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Ruby Bay Mystery #1
Death Down Under
A Cozy Mystery
Miki is used to sliding headfirst on a sled at a hundred miles an hour, but this might just be the craziest thing she's ever done...
When World Champion skeleton athlete Miki King fails a doping test after taking the wrong flu medication, she's exiled to Australia, to run her aunt's cafe in a small beachside resort town until all the media attention blows over back home in America.
Expecting a break from her hectic life, Miki never expects to find a body on her second day in Ruby Bay. And to make matters worse, she was seen having an argument with the man the day before.
With the local police chief convinced she's the culprit, Miki - with the help of her new coworker Emily and a rather crazy old woman named Mary - has to find the murderer before she's arrested and makes the headlines again, destroying any chance she might have of reviving her career.
**Includes a recipe for lamingtons, a popular Australian desert***
Death Down Under is a full-length, humerous cozy mystery and the first book in the Ruby Bay mystery series set in Australia.
Miki is used to sliding headfirst on a sled at a hundred miles an hour, but this might just be the craziest thing she's ever done...
When World Champion skeleton athlete Miki King fails a doping test after taking the wrong flu medication, she's exiled to Australia, to run her aunt's cafe in a small beachside resort town until all the media attention blows over back home in America.
Expecting a break from her hectic life, Miki never expects to find a body on her second day in Ruby Bay. And to make matters worse, she was seen having an argument with the man the day before.
With the local police chief convinced she's the culprit, Miki - with the help of her new coworker Emily and a rather crazy old woman named Mary - has to find the murderer before she's arrested and makes the headlines again, destroying any chance she might have of reviving her career.
**Includes a recipe for lamingtons, a popular Australian desert***
Death Down Under is a full-length, humerous cozy mystery and the first book in the Ruby Bay mystery series set in Australia.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2017
318 people are currently reading
415 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Silver
109 books305 followersSamantha Silver lives in British Columbia, Canada, along with her husband and seventeen-year-old dog named Terra.
When she's not writing cozy mysteries, Samantha loves travelling (she's most recently been to Egypt, Jordan and Florida) skiing, eating Dairy Queen, and complaining about how hard running is.
To be notified about new releases, giveaways, sneak previews and more, sign up for Samantha's newsletter by visiting http://www.samanthasilverwrites.com/n...
When she's not writing cozy mysteries, Samantha loves travelling (she's most recently been to Egypt, Jordan and Florida) skiing, eating Dairy Queen, and complaining about how hard running is.
To be notified about new releases, giveaways, sneak previews and more, sign up for Samantha's newsletter by visiting http://www.samanthasilverwrites.com/n...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
August 7, 2022
3 1/2 stars. A fun cozy with an unusual female lead of a pro-athlete and the beautiful setting of Australia. There are some funny scenes and mixups with Aussie sayings.
January 19, 2020
A terrific start to a series and very well written. For anyone who lives 'down under' there are plenty of laughs as the heroine navigates her way through a small Australian town, learning the language (oh yes!), what Woolies is, and makes friends while she discovers her hideout (no spoiler!) She does get a cat - spoiler everyone will want to know about.
I got book one for free on Kindle and, yes, I bought the second book as I liked it a lot. The heroine is lightly unusual, funky and a person I would like (but who is such fitter than me!)
I got book one for free on Kindle and, yes, I bought the second book as I liked it a lot. The heroine is lightly unusual, funky and a person I would like (but who is such fitter than me!)
January 8, 2023
Enjoyed the book more than I expected to, was an interesting enough story, I would have rated it 3.5 stars as I wouldn't say it had the same impact as a clockwork orange (which I also rated 4 stars) but felt bad giving it only 3 as it was a fun light read! I'd happily read the other 2 novels in the series... even just to see if the character stays permanently and keeps the stray cat she took in 🤣
June 27, 2020
Such a good story really enjoyed seeing Australia through a visitor from the USA AND covert said character to beetroot on her burger, which is the only way to have a burger - will certainly look for the next one.
“...’it’s easier to get away with murder when the cop in charge has the same IQ as a coconut.’
While I felt that wasn’t a particularly fair statement to the coconuts, I wisely kept my mouth shut...”
“...’it’s easier to get away with murder when the cop in charge has the same IQ as a coconut.’
While I felt that wasn’t a particularly fair statement to the coconuts, I wisely kept my mouth shut...”
October 20, 2020
Apart from the occasionally inconsistent spelling of 'Woolies', a surprisingly accurate portrayal of Australia which even goes into the disaster that is our current housing market! This author's other series that I tried was a bit reminiscent of Sherlock and this one reminded me of Miss Marple, I prefer this series so far (totally not biased) and am looking forward to reading more from her 🇦🇺
March 12, 2018
A cute, light read. The mystery is average, the characters are likeable but there isn't much depth to the book. Good for vacation or for the beach.
July 24, 2018
"Not spectacular, but it is cozy"
It is what it is. Perfect for a holiday flight, provided there aren't too many delays; or save it for the beach. It will pass an afternoon with no dramas.
It is what it is. Perfect for a holiday flight, provided there aren't too many delays; or save it for the beach. It will pass an afternoon with no dramas.
September 1, 2025
I really enjoyed this. It's hard to put down. Miki is a great character, and really easy to like.
December 12, 2019
Really enjoyed the characters and the story line. Mikki goes to Australia to work at her aunt's cafe after she gets dinged for having banned substances in her blood. She is an athlete who had the flu and took what the doctor gave her, without checking to see what substances were in that medication. The first day on the job, she gets into an altercation with a customer who turns up dead outside the cafe the next morning.
There is a bumbling cop, a hilarious senior and some funny body builders all wrapped up in this quick read. I thought it was cute, a little over the top but copies are usually like that.
There is a bumbling cop, a hilarious senior and some funny body builders all wrapped up in this quick read. I thought it was cute, a little over the top but copies are usually like that.
October 21, 2018
A great adventure
Why do American authors write about a country they have only googled? Or perhaps seen one or two docos on?
Samatha Silver has done just that. Thoroughly enjoyable cosy mystery but with the usual faults made by a non Aussie. She used American spellings and Ruby Bay, even though fictional, would not have the variety and number of birds you mentioned. At least our kangaroos and koalas weren't mentioned but I see book #2 probably has that covered. 😕
Why do American authors write about a country they have only googled? Or perhaps seen one or two docos on?
Samatha Silver has done just that. Thoroughly enjoyable cosy mystery but with the usual faults made by a non Aussie. She used American spellings and Ruby Bay, even though fictional, would not have the variety and number of birds you mentioned. At least our kangaroos and koalas weren't mentioned but I see book #2 probably has that covered. 😕
March 16, 2018
Aussie slang at its best
What a great beginning to a series I can’t wait to keep reading. An American athlete, wrongly accused, is “exiled” to the land down under. As an Aussie, I loved all the references, thoroughly enjoyed the characters and am keen to keep reading!
What a great beginning to a series I can’t wait to keep reading. An American athlete, wrongly accused, is “exiled” to the land down under. As an Aussie, I loved all the references, thoroughly enjoyed the characters and am keen to keep reading!
May 8, 2025
This was a fun, quirky read!! I was looking my for something fun and out of my norm as a serious thriller!! I loved the characters! It’s a fun read if looking for something quick and unrealistic
November 27, 2017
Death Down Under is the first book in the Ruby Bay Mystery series by Samantha Silver. It’s cute and a solid start to a new series.
Some things I liked:
- Mary, the incorrigible septuagenarian who pushes Miki and Emily to work the case. I’m partial to Mary as she reminds me of Ida Belle from Jana DeLeon’s Miss Fortune series.
- The decadent deserts described. The descriptions are easily worked into the narrative and don’t come off as contrived.
- The romance aspect begins but is not a focal point as yet.
- Miki as an athlete putting her skill set to new use. Instead of sledding down a track at nearly 100 miles an hour, she’s jumping out of hotel windows.
What I did not like:
-Sometimes the dialogue didn’t seem natural enough.
-I wish the ‘suspects’ had been more fleshed out.
-Descriptions sometimes went on a bit more than necessary, upsetting the flow of the story.
The Ruby Bay setting makes me happy. It’s nice to see a Cozy set in a warm beach town. Hopefully, tensions will heat up and the mysteries will be meatier as the series progresses.
Some things I liked:
- Mary, the incorrigible septuagenarian who pushes Miki and Emily to work the case. I’m partial to Mary as she reminds me of Ida Belle from Jana DeLeon’s Miss Fortune series.
- The decadent deserts described. The descriptions are easily worked into the narrative and don’t come off as contrived.
- The romance aspect begins but is not a focal point as yet.
- Miki as an athlete putting her skill set to new use. Instead of sledding down a track at nearly 100 miles an hour, she’s jumping out of hotel windows.
What I did not like:
-Sometimes the dialogue didn’t seem natural enough.
-I wish the ‘suspects’ had been more fleshed out.
-Descriptions sometimes went on a bit more than necessary, upsetting the flow of the story.
The Ruby Bay setting makes me happy. It’s nice to see a Cozy set in a warm beach town. Hopefully, tensions will heat up and the mysteries will be meatier as the series progresses.
January 24, 2022
Please excuse me while I write reviews for all the books I read 2 weeks ago lol.
This cosy mystery is about an American athlete who took the wrong medication for the flu and is accused of doping and is sent to Australia to help run her Aunt’s café while she goes on a trip and hopefully she can lay low for a while, someone ends up murdered and, with the help of friends, Miki solves the case so she can be taken off the suspect list.
This was ok, it was a quick read (contrary to the read date that will show up, I read this in one day lol) it was dated, some fatphobic descriptions. The Harry Potter descriptions made me skim read, a character is obsessed with Harry Potter and will reference things in relation to it and then described the references and I was sitting there like ‘if I wanted to know all this stuff, I would just read Harry Potter’ lol, was kind of annoying the frequency and pages it would take up.
I don’t know if I would continue the series, I suppose if the rest of the books went on sale I would be curious enough.
This cosy mystery is about an American athlete who took the wrong medication for the flu and is accused of doping and is sent to Australia to help run her Aunt’s café while she goes on a trip and hopefully she can lay low for a while, someone ends up murdered and, with the help of friends, Miki solves the case so she can be taken off the suspect list.
This was ok, it was a quick read (contrary to the read date that will show up, I read this in one day lol) it was dated, some fatphobic descriptions. The Harry Potter descriptions made me skim read, a character is obsessed with Harry Potter and will reference things in relation to it and then described the references and I was sitting there like ‘if I wanted to know all this stuff, I would just read Harry Potter’ lol, was kind of annoying the frequency and pages it would take up.
I don’t know if I would continue the series, I suppose if the rest of the books went on sale I would be curious enough.
February 25, 2018
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
March 1, 2018
Definitely a different protagonist for a cozy. I don't get the cover though, Miki doesn't wear skimpy clothes like that.
Miki is a Skeleton athlete who heads Down Under to escape the press of a doping scandal when she took flu medicine. She is lucky to have an aunt who wants to travel, so leaves her a place to stay and wants her to take care of her café. The people are really nice and Mary is a hoot. Very minimal romance and no love triangle in site.
After a confrontation with an irate customer, Miki is surprised to find his dead body outside the café the next morning. The policeman in charge is a complete idiot and decided Miki is his main suspect (without ever realizing who she actually is).
Miki is a Skeleton athlete who heads Down Under to escape the press of a doping scandal when she took flu medicine. She is lucky to have an aunt who wants to travel, so leaves her a place to stay and wants her to take care of her café. The people are really nice and Mary is a hoot. Very minimal romance and no love triangle in site.
After a confrontation with an irate customer, Miki is surprised to find his dead body outside the café the next morning. The policeman in charge is a complete idiot and decided Miki is his main suspect (without ever realizing who she actually is).
December 19, 2018
After getting caught up in a doping scandal thanks to taking the wrong flu medication, World Champion skeleton athlete Miki King accepts her dad's plan to escape the negative media attention for a while by helping out her aunt in Australia, who needs someone to run her café while she is travelling. Barely arrived in Ruby Bay, Miki promptly stumbles across a dead body right in front of the café - and the inept local police chief declares her his prime suspect. With the help of her co-worker Emily and a surprisingly spry old lady named Mary, Miki begins to look into the murder herself.
Cute, lighthearted cozy mystery fun - a quick and entertaining read. Emily and her Harry Potter obsession amused me to no end.
Cute, lighthearted cozy mystery fun - a quick and entertaining read. Emily and her Harry Potter obsession amused me to no end.
