A Cameo Appearance

The Aspen Notch Mysteries #3

by Kathleen McKee

A strong summer storm, a cold murder case, and a cameo necklace seem unrelated… but danger lurks!

A particularly fierce summer storm strands Ryan and his young son in Aspen Notch after a tree crushes their RV. Sue and her police chief husband, Alan, offer their assistance, only to learn that Ryan’s parents died in a botched robbery in town 24 years ago.

The cold case catches Sue’s attention, though Alan follows the mayor’s directive to leave the incident unsolved.

Sue enlists her visiting daughter and granddaughter to join in her covert investigation. Surprisingly, the cameo necklace they purchase at Trinkets and Treasures, becomes the key to solving the mystery…

…but not before it places Sue in great danger.

If you enjoy a cozy mystery, small town charm, a touch of romance, and a woman sleuth who has an uncanny ability to make connections, you’ll love Kathleen McKee’s third book of the Aspen Notch Mystery Series. Join Sue for her latest adventure in A Cameo Appearance.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2024

About the author

Kathleen McKee is a retired educator and registered dietitian who enjoys crafting stories that are uplifting and moving. Regardless of genre, she likes to include a touch of romance and mystery, with narratives that bring the characters to life.

Kathleen’s heart-warming stories and their settings are often inspired by experiences of people she has met or places she has lived. She likes to include women who are strong, generous, compassionate, and capable.

Kathleen currently lives in southeast Pennsylvania with her springer spaniel, Maggie. You’ll find her there, working on her next book. Visit her website at: https://kathleen-mckee.com/ and sign up for her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/crzIUv

Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kmckee101.Au...

Reviews

[Jen (That's What I'm Talking About)]

Picking up a short time after the conclusion of the previous story, A Cameo Appearance finds Sue and Alan with a few house guests. They have invited a young father and Son to stay with them after a storm totals their RV. Meanwhile, Sue’s daughter and granddaughter are visiting Aspen Notch for the first time.

After not loving the last book, primarily because of the main characters Alan and Sue, I decided to give the series one more book; however, at the 45% mark, I had to give up. Sue and Alan continued to annoy me. And it’s not just them. I didn’t enjoy the standoffish relationship between Sue’s daughter and granddaughter.

The Aspen Notch Mysteries aren’t the cozy mystery stories I hoped for. There is too much drama and real life. If that’s your thing, you probably will enjoy the series, but I don’t want to hear a husband and wife arguing all the time over the same things over and over. Both Sue and Alan make snap decisions and have quick tempers. Yes, they eventually talk things out, but I am fed up with the pattern. They don’t work together, and in fact they are often work at odds.

The final straw in this one came as Alan blows up at their house guest, kicking him out of their home. The narrator gets all the kudos for making the scene so intense that I just needed to walk away.

Narration: the story is shared via the first person POV of Sue. Jones performs with a deeper feminine voice, suitable for the 60-something Sue. She alters chapter dialogue based on gender and age, deepening her voice for males. There isn’t a lot of variation between characters of the same gender, but enough to distinguish who was talking. As mentioned above, she adds emotion into her performance, conveying fear, anger, and sadness with skill.

In the end, my desire to find out what happens in the story was outweighed by my constant annoyance with the characters.

My Ratings:
Story: DNF at 45%
Narration: B+

Review copy provided by the publisher

[Melissa Stands · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another delightful addition to the Aspen Notch mystery series. It was great to reconnect with Sue and Alan along with getting to know her Sue's daughter and granddaughter. The mystery was challenging and kept my interest. I enjoy the relationship between Sue and Alan - they're really and deep, not always in agreement, but willing to admit wrong and seek forgiveness. Several of the relationships in the book are that way, dealing with real life situations in a heartfelt manner. A great read and fun to return to Aspen Notch.

[Rose Mcclarin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing how a storm changes everything, when a storm throws a tree onto a RV Alan and Sue watch a little boy when his dad is rushed to the hospital for his injuries then Sue's daughter Alexi and granddaughter Jessica come for a visit who knew this would end up as an investigation into an old cold case. Lots of plot twists, a few red herrings and plenty of surprises would end up uncovering the killers. Lots of action and excitement throughout this really good mystery. A must read for mystery lovers.

[Linda Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am seriously enjoying this series of books…..I can hardly wait to start the next book….i enjoy the characters…each and everyone….I’ve known people as curious and “nosy” as Sue but thankfully they never seem to have gotten in the situations that Sue has. I feel like I know each and every character in the book from Sean to Alan… from Alexa to Evelyn. No more words right now getting ready to start on reading my next book in this series.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read! Mystery, drama, romance- love it! Kept me wanting more and sad when it ended! Luckily it’s part of a series so I can read more!
I didnt want to put it down and now I want a cameo necklace!

[Anne Nickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book and couldn’t wait to turn to the next page for all the twists and turns of a murder mystery. The descriptions are so vividly written that I can imagine being a witness to the story. Can’t wait to read the next one in the series.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable series

I am enjoying this series and have been binge reading it. The characters develop, new characters appear, and Sue's daughter and granddaughter come for an extended visit. I look forward to the next book in the series and the character development.

[Sandra Fortenberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better and Better

This series keeps getting better and better. I love the town and is people and all the quirkiness of crime solving. The author has Hyatt unique ability to keep us jaded readers interested and enjoying !

[Frances P Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Cameo Appearance

This was a delightful story with several new characters and several twists in the plot. I love the little boy Sean and the dog Sophie in the story... they help to keep the story real. Another fascinating book in the Aspen Notch Series!

[Irene E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent mystery from Kathleen McKee. I have enjoyed each of Miss McKee's novels and look forward to the next one.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great book by Kathleen,picked up from the library at 1:oo finished by 1:oo the next day.
So enjoyable just could not put it down.

[Donna Alspach · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Aspen Notch Mystery series has everything I look for in a good book, good writing, characters and plot. I would highly recommend these books.

[Mary Marine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am getting ready to read the 8th and last book in this series. Loved every one of these books and the characters. I hope there will be more.

[Sarahanne J Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tis a mystery

You think you have the mystery figured out but you really don't. The twists and turns certainly keep you guessing

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series.

Great characters and very well written stories these are characters you feel for and really enjoy reading about Highly recommend.

[Jeanetta Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read

Enjoyed this story very much! I do hope there is another one to follow. Good job and much happiness to you and yours.

[laurie knoop · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Cameo Appearance

Love this series lot's of twists and turns. Interesting characters along with the 2 main characters, Alan and Sue. Great mystery series, now on to book no#4

[Janet Epperson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So thrilled I found this series. Fun characters always a good mystery. Plus Sophie the lab.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the blending of characters

This was a great cozy read and the characters were so interesting. Sue is my favorite sleuth. Looking forward to the next one.

[Phyllis Direnzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read in ages. And the first one of this. Author's. It had absolutely everything in it that I love: intrigue, history, romAnce, crime, delightful characters, engrossing storyline. Let me just get to it. These characters just draw you in and embrace you into their action before you realize it. The author writes in such a way that you can actually visualize the scenes in your minds eyes. And having become I vested I the pilot you are on the edge of your seat to see what's around the corner. I can easily visualize AspenNotch as I have spent many a year in the Po onto Mtns. And driven through many little towns and even lived in one. There is no greater beauty on this side of the state. I can't wait to reAd the next installment of Aspen Notch to see what happens to the characters next. I hope you all enjoy it as
S much as I did.
People

[Cindy Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was fun!

I enjoyed this story. As with the other books, I don’t think Sue should wait so long before bringing Alan into her investigation, but her daughter Alexa makes a good sidekick. One thing I absolutely thought was ridiculous that almost made me stop reading was that Sue didn’t want her children to think badly of their father so she told them that SHE had gambled their money away instead of him. That is going WAY too far. These stories have encouraged me, in the wake of my aforementioned kitchen remodel, to get out my crock pot. I enjoy the characters, and I’d love the taffy recipe!

[Jeff Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Sue!

Another intriguing adventure as readers get to know Sue and Alan. Good thing they love each other….lots of twists and turns in this story! But oh so worth it! I also loved meeting family members that not only add to this story, but build background connections! Kathleen McGee has an interesting way to blend mystery, character growth and good old fashion fun!

[Erth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book. Recommend that you read in series sequence.

[Jody Weems · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful

The romance between Jess and Ryan heats up as a cameo that belonged to Ryan's mother turns up, giving a clue about the murders.