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Sophie Kimball Mystery #4
Botched 4 Murder
Bowled over . . .
Sophie “Phee” Kimball is getting dragged into the drama again at her mom’s Arizona retirement community. A new board member wants to get rid of two golf courses and replace them with eco-friendly parks, and some of the residents are pretty teed off about it. On top of that, her mother’s book club friend Myrna is being pushed out of the bocce league. These seniors are serious about winning, and Myrna’s dragging them down. She’s so bad at bocce, in fact, that when a community mem.ber’s dead body is discovered while Myrna’s practicing for a tournament, she assumes it was one of her own errant balls that killed the woman.
But before Myrna can be tossed off the bocce court and into criminal court, the police find an arrow in the victim’s neck. It looks like this was no accident—and Phee and her investigator boyfriend Marshall will have to team up to bounce a killer into the slammer . . .
Praise for the Sophie Kimball Mysteries
“A thoroughly entertaining series debut, with enjoyable, yet realistic characters and enough plot twists—and dead ends—to appeal from beginning to end.”
— Booklist STARRED REVIEW on Booked 4 Murder
“An eclectic cast of entertaining characters that will keep you wondering whodunit!”
—Nicole Leiren, USA Today bestselling author of the Danger Cover Mysteries
Sophie “Phee” Kimball is getting dragged into the drama again at her mom’s Arizona retirement community. A new board member wants to get rid of two golf courses and replace them with eco-friendly parks, and some of the residents are pretty teed off about it. On top of that, her mother’s book club friend Myrna is being pushed out of the bocce league. These seniors are serious about winning, and Myrna’s dragging them down. She’s so bad at bocce, in fact, that when a community mem.ber’s dead body is discovered while Myrna’s practicing for a tournament, she assumes it was one of her own errant balls that killed the woman.
But before Myrna can be tossed off the bocce court and into criminal court, the police find an arrow in the victim’s neck. It looks like this was no accident—and Phee and her investigator boyfriend Marshall will have to team up to bounce a killer into the slammer . . .
Praise for the Sophie Kimball Mysteries
“A thoroughly entertaining series debut, with enjoyable, yet realistic characters and enough plot twists—and dead ends—to appeal from beginning to end.”
— Booklist STARRED REVIEW on Booked 4 Murder
“An eclectic cast of entertaining characters that will keep you wondering whodunit!”
—Nicole Leiren, USA Today bestselling author of the Danger Cover Mysteries
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 18, 2018
65 people are currently reading
348 people want to read
About the author
J.C. Eaton
31 books344 followersAnn I. Goldfarb
New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, they have authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington), The Wine Trail Mysteries (Kensington Lyrical Underground), and coming in August 2018, The Marcie Rayner Mysteries (Camel). In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name. Visit the websites at:
www.jceatonmysteries.com
www.facebook.com/JCEatonauthor/
www.timetravelmysteries.com
James E. Clapp
When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching. Visit the website at www.jceatonauthor.com
New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, they have authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington), The Wine Trail Mysteries (Kensington Lyrical Underground), and coming in August 2018, The Marcie Rayner Mysteries (Camel). In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name. Visit the websites at:
www.jceatonmysteries.com
www.facebook.com/JCEatonauthor/
www.timetravelmysteries.com
James E. Clapp
When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching. Visit the website at www.jceatonauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
December 5, 2018
Botched 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton is the fourth book of the cozy Sophie Kimball Mystery series. Each book of the series features it’s own mystery that needs to be solved so the books could be understood out of order or on their own. However, there’s always a bit of character story that carries over from book to book so it’s best read in order.
In this series Sophie “Phee” Kimball had been working in accounting at a police department in Minnesota when her retired mother thought Phee would be the perfect person to come to Arizona to investigate when several suspicious deaths happened at her retirement community.
After her first trip out to Arizona Phee decided to make the move and took a job working for a detective friend but to Phee’s mother that still made her perfect to investigate whenever anything out of the ordinary comes along for the ladies in the retirement community. This time a murder victim is found during the bocce ball practice session and with the community riled up over proposal to turn the golf courses into public parks Phee needs to get to the bottom of things once again.
I have been enjoying the Sophie Kimball Mystery series since it’s beginning and will continue to look for new editions. With a bit of everything I personally love in a cozy this has become a favorite. There’s the quirky and funny vibe the side characters give, the main character with a connection to law enforcement and plenty of twists and turns to the mysteries. I knew I had a winner when I started wishing my own mother would retire to Sun City so I could follow along although I think a bit of crime watch is needed so there wouldn’t be so many murders to solve!
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
In this series Sophie “Phee” Kimball had been working in accounting at a police department in Minnesota when her retired mother thought Phee would be the perfect person to come to Arizona to investigate when several suspicious deaths happened at her retirement community.
After her first trip out to Arizona Phee decided to make the move and took a job working for a detective friend but to Phee’s mother that still made her perfect to investigate whenever anything out of the ordinary comes along for the ladies in the retirement community. This time a murder victim is found during the bocce ball practice session and with the community riled up over proposal to turn the golf courses into public parks Phee needs to get to the bottom of things once again.
I have been enjoying the Sophie Kimball Mystery series since it’s beginning and will continue to look for new editions. With a bit of everything I personally love in a cozy this has become a favorite. There’s the quirky and funny vibe the side characters give, the main character with a connection to law enforcement and plenty of twists and turns to the mysteries. I knew I had a winner when I started wishing my own mother would retire to Sun City so I could follow along although I think a bit of crime watch is needed so there wouldn’t be so many murders to solve!
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
January 27, 2019
Dollycas’s Thoughts
There is never a dull moment at the Sun City West Retirement Community and Sophie “Phee” Kimball always get dawn into the fun and games by her mother, Harriet. This time a board member has the bright idea to turn to golf courses into eco-friendly parks. Most of the residents are up in arms. There is also a big bocce ball tournament coming up and one of the members of the Sun City West team is performing up to par and some member want her out. These two things collide when the board member is found dead and misthrown bocce ball is found nearby sending the group into quite a tizzy. When the police arrive they find the real cause of death, and they call it murder. It doesn’t take long before Phee and Marshall, her investigator boyfriend, are fully involved in the investigation. Marshall helping the police, Phee on every wild goose chase her mother sends her on.
This series just gets better and better. This time Phee is roped into a group made up of the women from her mother’s book club and a group of men who are dead set against board member, Sorrel Harlan’s plan to get rid of two golf courses. Together they make plans to attend the board meeting and to try to convince the board to vote “no”. When the woman is found dead the group continues to meet to be sure the golf courses stay in tact and to “help” Phee catch the killer.
Harriet is a loving but very pushy woman. Phee has learned to just do as her mother asks to avoid confrontation and also because sometimes the chases do provide clues to move the case forward. It always cracks me up when Phee has to remind her mother and her friends that, yes, she does work for an investigation agency, but she is the BOOKKEEPER, not a detective. Eye-rolling is one of Phee’s great traits.
All the characters feel very real and Harriet reminds me a little bit of my own mom. The way the woman plans her life almost entirely around her Chiweenie dog, Streetman, is hilarious. I love the way the relationship is growing between Marshall and Phee. The man is a keeper, he puts up with all the things Phee does and her mother.
The plot was a twisty one. Plenty of suspects and red herrings. I was totally caught up in the story from start to finish.
Funny and entertaining. The entire series has been delightful. They are best read in order to get to really know these characters.
