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Leah Norwood Mysteries #1
Dead in a Dumpster
When Leah Norwood finds the body of Isabel Meeks in the dumpster behind her store, she can’t believe the police consider her a suspect. Sure, she didn’t liked Isabel, but then again, neither did anyone else. Isabel had a condescending attitude and a bad reputation. As manager of the antique store, Patina, she had made a lot of enemies.
There is Patina’s assistant manager, the handsome and charming Trent. Isabel was blackmailing him. There is Patina’s owner, the aloof and influential Anthony Thorpe. Isabel was smuggling drugs through his store. And there is the entire drug dealing Cantono family. Isabel had lost a box containing heroin from one of their shipments. That is just to name a few and didn’t even include the stranger who was seen arguing with Isabel just hours before her death.
The police have too many suspects and too many soft alibis. Leah needs to prove to the sexy new chief of police that she had nothing to do with Isabel’s death.
Leah loves a good mystery. Can she find the killer before the police charge her with murder?
There is Patina’s assistant manager, the handsome and charming Trent. Isabel was blackmailing him. There is Patina’s owner, the aloof and influential Anthony Thorpe. Isabel was smuggling drugs through his store. And there is the entire drug dealing Cantono family. Isabel had lost a box containing heroin from one of their shipments. That is just to name a few and didn’t even include the stranger who was seen arguing with Isabel just hours before her death.
The police have too many suspects and too many soft alibis. Leah needs to prove to the sexy new chief of police that she had nothing to do with Isabel’s death.
Leah loves a good mystery. Can she find the killer before the police charge her with murder?
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2014
42 people are currently reading
480 people want to read
About the author
B.L. Blair
17 books321 followersB. L. Blair is no longer writing. Thank you for your support.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
January 26, 2016
I found the body on December 1. It was a horrible way to end an already terrible day. At first, I thought she was staring at me. It took my brain a few moments to determine she wasn't actually looking at me but sitting perfectly still, eyes wide open, a surprised look on her face, and a huge bloodstain on her chest. Of course, I have to admit now that my day wasn't nearly as terrible as hers.
Leah Norwood is having a crappy day. As if burned bacon, a broken hairdryer and a ruined sweater weren't bad enough, she finds the dead body of her nemesis, Isabel, in the dumpster behind her shop. Even worse, she ends up being one of the main suspects in the murder case. In order to prove her, and later on her friend's, innocence, Leah has no choice but to investigate on her own. But she soon finds herself in over her head when it turns out Isabel was connected to a drug cartel and there are just way too many suspects for her to find a quick solution.
Though this wasn't exactly a humorous read, it was a light-hearted and quick-paced mystery story.
For the most part, Leah was a very likable female lead, with her quirkiness and nosiness, and her loyalty towards the people she cared about. Griggs was an interesting supporting character and love interest, and I found myself chuckling more than once over their bickering.
He had a small indentation on the right side of his mouth that was trying very hard to be a dimple. It was as if he was willing it not to appear with the strength of his personality alone.
What I didn't enjoy were Leah's TSTL moments, even more so when she was fully aware that she was doing something stupid, and justifying her dumb actions with statements such as "I was just being nosy." A real test of my patience. The same goes for her sudden and totally absurd horn-dog behavior towards the end.
I am proud (and yes, also a little disappointed) to say that I was able to guess the murderer's identity right from the beginning, so the murder case wasn't as mysterious for me as I would have liked, plus the climax was rather anticlimactic. Thankfully, there were practically two story lines, somewhat interwoven with each other, which managed to keep the suspense up throughout the book.
All in all, this was an engaging and entertaining read.
ARC provided by the the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2018
Dead in a Dumpster is an interesting read. I read it on a dreary, rainy day and the tone couldn’t have been better matched for the weather. I wouldn’t exactly call it a cozy mystery. The characters thoughts and actions are a bit too rough-around-the-edges at times to neatly fit into that category, yet it wasn’t a suspense novel either. It is a good mystery, nonetheless. There are plenty of secrets and suspects to keep the reader engaged.
October 5, 2014
It was a horrible way to end an already terrible day. At first, I thought she was staring at me. It took my brain a few moments to determine she wasn't actually looking at me but sitting perfectly still, eyes wide open, a surprised look on her face, and a huge bloodstain on her chest. Of course, I have to admit now that my day wasn't nearly as terrible as hers was.
My favorite mystery novels are the ones in which the humor is present and/or the ones in which the voice of the main character is present in Humphrey Bogart’s detective Marlowe (Raymond Chandler’s) style. So, I felt good when, from the first lines, I saw that my preferred features promise to be present in Dead in a Dumpster one way or another.
The heroine is a witty, gun trained and funny person (even if unintentional), a girl who knows her limits and sentiments, but who doesn’t let her to be stopped by them. That because she loves a… good mystery. And what mystery could be better than the one in which the suspect is yourself? So, armed with good intentions (we know where good intention lead), a bit (or more) naivety and believing that finding the criminal is her best way to prove her innocence, she goes for it, starting her own investigation. It is useless to say that this is an unacceptable behavior not only from the police, but also from the villains’ point of view. From here to more trouble for her is a short way.
The romance part of the story is a nice and delicate presence. I liked that it doesn’t became the main focus, but offers more challenges for the heroine’s peace of mind… and body… The final part brings the element (or person) necessary for a (not quite) love triangle and a future (no final decision yet) showdown between the good (looking) guy (for once my favorite) and the gorgeous bad (not quite established that) guy.
With a good pace that made me read the book a lot quicker than I thought, with nice characters, enough red herrings and possibilities, some dangerous situations (plus another dead body and drug traffic), Dead in a Dumpster was an enjoyable read and I look forward for the next volume.
"Don't leave town" (and read the book!)
http://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/...
My favorite mystery novels are the ones in which the humor is present and/or the ones in which the voice of the main character is present in Humphrey Bogart’s detective Marlowe (Raymond Chandler’s) style. So, I felt good when, from the first lines, I saw that my preferred features promise to be present in Dead in a Dumpster one way or another.
The heroine is a witty, gun trained and funny person (even if unintentional), a girl who knows her limits and sentiments, but who doesn’t let her to be stopped by them. That because she loves a… good mystery. And what mystery could be better than the one in which the suspect is yourself? So, armed with good intentions (we know where good intention lead), a bit (or more) naivety and believing that finding the criminal is her best way to prove her innocence, she goes for it, starting her own investigation. It is useless to say that this is an unacceptable behavior not only from the police, but also from the villains’ point of view. From here to more trouble for her is a short way.
The romance part of the story is a nice and delicate presence. I liked that it doesn’t became the main focus, but offers more challenges for the heroine’s peace of mind… and body… The final part brings the element (or person) necessary for a (not quite) love triangle and a future (no final decision yet) showdown between the good (looking) guy (for once my favorite) and the gorgeous bad (not quite established that) guy.
With a good pace that made me read the book a lot quicker than I thought, with nice characters, enough red herrings and possibilities, some dangerous situations (plus another dead body and drug traffic), Dead in a Dumpster was an enjoyable read and I look forward for the next volume.
"Don't leave town" (and read the book!)
http://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/...
September 18, 2018
Many thanks to Net Galley for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were well written and were well thought out. I loved the Scents and Sensibility shop and the community around it. I was really engaged with the story, as the plot moved at a steady pace meaning that there was never a dull moment.
The only reason for me personally that this was not five stars was the fact that it was an easy solve which meant that the later parts of the book were mildly frustrating as I was 99.9% sure and the characters weren't seeing what I was seeing. The only other thing was the sudden love triangle development at the end of the book which I found mildly annoying but it did not detract from my enjoyment of the book too much.
I shall hopefully be continuing with the series, an really enjoyable read with a well thought out plot
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were well written and were well thought out. I loved the Scents and Sensibility shop and the community around it. I was really engaged with the story, as the plot moved at a steady pace meaning that there was never a dull moment.
The only reason for me personally that this was not five stars was the fact that it was an easy solve which meant that the later parts of the book were mildly frustrating as I was 99.9% sure and the characters weren't seeing what I was seeing. The only other thing was the sudden love triangle development at the end of the book which I found mildly annoying but it did not detract from my enjoyment of the book too much.
I shall hopefully be continuing with the series, an really enjoyable read with a well thought out plot
January 31, 2016
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting and very hard to put down. And I was guessing up
Till the end at who was the guilty one. I definitely want to read the next one in the series!
I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting and very hard to put down. And I was guessing up
Till the end at who was the guilty one. I definitely want to read the next one in the series!
July 10, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
An fun and exciting murder mystery that had me questioning everyone! Wonderful characterization, excellent plot development, and a satisfying ending. A great read!
An fun and exciting murder mystery that had me questioning everyone! Wonderful characterization, excellent plot development, and a satisfying ending. A great read!
May 21, 2018
This is an enjoyable start to the Leah Norwood mysteries. Leah is hauling out the trash for her store, Scents and Scentsibility, when she finds the dead body of another store owner. Though shaken, it doesn’t take her long to figure out she is a suspect in the murder. Now that she has a personal stake in the case, Leah decides to keep her eyes and ears open to see if she can learn anything. Add in drugs, a crime family, and a rather attractive detective (on top of trying to keep her business running), and there are no shortage of distractions for Leah.
Though this book has apparently been out for a while, I had not read it so was excited to have the opportunity from NetGalley and the publisher to do so. I found the heroine likeable and the setting comfortable. I like the triangle that set itself up for future books, as well. The murderer was who I thought it was in the beginning, but it was still interesting to see how Leah found it out in her own time. I look forward to future books.
Though this book has apparently been out for a while, I had not read it so was excited to have the opportunity from NetGalley and the publisher to do so. I found the heroine likeable and the setting comfortable. I like the triangle that set itself up for future books, as well. The murderer was who I thought it was in the beginning, but it was still interesting to see how Leah found it out in her own time. I look forward to future books.
October 9, 2014
Leah Norwood co-owns a small lotion and fragrance shop, Scents & Sensibility, in downtown Reed Hill, Texas. Her business partners are her best friends Gage and Olivia. Olivia develops the scents (she was a chemist) and Gage manufactures the products (at a manufacturing plant owned by his family).
Not a huge fan of the manager of the store next door, Isabel, Leah finally has had enough when their deliver driver parks in her delivery truck's space, not allowing the driver to unload the packages for Scents & Sensibility. As Leah walks into Patina to ask Isabel to move the truck, she's surprised to see an odd exchange between Isabel and her employee, Trent, but on top of that the owner, Anthony Thorpe is in the store, too - a rarity. After discussing putting Isabel in her place with an employee of another store in the downtown shopping area, Leah finds herself a suspect when Isabel's body is discovered (by none other than Leah) in the dumpster they all share behind the stores.
When Leah's shop is ransacked and she opens up a package filled with drugs, it's evident that something sinister is going on. Could the drugs be linked to the death of Isabel? If so, why does the body count rise with the death of a prominent member of society with no links to the small town drug cartel ran by the Cantono family?
Dead in a Dumpster is the perfect cozy mystery - Seriously! Leah is a fantastic heroine, trying to figure out what's going on in her town. She's a suspect and has decided to try and clear her name by all means necessary. I really didn't find any spot in the book where she did anything overly stupid and placed her life in jeopardy - that's not to say that someone's not out to get her or anything, because someone is gunning for her. She's an everyday, average citizen that gets tangled up in a mess. I really like her character and style - she's nice to everyone - being a business owner does that to a person but I really think she'd be nice anyway.
Finding the body of Isabel puts Leah in the sights of new Chief of Police, Alexander Griggs. He is dreamy and completely swoonworthy. There are definitely sparks between the two although Griggs doesn't take too much action. There is a spot where Griggs caresses Leah with his eyes and even I blushed while reading it (don't get me wrong - there is NO sex or inappropriateness in this cozy mystery). He's tough as nails yet you can see some of that melt away when he's in any proximity of Leah. His favorite one liner for Leah is "Don't leave town" and it's enduring. I love the build up between Leah and Griggs. The potential for romance was definitely there but in no way did it overshadow the main theme of the novel. I love that Marcus Cantono was tossed in for good measure :)
B.L. Blair does such an excellent job with Dead in a Dumpster. The writing is fluid, easy, and flows along nicely. All of the characters presented are written in a way that each one could be the murderer - the set up was executed so well. Red herrings were tossed in along the way to shake up the characters and the reader, as well. I thought I knew who did it a couple of different times, only to be blindsided by new developments.
The novel is very descriptive, giving the readers a wonder picture to paint in their minds. I felt like I was actually in Reed Hill. I felt like part of the community and part of the story. The secondary characters don't clog the story with unnecessary dialogue or events. The everyday events in this novel are written very realistically with, of course, the addition of the murder/drug scenario.
I am very excited to see what Leah does next!
Review Copy Courtesy of the Author, at no cost, In Exchange for an Honest Review.
Not a huge fan of the manager of the store next door, Isabel, Leah finally has had enough when their deliver driver parks in her delivery truck's space, not allowing the driver to unload the packages for Scents & Sensibility. As Leah walks into Patina to ask Isabel to move the truck, she's surprised to see an odd exchange between Isabel and her employee, Trent, but on top of that the owner, Anthony Thorpe is in the store, too - a rarity. After discussing putting Isabel in her place with an employee of another store in the downtown shopping area, Leah finds herself a suspect when Isabel's body is discovered (by none other than Leah) in the dumpster they all share behind the stores.
When Leah's shop is ransacked and she opens up a package filled with drugs, it's evident that something sinister is going on. Could the drugs be linked to the death of Isabel? If so, why does the body count rise with the death of a prominent member of society with no links to the small town drug cartel ran by the Cantono family?
Dead in a Dumpster is the perfect cozy mystery - Seriously! Leah is a fantastic heroine, trying to figure out what's going on in her town. She's a suspect and has decided to try and clear her name by all means necessary. I really didn't find any spot in the book where she did anything overly stupid and placed her life in jeopardy - that's not to say that someone's not out to get her or anything, because someone is gunning for her. She's an everyday, average citizen that gets tangled up in a mess. I really like her character and style - she's nice to everyone - being a business owner does that to a person but I really think she'd be nice anyway.
Finding the body of Isabel puts Leah in the sights of new Chief of Police, Alexander Griggs. He is dreamy and completely swoonworthy. There are definitely sparks between the two although Griggs doesn't take too much action. There is a spot where Griggs caresses Leah with his eyes and even I blushed while reading it (don't get me wrong - there is NO sex or inappropriateness in this cozy mystery). He's tough as nails yet you can see some of that melt away when he's in any proximity of Leah. His favorite one liner for Leah is "Don't leave town" and it's enduring. I love the build up between Leah and Griggs. The potential for romance was definitely there but in no way did it overshadow the main theme of the novel. I love that Marcus Cantono was tossed in for good measure :)
B.L. Blair does such an excellent job with Dead in a Dumpster. The writing is fluid, easy, and flows along nicely. All of the characters presented are written in a way that each one could be the murderer - the set up was executed so well. Red herrings were tossed in along the way to shake up the characters and the reader, as well. I thought I knew who did it a couple of different times, only to be blindsided by new developments.
The novel is very descriptive, giving the readers a wonder picture to paint in their minds. I felt like I was actually in Reed Hill. I felt like part of the community and part of the story. The secondary characters don't clog the story with unnecessary dialogue or events. The everyday events in this novel are written very realistically with, of course, the addition of the murder/drug scenario.
I am very excited to see what Leah does next!
Review Copy Courtesy of the Author, at no cost, In Exchange for an Honest Review.
December 30, 2015
Leah Norwood runs and is part owner of the store Scents and Sensibility. She loves running the store and being part of the small town except for when she has to deal with Isabel. Isabel is the manager of the antique store next door. Leah was constantly having to tell her to have their delivery truck move from behind her store. When she finds Isabel dead in the dumpster Leah knows that she has to prove to the new, and quite good looking, police chief that even though she didn't kill her. As a somewhat amateur sleuth, Leah sets out with her trusty notebook looking for clues and looking for the truth.
What I like about Dead in a Dumpster is that it was filled with things that set it apart from other mysteries. Many times books like this can feel like they all follow the same pattern. I saw that this one had a small business owner, sexy new police chief, and main character who was an amateur detective main character and was worried it wouldn't have anything to set it apart. I was pleased to see I was wrong! The main character, Leah, is likable and witty. The cast of characters in the town are eclectic and fun. There's even a drug/mob family to keep things interesting! There's just to much to love about this story and the characters.
The mystery aspect of this book was amazing and kept me guessing. I didn't figure out the mystery ahead of time but everything made sense when I finished the book, which I love. Now if you're like me you also enjoy a little romance with your mystery. Dead in a Dumpster does introduce a little romance and intrigue. There seems to be two guys vying for her attention. I wouldn't use the term "love triangle" because it doesn't have that feel. The two guys are also totally different from each other! I can't wait to see how it plays out because the one guy is a very different love interest than I'm used to seeing...and that's all I will say about that. That being said, the main focus of this book was the mystery and introducing the reader to the characters. We didn't get to see much in the romance department, more like an introduction to the guys. I will definitely be reading the next book to see what happens with Leah and all her friends.
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
What I like about Dead in a Dumpster is that it was filled with things that set it apart from other mysteries. Many times books like this can feel like they all follow the same pattern. I saw that this one had a small business owner, sexy new police chief, and main character who was an amateur detective main character and was worried it wouldn't have anything to set it apart. I was pleased to see I was wrong! The main character, Leah, is likable and witty. The cast of characters in the town are eclectic and fun. There's even a drug/mob family to keep things interesting! There's just to much to love about this story and the characters.
The mystery aspect of this book was amazing and kept me guessing. I didn't figure out the mystery ahead of time but everything made sense when I finished the book, which I love. Now if you're like me you also enjoy a little romance with your mystery. Dead in a Dumpster does introduce a little romance and intrigue. There seems to be two guys vying for her attention. I wouldn't use the term "love triangle" because it doesn't have that feel. The two guys are also totally different from each other! I can't wait to see how it plays out because the one guy is a very different love interest than I'm used to seeing...and that's all I will say about that. That being said, the main focus of this book was the mystery and introducing the reader to the characters. We didn't get to see much in the romance department, more like an introduction to the guys. I will definitely be reading the next book to see what happens with Leah and all her friends.
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
October 18, 2014
This is the first in the Leah Norwood Mystery series. I am looking forward to more. Leah is a strong female character. She is a shopkeeper and discovers a body in the opening pages of the novel. This puts her at the top of the suspect list.
There’s a new Chief of Police, Alexander Griggs. We see their interaction from the very beginning. Although there looks to be the start of a romance, it does not over shadow the strong mystery plot. I liked that when Leah went somewhere to question someone, she had an objective and an idea about what she needed to discover. This made for tight writing. She wasn’t just wandering around poking her nose in like a busy body. She was being logical about determining who had motives and opportunity.
The author was skilled at letting you know about the small town setting and the characters in Leah’s life by weaving it into the storyline. She didn’t stop and write about it for pages and pages, halting the action. Every page you turned you were getting closer to finding out more about how the body came to be in the dumpster. I appreciated that the writing pace was smooth and the tension could build.
I did figure out who and why before it was disclosed in the book. But I read a LOT of mysteries. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. There were nice bits of business such as the strawberry scent, Leah discovering who her real friends are after being labelled a suspect, and that another character enters the romance sub plot later in the book.
If you enjoy strong women characters with a hint of romance give this book a read. This book is a cozy in the sense that there isn’t any explicit sex scenes or violence. I don’t remember there being any foul language either. But there is more action and danger than a Miss Marple type of novel.
I was provided a copy of this book to enable me to write an honest review.
There’s a new Chief of Police, Alexander Griggs. We see their interaction from the very beginning. Although there looks to be the start of a romance, it does not over shadow the strong mystery plot. I liked that when Leah went somewhere to question someone, she had an objective and an idea about what she needed to discover. This made for tight writing. She wasn’t just wandering around poking her nose in like a busy body. She was being logical about determining who had motives and opportunity.
The author was skilled at letting you know about the small town setting and the characters in Leah’s life by weaving it into the storyline. She didn’t stop and write about it for pages and pages, halting the action. Every page you turned you were getting closer to finding out more about how the body came to be in the dumpster. I appreciated that the writing pace was smooth and the tension could build.
I did figure out who and why before it was disclosed in the book. But I read a LOT of mysteries. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. There were nice bits of business such as the strawberry scent, Leah discovering who her real friends are after being labelled a suspect, and that another character enters the romance sub plot later in the book.
If you enjoy strong women characters with a hint of romance give this book a read. This book is a cozy in the sense that there isn’t any explicit sex scenes or violence. I don’t remember there being any foul language either. But there is more action and danger than a Miss Marple type of novel.
I was provided a copy of this book to enable me to write an honest review.
March 3, 2015
Dead In A Dumpster by B L Blair
Leah Norwood is a warm-hearted, thirty-something lady in a small Texas town to whom things seem to happen.
In this, her first outing, she stumbles on two bodies and tangles with drug dealers.
A keen fan of detective novels, she maintains a notebook for cases she follows from her armchair, but here, where she is viewed as a suspect, she takes on the investigation as an amateur, and blunders into some dangerous situations. She is rescued from these by the local police chief, who is on hand because he is following the exact same track, a testament to her prowess.
Despite starting out under suspicion herself, she comes to the aid of an equally innocent suspect, and even obtains information for the police who feel they lack the delicacy to quiz a vulnerable member of family of one of the victims.
It is her offer of help in reviewing paperwork - implied by the second victim (employer of the first, who turns out to have been involved in the drug business) to be somehow relevant - that leads to a breakthrough in the drugs case, but takes them no closer to the solution of the murders. That comes about by her literally stumbling on a vital piece of evidence.
It is written in the first person, and so we are aware of her thoughts and fears, even her confusion about male reaction to her - "(He) seemed like the type of man who dated blonde, willowy, sophisticated women. In other words, not me.” Yet she is the type of person men as well as women would warm to, and I look forward to her next adventure.
Leah Norwood is a warm-hearted, thirty-something lady in a small Texas town to whom things seem to happen.
In this, her first outing, she stumbles on two bodies and tangles with drug dealers.
A keen fan of detective novels, she maintains a notebook for cases she follows from her armchair, but here, where she is viewed as a suspect, she takes on the investigation as an amateur, and blunders into some dangerous situations. She is rescued from these by the local police chief, who is on hand because he is following the exact same track, a testament to her prowess.
Despite starting out under suspicion herself, she comes to the aid of an equally innocent suspect, and even obtains information for the police who feel they lack the delicacy to quiz a vulnerable member of family of one of the victims.
It is her offer of help in reviewing paperwork - implied by the second victim (employer of the first, who turns out to have been involved in the drug business) to be somehow relevant - that leads to a breakthrough in the drugs case, but takes them no closer to the solution of the murders. That comes about by her literally stumbling on a vital piece of evidence.
It is written in the first person, and so we are aware of her thoughts and fears, even her confusion about male reaction to her - "(He) seemed like the type of man who dated blonde, willowy, sophisticated women. In other words, not me.” Yet she is the type of person men as well as women would warm to, and I look forward to her next adventure.
June 23, 2018
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I have to ask where this author has been in my life!!! This was by far one of the best mystery books I have EVER read!!!! It has just the right amount of comedy,romance, and drama.
This story follows a mystery loving store owner named Leah. She is not confidant about her appearance, but is very confidant. She owns a local store with her best friends that is close to a bath and body works. Leah would soon find herself in a pickle when the girl she always fights with shows up dead.
All the evidence was pointing to Leah, but she didn't do it. Everyone was starting to make their own opinions of her from the small town. One of which was a hot chief of police man named Briggs. She decided she would do some digging on her own because she needed to find out who killed this girl.
Like most murder mystery's Leah is a target because she is getting to close when it comes to her digging. she will face some life threatening moments as well as find some more dead people! I thought this book would be one of those I know who killed everyone by the middle of the book, but I was wrong!
Now every time the police have a new suspect Leah finds a way to show that they also were not the murderer. That was until a mob boss keep showing up at her shop. She never dates, and will not pick up on funny ques when people are hitting on her. With this being said it is like she is in a love triangle and not even know about it!
This story follows a mystery loving store owner named Leah. She is not confidant about her appearance, but is very confidant. She owns a local store with her best friends that is close to a bath and body works. Leah would soon find herself in a pickle when the girl she always fights with shows up dead.
All the evidence was pointing to Leah, but she didn't do it. Everyone was starting to make their own opinions of her from the small town. One of which was a hot chief of police man named Briggs. She decided she would do some digging on her own because she needed to find out who killed this girl.
Like most murder mystery's Leah is a target because she is getting to close when it comes to her digging. she will face some life threatening moments as well as find some more dead people! I thought this book would be one of those I know who killed everyone by the middle of the book, but I was wrong!
Now every time the police have a new suspect Leah finds a way to show that they also were not the murderer. That was until a mob boss keep showing up at her shop. She never dates, and will not pick up on funny ques when people are hitting on her. With this being said it is like she is in a love triangle and not even know about it!
January 23, 2015
Leah Norwood is the owner of "Scents and Sensibility", a small fragrance store in downtown Reed Hill, Texas. When she finds a dead body in the Dumpster outside her shop, she quickly becomes the main suspect. Leah has always fancied herself to be a bit of a detective, so she sets out to track down the real killer and clear her name. She puts herself in harm's way in her pursuit of the killer and gets a bit too close to the investigation - and the dashing Chief Griggs. Then another dead body shows up. Are the murders related to drug trafficking, an illicit affair, or something else? Can the killer possibly be one of the members of their own small community?
This story gets off to a great start. Leah Norwood is a likable heroine, feisty and full of humor. We are introduced to a long list of characters, but every good mystery needs a lot of suspects. There are a number of editing errors and the dialogue is a bit stilted. Nevertheless, this is a well-crafted story, and the plot is not predictable, even though I did guess the identity of the killer early on.
An enjoyable, fast-paced read. I look forward to Leah Norwood's further adventures.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com...
This story gets off to a great start. Leah Norwood is a likable heroine, feisty and full of humor. We are introduced to a long list of characters, but every good mystery needs a lot of suspects. There are a number of editing errors and the dialogue is a bit stilted. Nevertheless, this is a well-crafted story, and the plot is not predictable, even though I did guess the identity of the killer early on.
An enjoyable, fast-paced read. I look forward to Leah Norwood's further adventures.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com...
September 29, 2014
I received this book as an arc for a honest review. This is the start to a new mystery series featuring Leah Norwood. After reading this book I can totally see how Leah can get into some adventures. Leah discovers a body in the alley behind her store one night after work. It is Isabel, the manager of the store next door, that Leah had words with earlier in the day. Leah decides she must solve the murder since she is a suspect and she does't want Griggs, the new police chief, to think she is guilty. Leah goes around questioning and following people trying to solve the murder. Then there is another murder and guess who finds the body? Can Leah solve the case before she becomes the next target? And who will be her new boyfriend? Griggs, the police chief, or Marcus, the drug smugglers son? I really enjoyed the mystery and light romance in the story.
February 2, 2015
This is the first book I have read by this author. This is the start to a new mystery series featuring Leah Norwood. She finds the body of Isabel which lands her right in the sights of heart throb and new Chief of Police, Alexander Griggs. He is a strong tough guy but you can also see he has tenderness.
I like that the romance did not overshadow the main story like some other cozy mysteries try to do. The author does a great job in the story from the characters to the flow. You want to keep turing the pages to find out what happens. I felt like I was right there along with the characters. The author knows how to write. I will be looking for more books in this series.
I like that the romance did not overshadow the main story like some other cozy mysteries try to do. The author does a great job in the story from the characters to the flow. You want to keep turing the pages to find out what happens. I felt like I was right there along with the characters. The author knows how to write. I will be looking for more books in this series.
June 6, 2022
Unexpected twist
Really enjoyed this mystery. The main characters were very interesting and I plan to continue to follow this series and this author! I highly recommend this series and this author. On to the next book!
Really enjoyed this mystery. The main characters were very interesting and I plan to continue to follow this series and this author! I highly recommend this series and this author. On to the next book!
January 30, 2022
Good story and characters.
March 16, 2021
Dead in a Dumpster is the first book in the Leah Norwood Mysteries series, and it does a great job of setting things up and introducing readers to Leah, her friends/co-workers, and the small town she lives in. It's definitely a fun little cozy mystery.
Leah owns a bath & body type store that sells lotions, soaps, and perfumes in custom made scents done by her college friend Olivia, who studied chemistry and understands how these things work. Olivia's husband Gabe manufactures the products at his family's company, and Leah handles the day-to-day operations of running the store and selling the products.
Leah's neighbor is a nasty woman named Isabel. She runs an antique store. No one likes her because of her attitude and reputation. But when she winds up dead in a dumpster behind the store, Leah is the prime suspect. Why? Because earlier in the day, Isabel's delivery truck was blocking Leah's delivery space, and Leah just happened to comment about teaching Isabel a lesson. Whoops.
With new police chief Griggs hot on her heels, Leah must do whatever it takes to uncover the truth behind Isabel's death...even if it kills her.
I really enjoyed this book. It's fast-paced and easy to get sucked into. Leah is likable, as are her friends. And Griggs is definitely someone readers will want to see Leah end up with, although romance is the least important thing within these pages.
The mystery is intriguing, and I found myself trying to put things together along with Leah to hopefully figure out who was behind the murders. While the suspect was a little obvious, I still had my doubts about them on a few occasions.
I'm definitely invested in this series now and would gladly read the other books to see what other crazy mysteries come along and mess up Leah's life yet again.
4.5 stars!
Leah owns a bath & body type store that sells lotions, soaps, and perfumes in custom made scents done by her college friend Olivia, who studied chemistry and understands how these things work. Olivia's husband Gabe manufactures the products at his family's company, and Leah handles the day-to-day operations of running the store and selling the products.
Leah's neighbor is a nasty woman named Isabel. She runs an antique store. No one likes her because of her attitude and reputation. But when she winds up dead in a dumpster behind the store, Leah is the prime suspect. Why? Because earlier in the day, Isabel's delivery truck was blocking Leah's delivery space, and Leah just happened to comment about teaching Isabel a lesson. Whoops.
With new police chief Griggs hot on her heels, Leah must do whatever it takes to uncover the truth behind Isabel's death...even if it kills her.
I really enjoyed this book. It's fast-paced and easy to get sucked into. Leah is likable, as are her friends. And Griggs is definitely someone readers will want to see Leah end up with, although romance is the least important thing within these pages.
The mystery is intriguing, and I found myself trying to put things together along with Leah to hopefully figure out who was behind the murders. While the suspect was a little obvious, I still had my doubts about them on a few occasions.
I'm definitely invested in this series now and would gladly read the other books to see what other crazy mysteries come along and mess up Leah's life yet again.
4.5 stars!
March 13, 2021
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Leah is a business woman trying to deal amicably with her neighbors. She gets a shock that starts our mystery. If you watch a lot of the Discovery crime shows, her story would fit right in. If you like audiobooks, think of Leah as our narrator – story is told from her point of view.
Our author has created a character that doesn’t seem to be able to catch a break. But she takes it one step further by having Leah try her hand at being an amateur sleuth. We get a first hand look at her thought processes. How can you turn away now? You can’t because you want the answers to the questions that are raised.
Being that the main character is an amateur sleuth makes this tale perfect for those that like either crime fiction or the current popular cozy mysteries. It’s not a romantic suspense but her contact at the police department may have you wondering if it could be. By the ending you still won’t know so you might just have to follow the series to see if their connection will become more.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Leah is a business woman trying to deal amicably with her neighbors. She gets a shock that starts our mystery. If you watch a lot of the Discovery crime shows, her story would fit right in. If you like audiobooks, think of Leah as our narrator – story is told from her point of view.
Our author has created a character that doesn’t seem to be able to catch a break. But she takes it one step further by having Leah try her hand at being an amateur sleuth. We get a first hand look at her thought processes. How can you turn away now? You can’t because you want the answers to the questions that are raised.
Being that the main character is an amateur sleuth makes this tale perfect for those that like either crime fiction or the current popular cozy mysteries. It’s not a romantic suspense but her contact at the police department may have you wondering if it could be. By the ending you still won’t know so you might just have to follow the series to see if their connection will become more.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
March 4, 2021
Great book!!!!
First time reading this author and couldn't PUT it down, stayed up alot, because i wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Leah is an interesting person, but dense when it comes to men.
Alexander griggs, police chief of Reed Hill is new in town. And has a hard time with Leah getting in the middle of an investigation that happened next door to the antique store, when Leah went to take out her trash at the dumpster behind the stores. The most hated the manager of antique store was in it. And of course Leah is a suspect.
Gabe and Olivia are her partner's in her business Scents and Sensibility.
Alot has gone on next door in the Antique store that has the little town shook and scared especially when a well known member of the town council and of a wealthy family that has put their mark on the town for the good they have done for the town, is murdered. Who and why?
You have to read for the details!!!!
First time reading this author and couldn't PUT it down, stayed up alot, because i wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Leah is an interesting person, but dense when it comes to men.
Alexander griggs, police chief of Reed Hill is new in town. And has a hard time with Leah getting in the middle of an investigation that happened next door to the antique store, when Leah went to take out her trash at the dumpster behind the stores. The most hated the manager of antique store was in it. And of course Leah is a suspect.
Gabe and Olivia are her partner's in her business Scents and Sensibility.
Alot has gone on next door in the Antique store that has the little town shook and scared especially when a well known member of the town council and of a wealthy family that has put their mark on the town for the good they have done for the town, is murdered. Who and why?
You have to read for the details!!!!
March 4, 2021
Leah is a business owner dealing with a delivery truck parking situation. Her neighbors seem to think that because she receives fewer shipmments than they do, it's alright to just the parking spots intended for her deliveries. When deliveries overlapped, and Leah needed access to her own parking spots, things get a little messy.
The Assistant manager of the store next door does his best to intervene, but just when you think it's been resolved - the manager is found dead in the dumpster outside the store.
Insert a large drug dealing family and a sexy chief of police, and Leah is doing everything she can to prove she is not the one that killed the manager of the store next door. Seems both the chief of police and a member of the drug dealing family have taken a liking to Leah.
Take the time to read this one. You'll truly enjoy it. But whatever you do, Don't Leave Town.
I received a copy of this book as part of the RABT Book Tours and this is my unbiased review.
The Assistant manager of the store next door does his best to intervene, but just when you think it's been resolved - the manager is found dead in the dumpster outside the store.
Insert a large drug dealing family and a sexy chief of police, and Leah is doing everything she can to prove she is not the one that killed the manager of the store next door. Seems both the chief of police and a member of the drug dealing family have taken a liking to Leah.
Take the time to read this one. You'll truly enjoy it. But whatever you do, Don't Leave Town.
I received a copy of this book as part of the RABT Book Tours and this is my unbiased review.
October 22, 2020
My type of character, Leah Norwood is someone who embodies the solfter side of life as the small business co-owner of Scents and Sensibility with such wonder botanical scents while at the same time she also appreciates the cold steel of a handgun, and she doesn't mess around. Great characters and such interesting jobs, plus who doesn't appreciate a gal who can hold her own with local hoodlums while solving not one but two crimes. No one liked Isabella but that doesn't mean she should have been tossed in the trash. Not only is Leah a straight shooter but also a sharp shooter. Looking forward to reading books 2 and three now that I am solidly hooked.
March 18, 2021
Fun read. Perfect Cozy. A story I thought was light and a little quirky. One of those you could read in a sitting (well at least I could). It moved fast and was hard to put down. While Leah might have gotten worked up over a broken hairdryer and/or a dead body, you have no idea how mad I was that I had to get up from my reading to get stuff out of the dryer.
Blair made the town real as well as the people which made this flow smoothly.
This is Book 1 of a series called “Leah Norwood Mysteries”. While this could stand-alone, it was good enough for me to move right on to Book 2. B. L. Blair has several other books published. All have good reviews.
Blair made the town real as well as the people which made this flow smoothly.
This is Book 1 of a series called “Leah Norwood Mysteries”. While this could stand-alone, it was good enough for me to move right on to Book 2. B. L. Blair has several other books published. All have good reviews.
July 22, 2018
This is a fast book to read. While I wouldn't really call it a cozy mystery, the story has good bones and enough action to keep the reader intrigued.
I would read another book in the series, I think it has the potential to become a good series.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
I would read another book in the series, I think it has the potential to become a good series.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
May 29, 2018
This is an exceptional cozy mystery. Characters are well written and the storyline flowed very naturally and kept my interest throughout. I look forward to reading the upcoming additions to this series! Well done!
July 7, 2019
Just what I needed, a quick and easy read with engaging characters, a mystery, and a satisfying end. Not a cozy and not a suspense thriller but a satisfying and entertaining afternoon read.
December 1, 2019
A very enjoyable cozy mystery! Exactly what you’re looking for in this genre. I was pulled in right from the beginning and it was a quick, easy read!
January 10, 2023
Cautiously optimistic
This was an excellent story, with a few typos and maybe a little bit weak in the area of normal police procedures or police coverage during crime investigations. However I was really happy here to read this entire story and not find bad language, sexual filth, or too much immorality. And that is why I am "cautiously optimistic", but planning to continue this series. I do hope that it will continue to be one of those rare, clean murder mystery\romance novels that I used to like to read before I became too much of a prude? 😉
This was an excellent story, with a few typos and maybe a little bit weak in the area of normal police procedures or police coverage during crime investigations. However I was really happy here to read this entire story and not find bad language, sexual filth, or too much immorality. And that is why I am "cautiously optimistic", but planning to continue this series. I do hope that it will continue to be one of those rare, clean murder mystery\romance novels that I used to like to read before I became too much of a prude? 😉
May 16, 2018
Many thanks to Net Galley for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were well written and were well thought out. I loved the Scents and Sensibility shop and the community around it. I was really engaged with the story, as the plot moved at a steady pace meaning that there was never a dull moment.
The only reason for me personally that this was not five stars was the fact that it was an easy solve which meant that the later parts of the book were mildly frustrating as I was 99.9% sure and the characters weren't seeing what I was seeing. The only other thing was the sudden love triangle development at the end of the book which I found mildly annoying but it did not detract from my enjoyment of the book too much.
I shall hopefully be continuing with the series, an really enjoyable read with a well thought out plot
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were well written and were well thought out. I loved the Scents and Sensibility shop and the community around it. I was really engaged with the story, as the plot moved at a steady pace meaning that there was never a dull moment.
The only reason for me personally that this was not five stars was the fact that it was an easy solve which meant that the later parts of the book were mildly frustrating as I was 99.9% sure and the characters weren't seeing what I was seeing. The only other thing was the sudden love triangle development at the end of the book which I found mildly annoying but it did not detract from my enjoyment of the book too much.
I shall hopefully be continuing with the series, an really enjoyable read with a well thought out plot
July 10, 2018
Quick, easy read. Simple characters. Simple story line.
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