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A Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery #11
Underground in Ocean Alley
Jolie Gentil has sworn off butting into other people’s business. To those who know her, it sounds as far-fetched as finding used bubble gum on Mars. Her life revolves around her husband Scoobie, her twins, appraising the occasional house, and helping run the Cozy Corner B&B. Nothing could drag Jolie into solving crimes. Really.
Except maybe a request from the most unlikely source. Sergeant Morehouse is convinced his nephew is not a runaway. Something had terrified the teenager, but before Morehouse could figure it out, Kevin was gone.
Jolie has a soft spot for Kevin, who helped Scoobie’s young brother Terry adjust to life in Ocean Alley. Plus, she has a feeling that Kevin saw something he wasn’t supposed to see at the hospital, when he had his appendix removed.
She has to make the time to follow her hunch. Kind of hard to balance family, the B&B, and the upcoming Cinco de Mayo-themed food pantry fundraiser. And what about the murder of the hospital's head nurse? Could it be connected to Kevin's disappearance?
Adding to the mix is Aunt Madge decision to enlighten the Jersey shore by running for mayor of Ocean Alley. She's convinced a proposed resort will change the character of Ocean Alley. With her husband Harry as campaign manager, she intends to convince voters progress doesn't have to mean lots more concrete.
Jolie has faith in her hunches. Scoobie isn't so sure and Aunt Madge believes Jolie needs a remedial course in minding her own business.
But Kevin’s life may depend on Jolie’s certainty and her efforts to find him before a killer does.
Follow the crime -- and fun -- in the eleventh Jolie Gentil cozy mystery.
Except maybe a request from the most unlikely source. Sergeant Morehouse is convinced his nephew is not a runaway. Something had terrified the teenager, but before Morehouse could figure it out, Kevin was gone.
Jolie has a soft spot for Kevin, who helped Scoobie’s young brother Terry adjust to life in Ocean Alley. Plus, she has a feeling that Kevin saw something he wasn’t supposed to see at the hospital, when he had his appendix removed.
She has to make the time to follow her hunch. Kind of hard to balance family, the B&B, and the upcoming Cinco de Mayo-themed food pantry fundraiser. And what about the murder of the hospital's head nurse? Could it be connected to Kevin's disappearance?
Adding to the mix is Aunt Madge decision to enlighten the Jersey shore by running for mayor of Ocean Alley. She's convinced a proposed resort will change the character of Ocean Alley. With her husband Harry as campaign manager, she intends to convince voters progress doesn't have to mean lots more concrete.
Jolie has faith in her hunches. Scoobie isn't so sure and Aunt Madge believes Jolie needs a remedial course in minding her own business.
But Kevin’s life may depend on Jolie’s certainty and her efforts to find him before a killer does.
Follow the crime -- and fun -- in the eleventh Jolie Gentil cozy mystery.
231 pages, ebook
First published June 9, 2018
64 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Elaine Orr
41 books263 followersAlso published as Elaine L. Orr
Elaine L. Orr has authored 35 works of fiction, including four mystery series. They include the fourteen-book Jolie Gentil cozy mystery series, which is set at the Jersey shore. "Behind the Walls" was short-listed for the 2014 Chanticleer Mystery and Mayhem Awards. "Demise of a Devious Neighbor," second of the River's Edge series, set in Iowa, was a Chanticleer shortlister in 2017.
The Western Maryland mountains host the five-book Family History Mystery Series, which began with "Least Trodden Ground." The "Unscheduled Murder Trip" received a B.R.A.G. Medallion in 2021. Small-town Illinois is the setting for the Logland Series, which features Police Chief Elizabeth Friedman -- a police procedural with a cozy feel.
Elaine also writes plays and novellas, including the one-act, "Common Ground," published in 2015. Her novella, "Biding Time," was one of five finalists in the National Press Club's first fiction contest, in 1993. "Falling into Place" is a novella about family strength as a World War II veteran rises to the toughest occasion. "In the Shadow of Light" is the fictional story of Corozón and her family, who are separated at the U.S./Mexico border.
A member of Sisters in Crime, Elaine grew up in Maryland and moved to the Midwest in 1994.
Elaine L. Orr has authored 35 works of fiction, including four mystery series. They include the fourteen-book Jolie Gentil cozy mystery series, which is set at the Jersey shore. "Behind the Walls" was short-listed for the 2014 Chanticleer Mystery and Mayhem Awards. "Demise of a Devious Neighbor," second of the River's Edge series, set in Iowa, was a Chanticleer shortlister in 2017.
The Western Maryland mountains host the five-book Family History Mystery Series, which began with "Least Trodden Ground." The "Unscheduled Murder Trip" received a B.R.A.G. Medallion in 2021. Small-town Illinois is the setting for the Logland Series, which features Police Chief Elizabeth Friedman -- a police procedural with a cozy feel.
Elaine also writes plays and novellas, including the one-act, "Common Ground," published in 2015. Her novella, "Biding Time," was one of five finalists in the National Press Club's first fiction contest, in 1993. "Falling into Place" is a novella about family strength as a World War II veteran rises to the toughest occasion. "In the Shadow of Light" is the fictional story of Corozón and her family, who are separated at the U.S./Mexico border.
A member of Sisters in Crime, Elaine grew up in Maryland and moved to the Midwest in 1994.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 14, 2019
It now 4 years since Jolie and Scoobie were married. The twins are now 3 years old and their antics add much to the story. Kevin is missing and Sergeant Moorehouse wants to talk with Terry, Scoobie's brother as all believe he is not runaway. Aunt Madge is running for Mayor of Ocean Alley.. A developer wants to built mega hotel and resort. Jolie has promised Scoobie's she will not investigate, but can keep that promise?
I HIGHLY recommend this book and series.
I HIGHLY recommend this book and series.
October 10, 2020
I think I’d give this book 3 1/2 stars. I will say that I do enjoy a good mystery, and I believe that this book has enough mysterious intrigue that kept me reading.
However, I did not care for the ending. I still feel in limbo of whether the mystery was truly solved or not. Now, I mainly took off stars for my dislike of the main character, Jolie. I don’t mind the other characters, and I think the other characters are interesting enough. But there’s something about Jolie that I just don’t care for. She continually puts her self in danger despite her “I didn’t mean to” attitude. She continually impedes the investigation, which is crime of obstruction of justice. And I know this is a small town where everyone is kinda in everyone’s business, but she is too much for me. Also, this is book 11 in the series, so I might warm up to Julie if I had started at the book. But as it stands, I do like everything about this book except her .
** I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
However, I did not care for the ending. I still feel in limbo of whether the mystery was truly solved or not. Now, I mainly took off stars for my dislike of the main character, Jolie. I don’t mind the other characters, and I think the other characters are interesting enough. But there’s something about Jolie that I just don’t care for. She continually puts her self in danger despite her “I didn’t mean to” attitude. She continually impedes the investigation, which is crime of obstruction of justice. And I know this is a small town where everyone is kinda in everyone’s business, but she is too much for me. Also, this is book 11 in the series, so I might warm up to Julie if I had started at the book. But as it stands, I do like everything about this book except her .
** I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
November 5, 2020
I’ll start off by saying if you haven’t read any other books in this series go and start with book one. While I very much enjoyed the mystery and the overall story here I felt a bit adrift when there were references to people and past events. Sort of like starting two thirds of the way through the two thirds are great but missing the beginning or in this case the background really makes a difference.
Overall impression the characters are well developed and engaging people. The mystery was excellently written and kept me guessing which is fun. The world building and community is pretty good. There are little details about the past but not enough to really give you a full sense of who and what is important if you’ve not read previous books. It’s a paragraph or two that for me would take this book from good to great.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
Overall impression the characters are well developed and engaging people. The mystery was excellently written and kept me guessing which is fun. The world building and community is pretty good. There are little details about the past but not enough to really give you a full sense of who and what is important if you’ve not read previous books. It’s a paragraph or two that for me would take this book from good to great.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
November 6, 2020
Jolie Gentil is a house appraiser and works for the B&B that Aunt Madge runs. She helps raise her husband’s teenage brother Terry. When Terry’s friend Kevin goes missing she feels like she should help find him. She is a curious person and does not seem to be able to stop. She of course in the process of helping Kevin manages to uncover a murder and gets herself into trouble.
I liked this book. I never did figure out who was the one who did it. It made me think and guess most of the time. This is part of a series I read only this book and was given enough information to read it by itself and not get lost.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review. The opinions in this review are 100% my own.
I liked this book. I never did figure out who was the one who did it. It made me think and guess most of the time. This is part of a series I read only this book and was given enough information to read it by itself and not get lost.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review. The opinions in this review are 100% my own.
October 12, 2020
Follow the lives of Jolie, Scoobies and their twins. With Cinqo de Mayo almost upon them Jolie has been busy helping set up the town's fete and helping her aunt run for mayor when she ends up entwined in the mystery of why a young teen has gone missing the same night a well loved nurse died.
This cozy mystery, though definitely written with those who do not like blood, guys and hire in mind is a great read and brings further depth to the characters we have grown to love
I received this book from ebook discovery. This is my honest freely given review.
This cozy mystery, though definitely written with those who do not like blood, guys and hire in mind is a great read and brings further depth to the characters we have grown to love
I received this book from ebook discovery. This is my honest freely given review.
June 15, 2018
Like most of the later books in the series, Underground in Ocean Alley is a gently paced but awesome mystery. I got hooked on the series with the first book and have loved everyone including this 11th entry in the series. This book takes place four Ocean Alley years after the wedding. Scoobies brother is well settled in and Jolie has been too busy in the intervening years to get into too much trouble but now Det. Morehouse comes to her for help when his nephew is missing. A death on the same night could be an accident or could be murder and it could be connected with the teen's disappearance.
October 10, 2020
This is an entertaining story, with a good pace and great characters. I especially like the interaction with the twins, as this funny and realistic. The plot of the book, however, isn't that great, but a cozy mystery it is.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
August 29, 2018
This book didn't interest me a lot. About land developers wanting some of the land to build on and take away some of old time businesses. One lady was against it. She ended up dead but who did it. Well someone other than the cops were investigating on their own.
October 17, 2020
I enjoyed this book. I thought the characters were well developed and there was some suspense.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
October 20, 2020
It is a pleasure to be able to read a mystery without having a lot of gruesome details. This book is entertaining and would be great to read sitting by the fire with a glass of wine. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
September 17, 2023
A good read
Enjoyed reading about Jolie and her nose for trouble. Ocean Alley seems an ideal place to live, with friendly people. The characters are well crafted and they just feel very real.
Enjoyed reading about Jolie and her nose for trouble. Ocean Alley seems an ideal place to live, with friendly people. The characters are well crafted and they just feel very real.
November 7, 2023
I enjoyed reading this book and would like to know if I could move on to the first book in that series so I could know the star characters and their supporters better. Oh, I can hardly wait to find out as soon as I get my hands on it!!
July 5, 2018
Jolie juggles murder, politics, and being a wife and mother. The stakes are higher now with her family in this newest mystery.
August 16, 2018
Good
Very good story. Moves well not to much drama but enough mystery to keep your interest .nice family feeling to story
Very good story. Moves well not to much drama but enough mystery to keep your interest .nice family feeling to story
January 4, 2021
a fun read that anyone with kids can enjoy some of the hijinx and favortism the kids show.
Interesting to see suble changes in the characters.
Hope there will be more!!
Interesting to see suble changes in the characters.
Hope there will be more!!
December 31, 2023
A new-to-me author and I am delighted that I have found her. I decided that I would give it a go because the blurb sounded interesting - a runaway teenager and a main character who cannot help but get involved somehow in any thing mysterious that is going on - now how can you say no to a write up like that! A good fun read with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. I noticed that there are lots more books in this series and I think perhaps it is time to get to know Jolie Gentil better!
January 1, 2019
Another great addition to the Jolie Gentil series. This time we get to see a softer side of Sergeant Morehouse as his nephew goes missing. It is interesting to see how Jolie has stepped into motherhood and her new living conditions. Looking forward to more books in a fun filled series.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews