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The Funeral Fakers #2
Mourning Commute
Restrained Crying: $50
Banshee Wailing: $100
Crying & Rolling on the Ground: $150
Threatening to Jump in the Grave: $250
Uncovering a Murder Mystery: PRICELESS
May Ferth was born with stars in her eyes, but apparently not her future. Never able to break past the community theater, she’s overjoyed to finally land a role that comes with a paycheck: Professional Mourning for the win!
And in her first performance, she shines as the fake girlfriend of a professional crime scene cleaner. Unfortunately, this time she shines just a bit too bright. Now everyone suspects that she might have played more than a bit part in her pretend boyfriend’s death!
Luckily for her, May comes from a family of cops. And, despite her talent for acting, she has a lot more Detective in her than Diva. Unluckily, however, the threats become all too real as May gets closer to shining a spotlight on the real villain.
Can May rewrite the ending of this staged play or will this be her final bow? Find out whodunit in this hilarious mystery series filled with fake tears and a very real body count... Order your copy and start reading today!
Mourning Commute is book two in The Funeral Fakers series. Each book stands completely on its own, but you'll have more fun if you read them all together!
Banshee Wailing: $100
Crying & Rolling on the Ground: $150
Threatening to Jump in the Grave: $250
Uncovering a Murder Mystery: PRICELESS
May Ferth was born with stars in her eyes, but apparently not her future. Never able to break past the community theater, she’s overjoyed to finally land a role that comes with a paycheck: Professional Mourning for the win!
And in her first performance, she shines as the fake girlfriend of a professional crime scene cleaner. Unfortunately, this time she shines just a bit too bright. Now everyone suspects that she might have played more than a bit part in her pretend boyfriend’s death!
Luckily for her, May comes from a family of cops. And, despite her talent for acting, she has a lot more Detective in her than Diva. Unluckily, however, the threats become all too real as May gets closer to shining a spotlight on the real villain.
Can May rewrite the ending of this staged play or will this be her final bow? Find out whodunit in this hilarious mystery series filled with fake tears and a very real body count... Order your copy and start reading today!
Mourning Commute is book two in The Funeral Fakers series. Each book stands completely on its own, but you'll have more fun if you read them all together!
- GenresMysteryCozy MysteryCozy
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2018
324 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
Sam Cheever
194 books1,077 followersUSA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Sam Cheever writes mystery and suspense, creating stories that draw you in and keep you eagerly turning pages. Known for writing great characters, snappy dialogue, and unique and exhilarating stories, Sam is the award-winning author of 100+ books.
Website: www.samcheever.com
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Blog: https://samcheever.com/blog/
Website: www.samcheever.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sam-c...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sam-Ch...
Blog: https://samcheever.com/blog/
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 124 reviews
November 10, 2018
May Ferth grew up in a police family, but her first love is acting. She is currently working at Exit Stage Left, a company that provides mourners to funerals - for a price. When Josh Mitner is killed, his father, Alex Mitner, hires May to play the part of Josh's girlfriend at the funeral. Unfortunately, not everybody buys the act. Eddie Deitz was a very close friend of Josh's and did not remember Josh ever talking about having a girlfriend.
As she is leaving the funeral, May overhears Alex and another man talking in a room. Not wanting to be seen, she hides behind a plant, only to be found by Eddie. Later, at the Mitner home, May is attacked and ends up in the swimming pool with a large tree holding her down. Fortunately, Eddie and James Thomas, the owner of a security company, free her before she drowns. The next day as Eddie and May are leaving the gravesite, they are chased by another vehicle intent on causing them to crash.
Eddie and May are convinced that Josh's death was no accident, but who is responsible and why? Can May and Eddie figure things out before May ends up dead?
The story progresses at a very steady pace and there is a lot going on. The interactions between the characters is quite real and will keep you reading well into the night.
As she is leaving the funeral, May overhears Alex and another man talking in a room. Not wanting to be seen, she hides behind a plant, only to be found by Eddie. Later, at the Mitner home, May is attacked and ends up in the swimming pool with a large tree holding her down. Fortunately, Eddie and James Thomas, the owner of a security company, free her before she drowns. The next day as Eddie and May are leaving the gravesite, they are chased by another vehicle intent on causing them to crash.
Eddie and May are convinced that Josh's death was no accident, but who is responsible and why? Can May and Eddie figure things out before May ends up dead?
The story progresses at a very steady pace and there is a lot going on. The interactions between the characters is quite real and will keep you reading well into the night.
November 10, 2018
May Belle Ferth is, bizarrely enough, a professional mourner.
Tired of community theater, because of the politics, she works for Exit Stage Left. They provide folks to mourn at the funereal events of your choosing, wake, viewing, graveside, etc.
After the death of young Josh, a player with a wild reputation, his father hires her to mourn at his services.
Folks are shocked though, as she is not really Bimbo Bambi material, the usual type the deceased was involved with.
But why someone as young as Josh die so suddenly? Was foul play indeed in the mix?
Are his friends Eddie and James good guys, or just good looking and deadly dangerous?
Did Mat pick up just enough from her family of cops to get herself in deeper trouble?
Her ankle biter doggie is a charming hero!
Action, murder, and death - an exciting read with humor!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tired of community theater, because of the politics, she works for Exit Stage Left. They provide folks to mourn at the funereal events of your choosing, wake, viewing, graveside, etc.
After the death of young Josh, a player with a wild reputation, his father hires her to mourn at his services.
Folks are shocked though, as she is not really Bimbo Bambi material, the usual type the deceased was involved with.
But why someone as young as Josh die so suddenly? Was foul play indeed in the mix?
Are his friends Eddie and James good guys, or just good looking and deadly dangerous?
Did Mat pick up just enough from her family of cops to get herself in deeper trouble?
Her ankle biter doggie is a charming hero!
Action, murder, and death - an exciting read with humor!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 26, 2018
Lots of twists and turns
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really liked it. I’ll be reading her other work. There were so many twist and turns that kept me guessing. However, in the back of my mind, I did have an idea of the killer. I don’t want to give anything away, and even knowing it was that person, it was still so intense finding out how and why it all happened. The only thing I didn’t like and what kept it from being 5 stars is that one of the characters, James, acted so much different in the beginning than the end. He was like an immature girl crazy guy in beginning then switched just like that to being serious. And having a hubby in law enforcement, I don’t think a security guy would have the authority to act as a cop, not in NC anyway, where I live near Asheville. But it wasn’t enough to detract from the story. I love that this series is set in Asheville, NC. And the surroundings sounded like the real town. I hope the author does more books with these characters, whether they are in this series or another because I loved all of them. I want them all to get their own book, especially MayBell’s brother.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really liked it. I’ll be reading her other work. There were so many twist and turns that kept me guessing. However, in the back of my mind, I did have an idea of the killer. I don’t want to give anything away, and even knowing it was that person, it was still so intense finding out how and why it all happened. The only thing I didn’t like and what kept it from being 5 stars is that one of the characters, James, acted so much different in the beginning than the end. He was like an immature girl crazy guy in beginning then switched just like that to being serious. And having a hubby in law enforcement, I don’t think a security guy would have the authority to act as a cop, not in NC anyway, where I live near Asheville. But it wasn’t enough to detract from the story. I love that this series is set in Asheville, NC. And the surroundings sounded like the real town. I hope the author does more books with these characters, whether they are in this series or another because I loved all of them. I want them all to get their own book, especially MayBell’s brother.
November 8, 2018
What a fantastic treat! The wonderfully bizarre premise of working as a professional mourner serves as a springboard for a mystery full of twists and turns and a new partnership that I hope gets to solve more cases. Sam Cheever has a talent for creating fun, likable characters who might not always know exactly what to do but always muddle through somehow. And usually with a wisecrack or two. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 12, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the dynamic between May and her family. There was hilarity, danger, and although I had an inkling whoddunit, I didn't know for sure until the end. I'm loving this series, and the great thing is that all the books are stand-alone, so you don't HAVE to have read the first one to read this one. (Although, why wouldn't you?!)
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 4, 2018
Mourning Commute - The book includes an overview of all six books in this series. This story was better than I expected. Well written and funny with intriguing and interesting storylines, which actually makes this a substantial book in this genre. The characters are realistic and likable with realistic dialog. There are good family relationships that add depth and the investigation is intelligent. I don't care for actors/actresses/Hollywood, but I liked MayBelle. Professional mourners are a real job in the States, outside of NOLA, honestly? I contacted the author to review her books and received this book through Booksprout. 5*
Sam Cheever, Toxic Tech (Summer Snoops and Cozy Crimes) - Another interesting story with the added bonus of a large amount of animals, and even a reptile as a major character. Intriguing with suspense and the usual humor found from this author blend well with the characters to keep the reader immersed in the story. Another good addition to the Honeybun and Runa series. There's a overview to let the reader know what the story is about, which I always appreciate. I purchased this set to support the authors' cause since they did so well with 12 Slays of Christmas. 4*
Sam Cheever, Toxic Tech (Summer Snoops and Cozy Crimes) - Another interesting story with the added bonus of a large amount of animals, and even a reptile as a major character. Intriguing with suspense and the usual humor found from this author blend well with the characters to keep the reader immersed in the story. Another good addition to the Honeybun and Runa series. There's a overview to let the reader know what the story is about, which I always appreciate. I purchased this set to support the authors' cause since they did so well with 12 Slays of Christmas. 4*
December 8, 2018
MOURNING COMMUTE is the second book in the Funeral Fakers series. This is a multi-author series and each story does stand on its own.
This is a well-paced story with enough humor to balance the unusual job of professional mourner. The best of the humor comes from the interaction between May and her family of police officers.
You know what they say, “a little knowledge is dangerous.” May Belle proves it. She knows just enough about investigating crimes to get herself into hotter water! On the other hand, her determination, along with the sweetest little ankle-biting dog, will prove handy in solving the mystery behind Josh’s death.
I loved the story, the action, the mystery, and the dog.
This was the first book I have read from Sam Cheever and I hope it won’t be my last. She has a flare for cozy mystery and humor!
Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
Title: MOURNING COMMUTE
Series: Funeral Fakers #2
Category /Genre: Cozy Mystery
Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing: book received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from: Sweet Promise Press (as an ARC gifted copy)
This is a well-paced story with enough humor to balance the unusual job of professional mourner. The best of the humor comes from the interaction between May and her family of police officers.
You know what they say, “a little knowledge is dangerous.” May Belle proves it. She knows just enough about investigating crimes to get herself into hotter water! On the other hand, her determination, along with the sweetest little ankle-biting dog, will prove handy in solving the mystery behind Josh’s death.
I loved the story, the action, the mystery, and the dog.
This was the first book I have read from Sam Cheever and I hope it won’t be my last. She has a flare for cozy mystery and humor!
Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
Title: MOURNING COMMUTE
Series: Funeral Fakers #2
Category /Genre: Cozy Mystery
Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing: book received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from: Sweet Promise Press (as an ARC gifted copy)
January 20, 2019
Another solid cozy mystery in the Funeral Fakers series. Mourning Commute is a stand-alone mystery that I had a hard time guessing exactly who-dun-it and why. Sam Cheever laid the clues out beautifully without giving too much away until the case was solved.
The characters may have been a little over the top, but they were more lovable because of it. Our funeral faker, May Ferth, really pulled out all the stops to make sure her grieving clients got what they needed - including a little shoulder to cry on and an ear willing to listen.
There's a touch of romantic possibility between the P.I. investigating and May that I really enjoyed. They both had moments of quick thinking and worked well as a team to solve the case and catch the bad guys. The cases in the Funeral Fakers have all been quite involved and intricate, and I'm impressed at the authors' abilities to fit so much into a novella and bring all the pieces together in a very satisfying conclusion.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
The characters may have been a little over the top, but they were more lovable because of it. Our funeral faker, May Ferth, really pulled out all the stops to make sure her grieving clients got what they needed - including a little shoulder to cry on and an ear willing to listen.
There's a touch of romantic possibility between the P.I. investigating and May that I really enjoyed. They both had moments of quick thinking and worked well as a team to solve the case and catch the bad guys. The cases in the Funeral Fakers have all been quite involved and intricate, and I'm impressed at the authors' abilities to fit so much into a novella and bring all the pieces together in a very satisfying conclusion.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
November 11, 2018
May Ferth dreams of becoming an actress, so while she waits for her big break to come, she signs on with a professional mourning service. What better way to practice her acting abilities then faking tears and acting as the bereaved? Unfortunately, her first job gets her in a bit of a pickle when she is hired to be the mourning girlfriend of a recently deceased and becomes the suspect in his death.
Luck is on May’s side, as she is the daughter and sister to several cops and does have a knack for investigative skills. Before she knows it, she is working with the deceased best friend (who happens to be a PI) to find out why he was murdered.
With a strong female lead character filled with a lot of spunk, this book has a great combination of wit, action, adventure, and mystery. Not to mention a great storyline, a perfect mix of characters, and enough twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Luck is on May’s side, as she is the daughter and sister to several cops and does have a knack for investigative skills. Before she knows it, she is working with the deceased best friend (who happens to be a PI) to find out why he was murdered.
With a strong female lead character filled with a lot of spunk, this book has a great combination of wit, action, adventure, and mystery. Not to mention a great storyline, a perfect mix of characters, and enough twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 28, 2019
Protagonist and narrator May Ferth describes herself as “thirty-three ears old, attractive, …[with] a certain kind of charm… if biting humor and self-deprecating wit could be called charming.” She’s a professional mourner—a task that involves being paid to fake-mourn the dead, say, when a realistic girl-friend is required. But sometimes fake-mourning turns into real-investigating when mysteries abound around the death,. Soon this daughter and sister of cops is treading on familial toes as she uses her acting talents in trying to uncover a deathly plot.
Blending humor, pathos, mystery and even scares, Mourning Commute is a cozy mystery with bite, starring a protagonist whose follies and romances match her stubborn curiosity, and a collection of humorously over-the-top friends and family. It’s a fun read, and a nice introduction to the series—book two, but it really stands alone.
Disclosure: I got it on a deal.
Blending humor, pathos, mystery and even scares, Mourning Commute is a cozy mystery with bite, starring a protagonist whose follies and romances match her stubborn curiosity, and a collection of humorously over-the-top friends and family. It’s a fun read, and a nice introduction to the series—book two, but it really stands alone.
Disclosure: I got it on a deal.
July 18, 2019
Who knew a funeral could be so dangerous...?
Wow, what a story! Mourning Commute had even more zing than book 1, and that's saying something! Seriously, possible blackmail, possible drug cartel connections, two murders that may be connected, relatives acting suspiciously, and a near drowning...well, that's what I call exciting!
The premise of this series is just so much fun, maybe I'm a little morbid, but then again Sam Cheever and the other authors must be, too. Oh well, Mourning Commute, and the rest of the series, takes a sad part of life and turns it into a fun, funny, and entertaining tale that is sure to please any fan of cozy mysteries.
Really, you can't go wrong The Funeral Fakers and Sam Cheever's contribution to the series is, to use and old fashioned term, a real goody. Check it out, I enjoyed it and can't wait for the next book...
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
Wow, what a story! Mourning Commute had even more zing than book 1, and that's saying something! Seriously, possible blackmail, possible drug cartel connections, two murders that may be connected, relatives acting suspiciously, and a near drowning...well, that's what I call exciting!
The premise of this series is just so much fun, maybe I'm a little morbid, but then again Sam Cheever and the other authors must be, too. Oh well, Mourning Commute, and the rest of the series, takes a sad part of life and turns it into a fun, funny, and entertaining tale that is sure to please any fan of cozy mysteries.
Really, you can't go wrong The Funeral Fakers and Sam Cheever's contribution to the series is, to use and old fashioned term, a real goody. Check it out, I enjoyed it and can't wait for the next book...
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
November 9, 2018
So many stories today are full of descriptive visions murder, blood and mayhem or made up one HEA scenes after another. Then here comes Sam Cheever with another entertaing story full of laughter and fun surrounding the mystery of a murder or two.
MayBell wanted to be an actress but found she couldn't handle all the internal politics, so she went another direction. As a professional mourner she gets to act, get a paycheck and help people feel better. She just didn't expect someone to try to kill her at a wake.
With punch lines like, "I was super mourner. Hear me cry" and even an "I groot" thrown in how could you go wrong.
I hope you enjoy this funny entertaining murder mystery as much as I did. Five stars for keeping me in stitches laughing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
MayBell wanted to be an actress but found she couldn't handle all the internal politics, so she went another direction. As a professional mourner she gets to act, get a paycheck and help people feel better. She just didn't expect someone to try to kill her at a wake.
With punch lines like, "I was super mourner. Hear me cry" and even an "I groot" thrown in how could you go wrong.
I hope you enjoy this funny entertaining murder mystery as much as I did. Five stars for keeping me in stitches laughing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 11, 2018
Swimming at a funeral - surely not!
A good read but I'm a bit fed up with reading about mob involvement, everyone seems to be doing it. But still a good read. Perhaps she should be looking at opening her own PI Agency?
Her latest job is the death of a young man who died in a traffic accident. However his best friend has just accused her of his murder at the viewing and she has heard a rather disturbing conversation at the gathering in the house. Further someone has just tried to kill her! Joining forces with his best friend they start looking into the death. Was it indeed murder? Why? The more they look the more evidence they find that they are also investigating the death of a young woman as well. What does the father's business of cleaning up crime scenes have to do with it? Will they find the killer before any more deaths?
A good read but I'm a bit fed up with reading about mob involvement, everyone seems to be doing it. But still a good read. Perhaps she should be looking at opening her own PI Agency?
Her latest job is the death of a young man who died in a traffic accident. However his best friend has just accused her of his murder at the viewing and she has heard a rather disturbing conversation at the gathering in the house. Further someone has just tried to kill her! Joining forces with his best friend they start looking into the death. Was it indeed murder? Why? The more they look the more evidence they find that they are also investigating the death of a young woman as well. What does the father's business of cleaning up crime scenes have to do with it? Will they find the killer before any more deaths?
July 21, 2020
Decent Story Line with Believable Characters
Book Two in the Funeral Fakers Series of Cozy Mysteries - the self proclaimed 'good clean fun cozy mysteries,' there are no active characters in the first book to book two, this one. The only connection is the name of the agency the 'Fakers' work and their owner, Ruthie. For all intents and purposes this could then be considered a stand alone story with no real need to read the first or third in the series of you are a fan of Sam Cheever, the author. If course, the genre itself is the connecting factor so indeed read the first in the series. It is the better of the two so far. Storyline is mostly believable but somewhat incongruous with the prevalence other than it takes place in and around the city of Asheville in North Carolina.
Book Two in the Funeral Fakers Series of Cozy Mysteries - the self proclaimed 'good clean fun cozy mysteries,' there are no active characters in the first book to book two, this one. The only connection is the name of the agency the 'Fakers' work and their owner, Ruthie. For all intents and purposes this could then be considered a stand alone story with no real need to read the first or third in the series of you are a fan of Sam Cheever, the author. If course, the genre itself is the connecting factor so indeed read the first in the series. It is the better of the two so far. Storyline is mostly believable but somewhat incongruous with the prevalence other than it takes place in and around the city of Asheville in North Carolina.
November 5, 2018
Sam Cheever is a new author for me, but this book was so enjoyable that I will definitely be looking for other works from her. She created a fun and interesting little ensemble of characters in this book that I’d love to see in future books, but I’m not sure that’s in the cards. This book is presented as part of a series, but each book is by a different author and said to be stand-alone, so I don’t know if we’ll see more of the Lieutenant and Argh and Eddie and Maybell.
At any rate, this book is well-written, well edited and without vulgarity. I’ve never heard of hired mourners, but that concept certainly led to an entertaining mystery here.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
At any rate, this book is well-written, well edited and without vulgarity. I’ve never heard of hired mourners, but that concept certainly led to an entertaining mystery here.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 10, 2018
The author again (as usual) has created a wonderful story that is different from your usual cozies. Those of us who read and study scripture understand what a professional mourner is, at least the term is familiar, although today's world does not seem to have much use for them. So it is very interesting to read about this type of acting in the current society. The story itself is a wonderful mystery with enough twists to keep you guessing. While I have read and love Sam Cheever novels before, and this one does not disappoint, I have not read the other novels in this series by the other authors. I think I should because this is a great series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 11, 2018
I love this authors' work and this cozy mystery is no exception. Mae Ferth new job as a professional mourner may not be what she wants to do, but after a bad experience with personalities in the theatre, this is the next best thing to put that acting to good use. When she is asked to play her latest client girlfriend, what should have been an easy in and out crying job become more when a whispered conversation suddenly makes his death seems sinister. Even worse when one of his friends accuses her of not being his gf. But a girl has got to stick to the part, but that doesn't mean she can't do a little digging herself. With smarts and a little ankle biter along for the ride, this becomes a fun entertaining read with characters that you will remember forever. A winner in my eyes.
December 3, 2025
May Ferth's father and siblings all work for the police in Asheville, North Carolina. But May has bucked the trend and become an actress. She takes a job with Exit Stage Left, a firm that supplies mourners to people who would like to hire them for funerals.
On one gig she plays the girlfriend of Josh Mitner, a young man who was killed in a car crash. It soon becomes clear that Josh was murdered, and that May is in danger herself. She joins forces with private detective Eddie Deitz, a friend of Josh's, to try to find out the truth. Fortunately, her father and brother also have her back. Although she is not a cop, she turns out to be a pretty good investigator. I found this story to be fast-moving and fun.
On one gig she plays the girlfriend of Josh Mitner, a young man who was killed in a car crash. It soon becomes clear that Josh was murdered, and that May is in danger herself. She joins forces with private detective Eddie Deitz, a friend of Josh's, to try to find out the truth. Fortunately, her father and brother also have her back. Although she is not a cop, she turns out to be a pretty good investigator. I found this story to be fast-moving and fun.
November 5, 2018
A great whodunnit, told with Ms. Cheever’s clever wit and humor. This book is very well written and will keep you entertained while trying to solve the murder mysteries right along with the main characters. But leave it to the author’s flare for fun to give us more than just the main murder mystery to solve. Not only that but the characters will have you laughing on the sidelines at the characters antics, one-liners and crazy situations they seem to find themselves.
This is the 2nd in the standalone series titled Funeral Fakers (Yep that title alone should let you know your in for a fun time). I highly recommend Mourning Commute. If you like a suspenseful whodunnit with a touch of fun and humor, you’re gonna love it. I know I sure did! 2 Thumbs Up!!!
This is the 2nd in the standalone series titled Funeral Fakers (Yep that title alone should let you know your in for a fun time). I highly recommend Mourning Commute. If you like a suspenseful whodunnit with a touch of fun and humor, you’re gonna love it. I know I sure did! 2 Thumbs Up!!!
November 9, 2018
Ms Cheever at her best...
A wonderfully original beginning that continued into an exciting and compelling read. I'm familiar with Ms Cheever's work and gravitated to this book based on this familiarity - I wasn't disappointed.
With brilliantly alluring characters and a convoluted story-line this book is a superb read. The story unfolds quickly enough to keep the reader involved, but leaves them guessing until the final chapter. This is a book that would interest anyone who considers the blurb interesting, or lovers of a good don't-want-to-put-it-down story.
Another fabulous book, Ms Cheever - keep them coming and, with this as an excellent example, I'll keep reading!
A wonderfully original beginning that continued into an exciting and compelling read. I'm familiar with Ms Cheever's work and gravitated to this book based on this familiarity - I wasn't disappointed.
With brilliantly alluring characters and a convoluted story-line this book is a superb read. The story unfolds quickly enough to keep the reader involved, but leaves them guessing until the final chapter. This is a book that would interest anyone who considers the blurb interesting, or lovers of a good don't-want-to-put-it-down story.
Another fabulous book, Ms Cheever - keep them coming and, with this as an excellent example, I'll keep reading!
November 10, 2018
I am woman, watch me eat pie… um… hear me roar!
May comes from a cop family, and everyone thinks her job as a mourning actor is strange. Yes, actor, not actress; you don’t say copess either, do you?
The deceased worked at Crime Clean, just as his father. His death looks suspicious and May is more and more convinced that it was murder.
It was an intriguing and suspenseful mystery. It gets quite complicated and very dangerous! I loved this book. Very well written. Full of suspense, but also of fun, light-hearted moments. A quote to get the feel of this book: “The cop genes engaged my mouth before the civilian genes could stop them.”
May comes from a cop family, and everyone thinks her job as a mourning actor is strange. Yes, actor, not actress; you don’t say copess either, do you?
The deceased worked at Crime Clean, just as his father. His death looks suspicious and May is more and more convinced that it was murder.
It was an intriguing and suspenseful mystery. It gets quite complicated and very dangerous! I loved this book. Very well written. Full of suspense, but also of fun, light-hearted moments. A quote to get the feel of this book: “The cop genes engaged my mouth before the civilian genes could stop them.”
November 10, 2018
Another winner by Sam Cheever, doesn't fail to keep you interested and entertained. Part of a series (by the way, read the others too, all of these authors are AMAZING!) that visits May who was hired to be a professional mourner and pose as the dead guy's girlfriend. Was it an accident or murder, and of course it's May's passion to get to the bottom of this!
That's all your getting out of me, because you just have to read for yourself this super fun, suspenseful mystery, with twists and turns that will keep you guessing till the end. If you haven't read this author before, this will certainly hook you! This is an honest, unsolicited review after reading an ARC copy.
That's all your getting out of me, because you just have to read for yourself this super fun, suspenseful mystery, with twists and turns that will keep you guessing till the end. If you haven't read this author before, this will certainly hook you! This is an honest, unsolicited review after reading an ARC copy.
November 11, 2018
May Ferth, is by choice a "hired mourner"; and in this story she is asked to act as the deceised girlfriend by his father. Early on this brings suspicions against her, as some people believe that the young man in question had been murdered. But soon she also becomes a target and someone threatens her life.
May, coming from a long line of police officers sets out to solve the murder together with a PI, who also was the deceased's best friend.
Starting slow, but quickly picking up pace, it is a well-written story, with twists and turns and an - at least to me - surprising ending.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May, coming from a long line of police officers sets out to solve the murder together with a PI, who also was the deceased's best friend.
Starting slow, but quickly picking up pace, it is a well-written story, with twists and turns and an - at least to me - surprising ending.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 12, 2018
Let's just take a minute and appreciate the ingenuity of the main character's job in this series. Who would have thought that a professional mourner would make a fun character? I know I wouldn't have thought so, but I would have been totally wrong. I love May! I May is one of those characters you would love to be friends with. She is smart, spunky, and incredible. The story that surrounds her is full of twists and turns, characters that are even more quirky than May, and a well written mystery. This is also a clean mystery so you don't need to worry about younger teens picking it up. I highly recommend getting lost in this one.
December 2, 2018
Sam Cheever always produces a great cosy mystery, and this one is no exception, even though for me the premise is a little bizarre, an aspiring actress who hasn't managed to get break into professional theatre gets a gig as a professional mourner, acting as the girlfriend of the deceased.
The characters are well drawn, although I did feel that May was a bit of a caricature of a struggling actress, but a great deal of fun, and I liked her better when she was sleuthing, especially when it landed her in hot water.
The plot was quite involved and the culprit was well concealed. So all in all a very readable mystery.
I received an advance copy but have voluntarily reviewed it.
The characters are well drawn, although I did feel that May was a bit of a caricature of a struggling actress, but a great deal of fun, and I liked her better when she was sleuthing, especially when it landed her in hot water.
The plot was quite involved and the culprit was well concealed. So all in all a very readable mystery.
I received an advance copy but have voluntarily reviewed it.
May 26, 2019
Cute, Clean, Cozy!
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it definitely will not be the last! I truly enjoyed this story. It was fun and well done and everything a cozy mystery should be.
There was an attraction without the heavy romance mush, and I liked that. There were no gory descriptions of violence and no profanity.
This is a stand alone novel, which gives a complete ending, not requiring the purchase of the next book. A series is nice, but each book should have a complete ending, and this one does.
The characters were likable and well developed.
I look forward to reading the rest of the series and others by this author.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it definitely will not be the last! I truly enjoyed this story. It was fun and well done and everything a cozy mystery should be.
There was an attraction without the heavy romance mush, and I liked that. There were no gory descriptions of violence and no profanity.
This is a stand alone novel, which gives a complete ending, not requiring the purchase of the next book. A series is nice, but each book should have a complete ending, and this one does.
The characters were likable and well developed.
I look forward to reading the rest of the series and others by this author.
April 27, 2021
An actor who plays the part of a mourner at funerals to make the deceased look better, that's a novel idea, but it forms the basic premise for this very funny murder mystery story. May is hired to act as the girlfriend of a dead young man, but it appears that his death may not be due to natural causes.
As May comes from a family of police officers, she can't help herself from investigating the death, assisted by her dog!
There are lots of characters, all of them are really well written, and many are quite eccentric. A humorous murder mystery seems like a contradiction in terms, but Sam Cheever manages to carry it off with great aplomb. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
As May comes from a family of police officers, she can't help herself from investigating the death, assisted by her dog!
There are lots of characters, all of them are really well written, and many are quite eccentric. A humorous murder mystery seems like a contradiction in terms, but Sam Cheever manages to carry it off with great aplomb. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 19, 2024
I was lucky to win this book in a AXP contest. The mysteries all have dogs as prominent characters. At first, the story seemed so unlikely- an actress who was employed as a mourner at funerals that needed some attendees. May is the only family member who is not a police officer, but becomes involved in the case for her latest "client" who was murdered. The dog involved, a pomeranian, is not my favorite, but was very cute and helpful. May seems to collect handsome men in her quest to help solve the murder and prove it was in fact a murder. There are some Keystone Kops elements which help things along. All in all a pretty cute book and thanks to AXP!!!!
November 9, 2018
A professional mourner now this is an interesting twist! Who is the murder victim but none other than the man she has been paid to mourn? Perhaps there are more mystery events too oh the twists in this one is grand. Who really is the bad guy? Will May’s father and brother keep her out of trouble? This storyline is so much fun, the interaction was so much fun, you will smile you will laugh you will have a great time reading this cozy. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
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