Odd Job Annie

by Beth Riner

Annie Cooper's not your average retiree. After moving to a quirky mountain town, she creates a side hustle-Odd Job Annie-to offset her insurance costs.

When one of her first and favorite clients, a feisty octogenarian, is brutally attacked and left for dead, it's up to Annie and Dickie, her delightfully debonair new neighbor, to figure out whodunnit in this charming, laugh-out-loud cozy mystery.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy, Cozy Mystery

213 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 11, 2025

About the author

Hi, Y'all. I'm Beth Riner. I retired from teaching high school English and moved to beautiful Monteagle, Tennessee, where I rediscovered myself and my passion for writing.

I adore smartass men, snarky friends, laughter, good conversation, blackberry cobbler, and Rooster, my goofy Boykin Spaniel, who lives with me in a 576-square-foot cabin in the woods called Storybook Cottage.

I also write features for The Grundy County Herald and just won two Tennessee Press Association awards for my work. Never dreamed that would happen in my 60s!

My second book in the Odd Job Annie humorous Southern mystery series is already under contract and arrives early 2026, and I am nearly finished with the third one too.

Thank you for reading my book, leaving reviews, and recommending it to your friends! As a writer for a small traditional press, I can't even begin to tell you how much that means to me.

Reviews

[Cassie Piggott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this cozy read. It is fast paced and the ending was so dramatic and FUNNY!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd Job Annie by Beth Riner starts out interesting. Annie Cooper, a retired teacher, moves to start a quiet new life. She takes odd jobs to pay for her insurance, but otherwise, she just wants to relax. Honestly, I love that for her.

Of course, as with most cozy mysteries, Annie finds one of her clients nearly dead at the bottom of the stairs; and it wasn't an accident. Now she finds herself wrapped in an especially odd job: sleuthing (minus the pay).

I wanted to really get into this story, but the premise missed the mark for me, unfortunately. I couldn't connect with Annie's personality. She was hot and cold throughout most of the story, often getting angry at her neighbor Jack and the Sheriff, both she found attractive. She was angry at Jack after finding out he was speaking to another woman even though they're not even together. It didn't make much sense to me at all.

Aside from Annie, I did like the characters. Her neighbors, Jack and Dickie, were fun and Miss Tilly, the client, was well written, too.

The hard part about getting through this book was the writing, though. The pacing was off many times and the characters' voices changed more than halfway through the book. I don't mind swearing at all, but cozy mysteries are classified as having no profanity. A swear word here and there is fine and maybe one or two F-bombs, tops. However, Odd Job Annie used the F-word a lot.

It was jarring in the sense that it did nothing for anyone's character development. Annie seemed to discover the word roughly 100 pages in and then it's used excessively for the remainder of the story, often being used up to four times on one page. Again, I don't mind swearing, but it was used too many times in a small amount of pages and needlessly changed Annie's voice.

Overall, Odd Job Annie has a good premise, but it could have been so much more. I believe this is the author's debut book and a sequel may be in the works. I can see myself getting the second book to give Annie another shot. Otherwise, I probably won't give this book a re-read in the future.

[I received an advance review copy for free from the author via BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are honest and my own.]

[Karon Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an avid reader. I have never enjoyed a book any better than this one. I could visualize Odd Job Annie on her escapades! It was so well written and very engaging!! Beth Riner...KEEP WRITING! I can NOT wait for your next book!!

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Odd Job Annie is the first book in the Odd Job Annie series by Beth Riner.

Annie is a retired English teacher who decides to sell her house and move to Moneagle Tennessee and live in her tiny log cabin home. Because she is only 62 she decides to take on odd jobs to help with her medical insurance until she is able to get medicade. One of the odd jobs she gets is with Miss Matilda Dalrhymple known to locals as Miss Tilly. When Miss Tilly gets hurt, it's up to Tilly, with the help of her friends Jack and Dickie to uncover the mystery .
I liked the flow of the book but felt the abundance of foul language was a bit much. I am not that bothered by it but feel other readers may have an issue with it. Perhaps in the next installment of Odd Job Annie, the author may take this into consideration especially as it is under the cozy mystery heading, where swearing is generally frowned upon. For that reason only , I am only giving a 4 star rating.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Laura L. Schlesinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

While Beth Riner "rediscovered herself and her passion for writing by moving to scenic Monteagle, Tennessee, upon retirement," she moved me to rediscover myself and my love for the cozy mystery! I read hers in a single sitting, then promptly placed an order for ten more copies. (This, in addition to the three I had originally bought!) A copy of Odd Job Annie paired with a box of Constant Comment tea makes the perfect cuppa cozy for a recently retired (English) teacher, soon-to-be retiree, or any Reader for that matter! Odd Job Annie even contains one of the top ACT English tips, a writing maxim! Here's to hoping Odd Job Annie is the first of a long series, which certainly calls for a glass of peach bubbly! Cheers!

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun cozy mystery. It was very well written and easy to read. I loved Annie and the cast of characters that she meets at her new town. Annie is a very likeable main character. I enjoyed the mystery. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I am looking forward to reading more. If you are looking for a fun cozy mystery to spend the afternoon with, this is the book for you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Bailee Ricketts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the book cover to cover in roughly 4 hours, the storyline was amazing, although I personally struggled with reading the 3rd person narrative. All in all I absolutely loved the book and cannot wait for book two to come out! The ending of the mystery was definitely a shock to me as I thought I knew who dunnit but an amazing twist showed I was wrong! Can't wait to read about this mystery colonel. Amazing job Ms. Riner!!

[Barbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun cozy mystery. I read it on a snowy afternoon. The characters were interesting and I could hope to find neighbors like Annie did when I retire! I couldn't tell if this would be a series, but I'll be on the lookout for the next book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one I know any cozy mystery reader is going to love getting to read.
The main character Annie Cooper is a one-of-a-kind person, and she fits the role she has in life. The story is so well written, and I am looking forward to more books by Beth Riner.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kimberly Rein · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great mystery any retired teacher would love. I can see so much of myself in Annie being a teacher and wanting to help everyone and fix everything. I can say, I didn't see that one coming, I had someone else in mind and I still have questions. I can't wait to read what happens to Annie and her love interest and what else will happen in this tiny mountain town!

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cozy mystery read! Annie is relatable and fun. I agree with ano5er poster that the cursing is sometimes unnecessary and distracting, but the plot and the characters are TOP NOTCH. I can’t wait to read book 2 in 2026. Also, what about the colonel???? 👀

[Gail Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved Beth’s book-mystery, interesting characters—her personality throughout—great fun read

[M Cupples · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beth Riner really showed out with this one. I loved this book and I can’t wait for the second one to come out Feb. 2026!!!!

[Chandraa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story starts out with Annie, a retired school teacher, moving to the small mountain town of Monteagle, Tennessee, expecting a quiet and relaxed retired life. She quickly befriends her new neighbours and to pay for her insurance, she creates a unique and interesting side hustle– Odd Job Annie. With the tenacity and skills forged by her teaching profession, Annie starts to pick up all sorts of odd jobs when by a sudden twist of fate, she gets entangled in a mystery and is left with no option but to accept an especially odd job– Sleuthing.

I absolutely loved Annie’s character portrayal by the author. Her grit and courage are admirable, and the way she is always unapologetically herself– not conforming to modern societal standards– sends a very powerful message. Her witty sense of humor and the hilarious conversations she has with herself as well as with the other characters in the book are bound to make you giggle. The storyline was intriguing and well-written with lots of interesting characters as well as multiple suspects, and the mystery Annie gets involved in and the “whodunnit” was not foreseeably obvious.

With a humorous and engaging story, well-developed characters and laugh-out-loud conversations, this cute cozy mystery was a deliciously fantastic read. Can’t believe this is the author’s very first book, it is so good! I hope there will be a sequel soon, can’t wait to meet Annie again and read about her new adventures!

[TA Munn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read! Hard to believe this is this author's first book. The storyline is engaging and the characters are well-developed. The mystery Annie gets involved in and the "who done it" are not predictably apparent. The conversations both with the other characters and her internal ones will at times make you chuckle and the odd jobs she gets keep you interested in seeing what job she will get involved in next. Perhaps because I am a 60+ year old widow, I could absolutely relate to the main character's demeanor and internal conversations. I look forward to reading other 'Annie' books and hopefully other series by this author and will recommend this book to friends.

Warning: There are profanities in the book, including the f-bomb. While not necessarily germane to the storyline, I do think they are an integral part of the character development of the female protagonist.

[Kim Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a lifelong reader of mysteries of all sorts, I found Beth Riner's "Odd Job Annie" to be a delight. Her writing flows so easily. The setting happens to be a real one, a quirky mountaintop town in SE Tennessee; it's one I know personally and Riner captured it perfectly. She draws the characters so well, you'd think you knew them already... small-town lawyer, delightful Southern octogenarian, neighbors who think nothing of showing up at 4:00 pm with a pie and a bottle of bourbon. Annie herself is a retired high school teacher with all those altruistic tendencies and some salty language to boot. I didn't know "cozy mystery" was a genre but this one's cozy for sure... no violence or sex, just a romp of a good read.

[K.G. Mach · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cozy mystery you didn't know you needed.
(And it makes a great teacher gift too!)
Annie, a retired school teacher, moves to a small mountain village expecting a quiet a life. With the tenacity and skills forged by many years keeping teenagers in line, Annie picks up all sorts of odd jobs to make ends meet- and takes no nonsense along the way. You will love Annies's sense of humor and grit. She is unapologetically herself (a powerful message for women) and has no intention of doing what people expect. When something catastrophic happens, it is Annie who is willing to ask the questions and look deeper- the perfect character to solve a mystery.

[Sharen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very cute cozy mystery. I loved the title first which got me interested in reading the story. Annie is a retired teacher and I think all retired teachers are well suited for grilling suspects and investigating events. The odd job premise realistically exposed Annie to all sorts of situations that helped her solve the crime. There were lots of quirky characters, multiple suspects, and an ending that I hope leads to a sequel.

'This voice clearly had more mileage on it than Annie's did.'

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Becca Wynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a cute, fun book! I enjoyed reading about older folks in their nice mountain town getting into shenanigans. Each character had his or her own fun quirks.

Unfortunately I didn’t much appreciate the sudden onslaught of F-bombs in the second half of the book; I don’t mind swear words, but it seemed heavy-handed and out of character. Plus, there was little to no character development, which bugged me a little.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book! Definitely will read the second.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read! My first time reading a cozy mystery, and definitely enjoyed it. It’s is a fast paced read, and kept me guessing the entire time. Can’t wait for the next book. Definitely recommend this book!

[Jonquil · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was loving this cozy until the woman hired to keep anyone from hurting her charge leaves the charge alone with a visitor. And Annie responds no worries, and allows her to keep the job she just failed at.

[Edie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rollicking quick read with a satisfying ending. Nice to have a more mature protagonist for a change.

[Joyce · Rating 1 out of 5]

My rating is based on the excessive use of fowl language.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll round up to 3.5
Way to go, out of the gate and following a dream! Keep on writing, "they" say that's the answer to success.
I'm not a writer, have never written a book. Odd Job Annie was recommended to me by a friend. I have been reading a LOT more cozy/lite fiction these days, as the real world is awfully heavy.
Other reviewers mention the language - not an issue with me, personally - but I noticed it change. Annie even admonished someone (Justin?) over an "f-bomb" early in the book, so... inconsistent as she swore like a sailor by the end!
A fun, quick read though. I can see more coming of the series because the characters around her have enough depth to run with.
Nice callout to the local public library.

[Melody Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! The mystery kept me guessing throughout, Annie is a delightfully independent main character, the myriad gentlemen who enter her life keep things interesting, and the climactic scene had me ROLLING—genuinely one of the funniest scenes I’ve read in a long time. I’m looking forward to the next entry in the OJA series.

[Beth Riner · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started writing Odd Job Annie, I wanted a sixty-something main character
like me--a senior citizen who is living her best retirement ever! While Annie enjoys a cup of her favorite Constant Comment tea, she's just as likely to gulp down a glass of peach bubbly. Annie's not crocheting by the fire either. She comes up with this crazy concept--Odd Job Annie--to get herself out of the house to make new friends and earn a little spending money. It's the perfect setup for all sorts of hilarious adventures, and when she discovers one of her favorite clients has been attacked, she and her charming neighbor, Dickie, put their heads together. Rapidly becoming besties, Annie and Dickie are a hilarious force to be reckoned with and manage to solve the mystery in spite of themselves. It is a fast, fun read! One of my favorite mystery writers, Steve Womack, said: "Beth Riner's debut novel, Odd Job Annie, is an absolute delight! By turns spicy, saucy, hilarious and even a bit randy at times, Riner's protagonist Annie Cooper proves that retirement-age women can still have adventures, solve crimes and live life to the fullest!"

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book!!! Once you open the book, it is impossible to set it aside. 🩷