River City Dead

Aggie Mundeen Mystery #4

by Nancy G. West

Advice columnist Aggie Mundeen and SAPD Detective Sam Vanderhoven plan their first rendezvous at a San Antonio River Walk hotel during Fiesta Week—sumptuous sights, sounds, and festivities in the middle of America’s Venice. A vacation from crime and a reset for their tumultuous relationship.

But murder descends on the Casa Prima Hotel. Disturbing revelations surface about the Fabulous Femmes, Aggie’s new friends holding a convention. Evil emerges at parties in La Villita. Calamity plagues Aggie’s debut dance performance at the Arneson River Theater, the celebration skewed by carousing, crazies, and corpses. Even in idyllic River City, crime complicates relationships.

Books in the Aggie Mundeen Humorous Mystery Series:

FIT TO BE DEAD (#1)
DANG NEAR DEAD (#2)
SMART, BUT DEAD (#3)
RIVER CITY DEAD (#4)

Part of the Henery Press Mystery Series Collection, if you like one, you'll probably like them all...

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Cozy, Amateur Sleuth

228 pages, Paperback

Published January 17, 2017

About the author

Multi-award-winning mystery writer, James W. Siskin, says Risky Pursuit is one of the great books of fiction he’s read recently (Dec. 11. 2025).

MEET DECKER IN THE THRILLER, RISKY PURSUIT! .

How far would you go to save the people you love?

———————————————————————

Nancy LOVED writing RISKY PURSUIT about courageous Decker Savage.

Nancy G. West was a business major who switched to English lit for grad school and found that writing stories was a lot more fun than accounting.
She writes about ordinary adults and teens faced with danger who must find the courage to save themselves and their loved ones.
She paused writing her Aggie Mundeen Rom-Com Mysteries to write the book she absolutely had to write: RISKY PURSUIT.

BookBub recommends RISKY PURSUIT!

Many thanks to readers for the great reviews and for voting Risky Pursuit #1 in Best YA Book That Anyone Would Enjoy, #1 Best YA Summer Thriller, #1 in Great YA/Indie Books, and #1 Best Children/Teen/Young Adult books.
Goodreads' voting lists are at the bottom of the Risky Pursuit page.

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
High school senior Decker Savage, burdened by his baby brother’s death and dreading his parents’ impending divorce, sees his mother with a scruffy stranger and follows him to a dark house. He hears shouts upstairs, a man hits the floor, and the culprit escapes.
Decker follows the victim’s ambulance. Through their mutual love of baseball, they become friends; but the elderly man can’t remember who attacked him, and Decker fears the assailant will return.
His grades crater, his relationships go south, his baseball skills are erratic, and by entering the man’s house, he broke the law.
And things are about to get worse.
He suffers anonymous attacks and receives threatening notes: if he doesn’t forget the man and the house, he, his family, and his friend will be the next victims.
Can Decker uncover the culprit’s identity, solve the mystery, and stop the attacks?

Grief, loss, love, courage, forgiveness, reconciliation, redemption - in this thriller for adults and young adults. .

Ebook is on sale until January 5.


OTHER BOOKS BY Nancy G. West

AWARD-WINNING
AGGIE MUNDEEN ROM-COM MYSTERIES

Single, past thirty and fearless, Aggie’s curiosity and amateur sleuthing draw her into investigations that jeopardize her life and frustrate her favorite San Antonio Detective. Every book in the series either won or was nominated for an award.

FIT TO BE DEAD-health club fiasco
DANG NEAR DEAD-dude ranch disaster
SMART, BUT DEAD-academics can be murder
RIVER CITY DEAD-a River Walk romp


NEW SPIN-OFF SERIES

AGGIE MUNDEEN LAKE MYSTERIES

THE PLUNGE #1`
Aggie & Sam plan a quiet weekend at a lakeside cottage and are caught in a 500-year flood that changes them and propels them in new directions.

__________________


Website: www.nancygwest.com
Facebook.com/authorNancyG.West
Twitter:@NancyGWest_

From Nancy:
I've been writing since age seven: poems back and forth with my mom. At age fifteen, I had a poem published in the Library Journal, Pegasus, At eighteen, I wanted to study journalism and English literature, but friends who chose that college route made minimum wage or sold lingerie. Being practical, I earned a business degree. After marriage and two children, I decided I HAD to study literature and write. I earned an MA, English Literature, and wrote non-fiction articles, a biography, and a suspense novel about a young grad student, Meredith Laughlin, in Nine Days to Evil, Agge Mundeen popped up in Meredith's class, popped into my head, and demanded her own series.

NEW Adult/YA thriller, April 2025: RISKY PURSUIT

Reviews

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this fun and relaxing cozy mystery, we find Aggie Mundeen and her boyfriend Detective Sam Vanderhoven meeting at a San Antonio hotel for the week of the Fiesta. Unfortunately, a murder victim is found in their room. Sam immediately becomes involved. As there are no other rooms available they settled for two small rooms that are floors apart. We take the River Walk and learned about its history. Sam is learning to allow Aggie to investigate and share her findings. She is trying to trust Sam. Aggie is not very successful in this endeavor. I felt the writing had improved and flow better in the book. I recommend this book.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Henery Press for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Sam and Aggie had a grand plan for some time alone in San Antonio during Fiesta Week but there is just one small problem, there is a dead woman in their hotel suite. They hadn’t checked in yet but there are no more rooms to be found and Sam has been called back to work to investigate the case. He knows he is not going to be able to keep Aggie from butting her way into the investigation and she has a pretty good record for solving previous murders so he rather than fight her he embraces her help. Of course, she does nothing in moderation so he may be saving her yet again. This man has the patience of a saint.

I liked Aggie more in this book than any of the others. She wasn’t so immersed in the staying and looking young frame of mind as in past books. Of course, it was there a little bit, but now that her relationship with Sam is moving in a positive direction it is not consuming her life the way it was in previous stories. Even her column, “Stay Young with Aggie,” fan letters were requesting more relationship advice instead of ways to look and act younger.

In addition to the core characters we meet a whole new group of people, the Fabulous Femmes and their significant others. In fact, the dead woman is part of their group, making them all suspects. These ladies and their men are very unique. The men all have a military background and the woman love to party. I liked the way the accepted Aggie right into their group. Aggie has a way about her that people open up and tell her things that they probably wouldn’t share with anyone else. Sam knows this and encourages her to use it to help him.

This story is well written and the mystery sends Aggie off in several directions. She really has great observation techniques and hones in to important details.

The main thing this author does though is fill this story with so much humor and absolutely funny moments. A scene in a bookstore was hilarious.

If you like your mysteries full of comedy and quirky characters, look no further than Nancy G. West. They are sure to put a smile on your face.

[HENERY PRESS PUBLISHING]

“A fun cozy series that showcases the beauty and quirkiness of San Antonio.” – Rosemary Smith, Librarian

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prepare yourself for the adventure to begin when you open the book. Humor mixes with murder when Sam and Aggie try to take a few days off.

By this time, Detective Sam Vanderhoven is resigned to the fact that as much as he wants to protect his darling, girlfriend Aggie, who meddles in newspaper advice as well as murdurous affairs, he is better to include her from the start when their planned weekend get-away goes wrong, than let her entangle herself trying to find answers without being noticed by the authorities.
(Spoiler alert, she still tries to do things her own way.)

Aggie has body issues, but not enough to shy away from becoming one of the revelers, including a group of Fabulous Femmes, gathered to enjoy Fiesta Week, and who may know more than they are willing to share when one of their own is found dead.

The descriptive writing is wonderful and the way we are included in the thought processes of those investigating delights a true cozy fan. I enjoyed the history I learned.

The only thing that I disliked about this book was when characters younger than 50 years old (much younger) considered themselves to be middle-aged. Possibly seasoned, mature, maybe but not what I think of as middle aged!


I voluntarily accepted this book via Netgalley to review.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

River City Dead is the first book I've read in this series.
I was immediately hooked from the beginning.
Aggie Mundeen is a fun character and I found her to be very believable.
It's Fiesta Week in San Antonio and Aggie and her boyfriend Detective Sam are planning a weekend getaway.
Unfortunately, things don't go as planned and when a questionable death interrupts their weekend, Aggie decides to do a bit investigating on her own.
It seems a particular group of women are being targeted and Aggie is determined to uncover the truth.
Will her investigation interfere with her relationship with Detective Sam?
Be sure to grab your copy of this exciting book.

[Diane Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Aggie Mundeen escapade as she helps SAPD find out whodunit - this time amidst the festivities of San Antonio's Fiesta celebration. Gives a good feel for the annual 2-week celebration in and around San Antonio, its Riverwalk, the Alamo and other downtown landmarks. Always fun to catch up with fun-loving Aggie!

[Missi Martin (Stockwell) · Rating 5 out of 5]

River City Dead by Nancy G. West is the fourth book in her Aggie Mundeen Mystery series.... It is the first book in this series that I have read. Fortunately I wasn't lost reading it. I know in a perfect world we want to read a series from the beginning. however, as a book reviewer / blogger that seldom happens. It is always a concern when reading a book well into the series that you will be lost or fear that you won't be able to enjoy the story. HAVE NO FEAR because River City Dead is not like that.

As soon as I started reading River City Dead I was engrossed in the story and felt like I was a long time friend of Aggies. And the setting....smack dab in the middle of Fiesta Week !! Oh what a thrill !!

Aggie and her Detective boyfriend are meeting at a hotel where the festivities are taking place. Aggie of course is very excited until she gets there and finds out someone has died....in the penthouse suite that Sam had reserved. As if that isn't bad enough when Sam lets her look in at the crime scene Aggie recognizes the deceased. It is her neighbor and friends daughter in-law and they all had lunch recently.

Sam has to be there to help in the investigation when it is ruled a homicide. Aggie refused to leave and go home when she knows she can help with the investigation. And she has a strong desire to have the case solved and give the girl and her family peace.

While Sam is doing his part, Aggie is investigating some of the other guests at the hotel who also knew the deceased.

Who will solve the case ? Will Aggie get herself in trouble ? Can Aggie and Sam trust each other and strengthen their relationship ?

Even though this is the first book that I have read in this series, I can assure you that it is not my last !! I need to know more about Aggie and where things are heading with Sam.....

[Lizzie Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘River City Dead’ by Nancy Glass West
Published by Henry Press 17 January 2017. ISBN: 978-1-63511-133-0

Aggie Mundeen, she of the ‘Stay Young with Aggie’ column, has arranged a rendezvous with Detective Sam Vanderhoven at the San Antonio River Walk Hotel. They have booked the penthouse suite, and Aggie is looking forward to a blissful crime free romantic long weekend. The news of the body of a dead girl found in their penthouse puts paid to Aggie’s romantic ideas.

The girl is identified as a regular guest during Fiesta Week, and she is known to Aggie. While chatting to the maid Sara who found the body Aggie learns that the victim was a member of the Fabulous Femmes who are holding their convention at the hotel. They are split into sub-groups - the Madhatters, the Foxy Fixits, and the Flamboyants, who, Aggie learns are party girls, and they do get around. As she chats by the pool she learns a lot about the Fabulous Femmes and some of what she learns is disturbing. Even more disturbing is a conversation with her friend Grace.

Aggie learns that the victim had booked the penthouse for a ten day stay but decided to leave on the Sunday, hence the penthouse becoming free for Aggie and Sam or not as it turned out! What was her reason for cutting short her stay?

The story is told from the point of view of both Aggie and Sam. Both investigating using different approaches. But most fascinating is the murder weapon which is ingenious and despite the clues, it came as a real surprise. Clever and tantalising, this is a good and enjoyable mystery.

Always good to catch up with Aggie and initially it looked as if things would go well with her and Sam, both have traumatic experiences in their pasts and have danced around each other for some time. Would they this time move their relationship on to a deeper level?
------
Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I am voluntarily reviewing this book)

“Tell me your ideas. We can devise a plan together. Can I trust you to do that?” I looked at him dead on. “Yes.” “That way,” he said, “I can keep you safe.” “You want to keep me. Safe.”

Aggie Mundeen is up to her eyeballs in yet another mystery. This one focuses on death at the San Antonio Riverwalk Fiesta celebration. She and Sam, her boyfriend, get quickly mixed up in what could turn out to be a dangerous situation for the entire community.

And, while this is going on, Aggie and Sam find themselves struggling to define the next level of their own relationship.

Told in typical Nancy G West style, Aggie is a smart, age appropriate character with wit and style. The storyline is well researched and interesting and the entire cast of characters is believable. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Aggie better and look forward to the continuation of this series

[Danielle Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

River City Dead by Nancy G. West is another exciting mystery. I cannot get enough of Nancy G. West's main character, Aggie Mundeen. She's an older woman, clever, clumsy, and lovable. I find her funny. There is never a boring moment where Aggie is found. Readers will be laughing-out-loud and enjoying this new tale. Danger, murder, and complications once more follow the star, Aggie Mundeen. Just when she should be enjoying herself with Detective Sam Vanderhoven, things go haywire. Murder, mayhem, and disaster sons follows on every page. River City is beautiful and a whole lot of trouble. So much that it might just cause a rift between my two favorite characters. Love, trust, and teamwork are just a few themes that are woven into the story. Aggie will have to learn how to work on that trust and teamwork Issue if she and Sam will be an item. The characters are believable and the plot is fascinating. Fast-paced, intriguing, and like an Aggatha Christie novel...River City Dead is one adventure I highly recommend to all. Nancy G. West did it again, in creating a masterpiece that I will never forget.

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aggie Mundeen is planning her first rendezvous with the love of her life, SAPD Detective Sam Vanderhoven. He's gotten them a suite at a San Antonio River Walk hotel during Fiesta Week when everything will be festive, noisy and fun. The only problem is there's a dead body in the suite they were supposed to have, and there's not another one available in the entire city. So Aggie and Sam, who's involved in the case now, have to make do in separate cubbyholes until the case is solved.

While Sam wants Aggie to go home, there's a problem: Aggie knew the dead woman, Monica - she was the ex-daughter-in-law of her friend and neighbor Grace, and she'd recently had lunch with her. In Aggie's mind, that makes her just as involved as Sam even if he doesn't think so. So when Aggie meets and befriends members of a dance troupe who are performing during the fiesta, she finds out they all knew the dead girl too, and she refuses to leave but tells him she'll stay out of his way and share any information she discovers with him.

While Aggie is able to do so to some extent, she still manages to investigate on her own without telling Sam, and while Aggie's doing her best to trust Sam it seems she doesn't trust him enough to share everything, which could be the real stumbling block in their relationship. If Aggie doesn't figure her things out soon, her budding romance with Sam might also be dead...

I loved this latest installment in the Aggie Mundeen Mysteries. In this book, the fourth in the series, she's less age-obsessed and more concerned with making things work between her and Sam. Unfortunately for her, it's a bit difficult when what started as a lovely weekend ends abruptly when one finds a dead body in their suite.

Aggie is very good at asking questions without people becoming suspicious of her motives, and when she thinks someone just might be, she's smart enough to change the subject. She's also able to think quickly and come up with plans on the spur of the moment - as Aggie herself says, she's spontaneous; and that makes her likable and rather endearing to both Sam and readers.

We are seeing Aggie slowly learning that in order to be trusted, you must first trust in return, and Sam, poor saintly man, deals with it admirably (although I think a lot of this comes from the fact that he's a homicide detective and he wouldn't be a very good one if he didn't have patience).

When we finally find out the identity of the murderer it comes as a surprise, which it should be, and makes it an even more entertaining read than we would have thought. This latest installment is the best yet in my opinion, Aggie and Sam are perfect foils for each other (even if they don't quite yet realize it) and I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.

[Lghiggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting is extremely important in River City Dead. The title refers to San Antonio, TX, and the story focuses on the River Walk there during Fiesta week. The author has done her homework in researching the historical and cultural background, and a lot of it is shared with the reader as Aggie, the heroine of this cozy mystery, takes her boyfriend Sam on a tour of the River Walk area. Some readers may feel the inclusion of this much background is too pedantic, but I enjoyed and appreciated it.

Aggie and Sam, a detective with the San Antonio Police Department, are set to take their relationship to the next level in a penthouse suite in a luxurious River Walk hotel. Sam has arranged days off to be with Aggie for this special time. As might be expected, things do not go as planned as a series of crimes occur requiring Sam’s attention and luring Aggie into sorting out mysterious events.

There is constant conflict as Aggie loves to get involved in investigative work and Sam tries to protect her. There are also limits she needs to put on herself to avoid hindering a police investigation. Obviously this sets the couple up for relationship issues in addition to the trust issues Aggie already has.

The Aggie Mundeen Mystery Series is known for its humor. This one starts off with a humorous chapter, but quickly deviates as the investigation unfolds. I like the book, but I do have two criticisms. One is the frequent repetition of Aggie’s trust issues caused by someone in her past, Lascivious Lester. Once that problem is established, I think the reader is ready to move on. The other issue is how readily Aggie refers to and treats women she meets as “friends.” It seems like an unrealistically brief amount of time--the length of a lunch or the sharing of a glass of wine. I consider those people acquaintances, not friends.