There is never a dull moment at the Sun City West Retirement Community and Sophie “Phee” Kimball always get dawn into the fun and games by her mother, Harriet. This time a board member has the bright idea to turn to golf courses into eco-friendly parks. Most of the residents are up in arms. There is also a big bocce ball tournament coming up and one of the members of the Sun City West team is performing up to par and some member want her out. These two things collide when the board member is found dead and misthrown bocce ball is found nearby sending the group into quite a tizzy. When the police arrive they find the real cause of death, and they call it murder. It doesn’t take long before Phee and Marshall, her investigator boyfriend, are fully involved in the investigation. Marshall helping the police, Phee on every wild goose chase her mother sends her on.
This series just gets better and better. This time Phee is roped into a group made up of the women from her mother’s book club and a group of men who are dead set against board member, Sorrel Harlan’s plan to get rid of two golf courses. Together they make plans to attend the board meeting and to try to convince the board to vote “no”. When the woman is found dead the group continues to meet to be sure the golf courses stay in tact and to “help” Phee catch the killer.
Harriet is a loving but very pushy woman. Phee has learned to just do as her mother asks to avoid confrontation and also because sometimes the chases do provide clues to move the case forward. It always cracks me up when Phee has to remind her mother and her friends that, yes, she does work for an investigation agency, but she is the BOOKKEEPER, not a detective. Eye-rolling is one of Phee’s great traits.
All the characters feel very real and Harriet reminds me a little bit of my own mom. The way the woman plans her life almost entirely around her Chiweenie dog, Streetman, is hilarious. I love the way the relationship is growing between Marshall and Phee. The man is a keeper, he puts up with all the things Phee does and her mother.
The plot was a twisty one. Plenty of suspects and red herrings. I was totally caught up in the story from start to finish.
Funny and entertaining. The entire series has been delightful. They are best read in order to get to really know these characters.
December 13, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advanced digital read copy of Botched 4 Murder by J. C. Eaton. If you like a cozy mystery with a strong element of humor, this may be the book for you. Filled with tongue in cheek dialog from the senior citizens who inhabit Sun City West, the book offers a sometimes satirical, and others more humorous look at what it’s like to live in a retirement community.
There is a cozy mystery here, although Sophie (Phee) Kimball stumbles on much of the information rather than reaching it by logically assessing a set of clues and red herrings. There is a strong presence provided by the secondary character of Phee’s mother along with her friends who make up the Booked 4 Murder book club who are constantly spurring Phee on to solve the murder and save their community from having their golf courses turned into eco-friendly parks.
Phee, who is the bookkeeper for a detective agency, runs around the area investigating, largely at the behest of her mother and out of a belief that her mother will continue to insist until Phee caves in and does what she is being urged to do. Many of the secondary characters are almost caricatures of residents one might expect to find in a retirement community such as those that dot the state of Arizona. The humorous/sarcastic look at what fills the days of retired senior citizens becomes somewhat repetitive as the book continues, although it will likely appeal to a segment of readers, particularly those who may find some of themselves or their anticipated circumstances depicted in the novel.
There is limited opportunity for the reader to correctly solve the puzzle as much of the information needed to reach the right conclusion isn’t provided until almost the end of the book. For those who are more interested in a book filled with laughter and senior citizens than solid investigative work, this book may have a strong appeal. It is a classic cozy in that Phee is not a trained investigator, although she works for an investigative firm. While there are two murders which initially seem unrelated, descriptions of how the victims die are kept to a minimum in the classic cozy style.
There is a cozy mystery here, although Sophie (Phee) Kimball stumbles on much of the information rather than reaching it by logically assessing a set of clues and red herrings. There is a strong presence provided by the secondary character of Phee’s mother along with her friends who make up the Booked 4 Murder book club who are constantly spurring Phee on to solve the murder and save their community from having their golf courses turned into eco-friendly parks.
Phee, who is the bookkeeper for a detective agency, runs around the area investigating, largely at the behest of her mother and out of a belief that her mother will continue to insist until Phee caves in and does what she is being urged to do. Many of the secondary characters are almost caricatures of residents one might expect to find in a retirement community such as those that dot the state of Arizona. The humorous/sarcastic look at what fills the days of retired senior citizens becomes somewhat repetitive as the book continues, although it will likely appeal to a segment of readers, particularly those who may find some of themselves or their anticipated circumstances depicted in the novel.
There is limited opportunity for the reader to correctly solve the puzzle as much of the information needed to reach the right conclusion isn’t provided until almost the end of the book. For those who are more interested in a book filled with laughter and senior citizens than solid investigative work, this book may have a strong appeal. It is a classic cozy in that Phee is not a trained investigator, although she works for an investigative firm. While there are two murders which initially seem unrelated, descriptions of how the victims die are kept to a minimum in the classic cozy style.
March 10, 2019
Sophie's mother is in the middle of a fight between her mother's retirement home that wants to get rid of the golf courses and make them into parks. Her mother's book club is serious about their bocce league and a poor player is bringing them down. The player is so bad that when a man is found dead they think she did it with her errant ball throwing. An arrow is found in his neck so Sophie and her mother's group set out to stop the parks and find out who shot the arrow and why.
June 22, 2019
I absolutely love this series! I have to admit I was drawn in by the cute dachshund on the book covers, but I fell quickly for the characters. And these characters are something else! I like to think of them as old friends I'm going back to visit, yep even Phee's mom Harriet. She's such a hoot! Once again, Phee was drawn into the drama that was her mother's retirement village life and ended up investigating not one but two murders, one of which was a high-profile murder--Phee felt sure there was a connection of some type. After a narrow escape with a killer, Phee was just grateful to be around and attended the meeting of the Sun City West issue that had started all of this. Her boss Nate and gentleman friend Marshall always seem to have the most extreme patience with Phee and her investigating by herself...and they are saints in the making when it comes to putting up with her mom and all her friends lol. I'm just happy that Marshall and Phee found one another.
I can't wait for the next book coming in September! I saw the cover for another one on the author's new website too.
I can't wait for the next book coming in September! I saw the cover for another one on the author's new website too.
January 30, 2021
La serie non sarebbe neanche male se non fosse per la madre della protagonista e compagnia, che sono sempre, e sottolineo sempre, sopra le righe. Forse si vuol far ridere con i loro comportamenti esagerati, ma dopo un po' vengono veramente a noia. Almeno per me.
December 17, 2018
Botched 4 Murder by J. C. Eaton is the 4th book in the Sophie Kimball Mystery series, and another fun read. Sophie, “Phee”, Kimball gets sucked into another murder investigation by her mother and friends. I love this series, this book made me laugh out loud, it was so funny. Once I started this book, I could not stop reading it until I was done. Not only is this book an exciting mystery but also very refreshing and a quick read. If you love funny cozy mysteries, which are my favorite, I strongly recommend this book/series.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 22, 2019
Another fun entry into the Sophie Kimball series! As Sophie and Marshall get closer, one of the members of the retirement community board is found dead! Was it an errant bocce ball thrown by one of mother's book club friends that caused her death or was someone specifically targeting her? Sophie quickly learns she may have been targeted because of her stance on the new park being proposed that may take up precious real estate on the current golf course community landscape. Is someone angry enough to kill over it? Readers will find the fun humor we've come to expect from Sophie, her mother and community friends intertwined amongst the pages of this murder mystery. Multiple mysteries arise in this story and readers will find themselves working to solve them and rooting for the good guys in the end. A fun, fast read to add to your shelves!
November 2, 2018
It was with pleasure when I started the book and it did not disappoint. It contains funny scene as usual. The fourth book finds the residents of Sun City West in an uproar over the proposal of turning two of golf parks into eco-friendly friendly parks. The Bocce league is planning to enter a contest and Myrna playing is poor and someone her off the team. Practicing for the contest and Myrna Hobbs a ball ones onto the golf park. The ball was thought to kill the person it was found near. Later examination finds a narrow threw the neck. Phee's Mother insists that Phee looks into the .after to help Myrna. Marshall, Phee boyfriend comes to the planning board meetings about the eco-friendly parks. Why was the person kill? Can Phee solved the crime before she looses her life? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES. Recipes are included.
Disclosure: Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclosure: Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
December 31, 2018
http://openbooksociety.com/article/bo...
Botched 4 Murder
Sophie Kimball Mystery #4
By J.C. Eaton
ISBN 9781496719881
jceatonauthor.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Sophie “Phee” Kimball is getting dragged into the drama again at her mom’s Arizona retirement community. A new board member wants to get rid of two golf courses and replace them with eco-friendly parks, and some of the residents are pretty teed off about it. On top of that, her mother’s book club friend Myrna is being pushed out of the bocce league. These seniors are serious about winning, and Myrna’s dragging them down. She’s so bad at bocce, in fact, that when a community member’s dead body is discovered while Myrna’s practicing for a tournament, she assumes it was one of her own errant balls that killed the woman.
But before Myrna can be tossed off the bocce court and into criminal court, the police find an arrow in the victim’s neck. It looks like this was no accident–and Phee and her investigator boyfriend Marshall will have to team up to bounce a killer into the slammer . . . (From Goodreads)
Review:
One of these days I will have to take a drive down the street to Sun City West, Arizona to see what Bocce ball is, especially since it is central to this cozy mystery. Sophie “Phee” Kimball enjoys the new life she has in Arizona, with Marshall, the PI she is dating, her bookkeeping position for Williams Investigations, and her friends. Well, except for the shenanigans her mother, Harriet Plunkett, and her friends from the Booked 4 Murder book club drag her into. And Streetman, Harriet’s dog? Please. The eccentric bunch of book club members, the pinochle group, and bocce ball tournament players keep the novel not only interesting, but full of humor.
Phee came to Arizona when a retired Mankato, MN detective opened a PI firm in Glendale, AZ. She and Nate Williams worked together at Mankato PD, and he asked if she would come to handle the firm’s finances. Marshall Gregory was also a Mankato detective, and came to work for Nate. Marshall and Phee each had secret crushes on the other when in Mankato, and in Arizona they began to date.
Nate and Marshall have learned that when Phee’s mother calls, there could be trouble for them. She comes up with some of the strangest crises. This time, Phee and Marshall are talked into attending the Sun City West Rec Centers Board of Directors meeting where new business is brought up by the newest board member, Sorrel Harlan. Her proposal, if accepted by the board, would close at least a couple Sun City West golf courses to turn them into eco-friendly parks. The parks would be grandchildren-friendly, where parties and community celebrations could be held. The parks that would cause the “golf course view” home values to plummet. Voices are raised, some say, “over your dead body” and others would be happy if it were her dead body.
Unfortunately, the prediction came true the next morning. The bocce players are practicing, and Myrna, the worst player on the team, knocks three balls from the bocce court to the golf court. Bill went to pick up the balls to find the face-down body of a murdered woman…not with a bocce ball but an arrow.
Politics really can be murder! The woman is Sorrel. The Sheriff’s department contracts with Williams Investigations to consult on the case, as they were already overrun with cases; Nate’s company takes care of some of the minutia such as comparing who from the bocce league or other various interests are archers. Phee starts to go on crazy errands to placate her mother or satisfy her curiosity. Including checking out the mansion where Sorrel’s widower lives to see if she can find anything that could pin the murder on him. Or going to the condo community where a murdered man had lived. Nothing could have prepared her for…well, you’ll find out soon enough.
Phee must be a strong woman to be Harriett’s daughter. We already know she is brilliant with numbers, and even when unwilling, a very helpful sleuth. Even when she does some dumb stuff. Like casing the joint belonging to Sorrel’s widower. Even when the dumb stuff sometimes finds a clue that changes the course of the investigation. She is very well-defined, as are the other characters. I could almost anticipate going to the bagel place and seeing, and hearing, the kooky book club ladies, almost like a table full of Lucys and Ethels, with Phee rolling her eyes. I like seeing Phee and Marshall together, and enjoy Augusta, the firm’s secretary.
Fourth in the series, Botched 4 Murder can be read as a standalone so well is the backstory included. I can promise that if a reader likes to laugh, said reader might want to read the three preceding mysteries. Each one in the series is better than the last. I like how the mystery builds into a complex story full of surprising twists and turns, even suspects that sound so good but simply don’t work out. I couldn’t figure out who the real bad guy or gal might be! One of the people involved never even made it to my “list”, another one I barely thought about. The mysteries are solved without leaving loose ends. This is a fabulous cozy mystery for those who enjoy humor with their well-written cozy mysteries and retirement towns with quirky characters. I highly recommend Botched for Murder and the rest of the series. The authors have hit a home run, or whatever the Bocce ball method of scoring is. Don’t miss it!
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Botched 4 Murder
Sophie Kimball Mystery #4
By J.C. Eaton
ISBN 9781496719881
jceatonauthor.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Sophie “Phee” Kimball is getting dragged into the drama again at her mom’s Arizona retirement community. A new board member wants to get rid of two golf courses and replace them with eco-friendly parks, and some of the residents are pretty teed off about it. On top of that, her mother’s book club friend Myrna is being pushed out of the bocce league. These seniors are serious about winning, and Myrna’s dragging them down. She’s so bad at bocce, in fact, that when a community member’s dead body is discovered while Myrna’s practicing for a tournament, she assumes it was one of her own errant balls that killed the woman.
But before Myrna can be tossed off the bocce court and into criminal court, the police find an arrow in the victim’s neck. It looks like this was no accident–and Phee and her investigator boyfriend Marshall will have to team up to bounce a killer into the slammer . . . (From Goodreads)
Review:
One of these days I will have to take a drive down the street to Sun City West, Arizona to see what Bocce ball is, especially since it is central to this cozy mystery. Sophie “Phee” Kimball enjoys the new life she has in Arizona, with Marshall, the PI she is dating, her bookkeeping position for Williams Investigations, and her friends. Well, except for the shenanigans her mother, Harriet Plunkett, and her friends from the Booked 4 Murder book club drag her into. And Streetman, Harriet’s dog? Please. The eccentric bunch of book club members, the pinochle group, and bocce ball tournament players keep the novel not only interesting, but full of humor.
Phee came to Arizona when a retired Mankato, MN detective opened a PI firm in Glendale, AZ. She and Nate Williams worked together at Mankato PD, and he asked if she would come to handle the firm’s finances. Marshall Gregory was also a Mankato detective, and came to work for Nate. Marshall and Phee each had secret crushes on the other when in Mankato, and in Arizona they began to date.
Nate and Marshall have learned that when Phee’s mother calls, there could be trouble for them. She comes up with some of the strangest crises. This time, Phee and Marshall are talked into attending the Sun City West Rec Centers Board of Directors meeting where new business is brought up by the newest board member, Sorrel Harlan. Her proposal, if accepted by the board, would close at least a couple Sun City West golf courses to turn them into eco-friendly parks. The parks would be grandchildren-friendly, where parties and community celebrations could be held. The parks that would cause the “golf course view” home values to plummet. Voices are raised, some say, “over your dead body” and others would be happy if it were her dead body.
Unfortunately, the prediction came true the next morning. The bocce players are practicing, and Myrna, the worst player on the team, knocks three balls from the bocce court to the golf court. Bill went to pick up the balls to find the face-down body of a murdered woman…not with a bocce ball but an arrow.
Politics really can be murder! The woman is Sorrel. The Sheriff’s department contracts with Williams Investigations to consult on the case, as they were already overrun with cases; Nate’s company takes care of some of the minutia such as comparing who from the bocce league or other various interests are archers. Phee starts to go on crazy errands to placate her mother or satisfy her curiosity. Including checking out the mansion where Sorrel’s widower lives to see if she can find anything that could pin the murder on him. Or going to the condo community where a murdered man had lived. Nothing could have prepared her for…well, you’ll find out soon enough.
Phee must be a strong woman to be Harriett’s daughter. We already know she is brilliant with numbers, and even when unwilling, a very helpful sleuth. Even when she does some dumb stuff. Like casing the joint belonging to Sorrel’s widower. Even when the dumb stuff sometimes finds a clue that changes the course of the investigation. She is very well-defined, as are the other characters. I could almost anticipate going to the bagel place and seeing, and hearing, the kooky book club ladies, almost like a table full of Lucys and Ethels, with Phee rolling her eyes. I like seeing Phee and Marshall together, and enjoy Augusta, the firm’s secretary.
Fourth in the series, Botched 4 Murder can be read as a standalone so well is the backstory included. I can promise that if a reader likes to laugh, said reader might want to read the three preceding mysteries. Each one in the series is better than the last. I like how the mystery builds into a complex story full of surprising twists and turns, even suspects that sound so good but simply don’t work out. I couldn’t figure out who the real bad guy or gal might be! One of the people involved never even made it to my “list”, another one I barely thought about. The mysteries are solved without leaving loose ends. This is a fabulous cozy mystery for those who enjoy humor with their well-written cozy mysteries and retirement towns with quirky characters. I highly recommend Botched for Murder and the rest of the series. The authors have hit a home run, or whatever the Bocce ball method of scoring is. Don’t miss it!
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
November 9, 2018
Phee is back in Botched 4 Murder.
The entire town is upset about the idea to turn the golf courses into parks.
When the group is practicing Bocce ball, a grim discovery is made, which makes matters even worse.
This is a fun filled, fast paced story that will keep the reader guessing until the reveal.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
The entire town is upset about the idea to turn the golf courses into parks.
When the group is practicing Bocce ball, a grim discovery is made, which makes matters even worse.
This is a fun filled, fast paced story that will keep the reader guessing until the reveal.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
December 22, 2018
This series just keeps getting better and better! One day I will have to see what bocce ball is in nearby Sun City West, as it is an integral part of the story, and it would be fun to see the poor lady who inspired this mystery.
Phee has been in Arizona for many months and is happy with her job at Williams Investigations. She works for Nate Williams, owner of the firm, and Marshall Gregory, who she is now dating. All three had worked together in the Mankato PD. Phee does the accounting and the guys do the investigating (with some unsolicited help from Phee). Phee's mother lives in Sun City West, almost way too close for Phee's comfort.
Booked 4 Murder is the book club that Phee's mom, Harriet, is a member of. They see a mystery and suspects behind every cactus, and are are like Nancy Drew meets Lucy and Ethel. This time the mystery is real. Myrna, a member of the book club and on one of the bocce ball leagues, has a bit of a problem with keeping the ball on the court. During one of the practices, she sends three balls out of the court, onto the golf course. One of the guys goes out to pick up the balls and finds a dead woman with an arrow in her neck. The woman is Sorrel Harlan, one of the new board members for the Sun City West recreation centers. The night before, she proposed that two of the SCW golf courses be converted to family-friendly parks. Those who have expensive golf course view homes, or work for the golf course management company, or just want their neighborhoods to be quiet at night do not want anything to do with her eco-friendly desires. Loud complaints and threats were voiced, and today she is dead.
Harriet and her friends want to solve yet another mystery, and are dragging Phee, who had been at the meeting, into the fracas. Phee just wants to do her job and enjoy her boyfriend. The firm has been pulled in as a consultant to the county sheriff's office. Watching Harriet and her friends brings many LOL scenes, and Phee gets into a couple situations where I think - how can she do this? I actually admire some of her spunk, even while wondering why she gets into these messes. Even when she uncovers vital clues that nobody else has.
The mystery is very well-written, with interesting twists and turns and a growing suspect list. I enjoy the setting, living not far from Sun City West. The characters are very well-defined. This can be read as a standalone, and would also be enjoyable being read in the series. I was on board with a couple of the suspects, but definitely didn't see who the real bad guy(s) on the suspect horizon. The motives made sense, just not whodunit. I highly recommend this intriguing, funny, and suspenseful fourth in series, especially to those who enjoy retirement communities and laughter.
Phee has been in Arizona for many months and is happy with her job at Williams Investigations. She works for Nate Williams, owner of the firm, and Marshall Gregory, who she is now dating. All three had worked together in the Mankato PD. Phee does the accounting and the guys do the investigating (with some unsolicited help from Phee). Phee's mother lives in Sun City West, almost way too close for Phee's comfort.
Booked 4 Murder is the book club that Phee's mom, Harriet, is a member of. They see a mystery and suspects behind every cactus, and are are like Nancy Drew meets Lucy and Ethel. This time the mystery is real. Myrna, a member of the book club and on one of the bocce ball leagues, has a bit of a problem with keeping the ball on the court. During one of the practices, she sends three balls out of the court, onto the golf course. One of the guys goes out to pick up the balls and finds a dead woman with an arrow in her neck. The woman is Sorrel Harlan, one of the new board members for the Sun City West recreation centers. The night before, she proposed that two of the SCW golf courses be converted to family-friendly parks. Those who have expensive golf course view homes, or work for the golf course management company, or just want their neighborhoods to be quiet at night do not want anything to do with her eco-friendly desires. Loud complaints and threats were voiced, and today she is dead.
Harriet and her friends want to solve yet another mystery, and are dragging Phee, who had been at the meeting, into the fracas. Phee just wants to do her job and enjoy her boyfriend. The firm has been pulled in as a consultant to the county sheriff's office. Watching Harriet and her friends brings many LOL scenes, and Phee gets into a couple situations where I think - how can she do this? I actually admire some of her spunk, even while wondering why she gets into these messes. Even when she uncovers vital clues that nobody else has.
The mystery is very well-written, with interesting twists and turns and a growing suspect list. I enjoy the setting, living not far from Sun City West. The characters are very well-defined. This can be read as a standalone, and would also be enjoyable being read in the series. I was on board with a couple of the suspects, but definitely didn't see who the real bad guy(s) on the suspect horizon. The motives made sense, just not whodunit. I highly recommend this intriguing, funny, and suspenseful fourth in series, especially to those who enjoy retirement communities and laughter.
December 9, 2018
Botched 4 Murder is the fourth book in J.C. Eaton’s (the husband and wife writing team of Ann I. Goldfarb and James E. Clapp) Sophie Kimball Mystery series and is a well-written, steady paced and humorous whodunit, with well-developed, likable, and often quirky characters. This is a fun and fast read, with enough suspects, twists and turns, and red herrings to keep the reader engaged and guessing.
Sophie ‘Phee’ Kimball is a divorced, middle-aged mother of an adult daughter, who moved from Mankato, Minnesota to Peoria, Arizona. She’s the bookkeeper for her friend, Nate Williams’, private investigation firm. Nate was a Mankato PD detective, and recently hired another investigator, Marshall Gregory, who also worked for Mankato PD. Phee always liked Marshall, and since he relocated to Arizona, they’re pursuing a relationship. Her mother, Harriet Plunkett, lives in a retirement community in Sun City West, Arizona with her Chiweenie dog, Streetman, and belongs to a book club, Booked 4 Murder. The homeowners in the retirement community of Sun City West are upset about Sorrel Harlan’s proposal to turn two of the golf courses into eco-friendly parks. Sorrel was recently appointed to the recreation center’s board of directors, and after a heated meeting, her body is found on the golf course with an arrow in her neck during the bocce ball practice session. Phee originally learned about the incident when she received a frantic call from her mother saying her friend, Myrna Mittleson, believed she killed someone when one of her balls went off course and was found next to a body on a golf course. The sheriff’s department hires Williams Investigations to help with the case, and even though Phee has no investigative experience, she enjoys being involved in investigations, and Harriet, who can be a handful, believes she’s the only person who can solve a mystery. Phee learns Sorrel wasn’t the most-loved person and often tried to force her odd concepts on others. While on the community gardens’ committee, she announced she wanted the garden club to give small plots of land to the homeless so they could grow their own food even though it meant they’d need to be transported to and from Sun City West and be provided with the proper tools.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Sophie ‘Phee’ Kimball is a divorced, middle-aged mother of an adult daughter, who moved from Mankato, Minnesota to Peoria, Arizona. She’s the bookkeeper for her friend, Nate Williams’, private investigation firm. Nate was a Mankato PD detective, and recently hired another investigator, Marshall Gregory, who also worked for Mankato PD. Phee always liked Marshall, and since he relocated to Arizona, they’re pursuing a relationship. Her mother, Harriet Plunkett, lives in a retirement community in Sun City West, Arizona with her Chiweenie dog, Streetman, and belongs to a book club, Booked 4 Murder. The homeowners in the retirement community of Sun City West are upset about Sorrel Harlan’s proposal to turn two of the golf courses into eco-friendly parks. Sorrel was recently appointed to the recreation center’s board of directors, and after a heated meeting, her body is found on the golf course with an arrow in her neck during the bocce ball practice session. Phee originally learned about the incident when she received a frantic call from her mother saying her friend, Myrna Mittleson, believed she killed someone when one of her balls went off course and was found next to a body on a golf course. The sheriff’s department hires Williams Investigations to help with the case, and even though Phee has no investigative experience, she enjoys being involved in investigations, and Harriet, who can be a handful, believes she’s the only person who can solve a mystery. Phee learns Sorrel wasn’t the most-loved person and often tried to force her odd concepts on others. While on the community gardens’ committee, she announced she wanted the garden club to give small plots of land to the homeless so they could grow their own food even though it meant they’d need to be transported to and from Sun City West and be provided with the proper tools.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
January 20, 2019
Princess Fuzzypants here: Phee is a fascinating character. Where the reader might expect her to be embroiled in madcap shenanigans with her mother’s friends at her senior community, the characters and the storyline has more meat on their bones. First of all, Phee is an accountant at a PI firm where her boyfriend is one of the investigators. She helps them as well as doing the books and they admire her abilities. She does not attempt to fling herself into dangerous situations although she does skirt them. She, and the rest of the troupe including the seniors are well balanced and realistic. It’s kind of refreshing since so often the retirement communities tend to be written as comic relief.
The locals are up in arms because one of the members of the ruling council wants to turn the golf courses in this golfing community into parkland. Needless to say concern about property values and quality of life threatens to tear the community apart.
It doesn’t work very well for the lady who brought the suggestion forward. She is found dead, shot by an arrow to the neck. Since her proposal was so hotly contested, there is no shortage of suspects. Phee’s mother and friends corral her into helping them find the killer and stop the transformation of their community.
There are lots of twists and turns and red herrings to keep the reader guessing. It makes for an entertaining read.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.
The locals are up in arms because one of the members of the ruling council wants to turn the golf courses in this golfing community into parkland. Needless to say concern about property values and quality of life threatens to tear the community apart.
It doesn’t work very well for the lady who brought the suggestion forward. She is found dead, shot by an arrow to the neck. Since her proposal was so hotly contested, there is no shortage of suspects. Phee’s mother and friends corral her into helping them find the killer and stop the transformation of their community.
There are lots of twists and turns and red herrings to keep the reader guessing. It makes for an entertaining read.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.
January 26, 2019
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
This writing duo sure know how to write a great cozy mystery! Sophie is loving her job and her new boyfriend when yet again her mother pulls her into some drama. At a big community meeting it is proposed to turn the golf course into a park of sorts. This makes lots of them mad which makes things get interesting when the main woman for it turns up murdered. Well despite her protests of wanting to investigate Sophie cannot help herself until she finds herself in danger. Well written mystery in an adorable town full of characters readers of all ages can enjoy. Perfect for fans of the genre. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
This writing duo sure know how to write a great cozy mystery! Sophie is loving her job and her new boyfriend when yet again her mother pulls her into some drama. At a big community meeting it is proposed to turn the golf course into a park of sorts. This makes lots of them mad which makes things get interesting when the main woman for it turns up murdered. Well despite her protests of wanting to investigate Sophie cannot help herself until she finds herself in danger. Well written mystery in an adorable town full of characters readers of all ages can enjoy. Perfect for fans of the genre. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
December 18, 2020
Sophie "Phee" Kimball works as a bookkeeper for a private investigation firm in Arizona, and has recently started dating one of the PIs. Her mother Harriet, who lives in a retirement community has taken it in her head that this means Phee can cajole her employers to do her bidding. This time out, Phee is roped into attending a meeting at the community because Harriet and her friends are against turning two of the golf courses into parks, which one of the board members is determined to do. It's no surprise when the meeting turns heated, nor when Phee is hounded to help Harriet convince the other board members to vote 'no' on the proposal. But when a murder occurs at the retirement community, Phee is once again dragged into the investigation, and finds herself at the beck and call of the seniors, trying to keep them calm and convinced a serial killer is not at large.
When Harriet discovers that Phee's firm is also once again involved in the investigation, Phee knows that unless a killer is found soon, things will only get worse with the seniors and that might mean one of them might be next on the list...
I have to say that I absolutely love reading these books. Phee moved from Minnesota to Arizona to escape the frigid winters (not that I blame her; it's the same reason I moved from Minnesota to Las Vegas), but unfortunately, she moved a stone's throw from her mother Harriet who drives her crazy and turns her life into chaos every chance she gets.
This time out, the seniors are determined to corner the remaining board members and make them 'see reason' but what ensues is at times quite funny to read. I love Phee's 'inside thoughts'; she has a gift for sarcasm and wit that's truly delighting, and she's the type of person I'd love to have as a friend (but only if I could sidestep Harriet). The seniors have a way about them, but I honestly don't know which way, for even though they're humorous, they manage to go over the deep end about almost everything, which gives me a chuckle nonetheless.
Phee's relationship with Marshall is progressing, and he's a tolerant sort (being a private investigator, that's a good thing) because he manages to remain patient when he's around the seniors but is always on top of the investigation - even if Phee doesn't know it herself.
When we finally discover the truth of the matter, and it all starts coming together, there's a bit of a climax that's definitely engrossing, and makes the entire book worthwhile. This was an enjoyable book, and I look forward to the next in the series. Recommended.
When Harriet discovers that Phee's firm is also once again involved in the investigation, Phee knows that unless a killer is found soon, things will only get worse with the seniors and that might mean one of them might be next on the list...
I have to say that I absolutely love reading these books. Phee moved from Minnesota to Arizona to escape the frigid winters (not that I blame her; it's the same reason I moved from Minnesota to Las Vegas), but unfortunately, she moved a stone's throw from her mother Harriet who drives her crazy and turns her life into chaos every chance she gets.
This time out, the seniors are determined to corner the remaining board members and make them 'see reason' but what ensues is at times quite funny to read. I love Phee's 'inside thoughts'; she has a gift for sarcasm and wit that's truly delighting, and she's the type of person I'd love to have as a friend (but only if I could sidestep Harriet). The seniors have a way about them, but I honestly don't know which way, for even though they're humorous, they manage to go over the deep end about almost everything, which gives me a chuckle nonetheless.
Phee's relationship with Marshall is progressing, and he's a tolerant sort (being a private investigator, that's a good thing) because he manages to remain patient when he's around the seniors but is always on top of the investigation - even if Phee doesn't know it herself.
When we finally discover the truth of the matter, and it all starts coming together, there's a bit of a climax that's definitely engrossing, and makes the entire book worthwhile. This was an enjoyable book, and I look forward to the next in the series. Recommended.
December 16, 2018
4.5 stars
Husband/wife duo J.C. Eaton have knocked it out of the park again with this new installment Botched 4 Murder in the Sophie Kimball mystery series!
Phee gets roped into investigating the murder of a local senior woman who was pushing for getting rid of golf courses in exchange for eco-friendly parks. Phee’s mother and her book club friends push her into helping investigate. She soon finds herself in trouble.
I just loved this book, it had so many suspects, and I wasn’t able to figure out who the murderer was! It was so much fun with its cast of quirky characters. I love a good clean, interesting cozy mystery that is intriguing without resorting to sex or vulgarities.
I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own. #Botched4Murder #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks
Husband/wife duo J.C. Eaton have knocked it out of the park again with this new installment Botched 4 Murder in the Sophie Kimball mystery series!
Phee gets roped into investigating the murder of a local senior woman who was pushing for getting rid of golf courses in exchange for eco-friendly parks. Phee’s mother and her book club friends push her into helping investigate. She soon finds herself in trouble.
I just loved this book, it had so many suspects, and I wasn’t able to figure out who the murderer was! It was so much fun with its cast of quirky characters. I love a good clean, interesting cozy mystery that is intriguing without resorting to sex or vulgarities.
I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own. #Botched4Murder #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks
March 16, 2019
Sophie (Phee) Kimball may only be the accountant for a detective agency in Sun City West, but thank to her mother and various other retiree residents there she is kept hopping and investigating.The proposed plan to change golf courses into eco-friendly parks has the community up in arms until the person pushing it is found dead. Madcap in tone, I found the humor excessive, but that's a personal preference. The mystery, however, is fair and well-plotted. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2018
I liked this book. I liked that the main character is being dragged into investigating and that all the complexation of a normal investigation is gone through. Sometimes cozy mysteries forget the real world and make solving the mysteries look easy. Nothing is easy about this book. It moved along quickly, I didn't notice any slow spots. I'll definitely look forward to the next book in the series. #Botched4murder #NetGalley
March 1, 2019
Sophie "Phee" Kimball is getting dragged into the drama again at her mom's Arizona retirement community. A new board member wants to get rid of two golf courses and replace them with eco-friendly parks, and some of the residents are pretty teed off about it. On top of that, her mother's book club friend Myrna is being pushed out of the bocce league. These seniors are serious about winning, and Myrna's dragging them down. She's so bad at bocce, in fact, that when a community member's dead body is discovered while Myrna's practicing for a tournament, she assumes it was one of her own errant balls that killed the woman.
But before Myrna can be tossed off the bocce court and into criminal court, the police find an arrow in the victim's neck. It looks like this was no accident--and Phee and her investigator boyfriend Marshall will have to team up to bounce a killer into the slammer.
The author has once again given us a mystery that is full of twists and turns, red herrings,and plenty of suspects that will keep you guessing about who the murderer is until the surprising conclusion. The characters are so well written that they almost feel like they could be real people that you could hang out with. The way the author describes the places and people you can picture what is going on in the story.
I like how even though Marshall wants Phee to stay out of the investigation for her own safety, he admits that she's able to get information that he isn't and that information can help solve the murder. I hope that Phee and Marshall's relationship will continue to grow and that maybe they will take the plunge and either move in together of get married since they seem perfect for each other. I don't have any dislikes for this book which doesn't happen very often. I can't wait to read Molded 4 Murder to see what Phee finds herself getting involved in.
I got an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books for my honest opinion.
But before Myrna can be tossed off the bocce court and into criminal court, the police find an arrow in the victim's neck. It looks like this was no accident--and Phee and her investigator boyfriend Marshall will have to team up to bounce a killer into the slammer.
The author has once again given us a mystery that is full of twists and turns, red herrings,and plenty of suspects that will keep you guessing about who the murderer is until the surprising conclusion. The characters are so well written that they almost feel like they could be real people that you could hang out with. The way the author describes the places and people you can picture what is going on in the story.
I like how even though Marshall wants Phee to stay out of the investigation for her own safety, he admits that she's able to get information that he isn't and that information can help solve the murder. I hope that Phee and Marshall's relationship will continue to grow and that maybe they will take the plunge and either move in together of get married since they seem perfect for each other. I don't have any dislikes for this book which doesn't happen very often. I can't wait to read Molded 4 Murder to see what Phee finds herself getting involved in.
I got an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books for my honest opinion.
November 2, 2018
I love this series, you actually feel like you belong in Sun City West, but oh the problems! This time there has been a murder of a prominent neighbor Sorrel Harlan - - who would name a kid Sorrel right? Sadly, she is found murdered with an arrow in her neck.
Of course Phee's mother Harriet is right in the thick of things and feels Phee and the private investagators should be doing more, so SCW can get back to it's normal retirement activities.
The plot thickens when so many clubs and organizations need to be scrutinized such as the dog park, the bocce teams, the garden club, the book club members, Sorrel's personal life and Sorrel's hippie attitude to change the environmental issues of the golf course to be converted to an eco-friendly park. Which in turn would make the homes lose value as they they would no longer be considered situated on a golf course.
The problems abound trying to figure out just who would actually kill Sorrel, even though she was not their favorite citizen.
There were so many people and names that threaded throught this book, it was hard to keep all of the members, friends, neighbors, etc straight. So I finally decided , hey in real time who could remember every single name in every single organization or committee. So I decided to just remember the main players and sit back and enjoy this delightful series.
You take pity on Phee trying to have a personal life and trying to keep her mother happy! I understand completely!!
Yes, they do finally figure out how this all took place, but only after some harrowing experiences.
So grab a cup of tea and enjoy this who-done-it!
Well written, and a real thrill ride, enjoyed to the max!
Of course Phee's mother Harriet is right in the thick of things and feels Phee and the private investagators should be doing more, so SCW can get back to it's normal retirement activities.
The plot thickens when so many clubs and organizations need to be scrutinized such as the dog park, the bocce teams, the garden club, the book club members, Sorrel's personal life and Sorrel's hippie attitude to change the environmental issues of the golf course to be converted to an eco-friendly park. Which in turn would make the homes lose value as they they would no longer be considered situated on a golf course.
The problems abound trying to figure out just who would actually kill Sorrel, even though she was not their favorite citizen.
There were so many people and names that threaded throught this book, it was hard to keep all of the members, friends, neighbors, etc straight. So I finally decided , hey in real time who could remember every single name in every single organization or committee. So I decided to just remember the main players and sit back and enjoy this delightful series.
You take pity on Phee trying to have a personal life and trying to keep her mother happy! I understand completely!!
Yes, they do finally figure out how this all took place, but only after some harrowing experiences.
So grab a cup of tea and enjoy this who-done-it!
Well written, and a real thrill ride, enjoyed to the max!
December 18, 2018
I really enjoy this story. Botched 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton is the fourth book of the cozy Sophie Kimball Mystery series. Each book of the series has been a standalone book.
Sophie ‘Phee’ Kimball is a divorced and has recently relocated from Minnesota to the Phoenix area of Arizona. She is the daughter of Harriet Plunkett. Harriet, lives in a retirement community in Sun City West, Arizona with her Chiweenie dog, Streetman, and belongs to a book club named Booked 4 Murder.
Phee is a book keeper by trade and sleuth by necessity. She works for Williams Investigations and they are hired by the Sheriff’s Department to assist with this case.
Harriet calls Phee because a golfing buddy, Myrna Mittleson, believes she killed someone when one of her balls went off course and was found next to a body on a golf course. The deceased belongs to a group that wants to turn the golf courses into parks (sacrilegious in AZ unless they don’t pay for themselves).
I loved how Harriet thinks she’s God’s gift to sleuthing. I can see Phee rolling her eyes at many of the interactions. This is a fun and entertaining read.
I enjoyed the entire book. I could see the Booked 4 Murder book club inserting themselves to the investigation, the cautions being given for their safety, and the humor in it all.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley. These are my unsolicited opinions.
Sophie ‘Phee’ Kimball is a divorced and has recently relocated from Minnesota to the Phoenix area of Arizona. She is the daughter of Harriet Plunkett. Harriet, lives in a retirement community in Sun City West, Arizona with her Chiweenie dog, Streetman, and belongs to a book club named Booked 4 Murder.
Phee is a book keeper by trade and sleuth by necessity. She works for Williams Investigations and they are hired by the Sheriff’s Department to assist with this case.
Harriet calls Phee because a golfing buddy, Myrna Mittleson, believes she killed someone when one of her balls went off course and was found next to a body on a golf course. The deceased belongs to a group that wants to turn the golf courses into parks (sacrilegious in AZ unless they don’t pay for themselves).
I loved how Harriet thinks she’s God’s gift to sleuthing. I can see Phee rolling her eyes at many of the interactions. This is a fun and entertaining read.
I enjoyed the entire book. I could see the Booked 4 Murder book club inserting themselves to the investigation, the cautions being given for their safety, and the humor in it all.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley. These are my unsolicited opinions.
December 31, 2018
If you like your cozy mysteries with a heavy dose of humor, look no farther than J. C. Eaton’s Botched 4 Murder. Once more, Sophie, who works as an accountant for Williams Investigations, gets dragged into a Sun City West murder investigation by her mother, Harriet, who insists she use her connections to help solve a crime. The main thread is finding the murderer of Sorrel, an eco-activist who wants to change many of the community’s golf courses to neighborhood parks, a very unpopular cause with Harriet and many members of the community, mostly seniors and snowbirds, who are concerned about their privacy, their property values, and crime rates. Was Sorrel murdered because of her activism in this issue or were other factors at play?
This cozy mystery rapidly becomes and stays complicated with quite a number of threads. Sophie has trouble saying no, and she finds herself physically in danger. Her boss, Nate, and her boyfriend and coworker, Marshall, urge her to stay out of the investigation for her own safety, but they have to admit that she gets more information from her informal interviews than they do as private investigators. The whole book is peppered with humor, mainly centering around Harriet and the other seniors who tend to dramatize everything and oil the wheels of the rumor mill.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This cozy mystery rapidly becomes and stays complicated with quite a number of threads. Sophie has trouble saying no, and she finds herself physically in danger. Her boss, Nate, and her boyfriend and coworker, Marshall, urge her to stay out of the investigation for her own safety, but they have to admit that she gets more information from her informal interviews than they do as private investigators. The whole book is peppered with humor, mainly centering around Harriet and the other seniors who tend to dramatize everything and oil the wheels of the rumor mill.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2018
Love this series! It's so much fun!
Sophie "Phee" gets dragged into more drama with her mother and her friends at the retirement villa, Sun City West when Myrna thinks she killed someone with her bocce ball. Though there is a dead body the woman was killed with an arrow to the throat and not a bocce ball, it doesn't stop Myrna and or Phee's mother from getting her involved in things.
The lady killed was trying to get their golf courses turned into parks and it doesn't set well with most of the community since they bought their houses to overlook a golf course not a park with kids and loud music, etc. It also seems that she could have been involved in some other things too that could have gotten her killed. As much as she wants to stay out of things as she is just a bookkeeper for a private investigation firm it seems her mother will not let that be and she gets dragged into it all anyway.
I love all the characters in this series! Phee is a fun character and I love the guys she works with Nate and Marshall. Her mother would drive me crazy in real life but she is a lot of fun along with her mothers friends...lol. They are always over exaggerating things and it just makes me laugh. Something about some over the top, quirky fun seniors in a cozy that just makes it so much better. :)
I highly recommend this to anyone who likes cozies!
Sophie "Phee" gets dragged into more drama with her mother and her friends at the retirement villa, Sun City West when Myrna thinks she killed someone with her bocce ball. Though there is a dead body the woman was killed with an arrow to the throat and not a bocce ball, it doesn't stop Myrna and or Phee's mother from getting her involved in things.
The lady killed was trying to get their golf courses turned into parks and it doesn't set well with most of the community since they bought their houses to overlook a golf course not a park with kids and loud music, etc. It also seems that she could have been involved in some other things too that could have gotten her killed. As much as she wants to stay out of things as she is just a bookkeeper for a private investigation firm it seems her mother will not let that be and she gets dragged into it all anyway.
I love all the characters in this series! Phee is a fun character and I love the guys she works with Nate and Marshall. Her mother would drive me crazy in real life but she is a lot of fun along with her mothers friends...lol. They are always over exaggerating things and it just makes me laugh. Something about some over the top, quirky fun seniors in a cozy that just makes it so much better. :)
I highly recommend this to anyone who likes cozies!
September 27, 2018
Botched Murder by J.C. Eaton brings readers to a hot community where the seniors care about what happens to their area. A member of their community takes up a position to have their golf courses changed into entertainment centers for younger people. An outrage breaks out. Many are angry over what the woman started. And it's not too long before she is found dead. Another member feels that she was the reason the other woman died. But as the investigation continues that's not the case at all.
J.C. Eaton created a story full of energy. A buzzing senior community that works together to save their area. A young woman and her boyfriend are dragged into the center of the case and issue at hand. Phee's mother won't let her daughter and boyfriend be in peace. She is always finding a way to get them to help her and her friends. I found plenty of humor on these pages as well as mystery. The characters felt real. I can just see Phee rolling her eyes and groaning everything she spots her mother and the other seniors. Overall, good story and a plot full of action.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
J.C. Eaton created a story full of energy. A buzzing senior community that works together to save their area. A young woman and her boyfriend are dragged into the center of the case and issue at hand. Phee's mother won't let her daughter and boyfriend be in peace. She is always finding a way to get them to help her and her friends. I found plenty of humor on these pages as well as mystery. The characters felt real. I can just see Phee rolling her eyes and groaning everything she spots her mother and the other seniors. Overall, good story and a plot full of action.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
December 18, 2018
This series has become one of my favorites as it is always a fun read written with humor and a good sleuth to enjoy . It is so fun to read a cozy placed in a retirement village of quirky charcters and fun escapades.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing and to Net Galley for the ARC for review. My opinions are my own.
Phee is our protagonist and she is in her 4th mystery set in Sun City Retirement Village as the murder of a local senior woman has occurred that shocks their community. The woman was a vocal advocate for getting rid of golf courses in exchange for eco-friendly parks. and was disliked. This proposal had a lot of enemies so suspects abound as the clues multiply and soon Phee is one the trail of a killer. She has extensive investigating within the retirement community as members of each club are under suspicion.
This has a great location setting, a fun cast of quirky characters. and is a well crafted story with a captivating sleuth that kept me guessing. I love the humor throughout and the smart fast paced writing. I always enjoy reading this series new releases from cover to cover and laughing throughout. I highly recommend this series .
Thank you to Kensington Publishing and to Net Galley for the ARC for review. My opinions are my own.
Phee is our protagonist and she is in her 4th mystery set in Sun City Retirement Village as the murder of a local senior woman has occurred that shocks their community. The woman was a vocal advocate for getting rid of golf courses in exchange for eco-friendly parks. and was disliked. This proposal had a lot of enemies so suspects abound as the clues multiply and soon Phee is one the trail of a killer. She has extensive investigating within the retirement community as members of each club are under suspicion.
This has a great location setting, a fun cast of quirky characters. and is a well crafted story with a captivating sleuth that kept me guessing. I love the humor throughout and the smart fast paced writing. I always enjoy reading this series new releases from cover to cover and laughing throughout. I highly recommend this series .
January 26, 2019
Sophie (Phee) Kimball returns in a fourth adventure through the wilds of retirement Arizona style.
I think I must be getting used to the craziness of Phee’s mother Harriet and friends in Sun City West because their antics didn’t drive me crazy like they usually do. In past books, I have skimmed through to find out who the murderer was. This time I read all the way through. Maybe this fourth book is just better than the others.
Sorrel is on the Sun City West recreation board and she wants to convert some of the golf courses to parks. This raises and uproar at the meeting. The next day Sorrel is discovered dead on the golf course. Williams Investigations is asked to help with the investigation and of course Harriet pressures Phee into working on the murder as well.
Phee gets into several dangerous situations and manages to solve not only Sorrel’s murder but also another local murder by bark scorpion.
The story is laugh out loud funny at times. I think you could pick up enough backstory without needing to read the other books in the series if this one interests you.
I received a copy of the ebook book from Netgalley for review.
I think I must be getting used to the craziness of Phee’s mother Harriet and friends in Sun City West because their antics didn’t drive me crazy like they usually do. In past books, I have skimmed through to find out who the murderer was. This time I read all the way through. Maybe this fourth book is just better than the others.
Sorrel is on the Sun City West recreation board and she wants to convert some of the golf courses to parks. This raises and uproar at the meeting. The next day Sorrel is discovered dead on the golf course. Williams Investigations is asked to help with the investigation and of course Harriet pressures Phee into working on the murder as well.
Phee gets into several dangerous situations and manages to solve not only Sorrel’s murder but also another local murder by bark scorpion.
The story is laugh out loud funny at times. I think you could pick up enough backstory without needing to read the other books in the series if this one interests you.
I received a copy of the ebook book from Netgalley for review.
January 7, 2019
Botched 4 Murder is the fourth book in the Sophie Kimball Mystery series. When we meet up again with Sophie, she’s being dragged into her mother’s retirement community drama again. There’s a proposal to get rid of two golf courses and replace them with eco-friendly parks, and many of the residents do not like that. And when a community member’s dead body is found with an arrow lodged in their neck, it’s up to Sophie to find the killer.
I’ve read every single book in the series so far, and I have to say that this one is a favorite! It was very engaging and fun. Never did I feel bored.
One of my favorite things about this series is the characters. I’ve grown quite fond of every resident of Sun City West. Everyone is just so lively and entertaining that I can’t get enough of them. They really do make every book enjoyable.
The mystery itself was SO good. It was fast-paced and well-plotted, and everything linked together perfectly.
Overall, if you liked the previous books in the series, then you’ll like this one too. I can’t wait for the next installment.
I’ve read every single book in the series so far, and I have to say that this one is a favorite! It was very engaging and fun. Never did I feel bored.
One of my favorite things about this series is the characters. I’ve grown quite fond of every resident of Sun City West. Everyone is just so lively and entertaining that I can’t get enough of them. They really do make every book enjoyable.
The mystery itself was SO good. It was fast-paced and well-plotted, and everything linked together perfectly.
Overall, if you liked the previous books in the series, then you’ll like this one too. I can’t wait for the next installment.
August 23, 2022
I enjoyed this installment way more than the previous book, largely because I found myself chuckling often.
Some of my favorites quotes/funny moments (FYI - most characters are seniors in a retirement community):
"She and that book club are practically glued to Telemundo in the afternoons."
"Those gardening tools can double as weapons, you know. A good slam to the head with a shovel, and bam!"
"...has the personality of a tomato."
"Bill left a message for me at work. Something about World War II, fighting for his country, and the rights that belonged to him. I wasn't sure where golf courses fit in the Constitution, but I think he mentioned that as well."
"What if someone snaps a photo and I wind up on that Facebook or Instant thing?"
And one character's advice on how to get out of jury duty:
"'Give me an old fashioned murder case. An old fashioned murder case.' Pound on your chair if you have to. Then act kind of causal and say 'do they still have hangings in Arizona?'"
".... are your sure?"
"Oh yeah. Haven't been called back since 1998."
Some of my favorites quotes/funny moments (FYI - most characters are seniors in a retirement community):
"She and that book club are practically glued to Telemundo in the afternoons."
"Those gardening tools can double as weapons, you know. A good slam to the head with a shovel, and bam!"
"...has the personality of a tomato."
"Bill left a message for me at work. Something about World War II, fighting for his country, and the rights that belonged to him. I wasn't sure where golf courses fit in the Constitution, but I think he mentioned that as well."
"What if someone snaps a photo and I wind up on that Facebook or Instant thing?"
And one character's advice on how to get out of jury duty:
"'Give me an old fashioned murder case. An old fashioned murder case.' Pound on your chair if you have to. Then act kind of causal and say 'do they still have hangings in Arizona?'"
".... are your sure?"
"Oh yeah. Haven't been called back since 1998."
December 6, 2018
Eco-parks versus golf courses shouldn't lead to murder but it does when Sorrel, one of the advocates for the former, is found dead with an arrow (!) in her neck! Phee and Marshall are back on the hunt for the bad guy (or woman) in this latest installment in a fun cozy series set largely in an Arizona retirement community. They know Myrna, one of the prime suspects, is bad at bocce and mad about the possible switch but they also know she didn't do it. Phee's a good character who has more patience, especially with her mom, than many of us might, and she's got a good sense of humor as well. There are some twists and while you might figure out what happened before Phee does, you'll enjoy this all the way. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one!
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