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Bison Creek #1
Powdered Murder
When Essie Stratter last saw her childhood crush, she was thirty pounds heavier and addicted to cookie dough ice cream. But Patrick isn't back in town to mess with her head. He's in town with his celebrity tart of a fiancée for a secret wedding at the Pinecliffe Mountain Resort – the very establishment where Essie works. Essie is roped into becoming a stand-in bridesmaid by her sister Joy, the resort's Assistant Event Coordinator.
But Essie has more than just her resurfacing feelings for the groom to worry about when she finds one of the bridesmaids dead at the hotel spa.
Essie searches for the killer, and with a list of suspects ranging from an undercover reporter to the Mayor's gossipy wife, it isn't an easy feat. Especially with a nosy landlady, and a meddling ex in-law with a fondness for nudism. But after she becomes the killer's next target, Essie realizes all her evidence points to the most unlikely person. Will she get it right before the big ceremony, or will the fresh mountain powder become her permanent resting place?
**Recipes Included**
But Essie has more than just her resurfacing feelings for the groom to worry about when she finds one of the bridesmaids dead at the hotel spa.
Essie searches for the killer, and with a list of suspects ranging from an undercover reporter to the Mayor's gossipy wife, it isn't an easy feat. Especially with a nosy landlady, and a meddling ex in-law with a fondness for nudism. But after she becomes the killer's next target, Essie realizes all her evidence points to the most unlikely person. Will she get it right before the big ceremony, or will the fresh mountain powder become her permanent resting place?
**Recipes Included**
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2015
519 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
November 19, 2018
4 books in this series, new to A. Gardner. in Kindle Unlimited, if you have the service. a great book, love that cover. makes me ready for a tasty treat. mysteries are my fave. small town read. well written, great characters. will read more from A. Gardner soon enough.
January 21, 2021
DNF I really wanted to enjoy this book but there was nothing that made me want to read the whole thing. I got tired of hearing about the protagonists weight and although I was curious about one of the secondary characters it was not enough to make me want to read past the first half of the story.
January 1, 2019
Interesting cozy mystery setting. Essie’s old crush shows up at her work to marry a celebrity. She’s smart enough to figure out who the culprit is but puts too much emphasis on how she looks to others.
November 30, 2018
Funny and entertaining mystery / romance. Recommended.
March 17, 2016
Very enjoyable! There was a good mix of mystery, humor, and a dash of romance. I liked Essie's sleuthing, and I'll admit that I was surprised by the villain! I thought it was a good twist!
I really liked the characters. They were hilarious, and I wanted to learn more about some of the back stories. Essie was endearing, and I liked how she handled herself around her former crush, Patrick. Essie's sister, Joy, was an interesting character, and I really liked her scenes with ex-husband, Wade. It added a fun dimension and some additional entertainment. I liked Patrick, but I guess I wanted to understand a bit more about why he was making certain decisions. That being said, I certainly hope he plays a significant role in future stories!
I really liked the characters. They were hilarious, and I wanted to learn more about some of the back stories. Essie was endearing, and I liked how she handled herself around her former crush, Patrick. Essie's sister, Joy, was an interesting character, and I really liked her scenes with ex-husband, Wade. It added a fun dimension and some additional entertainment. I liked Patrick, but I guess I wanted to understand a bit more about why he was making certain decisions. That being said, I certainly hope he plays a significant role in future stories!
June 24, 2018
This is the 1st book I have read by this author and it was really good! It has everything I like in a cozy mystery- likable interesting characters, an intriguing mystery (without violence or graphic descriptions), friendship, family & romance! Essie is a fitness trainer at Bison Creek Resort. Her sister Joy is the Asst Event Coordinator and plans the weddings at the resort. A famous couple are planning a secret wedding there and the groom is Essie ' s school friend and heart throb, Patrick. This is a fast paced, hard to put down book! You think you know who the culprit is, and there is a twist in the story. It keeps you guessing!
June 22, 2017
Excellent read, perfect for vacation or a break from reality
Can't wait to read more in this series. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it was written, because so many cozy mysteries I've read in the last few years were enjoyable, but full of grammatical errors and sloppy writing. Thanks to Kindle Unlimited for the opportunity to read this first in the series. The characters were well developed and yet I'm eager to learn more about them. Essie was so easy to identify with. I'm definitely going to read more by this author!
Can't wait to read more in this series. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it was written, because so many cozy mysteries I've read in the last few years were enjoyable, but full of grammatical errors and sloppy writing. Thanks to Kindle Unlimited for the opportunity to read this first in the series. The characters were well developed and yet I'm eager to learn more about them. Essie was so easy to identify with. I'm definitely going to read more by this author!
August 3, 2018
This is the first in the series. The main character is Essie, who along with her sister Joy, work in a resort in bison Creek. They are helping with the wedding of a home town boy who was marrying a star Lila. when one of the bridesmaid is found dead they want Essie to jump in and Essie wants to figure out who did before the tabloids find out.
She has a heck of a time figuring it out and it's not who you think is is. It kept me turning pages until the end. Look forward to reading about more of her adventures.
She has a heck of a time figuring it out and it's not who you think is is. It kept me turning pages until the end. Look forward to reading about more of her adventures.
June 1, 2016
A good mystery about an amateur detective in a small town. She gets drawn into her high school crush's wedding when one of the bride's maids leaves. With a sheriff's department that could be from Mayberry, Essie investigates for herself when another member of the wedding party turns up dead. Full of twists and turns with just a touch of romance, its a good fast paced mystery full of enjoyable characters.
March 12, 2016
This was a pretty good book. I liked the main character and could relate to her very well. Thus said it does not have a lot of action or intrigue. So only 3 1/2 to 4 stars. I liked it well enough to start reading the 2nd book.
July 29, 2018
Good book
This was a good read. I liked the characters and the storyline. I was convinced I knew who the killer was up till the very end but I was wrong lol. I like a book that keeps me guessing.
This was a good read. I liked the characters and the storyline. I was convinced I knew who the killer was up till the very end but I was wrong lol. I like a book that keeps me guessing.
June 12, 2016
Good
the story is one that shows how the famous people in Hollywood can be so mentally ill.the murder and other incidents.
the story is one that shows how the famous people in Hollywood can be so mentally ill.the murder and other incidents.
November 16, 2020
MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
I love a good cozy mystery and the mystery at the heart of this was actually entertaining. However, I could NOT get past the extreme obsession with the protagonist’s weight. Nearly every other paragraph focused on how she lost weight (only 30lbs) and how LIFE CHANGING it was and how she stops herself from overeating…gurl you were not on My 600lb Life. Her low self-esteem and self-loathing oozed off the pages and became downright irritating. The way she talked about herself both past and present was disgusting. I wanted to smack her for carrying a torch and entertaining a man who clearly has no qualms doing things outside of being engaged. Her sister is no better FYI. There was a clear lack of character building for anyone beyond the protagonist and I wish the author had devoted more time to the residents of this village.
I nearly put the book down because of this but the central mystery was intriguing enough that I continued. It’s a typical cozy so I knew who it did halfway through, but it was still interesting (the only reason it got a 2 instead of 1 rating). I won’t add any details because the synopsis does that just fine. Unfortunately, I will not read the rest of the series because of the protagonist.
I love a good cozy mystery and the mystery at the heart of this was actually entertaining. However, I could NOT get past the extreme obsession with the protagonist’s weight. Nearly every other paragraph focused on how she lost weight (only 30lbs) and how LIFE CHANGING it was and how she stops herself from overeating…gurl you were not on My 600lb Life. Her low self-esteem and self-loathing oozed off the pages and became downright irritating. The way she talked about herself both past and present was disgusting. I wanted to smack her for carrying a torch and entertaining a man who clearly has no qualms doing things outside of being engaged. Her sister is no better FYI. There was a clear lack of character building for anyone beyond the protagonist and I wish the author had devoted more time to the residents of this village.
I nearly put the book down because of this but the central mystery was intriguing enough that I continued. It’s a typical cozy so I knew who it did halfway through, but it was still interesting (the only reason it got a 2 instead of 1 rating). I won’t add any details because the synopsis does that just fine. Unfortunately, I will not read the rest of the series because of the protagonist.
May 3, 2021
This one is a good foundation for a series. The main character is Essie, a 30-something gym trainer at a resort in Bison Creek, a sleepy little town that has been under the raider but is about to emerge. Essie is kind of thrown for a loop by the return of Patrick, her main crush growing up. Not only that, he comes with his fiance, movie star Lila and her entire entourage. They are planning a not-so-secret wedding at the resort, and Essie gets herself roped into the preparations. Then a murder happens and Essie becomes obsessed with solving it. Essie spends a lot of her time walking up and down the back halls of the resort, usually while she is thinking. I had figured it all out well before the big reveal, but I found it easy reading and sufficiently intriguing to merit 4 stars.
December 30, 2018
Really good book with unexpected twist and turns and a good plot. Essie worked really hard to too loose the weight she carried in high school. Essie now works as a trainer at the resort hotel gym. The town finds out that Patrick the golden boy snowboarder is coming home to get married to a cosmic queen. Essie is asked to step in as a replacement bridesmaid, she the only one who is the correct height and fits into the dress then they find one of the bridesmaids dead in the pool. The sheriff thinks it’s an accidental drowning but Essie doesn’t. She feels she needs to solve this murder since the sheriff doesn’t. Sheriff offers Essie a job as a policewoman.
June 22, 2022
Enjoyed reading this book. Guessed who did it at the beginning of the book but continued to the end to see why she did it. Essie is a very good sleuth and I liked the way she went about getting to the results. When she has only a short time to find the killer a lot happens during that time. Even her life is put in danger but she keeps going. Her sister Joy is also a character that I enjoyed following. Not easy being in charge of a huge function and she pulled it off. Also liked the recipes at the end of the story.
January 24, 2019
Childhood crush for now thirty one Essie seeing Patrick again. He and fiancé were to have a secret celebrity wedding in using Creek. A bridesmaid is needed to make it an even number for the pictures, and Essie is to be the It. She has never been one before, having no idea of what she would have to do. Didn’t think it would include finding a dead bridesmaid and now finding the killer. Cute cozy mystery.
August 17, 2019
An okay mystery.
I liked Essie. The overall plot was good. I did not like how incompetent the police were. A small town which relied on tourism to survive still has crime. A lot of it being pickpockets and the like. The town could not afford to have tourist complain about an inept police force. Essie is intelligent. I like her profession as a fitness and health instructor.
I liked Essie. The overall plot was good. I did not like how incompetent the police were. A small town which relied on tourism to survive still has crime. A lot of it being pickpockets and the like. The town could not afford to have tourist complain about an inept police force. Essie is intelligent. I like her profession as a fitness and health instructor.
March 23, 2019
When the rich and famous decide to get married.
Essie is trying to solve the murder of a resort guest so her sister won't lose her job. With a promotion and a high profile wedding on the line Essie has her work cut out for herself. I personally would have killed off the groom for his wishy washy attitude towards the wedding and his old friend Essie, and she wasn't much better.
Essie is trying to solve the murder of a resort guest so her sister won't lose her job. With a promotion and a high profile wedding on the line Essie has her work cut out for herself. I personally would have killed off the groom for his wishy washy attitude towards the wedding and his old friend Essie, and she wasn't much better.
March 30, 2019
Cute cozy!
Essie is the head trainer at Bison Creek Resort and her sister is trying to be promoted to Head Event Coordinator. Essie's childhood crush returns to privately marry a famous model at the resort. A bridesmaid is found dead in the spa and Joy bags her sister to find out what happened. Lots of twists and turns in this cute cozy.
Essie is the head trainer at Bison Creek Resort and her sister is trying to be promoted to Head Event Coordinator. Essie's childhood crush returns to privately marry a famous model at the resort. A bridesmaid is found dead in the spa and Joy bags her sister to find out what happened. Lots of twists and turns in this cute cozy.
April 3, 2020
Essie Stratter works at the Pinecliff Mountain Resort in the gym as a trainer and her sister Joy is the resort's Assistant Event Coordinator. Essie was 30 pounds heavier when she last saw Patrick in middle school and now he came back to town for his secret wedding at the resort. One of the bridesmaids is murdered and it wasn't easy for me to figure out who the murderer was and what a surprise.
April 25, 2021
Bridezilla
It was hard to get interested in the book at first. Sad to say I was actually bored. I even thought about closing it & moving on as I was in chapter 2 but I am glad I decided to read on. The plot was twisted in so many angles. Essie and her sister Joy have a strong relationship. Now I know the characters I definitely will be reading book 2!
It was hard to get interested in the book at first. Sad to say I was actually bored. I even thought about closing it & moving on as I was in chapter 2 but I am glad I decided to read on. The plot was twisted in so many angles. Essie and her sister Joy have a strong relationship. Now I know the characters I definitely will be reading book 2!
September 9, 2018
I wasn’t too sure about this series. It was a bit choppy. I found the premise of old heart throb marrying the star even though he wasn’t sure it would work. But he had given his word. Then his relationship with main character is too fast.
May 21, 2019
I enjoyed this story. It has great characters that I loved. I enjoyed the plot. The way the wedding was totally ruined was very interesting. I think the author did a great job of keeping me interested in this easy to read mystery. I liked how the story ended too.
January 10, 2021
Don’t jump to conclusions
Here I am three quarters of the way through saying I know who did it and so did the author. Ooooops .... The story has great I treasure and moves quickly. It if funny and sometimes has you on edge. Highly recommended.
Here I am three quarters of the way through saying I know who did it and so did the author. Ooooops .... The story has great I treasure and moves quickly. It if funny and sometimes has you on edge. Highly recommended.
June 28, 2018
Goid mystery.
Good characters In this book. They seem like they are so real. This is a story which has deep friendship, love and mystery. A good combination.
Good characters In this book. They seem like they are so real. This is a story which has deep friendship, love and mystery. A good combination.
July 8, 2018
Fun to
A great story that is filled with romance, humor, and suspense. This book is well worth taking the time to read.
A great story that is filled with romance, humor, and suspense. This book is well worth taking the time to read.
March 26, 2019
Doggone good read!!
A definite whodunit that readers shouldn't miss! Great stable of characters that the author has fleshed out perfectly. Thank you, A. Gardner!!!
A definite whodunit that readers shouldn't miss! Great stable of characters that the author has fleshed out perfectly. Thank you, A. Gardner!!!
March 27, 2019
Really interesting first book in the series, enjoyed the main characters. Will definitely be reading
the second book soon...
the second book soon...
March 28, 2019
I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series. Enjoyed the story line but it did get a bit tedious at times. It's a definite read for anyone.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews