Checked Out

Aimee Machado #2

by Sharon St. George

When rodeo cowboy Cody O’Brien is found dead in his horse trailer, it appears that his horse, Game Boy, is the culprit. Aimee Machado, health sciences librarian at Timbergate Medical Center, has no reason to doubt the preliminary finding—at first. Cody had been in the hospital awaiting an operation the night he died, but he checked himself out. Had he reason to believe his surgeon, Dr. Phyllis Poole, was incompetent? Or is his death related to his complex relationship with his family? It turns out his father is dying, and four people other than Cody stood to inherit: his young trophy wife Echo, his son James, his daughter Keely, and her fiancé Tucker. How does Dr. Poole fit into all this? Her surgical outcomes have not been the best. Not to mention that Laurie Popejoy, TMC nurse and Poole's rival in the hospital’s blues combo, disappeared the night of Cody’s death.
Aimee is highly motivated to investigate. She once had a crush on Cody’s brother James, who has now set his sights on her. The missing nurse, Laurie, left Aimee a desperate phone message the night she disappeared. Moreover, Aimee’s friend and co-worker Cleo has elicited her help to discredit Dr. Poole.
Aimee is already confused romantically. Although it pains her, she is trying to keep Nick, the pilot she loves but does not trust, at arm's length. But his help proves too invaluable to refuse. Can Aimee ferret out the truth without losing her job and her life?
Checked Out is the second book in the Aimee Machado Mystery series, which began with Due for Discard.

Genres: Mystery

328 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2015

About the author

Sharon St. George treks with llamas to the high mountain lakes near her home—always with a mystery novel in her backpack.

She is the author of the Aimee Machado Mystery series published by Camel Press of Seattle, WA. The fourth book in the series, Spine Damage, was released May 2017. Book five, Primary Source, will be released in February 2019. Sharon holds dual degrees in English and Theatre Arts, and occasionally acts in, or directs, one of her local community theatre productions.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and serves as program director for Writers Forum, a nonprofit organization for writers in northern California.

Reviews

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: An Aimee Machado Mystery

[Vicki Gooding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story line. Made one think. I want to hear that band

[Colleen A. Parkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Checked Out," the second book in the Aimee Machado Mystery series is a very good read with lots of twists, turns, surprises and humor. It is the kind of novel that keeps the reader turning the pages. The only problem I had with the writing was that the author introduced too many characters in the first two chapters. I have difficulty keeping track of so many at once, so prefer it when characters are introduced gradually within the story. However, that issue is mine only, and most readers will probably not have a problem with it. All-in-all, a good story with a likable protagonist and an interesting mix of suspects. I recommend "CHECKED OUT" and the additional Aimee Machado mysteries to fans of the genre.

[George Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Checked Out is the second book in Sharon St. George’s Aimee Machado Mystery series. The first volume, Due for Discard, was a delight, and I hoped for more of the same from Sharon’s sophomore effort.

Sharon delivered.

Set in the fictitious northern California town of Timbergate, Aimee Machado has returned home with an East Coast degree in Library and Information Science and a new job as Health Sciences Librarian at Timbergate Medical Center. You would think that a hospital librarian would have a pretty dull and sedentary job, but Aimee manages to find mysteries involving events at and around the hospital. It helps that she has been charged with establishing a forensics collection in the library. Aimee finds ways to put her research skills to the test.

Checked Out opens with a dead cowboy, Cody O’Brian. So begins a chain of events that leads Amy through the hospital’s basement and halls, the Northern California Backcountry, and an Idaho honkey-tonk. Each lead Aimee follows uncovers more mystery, and the twists, turns, and unexpected connections deliver a well woven tale.

As in Due for Discard, Aimee still lives in an apartment on her grandparent’s llama ranch. Part of the fun in Aimee’s adventures is keeping her grandparents in the dark (for their own piece of mind…and safety!) as she goes about her sleuthing ways with her younger brother Harry and former-maybe-once-again flame Nick. Nick is an executive pilot for a Timbergate celebrity. Nick has to be available to transport the celebrity, but doesn’t actually get enough flight time with his official duties to keep his pilot’s license ratings current. Nick’s need for flight time gives Aimee the occasional use of a private jet to travel wide and far to piece together her mysteries. Oh, yes…an Aimee Machado mystery can move fast and cover a lot of ground. Also in the mix is Rella, Nick’s hot blond German co-pilot that is more or less responsible for Aimee and Nick’s breakup. Maybe.

I especially enjoyed the outdoors scenes in Checked Out. Having spent quite a bit of time in the mountainous Backcountry of California myself, Sharon’s descriptions of scenery and wildlife encounters are spot on and left me homesick for the mountains. Well done, Sharon.

Sharon also explores the complexities of mixed-family dynamics, with divorces and remarriages, siblings, and half-siblings, and step-siblings. Part of the mystery is figuring out some people who don’t have a family tree so much as a family manzanita thicket. Ahh…the fun!

Checked Out is a could-not-put-it-down story. The appearance of new evidence and surprising revelations kept me wondering what was going to happen next. It was a book I kept with me at all times, and every time I could snatch a few minutes out of my day I would read a few more pages.

The reading time flew by, and before I knew it, I was looking forward to book #3 in the series…Breach of Ethics.

[Amy Bartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Cody O'Brien is found dead, after he signs himself out of the hospital against advice, his horse Gameboy is believed to be at fault. His nurse Laurie Popejoy goes missing and leaves ominous messages for Aimee. Aimees friend Cleo, brings her boyfriends surgery and dr into the mix. Cleo fears for her boyfriends safety, thinking that Cody O'Brien must've left the hospital due to something amiss with Dr. Poole. As Aimee looks into the case, she starts to believe that there is a lot more to this story than just a fear of surgery. Could Dr. Poole be a killer? Did someone kill Cody to get to his inheritance? Cody's brother James returns to town, Aimees old crush, and asks for her help locating Codys killer before his father dies, and his much younger wife gets all the money. As the case gets more and more involved Aimees on and off boyfriend Nick offers his assistance. His assistance proves to be invaluable.
With many twists and turns you will not want to out this book down. I needed to know what was happening next and if Aimee would solve this mystery. If you enjoy a good mystery, I recommend this one.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book in exchange for an honest review.

Here it is.

I thought this book started off very very slow but once it got going it was good. I liked the characters.

[Carolyn Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A "mighty girl" gets stronger in her second case. See my review at New York Journal of Books: http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-...