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Sunny Truly Mystery #1
Margaritas & Murder
Stephanie Plum meets Bridget Jones in this hilarious yet suspenseful cozy mystery featuring Sunny Truly, a brand-new apprentice private investigator in Austin, Texas.
When a long ago childhood friend is found dangling in a tree—with a dead man in her apartment—Sunny is hired to prove the friend innocent of murder.
Frumpy, earnest and stubborn, Sunny goes undercover as a glam-girl to ferret out suspects at the nightclub where her friend worked.
With the aid of her wise-cracking boss, Cleve Haylock, and swoon-worthy police detective John Rock, Sunny uncovers an ugly secret with deadly consequences. Will Sunny be the next victim?
When a long ago childhood friend is found dangling in a tree—with a dead man in her apartment—Sunny is hired to prove the friend innocent of murder.
Frumpy, earnest and stubborn, Sunny goes undercover as a glam-girl to ferret out suspects at the nightclub where her friend worked.
With the aid of her wise-cracking boss, Cleve Haylock, and swoon-worthy police detective John Rock, Sunny uncovers an ugly secret with deadly consequences. Will Sunny be the next victim?
- GenresMysteryCozy MysteryCozy
ebook
Published September 9, 2016
236 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
About the author
CeCe Osgood
8 books22 followersI have a new series. It's a cozy witch mystery. Book one is Doomed by Dessert. Released 10. 06.2018. Book two is Murder in Moon Water (to be released 10.26.2018).
My cozy mystery series starts with MARGARITAS & MURDER: A Sunny Truly Mystery - Book One. "Witty cozy...a whirlwind of plot twists...: The BookLife Prize in Fiction.
"Margaritas & Murder is as charming and playful as a field of pink bluebonnet flowers. Get ready to lasso a good read! Meet Sunny Truly, an eager apprentice Private Investigator, who uses her Texas sass to solve mysteries. Margaritas & Mysteries is the first book in the series, so we are introduced to the main cast of colorful characters." -- Happy Reader's review
Next in the series: Merlot & Murder: Sunny Truly Mystery - Book Two
MERLOT & MURDER, A Sunny Truly Mystery - Book Two is on Amazon now.
For many years I was in the movie world as a freelance script analyst, evaluating screenplays, novels, and non-fiction books (main client: HBO). I also reviewed scripts for the Nicholl Fellowship, the USA’s most prestigious screenplay competition sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. During this time, I wrote screenplays and had two optioned.
My debut novel is the chick lit romantic comedy, THE DIVORCED NOT DEAD WORKSHOP.
the series.
My cozy mystery series starts with MARGARITAS & MURDER: A Sunny Truly Mystery - Book One. "Witty cozy...a whirlwind of plot twists...: The BookLife Prize in Fiction.
"Margaritas & Murder is as charming and playful as a field of pink bluebonnet flowers. Get ready to lasso a good read! Meet Sunny Truly, an eager apprentice Private Investigator, who uses her Texas sass to solve mysteries. Margaritas & Mysteries is the first book in the series, so we are introduced to the main cast of colorful characters." -- Happy Reader's review
Next in the series: Merlot & Murder: Sunny Truly Mystery - Book Two
MERLOT & MURDER, A Sunny Truly Mystery - Book Two is on Amazon now.
For many years I was in the movie world as a freelance script analyst, evaluating screenplays, novels, and non-fiction books (main client: HBO). I also reviewed scripts for the Nicholl Fellowship, the USA’s most prestigious screenplay competition sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. During this time, I wrote screenplays and had two optioned.
My debut novel is the chick lit romantic comedy, THE DIVORCED NOT DEAD WORKSHOP.
the series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
November 17, 2016
3.5 stars
As a fan of the Stephanie Plum novels I found the description of this book quite interesting and decided it was definitely worth a read. While this book is not as good as the majority of the Plum books (a few were quite poor) it certainly has the same light, quirky quality to it that I enjoyed in those.
Sunny Truly is an interesting character whose reasons for becoming a trainee P.I. are revealed during the course of the story. She tries but doesn’t always achieve her desired outcome and that makes her a very realistic and likeable character. The other main characters are also good and well written, you can certainly understand what they bring to the story. As for the less important characters, while there was nothing wrong with them I did feel there were too many of them. The story had a tendency to get a little overcomplicated with them on one or two occasions but they were minor and didn’t detract from my enjoyment.