January 23, 2023
3.5 stars
A quick and fun cozy mystery set in Australia. I found it on the whole to be unbelievable. She had just arrived in Australia and people were trusting her immediately and doing her favours. They also managed to find information by just asking people and they answered offering up all sorts without finding it odd that they were asking. I don’t read a lot of cozy mysteries so maybe this is just how things go in these books but I just wasn’t buying it as remotely believable. I did think the descriptions of Australia and the people and customs were fun, made me believe the author had done their research or even been to Australia themselves. I also liked all the Harry Potter references
A quick and fun cozy mystery set in Australia. I found it on the whole to be unbelievable. She had just arrived in Australia and people were trusting her immediately and doing her favours. They also managed to find information by just asking people and they answered offering up all sorts without finding it odd that they were asking. I don’t read a lot of cozy mysteries so maybe this is just how things go in these books but I just wasn’t buying it as remotely believable. I did think the descriptions of Australia and the people and customs were fun, made me believe the author had done their research or even been to Australia themselves. I also liked all the Harry Potter references
August 9, 2024
Mikela (Mik) King an Olympic champion Skeleton athlete fails a drug test taking a banned substance from a cold medication. Miki goes to Australia to escape the press and help run her aunt’s café Sun and Moon Cafe in a small beachside resort town in Ruby Bay, Australia. Miki becomes a suspect in a murder case when Theodore Little's body is found after Miki is seen arguing with the man. Miki, her co-worker Emily at the café and Mary a friend of her mother’s try to help clear Miki’s name for the crime. I really enjoyed this remarkable cozy mystery novel. There is a delicious recipe included in the book.
February 5, 2020
Aussie mystery
Miki is a top athlete but after a heavy dose of the flu and medications to get better, she tests positive and the public crucify her so her father who is always her manager phones his sister in Australia and tells Miki she's going for a break to her Aunt's in Australia to manage her cafe while she goes on holiday. It doesn't take Miki long to fall for Ruby Bay and befriend the locals plus there's even a murder to solve so she doesn't get arrested by the rum cop. Good light hearted read
Miki is a top athlete but after a heavy dose of the flu and medications to get better, she tests positive and the public crucify her so her father who is always her manager phones his sister in Australia and tells Miki she's going for a break to her Aunt's in Australia to manage her cafe while she goes on holiday. It doesn't take Miki long to fall for Ruby Bay and befriend the locals plus there's even a murder to solve so she doesn't get arrested by the rum cop. Good light hearted read
January 25, 2021
A decent story but the American ideas on Australianisms made me laugh aloud. While ‘Crikey’ used to be a popular word, no one apart from Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter, has used it in the last fifty years (possibly close to double that). This and other fairly obsolete Australian slang, probably also courtesy of Steve Irwin, kept popping up in everyday conversation. Love the intro to other Australianisms, such as our shortening of names , eg Woolworths —> Woolies and to Australian food such as the lamington, vanilla slice and beetroot on a burger (Yum!).
February 20, 2025
Mischief in Ruby Bay
Miki heads Down Under to run her aunt's cafe for a bit. The first day, a customer tries to hit her and she ends up smashing his head on the counter! The next morning, she finds him on the sidewalk in front of the cafe - dead.
Of course, the "dumb as a potato" Senior officer sees her as the prime suspect. Miki, her employee, Emily, and Mary, decide to clear Miki's name.
A good story with a couple of twists that kept me happily trying to figure out the killer, too.
Miki heads Down Under to run her aunt's cafe for a bit. The first day, a customer tries to hit her and she ends up smashing his head on the counter! The next morning, she finds him on the sidewalk in front of the cafe - dead.
Of course, the "dumb as a potato" Senior officer sees her as the prime suspect. Miki, her employee, Emily, and Mary, decide to clear Miki's name.
A good story with a couple of twists that kept me happily trying to figure out the killer, too.
April 9, 2018
Miki is used to rushing headfirst into danger.
Miki is a skeleton athlete. She has spent her whole life throwing herself headfirst down a long ice track, so when she is accused of taking athlete enhancing drugs she has to get away from the fans and the hate. She's not guilty but her fan club has turned against her so she goes as far away as she can get. Her Aunt in Australia has a small beach front cafe which will be a perfect place to hide out until it all blows over. Except!.......... second day there she finds a body at the cafe and is now involved in another public mess. Will finding the real killer get her out of hot water and back on the ice? Hold on tight.... you're on a slippery slope.
Miki is a skeleton athlete. She has spent her whole life throwing herself headfirst down a long ice track, so when she is accused of taking athlete enhancing drugs she has to get away from the fans and the hate. She's not guilty but her fan club has turned against her so she goes as far away as she can get. Her Aunt in Australia has a small beach front cafe which will be a perfect place to hide out until it all blows over. Except!.......... second day there she finds a body at the cafe and is now involved in another public mess. Will finding the real killer get her out of hot water and back on the ice? Hold on tight.... you're on a slippery slope.
April 12, 2018
This is the first time reading this author and the first book in the series. The main character is Miki, who is a disgraced Skeleton Champion who is in Ruby Bay taking over the running of her aunt's place. Her first day she ends up slugging a rude customer and the next day he is found dead in front of her aunt's place and she is accused of murdering him. With help she tracks down the real killer . This is a great book and I look forward to reading of her adventures.
June 20, 2018
Keeping her from skidding into jail - a former spy
Good read . It should get even.better with subsequent books as the characters are expanded. Being a disgraced athlete means that the trip to Australia has come at the right time. Even though she knows nothing about running a cafe. Add in a dead body, a former senior KGB operative, a possible love interest and a police Sargent that is dedicated to putting her in jail. A fun, zany, light read that you will sleigh through.
Good read . It should get even.better with subsequent books as the characters are expanded. Being a disgraced athlete means that the trip to Australia has come at the right time. Even though she knows nothing about running a cafe. Add in a dead body, a former senior KGB operative, a possible love interest and a police Sargent that is dedicated to putting her in jail. A fun, zany, light read that you will sleigh through.
September 9, 2018
Here's what I thought of Death Down Under by Samantha Silver:
I gave it 5/5 stars.
Death Down Under
A fun mystery to read (not that murder is fun of course). I enjoyed the quirky characters and humerous aspects of this story. I wasn't expecting what happened at the end, but I won't give any spoilers. Overall an enjoyable light read that was easy to follow.
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-AU/ebo...
I gave it 5/5 stars.
Death Down Under
A fun mystery to read (not that murder is fun of course). I enjoyed the quirky characters and humerous aspects of this story. I wasn't expecting what happened at the end, but I won't give any spoilers. Overall an enjoyable light read that was easy to follow.
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-AU/ebo...
January 5, 2019
This book was an easy cozy to read. The main characters are fun to read, especially Mary.
However, the explanation of every Australian word and the use of slang was annoying. As an Australian I have not ever called anyone ‘mate’ or said ‘cuppa’ for tea, etc. It’s a really stereotypical version of Australia that’s portrayed.
That being said, I did still enjoy the story and the characters, and will most likely pick up the next one in the series.
However, the explanation of every Australian word and the use of slang was annoying. As an Australian I have not ever called anyone ‘mate’ or said ‘cuppa’ for tea, etc. It’s a really stereotypical version of Australia that’s portrayed.
That being said, I did still enjoy the story and the characters, and will most likely pick up the next one in the series.
April 20, 2019
I recieved this book from ebook Discovery and this is my honest opinion.
I completely enjoyed this book. A lot of detail about how athletic Miki is but still a fun read. As she takes over as manager at her aunts cafe she finds a dead body at the front door. The sargeant automatically assumes it’s her. Her new friends have secrets of their own but work together to solve the mystery.
I completely enjoyed this book. A lot of detail about how athletic Miki is but still a fun read. As she takes over as manager at her aunts cafe she finds a dead body at the front door. The sargeant automatically assumes it’s her. Her new friends have secrets of their own but work together to solve the mystery.
July 30, 2019
I got this book because it is set in a place I haven't visited. And because I like reading mysteries set anywhere other than the US. I wasn't disappointed. The descriptions of life, food, flora and fauna were definitely the best part of the book.
Unfortunately, the actual plot was nothing much. The sergeant was the cliche idiot, the murderer was obvious, and how can you snap someone's neck (even if you are trying to save someone else) and NOT get into trouble???
Unfortunately, the actual plot was nothing much. The sergeant was the cliche idiot, the murderer was obvious, and how can you snap someone's neck (even if you are trying to save someone else) and NOT get into trouble???
June 7, 2023
A fun romp of amateur detectives trying to solve a murder to prevent the idiotic police chief from falsely charging the newest resident in this small Australian seaside resort Ruby Bay. What increases the delight of the story is that one of the group doing the investigation is a 70 year old lady! I enjoyed very much this humorous cozy mystery and I'm looking forward to reading more from Samantha Silver.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews