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Ball Park Mysteries #1
Murder at First Pitch
32-year-old Madeline Boucher’s Grandfather instilled a love in the Boston Red Sox into her from an early age and increased that love by purchasing a local Independent League Baseball team, the Abington Armadillos.
After losing her corporate job in Boston, Madeline realizes her best option is to join the family baseball business. As the new “Social Media Director” for the team, Madeline attends her first business function and witnesses an argument between her brother Ben, and a strange man.
A few days later when walking the ballpark during her early morning hours, she finds the body of a man beaten to death with a baseball bat in the Visitor’s Dugout. It was the man her brother was arguing with at the party. Madeline is concerned that her brother would be considered a suspect. Through the local Detectives and Davis - the head of security for the ballpark she learns the victim is Christopher Dailey, a local baseball scout and prior felon.
When her brother is arrested and taken to the police station, she realizes she needs to figure out who the real culprit is, so her brother doesn’t take the fall for something she knows he didn’t do.
After losing her corporate job in Boston, Madeline realizes her best option is to join the family baseball business. As the new “Social Media Director” for the team, Madeline attends her first business function and witnesses an argument between her brother Ben, and a strange man.
A few days later when walking the ballpark during her early morning hours, she finds the body of a man beaten to death with a baseball bat in the Visitor’s Dugout. It was the man her brother was arguing with at the party. Madeline is concerned that her brother would be considered a suspect. Through the local Detectives and Davis - the head of security for the ballpark she learns the victim is Christopher Dailey, a local baseball scout and prior felon.
When her brother is arrested and taken to the police station, she realizes she needs to figure out who the real culprit is, so her brother doesn’t take the fall for something she knows he didn’t do.
188 pages, Paperback
Published August 31, 2019
18 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 9, 2019
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I have watched a lot of baseball over the years so I was very excited to read Murder at First Pitch. I was not disappointed at all!
Maddie Boucher’s family owns the Abington Armadillos, an Independent League Baseball Team where pro players not ready to give up the game play with up and coming players with hopes to someday make the Big Leagues. Maddie’s corporate job has been phased out and she has now decided to take a more active role in the family business with her brother Ben and her parents.
Maddie usually takes a morning stroll around the ballpark, taking in everything from the maintenance crew getting the field ready and the scouts, coaches, and players meeting, and the team practices. A few days before the big grand opening game of the season Maddie notices something in one of the dugouts. A closer look shows her it is a body, a man who appears to have been badly beaten with a baseball bat. A man she saw her brother arguing with at a park party earlier in the week. She later learns that the man was a local scout with a felony record and yes, the police have her brother Ben on the top of their suspect list. She is quick to decide she needs to set the record straight and prove her brother’s innocence. Just when she thinks she has struck out a wild pitch brings a new suspect up to the plate. Maddie just needs to bat a little cleanup before she passes her info on to the cops.
___
I really liked the family dynamic in this book. They are close-knit with a huge responsibility but everyone can see how much they love baseball, the park, and each other. Family businesses can be stressful but the Boucher family wants their patrons to have fun and they have fun making sure they do. The ballpark is their home away from home and even after a murder they stick together and try to keep things as normal as possible.
Madeline Boucher is a strong protagonist. She followed the clues quite logically and wasn’t afraid to get in people’s faces or hide and eavesdrop to get answers. I enjoyed how she tried to keep the head of security appraised of her findings, there is a definite romantic spark there. The author pitched in some twists and red herrings making the mystery tough to solve. I was totally captivated following Maddie and was surprised when the murderer was revealed.
Ms. Asselin has packed a lot into 188 pages. The book has a nice flow and is full of words that bring the Abington Armadillos complex and surrounding area clearly into focus. She has introduced characters I already care about and want to know better. She has hit this series debut out of the park. Cozy baseball fans will love Murder at First Pitch.
I have watched a lot of baseball over the years so I was very excited to read Murder at First Pitch. I was not disappointed at all!
Maddie Boucher’s family owns the Abington Armadillos, an Independent League Baseball Team where pro players not ready to give up the game play with up and coming players with hopes to someday make the Big Leagues. Maddie’s corporate job has been phased out and she has now decided to take a more active role in the family business with her brother Ben and her parents.
Maddie usually takes a morning stroll around the ballpark, taking in everything from the maintenance crew getting the field ready and the scouts, coaches, and players meeting, and the team practices. A few days before the big grand opening game of the season Maddie notices something in one of the dugouts. A closer look shows her it is a body, a man who appears to have been badly beaten with a baseball bat. A man she saw her brother arguing with at a park party earlier in the week. She later learns that the man was a local scout with a felony record and yes, the police have her brother Ben on the top of their suspect list. She is quick to decide she needs to set the record straight and prove her brother’s innocence. Just when she thinks she has struck out a wild pitch brings a new suspect up to the plate. Maddie just needs to bat a little cleanup before she passes her info on to the cops.
___
I really liked the family dynamic in this book. They are close-knit with a huge responsibility but everyone can see how much they love baseball, the park, and each other. Family businesses can be stressful but the Boucher family wants their patrons to have fun and they have fun making sure they do. The ballpark is their home away from home and even after a murder they stick together and try to keep things as normal as possible.
Madeline Boucher is a strong protagonist. She followed the clues quite logically and wasn’t afraid to get in people’s faces or hide and eavesdrop to get answers. I enjoyed how she tried to keep the head of security appraised of her findings, there is a definite romantic spark there. The author pitched in some twists and red herrings making the mystery tough to solve. I was totally captivated following Maddie and was surprised when the murderer was revealed.
Ms. Asselin has packed a lot into 188 pages. The book has a nice flow and is full of words that bring the Abington Armadillos complex and surrounding area clearly into focus. She has introduced characters I already care about and want to know better. She has hit this series debut out of the park. Cozy baseball fans will love Murder at First Pitch.
July 20, 2021
Cute story with the background of baseball. Really enjoyed it and didnt figure out who did it.
January 25, 2023
So far, this novel is my best relief for insomnia. It's been tough to get through 40 pages. I'm one who is put off with redundancies (How many times do we need to re-learn that Madeline saw something shiny in the dugout on her ritual morning walk around the field using the same terms each time? And we know Davis is cute. She notices and comments at silly times out of context. If she'd said "...her parents got up..." we KNOW it's 'both of' them. Don't need "both); poor word choice (Madeline slammed into the front doors of the park, and dashed towards the field." If one slams INTO doors - as when, later, she slams into Davis - they typically are stopped and may be hurt. If one slams THROUGH doors, they get somewhere). And one rarely "saunters" on their way to tell someone exciting, vital news; unnecessary or obvious descriptive references ("The right fielder scrambled backwards but watched the ball clear the fence over his head." The fence was over his head? Unless the fence is described as particularly short, a home run always goes over the players head!); poor referents ("Since the field was empty, she saw Dave and his crew head out..." Nope. 'Since the field was empty, Dave and his crew...' The emptiness didn't allow her to see them! She'd still be able to see them even if practice was still going on. There are problems with time and timing, understanding which team bats first, and there's so much eye rolling that I get crosseyed and dizzy imagining it. I'm an English teacher and I'll finish the novel as it's a gift from my librarian sister. But I'm afraid each page will evoke much personal eye-rolling.
July 10, 2019
Murder at First Pitch, about the book (Goodreads):
32-year-old Madeline Boucher’s Grandfather instilled a love in the Boston Red Sox into her from an early age and increased that love by purchasing a local Independent League Baseball team, the Abington Armadillos.
After losing her corporate job in Boston, Madeline realizes her best option is to join the family baseball business. As the new “Social Media Director” for the team, Madeline attends her first business function and witnesses an argument between her brother Ben, and a strange man.
It seems the instant Madeline goes back to the family business, strange things happen. Finding a body of the guy her brother Ben, argued with is just the beginning.
Strange notes and warnings.
Absolutely loved this book, it grabbed my attention from the start. Madeline was so relatable, sticking her nose where she shouldn't. Who doesn't do that?
If you want a mystery with a side of feel good moments, I highly recommend this book.
32-year-old Madeline Boucher’s Grandfather instilled a love in the Boston Red Sox into her from an early age and increased that love by purchasing a local Independent League Baseball team, the Abington Armadillos.
After losing her corporate job in Boston, Madeline realizes her best option is to join the family baseball business. As the new “Social Media Director” for the team, Madeline attends her first business function and witnesses an argument between her brother Ben, and a strange man.
It seems the instant Madeline goes back to the family business, strange things happen. Finding a body of the guy her brother Ben, argued with is just the beginning.
Strange notes and warnings.
Absolutely loved this book, it grabbed my attention from the start. Madeline was so relatable, sticking her nose where she shouldn't. Who doesn't do that?
If you want a mystery with a side of feel good moments, I highly recommend this book.
September 8, 2020
Also Posted on For The Love of Fictional Worlds
Disclaimer: An eARC was provided via Turn The Page Tours and the Author as part of the Blog Tour. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.
Before I start with the review, I have to say, I am about as removed from baseball as is America removed from Cricket. So rather than focusing on the game itself (because I just know I am going to goof up!) I am gonna focus on the story itself
Madeline’s legacy of a local Independent Baseball is something that she has tried hard to removed herself from; not because she has no love for the game, but because she wants success for herself. But when she looses her her job in Boston, she is still glad that she has a family job to fall back to.
But when she is back, she finds not only her family’s team but also her brother in the midst of a heated argument with a man she has never seen before, but does find dead the next morning.
With a mystery at hand and a sort of a love triangle - Madeline finds herself in the middle of a mystery that soon becomes the focus of her life.
I enjoyed this sports mystery; though the sports euphemisms did fly over my head - but it was an enjoyable read - however the mystery was predictable at best, I did enjoy Madeline as an MC - she is strong, scrappy and intelligent, she rarely takes any chances that would be deemed as stupid, so she had my admiration.
The plot itself could have used a little emotional affect; at times it felt a little too mechanical - but it was a sports mystery that I did enjoy!
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July 9, 2024
Baseball themed cozy mystery that was in desperate need of an editor or at least a read by a trusted friend with feedback. It was not well written, I ended up skimming to the end for the whodunit.
May 17, 2021
The story idea of a family owned baseball team + mystery is very intriguing.
March 6, 2024
Oh, baseball! I never thought of a cozy mystery that involved baseball in any capacity. But this was so well done. I don’t watch baseball, so I don’t know anything about it or enjoy it. This was done so it was an important part of Madeline’s life but wasn’t boring or overly informative. The mystery was great, along with Maddie’s sleuthing. It was set up in a realistic way to explain why and how she’s going about it. I highly enjoyed this read and getting to know the characters. I’m looking forward to what will come next. Now let’s read book 2.
Come read with me on instagram @booksy.tx.ana
Come read with me on instagram @booksy.tx.ana
August 29, 2019
In "Murder at First Pitch", debut mystery author Nicole Asselin introduces readers to thirtysomething Madeline (Maddie) Boucher, a woman who on the heels of losing her job in Boston as a tech writer, has landed on her feet with a job in her family's business.
Of course, when your family's business is owning and running a independent professional baseball franchise known as the Abington Armadillos, work and fun can be found to go hand in hand. A dedicated baseball fan, Maddie is the team's new social media director. She's responsible for the team's online presence as well as community outreach and everything that goes with those jobs.
But what Maddie is not prepared for as the new season gets underway is to stumble across a dead body in the visiting team's dugout. Worse yet, the victim is someone she saw her brother Ben arguing with at a team event.
Initially shaken, Maddie soon finds herself caught up in the case when the police name her brother as a suspect and eventually arrest him on murder charges. She's determined to prove his innocence but in her quest to do so, she ends up putting herself in harm's way with threats made against her well being. As Maddie tries to find out more about the victim, she soon learns that he is well known to the police and has a very unsavory reputation in the baseball league. But with a growing list of potential suspects, Maddie is in a race against time to clear her brother's name and unmask a vicious killer before the crimes impact her family's standing in the community.
I found the first book in author Nicole Asselin's Ballpark Mystery series to be a remarkably assured debut. Given the somewhat rare setting of a "cozy" series in the sports world, I thought there was an air of authenticity to all of the sports-related jargon in the book. (Being a sports fan and having read stories about how minor league teams are run probably helped me a lot in that regard).
The supporting characters in the story, whether they had meatier roles (head of security Davis, team secretary Eliza, baseball scout Tom, etc.) or filled smaller specific roles in certain scenes (Maddie's parents and brother, Billy the baseball team's manager), gave a sense of the family atmosphere for the baseball team and fleshed out Maddie's surroundings with people readers will come to enjoy as the series continues.
However, what really sold me the most was the character of Madeline Boucher herself. Despite what I would personally consider abysmal taste in music, I like her. Though she's shown to be reluctant to actually be investigating the murder, Maddy has a resolute pluck to her. She doesn't really back down when confronted with the inherent dangers of chasing down a murderer, even when it is to her detriment.
In the end, the first book in the Ballpark Mysteries series has a vastly entertaining story to tell and features a seriously compelling series lead. If you'll pardon the use of a well-worn sports cliche, "Murder at First Pitch" is a home run of a mystery novel!
Full disclosure: I received an printed advance copy of the book from the author.
Of course, when your family's business is owning and running a independent professional baseball franchise known as the Abington Armadillos, work and fun can be found to go hand in hand. A dedicated baseball fan, Maddie is the team's new social media director. She's responsible for the team's online presence as well as community outreach and everything that goes with those jobs.
But what Maddie is not prepared for as the new season gets underway is to stumble across a dead body in the visiting team's dugout. Worse yet, the victim is someone she saw her brother Ben arguing with at a team event.
Initially shaken, Maddie soon finds herself caught up in the case when the police name her brother as a suspect and eventually arrest him on murder charges. She's determined to prove his innocence but in her quest to do so, she ends up putting herself in harm's way with threats made against her well being. As Maddie tries to find out more about the victim, she soon learns that he is well known to the police and has a very unsavory reputation in the baseball league. But with a growing list of potential suspects, Maddie is in a race against time to clear her brother's name and unmask a vicious killer before the crimes impact her family's standing in the community.
I found the first book in author Nicole Asselin's Ballpark Mystery series to be a remarkably assured debut. Given the somewhat rare setting of a "cozy" series in the sports world, I thought there was an air of authenticity to all of the sports-related jargon in the book. (Being a sports fan and having read stories about how minor league teams are run probably helped me a lot in that regard).
The supporting characters in the story, whether they had meatier roles (head of security Davis, team secretary Eliza, baseball scout Tom, etc.) or filled smaller specific roles in certain scenes (Maddie's parents and brother, Billy the baseball team's manager), gave a sense of the family atmosphere for the baseball team and fleshed out Maddie's surroundings with people readers will come to enjoy as the series continues.
However, what really sold me the most was the character of Madeline Boucher herself. Despite what I would personally consider abysmal taste in music, I like her. Though she's shown to be reluctant to actually be investigating the murder, Maddy has a resolute pluck to her. She doesn't really back down when confronted with the inherent dangers of chasing down a murderer, even when it is to her detriment.
In the end, the first book in the Ballpark Mysteries series has a vastly entertaining story to tell and features a seriously compelling series lead. If you'll pardon the use of a well-worn sports cliche, "Murder at First Pitch" is a home run of a mystery novel!
Full disclosure: I received an printed advance copy of the book from the author.
August 29, 2019
Murder At First Pitch
Nicole Asselin
5 Stars
Synopsis:
32-year-old Madeline Boucher’s Grandfather instilled a love in the Boston Red Sox into her from an early age and increased that love by purchasing a local Independent League Baseball team, the Abington Armadillos.
After losing her corporate job in Boston, Madeline realizes her best option is to join the family baseball business. As the new “Social Media Director” for the team, Madeline attends her first business function and witnesses an argument between her brother Ben, and a strange man.
A few days later when walking the ballpark during her early morning hours, she finds the body of a man beaten to death with a baseball bat in the Visitor’s Dugout. It was the man her brother was arguing with at the party. Madeline is concerned that her brother would be considered a suspect. Through the local Detectives and Davis - the head of security for the ballpark she learns the victim is Christopher Dailey, a local baseball scout and prior felon.
When her brother is arrested and taken to the police station, she realizes she needs to figure out who the real culprit is, so her brother doesn’t take the fall for something she knows he didn’t do. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. I really enjoyed the family love and support that Madeline and her family had for each other. Working at a family business can cause strain on a family, but that was not the case for the Boucher’s.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and those descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. I loved the fact that the setting was a baseball field. I enjoyed getting to learn a little more about my favorite sport, and some of the things it takes to be a team owner. I thought this was a unique concept and brought more enjoyment to me. You can tell that the author has a special place in her heart for baseball, it shone through.
The mystery was well plotted and not easily solved. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider, and there were a few red herrings thrown in, just for fun.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. If you like baseball, (I sure do), this is a must read book. I hope this is the beginning of a series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book and provided my honest review.
Nicole Asselin
5 Stars
Synopsis:
32-year-old Madeline Boucher’s Grandfather instilled a love in the Boston Red Sox into her from an early age and increased that love by purchasing a local Independent League Baseball team, the Abington Armadillos.
After losing her corporate job in Boston, Madeline realizes her best option is to join the family baseball business. As the new “Social Media Director” for the team, Madeline attends her first business function and witnesses an argument between her brother Ben, and a strange man.
A few days later when walking the ballpark during her early morning hours, she finds the body of a man beaten to death with a baseball bat in the Visitor’s Dugout. It was the man her brother was arguing with at the party. Madeline is concerned that her brother would be considered a suspect. Through the local Detectives and Davis - the head of security for the ballpark she learns the victim is Christopher Dailey, a local baseball scout and prior felon.
When her brother is arrested and taken to the police station, she realizes she needs to figure out who the real culprit is, so her brother doesn’t take the fall for something she knows he didn’t do. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. I really enjoyed the family love and support that Madeline and her family had for each other. Working at a family business can cause strain on a family, but that was not the case for the Boucher’s.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and those descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. I loved the fact that the setting was a baseball field. I enjoyed getting to learn a little more about my favorite sport, and some of the things it takes to be a team owner. I thought this was a unique concept and brought more enjoyment to me. You can tell that the author has a special place in her heart for baseball, it shone through.
The mystery was well plotted and not easily solved. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider, and there were a few red herrings thrown in, just for fun.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. If you like baseball, (I sure do), this is a must read book. I hope this is the beginning of a series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book and provided my honest review.
August 29, 2019
First, I want to thank Nicole Asselin and PandaMoon Publishing for providing me this book so I can bring you this review.
If you are a fan of Base Ball you will love Murder at First Pitch by Nicole Asselin. Plus, this is book one in The BallPark Mysteries. While I’m not a fan of baseball the mystery behind the story is what I love.
Nicole dedicated this book to her Grandma Asselin who loved a good mystery and Grandpa Asselin who loved the Red Sox.
This was a very short read but it was packed with a very good story that kept you on your toes.
I myself would not want to be Maddie when she got a smell of the rotting body. Nor would I want to see the dead body. It was very interesting scene.
I was incredibly in shock when they named the suspect! I was not the only one in the book.
You could tell that Nicole has a passion for this sport.
If you are a fan of Base Ball you will love Murder at First Pitch by Nicole Asselin. Plus, this is book one in The BallPark Mysteries. While I’m not a fan of baseball the mystery behind the story is what I love.
Nicole dedicated this book to her Grandma Asselin who loved a good mystery and Grandpa Asselin who loved the Red Sox.
This was a very short read but it was packed with a very good story that kept you on your toes.
I myself would not want to be Maddie when she got a smell of the rotting body. Nor would I want to see the dead body. It was very interesting scene.
I was incredibly in shock when they named the suspect! I was not the only one in the book.
You could tell that Nicole has a passion for this sport.
May 12, 2020
Good story, but too wordy
I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't really enjoy this. I love cozy mysteries AND baseball. Mostly, it was because every single paragraph was about one sentence too long. Written in the third person, the narrator seems to add a redundant sentence in every passage. It just didn't need that much description!
That said, the storyline was great. I'll probably check in if Ms Asselin releases another book.
I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't really enjoy this. I love cozy mysteries AND baseball. Mostly, it was because every single paragraph was about one sentence too long. Written in the third person, the narrator seems to add a redundant sentence in every passage. It just didn't need that much description!
That said, the storyline was great. I'll probably check in if Ms Asselin releases another book.
May 21, 2020
Okay I have to admit that I am a baseball fan which Murder at First Pitch by Nicole Asselin is about and I am a Boston Red Sox fan which main character, Madeline "Maddy" Boucher is also...... so it is with no doubt that I would want to read this book.
Readers will fall in love with Maddy, her family, her job, and the ballpark immediately. Murder at First Pitch will grab your attention as soon as you open the book and start reading and you may even be a little sad when you finish reading it.....only because you finished reading it.
While reading this book I really couldn't help but love hanging around with Maddy at the family business. Her family owns a ballpark and baseball team, the Abington Armadillos and Maddy has just started her new job as Social Media Director and the season is just starting up !! She has a lot to do organizing events and keeping the social media sites current and exciting to keep fans coming to games. One of Maddy's favorite things to do is walk around the field and the stands and make sure everything is in order every day. Unfortunately on one of her early morning walks through the ballpark, she comes across a dead body in the visitors dugout and it is the guy she saw her brother arguing with at a party recently.....and the police have him high on the suspect list !!
Maddy will do whatever it takes to prove her brother's innocence, however, there is someone who really wants her brother in jail. No matter what Maddy does or who she talks to, she seems to be making things worse and when she starts to receive threatening notes, Davis, head of Security, tries to reason with her which only sends her head first into trouble.
Asselin hits this one out of the ballpark !! Readers cannot help but get lost in this story. Readers will love the characters and the setting. Just reading about Maddy working at the ballpark and then going to the bar to hang out with friends will have readers wishing for that for themselves. Even the murder and everything surrounding that will have readers reading faster than a player can steal first base.
I highly encourage readers to pick up their copy of Murder at First Pitch and get lost in this story.....you don't have to like sports or baseball to enjoy it but I think when you finish you may find yourself thinking about catching a game..,....just stay away from the dugouts !!!
Readers will fall in love with Maddy, her family, her job, and the ballpark immediately. Murder at First Pitch will grab your attention as soon as you open the book and start reading and you may even be a little sad when you finish reading it.....only because you finished reading it.
While reading this book I really couldn't help but love hanging around with Maddy at the family business. Her family owns a ballpark and baseball team, the Abington Armadillos and Maddy has just started her new job as Social Media Director and the season is just starting up !! She has a lot to do organizing events and keeping the social media sites current and exciting to keep fans coming to games. One of Maddy's favorite things to do is walk around the field and the stands and make sure everything is in order every day. Unfortunately on one of her early morning walks through the ballpark, she comes across a dead body in the visitors dugout and it is the guy she saw her brother arguing with at a party recently.....and the police have him high on the suspect list !!
Maddy will do whatever it takes to prove her brother's innocence, however, there is someone who really wants her brother in jail. No matter what Maddy does or who she talks to, she seems to be making things worse and when she starts to receive threatening notes, Davis, head of Security, tries to reason with her which only sends her head first into trouble.
Asselin hits this one out of the ballpark !! Readers cannot help but get lost in this story. Readers will love the characters and the setting. Just reading about Maddy working at the ballpark and then going to the bar to hang out with friends will have readers wishing for that for themselves. Even the murder and everything surrounding that will have readers reading faster than a player can steal first base.
I highly encourage readers to pick up their copy of Murder at First Pitch and get lost in this story.....you don't have to like sports or baseball to enjoy it but I think when you finish you may find yourself thinking about catching a game..,....just stay away from the dugouts !!!
April 17, 2022
4.5 stars
This is my first time reading any work by Nicole Asselin and being based around baseball I wasn't sure if this would be something for me as I'm from Scotland and so not a major baseball country, thankfully this book is well written and keeps you guessing throughout.
Whilst some books may try to keep ramping up the tension with more and more dead bodies this book only sees one but when that one dead body is found in the away teams changing room of the ball park owned by a family, it will take courage, determination and a lot of digging to get to the bottom of the mystery and so when Madeline returns to work in the family business she finds herself in a whole new world than anything she could ever have guessed at. This book is full of well developed characters who you are buying into and it keeps you guessing without actually trying to as you find yourself playing detective much like the main character herself.
The book is a really good read and one that starts of what you hope can become much more as the characters have become ones you have hopes for but the mark down is due to the editing as there is a need for the publisher to edit this one as the small errors do add up.
This is my first time reading any work by Nicole Asselin and being based around baseball I wasn't sure if this would be something for me as I'm from Scotland and so not a major baseball country, thankfully this book is well written and keeps you guessing throughout.
Whilst some books may try to keep ramping up the tension with more and more dead bodies this book only sees one but when that one dead body is found in the away teams changing room of the ball park owned by a family, it will take courage, determination and a lot of digging to get to the bottom of the mystery and so when Madeline returns to work in the family business she finds herself in a whole new world than anything she could ever have guessed at. This book is full of well developed characters who you are buying into and it keeps you guessing without actually trying to as you find yourself playing detective much like the main character herself.
The book is a really good read and one that starts of what you hope can become much more as the characters have become ones you have hopes for but the mark down is due to the editing as there is a need for the publisher to edit this one as the small errors do add up.
September 7, 2020
Murder at First Pitch
is an Adult Fiction Mystrey (Cozy mystrey) by Nicole Asselin (Published by Pandamoon Publishing) that released on 4th September.
The storyline is a pretty interesting one as it's got mystery with a bit of a contemporary feel to it from time to time which is mainly because this felt more than just a mystery since there was a lot of mentions on how important family is.
However, for me as someone who reads quite a lot of mystrey, it was a little bit predictable and lackluster in the crime part of it and there were times where I felt the story just was getting a bit too boring and needed to move on to the good stuff.
I do, however, like the main character, Madeline, a lot for her intelligence, quick thinking and strong mind. She's the reason I continued to remain engaged while reading the book because she has an appealing quality to her, especially while trying to solve the crime.
Overall, if you're looking for a quick mystrey read (it's 180ish pages), this may work for you.
Rated: 7/10
is an Adult Fiction Mystrey (Cozy mystrey) by Nicole Asselin (Published by Pandamoon Publishing) that released on 4th September.
The storyline is a pretty interesting one as it's got mystery with a bit of a contemporary feel to it from time to time which is mainly because this felt more than just a mystery since there was a lot of mentions on how important family is.
However, for me as someone who reads quite a lot of mystrey, it was a little bit predictable and lackluster in the crime part of it and there were times where I felt the story just was getting a bit too boring and needed to move on to the good stuff.
I do, however, like the main character, Madeline, a lot for her intelligence, quick thinking and strong mind. She's the reason I continued to remain engaged while reading the book because she has an appealing quality to her, especially while trying to solve the crime.
Overall, if you're looking for a quick mystrey read (it's 180ish pages), this may work for you.
Rated: 7/10
November 27, 2024
32-year-old Madeline Boucher, after losing her corporate job in Boston, she realizes her best option is to join the family baseball business the Abington Armadillos as a social media consultant.
Just a few days before opening day, the body of a man beaten to death with a baseball bat is discovered in the visitor’s dugout, and her brother Ben became a prime suspect. It was a man her brother was arguing with at a function party. Through the local detectives, she learned the victim was Christopher Dailey, a local baseball scout and prior felon who was now selling steroids. As her brother is taken to the Abington police station, Madeline realizes she needs to figure out who killed Christopher, saving her family’s reputation while putting herself in danger.
Just a few days before opening day, the body of a man beaten to death with a baseball bat is discovered in the visitor’s dugout, and her brother Ben became a prime suspect. It was a man her brother was arguing with at a function party. Through the local detectives, she learned the victim was Christopher Dailey, a local baseball scout and prior felon who was now selling steroids. As her brother is taken to the Abington police station, Madeline realizes she needs to figure out who killed Christopher, saving her family’s reputation while putting herself in danger.
May 15, 2025
I've been a baseball fan for as long as I can remember. I've been reading mysteries since elementary school. What could be better than reading a mystery that resolves around baseball. Sad to say this book isn't that enjoyable.
32-year-old Madeline Boucher’s grandfather instilled in her a love for the Boston Red Sox and then purchased a local independent league baseball team of his own. Madeline loses her job in the city and returns to work for the family team.
The plot is pretty good, but this book needs a LOT of editing - very wordy - lots of redundant sentences. I ended up skimming and don't feel like I missed anything.
This is a first book so hopefully the author learns that sometimes less is more.
32-year-old Madeline Boucher’s grandfather instilled in her a love for the Boston Red Sox and then purchased a local independent league baseball team of his own. Madeline loses her job in the city and returns to work for the family team.
The plot is pretty good, but this book needs a LOT of editing - very wordy - lots of redundant sentences. I ended up skimming and don't feel like I missed anything.
This is a first book so hopefully the author learns that sometimes less is more.
May 12, 2020
A Home Run
I rarely take a day off to read an entire book, but this book caused me to do just that. Then I had to gift a copy to a baseball loving friend. As a season ticket holder for a farm team and daycare provider to a couple front office employees, I found this fun loving story to be very accurate. The characters were so realistic, it was like spending the day with a friend. The clues and red herrings were entertaining and had a couple surprises. I hope the author will continue this unique series. A refreshing change to the cozy mystery world.
I rarely take a day off to read an entire book, but this book caused me to do just that. Then I had to gift a copy to a baseball loving friend. As a season ticket holder for a farm team and daycare provider to a couple front office employees, I found this fun loving story to be very accurate. The characters were so realistic, it was like spending the day with a friend. The clues and red herrings were entertaining and had a couple surprises. I hope the author will continue this unique series. A refreshing change to the cozy mystery world.
August 24, 2020
Murder at First Pitch is a promising start to a new cozy mystery series. I'm almost as much of a baseball fan as I am a bookworm, and this premise had my attention from the start.
Madeline is a 30-something living just outside of Boston. After losing her corporate job, she starts working for the minor league baseball team owned by her family. When a dead body turns up in the dugout right before Opening Day, the police turn their attention to Madeline's brother. Madeline works to clear her brother's name, and gets herself into a bit of trouble in the process.
Thank you Turn the Page Tours for the digital review copy of Murder at First Pitch!
Madeline is a 30-something living just outside of Boston. After losing her corporate job, she starts working for the minor league baseball team owned by her family. When a dead body turns up in the dugout right before Opening Day, the police turn their attention to Madeline's brother. Madeline works to clear her brother's name, and gets herself into a bit of trouble in the process.
Thank you Turn the Page Tours for the digital review copy of Murder at First Pitch!
February 5, 2023
MURDER AT FIRST PITCH had me at "Play ball!"
This cozy mystery has a close-knit family, a trio of rescue cats, a potential love triangle, and a murder on the field! Taking place in and around a home-league baseball stadium, it evokes the smell of peanuts at a mid-summer ballgame while Madeline doggedly pursues a killer to clear her brother's name.
I'm so obsessed with a cozy mystery with a sports hook and can't wait for more!
This cozy mystery has a close-knit family, a trio of rescue cats, a potential love triangle, and a murder on the field! Taking place in and around a home-league baseball stadium, it evokes the smell of peanuts at a mid-summer ballgame while Madeline doggedly pursues a killer to clear her brother's name.
I'm so obsessed with a cozy mystery with a sports hook and can't wait for more!
July 9, 2024
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but there were too many inconsistencies to make it enjoyable. Knowing the area in the book, made some things not make sense. I live closer to the highway than someone from Abington would and it would take me about an hour to just get to the bridge, never mind getting to Barnstable. Also, the mascot was going to Hanover Mall, which if I remember correctly closed in 2018. Not a good editing job.
Less than halfway through, I suspected who the killer was.
Less than halfway through, I suspected who the killer was.
November 16, 2024
Murder at First Pitch is a beautiful love story that starts off with a murder in a minor league ballpark. Asselin users her love for baseball to give readers a behind the scenes view of independent baseball while exploring loyalties, eithics, and of course love.
Madeline Boucher is a likable character to cheer for throughout this tale and the twist at the end caught this reader by surprise!
With a strong plot line, even Yankee fans will love this book!
Madeline Boucher is a likable character to cheer for throughout this tale and the twist at the end caught this reader by surprise!
With a strong plot line, even Yankee fans will love this book!
April 18, 2020
Learned to like baseball.
This was great first book. I don't care about baseball but did very quickly . Descriptions just bring to a stadium with sounds smells and tastes. Mystery factor compelling a was romance family and friendship. Highly recommend.
This was great first book. I don't care about baseball but did very quickly . Descriptions just bring to a stadium with sounds smells and tastes. Mystery factor compelling a was romance family and friendship. Highly recommend.
February 8, 2023
I really enjoyed the storyline of this book! Brings back memories of when I used to go to a lot of baseball games!
I did have a problem with the reiteration of character descriptions every time they show up in the story.
I loved Madeline and Davis, and I will read the next books in the series!
I did have a problem with the reiteration of character descriptions every time they show up in the story.
I loved Madeline and Davis, and I will read the next books in the series!
May 24, 2023
Murder at first pitch is about a murder that took place at this family league baseball owned team. It has twist and turns that kept me guessing who murdered was till the end! I loved the characters and that it was a sports story Murder!! Very good!!!!
August 24, 2020
This was a great murder mystery.
March 27, 2023
If you like baseball fiction cozy mystery stories, this book is for you. A bit slow and sometimes repetitive, it is a very good story. A very good first publication by author Nancy Aasselin. Enjoy.
May 7, 2023
This book was very fun and exciting to read!! Very fast paced. I loved it
June 27, 2024
A nice summer time read involving the boys of Summer.
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