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Nikki Hunter #1
Murder on the Menu
Private Investigator Nicoli “Nikki” Hunter has lost enthusiasm for the bar and restaurant surveys that pay the bills but no longer challenge her. When the brutal murder of socialite, (and stripper), Laura Howard lands on her desk, she finally encounters a case worthy of her talent.
Murder on the Menu is the first in a series of mysteries featuring Nikki Hunter. The only child of a Cossack and a former nun, Hunter is a smart, tenacious thirty-five-year-old, who lives aboard a sailboat in the San Francisco Bay Area and works out of a ground floor office in the marina complex where she lives.
When the Howard murder goes unsolved, the victim’s mother contacts Nikki, who agrees to a preliminary investigation, and discovers that Laura was about to inherit several million dollars. The list of suspects grows as Nikki delves into Laura’s past. Nikki befriends Homicide Detective Bill Anderson, and he confides to her that three recent murders, including Laura’s, have peculiar similarities.
Nikki enlists the aid of her best friend and fellow boat-dweller, Elizabeth Gaultier, and while the two are conducting interviews they discover they’re being tailed by another PI. When the interviewees start turning up dead, Nikki tells Detective Anderson everything she’s uncovered, but it’s too late. Nikki has already become the killer’s next target.
Murder on the Menu is the first in a series of mysteries featuring Nikki Hunter. The only child of a Cossack and a former nun, Hunter is a smart, tenacious thirty-five-year-old, who lives aboard a sailboat in the San Francisco Bay Area and works out of a ground floor office in the marina complex where she lives.
When the Howard murder goes unsolved, the victim’s mother contacts Nikki, who agrees to a preliminary investigation, and discovers that Laura was about to inherit several million dollars. The list of suspects grows as Nikki delves into Laura’s past. Nikki befriends Homicide Detective Bill Anderson, and he confides to her that three recent murders, including Laura’s, have peculiar similarities.
Nikki enlists the aid of her best friend and fellow boat-dweller, Elizabeth Gaultier, and while the two are conducting interviews they discover they’re being tailed by another PI. When the interviewees start turning up dead, Nikki tells Detective Anderson everything she’s uncovered, but it’s too late. Nikki has already become the killer’s next target.
314 pages, ebook
First published April 20, 2015
649 people are currently reading
747 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Skopin
9 books62 followersAward winning author, Nancy Skopin, is a native of California who currently lives on the Oregon coast with her husband, Max Ferry, and their dog, Turq. An avid student of human nature, Nancy is happiest spending her days imagining the best, and the worst, that we are capable of, and translating those ideas into her Nikki Hunter mystery novels.
As does her central character, Nikki, Nancy lived aboard a yacht in the San
Francisco Bay Area for thirteen years, though she has recently settled on solid ground.
While researching her quirky serial killer mystery series she worked for two years with a private investigator, learning the intricacies of the business and, specifically, the art of bar and restaurant “mystery shopping.”
As does her central character, Nikki, Nancy lived aboard a yacht in the San
Francisco Bay Area for thirteen years, though she has recently settled on solid ground.
While researching her quirky serial killer mystery series she worked for two years with a private investigator, learning the intricacies of the business and, specifically, the art of bar and restaurant “mystery shopping.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
March 26, 2017
This is a good PI mystery with a strong female lead. I appreciate that Nikki doesn't turn to mush around good looking men, doesn't weep and whine over her lack of a love interest, and doesn't need a man to rescue her. She's strong and independent, but still feminine.
We go along with Nikki as she investigates her first homicide, and the author does a great job of showing us how a PI really works. At the same time, though, the story often gets mired down in these details. For instance, we learn that Nikki is adept at taking in everything about a person upon meeting. This becomes tedious, as Nikki goes on to list the attire and appearance of every single person she comes in contact with. Once we've established this fact about Nikki, we don't need to go through the list with every person she sees.
The repetition of detail was exacerbated by repeating the very same information. Twice we're told Nikki's best friend Elizabeth's height, weight, hair color, and eye color. And twice we're told the details of Nikki's work for restaurant owners. We're also given several pages of detail on five dogs living with their owners at the marina where Nikki lives. I love dogs, but I did not need to know each one's breed, owners' names, play habits, likes, and dislikes.
The pacing, because of the volume of minutiae, is slow, particularly through the first half of the book. That being said, the plot is intriguing and I enjoyed going along with Nikki as she investigated.
I thought the ending was a little too convenient. We have a Q&A session in dialogue form with the killer, used as a way of wrapping up all the loose ends for readers. The conversation didn't feel realistic to me, particularly given the situation and setting. The Q&A took away from the immediacy and danger of what should have been a climactic scene.
The whodunit aspect is handled well. Nicki is investigating a murder, but we aren't given a lot of gruesome detail and we're not weighed down with misery. While this isn't quite a cozy mystery, the story does have that light, quirky feel.
We go along with Nikki as she investigates her first homicide, and the author does a great job of showing us how a PI really works. At the same time, though, the story often gets mired down in these details. For instance, we learn that Nikki is adept at taking in everything about a person upon meeting. This becomes tedious, as Nikki goes on to list the attire and appearance of every single person she comes in contact with. Once we've established this fact about Nikki, we don't need to go through the list with every person she sees.
The repetition of detail was exacerbated by repeating the very same information. Twice we're told Nikki's best friend Elizabeth's height, weight, hair color, and eye color. And twice we're told the details of Nikki's work for restaurant owners. We're also given several pages of detail on five dogs living with their owners at the marina where Nikki lives. I love dogs, but I did not need to know each one's breed, owners' names, play habits, likes, and dislikes.
The pacing, because of the volume of minutiae, is slow, particularly through the first half of the book. That being said, the plot is intriguing and I enjoyed going along with Nikki as she investigated.
I thought the ending was a little too convenient. We have a Q&A session in dialogue form with the killer, used as a way of wrapping up all the loose ends for readers. The conversation didn't feel realistic to me, particularly given the situation and setting. The Q&A took away from the immediacy and danger of what should have been a climactic scene.
The whodunit aspect is handled well. Nicki is investigating a murder, but we aren't given a lot of gruesome detail and we're not weighed down with misery. While this isn't quite a cozy mystery, the story does have that light, quirky feel.
October 11, 2018
While the book had an intriguing start, few characters were likable by the middle. Weak plot lines, like someone sneaking up and peering through a window were a disappointment. I started this book months ago and set it aside. The start pulled me back to finish.
October 17, 2018
Close to home
A great start to a new series. A heroine who is gutsy and keeps thinking even when under extreme stress whilst the supporting characters are full and well developed.
She has run her PI business for a while. Most of her cases were restaurant reviews or the straying partner. Now however she has a chance to get her teeth into a real killer of a case. A young woman has been murdered and her body dumped. Her mother is desperate to find the truth and is willing to do anything she can to achieve this. Will she take the case? Is this an isolated killing? The more she investigates the more chilling ßhe finds the evidence. The killer is ruthless, cold blooded ad calculating and now he wants her. Will she be strong enough to defeat such a monster?
A great start to a new series. A heroine who is gutsy and keeps thinking even when under extreme stress whilst the supporting characters are full and well developed.
She has run her PI business for a while. Most of her cases were restaurant reviews or the straying partner. Now however she has a chance to get her teeth into a real killer of a case. A young woman has been murdered and her body dumped. Her mother is desperate to find the truth and is willing to do anything she can to achieve this. Will she take the case? Is this an isolated killing? The more she investigates the more chilling ßhe finds the evidence. The killer is ruthless, cold blooded ad calculating and now he wants her. Will she be strong enough to defeat such a monster?
March 20, 2019
The book is a first effort, and it does show in places, nevertheless it's an enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
Nikki is an enjoyable character, not overly cocky, not bitchy and possessing a decent sense of humor. The other characters were reasonably realistic, particularly the dogs, and none of them felt like cardboard cut outs. The plot was pretty straight forward without a lot of unnecessary twists, though there was a big uh-huh coincidence at the end but it was at least decently plausible. The climax was tense and the red herrings well done.
My only critique is that the time frame was difficult to settle into, the book was printed in 2015 but the technology was more like 2001, except for the presence of the software company. Nikki used a Nokia cellphone (!) and had to call her office to get messages off of her machine there. There was no texting mentioned and one character handed out a pager number. It would have been less jarring had she set the date when she set the scene at the beginning of the book.
Nikki is an enjoyable character, not overly cocky, not bitchy and possessing a decent sense of humor. The other characters were reasonably realistic, particularly the dogs, and none of them felt like cardboard cut outs. The plot was pretty straight forward without a lot of unnecessary twists, though there was a big uh-huh coincidence at the end but it was at least decently plausible. The climax was tense and the red herrings well done.
My only critique is that the time frame was difficult to settle into, the book was printed in 2015 but the technology was more like 2001, except for the presence of the software company. Nikki used a Nokia cellphone (!) and had to call her office to get messages off of her machine there. There was no texting mentioned and one character handed out a pager number. It would have been less jarring had she set the date when she set the scene at the beginning of the book.
July 28, 2015
Great Thriller!
When I picked up this as a recommendation from Amazon I was expecting a nice little cozy mystery. Boy, was I surprised! This is an honest to goodness thriller!! It's well written with a great cast of characters, a thrilling whodunit that kept me guessing until the end. Can't wait to start the next book.
When I picked up this as a recommendation from Amazon I was expecting a nice little cozy mystery. Boy, was I surprised! This is an honest to goodness thriller!! It's well written with a great cast of characters, a thrilling whodunit that kept me guessing until the end. Can't wait to start the next book.
July 30, 2015
A good who done it
I enjoyed the story, the mystery was great and the female lead believable. There is a bit of romance but it's not the main part. There was almost too much detail given about her life and surroundings but it didn't put me off the book. Overall, a good book for a weekend read.
I enjoyed the story, the mystery was great and the female lead believable. There is a bit of romance but it's not the main part. There was almost too much detail given about her life and surroundings but it didn't put me off the book. Overall, a good book for a weekend read.
July 22, 2019
This book and it's main character, Nikki Hunter, reminded me of Kinsey Milhone and the Sue Grafton ABC mysteries she wrote, so much. I used to love those books, and if the second one is like the first, I'll enjoy this series also.
August 10, 2019
I was not able to read this story.
It started off okay and has a good summary to draw a person to this book.
It quickly went downhill when it took 6 full paragraphs to describe Nikki's office. I don't care if her office has a private bathroom, two wall to ceiling windows making up two of the four walls, nor do I care that it took four guys to move her desk into said office.
When it took three spread out paragraphs to describe one of the clients I knew I would not enjoy the story as the author cared more about fillers and word count than the actual story.
The first chapter was great. It had appropriate descriptions about the assignment she was on to let me know what the thought process was for her assessment of the employees and the quality of the food for her client without going overboard.
There are further multiple paragraphs for many of the people and places that show up in the story.
It started off okay and has a good summary to draw a person to this book.
It quickly went downhill when it took 6 full paragraphs to describe Nikki's office. I don't care if her office has a private bathroom, two wall to ceiling windows making up two of the four walls, nor do I care that it took four guys to move her desk into said office.
When it took three spread out paragraphs to describe one of the clients I knew I would not enjoy the story as the author cared more about fillers and word count than the actual story.
The first chapter was great. It had appropriate descriptions about the assignment she was on to let me know what the thought process was for her assessment of the employees and the quality of the food for her client without going overboard.
There are further multiple paragraphs for many of the people and places that show up in the story.
March 30, 2020
I loved this book! Normally I don't write a review for free e-books, but in this case I believe this book - and possibly series - deserve it.
I read a lot. I've read a lot of books lately where I've struggled through the characters and descriptive paragraphs. All of them have been good, but sometimes to stick with. "Murder on the Menu" was not at all like that. The pace is fast, the characters developed as it went along and, most importantly, it kept my mind engaged 100%. That's hard to do. One of the things I really liked is how the author set the scene.
At this time, when the world is moving so slowly, it was a perfect read. I actually have the entire series on my Kindle and plan to read all of them in order. For me, this book is a winner!
I read a lot. I've read a lot of books lately where I've struggled through the characters and descriptive paragraphs. All of them have been good, but sometimes to stick with. "Murder on the Menu" was not at all like that. The pace is fast, the characters developed as it went along and, most importantly, it kept my mind engaged 100%. That's hard to do. One of the things I really liked is how the author set the scene.
At this time, when the world is moving so slowly, it was a perfect read. I actually have the entire series on my Kindle and plan to read all of them in order. For me, this book is a winner!
August 23, 2019
A leggy PI who lives on a boat in a marina, self-employed, loves dogs, and eats whatever she wants when nervous? i love Nikki, and want to read more about her and her adventures. A great, page-turning adventure!
December 1, 2021
Bit of a slow start (a tad too much descriptions of everything for my liking) but once the murder mystery got going it kept me guessing. Satisfying ending and a good read. Will definitely read more in this series.
June 16, 2021
2.5
Terribly written, weirdly enjoyed it.
Terribly written, weirdly enjoyed it.
March 18, 2021
Loved it!
I really enjoyed this book. The amount of detail described by the PI made it all so easy to imagine. I didn't want to put it down. And of course.... I was not expecting that ending! Looking forward to reading more in this series.
I really enjoyed this book. The amount of detail described by the PI made it all so easy to imagine. I didn't want to put it down. And of course.... I was not expecting that ending! Looking forward to reading more in this series.
August 21, 2020
Entertaining & Easy to Read
I enjoyed reading my first Nikki Hunter Mystery. Enjoyed the story and characters and just downloaded another one.
Easy to read and get caught up , finishing chapters without realizing how long i had been reading.
Thank you for the stories !
I enjoyed reading my first Nikki Hunter Mystery. Enjoyed the story and characters and just downloaded another one.
Easy to read and get caught up , finishing chapters without realizing how long i had been reading.
Thank you for the stories !
February 8, 2020
Overall, this was just okay. The first half of the book was slow, but I thought the pace quickened after that point, and I got through the second half pretty quickly. I liked the mystery, and I also liked the marina aspect and that Nikki lived on a boat.
I had a few issues that made the reading experience less enjoyable in places. First, when I read about Nikki finding a VHS tape in Laura's bedroom that was recently made, I had to stop and look at the year the book was published. I was surprised to see it was 2015. I assumed the book was written much earlier and that detail hadn't been changed, but there were later references to DVDs, so I felt it was an oversight. As another reviewer mentioned, I expected more up-to-date technology, such as texting or even call forwarding from Nikki's office to her cell phone. Maybe the author was making a point by including the particular technology she did, but, if so, I missed it.
Second, the descriptions were quite detailed. The description of Nikki's engagement in mystery shopping at restaurants and bars appeared twice in the book, both at the beginning and about 75%ish of the way through. Also, some of the character descriptions were troublesome, as others have mentioned.
Third, there were some inconsistencies in the writing. For example, on one page, Nikki talks about how uncomfortable it is for her to leave her gun in her car because she's entering a club and can't take it with her, but when she's in the club on the next page, she talks about how comforting it is to feel the gun in the holster at the small of her back. So which is it?
I wouldn't be opposed to reading another book in this series, but I'm not particularly excited or eager to do so.
I had a few issues that made the reading experience less enjoyable in places. First, when I read about Nikki finding a VHS tape in Laura's bedroom that was recently made, I had to stop and look at the year the book was published. I was surprised to see it was 2015. I assumed the book was written much earlier and that detail hadn't been changed, but there were later references to DVDs, so I felt it was an oversight. As another reviewer mentioned, I expected more up-to-date technology, such as texting or even call forwarding from Nikki's office to her cell phone. Maybe the author was making a point by including the particular technology she did, but, if so, I missed it.
Second, the descriptions were quite detailed. The description of Nikki's engagement in mystery shopping at restaurants and bars appeared twice in the book, both at the beginning and about 75%ish of the way through. Also, some of the character descriptions were troublesome, as others have mentioned.
Third, there were some inconsistencies in the writing. For example, on one page, Nikki talks about how uncomfortable it is for her to leave her gun in her car because she's entering a club and can't take it with her, but when she's in the club on the next page, she talks about how comforting it is to feel the gun in the holster at the small of her back. So which is it?
I wouldn't be opposed to reading another book in this series, but I'm not particularly excited or eager to do so.
October 25, 2018
Murder on the Menu, Nikki Hunter Mysteries, #1
by Nancy Skopin
This was a very enjoyable read. Sopkin delivered a well plotted and paced mystery, full of red herrings, fully drawn characters, lots of action, excellent proofing (well, I did find one error) and editing. The dialogue was crisp, the descriptions were evocative, and the ending was the ending (for that adventure), and while the door was left open for more adventures, there was no cliffhanger. Kudos!
Nikki Hunter is a P.I. Most of the work she does is pretty mundane. Then she gets a call from a woman who wants her to investigate the murder of her daughter. Her investigation leads in several directions, and all of them seem to end in extreme danger. As the bodies pile up and the action ramps up, the reader is treated to a thrilling conclusion that ties up loose ends well. If you like your mystery like your whiskey (straight up), you'll enjoy this book. I have the second in the series on my Kindle, so I guess I'll move on to it.
by Nancy Skopin
This was a very enjoyable read. Sopkin delivered a well plotted and paced mystery, full of red herrings, fully drawn characters, lots of action, excellent proofing (well, I did find one error) and editing. The dialogue was crisp, the descriptions were evocative, and the ending was the ending (for that adventure), and while the door was left open for more adventures, there was no cliffhanger. Kudos!
Nikki Hunter is a P.I. Most of the work she does is pretty mundane. Then she gets a call from a woman who wants her to investigate the murder of her daughter. Her investigation leads in several directions, and all of them seem to end in extreme danger. As the bodies pile up and the action ramps up, the reader is treated to a thrilling conclusion that ties up loose ends well. If you like your mystery like your whiskey (straight up), you'll enjoy this book. I have the second in the series on my Kindle, so I guess I'll move on to it.
October 15, 2018
Justice for Innocence Lost
Easy flowing style, gradual characters description and smooth suspense makes for a good weekend reading. The victim of emotional neglect and physical abuse gets justice thanks to a diligent campaign of discoveries by PI Nicoli/Nikki. The protagonist is a likeable character, who slowly but surely collects and organizes her clues that leads to the murderer's mistake and ultimately his apprehension. Nice cast. Waiting for Nancy Skopin's next novel.
Sent from
Easy flowing style, gradual characters description and smooth suspense makes for a good weekend reading. The victim of emotional neglect and physical abuse gets justice thanks to a diligent campaign of discoveries by PI Nicoli/Nikki. The protagonist is a likeable character, who slowly but surely collects and organizes her clues that leads to the murderer's mistake and ultimately his apprehension. Nice cast. Waiting for Nancy Skopin's next novel.
Sent from
March 5, 2021
Good dog!
I love Nikki and Elizabeth and especially Detective Anderson and d’artagnon. Well told story and no way to figure who the killer was. I hope to read more adventures of Nikki Hunter PI
I love Nikki and Elizabeth and especially Detective Anderson and d’artagnon. Well told story and no way to figure who the killer was. I hope to read more adventures of Nikki Hunter PI
October 13, 2018
Omg no. Bland writing, full of 'telling' rather than 'showing'. It reads like a child's diary. Total horror show - I'm glad I didn't spend money on it. DNF at FOUR PERCENT.
September 19, 2019
Nikki Hunter is a P.I. with most of her cases being cheating husbands and bad employees. But this time she has something different: a murder case.
Nikki is very thorough and has keen observational skills. She finds no reason why a rich college student could’ve been murdered. After all, the kid read romance novels, slept with Shrek dolls, and watched Disney movies. On the other hand, she also got automatic deposits from a nudie bar. So the girl was a part-time stripper, too.
It takes a thief to catch a thief. Thanks to Nikki’s past life of transgressions and misdemeanors, she’s able to use her thievery skills to hunt the bad guys and bring justice to order. Her compulsion to fix the world makes her good at what she does. I thought she was a pretty cool chick.
I thought this started off pretty enjoyable because you just fall into this mysterious case, but, most of the time, Nikki got WAY TOO descriptive, especially about her dumb boats. And because of this, it was much too slow for me. Must she describe every little thing? At 25% of the book, this started to REALLY bug me how she would describe EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. I think she even describes the same people. If I have to hear one more time about how so-and-so had strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes, and a vanilla complexion, I’m going to scream.
The mystery could’ve been good if it hadn’t choked me with all the describing. If this is the rest of the series will be, I think this will be the only book I read then.
Nikki is very thorough and has keen observational skills. She finds no reason why a rich college student could’ve been murdered. After all, the kid read romance novels, slept with Shrek dolls, and watched Disney movies. On the other hand, she also got automatic deposits from a nudie bar. So the girl was a part-time stripper, too.
It takes a thief to catch a thief. Thanks to Nikki’s past life of transgressions and misdemeanors, she’s able to use her thievery skills to hunt the bad guys and bring justice to order. Her compulsion to fix the world makes her good at what she does. I thought she was a pretty cool chick.
I thought this started off pretty enjoyable because you just fall into this mysterious case, but, most of the time, Nikki got WAY TOO descriptive, especially about her dumb boats. And because of this, it was much too slow for me. Must she describe every little thing? At 25% of the book, this started to REALLY bug me how she would describe EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. I think she even describes the same people. If I have to hear one more time about how so-and-so had strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes, and a vanilla complexion, I’m going to scream.
The mystery could’ve been good if it hadn’t choked me with all the describing. If this is the rest of the series will be, I think this will be the only book I read then.
November 20, 2025
“Murder on the Menu” introduces P.I. Nicoli 'Nikki' Hunter who has just been hired to investigate her first murder.
She's chuffed about it, mostly because her work (mostly involving evaluating customer service and theft from restaurants and bars) is getting boring.
A pampered child grew up to be an out of control young woman with a burning desire to humiliate her family in any way she would think of.
Laura Hammond was found suffocated and stabbed, but who hated her enough to kill her?
Nikki, who seems to have allergies all over the place, does a stand-up job investigating, though those she interviews have a tendency to get killed shortly afterwards.
The case eventually solves itself, mostly because she just won't stop!
As the first in the series it is ok, but just ok – Nikki needs to be more rounded as a person because she's not quite believable as she stands (or maybe, because it is set in California, she is as 'normal' as she can be under the circumstances.)
That said, there is a lot of scope for further adventures – The disappearance of her Cossack father being a good example.
3 Stars.
She's chuffed about it, mostly because her work (mostly involving evaluating customer service and theft from restaurants and bars) is getting boring.
A pampered child grew up to be an out of control young woman with a burning desire to humiliate her family in any way she would think of.
Laura Hammond was found suffocated and stabbed, but who hated her enough to kill her?
Nikki, who seems to have allergies all over the place, does a stand-up job investigating, though those she interviews have a tendency to get killed shortly afterwards.
The case eventually solves itself, mostly because she just won't stop!
As the first in the series it is ok, but just ok – Nikki needs to be more rounded as a person because she's not quite believable as she stands (or maybe, because it is set in California, she is as 'normal' as she can be under the circumstances.)
That said, there is a lot of scope for further adventures – The disappearance of her Cossack father being a good example.
3 Stars.
October 3, 2018
MURDER ON THE MENU by Nancy Skopin is a cozy that has it all: Beginning with a 35 year old female private eye named Nikki who lives aboard a sailboat in the SF bay area and relies on the money she makes as a “secret guest” in restaurants to pay the bills while she waits for her “next big case”, then add three unsolved murders with similar mo’s but dissimilar victims, and finally stir in a sociopathic serial killer whose victim list knows no bounds.
Asked by the mother of one of the victims to investigate the death of her daughter Laura, Nikki discovers the victim was not only about to inherit a few million dollars, she also worked as a stripper. Say what?
With the help of her best friend Elizabeth, Nikki embarks on her investigation never suspecting that the closer she gets to unraveling the identity of the killer the closer to the number one spot on the killers victim list she moves.
MURDER ON THE MENU is a tasty addition to the TBR stack of any reader who enjoys a quick read by a writer with clever storytelling skills.
Asked by the mother of one of the victims to investigate the death of her daughter Laura, Nikki discovers the victim was not only about to inherit a few million dollars, she also worked as a stripper. Say what?
With the help of her best friend Elizabeth, Nikki embarks on her investigation never suspecting that the closer she gets to unraveling the identity of the killer the closer to the number one spot on the killers victim list she moves.
MURDER ON THE MENU is a tasty addition to the TBR stack of any reader who enjoys a quick read by a writer with clever storytelling skills.
October 9, 2021
This is less a cozy mystery and more of a crime fiction murder mystery (not my typical genre). The excessive details often bog down the storyline; however, this was probably due to characterization rather than lack of skill by the author. I question the intellect of the main character who generally seems very competent and savvy but deliberately walks into danger rather than call 911. (Even her brilliant, high IQ best friend tells her to call the police.) I expect that kind of ludicrous behavior in a cozy mystery when the main character is an amateur sleuth, but it seems out of character for a trained PI.
NOTE: I took one star away because of the main character's tendency to use offensive language.
NOTE: I took one star away because of the main character's tendency to use offensive language.
February 12, 2020
No Two Ways About It
An above the grade in writing Ms.Skopin gives new meaning to P.I as in private investor ,ass in Nikki Hunter the vibrant and vivacious P.I .Nikki is a woman that takes her trade seriously , enjoys her job most of the time and lives her life on Nikki Hunter's turms with a few close caracters she calls friends with a few dogs and cats that own their humans who most all live on the water. I know you're enthralled by strong caring woman sleuthing roles,so now i'ts your turn to aquier a copy and start enjoying " Murder On The Menu " as much as I have. 🙂😮🤔🙄😮🙄😏Kat
An above the grade in writing Ms.Skopin gives new meaning to P.I as in private investor ,ass in Nikki Hunter the vibrant and vivacious P.I .Nikki is a woman that takes her trade seriously , enjoys her job most of the time and lives her life on Nikki Hunter's turms with a few close caracters she calls friends with a few dogs and cats that own their humans who most all live on the water. I know you're enthralled by strong caring woman sleuthing roles,so now i'ts your turn to aquier a copy and start enjoying " Murder On The Menu " as much as I have. 🙂😮🤔🙄😮🙄😏Kat
February 13, 2021
Bar and restaurant surveillance investigator Nicoli Hunter veers from her usual cases to sharpen her skills in a murder case where the victim’s mother wants more timely information and satisfying answers than she’s getting from the local police where Nikki makes a new friend in Detective Bill Anderson who shares clues with her.
With such an accurate synopsis, it’s fair to dissect the tale’s pieces. But separately and collectively, they were fine, not good and not bad, just fine. Nikki’s snarky, strong, fun and quite capable of doing it on her own. Well and good, I’ll just have to be in the mood to continue this series and hopefully, it’ll be more than fine.
Rating: 3stars
With such an accurate synopsis, it’s fair to dissect the tale’s pieces. But separately and collectively, they were fine, not good and not bad, just fine. Nikki’s snarky, strong, fun and quite capable of doing it on her own. Well and good, I’ll just have to be in the mood to continue this series and hopefully, it’ll be more than fine.
Rating: 3stars
January 16, 2022
free ebook
first in the nikki series, i would have loved to read them in order, but im thankful for the free ones i got
she is the pi that does bar and restaurant surveillance. but this time she is investigating a murder of a rich girl who worked in a strip bar. the girls mother hired her. there were other murders a few weeks later but they dont know if they were connected
she met the cop in charge of the investigation (he later is her boyfriend in the other books in the series and im glad to see how they met)
she lives on a boat and its up in the bay area.
turns out it was the girls dad who killed them all
really good book, would love to read the rest!
first in the nikki series, i would have loved to read them in order, but im thankful for the free ones i got
she is the pi that does bar and restaurant surveillance. but this time she is investigating a murder of a rich girl who worked in a strip bar. the girls mother hired her. there were other murders a few weeks later but they dont know if they were connected
she met the cop in charge of the investigation (he later is her boyfriend in the other books in the series and im glad to see how they met)
she lives on a boat and its up in the bay area.
turns out it was the girls dad who killed them all
really good book, would love to read the rest!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2023
Private Investigator Nicoli “Nikki” Hunter has been hired by Kate Howard to investigate the case of her daughter Laura Howard who was found stabbed. Laura’s body was found in a dumpster parking lot on Bay Road in Redwood City. While Nikki and Homicide Detective Bill Anderson of the Redwood City Police Department investigate Laura’s case they find that there were two other people who were murdered before Laura. There are similarities to the previous two murders to Laura’s case. As Nikki investigates further into Laura’s death she finds that her life is in danger. I really enjoyed this remarkable cozy mystery novel.
May 23, 2025
I really enjoyed Murder on the Menu! It was a fun and cozy read with just the right mix of mystery and charm. The small-town vibe and food references made it extra enjoyable, and the main character was super relatable. I loved the way every little detail is described for every person she met, every place she go to, and/or anything she observes as per her or the detectives perspective. The mystery kept me hooked, though I did guess a couple of things before the big reveal. Still, it was well-written and kept me turning the pages. Definitely a solid 4-star read for me—perfect for when you want something light but engaging.
December 4, 2018
Excellent mystery. PI Nikki Hunter is hired by the mother of a murdered girl to find the killer. That sets Nikki on a dangerous journey. Some people she questions are very helpful; some, not so much. Suspects are plentiful. Good twists and enough red herrings to throw the reader off track. Nasty surprises and a pleasant one--Homicide Detective Bill Anderson. A hint of something between him and Nikki. I hope it develops into something special. Loved her sidekick Elizabeth. That girl is willing to do anything to help Nikki. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
August 4, 2020
This was a fun beginning to a new series/author for me to read. It was short and easy to follow; good thing since Hurricane Isaias was barreling through today. Nikki Hunter is a PI who normally does restaurant crime, who knew, but accepts to investigate a murder of a young woman. It's fairly easy to figure out who the murderer is but all in all, this was a good story. I love Nikki's background: the only daughter of a former nun and a former Cossack! How original! LOL!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
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