOO CRINGEY.
The storytelling is so... Uninteresting and sooo poorly done in a very sad bid for comedy+mystery.
My favourite parts involved the dog and Gus. There were enough dog and Gus parts to keep me going.
Finally today I said screw it I gotta finish.
IT'S SO PAINFUL.
THE WRITING IS SOOO CRINGEY.
The storytelling is so... Uninteresting and sooo poorly done in a very sad bid for comedy+mystery.
My favourite parts involved the dog and Gus. There were enough dog and Gus parts to keep me going.
January 31, 2018
I enjoyed this book and wasn't sure who the killer was most of the way through it. Sam was kind of pushy though and I hate pushy women. Anyway, she was fun, although she carried this grudge with B.H. a bit too far. I mean really, she's a Social Worker/Counselor and she couldn't see the problem with her own behavior? But it ended nicely and I want to read more in this series.
July 8, 2018
I can say this book was funny, and I can say it brought out some moments where as a pet owner, I can say I've had some conversations that were one way but the looks given back were priceless,
I find this book book made me really think ok this is a really deep, There was no telling whom was the perp/perps . I was like hell no....I rated 5 stars because I had no clues well done to the writer
I find this book book made me really think ok this is a really deep, There was no telling whom was the perp/perps . I was like hell no....I rated 5 stars because I had no clues well done to the writer
August 1, 2018
My head hurt reading this book
First book in the series, and will be my last. There's no mystery in the story, but about a nosy social worker trying to proof her vibe about the murderer. it full of boring description, and inner chatters. I'm worry for her, she might need a pill or two. On top of that, there's a possibility of love triangle, which definitely a NOT TO READ PILES
First book in the series, and will be my last. There's no mystery in the story, but about a nosy social worker trying to proof her vibe about the murderer. it full of boring description, and inner chatters. I'm worry for her, she might need a pill or two. On top of that, there's a possibility of love triangle, which definitely a NOT TO READ PILES
February 2, 2020
A Loss of a Boss
A great little cozey mystery filled with charm and class .A classic example of what a cozey murder mystery should be, light hearted, humorous and full of intreage. The caracters are vibrant and up for almost any challenge. I'ts time for you to aquier a copy and start enjoying "Who Killed My Boss"as much as I have. 🤔🙄😏☺ Kat
A great little cozey mystery filled with charm and class .A classic example of what a cozey murder mystery should be, light hearted, humorous and full of intreage. The caracters are vibrant and up for almost any challenge. I'ts time for you to aquier a copy and start enjoying "Who Killed My Boss"as much as I have. 🤔🙄😏☺ Kat
December 31, 2017
Sam Darling Mystery
This was an interesting and entertaining book, a therapist who was just hired boss is murdered. Sam wants to find the killer and show everyone how smart she can be... a lot of twists and turns along the way.
This was an interesting and entertaining book, a therapist who was just hired boss is murdered. Sam wants to find the killer and show everyone how smart she can be... a lot of twists and turns along the way.
March 25, 2018
A good Cosie murder Mystery.
I love my Cosy Mysteries, and Jerilyn came through for me with a delightful tale of murder, light comedy and an unsuspected bit of a twist that I wasn't expecting. Well worth reading to those who like Cosies. Nessie
I love my Cosy Mysteries, and Jerilyn came through for me with a delightful tale of murder, light comedy and an unsuspected bit of a twist that I wasn't expecting. Well worth reading to those who like Cosies. Nessie
June 19, 2018
Enjoyed it. Sam Darling doesn't really live up to her name but it was enough that I stuck with it until the end, mostly because I wanted to know if I was right.
Sam said something along the lines of "he's too cute to be a murderer" and I still can't decide if that's funny or pathetic.
Sam said something along the lines of "he's too cute to be a murderer" and I still can't decide if that's funny or pathetic.
August 7, 2018
This is the first book in this series and the first book I have read by this author. The book was an enjoyable read. I really liked the characters and look forward to reading more in the series and watching them develop.
September 1, 2018
Good Sense of Humor
I really liked the author's sense of humor. The lovable, less than perfect heroine seemed convinced she was right in her self-depreciating way. Good Plot, kept me guessing until the end.
I really liked the author's sense of humor. The lovable, less than perfect heroine seemed convinced she was right in her self-depreciating way. Good Plot, kept me guessing until the end.
February 26, 2017
Cute short who done it.
November 11, 2017
easy read, gripping, a good amount of humor. The same day that Sam starts her new job her boss was murdered. Besides doing her job she believes she knows who the killer is and she investigates.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews