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Calcite Corpse
Disgraced former prosecutor and reinvented rock shop owner Allie Renault is still learning how to navigate the fascinating world of rocks, gems and minerals. A ten-day partnership with one of her late Uncle Jasper’s old friends at one of Tuscon’s best mineral shows seems like a fantastic opportunity.
That is, until she meets her partner, Cash. He's annoying. Opinionated. Obstinate.
Things go from bad to worse when they discover a woman’s body in a crate of calcite shipped to them from Mexico. Cash advises Allie to mind her own business and let the police do their job. The problem? This case is a low priority. Is it because the woman appears to an illegal immigrant?
Allie can't leave it alone. Far from her friends and allies in Sedona, unsure of whom she can trust, Allie investigates, risking everything to find the woman's killer.
That is, until she meets her partner, Cash. He's annoying. Opinionated. Obstinate.
Things go from bad to worse when they discover a woman’s body in a crate of calcite shipped to them from Mexico. Cash advises Allie to mind her own business and let the police do their job. The problem? This case is a low priority. Is it because the woman appears to an illegal immigrant?
Allie can't leave it alone. Far from her friends and allies in Sedona, unsure of whom she can trust, Allie investigates, risking everything to find the woman's killer.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 3, 2019
12 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
S.D. Brown
25 books25 followersS.D. Brown taught elementary, middle grade, high school, and junior college for over twenty years—on three continents and in seven schools. She continues to present workshops and is the owner-curator of the largest, privately owned gem and mineral museum in California. When she’s not working with rocks, she’s working on manuscripts, traveling, gardening, painting, and doing the dishes.
See more as sdbrownbooks.
This author also writes as Spike Brownt
See more as sdbrownbooks.
This author also writes as Spike Brownt
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 15, 2022
Better than the blurb might suggest
This is the third book in the series, but the quality stays strong in Calcite Corpse. Yes, it sounds like a heavy metal band name, and if you’re not into minerals/rocks you might be put off by the blurb but this is a (rock) solid cosy mystery. Alabaster/Allie is a very likeable protagonist whose story alone is worth reading this series for. She’s everything you want in a lead: complex, clever and capable.
From the blurb you might think you’d need to be interested in rocks to enjoy this book or indeed this series, but cast that thought aside. This is a good cosy mystery set to a backdrop of a believable and original setting. The rock world is well researched and works well as an alternative in this genre. Brown has a super authorial voice and every book I’ve read of hers is a captivating pleasure.
This is the third book in the series, but the quality stays strong in Calcite Corpse. Yes, it sounds like a heavy metal band name, and if you’re not into minerals/rocks you might be put off by the blurb but this is a (rock) solid cosy mystery. Alabaster/Allie is a very likeable protagonist whose story alone is worth reading this series for. She’s everything you want in a lead: complex, clever and capable.
From the blurb you might think you’d need to be interested in rocks to enjoy this book or indeed this series, but cast that thought aside. This is a good cosy mystery set to a backdrop of a believable and original setting. The rock world is well researched and works well as an alternative in this genre. Brown has a super authorial voice and every book I’ve read of hers is a captivating pleasure.
April 28, 2019
She may remind you of Kinsey Millhone or V.I. Warshawski. Allie, (short for Alabaster), S.D. Brown's reluctant sleuth, is an intrepid, resourceful, persistent and savvy investigator. A disbarred lawyer, Allie now owns a rock shop in Sedona. In The Calcite Corpse, she's selling her wares, which include a crate full of calcite, at a rock show in Tucson. That crate full of calcite contains more than rocks.
Allie is sharing her booth at the show with an unlikely partner named Cash whom she's inherited, somehow, from her uncle. A health food nut six days a week, Cash indulges in Class A Junk Food on the seventh day. He's just one of a large and lively cast of oddball characters including a thug called Cobra and a hunk called Tray. For the uninitiated, a “rock show” in an S.D. Brown mystery is all about minerals, not music.
Brown writes plausibly about the Kino Gem and Mineral Show in Tucson, as well she should being the owner of a rock shop herself. Write what you know is traditional advice for authors, and it's advice Brown has taken to heart.
The Calcite Corpse is something of a page turner with many an unexpected twist and turn as the plot unfolds. Happily for this reader, sex, violence and profanity do not play a role. The book is a well constructed, well paced and highly polished product that will delight readers who enjoy Sue Grafton and Sara Paretsky. I look forward to reading more of Brown's work.
January 14, 2020
Nancy Drew meets Sabrina without the Witch stuff
I enjoyed this story and I couldn’t read it any faster than I did. It is a part of the Rock Shop Mystery Series but does well on its own. It is always so “anti-cataclysmic” to meet the protagonist’s calling once more, after having plummeted from its graces. In this case, she was in the law and order life until she lost her job. A murder that must be solved befell her and an acquaintance / companion in such an unconventional setting.
The star of this narrative as all mystery books normally showcase, are the plot twists and the “everything is not what it seems” vibe. More than that, I admire how the main character was developed. The beginning of the book immediately tests her moral compass, between a task that could jeopardize a livelihood against the ramifications of not doing the right thing at that moment. I appreciate the flawed showcase in her otherwise honorable bearings. She is very contemplative, smart, and full of grit, even when it’s sometimes not evident in her actions. The protagonists steers this narrative against rough waters.
I enjoyed this story and I couldn’t read it any faster than I did. It is a part of the Rock Shop Mystery Series but does well on its own. It is always so “anti-cataclysmic” to meet the protagonist’s calling once more, after having plummeted from its graces. In this case, she was in the law and order life until she lost her job. A murder that must be solved befell her and an acquaintance / companion in such an unconventional setting.
The star of this narrative as all mystery books normally showcase, are the plot twists and the “everything is not what it seems” vibe. More than that, I admire how the main character was developed. The beginning of the book immediately tests her moral compass, between a task that could jeopardize a livelihood against the ramifications of not doing the right thing at that moment. I appreciate the flawed showcase in her otherwise honorable bearings. She is very contemplative, smart, and full of grit, even when it’s sometimes not evident in her actions. The protagonists steers this narrative against rough waters.
April 2, 2019
This was a very good read, a mystery that held my attention clear through to the end. I enjoyed the twists and turns, and I really liked the protagonist. She was a genuinely good person, and an easy person to root for. Definitely someone you would want on your side. There were a few typos here and there, and not having seen the cover or read the back blurb, I didn’t know the gender of the protagonist at first, which was a bit disorienting. But overall, the story was great! I recommend this well written mystery to people who enjoy murder mysteries.
April 6, 2019
Amateur girl sleuth takes on a murder case the authorities ignore. Allie is the girl sleuth and a disbarred former prosecutor. Her mandatory sidekick, temporary in this case, is Cash, a curmudgeon associate of her deceased uncle. They are sharing a booth at a rock show when the story starts with a body found in a shipping crate. This is a plot driven story, as many sleuth books are, with character development a supporting role.
The author, S. D. Brown is well versed in storytelling, force the main character up a tree and throw increasing large rocks at her until the biggest one, large enough to kill, is in the air. Brown is inventive and has good aim with many of those rocks, throwing curves, fastballs and a couple of knuckleballs at the main character and the reader.
This book is one of a series. Brief mention was made of a prior murder but too little was explained to understand Allie’s motivation to get involved in this new one. Multiple characters came and went mostly as plot points. In fact, plot development for the first half of the book was mostly through conversations or internal dialogue. The second half leans toward action. Deliberately, the story is more Hallmark feature movie (which could be a good one) and less Mickey Spillane.
Calcite-Corpse is light as a stand-alone, but as part of a series, the main character alone should keep the reader’s interest.
The author, S. D. Brown is well versed in storytelling, force the main character up a tree and throw increasing large rocks at her until the biggest one, large enough to kill, is in the air. Brown is inventive and has good aim with many of those rocks, throwing curves, fastballs and a couple of knuckleballs at the main character and the reader.
This book is one of a series. Brief mention was made of a prior murder but too little was explained to understand Allie’s motivation to get involved in this new one. Multiple characters came and went mostly as plot points. In fact, plot development for the first half of the book was mostly through conversations or internal dialogue. The second half leans toward action. Deliberately, the story is more Hallmark feature movie (which could be a good one) and less Mickey Spillane.
Calcite-Corpse is light as a stand-alone, but as part of a series, the main character alone should keep the reader’s interest.
February 16, 2020
“Calcite Corpse” is a murder mystery centered on Allie Renault, a disgraced former prosecutor turned rock shop owner who discovers a body in a crate of calcite she shipped to a rock show. The police assume the victim is an illegal immigrant and make little effort to solve the case, so Allie decides to investigate herself, setting the story in motion.
While this is the third in a series of “cozy” murder mysteries starring Allie, the story is self contained. It has callbacks to earlier volumes that long-time readers will appreciate, along with a few cameos, but can easily be read on its own.
The book has twists and turns in all the right places, an amusing (though often aggravating) rogue’s gallery of oddball characters and a genuinely entertaining climax that had me eagerly flipping pages. However, it takes too long setting up events and suffers from pacing problems midway through. A lot of this stems from Allie constantly rehashing everything she’s learned — and that readers have already witnessed — in her head. While I understand this is meant as a mneumonic device to help readers keep track of the various characters and evolving storyline, I’d say full half of these are unnecessary and bring the story to a screeching halt.
Additionally, some plot details don’t ring true, particularly those related to law enforcement procedures, and they collectively hampered my enjoyment. Examples include two cops casually informing passerby that they will only do the barest minimum to investigate a murder because they have such low expectations of solving it, a coroner who doesn’t bother to run a victim’s fingerprints or dental records through federal databases and a federal agent who hands an Uzi to a civilian while making an arrest. Uhmmm … no.
Despite the aforementioned issues, I found the book overall to be a pleasant diversion; it’s like comfort food for the eyes. It’s similar enough to other “cozy” murder mysteries that you can be sure of what you’ll get, but distinct enough that you’re likely to remember it.
While this is the third in a series of “cozy” murder mysteries starring Allie, the story is self contained. It has callbacks to earlier volumes that long-time readers will appreciate, along with a few cameos, but can easily be read on its own.
The book has twists and turns in all the right places, an amusing (though often aggravating) rogue’s gallery of oddball characters and a genuinely entertaining climax that had me eagerly flipping pages. However, it takes too long setting up events and suffers from pacing problems midway through. A lot of this stems from Allie constantly rehashing everything she’s learned — and that readers have already witnessed — in her head. While I understand this is meant as a mneumonic device to help readers keep track of the various characters and evolving storyline, I’d say full half of these are unnecessary and bring the story to a screeching halt.
Additionally, some plot details don’t ring true, particularly those related to law enforcement procedures, and they collectively hampered my enjoyment. Examples include two cops casually informing passerby that they will only do the barest minimum to investigate a murder because they have such low expectations of solving it, a coroner who doesn’t bother to run a victim’s fingerprints or dental records through federal databases and a federal agent who hands an Uzi to a civilian while making an arrest. Uhmmm … no.
Despite the aforementioned issues, I found the book overall to be a pleasant diversion; it’s like comfort food for the eyes. It’s similar enough to other “cozy” murder mysteries that you can be sure of what you’ll get, but distinct enough that you’re likely to remember it.
February 11, 2020
Another solid entry in the series
A wonderful spin on the traditional detective story. Alabaster, Allie, Renault is a quirky engaging main character who discovers and solves mysteries during the course of her work selling rocks.
Calcite Corpse transports you inside the (surprisingly) tangled world of rock sellers. Brown clearly knows her stuff and invites you to take a trip to a fun, exaggerated version of her world. With colorful characters and numerous twists and turns, it's everything you could ask for in a mystery novel.
Fans of the series will not be disappointed in this entry. And if this is your entry point into the Rock Shop Mystery books, you'll surely want to check out the rest.
A wonderful spin on the traditional detective story. Alabaster, Allie, Renault is a quirky engaging main character who discovers and solves mysteries during the course of her work selling rocks.
Calcite Corpse transports you inside the (surprisingly) tangled world of rock sellers. Brown clearly knows her stuff and invites you to take a trip to a fun, exaggerated version of her world. With colorful characters and numerous twists and turns, it's everything you could ask for in a mystery novel.
Fans of the series will not be disappointed in this entry. And if this is your entry point into the Rock Shop Mystery books, you'll surely want to check out the rest.
May 30, 2019
Allie a former barred prosecutor feels compelled to take on a murder case after being drawn into a business partnership with an associate of her late uncle ,sidekick Cash. Cash proves to be as shady as his name implies, and when the discovery of a corpse in a shipping crate is treated lightly by the authorities, she decides to take matters into her own hands. The story has great dialogue and the characters are so well drawn that you can almost see them on the page. S.D writes a story here with plenty of suspense and enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes. Smashing
October 3, 2021
2 star
When I finish a mystery, I want to be able to look back over the story and feel like all the clues were there if only I'd caught them. That isn't the case here. It keeps taking turns and ratcheting up the stakes, but that thread running through the investigation and landing at the conclusion just isn't there.
When I finish a mystery, I want to be able to look back over the story and feel like all the clues were there if only I'd caught them. That isn't the case here. It keeps taking turns and ratcheting up the stakes, but that thread running through the investigation and landing at the conclusion just isn't there.
Read
January 13, 2020Nancy Drew meets Sabrina without the witch stuff
I enjoyed this story and I couldn’t read it any faster than I did. It is a part of the Rock Shop Mystery Series but does well on its own. It is always so “anti-cataclysmic” to meet the protagonist’s calling once more, after having plummeted from its graces. In this case, she was in the law and order life until she lost her job. A murder that must be solved befell her and an acquaintance / companion in such an unconventional setting.
The star of this narrative as all mystery books normally showcase, are the plot twists and the “everything is not what it seems” vibe. More than that, I admire how the main character was developed. The beginning of the book immediately tests her moral compass, between a task that could jeopardize a livelihood against the ramifications of not doing the right thing at that moment. I appreciate the flawed showcase in her otherwise honorable bearings. She is very contemplative, smart, and full of grit, even when it’s sometimes not evident in her actions. The protagonists steers this narrative against rough waters.
I enjoyed this story and I couldn’t read it any faster than I did. It is a part of the Rock Shop Mystery Series but does well on its own. It is always so “anti-cataclysmic” to meet the protagonist’s calling once more, after having plummeted from its graces. In this case, she was in the law and order life until she lost her job. A murder that must be solved befell her and an acquaintance / companion in such an unconventional setting.
The star of this narrative as all mystery books normally showcase, are the plot twists and the “everything is not what it seems” vibe. More than that, I admire how the main character was developed. The beginning of the book immediately tests her moral compass, between a task that could jeopardize a livelihood against the ramifications of not doing the right thing at that moment. I appreciate the flawed showcase in her otherwise honorable bearings. She is very contemplative, smart, and full of grit, even when it’s sometimes not evident in her actions. The protagonists steers this narrative against rough waters.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews