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Mooseamuck Island #1
A Zen for Murder
Tourist season is about to start, and murder is the last thing on the minds of the locals in Mooseamuck Island, Maine ... but that's about to change.
When local psychic Zoila Rivers is found dead at the zen garden, retired police consultants Dominic Benedetti and Claire Watkins are forced to team up to catch the killer. Too bad Claire and Dom don't always see eye to eye.
But with an island full of locals who all have secrets, Claire and Dom have to put aside their differences in order to solve the case before the police arrest the wrong person and a killer goes free.
Will Claire and Dom figure out whose secret was worth killing for in time to stop the killer from claiming another victim?
When local psychic Zoila Rivers is found dead at the zen garden, retired police consultants Dominic Benedetti and Claire Watkins are forced to team up to catch the killer. Too bad Claire and Dom don't always see eye to eye.
But with an island full of locals who all have secrets, Claire and Dom have to put aside their differences in order to solve the case before the police arrest the wrong person and a killer goes free.
Will Claire and Dom figure out whose secret was worth killing for in time to stop the killer from claiming another victim?
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2014
925 people are currently reading
2000 people want to read
About the author
Leighann Dobbs
135 books1,860 followersUSA Today bestselling author, Leighann Dobbs, discovered her passion for writing after a twenty year career as a software engineer. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband Bruce, their trusty Chihuahua mix Mojo and beautiful rescue cat, Kitty.
Her book "Dead Wrong" won the "Best Mystery Romance" award at the 2014 Indie Romance Convention.
Her book "Ghostly Paws" was the 2015 Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem First Place category winner in the Animal Mystery category.
Her book "Dead Wrong" won the "Best Mystery Romance" award at the 2014 Indie Romance Convention.
Her book "Ghostly Paws" was the 2015 Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem First Place category winner in the Animal Mystery category.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
November 28, 2020
A quick cosy mystery on a picturesque New England island full of retirees and colourful locals.
Zoila Rivers, a psychic (who didn't forsee her own death!) is found bashed to death in the Zen garden where she goes to meditate each morning. Claire Watkins, a retired forensic psychiatrist who used to work with the police in Boston, saw her arguing earlier that day with local artist Norma, waving a document in her face. Worried that Norma would be blamed for the murder, Claire decides to do some sleuthing herself and is joined by retired investigator Dominic Benedetti. The pair have worked together before in Boston but don't always see eye to eye. Although the plot was a little predictable and the murderer evident early on it was nevertheless a pleasant read especially if you enjoy cosies set in lovely places peopled with interesting characters.
Zoila Rivers, a psychic (who didn't forsee her own death!) is found bashed to death in the Zen garden where she goes to meditate each morning. Claire Watkins, a retired forensic psychiatrist who used to work with the police in Boston, saw her arguing earlier that day with local artist Norma, waving a document in her face. Worried that Norma would be blamed for the murder, Claire decides to do some sleuthing herself and is joined by retired investigator Dominic Benedetti. The pair have worked together before in Boston but don't always see eye to eye. Although the plot was a little predictable and the murderer evident early on it was nevertheless a pleasant read especially if you enjoy cosies set in lovely places peopled with interesting characters.
September 18, 2017
As Claire Watkins was enjoying the early morning sunrise, she was surprised to find her serenity interrupted by the sounds of yelling just below her balcony. The subsequent discovery of the body of local psychic Zoila Rivers in the zen garden had Claire’s antennae vibrating. She knew her search for the killer needed to start immediately – but when Dominic Benedetti also began investigating, they reluctantly joined forces in hopes of finding the killer before the mainland police.
Mooseamuck Island in Maine was filled with people who knew everyone else – but there were those who held secrets close to their chests. Would it be possible for Claire and Dom to find out which secret was the one worth killing for?
A Zen for Murder by Leighann Dobbs is a delightful cosy mystery which I really enjoyed. There were red herrings, twists, secrets and lies – all blended well to create a great mystery. The first in the Mooseamuck Island Cozy series, A Zen for Murder is well worth recommending.
Mooseamuck Island in Maine was filled with people who knew everyone else – but there were those who held secrets close to their chests. Would it be possible for Claire and Dom to find out which secret was the one worth killing for?
A Zen for Murder by Leighann Dobbs is a delightful cosy mystery which I really enjoyed. There were red herrings, twists, secrets and lies – all blended well to create a great mystery. The first in the Mooseamuck Island Cozy series, A Zen for Murder is well worth recommending.
March 28, 2020
The fictitious Mooseamuck Island off the coast of Maine, reads like a lifestyle retirement village girt by sea, where everyone keeps an eye on what everyone else is doing. It is home to retired Boston investigator, Dom Benedetti and former criminal psychologist, Claire Watkins, who locked horns in their professional careers. Adding to the Miss Marples trope Claire’s nephew, Robby Skinner, is the island’s police officer.
From her fence line overlooking Crab Cove, Claire witnesses psychic Zoila Rivers in a heated discussion with resident artist, the prickly Norma Hopper. A short time after Zoila is found dead at the Zen meditation garden, with Norma the prime suspect. Cue the bumbling and aggressive detective from the mainland, Frank Zambucco, a cast of resident oldies, a Maine Coon cat, throw in some misdirection and there’s the plot. In a crab shell.
Perhaps it was because I picked the murderer early in the piece from a very small field that, although pleasant, this one did little for me. A beautiful setting and views of the Atlantic, but the garden flowers and rooibos tea did it for me. Just glad I don’t live there.
From her fence line overlooking Crab Cove, Claire witnesses psychic Zoila Rivers in a heated discussion with resident artist, the prickly Norma Hopper. A short time after Zoila is found dead at the Zen meditation garden, with Norma the prime suspect. Cue the bumbling and aggressive detective from the mainland, Frank Zambucco, a cast of resident oldies, a Maine Coon cat, throw in some misdirection and there’s the plot. In a crab shell.
Perhaps it was because I picked the murderer early in the piece from a very small field that, although pleasant, this one did little for me. A beautiful setting and views of the Atlantic, but the garden flowers and rooibos tea did it for me. Just glad I don’t live there.
April 26, 2020
A decent cozy-mystery with sleuths that actually have a background in law enforcement.
January 16, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Mooseamuck Island, Maine is a popular place with retirees like Dominic Benedetti and Claire Watkins. They both worked as police consultants before their retirements. Dominic is a “just the facts” consultant, while Claire was more of a people profiler. When Zoila Rivers, a local psychic is murdered in the local zen garden both decide to team up to try to find the killer. The local police are not happy with their interference explaining they could be putting themselves in danger but that doesn’t scare them off the case. Do they still have the skills to catch a murderer or will one or both of them be the killer’s next victim/s?
______
I found this book while searching for books for my Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge and happy that I did.
I enjoyed the characters in this story, maybe because most of them are pretty close to my own age, but they are cleverly written as well. The entire community was very realistically written.
Mooseamuck Island, Maine sounds like a beautiful place. I recently watched an HGTV show set in a similar community. Between what I saw on that program and the author’s descriptions it was easy to picture the community homes and places.
The mystery itself was very straight forward with a group of suspects I pared down quickly. One clue really stood out for me so I deduced the killer early on but that didn’t limit my enjoyment of the story. I loved the part animals played in solving the mystery too. A Maine Coon cat will always find its way into my heart.
A Zen for Murder was a quick entertaining read. I would like to visit these characters again soon so I have added the final two books in the series to my wish list.
Mooseamuck Island, Maine is a popular place with retirees like Dominic Benedetti and Claire Watkins. They both worked as police consultants before their retirements. Dominic is a “just the facts” consultant, while Claire was more of a people profiler. When Zoila Rivers, a local psychic is murdered in the local zen garden both decide to team up to try to find the killer. The local police are not happy with their interference explaining they could be putting themselves in danger but that doesn’t scare them off the case. Do they still have the skills to catch a murderer or will one or both of them be the killer’s next victim/s?
______
I found this book while searching for books for my Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge and happy that I did.
I enjoyed the characters in this story, maybe because most of them are pretty close to my own age, but they are cleverly written as well. The entire community was very realistically written.
Mooseamuck Island, Maine sounds like a beautiful place. I recently watched an HGTV show set in a similar community. Between what I saw on that program and the author’s descriptions it was easy to picture the community homes and places.
The mystery itself was very straight forward with a group of suspects I pared down quickly. One clue really stood out for me so I deduced the killer early on but that didn’t limit my enjoyment of the story. I loved the part animals played in solving the mystery too. A Maine Coon cat will always find its way into my heart.
A Zen for Murder was a quick entertaining read. I would like to visit these characters again soon so I have added the final two books in the series to my wish list.
June 12, 2021
I really enjoyed the setting of this cozy mystery as Mooseamuck Island sounds like a wonderful place to visit. Claire and Dom both have backgrounds in murder investigations; and I found them to be very likable as well as smart and determined to find the answers to who murdered the local psychic. The plot moved quickly and I was engaged from the first page to the last.
July 19, 2020
Claire Watkins tossed a dead rose stem from her spacious garden into the small wheelbarrow just as the sun made its appearance, splashing the blue Atlantic Ocean with a wash of pink.
Claire, a retired criminal psychologist and Dom, a retired Boston investigator team up to find the murderer of a local psychic after she is found dead in the Zen garden. Claire had heard an argument between the psychic and a local artist and feel they need to help the bumbling detective solve the murder.
This was a good entry in the series although it started a bit slow. I really liked the setting of the island off the coast of Maine. I enjoyed the various townspeople with their quirky characteristics. Of course I always love seeing a Maine Coon in the mix!
The mystery was not terribly complex and I had pretty much figured out the culprit before the reveal.
I may continue with the series just to see where it may lead.
Claire, a retired criminal psychologist and Dom, a retired Boston investigator team up to find the murderer of a local psychic after she is found dead in the Zen garden. Claire had heard an argument between the psychic and a local artist and feel they need to help the bumbling detective solve the murder.
This was a good entry in the series although it started a bit slow. I really liked the setting of the island off the coast of Maine. I enjoyed the various townspeople with their quirky characteristics. Of course I always love seeing a Maine Coon in the mix!
The mystery was not terribly complex and I had pretty much figured out the culprit before the reveal.
I may continue with the series just to see where it may lead.
February 14, 2022
Another e-book I only read in wiring rooms for appointments hence the long reading date. Not too bad and if you like the TV programme Murder in Paradise you’d enjoy this one.
April 16, 2018
Miss Leighann is a very enjoyable mystery writer.
November 28, 2016
I've read this author before and loved her books, but felt like this one was a little flat for me. The spark of interest in the immediate situation didn't really click for me. The characters have all known each other in different times of their lives, but I felt disconnected from them and the story. It was quite odd, because I couldn't pinpoint what it was that made me feel that way.
It was a decent cozy mystery, and was made slightly different by making two people the investigators with different motives and experience. I can't remember when I actually downloaded this book; I was waiting and started reading this because I wanted to read something. I assume because I downloaded it, that it was free/cheap. I probably won't be hunting out the rest, but it was a decent start. Three stars.
It was a decent cozy mystery, and was made slightly different by making two people the investigators with different motives and experience. I can't remember when I actually downloaded this book; I was waiting and started reading this because I wanted to read something. I assume because I downloaded it, that it was free/cheap. I probably won't be hunting out the rest, but it was a decent start. Three stars.
December 9, 2021
In the past hundred years, Mooseamuck Island in Maine hasn’t seen a murder. So, the townspeople are more than a little shocked when the local psychic, Zoila Rivers, is found dead in the zen garden.
When their friends are suspected of murder, former police detectives Dominic Benedetti and Claire Watkins jump right into the middle of the investigation. They may be retired from the force but they still have their detective skills and they are intent on using them…much to the dismay of the local police.
Claire and Dom are surprised to find so many of the local people have quite a few secrets to hide. Each one looks very guilty. They have a hard time believing any of them are killers, but they are determined to uncover the truth.
This is an intriguing mystery filled with many clues, suspects and red herrings. It felt like a classic, old fashioned whodunnit set on an island. Very enjoyable, quick read. I’ll be sure to check out the next book in the series.
When their friends are suspected of murder, former police detectives Dominic Benedetti and Claire Watkins jump right into the middle of the investigation. They may be retired from the force but they still have their detective skills and they are intent on using them…much to the dismay of the local police.
Claire and Dom are surprised to find so many of the local people have quite a few secrets to hide. Each one looks very guilty. They have a hard time believing any of them are killers, but they are determined to uncover the truth.
This is an intriguing mystery filled with many clues, suspects and red herrings. It felt like a classic, old fashioned whodunnit set on an island. Very enjoyable, quick read. I’ll be sure to check out the next book in the series.
December 12, 2014
A Zen for Murder has co-protagonists who attempt to solve the murder mystery: Claire Watkins, a retired criminal psychologist; and Dominic Benedetti, a retired criminal investigator. There are many mature characters in the book, since the setting is a tourist island off the coast of Maine in the U.S. where many of the local residents are retirees. A Zen for Murder has one or two characters who I think will be very interesting to follow in this new series, as they grow from book to book.
To me, Claire feels slightly less developed than Dominic, possibly because we know less about her past. Dom is still grieving the loss of his wife, and he is only just adjusting to the idea of being retired. He seeks comfort in food from his childhood that he remembers from his life with his extended Italian-American family in Boston, and from his long marriage to Sophia, his Italian-American wife. Pasta and pastries are his favorite comfort foods.
True to his heritage, Dom is thrilled when the locals consider him to be one of them; he enjoys belonging to a close-knit community. The community of Mooseamuck Island's main town, Crab Cove, is not very cooperative with the mainland detective who is assigned to solve the murder on the island. That is why Dom and Claire eventually feel they ought to join forces to make sure justice is served.
The book follows the (cute) cozy genre by introducing various characters who make up the "cast" from which suspects, witnesses, red-herrings, etc. will be pulled. I imagine many of the cast of local characters will return in the novels to come in this series. A crime occurs, the crime scene is studied, suspects questioned, theories formulated, etc. A warning: for devoted readers of murder mysteries, the crime in A Zen for Murder is not very complex, and the length is of a novella.
The mainland detective, Frank Zambuco (aged 60), is Italian-American, too. I found it refreshing that the author was comfortable with portraying Italian-Americans in law-enforcement, since there are thousands of Italian-Americans in law-enforcement in the U.S. Unfortunately, the few Italian-Americans involved in organized-crime get most of the press.
The point-of-view in A Zen for Murder alternates between Dom and Claire. The English is colloquial. This Indie author works hard to create typo-free texts presented with quality covers for the fans of cozy fiction.
The author is prolific, so out her other series. Her books often have fantasy/paranormal aspects, and A Zen for Murder is no different, with an all-knowing bird and a roaming cat who help the amateur-detectives, and credence given to a "psychic".
Please read my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
To me, Claire feels slightly less developed than Dominic, possibly because we know less about her past. Dom is still grieving the loss of his wife, and he is only just adjusting to the idea of being retired. He seeks comfort in food from his childhood that he remembers from his life with his extended Italian-American family in Boston, and from his long marriage to Sophia, his Italian-American wife. Pasta and pastries are his favorite comfort foods.
True to his heritage, Dom is thrilled when the locals consider him to be one of them; he enjoys belonging to a close-knit community. The community of Mooseamuck Island's main town, Crab Cove, is not very cooperative with the mainland detective who is assigned to solve the murder on the island. That is why Dom and Claire eventually feel they ought to join forces to make sure justice is served.
The book follows the (cute) cozy genre by introducing various characters who make up the "cast" from which suspects, witnesses, red-herrings, etc. will be pulled. I imagine many of the cast of local characters will return in the novels to come in this series. A crime occurs, the crime scene is studied, suspects questioned, theories formulated, etc. A warning: for devoted readers of murder mysteries, the crime in A Zen for Murder is not very complex, and the length is of a novella.
The mainland detective, Frank Zambuco (aged 60), is Italian-American, too. I found it refreshing that the author was comfortable with portraying Italian-Americans in law-enforcement, since there are thousands of Italian-Americans in law-enforcement in the U.S. Unfortunately, the few Italian-Americans involved in organized-crime get most of the press.
The point-of-view in A Zen for Murder alternates between Dom and Claire. The English is colloquial. This Indie author works hard to create typo-free texts presented with quality covers for the fans of cozy fiction.
The author is prolific, so out her other series. Her books often have fantasy/paranormal aspects, and A Zen for Murder is no different, with an all-knowing bird and a roaming cat who help the amateur-detectives, and credence given to a "psychic".
Please read my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
February 7, 2017
Mooseamuck Island, MA (Crab Cove). Norma Hopper (artist) & Zoila Rivers (psychic) were in a heated discussion.
Later Zoila was found dead at the Zen garden.
Chief of Police Robby Skinner (Claire’s nephew) had Detective Frank Zambuco assigned to the investigation.
Dominic “Dom” Benedetti (retired PD consultant, criminal psychologist) & Claire Watkins (retired PD consultant, criminal psychologist) were trying to piece the murder case together also.
Will the murder mystery get solved & someone brought to justice?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written Cozy Mystery book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a large set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free ebookdaily; Amazon Digital Services LLC; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Later Zoila was found dead at the Zen garden.
Chief of Police Robby Skinner (Claire’s nephew) had Detective Frank Zambuco assigned to the investigation.
Dominic “Dom” Benedetti (retired PD consultant, criminal psychologist) & Claire Watkins (retired PD consultant, criminal psychologist) were trying to piece the murder case together also.
Will the murder mystery get solved & someone brought to justice?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written Cozy Mystery book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a large set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free ebookdaily; Amazon Digital Services LLC; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
January 21, 2020
Great Winter Read
It is a good book that won't let you sit it down. I did but always picked it back up soon
The beauty of Moosamuck Island is broken when the murder of the original islanders. And at first every one thought the murderer was a long time artist on the island that few people liked.
But no one counted on two investigators coming out of retirement because something wasn't adding up in their book.
A fun bunch of characters and a few good twist keep you on your toes.
Looking forward to reading more of Ms Dobbs's books.
It is a good book that won't let you sit it down. I did but always picked it back up soon
The beauty of Moosamuck Island is broken when the murder of the original islanders. And at first every one thought the murderer was a long time artist on the island that few people liked.
But no one counted on two investigators coming out of retirement because something wasn't adding up in their book.
A fun bunch of characters and a few good twist keep you on your toes.
Looking forward to reading more of Ms Dobbs's books.
February 12, 2016
Took a bit of work to get into but all in all a pretty good mystery
March 21, 2022
This appears to be one of the author's oldest cozy mystery series, so I'm surprised I didn't start it sooner. I've had this book since before I even joined Goodreads. I'm glad I finally took time to read it because I really enjoyed these characters. Any of this author's books I've read always have some super likable characters that I always think I'd like to be friends with.
Senior sleuths are pretty cool, and I always enjoy some good banter like what Claire and Dom had going between them. I'm not sure if their working relationship as former police consultants will ever be more than just a working relationship, but they were at least being friendly toward each other...once they realized it was way smarter to work together instead of against each other.
The whodunit was a surprise, and the showdown was a good one. I'm eager to read on in the series because I was surprised and happy to see I have the other two books in this little series.
Senior sleuths are pretty cool, and I always enjoy some good banter like what Claire and Dom had going between them. I'm not sure if their working relationship as former police consultants will ever be more than just a working relationship, but they were at least being friendly toward each other...once they realized it was way smarter to work together instead of against each other.
The whodunit was a surprise, and the showdown was a good one. I'm eager to read on in the series because I was surprised and happy to see I have the other two books in this little series.
September 20, 2017
A fun cozy mystery, interesting characters and an intriguing whodunnit!
March 5, 2021
Enjoyable start to the series. I liked the setting and characters and I think it would be fun to visit Mooseamuck Island. This was an easy read and I enjoyed solving the case with Claire and Dom.
September 1, 2021
A mild and gentle murder mystery. It is written in a cozy style but the sleuths are a retired psychologist and detective. An intriguing plot but a little too mild to keep my interest.
December 14, 2025
A fun read!!
It's a good read for anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery. I did enjoy that it wasn't just people who didn't know what they were doing.
It's a good read for anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery. I did enjoy that it wasn't just people who didn't know what they were doing.
May 13, 2017
Boring! I couldn't finish this book. I started reading it and just couldn't get into it. A retired criminal psychologist lives on the island and a retired detective too? What are the odds of that happening in real life? I'm not sure but it just didn't seem plausible to me. Also I could totally see where the story was going and I was just bored with this book very quickly. I didn't like any of the characters that were introduced either. Next!
May 15, 2017
Sorry Leighann but I just couldn't get into it and kept putting it down.
August 23, 2017
While some of her other books are Kindle Unlimited none of the Blackmoore Sisters Cozy Mysteries are which doesn't matter to me as read #1 and #7 and was way underwhelmed. Leighann Dobbs writes under Leighann Dobbs, Annie Dobbs and (soon) L.A. Dobbs but her real name {not sure if she writes under that one} is Lee Dobbins, Hazel Martin Mysteries only one I found for this type with her, she has not made sure that terms used match the British terms as well as in other areas for that period of architecture and assorted styles.
Yet another goodreads won't hide it don't want to see the badly proofed badly plotted poor excuse for bad soft core porn crap. The 'historical' ones are like that and so are the some of the non cozy mysteries and some of the sorta but not really mysteries because can't write, etc ad nauseum. The most any of them got was 2 changed to 1 for crap cozy, some get a 1 which means basically crappy soft porn 'romance' etc.
3 in Silver Hollow Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series so far which are on kindle unlimited, 3 in the Moosamuck Island Mysteries , 5 in the Mystic Notch Cozy Mysteries so far {not ku}, Blackmore Sisters has 7 {not ku}, Hazel Martin Mysteries only has 1 so far, Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery series 12 so far is on ku. Others.including Scandals and Spies Book series so far 4 which are basically romance soft core porn dreck but hey you can get them on ku. Witches of Hawthorne Grove 1 so far,Cevonne Bride of Oklahoma, Unexpected Series 4 so far ku.
The Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series By the way, bakeries and other food service places don't run like that. Badly needs to proof things, it's messing up the flow of the book, which my computer reads to me, so that's bad, causing the audio to stutter worse than a flustered Mel Tillis. As for these, it's not that the situations couldn't happen, it's in the telling of the story, with unlikable unbelievable characters and situations, again. By the way, bakeries and other food service places don't run like that, they'd be shut down in a heartbeat for health violations and making people sick with food poisoning or even causing them to die..
Copy/paste fill in the blank seems to be pretty much what she is doing in her books, which wouldn't be half as bad if the plots and ploys and actions were believable at all.Just change the name for a book and maybe change the series list under, and you are right back to copy paste same old same old.
NOTE: I specifically mentioned certain of the 'books'/series were achieving soft core crap status, and specifically said which ones those were, reference AGAIN the above quoted review, and did not specifically mention the blackmore ones as that, BUT and had not mentioned that had went back and rated all no talent no plot cardboard charactered 'stories' listed above as 1 as well. I will change the original review to reflect that, but it is still a 1, and MY review of the crap stands.
Yet another goodreads won't hide it don't want to see the badly proofed badly plotted poor excuse for bad soft core porn crap. The 'historical' ones are like that and so are the some of the non cozy mysteries and some of the sorta but not really mysteries because can't write, etc ad nauseum. The most any of them got was 2 changed to 1 for crap cozy, some get a 1 which means basically crappy soft porn 'romance' etc.
3 in Silver Hollow Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series so far which are on kindle unlimited, 3 in the Moosamuck Island Mysteries , 5 in the Mystic Notch Cozy Mysteries so far {not ku}, Blackmore Sisters has 7 {not ku}, Hazel Martin Mysteries only has 1 so far, Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery series 12 so far is on ku. Others.including Scandals and Spies Book series so far 4 which are basically romance soft core porn dreck but hey you can get them on ku. Witches of Hawthorne Grove 1 so far,Cevonne Bride of Oklahoma, Unexpected Series 4 so far ku.
The Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series By the way, bakeries and other food service places don't run like that. Badly needs to proof things, it's messing up the flow of the book, which my computer reads to me, so that's bad, causing the audio to stutter worse than a flustered Mel Tillis. As for these, it's not that the situations couldn't happen, it's in the telling of the story, with unlikable unbelievable characters and situations, again. By the way, bakeries and other food service places don't run like that, they'd be shut down in a heartbeat for health violations and making people sick with food poisoning or even causing them to die..
Copy/paste fill in the blank seems to be pretty much what she is doing in her books, which wouldn't be half as bad if the plots and ploys and actions were believable at all.Just change the name for a book and maybe change the series list under, and you are right back to copy paste same old same old.
NOTE: I specifically mentioned certain of the 'books'/series were achieving soft core crap status, and specifically said which ones those were, reference AGAIN the above quoted review, and did not specifically mention the blackmore ones as that, BUT and had not mentioned that had went back and rated all no talent no plot cardboard charactered 'stories' listed above as 1 as well. I will change the original review to reflect that, but it is still a 1, and MY review of the crap stands.
September 18, 2016
a pretty good mystery
September 21, 2023
A Zen for Murder by Leighann Dobbs takes two retired police consultants living on the same island to solve a mystery.
Can Claire and Dominic put aside their differences to solve this case?
Claire Watkins
Claire Watkins is a retired criminal psychologist and a longtime Mooseamuck Island resident. She is sweet and knows she can find the killer, as she knows the residents better than anyone. Plus, Claire has helped out her nephew from time to time when he needed assistance on a case or two. Claire is also all about keeping a healthy lifestyle. She hopes that it will also keep her mind from getting too old. I have to say that I love Claire as she brings a different standpoint to a sleuth while also being a lovely person. Another thing I like about her is how she is so convinced that only she knows how to solve this case because she knows the residents better than Dom and the detective.
I hope these two can keep from fighting each other over whose way is suitable to solve a mystery.
Dominic Benedetti
Dominic Benedetti comes from Boston, where he was a detective before becoming a consultant for them. Now he's retired from that life and staying at the vacation town where he took his family. I feel bad for this poor Italian-American man who lost his wife two years ago and is trying to keep his promise to her. Dom is a great person who didn't want to think that they needed the help of a psychologist to solve a case. Now, though, he has no choice but to team up with her to solve this one.
I love how the two of them worked together and how differing they both are. Claire, with her reading of the human body and being a health nut. Dom, though, is the guy who loves his Italian baked goods and couldn't dream of giving them up or anything that relates to his roots.
The Mystery
Zoila Rivers was found murdered at the Zen Garden on the island. A lot of the residents knew that she went up there to mediate. Almost all of the residents have secrets that they want to keep to themselves. Except some of those secrets might have to come out for the actual killer to be brought to justice. Claire and Dom team up reluctantly to solve this mystery. I must say that apart, they were doing a good job, but together they were fantastic. Sadly, I figured out who did it and a bit of a why before the retired sleuths did. It was still great to read how they put it together.
Five Stars
I am giving five stars to A Zen for Murder by Leighann Dobbs and recommending it to anyone who wants a little small-town Maine Island charm in their lives. Ms. Dobbs has done an excellent job of fleshing out these characters and the scenery, and I felt like I was right there with them instead of in Texas.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of A Zen for Murder by Leighann Dobbs.
Until the next time,
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
Can Claire and Dominic put aside their differences to solve this case?
Claire Watkins
Claire Watkins is a retired criminal psychologist and a longtime Mooseamuck Island resident. She is sweet and knows she can find the killer, as she knows the residents better than anyone. Plus, Claire has helped out her nephew from time to time when he needed assistance on a case or two. Claire is also all about keeping a healthy lifestyle. She hopes that it will also keep her mind from getting too old. I have to say that I love Claire as she brings a different standpoint to a sleuth while also being a lovely person. Another thing I like about her is how she is so convinced that only she knows how to solve this case because she knows the residents better than Dom and the detective.
I hope these two can keep from fighting each other over whose way is suitable to solve a mystery.
Dominic Benedetti
Dominic Benedetti comes from Boston, where he was a detective before becoming a consultant for them. Now he's retired from that life and staying at the vacation town where he took his family. I feel bad for this poor Italian-American man who lost his wife two years ago and is trying to keep his promise to her. Dom is a great person who didn't want to think that they needed the help of a psychologist to solve a case. Now, though, he has no choice but to team up with her to solve this one.
I love how the two of them worked together and how differing they both are. Claire, with her reading of the human body and being a health nut. Dom, though, is the guy who loves his Italian baked goods and couldn't dream of giving them up or anything that relates to his roots.
The Mystery
Zoila Rivers was found murdered at the Zen Garden on the island. A lot of the residents knew that she went up there to mediate. Almost all of the residents have secrets that they want to keep to themselves. Except some of those secrets might have to come out for the actual killer to be brought to justice. Claire and Dom team up reluctantly to solve this mystery. I must say that apart, they were doing a good job, but together they were fantastic. Sadly, I figured out who did it and a bit of a why before the retired sleuths did. It was still great to read how they put it together.
Five Stars
I am giving five stars to A Zen for Murder by Leighann Dobbs and recommending it to anyone who wants a little small-town Maine Island charm in their lives. Ms. Dobbs has done an excellent job of fleshing out these characters and the scenery, and I felt like I was right there with them instead of in Texas.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of A Zen for Murder by Leighann Dobbs.
Until the next time,
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
June 19, 2017
Most of what I know about the state of Maine comes from Steven King, but Moosamuck Island bears very little resemblance to the creepy kind of Maine King writes about. On the very first page I felt like I could smell the flowers and the ocean breeze on the tranquil island. It was the kind of opening that makes me want to wander outside for a quick tour of my garden.
Claire and Dom are our sleuths, and they have some history with each other. They know they've worked well together in the past, but have a hard time seeing eye to eye as Claire trusts her understanding of people's personalities but Dom wants to stick to just the facts. Some chapters were written from Claire's point of view, and some from Dom's, and it was fun to see their different takes on the clues they encountered.
The book plays fair with the reader, letting us in on the clues, red herrings, and other information Claire and Dom gather, while letting us come to our own conclusions about them. I found myself sifting through the evidence with Claire and Dom and figuring out who the killer was just as they were doing the same. Very fun!
My favorite thing about this book was the characters, who all felt like real people with their own lives. Recommended for cozy mystery fans, readers who like to challenge themselves to follow the clues and figure out the mystery, and readers who'd like to take an imaginary vacation to a lovely island in Maine.
Claire and Dom are our sleuths, and they have some history with each other. They know they've worked well together in the past, but have a hard time seeing eye to eye as Claire trusts her understanding of people's personalities but Dom wants to stick to just the facts. Some chapters were written from Claire's point of view, and some from Dom's, and it was fun to see their different takes on the clues they encountered.
The book plays fair with the reader, letting us in on the clues, red herrings, and other information Claire and Dom gather, while letting us come to our own conclusions about them. I found myself sifting through the evidence with Claire and Dom and figuring out who the killer was just as they were doing the same. Very fun!
My favorite thing about this book was the characters, who all felt like real people with their own lives. Recommended for cozy mystery fans, readers who like to challenge themselves to follow the clues and figure out the mystery, and readers who'd like to take an imaginary vacation to a lovely island in Maine.
October 16, 2018
This is a short, easy, quick and enjoyable cozy mystery. Claire has returned to Moosemuck Island, where she grew up, after retiring from her job as a psychologist working for the New York City police. Dom is a retired police detective who worked for the New York City police. The two had worked together in the past and did not always get along, and still don't.
Claire heard her friends Norma and Zolia fighting one morning just after sunrise. Later that morning Zolia is murdered in the town's zen garden. A detective from the mainland, Detective Zumboco, is sent to the island to solve the case. Norma will say nothing in her defense and is arrested. Both Claire and Dom are sure she didn't do it and begin searching for the murderer. It seems that everyone who had any contact with Norma is a suspect and the two are hampered in their search by no longer being able to get inside information from the police or search warrants. After Norma is freed, due to an unbreakable alibi, suspicion falls most heavily on a young man who is mentally retarded. Everyone but Detective Zumboco is convinced he is not guilty, but to prove it Claire and Dom face many problems and dangers.
The murderer turns out to be . . .
Claire heard her friends Norma and Zolia fighting one morning just after sunrise. Later that morning Zolia is murdered in the town's zen garden. A detective from the mainland, Detective Zumboco, is sent to the island to solve the case. Norma will say nothing in her defense and is arrested. Both Claire and Dom are sure she didn't do it and begin searching for the murderer. It seems that everyone who had any contact with Norma is a suspect and the two are hampered in their search by no longer being able to get inside information from the police or search warrants. After Norma is freed, due to an unbreakable alibi, suspicion falls most heavily on a young man who is mentally retarded. Everyone but Detective Zumboco is convinced he is not guilty, but to prove it Claire and Dom face many problems and dangers.
The murderer turns out to be . . .
August 10, 2021
After a few disappointing monthly reads in my cozy mystery book club, I was happy to find something I genuinely enjoyed. This cozy still has some of the genre stereotypes, but also included some new things that were a fun addition.
To start with, there are two people working together to solve this mystery, and you get to read from both points of view. They also both used to work together on cases occasionally before retiring and just so happen to be in the same small community. Also, no hints at any sort of love interest between them, which is a nice change of pace. I enjoy police procedural mysteries as well, so having characters that used to be involved with that? Fun without the grisly details.
The only thing I really didn't enjoy was the cat. Why do we need a cat running around dropping hints? This would have been perfectly fine without that. I did figure out the mystery after a very large hint that the retirees didn't figure out right away because they're old and forgetful, but knowing who the murderer was did not subtract from my enjoyment of the end of the story.
I am interested in learning more about the characters here and will probably continue the series at some point.
To start with, there are two people working together to solve this mystery, and you get to read from both points of view. They also both used to work together on cases occasionally before retiring and just so happen to be in the same small community. Also, no hints at any sort of love interest between them, which is a nice change of pace. I enjoy police procedural mysteries as well, so having characters that used to be involved with that? Fun without the grisly details.
The only thing I really didn't enjoy was the cat. Why do we need a cat running around dropping hints? This would have been perfectly fine without that. I did figure out the mystery after a very large hint that the retirees didn't figure out right away because they're old and forgetful, but knowing who the murderer was did not subtract from my enjoyment of the end of the story.
I am interested in learning more about the characters here and will probably continue the series at some point.
July 11, 2017
Retired criminal psychologist Clair Watkins is enjoying life in the small community of Crab Cove until a local woman winds up murdered. Afraid that a good friend will be arrested, Claire asks a few questions, along with retired cop Dominic Benedetti.
A Zen for Murder is a cozy mystery in every sense, complete with an array of quirky characters, a cat, and tea. Claire and Dominic are likeable characters with experience and just enough antagonism toward each other to create a bit of tension. Dominic’s backstory is brought out nicely, while Claire’s current life is described in more detail than her past.
The author tells the story from each of their point of views, however the tone of their inner monologue is similar, which makes Dominic sound a bit naïve for a retired cop. There’s also a little too much repetition about their primary motives. We get that Claire’s worried for her friend after the first time we’re told. By the fourth, it becomes wearing, as does Dom’s repeated personal revelation that this case is making him feel alive again. The killer was too easy to identify (and likely will be for avid mystery readers), so I wish there’d been a stronger roster of suspects.
A Zen for Murder is a cozy mystery in every sense, complete with an array of quirky characters, a cat, and tea. Claire and Dominic are likeable characters with experience and just enough antagonism toward each other to create a bit of tension. Dominic’s backstory is brought out nicely, while Claire’s current life is described in more detail than her past.
The author tells the story from each of their point of views, however the tone of their inner monologue is similar, which makes Dominic sound a bit naïve for a retired cop. There’s also a little too much repetition about their primary motives. We get that Claire’s worried for her friend after the first time we’re told. By the fourth, it becomes wearing, as does Dom’s repeated personal revelation that this case is making him feel alive again. The killer was too easy to identify (and likely will be for avid mystery readers), so I wish there’d been a stronger roster of suspects.
June 12, 2017
I have read several books by this author including #2 in the Mooseamuk Island mystery series. This book is #1 and helped fill in a few gaps in #2. I enjoyed getting reacquainted with Claire, a retired psychologist, and Dom, a retired Boston police detective. After Claire hears her friend Norma arguing with artist Zoila, the latter is found dead in a zen meditation garden on the island. Although Claire and Dom had a history of working together in Boston (Claire having been a police consultant), they seem reluctant to work together and set off on their own to solve the murder. The mainland detective Zabucco learns of the earlier argument and arrests Norma for the murder. Eventually Dom and Claire, now teaming up and with the aid of a stray Maine Coon Cat, solve the murder but give credit to Claire's nephew Robbie the island's sole detective. I figured out the murderer and motive fairly early in the story, but that did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. If you are looking for a cozy mystery, you really can't go wrong with Leighann Dobbs!
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