Sleuthing for a Living

Mackenzie & Mackenzie P.I. #1

by Jennifer L. Hart

From the #1 cozy mystery bestselling author of The Southern Pasta Shop Mysteries comes a new series that proves blood can be thicker than water...


As a young single parent, Mackenzie Elizabeth Taylor has struggled to provide for her teenage daughter. She finally catches a break when she inherits half of an apartment building in Boston from her uncle Al...along with his P.I. business. So what if she doesn’t know the first thing about investigation or if their hot-but-crabby downstairs tenant is a police detective who’s looking for any excuse to handcuff her? Her daughter, Mac the computer whiz, has her back. And these two girls don’t know the meaning of the word quit—not even when their first case takes an unexpected turn.


The man Mackenzie's been hired to follow in a custody case seems to have upset more than just her client when she spies another person tailing him—a mysterious man Mackenzie would bet is up to no good. But when her mark suddenly winds up dead, and her first and only client is accused of his murder, Mackenzie vows to find the truth. Only one problem: she doesn’t know where to start…or when to draw the line. Who is the mysterious man she spotted tailing the victim? Is he the killer? Is she in over her head, or will she uncover the secrets someone killed to keep hidden? Mackenzie and Mackenzie are on the case, and the world of private investigation will never be the same.


What critics are saying about Jennifer L. Hart's books:


"A must read for all people who love a good mystery and a jolly good laugh...laugh out loud funny."
~ Black Orchid, Cocktail Reviews


Jennifer L. Hart introduces a deliciously delightful new amateur sleuth with this cozy mystery. The mystery had just the right amount of ups and downs and I found it as entertaining as the reluctant detective herself."
~ Night Owl Reviews


"Laugh out loud funny, realistic characters, snappy true to life dialog, and a sufficiently difficult mystery; all the required elements for an excellent read."
~ Manic Readers


"I would not hesitate to pick up another of Ms. Hart's works as she definitely made me with one book a lifelong fan."
~ Joyfully Reviewed

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Ebooks, Cozy, Crime

Audible Audio

Published June 14, 2016

About the author

Sign up for my author newsletter and never miss a new release at authorjenniferlhart.com

USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Hart writes about characters that cuss, get naked, and often make poor but hilarious life choices. A native New Yorker, Jenn now lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her imaginary friends. Her works to date include the Cougars and Cauldrons series, the Silver Sisters series and the upcoming Legcay Witches of Shadow Cove.

Reviews

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Single mother Mackenzie has struggled to eek out a living for her small family when she inherits an apartment building, a brand new Dodge Challenger and PI business. What she lacks in skill she more than makes up for in determination. When she picks up a custody case it seems fairly straight-forward until she spots another PI on the job and shortly afterwards her client's husband is murdered.

I've read quite a lot of these mysteries and they're a bit of a mixed bag. One of the things that really drives me to distraction is that so many heroines are TSTL and the heroes are kind of douchey. It's the reason I love Jennifer L. Hart's books. Her heroines are never dumb, they're smart and capable and her heroes don't treat them like they're idiots.

So this is a fairly typical mystery but it's made better because of Jennifer L. Hart's deft touch.

[Tammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a young single parent, Mackenzie Elizabeth Taylor has struggled to provide for her teenage daughter. She finally catches a break when she inherits half of an apartment building in Boston from her uncle Al...along with his P.I. business. So what if she doesn’t know the first thing about investigation or if their hot-but-crabby downstairs tenant is a police detective who’s looking for any excuse to handcuff her? Her daughter, Mac the computer whiz, has her back. And these two girls don’t know the meaning of the word quit—not even when their first case takes an unexpected turn.



3.5 stars. This was a lot of fun, but it was so much like Gilmore Girls; e. g., mom and daughter with same name, their relationship dynamic, what they eat, strained relationship with grandma, that it couldn't have been an accident. That being said, it didn't bother too much. This was one of the better cozy mysteries I've read, but I haven't read too many of them yet. I especially liked the little snippets at the beginning of each chapter from The Working Man's Guide to Sleuthing for a Living. Perfect for when you want something light.

Review also posted at Writings of a Reader.

[RoseMary author · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm confused...

After reading the reviews on Amazon, I seem to be the only reader bothered by the similarities between Mackenzie and Mac and Lorelei and Rory Gilmore.

Their relationship is exactly the same, their kitchen is stocked with the same food, they wear the same clothes, Mackenzie being pregnant and unmarried at 16 is the same, and Emily Gilmore epitomizes the mother/grandmother.

The writing is certainly good and the story is a nice cozy. But as I read, I found myself getting really upset that all these things were just like one of my favorite TV shows.

Hunter, the love interest, is a bit of a cliche, but I found myself liking him anyhow. Easy to tell where that relationship was going.

If someone has never watched The Gilmore Girls and read this book, the story and the writing would be very pleasing to them. You can tell it's been well edited and it reads well. For me, the blatant use of GG was just too much for me to rate it higher.

[Bobbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, had I not seen other reviews mentioning the similarity between the characters in this book and the ones in Gilmore Girls, I would never have connected the two. As I think about it, I can see how reviewers would think so. However I enjoyed the book and will mostly likely try the next one.

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the characters and their adventures. ❤️📚👍

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

[I received this book as an ARC free from the author requesting an honest review. I am also on her review team. . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising]

"...Well, maybe not grateful, I thought as I sat at a traffic light. But still, I needed the reminder. If I wanted to be taken seriously as a private investigator, I had to behave like I knew what the hell I was doing."...

Mackenzie Elizabeth Taylor and her daughter Mackenzie Elizabeth Taylor ( the 2nd? Jr.?) Have just moved into the brownstone in Boston she inherited from her late Uncle Al. Al was a private eye, much to Mackenzie's father's dismay, so they think Al's leaving his "worldly goods" to Makenzie and her mother Agnes was in part to stick it to his brother.

Along with the brownstone, she inherited Al's tenents: Nona and Hunter Black. She and her daughter move into Al's old place, and there is still another currently empty apartment that can be rented out.

Mackenzie's skill set isn't the greatest, but her daughter Mac in a computer whiz. When Mackenzie finds Al's unpublished journal, she is intrigued at the idea of becoming a PI herself. She finds a job with an older lawyer and quickly gets involved in a case that streches her neophyte skills... and her patience with her tenents. Together she and Mac work on solving a case way above her paygrade that involves her past and Mac's future. What more could she ask for?

Jennifer Hart continues to amaze me! Each new book is never boring; always contains a running subtext-usually tongue-in-cheek- and is a great fun read! And this new series is no different. How does she do it? My guess is she'll keep doing just that as long as the coffee holds out!

[Zena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story! Hello Mac and MacKenzie and welcome to the Heart of Harts!
Jennifer L. Hart has outdone herself this time. Her talent just seems to improve with each book she writes.
There's sleuthing and family time and sleuthing and a new romantic interest and sleuthing and an old romantic interest and ... Did I mention sleuthing about a case that Mac needs to crack?
This is the beginning of her career as a P.I. She takes on the profession as a P.I. after her P.I. uncle dies. She also co-inherits the building that he owned and his car.
Fumbling along because she really doesn't know if what she is doing is going to produce the right results, she uncovers clue after clue and you will have to read the book to find out what happens.
You'll meet her daughter, Mackenzie, as well as Mac's father and mother, the new boss, the elderly and motherly lady who lives upstairs and the hot cop who also lives in her building and a few other pertinent characters.
I really enjoyed this story and I am very sure you will too.
I received this advance copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and I highly recommend it. I love the relationships, the characters, the editing and the plot. The story is fast moving with lots of dialogue. But Wow! Mackenzie Taylor and Mac (short for Mackenzie) Taylor, a mother and daughter with the same name. Lorelai and Rory (short for Lorelai) Gilmore, a mother and daughter with the same name. Mackenzie became a mother at 16 and Lorelai became a mother at 16. Mac is an A student, Rory is an A student. This story starts with Mackenzie at 32, Gilmore Girls started the story with Lorelai at 32. The way the women live, talk and eat is the same in both stories. Even the Grandmother is similar in both stories. I don't blame Jennifer L. Hart for taking ideas from the Gilmore Girls. Actually, I'm surprised it has taken anyone so long to use the success of the Gilmore Girls characters in one of their stories. Of course the plot is very different from anything in the Gilmore Girls. Regardless of any similarities this is a wonderful story that I couldn't put down until it was finished!

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer L. Hart has done it again. In Sleuthing for a Living she has taken the single mom/teenage daughter situation to a whole new place and I love it! Once again her characters are so awesome that you will want to spend time with them between books. Like most mothers, Mackenzie wants the best for her daughter but it isn't in her nature to settle into a day-to-day job, so when her uncle leaves her a rundown apartment building, a really hot car, a really hot neighbor, and a book of advice she use them to springboard into a new career. Ok, he didn't really leave her the book or the guy but that doesn't keep Mackenzie from looking at either one and getting ideas. Amazing and delightful tale with a complex mystery, some interesting personal twists and an overgrown teenager trying to make life better for her own teen amid laughter, a few tears, and lots of frustration. Life just can't be easy.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and that's what you got!

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mackenzie is a single mom with a teenage daughter. Mac inherited her uncle's apartment building and his passion for detective work. The plot and characters are very similar to Evanovich's Stephanie Plummer series. It's ok for the first book in the series. The author tried too hard to make Mac's vocabulary street-wise. Too many street cliches worked into the dialogue. It didn't flow. It's a short book. Easy to read. Entertaining characters.

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I enjoyed the author's Laundry Hag series and decided to give her new series ago, so glad I did because it was a lot of fun. I liked the characters, especially the bond between mother and daughter (the two Mackenzie's). There light hearted banter and teasing adds a fun and often humours element to the story. There is a nice family home life drama to round out the characters with an interesting background and of course the romantic entanglement, that is required in a cost mystery but I actually liked this because of the way the characters are with each other. The mystery was interesting, although I am not sure Mac had time for school with all help she gave her mum solving the case. Looking forward to the next book and I might even need to add this series to my audio book collection.
Mackenzie as a single mother is bringing up her daughter the best way she knows how by working hard and not excepting charity fronted parents, even if it means working one dead end job after another. So when her estranged uncle does and leaves her his building and tenants, Mackenzie packs up her daughter and moves in. When she discovers her uncle had written a book about his experience as a private investigator Mackenzie decided she had found her calling. She gets hired by a lawyer to help a mother prove that her ex husband is abandoning there children with his parents instead of looking after them himself. On her very first stake out she sort of witnesses his murder and now she has to prove her client didn't kill him. At the same time her mother has left her husband and move into the building complex to complicate Mackenzie's world and the ground floor tenant is the detective investigating the murder and he Mackenzie to stay away. Can Mackenzie find the killer and why the man was already being followed by someone. With the help from her daughter and her mad computer skills Mackenzie might just prove she is good at something.

[krysley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Oh man, I was not expecting to love this audiobook as much as I did. The mashup of Gilmore Girls and Stephanie Plum (minus the stupidity) hit the perfect note for me. As soon as I put it down I couldn't wait to pick it up again.

I loved all the characters, from Mackenzie and Mac to Hunter, Nona, and Len. I especially loved the mother/daughter/BFF relationship between Mackenzie and Mac. Extra points to Jennifer Hart for creating Mackenzie as a character who may have been an amateur in her newly chosen career and eager to learn, but didn't make her a complete idiot (looking at you, Plum). Mackenzie's personality and antics kept me laughing and cheering her on.

I really enjoyed Suzanne Cerreta as the narrator. She hit the sweet spot for Mackenzie without making her seem over the top and did an excellent job handling a variety of characters. There were times where I couldn't always tell if Mackenzie was actually saying something or if she was just thinking it, but other than that Cerreta did an excellent job.

This would be a 5-star read, but I knocked a half star off because of the love triangle vibe. Ugh, I really hope that won't become a thing in this series. It's a ridiculous trope.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally Inept PI You’ll Love

Mackenzie is a single mom who barely makes ends meet with a teenage daughter and a pushy mother. She inherits a run-down apartment house in Boston from her uncle and moves in. While going through her uncle’s office, she discovers he was a PI who left a journal about what it takes to be one. Determined to make a better life for her and her daughter (who has the same name), she decides to become one.
And thus the fun begins.
She gets hired by an elderly lawyer, makes friends with her neighbor/tenant, handsome cop Hunter, and her mother moves into an empty apartment upstairs. And Mac’s father Brett (who she doesn’t know and who doesn’t know her) shows up. Nothing can go wrong, right?

I love the little bits of wisdom at the beginning of each chapter that come from her uncle’s journal. And the sweet lawyer, Len, is cute as a mentor/boss. The interplay between Kenzie (mom), Mac (daughter), and Agnes (Kenzie’s mom) is perfect.

This is a light-hearted, fun cozy with a satisfying ending. I look forward to more from this author.

Recommended.

[Chris Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't do book reviews

I don't do book reviews like you keep seeing, as I find that some give too much of the plot away and I personally hate that, as it makes the book not worth reading. I much prefer to take the authors back cover write up as a review as it can either intrigue you enough to read the book of provide you enough information to make you decide that the book is not for you.
My review rules are: The more stars, the more I liked it.
If there are too many typos or errors the less stars I give
If the storyline or plot is poor or contains too many errors, the characters are too weak, the ending lacking something, then the less stars I give.
Simple, uncomplicated and to the point without giving anything away.
Some of the books I read have been given to me by the author as a pre-release copy and this does not bias my reviews in any way.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book will appeal to people of a certain age, like those under 40. The story is shallow and flits from thing to thing. I found the relationship (if that is what one calls it) between Mackenzie and Agnes awful. The author went for laughs rather than depth of emotion or understanding.

With no training (other than the wisdom shared by her uncle's book), Mackenzie assumes she can be a private investigator. Hurray, she solved the case. However, I have no interest in the storyline or characters to continue. I admit that the author writes well. She has entertaining secondary characters, but it is all a play, not real people with real emotions. The audiobook is performed excellently by Suzanne Cerreta.

Mackenzie & Mackenzie PI Mystery
** 1. Sleuthing for a Living (2016)
2. All Sleuth and No Play (2017)
3. Sleuthing for the Weekend (2019)

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gotta admit, I loved it

I'm a sucker for books to read like I talk and think. For once, I felt like the characters and I came from the same place. Not that I was a young, single mother but rather their way of talking and being. Mackenzie and Mac are cool but still pretty much family. When they move into their new apartment and Mackenzie decides to be a PI like her uncle, things get interesting. Her first case turns into a murder and her ex re-enters her life, complicating things further as Mac has never met her dad. Clearing her client of a murder charge, juggling her relationships, and staying alive when her life seems to have taken a crazy turn are tough for the army brat with no valid PI skills.

Fun characters, wacky situations, and a decent mystery.

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sleuthing for a Living by Jennifer L. Hart is the first book in the Mackenzie and Mackenzie P.I. series. Single mother Mackenzie Elizabeth Taylor inherits half an apartment building and a P.I. business from her uncle Al and starts work for a lawyer on a custody case only to find the person she is following killed and their client suspected of murder. A fun and interesting book. It was nice to get to know the characters and see how Mackenzie came to start out in the P.I. business. A nice mystery complicated by money, family and relationship issues. An entertaining and enjoyable book.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

free ebook

she had a baby girl when she was 16
her parents were not supportive
she never told the baby dad as she caught him with another girl

she moved into a apt bldg her uncle left her and her mom when he died. a hot cop lives there too. and old lady upstaris

she quit her job and became a pi with a older lawyers help
she was just trying to take photos for a child custody case and the dad ended up getting murdered

the man she was following turned out to be her daughters dad who was also a pi

her mom and dad were getting divorced, her mom moved upstairs

she finally told her daughter who her dad was, but didnt tell him yet
then her daughter got arrested

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: I really enjoyed this duo of mother and daughter amateur sleuths. Once the audiobook started, I had to listen until the end as I was captivated by it. The story was charming. The relationship between the mother and daughter was delightful. I liked following the clues sprinkled throughout the tale. Suzanne Cerreta's narration was great, and her performance enhanced the story's entertainment. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

[Andrea Latham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mackenzie Elizabeth Taylor is a young single mother who struggled providing for her teenage daughter. Mackenzie inherits half of an apartment building in Boston from her uncle Al, along with his P.I. business and she decides to take over the business and doesn't know how to be a P.I. and finds out she doesn't need a license if she works for a lawyer. Mackenzie has a lot of baggage and secrets from the past and it catches up with her with a lot of surprises that she's not ready for.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mackenzie Elizabeth Taylor, a single mother, struggles to support her teenage daughter. When she inherits part ownership in an apartment building she moves in with her daughter and finds a job as a private detective. Her first case involves a cheating spouse that turns into a murder. Her life is further complicated when the co owner of the building, her mother, moves in to the empty apartment upstairs.
A fun first book in a series.

[Dawn Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good start to series

Mackenzie has made a drastic life change for her and her daughter Mac. Mackenzie is learning to be a PI by trial and error. There are some funny scenes especially with the secondary characters. Some truths are learned and the mystery is solved. Good writing style. I plan to buy book 2.

[Nancy Gerards · Rating 2 out of 5]

It let me to the Gilmore Girls .......wich is fun , airy and not to much to think about.Right up unrill the coffee adicction
What hit me right in the gut was the description of the childhood Hunter had ....way to graphic, it triggerd real bad childhood memories
A warning about it would have been nice !! specially for the reader who is a abuse survivor

[Miss Di · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Gilmore girls go a-sleuthing in the big bad city of Boston. The quips, banter, mother- daughter relationships and food are 100% Gilmore Girls. The rest is a cozy mystery with a range of characters that have room to grow and reveal depths and hopefully some interesting back stories. I'm looking forward to more of the series.

[Shannon Binegar-Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

I have enjoyed many books by Jennifer so naturally I knew I would love this series too. This one really kept me on the edge of my seat. It was full of twists. I can't wait to read book 2.

[Biggs_bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect cozy mystery! I love the layers to this story and how beautifully it all works out. Full of snark, sass, love and mystery this book will make you giggle all the way through! I really love the relationship between Mackenzie and Mak!

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, entertaining, easy to listen to and one of the better cozies I’ve read. Narrator was great. The snarky, quippy banter was sometimes fun and sometimes annoying, and I would have been fine if there had been a bit less of it.

[JadeShea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sleuthing for a Living was really cool! I loved the humor of it, and I really liked the heroine and her daughter. They had a great relationship, and it was really interesting to see how things played out. I'm ready for more now.

[Barbara Coetzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read

A thoroughly enjoyable story. I was hooked from the first page. Mackenzie is funny and cute and od course dislikes amy srental asvice. Daughter Mac is sassy but a little genius on computers and helps her mother. Then there is zhunter. This is a must read

[Shiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was suprised how much I enjoyed this one. I immediately downloaded the next one