I must give special kudos to two parts of West’s writing. One is the description of an elderly couple interacting in the swimming pool. It is absolutely beautiful. The other is the technique of using her job in responding to “Dear Aggie” advice letters to help Aggie reflect on her own life and relationships. This approach works well because it is not overused.

This mystery has a lot of threads, an unusual method for murder, and an ingenious resolution. I recommend it for cozy mystery lovers.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sapphyria · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is Fiesta time in San Antonio and Aggie and Sam have planned a getaway to reconnect and stabilize their relationship. The getaway is supposed to remove them from the day-to-day routine and get them out of the line of crime solving, if only for a few days. Staying at the hotel is a group of women known as the Fabulous Femmes. When one of the Fabulous Femmes is found murdered in her penthouse suite, all thoughts of Sam and Aggie's rendezvous are pushed to the back burner. As Sam and Aggie work together (mostly) to solve the crime, another woman is murdered in the hotel. In order to put the pieces together that Aggie has found, she must go against Sam and puts her life, and the life of the Fabulous Femmes theater group that she's part of, in danger.

River City Dead takes the reader all over the place as both Sam and Aggie try to figure out why Fiesta guests are being murdered. Since the bodies have no trauma, the investigation also includes how the murders are being carried out. As it has been in the previous books in the series, there are different threads to the craziness that don't seem to be connected. As the book progresses, all of a sudden something will happen or something will be said and everything falls into place.

Aggie is really good at fleshing out ideas, possible motives, and those who may be involved.
Aggie's inability to not put herself in danger is a plot point that was starting to get old but really rounds itself out in River City Dead. She still put herself and the Fatal Femmes in danger in this book but I liked how the author wrote the scene. Aggie's decision was spontaneous and written very well. Aggie doesn't really recognize the impact of her decision until later in a conversation with Sam. The impact of her decision on a personal level in regards to Sam also slams into her because she knows he's mad. There is a lot of growth in Aggie's character in that last little bit of the story.

I enjoyed the plot and continued character development and world building. We were reminded of the important back story information in just the right dosage - not too much, not too little. The book is a quick and easy read that will keep the reader engaged from for the first page. There is humor, sadness, suspense, and tragedy - a little something for everyone who loves a good cozy mystery.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Review Copy of this book.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding a body in your hotel room on the first night out with your boyfriend is not a good sign... But Aggie and Sam, instead of returning home, they decided to investigate the murder and try to enjoy the Fiesta! Will they succeed and enjoy a little bit of couple time? Start reading to discover it!

This is the second book I have read of Aggie Mundeen Mysteries, and I have to say Aggie has grown with personality and confidence. She knows what she wants, doesn't doubt to investigate a murder or try to get answers without asking the direct questions. A really PI! I am not sure why she hasn't asked for the papers yet, I am sure she is better than a few detectives!
The only problem Aggie has is that she doesn't trust anyone, the good point is she is trying to improve it, making Sam a good partner for her with his patience, but his own faults too. I am sure this couple will last for a long time, they just have to continue talking and expressing their feelings, easy, don't you think? ;)
I always learn something new in all the books I read, this time it was about the military world, a very strange community for me, I just know what I've read and watched on the movies... I have so many questions! Does anyone know what the medals they wear mean? It's a complete enigma for me!
Nancy G. West books are quick and funny to read, you will enjoy a good mystery, with not so many blood but quite an interesting way to murder if I can make you a little spoiler!
This book is for sleuth lovers, fans of a good mystery and a little bit of love and fun! You will have a good time reading this book!
Do you like to party?

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Naturally, I was drawn to a new Aggie Mundeen mystery (Book 4), River City Dead. Cozy mysteries can be delightful. And while I'm normally not a mystery reader, this one set in is set in my hometown San Antonio, Texas. Author Nancy West will have you rolling with laughter from the very first pages. It opens with Aggie browsing the Romance section of a local bookstore. The descriptions of the covers of the “bodice rippers” portend the fun to come. While it's contradictory to speak of murder stories as fun - this murder takes place in San Antonio at the city's Fiesta Time. Aggie introduces us to the shenanigans of certain "girls-just-want-to-have-fun" groups (the Fabulous Femmes) made up of the most colorful characters. But murder even in Fiesta time can be dangerous and mysterious, and it takes an experienced and intelligent mystery writer to confound us and to confuse the professional detectives on the case. The intricate method of the murderer will surprise you at least they did me. And then there is Aggie’s handsome detective Sam, and their failed attempts to meet for an anticipate tryst. Ah, love!

[Eleanor Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love the gently age-obsessed/advice columnist character Aggie Muldeen. She's so human and relatable and you just find yourself cheering for her. Another short delay on the way to romance with Sam in what should be the perfect setting at the San Antonio River Walk, but as usual crime finds Aggie without her even trying and sends her off on a detour.
These books make me laugh--I was laughing from the start at Aggie's trip to the bookstore where she is perusing the romance titles and pondering what's inside the covers. Just one of the amusing scenes. A fun romp, well plotted mystery, quirky characters I've come to expect from this author--and I'm still rooting for Aggie! Looking forward to the next book already.

[Mary Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

R E V I E W

West, Nancy G. RIVER CITY DEAD,
Henery Publications, 228 pages

If you have followed the rollicking adventures of Aggie Mundeen through FIT TO BE DEAD, DANG NEAR DEAD, AND SMART BUT DEAD, there is a treat in store for you when you pick up the latest—RIVER CITY DEAD. Nancy West brings back Aggie, who has moved to San Antonio, Texas. Aggie and her man, Sam Vanderhoven have known each other for many years off and on. Now their friendship has blossomed and they are planning to celebrate during the city’s Fiesta with a romantic weekend in the penthouse of a downtown hotel. But their plans come to a screeching halt when a beautiful young woman is found dead in the very suite where they had planned to stay! Sam, a San Antonio police detective is immediately assigned to the case. Aggie, determined to help, begins her own parallel investigation. She finds a group of friends of the victim and gets to know them and the guys they date. The gals are all deeply involved in Fiesta and even have formed a dance group to perform at the event. Aggie jumps right in and soon begins to learn that something is wrong, very wrong. Meanwhile, Sam has learned that the victim, Monica Peters, has been poisoned and that others, including Aggie Mundeen are in danger! He wants Aggie to leave the city, or at least to stay put with police protection. Can Aggie do that? Of course not!
This book is categorized as a humorous mystery, but it is much more than that. Aggie is funny, really funny. I laughed out loud when she and the girls fell into the river going after the killer. Yes,Aggie is funny—but she is very smart too. She finds out all she can about poisons and how they work, are ingested and inhaled. Who in their group had means and motive?

This story has been beautifully researched. Streets, neighborhoods and the downtown area of the city are accurately described, and when Aggie tells Sam how the lovely River Walk was conceived, developed, and finally built after years of struggle, the reader might want to visit as soon as possible, maybe during Fiesta Week!
RIVER CITY DEAD deserves a 4-star rating and readers will want to follow Aggie and Sam to see what lies ahead for them.

Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Mary Ellen Brandt, Reviewer

[Andrea Guy · Rating 4 out of 5]

River City Dead sees Aggie Mundeen and her beau, Sam, SAPD detective attempting to have a romantic get away.

The only problem is that when Sam gets to the hotel there's a dead body there and all hopes for getting their relationship off to a romantic start are pretty much put to an end to that.

When the dead girl happens to be someone Aggie knows she has to help with the investigation. Aggie is getting really smart in her investigation.

She really finds some great ways to get information on Monica Peters while still trying to have a good weekend. I really enjoyed learning about Fiesta and the customs surrounding this holiday.

Monica was definitely a character/victim that you actually feel sorry for. A good percent of the time the victims in cozy mysteries, deserve their fate. Monica wasn't really all that bad and definitely didn't deserve what happened to her. She was just a young woman that was really looking for a good time and someone to love her.

I loved the Fabulous Femmes and the subgroups and clicks and all the drama this group of women create. The ladies Aggie met were definitely quirky and fun and they really carried the story along.

The only thing that drives me absolutely nuts about Aggie, is her obsession with age. She's not even 40 yet and she acts like she has one foot in the grave. As a woman that is 42, I almost find her attitude insulting.

Aggie is getting smarter in her sleuthing. I'm surprised at how Sam does let her help investigate. She still tries to do things on her own, that usually puts her in harms way. I was happy that her relationship with Sam has survived her actions this time round.

This is a fabulous series that any mystery lover will enjoy.

[Verity W · Rating 1 out of 5]

****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review****

It pains me to say that I didn't like this, but I didn't. I can see that a lot of other people have liked it, but it just didn't work for me. Maybe it was because I hadn't read the other books in the series, but I didn't warm to the characters, who seemed quite erratic and irrational at times - with Aggie straying into Too Stupid to Live territory in places. The dialogue didn't always flow and when the characters were walking around the town, asking questions about the area and describing things it felt like an info-dump from the author's research rather than an actual conversation. There were a few other occasions where the details that were picked out felt weird and where the emphasis on certain things felt laboured and obvious. And maybe it's because I'm a Brit, but the Fabulous Femmes group just didn't work for me - it just didn't bear any relation to any groups that I've ever come across.

As I've said, I'm clearly an outlier in this, so it obviously works for other people, it just wasn't for me. Which is a shame because I like the novels that Henery Press puts out as a rule. Never mind

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun cozy mystery that was set on the Riverwalk in San Antonio. It was like taking a vacation while reading a mystery. I love the Riverwalk and have been there several times.

This mystery took place during Fiesta. Aggie's friends are holding a convention and Sam is there as a detective because there has been a murder in the penthouse. Aggie wants so bad to help Sam, but she knows Sam hates for her to get involved. Of course, Aggie can't help it, she just wants to help.

A fun, entertaining read where yes, Aggie does seem to go against Sam's wishes, but the murder does get solved. This is a great series with fun characters. Aggie always seems to get in trouble, but she does always get her man (or woman).

Huge thanks to Henery Press for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Barbara Tobey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aggie and Sam do have trouble getting together. Their vacation on the San Antonio River Walk is no vacation. I have visited the River Walk. I wish I had read this book first. Lots of interesting information along with the mystery. Nice addition to the series. The publisher provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley. I look forward to reading more about Aggie and Sam.

[Jack Goodstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amateurish and confusing at best; silly at worst,

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aggie is excited but nervous. Her boyfriend Sam has booked a suite in a hotel right on San Antonio’s River Walk during Fiesta Week. This is the first time they are going to actually spend the weekend together. Aggie cares for Sam and wants to be with him, but this is the first time she’ll actually be spending a night with a man since her ex, whom she refers to as Lester the Louse.

Sam is nothing like Lester. He is a San Antonio police detective. The bad news is Aggie keeps sticking her nose in cases that Sam is working on. The good news is he is allowing her to help out a bit on investigations. Both of them were hoping to avoid any kind of crime during their getaway, but it has a way of finding them.

This time it is really too close to home to ignore. A dead body is found in the suite they were supposed to be staying in this weekend and the victim is someone Aggie knows. Sam wants her to leave so she is out of harm’s way. Aggie is determined to stay and help find the killer.

The problem is Aggie may be getting in too deep. She starts hanging out with some of the girls that are there to perform as a group during Fiesta Week. There are several of these groups staying at the hotel and Aggie is sure someone in or connected to them could be responsible for the dead girl in the suite she should be staying in.

Aggie soon finds herself at odds with Sam. Is her relationship going to end before it goes any further? Will the killer target another one of the girls in the group, or possibly Aggie to keep her from finding out the truth?

River City Dead is a great cozy mystery. It has all of the essential elements. Sam, the hot detective is the perfect love interest for guy shy Aggie. The fact that he lets her help solve crimes, albeit grudgingly, makes them a dynamic duo. I loved the setting. I’ve been to San Antonio’s River Walk, but never during Fiesta Week. The bits of history add a nice element to round out the story.

This is the fourth book in the Aggie Mundeen Mystery Series. It is the first one I’ve read, which worked fine as a standalone mystery. I learned bits and pieces of Aggie and Sam’s history. It was enough to know what was going on, but my curiosity wants a bit more info. That is encouraging me to read the other books in Ms. West’s series to get the scoop.

Copyright © 2017 Laura Hartman

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was not expected to return this item after my review.

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: River City Dead - Aggie Mundeen Mystery Book 4
Author: Nancy G West
Publisher: Henery Press
Published: 1-17-2017
Pages: 224
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub-Genre: Amateur Sleuths; Cozy Mystery; Women Sleuths
ISBN: 9781635111330
ASIN: B01MA6NALN
Reviewed For NetGalley and Henery Press
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.5 Stars


Aggie Muldeen, an advice columnist is just beginning to settle in San Antonio, TX. even as a romance between herself and Detective Sam Vanderhoven grows. The have plans to meet for a romantic weekend. A pall comes over the festivities when Aggie finds a dead body in the penthouse suite that Sam had reserved for them. The body turns out to be her neighbor Grace's ex-daughter-in-law with whom she recently lunched with.



Busy, but well written so that the story flows smoothly and quickly. Aggie and Sam have both shown growth since they wee first introduced. I continue to enjoy reading every offering Nancy G West gives her readers. She makes the reader want the story to go on and on.


My rating for River City Dead is 4.5 out of 5 stars.



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[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

River City Dead is the fourth installment of Nancy G. West's Aggie Mundeen mystery series.
I haven't read the first three books in the series, but not to worry, the reader is quickly brought up to speed. Aggie Mundeen, the protagonist, is an advice columnist exploring a budding romance with San Antonio Police Detective Sam Vanderhoven. Aggie's amateur sleuthing and insertion into Sam's cases often lands her in danger and strains their relationship.
When the story opens, Aggie and Sam are meeting at the Casa Prima Hotel on San Antonio's Riverwalk for a romantic Fiesta week getaway. Except there's a dead woman in the suite they're supposed to have. And Aggie knows her.
Pleasure is put on hold, and Sam is called to duty. Because Aggie is friends with the aunt of the victim, Monica Peters, she is tasked with breaking the devastating news. And investigating Monica's past in the hope of finding a motive.
The point-of-view alternates between Aggie (first person) and Sam (third person) as they each encounter suspects and discover clues. They share their findings and strategies… mostly.
I've visited San Antonio a few times, but I gained a greater appreciation for the destination from the descriptions and historical facts the author wove into the story. The setting truly becomes another character and plays an essential role in the comedic climax.

[Elissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fella Scorned?

It seems funny to use the word "gentle" with a murder mystery, but this is the second "cozy" I've read this month which fits that description. Or, rather, the heroine does. She has an enquiring mind but is not a ruthless soul.

The murders themselves are not particularly grizzly, just the fact of them, but . . . MURDER! Coupled with an intriguing plot and genuinely likable characters is the town of San Antonio and, more specifically, its River Walk. If you haven't been, put this on your bucket list--it is wonderful. Lots of history is tucked into corners and edges of the story so not only do you learn about skylights and the metal plating industry, plus getting tips about NOT combining various household products (you can poison yourself with the fumes from chlorine bleach mixed with ammonia!), but you become more informed on hospital supplies and various chemicals.

And, at its heart, this is a love story. Not an HEA romance, as this tale has been being told over several novels (this is the fourth in the series and is a spinoff from another story) and clearly is far from over. (Figured all that out from end notes.) However, rest assured it is absolutely standalone--it is the only one of the series I've read and I had no trouble keeping track of who's who--within its own plot.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 4th book in a wonderful cozy series (Aggie Mundeen Mystery). Aggie and Sam are finally getting together for a weekend getaway during San Antonio Fiesta week. When Sam gets to the hotel to check in they find a dead body in their suite. The hotel is also taken over by the the Fabulous Femmes, a philanthropic group that likes to party. Murder has a way of interfering in the best laid plans and Sam and Aggie must improvise before she ends up dead in the river. You don't need to read the previous books to enjoy the mystery but it's nice to have background in Sam and Aggie's romance.

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fun cozy mystery. This is the first book I have read by Nancy G. West. I was drawn in from the very first page until I finished the book. Even though this book was #4 in the series I had no trouble catching on. I fell in love with Aggie she’s older like me, clumsy funny and very loveable. This book will definitely make you laugh out loud. I highly recommend this book and will be looking for the previous books in this series.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creative with great twists.

I chose this book because it was a mystery and set in San Antonio a town I still hope to visit. I'd read a book set in San Antonio by Carolyn Hart and that whet my appetite to read more a out the town. I was pleased that Ms. West has a flowing, easy to read style that keeps the reader engaged and eager to see what come next I really enjoyed her style.

[Gayle B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and different, I really enjoyed this mystery. Aggie goes off on her own, searching for the killer. She knew the person murdered after all. Despite Sam warning her and telling her to go home, they will reschedule their weekend, Aggie just does what she thinks she should anyway. She really is thorough in her research (which is interesting) and her information does help Sam. We also learn a lot about Fiesta and the military history of San Antonio. Lots to like in this book.