I definitely enjoyed this book, it was light and funny and was easy to pick up again if it had been left for a few days. There was a definite Bridget Jones element to Sunny’s exploits which added an extra layer of fun to the story. For a debut novel this was a very good one and the first in the Sunny Truly series. While there is room for improvement the author is already off to a good start with this story and, I believe, future books have the potential to be even better than this one.
Definitely worth a try if you like Bridget Jones, Stephanie Plum or any light-hearted crime novel with an endearing but imperfect lead character. I look forward to the next one.
As a fan of the Stephanie Plum novels I found the description of this book quite interesting and decided it was definitely worth a read. While this book is not as good as the majority of the Plum books (a few were quite poor) it certainly has the same light, quirky quality to it that I enjoyed in those.
Sunny Truly is an interesting character whose reasons for becoming a trainee P.I. are revealed during the course of the story. She tries but doesn’t always achieve her desired outcome and that makes her a very realistic and likeable character. The other main characters are also good and well written, you can certainly understand what they bring to the story. As for the less important characters, while there was nothing wrong with them I did feel there were too many of them. The story had a tendency to get a little overcomplicated with them on one or two occasions but they were minor and didn’t detract from my enjoyment.
I definitely enjoyed this book, it was light and funny and was easy to pick up again if it had been left for a few days. There was a definite Bridget Jones element to Sunny’s exploits which added an extra layer of fun to the story. For a debut novel this was a very good one and the first in the Sunny Truly series. While there is room for improvement the author is already off to a good start with this story and, I believe, future books have the potential to be even better than this one.
Definitely worth a try if you like Bridget Jones, Stephanie Plum or any light-hearted crime novel with an endearing but imperfect lead character. I look forward to the next one.
August 30, 2016
OMG! I didn’t think it was possible! Behold, the one cozy mystery that doesn’t revolve around a bakery!
All kidding aside, this cozy mystery is not like the others. For starters, the author doesn’t endlessly remind you about how gorgeous and beautiful the heroine is. As a matter of fact, our Sunny Truly is a bit of a frump, complete with granny panties featuring kitties eating cupcakes! LOL! And as I mentioned, no bakery! I don’t know what is up with the usual formula of cozy mysteries with ridiculously attractive women baking cupcakes all day – in stilettos! And don’t get me wrong, I enjoy cozy mysteries, a lot. I was pleasantly surprised that this book didn’t follow the usual formula. Margaritas & Murder was a breath of fresh air!
Sunny Truly is an apprentice with Haylock Investigations. When her friend, Joyce, falls from a balcony, leaving a dead man behind in her apartment — Joyce becomes the number one suspect. Only — Sunny know her friend is innocent. She is determined to prove her innocence and to do that, she has to find out who murdered the man in Joyce’s apartment.
Danger abounds every corner and the suspect list continues to grow… Can Sunny solve the mystery? Or will she die trying?
What I loved about this book was the chapter ending hooks — making this book nearly impossible to put down. I was often filled with anticipation, needing to know what was going to happen next. My only complaint is that I wish there was more of Loki, the cat.
All kidding aside, this cozy mystery is not like the others. For starters, the author doesn’t endlessly remind you about how gorgeous and beautiful the heroine is. As a matter of fact, our Sunny Truly is a bit of a frump, complete with granny panties featuring kitties eating cupcakes! LOL! And as I mentioned, no bakery! I don’t know what is up with the usual formula of cozy mysteries with ridiculously attractive women baking cupcakes all day – in stilettos! And don’t get me wrong, I enjoy cozy mysteries, a lot. I was pleasantly surprised that this book didn’t follow the usual formula. Margaritas & Murder was a breath of fresh air!
Sunny Truly is an apprentice with Haylock Investigations. When her friend, Joyce, falls from a balcony, leaving a dead man behind in her apartment — Joyce becomes the number one suspect. Only — Sunny know her friend is innocent. She is determined to prove her innocence and to do that, she has to find out who murdered the man in Joyce’s apartment.
Danger abounds every corner and the suspect list continues to grow… Can Sunny solve the mystery? Or will she die trying?
What I loved about this book was the chapter ending hooks — making this book nearly impossible to put down. I was often filled with anticipation, needing to know what was going to happen next. My only complaint is that I wish there was more of Loki, the cat.
September 12, 2016
Full review on www.novelgossip.com
Sometimes I need a break from reading dark and twisted thrillers and when I picked up Margaritas and Murder I was definitely in the mood for something on the lighter side. This book perfectly satisfied my need to settle down with a comfortable and cozy book and made for a delightfully fun read.
Sunny is the heroine and she reminded me a bit of Bridget Jones as she’s just a normal woman with some spunk. I loved that she had a real appetite and love of food and wasn’t afraid to show it. All to often romantic heroines are portrayed as flawlessly beautiful and stick thin, but she is a real woman, one who I would hang out with if given the chance. She continuously finds herself in comical situations and Osgood painted a picture of hilarity. The whole time I was reading this book I felt like I was watching a beloved romantic comedy.
Though this book isn’t scary or creepy, make no mistake, there is still a mystery that needs to be solved. One of my favorite things about this book is that almost every chapter ended on some sort of cliffhanger that urged me to keep on reading. Added to the mystery there was a colorful cast of characters that brought warmth and flirtatiousness to the table. From the sexy detective John Rock to Sunny’s boss Cleve to her sister Lila, and many more, there is something for everyone.
Sometimes I need a break from reading dark and twisted thrillers and when I picked up Margaritas and Murder I was definitely in the mood for something on the lighter side. This book perfectly satisfied my need to settle down with a comfortable and cozy book and made for a delightfully fun read.
Sunny is the heroine and she reminded me a bit of Bridget Jones as she’s just a normal woman with some spunk. I loved that she had a real appetite and love of food and wasn’t afraid to show it. All to often romantic heroines are portrayed as flawlessly beautiful and stick thin, but she is a real woman, one who I would hang out with if given the chance. She continuously finds herself in comical situations and Osgood painted a picture of hilarity. The whole time I was reading this book I felt like I was watching a beloved romantic comedy.
Though this book isn’t scary or creepy, make no mistake, there is still a mystery that needs to be solved. One of my favorite things about this book is that almost every chapter ended on some sort of cliffhanger that urged me to keep on reading. Added to the mystery there was a colorful cast of characters that brought warmth and flirtatiousness to the table. From the sexy detective John Rock to Sunny’s boss Cleve to her sister Lila, and many more, there is something for everyone.
October 8, 2018
An old fashioned PI story brought up to date.
If you enjoy reading PI stories like Sam Spade and the like this is a more modern version of it. It also has the inventiveness of MacGyver thrown in as an added bonus and best of all the heroine is as tough as the boys. Great characters that leap of the page.
Ever since her divorce she had been grateful to Sam for giving her a job at his agency. After all no school would now give her a job after the video download by her ex. Now she has been thrust into her biggest case. Her sister's BFF is in a coma and if she survives then she will be charged with the death of the man in her apartment. As the agency looks into the case they are thrust into the world of high rollers, murder, attempted murder, illegal dumping, the sleazy world of the escort service and murder for hire. Can they connect all the clues to find the people behind the schemes and bag their murderer?
If you enjoy reading PI stories like Sam Spade and the like this is a more modern version of it. It also has the inventiveness of MacGyver thrown in as an added bonus and best of all the heroine is as tough as the boys. Great characters that leap of the page.
Ever since her divorce she had been grateful to Sam for giving her a job at his agency. After all no school would now give her a job after the video download by her ex. Now she has been thrust into her biggest case. Her sister's BFF is in a coma and if she survives then she will be charged with the death of the man in her apartment. As the agency looks into the case they are thrust into the world of high rollers, murder, attempted murder, illegal dumping, the sleazy world of the escort service and murder for hire. Can they connect all the clues to find the people behind the schemes and bag their murderer?
September 15, 2016
I absolutely love the cover of Margaritas & Murder. I knew this wasnt going to be a serious murder mystery and i was looking forward to some lighthearted reading.
Meet Sunny Truly, Sunny is an apprentice PI with Haylock Investigations, owned by Sam. When Sam ends up in hospital his son, Cleve, comes in to run the business whille his dad is recovering. Delia also works in the office as manager and they all seem to get along and enjoy their jobs.
When local girl and childhood friend Joyce, falls from a balcony, and leaves a dead man behind in the room, Sunny sets out to prove Joyce is innocent. As Joyce is still lying in a coma and is unable to tell anyone what has happened, with the help of Sunny's sister Lila, and her friend Cassirpe, and a handsome detective, Sunny has to do the investigating for her. Sunny finds herself in lots of situations, from sleezy clubs, sending up drones, ditches with snakes and ending up in her underware at work. I really got into this story and was needed to get closer to the end to see who was guilty. Cece Osgood has put this together perfectly and makes the read laugh and gasp all in one. It was a fun read and a little confusing at the end with all the people connected but i thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Meet Sunny Truly, Sunny is an apprentice PI with Haylock Investigations, owned by Sam. When Sam ends up in hospital his son, Cleve, comes in to run the business whille his dad is recovering. Delia also works in the office as manager and they all seem to get along and enjoy their jobs.
When local girl and childhood friend Joyce, falls from a balcony, and leaves a dead man behind in the room, Sunny sets out to prove Joyce is innocent. As Joyce is still lying in a coma and is unable to tell anyone what has happened, with the help of Sunny's sister Lila, and her friend Cassirpe, and a handsome detective, Sunny has to do the investigating for her. Sunny finds herself in lots of situations, from sleezy clubs, sending up drones, ditches with snakes and ending up in her underware at work. I really got into this story and was needed to get closer to the end to see who was guilty. Cece Osgood has put this together perfectly and makes the read laugh and gasp all in one. It was a fun read and a little confusing at the end with all the people connected but i thoroughly enjoyed this book.
August 31, 2016
I want to be a PI if I get to be Sunny - fun boss, work next to good looking detectives, and the potential to go undercover to catch somebody. Talk about fun! This book was a delightful read and had me flipping pages to find out who was guilty of murder! Throw in some mystery with a little bit of romance and comedy, and you have this book! I cannot wait to read more books in this series!
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2017
E-Reader. Cozy Mystery
Sunny Truly is an apprentice P.I. at Haylock Investigations.
She lives her cat Loki. She has a younger sister Lila.
The police show up at her door wanted to speak with Lila. Dectective John Rock is in charge. They want to know if she knows Joyce Elton. A good friend of theirs since second grade.
She's in the hospital suspected of murder. But she's in a coma. Her parents hired Sunny to find the real killer.
Sunny goes to her boss Sam to tell him she got hired to find out who the real killer is. She can as long she still follows through with her current case.
Sam gets sick & his son Cleve takes over.
There so many characters in this book. They'll be danger, many suspects. Will Joyce Elton come out of her coma & will they be abe to the real killer is?
Enjoy this book. It's a good read.
Sunny Truly is an apprentice P.I. at Haylock Investigations.
She lives her cat Loki. She has a younger sister Lila.
The police show up at her door wanted to speak with Lila. Dectective John Rock is in charge. They want to know if she knows Joyce Elton. A good friend of theirs since second grade.
She's in the hospital suspected of murder. But she's in a coma. Her parents hired Sunny to find the real killer.
Sunny goes to her boss Sam to tell him she got hired to find out who the real killer is. She can as long she still follows through with her current case.
Sam gets sick & his son Cleve takes over.
There so many characters in this book. They'll be danger, many suspects. Will Joyce Elton come out of her coma & will they be abe to the real killer is?
Enjoy this book. It's a good read.
December 24, 2016
3.5/5.0
Giving the reader glimpses of her beautiful Texas location, Sunny is a fun person to get to know as she goes through the ups and downs of learning PI skills.
Read full review in the 2016 December issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Giving the reader glimpses of her beautiful Texas location, Sunny is a fun person to get to know as she goes through the ups and downs of learning PI skills.
Read full review in the 2016 December issue of InD'tale Magazine.
October 11, 2017
A Truly Fun Mystery
Sunny Truly, rookie private investigator, finds herself embroiled in a murder. Her friend Joyce, now in a coma in the hospital, is soon to be arrested for a murder once she is out of the coma. Sunny knows she is innocent and follows a complicated path to solve the crime. Very enjoyable.
Sunny Truly, rookie private investigator, finds herself embroiled in a murder. Her friend Joyce, now in a coma in the hospital, is soon to be arrested for a murder once she is out of the coma. Sunny knows she is innocent and follows a complicated path to solve the crime. Very enjoyable.
May 17, 2017
Margaritas and Murder
First book by this Author. The plot was very entertaining, the characters and humor good. A PI apprentice trying to solve a case, and gets into trouble, and solving the case is an added bonus
First book by this Author. The plot was very entertaining, the characters and humor good. A PI apprentice trying to solve a case, and gets into trouble, and solving the case is an added bonus
May 27, 2017
Better than the title
Read it in two days without pain. Good plot with interesting twists, good pace,, fairly interesting characters, a little mild romantic interest, but nothing steamy or gooey. Cat.
Read it in two days without pain. Good plot with interesting twists, good pace,, fairly interesting characters, a little mild romantic interest, but nothing steamy or gooey. Cat.
June 9, 2017
Apprentice P.I. Intro
Sunny is a refreshingly believable apprentice with an innate talent for sleuthing. Characters in the agency are likeable without being weird. Keep these stories coming!
Sunny is a refreshingly believable apprentice with an innate talent for sleuthing. Characters in the agency are likeable without being weird. Keep these stories coming!
June 18, 2017
Margaritas and Murder - Loved it!!
The author did an amazing job reeling you into this storyline. Sunny is an apprentice P.I. and with his boss's son Cleve, they manage on more than occasion manage to get in the way of the police detective as he tries to find the killer.
The author did an amazing job reeling you into this storyline. Sunny is an apprentice P.I. and with his boss's son Cleve, they manage on more than occasion manage to get in the way of the police detective as he tries to find the killer.
June 27, 2017
This book was great. A cozy mystery without sex and language. It was a good storyline. The characters were likable and I can't wait to see what goes on with Sunny and exactly what's going on with Cleve and Bruce
October 15, 2017
On What Fun..being chased, shot at, a snake..
Great mystery story about Private Eyes, Murder, Friends, and the apprentice PI, Sunny Truly who doesn’t quite think everything through as she acts first & thinks later. Oh, and there’s Detective Rock!!
Great mystery story about Private Eyes, Murder, Friends, and the apprentice PI, Sunny Truly who doesn’t quite think everything through as she acts first & thinks later. Oh, and there’s Detective Rock!!
October 17, 2017
Keeps you guessing til the end!
Well written and very entertaining. I enjoyed CeCe's style especially that there is no grisly detail which I don't enjoy reading about. Looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series!
Well written and very entertaining. I enjoyed CeCe's style especially that there is no grisly detail which I don't enjoy reading about. Looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series!
August 17, 2018
Great story
Love Sunny Truly. And of course, another great story from CeCe Osgood. I highly recommend all of CeCe s books. Got to go cause book two is waiting for me. Keep writing CeCe.
Love Sunny Truly. And of course, another great story from CeCe Osgood. I highly recommend all of CeCe s books. Got to go cause book two is waiting for me. Keep writing CeCe.
May 8, 2017
Suitable far all clean cozy
A fun cozy, mystery with humor and a touch of romance. The budding PI uses logic and intuition to solve the case
A fun cozy, mystery with humor and a touch of romance. The budding PI uses logic and intuition to solve the case
May 22, 2017
Just plain fun.
Great story, coup!e of twists made it all the more enjoyable. A tiny bit of romance, enough to keep you interested. Great job.
Great story, coup!e of twists made it all the more enjoyable. A tiny bit of romance, enough to keep you interested. Great job.
June 22, 2017
Excellent!
It was a very exciting read. It is now 2:49 am and I just finished reading the book. Kept me interested til the end!
It was a very exciting read. It is now 2:49 am and I just finished reading the book. Kept me interested til the end!
July 15, 2017
Pretty good. Would read more. A touch more polish wouldn't hurt as I remember some awkward spots. 3.5 star
August 2, 2017
Very interesting.
This is a great storyline and has great twists and turns in there. The characters are interesting and enjoyable. Sunny will make a great P I.
This is a great storyline and has great twists and turns in there. The characters are interesting and enjoyable. Sunny will make a great P I.
August 18, 2017
Fun read like the characters would like to read more of sunny and detective rock.
September 10, 2017
Loved it
The storyline was great and I loved the characters. Ready to read the next one. Can't wait to see where sunny goes from here
The storyline was great and I loved the characters. Ready to read the next one. Can't wait to see where sunny goes from here
October 9, 2017
Funny and great characters
I enjoyed the story and the characters. Mystery with just enough romance.. I would recommend this book to others. Fun read.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. Mystery with just enough romance.. I would recommend this book to others. Fun read.
October 10, 2017
Hard to set down
I enjoyed this book. The twists and turns were great. I am looking forward to reading more of this author's work .
I enjoyed this book. The twists and turns were great. I am looking forward to reading more of this author's work .
November 13, 2017
Good read
Author did good job at keeping interest and tying things together at the end of the book. Would like to read more in the series
Author did good job at keeping interest and tying things together at the end of the book. Would like to read more in the series
November 24, 2017
Fun read
Fun read and not your usual girl detective book. Going to continue the series to see if Sunny Truly becomes a P.I.
Fun read and not your usual girl detective book. Going to continue the series to see if Sunny Truly becomes a P.I.
December 30, 2017
Fun cozy mystery. Enjoyed!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews