So About the Money

Holly Price Mystery #1

by Cathy Perkins

When Holly Price trips over a friend’s dead body while hiking, her life takes a nosedive into a world of intrigue and danger. The verdict is murder—and Holly is the prime suspect. Of course, it doesn't help matters that the infinitely sexy—and very pissed off—cop threatening to arrest her is JC Dimitrak, her jilted ex-fiancé.

To protect her future, her business...and her heart...the intrepid forensic accountant must use all her considerable investigative skills to follow the money through an intricate web of shadow companies, while staying one step ahead of her ex-fiancé. She better solve the case before the real killer decides CPA stands for Certified Pain in the Ass...and the next dead body found beside the river is Holly’s.

Genres: Mystery

373 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2015

About the author

An award-winning author, Cathy Perkins works in the financial industry, where she's observed the hide-in-plain-sight skills employed by her villains. She writes financial-based mysteries but enjoys exploring the relationships in her characters' lives.

A member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers, she is a contributing editor for The Big Thrill, handled the blog and social media for the ITW Debut Authors, and coordinated the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.

When not writing, she can be found doing battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel adventure. Born and raised in South Carolina, the setting for CYPHER, HONOR CODE and THE PROFESSOR, she now lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd.

Reviews

[Lisa Malmquist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious!
Holly Price is an accountant who comes back to her home town to help her mother save the family accounting firm after her father has decided his yoga instructor is more interesting, and takes off.
Holly is on a horrible date with a new guy and he takes her hiking while he hunts at the same time. Yeah, great first date-NOT!
While out in the woods Holly stumbles across a dead body- a friend that works in the same building as Holly.
The investigating officer is Holly's ex- fiance.
Meanwhile, Holly is using all her accounting skills to dig up the dirt on what is going on and why. She is following the money and it might get her killed.
And it just keeps getting more complicated.
Very entertaining read!

[Amy Trunkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. You can't help but to love both JC and Holly. You know they are still in love but have just enough of a snarky attitude to make things fun and interesting between them. I would like to know more about JC and what happened between them before this book began. Hope in book 2 some more history and maybe his side will be shared. The story line is mysterious but not heavy and dark. A very fun easy read. Looking forward to more.

[Grant Leishman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, So About the Money, by Cathy Perkins is simply a wonderful read. Once I started it, I simply couldn't stop until I knew what the finish was. It's a good, long, solid, novel, which is a pleasure after some of the shorter books I've read lately.

So About the Money isn't anything new, but it is a damn, good, murder, mystery, romance, exceptionally well told. I think Perkins has done a wonderful job in fleshing out her characters and making them believable as well as well as easy to identify with.

The basic plot is home-town girl reluctantly returns to help her Mother out in their accounting firm after Dad runs away with the yoga instructor. When Holly left for the big city six years ago she left behind a broken heart and a wrecked relationship. A strong, independent woman Holly is not one to let men push her around.

She accidentally stumbles across the body of a murdered friend, whilst hiking and the drama begins. Holly and her hiking companion are the immediate suspects, so Holly sets out to find out just who did murder her friend. This brings her slap back into the attention of her old flame, now a detective, JC.

The sexual tension between Holly and JC was definitely one of the highlights of this book. Perkins handles the minor erotica exceptionally well in this story. It was easy to see where this whole scenario was headed, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the read.

I would highly recommend So About the Money to anyone who likes their romance spiced up with a bit of "whodunit", or conversely "whodunit" fans who enjoy a bit of spice in their story.

A fantastic read. I really enjoyed this. Well done Cathy Perkins.

[Mandy Leigh]

When you read about Holly being an acountant, you think stuffy, uptight, no fun or depth to her. Yeah...far from it. She's so intriguing and she along with the other thought out characters show how to make a love story play out with humor and mystery, not doubt. Three of my faves combined into one genre. Cathy Perkins I can't wait to read the next in the series.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cathy Perkins has another winner! Holly and JC are immensely likable characters who are easy to root for in their efforts to solve the murder and to resolve their relationship. The plot has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Overall, a highly enjoyable read.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and drusbookmusing.com for a complimentary e-book of this mystery. It was fun to read and the story kept me engaged.
I enjoyed the financial aspects of the mystery, but in the end, they were only secondary to the real motive for murder. I also liked reading about the tri-cities area of Washington state. I lived in Seattle for several years but didn't spend much time east of the Cascades.
Holly Price, the protagonist, has taken a leave from her beloved job in Seattle to come home to Richland and help her mother in the family accounting business after her father took off with a yoga instructor. Holly spends a good bit of time pining for her life in Seattle, but it never sounded that great. She had no friends, a cop that stalked her to the point where she had to file a restraining order, and a high-pressure job with little reward. In the short time she's been back in Richland, she's made more of a life, so I predict she'll stay for future installments in the series.
In the first chapter, she's hiking with a guy she's dating (and hasn't yet decided where the relationship is going) when they stumble over the dead body of a woman who turns out to be a colleague. They both become suspects, and the investigating detective is J.C. Dimitrak, Holly's ex-boyfriend. There is still plenty of love/hate chemistry between the two, which is almost distracting from the mystery plot.
One minute J.C. is warning her to stay away from his investigation, the next he's chiding her for not revealing important details she has uncovered. She pushes him away, yet she yearns for his hands caressing her body.
She gets too close to the killer (but for all the wrong reasons) and experiences several "accidents" before the final dramatic showdown.
I had a good idea about the killer's identity, but the author cast suspicion on a number of characters, and it was an entertaining read.

[Cathy P · Rating 5 out of 5]

So about the money

I really enjoyed this book. Had a little bit of mystery, a little thriller aspect, a little romance plus great characters. Holly Price is back on her hometown to help her mom with an accounting firm. Her dad left them high and dry for a yoga instructor. She takes a leave from her job on Seattle. Five or so months later, she finds a body, her friend, and ends up a suspect. But is she really or is her ex fiance just using the situation to his advantage to mess with her. Things get dicey when she starts poking around. There are more suspects and motives every tome we turn the page. I'm cheering for JC. Alex is a jerk.
Fast paced. Light steam. Told from FMC POV. Can be a standalone, no cliffhanger.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mystery find!

I found this on KU and was glad that I read it. I instantly was fond of Holly’s courage and bravery. JC in my opinion didn’t deserve any affection from Holly.
I was very intrigued by the storyline and it keep me glued to my kindle. I did guess who the killer was pretty quickly, that doesn’t happen often. LOL! I did love the romance side of the book and I’m going to checkout the second one. I recommend this for a twisting good mystery.

[Carol McKenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book but figured out who was the Killer pretty early on. I thought the main character Holly was interesting but for a supposedly smart woman who had worked in Mergers & Accessions. I was surprised that she was so dumb about the life threating things that happened to her and refused to take them seriously. So this was just a mystery/romance.

[Rita Goetz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable




predictable

Holly Price was a character you would like. Left her job in Seattle to help her mother in the family business. Easy read but the ending was a Are. You kidding me? Just ended.

[Ryan Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much Janet Evanovich in the mystery and execution of the story. Holly Price is a CPA and forensic accountant. Her ex-boyfriend is a police detective. When she stumbles out of body he tries to pin it on her. She uses her know how to find the clues to the real killer.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery, romance, danger, and corporate corruption. What more could you want in a mystery novel?

With her own problems in Seattle, including a controlling stalker, Holly is quick to leave her troubles behind and come to her mom's aid when Holly's dad abandons his wife and the family business for his yoga instructor. But living in eastern Washington is not like the fast paced life she's grown to crave. It's more relaxed and kind of mundane, but not for long. When Holly is on a date with her friend Alex who is out hunting, they discover a decomposing body out in the woods. Worse yet, Holly recognizes the corpse as her friend Marcy. When her ex-boyfriend who's a detective shows up on the scene and starts questioning her, Holly's week has taken a decidedly terrible turn. What starts as a quest to clear her name, quickly becomes dangerous when it's obvious someone doesn't want her snooping around.

This story grabbed my interest very quickly. It's well written and has a realistically unfolding romance. There was a bit of a slow slump in the middle with all the business and loan talk, but it quickly picked up again. Overall an enjoyable read!

[Jen Selinsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Certified public accountant, Holly Price, gets more than she planned for while hiking with her boyfriend one day. The two of them stumble upon the dead body of Marcie, one of her friends. Since there were no witnesses to the crime, Holly is considered a suspect. To make things worse, one of the policemen investigating the murder, J.C., is her old flame. While Holly is determined to figure out the case on her own, J.C. is determined to not let her out of his sight-for both professional and personal reasons. So About the Money is an exciting book full of twists and turns. The story is brilliantly written to keep the reader guessing at every turn.

[S.A. Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you say intrigue?

For lack of want to duplicate the book blurb, here's a quick rendition of the book without giving the big stuff away: girl moves away to work in big city, returns home to help mom run her business, stumbles over a dead body which puts her in a funky position, runs into her ex - ex's of ex's (I'll leave it at that), and then uncovers all sorts of intrigue and mysteries by just doing her J.O.B. as an accountant. Did you hear that. Numbers...boring.

But this novel is far from boring!

At first sight, Holly is a self-assured, self-confident, determined woman. Some folks might judge her as a feminist - she's totally against taking orders from men, but what woman isn't? I honestly don't think that describes her accurately. She has loads of emotional baggage that will explain all of that, but what I really want to share with you is the structure of this story. Hints and clues are scattered just right throughout the pages, all deepening and increasing the farther along the tale grows. I love how intricate the mystery gets. With the splattered past of so many characters entangling between different threads the story goes from roller coaster interesting to sky scraper complicated. One moment I thought this character was guilty and then the next moment I thought it was another. I couldn't wait to figure this mystery out.

The writing is easy to read and flows from one scene to the next. All the T's are crossed and the I's dotted when it comes to the logistics of the accounting process and the banking world. (Honestly, I'm a writer, so what do I know about numbers? Point being: I believed it all.) And being the romantic that I am I have to mention the tension Holly finds between herself and her ex. Yes, her ex, Detective JC. It's not overdone, but still it felt epic to me.

So if you enjoy all the mystery, intrigue, twists, and tension that suspense slash crime fiction offers, you'll love this book! Added bonus: it has a sweet, satisfying ending; though I would love to keep on with Holly and JC's relationship. (*Hint, hint...Ms. Perkins.)

[C.J. Fallowfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining murder/mystery/romance novel. Holly Price leaves her well paid job in Seattle, to return home to help out at her parents' accounting firm when her dad takes off with the Yoga instructor he'd been having an affair with. But she was also running from an ex-cop who she'd had to take out a restraining order on, after she dated him a few times and he started stalking her. While out on a date with Alex, they stumble across a body, a girl that they both know, and immediately they are viewed with suspicion by the police - the lead detective in charge happens to be Holly's ex-fiance from her home town, JC and sparks between them fly from the moment they meet again. Using her accountancy analysis skills, Holly can't step away from trying to find out who murdered her friend, and puts herself right in the crosshairs of the murderer, but who is it? Her new boyfriend Alex, her stalker Frank, one of her clients, who seems to be trying to hide some dubious financial transactions? The more she digs and uncovers, the greater peril she's in, but the closer she gets to her ex, JC. Which one of them will solve the mystery first? I enjoyed this, being from a finance and accounting background myself the business side of Holly resonated. The build up of the will they/won't they relationship with JC was nearly as riveting as the who done it side of the tale. I understand that this is the first in a series of Holly Price murder/mysteries and I'd be happy to read more. Some of the humour in the book made me smile, I'd have loved to have seen a bit more of that, but a great read.
***I was provided with an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review***

[J.P. Uvalle · Rating 5 out of 5]

So About the Money: A Holly Price Mystery
By Cathy Perkins is a fabulous romantic mystery with divine twists and humor. I tend to like more fast-paced books, but the tension building paired with the intriguing plot, keep me engaged in the story. The characters were well-developed and easy to relate to.


If you like your mystery with a side of sweet romance and a dash of humor, this book is the one for you!


Fantastic read!

[Bookgyrl · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I was a bit confused as there is also another book by Cathy Perkins about Holly Price and it seems it is the same book but published in 2013 and with another title (For Love or Money).

I decided to go for it after reading a sample and I have not regretted it. I give it 5 stars as it has all the elements I like and I could not put it down. Holly has left her home town 6 years ago and has been part of a M&A team in Seattle. She has a thriving career, but is she happy? When her father takes off with his yoga teacher it leaves her mother in the lurch with the family accounting firm, so Holly decides to take a 1-year leave to sort out the business and sell it. When she goes hiking/hunting with her new boyfriend Alex, they find the body of a woman. And it is a woman they both know from work.

Enter JC Dimitrak, detective on the case, and also Holly's ex-fiance. Six years ago they were madly in love, but then Holly left. You will find out what happened and also that Holly and JC are still very much attracted to each other.

I was totally engrossed by the story. The chemistry between JC and Holly is obvious and while Holly is butting into JC's investigation accidents start to happen to her. Who is Marcy's killer and why?? It is a romantic mystery, with some steam.

The book could be read as a stand-alone with a satisfying ending, but I was excited to read there will be another JC/Holly book in the (near?) future!

[Sandy Bartles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read in a while. I didn't want it to end! Imagine my surprise after I finished the book only to find this will be a series! I am doing the happy dance! Holly and J.C. Make a wonderful couple and I can only imagine the shenanigans they will be getting up to. It was a miracle Holly survived in this book! I can tell you, it wasn't from the lack of someone trying to knock her off! There is excitement on every page and it all begins with Holly and someone she is dating comes across the body of a friend out in the middle of nowhere. What ate the odds of that happening? Thank you, Cathy Perkins, for a fantastic book. Where is the next one???

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another book I was given in a panel of books to read for the AOE awards. Again, not my normal type of book to read, yet again I find myself interested. This story is about a CPR who finds the body of her friend and gets blamed for her murder. To make things worse the detective on the case is a man she once loved and was engaged to but caught him cheating on her. She could never trust another man again. So, heart ache, trust and betrayal issues need to be dealt with along with finding the true killer. Almost getting her killed in the process she discovers truth about people she thought she knew and love? You need to read it to the end to find out the answers!

[Michelle Bolton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. Cathy Perkins was able to tell a tale of romance, mystery, suspense and comedy. There were several times I found myself laughing in parts of this book. I loved Holly's personality and her chemistry with JC. This book kept me guessing until the very end. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of my favorite characters - Holly & JC have chemistry :)

[Barbara Boykin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

The storyline was interesting along with the characters. I enjoyed reading it and trying to figure out who did it.