The Fog Ladies : A San Francisco Cozy Murder Mystery Book 1

A San Francisco Cozy Murder Mystery #1

by Susan McCormick

Before there was THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB, there were THE FOG LADIES. Fans of Richard Osman will enjoy them.
“Glued to the pages” Dru’s Book Musings
“A very specially crafted ‘whodunit’ style mystery by an author with an impressive flair for originality.” Midwest Book Review
“Colorful characters sure to enchant the reader… A suspenseful whodunit.” New York Journal of Books

Book 1 in this award-winning, endearing cozy murder mystery series.
Young, overworked medical intern Sarah James has no time for sleuthing. Her elderly neighbors, the spunky Fog Ladies, have nothing but time. When old ladies start to die in their elegant apartment building in San Francisco, Sarah assumes it is the natural consequence of growing old. The Fog Ladies assume murder.

Mrs. Bridge falls off a stool cleaning bugs out of her kitchen light. Mrs. Talwin slips on bubbles in the bath and drowns. The Pacific Heights building is turning over tenants faster than the fog rolls in on a cool San Francisco evening.

Sarah resists the Fog Ladies’ perseverations. But when one of them falls down the stairs and tells Sarah she was pushed, even Sarah believes evil lurks in their building. Can they find the killer before the killer finds them?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Contemporary, Fiction, Historical Mystery

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 9, 2019

About the author

Susan McCormick is a writer and doctor in Seattle, author of The Fog Ladies cozy murder mystery series, The Antidote, a medical STEM middle grade fantasy, and Granny Can't Remember Me, a lighthearted picture book about Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

She graduated from Smith College and George Washington University School of Medicine, with additional training in San Francisco and Washington, DC. She served as a military doctor for nine years before settling in the Pacific Northwest and civilian practice. She is married and has two boys. She loves giant dogs and has loved an English mastiff and two Newfoundlands.

Reviews

[Heena Rathore Rathore-Pardeshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fog Ladies by Susan McCormick is a delightful cosy mystery that turned out to be a really pleasant read. This is my first book by the author, so obviously I had no idea what to expect from the book, though the blurb totally compelled me to pick this one up. So I dove in this book unknowing and, to be honest, it felt good for a change. Thankfully, the story turned out to be an absolute delight and I enjoyed it every bit.

The delightful bickering of the old ladies, the delicious references to some favourite foods and an unsuspecting and likeable protagonist made for a really enjoyable read. The plot was engaging and managed to hook me from the beginning till the end. And the end, well, it was perfect in its own right, albeit a bit predictable.

Overall I joyed this book more than I was expecting and would highly recommend it to cosy mystery readers.

You can also read this review on www.thereadingbud.com

[Mark Baker · Rating 2 out of 5]

When Sarah James moves to San Francisco to do her medical residency, she moves into a building in Pacific Heights and begins making friend with her older neighbors. One she struggles to like is Mrs. Bridge, her neighbor who lives directly across the hall, since Mrs. Bridge is always complaining about something. When Mrs. Bridge dies unexpectedly, Sarah thinks it is a sad accident. However, some of the other residents begin to see a pattern with other deaths in the building. Was Mrs. Bridge’s death an accident? Or will Sarah find something more sinister going on?

I was excited about this book and looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, it failed to deliver. I was a bit overwhelmed by the characters at first, but as we got to know them, I was able to keep them straight. Sadly, that was because some of them never rose above their initial stereotypical caricatures, and they were annoying caricatures at that. The plot was slow to start with then all but vanishes in the middle third before coming back for a descent resolution. Too many sub-plots really detracted. A couple parts of the book seemed off to me, including a sub-plot involving a character discovering Starbucks thanks to countless coupons in the paper. It’s a shame because I did really enjoy a few of the characters, but the rest was bad enough that I will give the rest of the series a pass.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Sarah James moved into the Pacific Heights apartment building, the last thing she expected to be doing is looking for clues to finger a murderer. She’s working overtime completing her medical residency at a local San Francisco hospital. But the Fog Ladies, as they’re affectionately known in her building, are dead set there’s something sinister going on. These deaths and accidents are no coincidence and just because the victims are elderly doesn’t mean they deserve to die. But who could it be? Sarah and the Fog Ladies are on the case. Will they discover the culprit in time or will Sarah be the next victim?



It’s been a long time since I read a cozy mystery like The Fog Ladies. It’s character-driven and these characters are a hoot. Each character has its own distinctive voice. Sarah is my favorite character, but my second favorite has to be the outrageous Mrs. Carmichael. She’s opinionated, feisty and adds plenty of hilarity to the plot. Plus her addiction to Starbucks makes her genuine.



Why is this a 5-star book? First and foremost, the mystery was tricky to solve and just when I thought I had it all figured out, Susan McCormick revealed the true villain. A few red herrings added intrigue to the mystery. Most cozies are easy-peasy but not this one. Kudos to the author for creating a mystery hard to unravel. The plot blended with the zany characters makes this a must-read for mystery and cozy mystery readers alike! Highly recommend!



If you’re looking for an addictive cozy mystery, look no further than The Fog Ladies. I look forward to the next installment. Fingers crossed there is one.



My Rating: 5 stars



Reviewed by: Mrs. N



This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fog Ladies is a murder mystery set in an old San Francisco building converted years ago into residences. Renovations are taking place to update and modernize the building. There are many characters starting with a new medical intern who will be there through her residency. The fog ladies are a group of older and elderly women, distinct and quirky so you come to love them or hate them. Other characters are added as the book continues and the author develops them perfectly as well. Murder and "accidents" are happening to the women. The plot moves at a good speed and there are many many suspects to flush out.
I enjoyed McCormick's style of writing. This was labeled a "cozy" mystery but I would just label it a mystery and a very good one.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author Susan McCormick and The Wild Rose Press for this ARC

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think "Golden Girls" meets "someone may be knocking off old ladies in the building" and you have the vibe in Fog Ladies. One part humor, one part coffee klatsch with the elderly ladies' regular meetings, one part drama with the young resident doctor and amateur sleuth, and you have an engrossing, multiple viewpoint mystery. I did figure out the motive early on, but not the perpetrator. One quibble is that I had trouble keeping all the players among the elderly ladies and building residents straight even though the author does a good job of giving them unique personality quirks. I picked this up because of the setting, one of San Francisco's "Grand Dames" buildings, and I definitely enjoyed this enough to get book 2.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Fog Ladies" offers a unique spin on the cozy mystery genre!

Read full review in the 2019 December issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Cindie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters are somewhat likable and the main character Sarah is somewhat believable, however, there was a lot of detailed lead up to a hasty end, which was not very believable. It was believable who was murdering the women, it was not very realistic of an ending. It was nice and cozily wrapped up and everything turned out nice, I just found myself saying "when is this book going to end?" Then it just did. What would have been better? Less frivolous dialogue and maybe a bit more personality and less self condemnation in the main character. Or maybe this just isn't my type of book, I want something to keep me reading, other then, I just want it over.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too many characters are rattled off right away, which was off-putting right from the start. I hate it when a lot of names are thrown at you and you have to know a little something about everyone. That’s strike one.

So, basically, we have a bunch of old people dying in this story (not enough if you ask me.) But why was there so much useless narrative?

I thought this would be an interesting mystery, but it lags too much and lost me right away.

[Theda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely recommend as an enjoyable cozy read.
Liked:
-- the Fog Ladies were great - I liked the array of personalities, and a little growth during the book
-- I want to read next in series so I can spend more time with them, and see some of their changes and romances progress
Didn't like:
-- able to guess motive and murderer early on, but it didn't stop me from continuing because the characters were so good

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love cozy mysteries featuring senior and this one was excellent.
The mystery is well crafted and it kept me guessing, the cast of characters is likeable and well fought, the setting is interesting.
I look forward to reading other books by author, possibly featuring this characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[JoAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love those Fog Ladies and their adventures! Great cozy mystery with mischief and humor thrown into the plot. Definitely enjoyed sleuthing along with ladies. An awesome and fun read.

[Beverly Laude · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I couldn't die; I still had an unused coupon." This is type of humor you will find in this fun book.

A group of elderly women live in a high-rise apartment building in San Francisco. Some of their apartments have amazingly beautiful views of the Bay. These women have been getting together to play cards and socialize for many years. When several of them die under unusual circumstances, they begin to wonder if these deaths are truly due to old age or if there is something more sinister at work.

Sarah is a young intern, living in an apartment in the building provided by the Hospital. She becomes an honorary Fog Lady and soon becomes fast friends with several of them. Two of the ladies become involved with a young unmarried mother and soon find themselves in charge of a baby. Then, you have a grieving widower whose journal falls into the hands of the nosiest of the women, a young maintenance man who seems to be spending lots of money, an ankle-biter of a dog, and a religious zealot and you have some great characters.

The author has done a great job with her descriptions of the area and the interactions between the characters. Some you will love, some not so much, but all are delightful in their own way. Sarah's role as a young intern is full of angst and uncertainty and this part is well-written and very believable.

The narrator did a great job and her performance added a lot to this book. I look forward to reading more books in this cozy series. "Oh dear, Oh dear!"

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fog Ladies is a murder mystery set in an old San Francisco building converted years ago into residences. Renovations are taking place to update and modernize the building. There are many characters starting with a new medical intern who will be there through her residency. The fog ladies are a group of older and elderly women, distinct and quirky so you come to love them or hate them. Other characters are added as the book continues and the author develops them perfectly as well. Murder and "accidents" are happening to the women. The plot moves at a good speed and there are many many suspects to flush out.
I enjoyed McCormick's style of writing. This was labeled a "cozy" mystery but I would just label it a mystery and a very good one.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author Susan McCormick and The Wild Rose Press for this ARC

[Christine Grabowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun, light read. It was the characters that stood out for me. Each one was unique and came to life from the pages as they tried to figure out who (if anyone) was murdering women in their building. It made me hope to have such a good group of friends when I'm old and gray. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Sarah and Mrs. Noonan because few young people go out of their way to get to know senior citizens, and I found it inspiring.

[Marilyn Meade-moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very nice introduction to the Fog Ladies

I won the second book in the series from the author and wanted to read this one first. This is a classic cozy mystery. Fun characters that are around my age. I said 3 stars because the writing seemed a little simplistic. It was still enjoyable getting to know the characters and I look forward to the next book.

[Dar Henning · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, all though well written, had a very common thread. I figured it out half way through the story. I loved the characters. She did a good job character building. There were some "loss ends" I wish the author would have spent some time tying up. But that could be just me.

[T K Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I’ve read more than a few cozies where characters are introduced in a rush at a book’s beginning. Having been down this road before, I took notes of who people were, their physical descriptions and peculiarities. Without that, not sure I would have been able to keep straight the half dozen Fog Ladies, other building residents and employees, co-workers at the hospital, and friends of friends. You get the idea. A lot of characters. With my cheat sheet by my side, I was able to identify and be comfortable with who was who.

The book weaves together recapping resident’s decades of living in the same apartments, questionable accidents at their building, the young intern’s work at the hospital, a few of the Fog Ladies’ volunteer work, as well as introducing new building residents and co-workers at the hospital. Having so many things going on makes it more than the normal cozy plot of ‘murder happens, amateur sleuth solves’.

These characters are portrayed as in real life. Some were sweet and some were obnoxious. Some were addled. One is old-school pious and religious. Some were helpers. Some found fault in everything. A typical cross section of personalities.

I was thrilled with the short chapters. It’s so easy to say “the next chapter is only 3 pages. I’ll just read that before shutting the book.” And then find yourself doing that again and again.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

Sarah James is an intern whose hospital rents apartments for its residents during their clinical matches. Rather than living closer to the hospital, as most of the other interns/residents do, Sarah is assigned a place in Pacific Heights. She's pretty much the youngest tenant there; most of the people in her building are older women who have been widowed. Three of the residents have died under what could either be mysterious circumstances or simple accidents -- depending on whose theory one listened to.

A book set in a city where I lived, and that I still love is sure to get my attention. That was certainly the case here, but I did face some challenges while reading.

Honestly, because the older women were mostly referred to as Mrs. So-and-so rather than by first names, sometimes I had a hard time remembering who was who. Mrs. Carmichael -- Enid -- was easy because she's so brash and eccentric, but the other ladies were so nice and gentle that I seldom was able to remember each one's arc. That cost the book half a star.

All the same, the book is a good fair play puzzle ... and Sarah puts it all together very well with clues that were strewn along the way for the reader.

I would recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries, with the caveat that it can be easy to mix up one dear little old lady with another.

[Mc Chanster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored this book. I’m not sure if I’ve ever read a “cozy murder mystery” before, but I’m very happy that I took the chance on this one!

When Sara James moves into her Pacific Heights apartment, all she wants to do is get through her medical residency without becoming a sleep-deprived, malnourished zombie. What she never expected, was to get pulled into a possible murder investigation, especially one initiated by a group of elderly, senior women affectionately known as The Fog Ladies. But when the older residents of Pacific Heights start having more and more ‘accidents’, The Fog Ladies become suspicious, and Sara starts an adventure that could save all their lives.

So this was an absolutely delightful read. The plot was engaging and well-written, and I found myself giggling every time the girls start bickering amongst themselves (in all honestly, I kept thinking of the Golden Girls because really, who can’t imagine Betty White, Rue Clanahan, Beatrice Arthur and Estelle Getty running around trying to solve a murder?). I appreciated that characters were given their own distinct personality, and I felt this only added to the “whodunit?” aspect. Thanks you Voracious Readers and Susan McCormick for my copy!

[Charlotte Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook Review… This is the first book that I have listened to Robin LaRee Berry has narrated. I love finding a new narrator and look forward to listening to more of her work. Robin was able to take the story that Susan McCormick wrote and bring it to life. She took a story that I did not know and pulled me right into it. I could hear the emotions that the characters felt while understanding why they were feeling that way as I listened to the story.

Book Review… This is a mystery, a murder mystery actually. Yet, it had a different feel that others I have read. The thriller part of it was more relaxed, less electrifying, less scary. I felt like because most of the characters were “old” that I struggled to connect as much as I would have. The Fog Ladies was just a story to me, I did not become invested in the outcome although I was curious as to when they would figure out who was killing the tenants.

I did not read The Fog Ladies, I listened to it in audiobook form. Maybe because I could hear the emotions, I did find myself taking extra time to listen to one more chapter, a few more minutes. The plot was easy to follow and liked how easy the story was to follow.

[Samantha Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book!! It is described as a cozy mystery and initially this slightly put me off giving it a try. The type of genre that I normally go for tends towards gripping detective/police procedural novels that always have some very dark elements/characters so I was definitely unsure of the cozy description. But I am so glad I didn’t allow myself to be put off as this was a fabulous read. The author has such an easy writing style and her descriptive, scene setting was excellent. The book has a great plot with plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. But the best thing about this book is the characters, they were fabulous. Each Fog Lady had such a distinctive and totally believable character and the relationships between them was so well depicted. You can literally picture each one of them, hear the way they speak and even imagine the lilac smells!! I received this free copy from Voracious Readers Only and I am absolutely overjoyed that I did. I most definitely highly recommend this thoroughly engaging book and I intend on discovering if the author has any more available of a similar style. A thoroughly deserved 5 stars.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this amateur sleuth investigation into why the old ladies keep dying in a San Francisco apartment complex. Is it because they are old and physically unstable, or is it because they are nosy parkers and can't let one death too many alone.

There are several likely villains, the handyman with anger issues, the widow who felt the gossip from the residents hastened his wife's death from cancer, the cheapskate father who won't support his baby boy and his baby mamma, or is it the mysterious pilot on the fourth floor? It seems that all of the men are suspects but none of the women.

Into this arena is the new to San Francisco medical intern, who attends to a challenging job and the aches and injuries of the Fog Ladies. After she makes a mistake at work, she doubts her abilities and starts to realize that someone is invading her apartment and moving things around - or is it just exhaustion clouding her movements? That was definitely someone hiding in her apartment closet though.

I enjoyed this amateur investigation by several very smart and alert ladies, who live in foggy San Francisco and enjoy their million dollar views of The City.

I purchased a copy of this mystery.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cozy mystery centers on a group of elderly women, most of whom live in the same apartment building in San Francisco. Sarah, a young medical intern also lives in the building and is befriended by The Fog Ladies, as they call themselves. Old women die, but so many in such a short time? Suspicion arises about whether they really died from accidents or whether there might have been foul play. If it was murder, then who is the culprit? There is no shortage of suspects as Sarah and the ladies work at trying to get at the truth. This is not a quick read. There are a lot of suspects and in depth character development. Several characters are loathsome and repellent but there are others who are good-natured and engaging. I did figure out 'who done it' but still enjoyed the story to the very end! If you are looking for a gentle cozy mystery, this one is for you. Thanks to Voracious Readers Only for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Lynne Stoppard-jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fog ladies, Susan Mc Cormick

An apt description about this author:
“ She writes cozy murder mysteries”
That is exactly as I found it. Each character was clearly portrayed especially by their repetitive habits or sayings, a nice touch Mrs Gordon!
It is a change to read about mature people instead of the perfectly shaped young 20 somethings.
I enjoyed the book as it got closer to revealing who the murderer was. Sometimes I felt it was too long or could have been told in a shorter style of writing. The third section was definitely better than the preceding two. At first it was taxing to remember who was who as so many similar people were introduced fairly quickly. Eventually I settled into it and was determined to finish it. What happened to the heroic dog? The plot could perhaps have been a bit deeper but it was indeed a cozy read.

[Lori Robinett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first in the series, introducing the residents of an older apartment building in San Francisco. Most of the residents are elderly, but a few younger folks, including a pilot and a medical intern also live there. The book starts off strong, with one of the older residents balancing atop a bar stool to clean bugs out of a light fixture . . . then someone knocks her down. Just before she goes down, she sees her attacker and comments that Sarah saw him/her. Sarah, the medical intern, is so caught up with her job she scarcely has time to sleep, much less assist the residents in their investigations. Frankly, though, the residents are relatively good at figuring it out themselves. The group of women call themselves the Fog Ladies, and when their numbers begin dwindling, they raise the alarm. If you like cozy mysteries and have an affinity for San Francisco, you might enjoy this book.

[M.L. Erdahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this version of a cozy mystery, where the amateur sleuth isn't one character, but a whole pack of busybody retired women and an overworked medical intern, Sarah. I sympathize with Sarah, who is struggling with keeping up with the demanding schedule all medical interns go through before becoming licensed doctors. When she gets home, her apartment building is full of elderly ladies who want to ask for medical advice, as well as share their theories as to why so many of the tenants have been dying.

It eventually becomes evident that their suspicions aren't just wild theories, but insightful observations. The story has a delightful amount of red herrings to suspect, as well as a satisfying and surprising conclusion.

[Catrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah moves in to a well established building where many of the tenants have lived for many years. This tight knit group of ladies accept Sarah into their group affectionately known as The Fog Ladies. When a series of deaths and strange events hit the residents it’s up to the ladies to figure out what’s going on before it’s too late.

Susan McCormick did a great job of building up the characters and their relationships. I enjoyed how the mystery unfolded… there were enough twists to keep me guessing.

Robin LaRee Berry brought the story to life with her performance. She brought out each characters personality perfectly.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2
Cozy murder mystery is definitely the right group for this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Getting to know the characters was easy which was a great help as there were quite a few. The author gives creative details for each which flow throughout the story, and make the characters relatable and memorable.

Fantastic mix of theatrics and feel good plots within the novel. Having Sarah as a Dr was really great. It brought another dynamic to the story and combined her work and personal life together smoothly. I did not anticipate the ending which was great!

Thank you Voracious Readers Only for the complimentary copy of this book.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love a good mystery with this catching my eye. This is the first time in reading this author. Sarah does not have time for anything but medical stuff as she is a intern. When older ladies die she does not think much of it but she will soon be seeing what the Fog Ladies think tada-Murder. It takes one of them getting hurt for her to start thinking it but after that they have to move on it. You are looking for the clues as fast as you can because you do not want any of them ladies to get it. Hence turning the pages will be in order. It is one that has the ingredient of intrigue and it filled the craving of mystery.

[Janet Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nosy Old Ladies Solving Mysteries
This book is the first in a series. The story starts a little slow as we get to know the characters. Eventually, that all evens out as the alleged crimes increase. The plot offers several red herrings that show their true selves as the real culprit is revealed in the final denouement. The great ending made up for the initial slowness of the story. This is a Cozy Mystery in that it is not graphic with blood, gore, or sex. There is also no oversharing about food, fashion, or hobbies. One character is an intern at a local hospital so there is a deep dive into medicine. This should be an entertaining series.