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Sophie Kimball Mystery #7
Broadcast 4 Murder
In J.C. Eaton's seventh Sophie Kimball Mystery, Sophie's kooky mother, Harriet, is gearing up to become Arizona's newest radio star as the host of the Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour. But when she ends up broadcasting herself discovering a dead body live on air, it's up to the reluctant sleuth Sophie to find the killer...
Phee's mother Harriet is going to be a star! At least, that's how the Sun City West retiree describes her chance to host a live radio program of her book club's Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour on Arizona's KSCW. But instead of chatting about charming cozies, Harriet ends up screaming bloody murder over the airwaves after discovering the body of Howard Buell, the station's programming director, in a closet--with a pair of sewing shears shoved into his chest.
The number one suspect is Howard's ex-girlfriend Sylvia Strattlemeyer who believed she was going to host a sewing talk show before Harriet was offered the spot. But not only do the fingerprints found on the scissors not match Sylvia's, they belong to a woman who passed away twenty years ago at the age of ninety-seven. Now, with the whole town on pins and needles, it's up to Phee to stitch together enough clues from the past to uncover the identity of a killer in the present...
Phee's mother Harriet is going to be a star! At least, that's how the Sun City West retiree describes her chance to host a live radio program of her book club's Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour on Arizona's KSCW. But instead of chatting about charming cozies, Harriet ends up screaming bloody murder over the airwaves after discovering the body of Howard Buell, the station's programming director, in a closet--with a pair of sewing shears shoved into his chest.
The number one suspect is Howard's ex-girlfriend Sylvia Strattlemeyer who believed she was going to host a sewing talk show before Harriet was offered the spot. But not only do the fingerprints found on the scissors not match Sylvia's, they belong to a woman who passed away twenty years ago at the age of ninety-seven. Now, with the whole town on pins and needles, it's up to Phee to stitch together enough clues from the past to uncover the identity of a killer in the present...
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 27, 2020
56 people are currently reading
255 people want to read
About the author
J.C. Eaton
31 books344 followersAnn I. Goldfarb
New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, they have authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington), The Wine Trail Mysteries (Kensington Lyrical Underground), and coming in August 2018, The Marcie Rayner Mysteries (Camel). In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name. Visit the websites at:
www.jceatonmysteries.com
www.facebook.com/JCEatonauthor/
www.timetravelmysteries.com
James E. Clapp
When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching. Visit the website at www.jceatonauthor.com
New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, they have authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington), The Wine Trail Mysteries (Kensington Lyrical Underground), and coming in August 2018, The Marcie Rayner Mysteries (Camel). In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name. Visit the websites at:
www.jceatonmysteries.com
www.facebook.com/JCEatonauthor/
www.timetravelmysteries.com
James E. Clapp
When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching. Visit the website at www.jceatonauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
August 11, 2021
Broadcast 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton is the seventh book in the cozy Sophie Kimball Mystery series. Each book of the series contains it’s own mystery that is solved by the end so the books can be read in any order or as a standalone if choosing to do so. However, those that read from the beginning will get all of the character development throughout the series.
In the beginning of this series readers were introduced to Sophie ‘Phee’ Kimball who had been living in Minnesota while her retired mother was living in her retirement community in Sun City West, Arizona. Sophie’s mother called her daughter frantic that there was a murderer on the loose and targeting her book club thinking her daughter who worked as a bookkeeper for the police department was as good as any detective.
After traveling to Arizona to help her mother Sophie decided it was time for a change and being close to her mother would help keep her out of the path of any more murderers. A friend of Sophie’s just happened to want to start up a private investigating business so a new job for Sophie quickly became available. Sophie’s plans of keeping her mother and their friends away from murder investigations has been derailed yet again when the ladies took a job at the local radio station to go on air to discuss cozy mysteries only to find a body in the closet and open yet another mystery for Sophie to help solve.
The Sophie Kimball Mystery series is another that I have followed from the beginning and always enjoyed coming back to. The main character in here is likable but the side characters of the retirees are absolutely hilarious. Along with the quirky fun we also have a cute little dog that I can’t resist being involved in the stories. And on top of it all the main character working for/with private investigators that are retired police officers themselves gives that connection to law enforcement that I enjoy. Definitely one I will keep coming back to as long as the books keep coming.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
In the beginning of this series readers were introduced to Sophie ‘Phee’ Kimball who had been living in Minnesota while her retired mother was living in her retirement community in Sun City West, Arizona. Sophie’s mother called her daughter frantic that there was a murderer on the loose and targeting her book club thinking her daughter who worked as a bookkeeper for the police department was as good as any detective.
After traveling to Arizona to help her mother Sophie decided it was time for a change and being close to her mother would help keep her out of the path of any more murderers. A friend of Sophie’s just happened to want to start up a private investigating business so a new job for Sophie quickly became available. Sophie’s plans of keeping her mother and their friends away from murder investigations has been derailed yet again when the ladies took a job at the local radio station to go on air to discuss cozy mysteries only to find a body in the closet and open yet another mystery for Sophie to help solve.
The Sophie Kimball Mystery series is another that I have followed from the beginning and always enjoyed coming back to. The main character in here is likable but the side characters of the retirees are absolutely hilarious. Along with the quirky fun we also have a cute little dog that I can’t resist being involved in the stories. And on top of it all the main character working for/with private investigators that are retired police officers themselves gives that connection to law enforcement that I enjoy. Definitely one I will keep coming back to as long as the books keep coming.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
November 7, 2020
Dollycas’s Thoughts
There is never a dull moment in Sun City West.
Phee’s mom Harriet landed herself a job at the local radio station. She and her friend, Myrna are going to host the Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour. The other members of their book club will drop by as guests. Harriet and Myrna are so excited to talk about their favorite cozy mysteries on their first show. But just a Harriett is set to get started Myrna discovers a station’s programming director dead with a pair of Gingher sewing sheers stabbed deep in his chest. All the listeners hear is a bunch of screams. Phee takes off out of her office and rushes to the station afraid that her mother is injured or worse.
Seems the deceased Howard Buell has quite a few people that wanted him dead, including an ex-girlfriend, but it’s not her fingerprints on the murder weapon. Then Harriet finds another body. The police even start looking at her as a suspect, but they don’t have a good track record when it comes to catching killers without a little help. Again Wiliams Investigations is asked to assist with the case and that means Phee has permission to dig into the case and she may even get up close and personal with the killer.
This is the 7th book in this series and each book seems to top the last.
Sophie “Phee” Kimball is such a wonderful character. She is smart, savvy, patient, with common sense, and an intense curiosity to get to the right answer whether it means via her computer or doing the legwork necessary. Her relationship with Marshall is heartwarming. He supports her in every way including when she does a little sleuthing on her own. I love it when they work together too. Her boss Nate is impressed with her work and how she has grown into being much more than a bookkeeper. Then you have Harriet and her Booked 4 Murder Book Club. Those ladies are a hoot and a half. And of course, there is a chiweenie-chihuahua-dachshund named Streetman that can steal the whole show. These authors have created such terrific characters with depth. Lovable even when you are shaking your head at their antics and laughing out loud.
Readers are treated to not just one but two mysteries and all their entanglements. Well-plotted and well-written with so many twists and turns. It was such a pleasure to read and tag along with all these characters trying to solve the mystery before they did. I failed, but the ending was absolutely perfect.
Broadcast 4 Murder is a superb addition to this series. Fun characters and a captivating mystery. I was totally entertained and can’t wait for my next visit to Sun City West.
There is never a dull moment in Sun City West.
Phee’s mom Harriet landed herself a job at the local radio station. She and her friend, Myrna are going to host the Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour. The other members of their book club will drop by as guests. Harriet and Myrna are so excited to talk about their favorite cozy mysteries on their first show. But just a Harriett is set to get started Myrna discovers a station’s programming director dead with a pair of Gingher sewing sheers stabbed deep in his chest. All the listeners hear is a bunch of screams. Phee takes off out of her office and rushes to the station afraid that her mother is injured or worse.
Seems the deceased Howard Buell has quite a few people that wanted him dead, including an ex-girlfriend, but it’s not her fingerprints on the murder weapon. Then Harriet finds another body. The police even start looking at her as a suspect, but they don’t have a good track record when it comes to catching killers without a little help. Again Wiliams Investigations is asked to assist with the case and that means Phee has permission to dig into the case and she may even get up close and personal with the killer.
This is the 7th book in this series and each book seems to top the last.
Sophie “Phee” Kimball is such a wonderful character. She is smart, savvy, patient, with common sense, and an intense curiosity to get to the right answer whether it means via her computer or doing the legwork necessary. Her relationship with Marshall is heartwarming. He supports her in every way including when she does a little sleuthing on her own. I love it when they work together too. Her boss Nate is impressed with her work and how she has grown into being much more than a bookkeeper. Then you have Harriet and her Booked 4 Murder Book Club. Those ladies are a hoot and a half. And of course, there is a chiweenie-chihuahua-dachshund named Streetman that can steal the whole show. These authors have created such terrific characters with depth. Lovable even when you are shaking your head at their antics and laughing out loud.
Readers are treated to not just one but two mysteries and all their entanglements. Well-plotted and well-written with so many twists and turns. It was such a pleasure to read and tag along with all these characters trying to solve the mystery before they did. I failed, but the ending was absolutely perfect.
Broadcast 4 Murder is a superb addition to this series. Fun characters and a captivating mystery. I was totally entertained and can’t wait for my next visit to Sun City West.
November 23, 2020
4 ☕☕☕☕
Dropping in for a visit to see Sophie...I always know I am in for a wild ride! Between whatever cases are going on with the detective agency, her relationship with Marshall, or her mother (and friends) shenanigans...it’s never a dull moment. This trip wasn’t any different. Phee had me meet her at her mother Harriet’s house (I think Harriet is a hoot...I want to be just like her when I grow up...Phee doesn’t think I should encourage her behavior...lol), and I barely had time to set my stuff down before I was being overrun by a very excited Harriet and her dog Streetman. Harriet was going on about a radio show. I looked at Phee for confirmation...a radio show?? Yep. Harriet and Myrna were going to fill in on a local radio show while the host was at a sewing convention. Lord have mercy! But it was true Harriet and Myrna were going to host a murder mystery show...afterall they are part of the “booked 4 murder” bookclub. Harriet told us to tune in on Tuesday morning to their first show. I think I was way more excited for Harriet then Phee lol. We finally made it to Tuesday with all the usual dramatics along the way. Harriet called us beside herself that her show was going to be taken away before it even got started. She relayed a story about a man approaching her in the grocery store, and telling her about how some of the local businesses wanted the radio station to go to pre-recorded only material to be able to do more advertising. We calmed her down (although I think it was more Streetman who got things under control then us). Back to Tuesday morning... I went into the office, so I could listen with Phee to Harriet's debut. We turned in at precisely 9:59 (per Harriet's orders). We were barely 5 minutes in, and so far it was just Harriet’s introduction...we hadn’t heard a peep out of Myrna. Well that was until she was screaming about a dead body in the closet. At first we thought it was part of their show...it was a murder mystery show afterall. Then we realized something was really wrong, and the show went to dead air. Augusta the detective agency's secretary was also listening to the show with us called 911 while Phee and I were on our way to the station. By the time we arrived others were also showing up including two rude detectives (according to Phee) who had given her problems in the past. It was definitely not part of the show...It was the radio station's program director Howard Buell. Dead. Stabbed with a pair of scissors, but not just any old scissors...crafting scissors. Of course Harriet expects Phee to investigate. Those scissors may belong to Harriet’s friend Shirley who could be arrested for the crime, and a murder is on the loose! Although, it’s nothing that a little bear spray can’t handle. Harriet and friends stocked up on self defense supplies when there was a “stalker” in their neighborhood last year. Phee and I better get cracking….
My thoughts:
I love love love this series. I know that when I'm going to spend some time in Sun City west it is going to be FUN FUN FUN in the sun!! This installment was no different. Great mystery with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing till the reveal. I like the evolution of Harriet and Marshalls relationship, and I love Harriet and friends. I am a sucker for seniors, and even more so for spunky and feisty seniors, and believe you me...I wouldn’t mess with anyone of those ladies. Or Herb! Oh and Streetman! How can I forget him?!? Sometimes I don’t know whether to feel sorry for or envy him. He has a good dog life but man his owner (god love her) is high maintenance!
This book needs to be “broadcasted” about from the rooftops! Fabulous Read!!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Netgalley, the author J.C Eaton, great escape book tours, and the publisher for this opportunity.
August 16, 2020
I think I found a new favorite cozy mystery series! The J.C. Eaton duo positively make the book come alive. I loved the dialogue, adored the characters, and was riveted by the plot! Phee’s mother Harriet and another member of the Booked 4 Murder book club are hosting a live radio show. Harriet couldn’t be more excited. But the excitement quickly turns to apprehension when she makes a very disturbing discovery. The pace is as quick and lively as the mystery is unique and intriguing. I fully appreciated the many twists. This is a cozy mystery at its finest.
January 23, 2024
Broadcast 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton is the 7th book in the Sophie Kimball Mystery series. Sophie's mother and her bookclub are about to host a radio show, the Booked 4 Murder Mystery hour, when they discover the murdered body of the station's programming director in a closet while on air. An excellent mystery and the first I have read from this series. I loved the characters and especially Sophie's mother and her bookclub friends and the way they gather information and clues. The mystery was intriguing with a few twists and plenty of fun. I especially loved the ending. The Audible narrator was superb with all the character voices. Very entertaining.
November 5, 2020
"Broadcast 4 Murder" the 7th instalment in the Sophie Kimball Mystery series by J.C. Eaton. I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it in almost one sitting. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed. There is plenty of humour, too with Harriet and Streetman her Chiweenie and the rest of her crew from the Sun City Retirement Community. There were two mysteries to solve and even with the red herrings Sophie is able to put the pieces together .
I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed. There is plenty of humour, too with Harriet and Streetman her Chiweenie and the rest of her crew from the Sun City Retirement Community. There were two mysteries to solve and even with the red herrings Sophie is able to put the pieces together .
I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 7, 2020
I adore Phee and her mother and this series. I try never to miss a new book, and I am always delighted when I see the announcement that a new installment is coming. I am happy to recommend this series to readers who love cozies of any type. Even though Phee isn't a PI, and we certainly hope she never becomes one because she is wrong more often than not, she's a character who finds out more information than her boyfriend, boss, and the police combined. The craft and reading group is always a romp and an adventure and gives Phee's mother an ongoing role vital to the series. Broadcast 4 Murder is no exception in that Phee finds out info that is useful in a murder investigation with the help of her mother, Augusta, and the incredible Streetman. But… I couldn't get behind this story as easily or as much as I wanted.
Oddly enough, I felt that this book was not as well planned or executed as previous books. The investigation by the police, and even the PI firm, was almost non-existent other than what Phee and Augusta came up with doing internet searches. Or even Phee's mother and her dog, Streetman sticking their noses in where they don't belong. There were some laughs throughout the story; a few humorous scenes seemed a bit too forced. I liked the idea of live radio shows on various crafts such as sewing and so forth, and even the fishing show. But the idea of combining a murder talk show with a fishing show just does not work for more than a single laugh.
There are suspects, more out of the story more than in. The motive for any of the suspects is not strong, and some are downright flimsy at best. Phee jumps from one conclusion to another almost with the turn of the page and never really lands on the truth until the very end. Evidence is also lacking. However, all of this said, I still enjoy this series and recommend it to readers. Broadcast 4 Murder has a great ending that combines humor and relationships that cements Phee's future. Even though I did not enjoy this book in general, the PI and craft aspects are fun, entertaining, and make readers smile. I do still look forward to the next book in the series.
Oddly enough, I felt that this book was not as well planned or executed as previous books. The investigation by the police, and even the PI firm, was almost non-existent other than what Phee and Augusta came up with doing internet searches. Or even Phee's mother and her dog, Streetman sticking their noses in where they don't belong. There were some laughs throughout the story; a few humorous scenes seemed a bit too forced. I liked the idea of live radio shows on various crafts such as sewing and so forth, and even the fishing show. But the idea of combining a murder talk show with a fishing show just does not work for more than a single laugh.
There are suspects, more out of the story more than in. The motive for any of the suspects is not strong, and some are downright flimsy at best. Phee jumps from one conclusion to another almost with the turn of the page and never really lands on the truth until the very end. Evidence is also lacking. However, all of this said, I still enjoy this series and recommend it to readers. Broadcast 4 Murder has a great ending that combines humor and relationships that cements Phee's future. Even though I did not enjoy this book in general, the PI and craft aspects are fun, entertaining, and make readers smile. I do still look forward to the next book in the series.
October 21, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!
Always enjoy a cozy form this author, and this isn't my first foray into mysteries with Sophie Kimball. I'm always interested in cozy covers with animals on them, and this was no exception. I didn't really remember that I'd read any of these until I started, but I fell into the rhythm rather quickly and remembered enjoying these books in the past. In particular Phee's mother Harriet is a delight, and makes the mystery solving all the better.
A fun romp with well fleshed out and amusing characters. Four stars.
Always enjoy a cozy form this author, and this isn't my first foray into mysteries with Sophie Kimball. I'm always interested in cozy covers with animals on them, and this was no exception. I didn't really remember that I'd read any of these until I started, but I fell into the rhythm rather quickly and remembered enjoying these books in the past. In particular Phee's mother Harriet is a delight, and makes the mystery solving all the better.
A fun romp with well fleshed out and amusing characters. Four stars.
April 3, 2021
The sleuth's mother gets tapped to host a live radio show discussing the mystery books her book club discusses. When the mother and her co-host discover a dead body--stabbed with a pair of scissors, the sleuth is on the case, with a huge number of suspects. Then the mother finds another body, and things start getting serious.
Not bad, but the sleuth is really whiney.
Not bad, but the sleuth is really whiney.
December 22, 2020
If I had known Sun City West was this much fun, I might have moved closer to it! One of the Phoenix area retirement communities, Sun City West is home to folks from all over the country, including Harriet Plunkett from Minnesota. She and her friends may not be involved in the various sports that many seniors indulge in, but they get their workout from dodging fallout from the murdered people that Harriet seems to attract!
Phee, her daughter, moved to Phoenix area a few years earlier from Mankato, Minnesota, works for a retired detective and with another detective, Marshall. All had worked together at the police department in Mankato. Phee does the bookkeeping for Nate, the owner; she and Marshall have been dating for a couple years. She also tends to get involved when Harriet finds another murder victim. To be fair, she doesn’t go looking for bodies…they just seem to show up.
Take this novel, for instance. Harriet and her friend Myrna from the Booked 4 Murder mystery book club they are members of will be on the local radio station for a few months doing a talk show about mysteries. Phee and Augusta, the secretary in her office, were listening to their first live show when they heard Myrna shouting about a dead body with scissors sticking out of it. No, they weren’t acting out their latest book club find. There was really a dead body with scissors jammed into it in the storage closet at the station! Harriet knows just what buttons to push for Phee to help find whodunit.
In the meantime, the guys at her office are called in to consult with the sheriff’s office due to the large number of cases they are working. The first best suspect is the lady the victim broke up with, Sylvia, especially when the murder weapon in another murder at the station is found to belong to her. The list of suspects grows, as does the threat to Harriet and her friends.
I love this series! The mysteries are always challenging, and there is so much good, clean humor that it would be a shame to miss any of the series! The characters are well-defined through dialog, behaviors, and at times, whining. And the whining isn’t necessarily from Harriet’s Chiweenie, Streetman, who tends to find clues quite by accident. Whodunit definitely wasn’t predictable, nor was the why. I highly recommend this novel and this series to those who enjoy well-written cozy mysteries that have a lot of humor, an Arizona setting with middle-aged and retired primary characters, and dogs. Oops! I don’t think Streetman knows he’s a dog…
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
Phee, her daughter, moved to Phoenix area a few years earlier from Mankato, Minnesota, works for a retired detective and with another detective, Marshall. All had worked together at the police department in Mankato. Phee does the bookkeeping for Nate, the owner; she and Marshall have been dating for a couple years. She also tends to get involved when Harriet finds another murder victim. To be fair, she doesn’t go looking for bodies…they just seem to show up.
Take this novel, for instance. Harriet and her friend Myrna from the Booked 4 Murder mystery book club they are members of will be on the local radio station for a few months doing a talk show about mysteries. Phee and Augusta, the secretary in her office, were listening to their first live show when they heard Myrna shouting about a dead body with scissors sticking out of it. No, they weren’t acting out their latest book club find. There was really a dead body with scissors jammed into it in the storage closet at the station! Harriet knows just what buttons to push for Phee to help find whodunit.
In the meantime, the guys at her office are called in to consult with the sheriff’s office due to the large number of cases they are working. The first best suspect is the lady the victim broke up with, Sylvia, especially when the murder weapon in another murder at the station is found to belong to her. The list of suspects grows, as does the threat to Harriet and her friends.
I love this series! The mysteries are always challenging, and there is so much good, clean humor that it would be a shame to miss any of the series! The characters are well-defined through dialog, behaviors, and at times, whining. And the whining isn’t necessarily from Harriet’s Chiweenie, Streetman, who tends to find clues quite by accident. Whodunit definitely wasn’t predictable, nor was the why. I highly recommend this novel and this series to those who enjoy well-written cozy mysteries that have a lot of humor, an Arizona setting with middle-aged and retired primary characters, and dogs. Oops! I don’t think Streetman knows he’s a dog…
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
December 22, 2020
Book seven in the Sophie Kimball series and I think these books just keep getting better and better. If you want to laugh out loud at some crazy antics that some seniors do and funny outrageous things they say then you will enjoy this series.
In this one Harriet, Phee’s mother, is excited because her and Myrna are going to get a chance to be on the radio doing a radio show about her Book 4 Murder book club. What happens when they get there is they end up broadcasting finding a dead body and at first Phee thought it was part of the show but then realized something was wrong and heads over to find out what is going on.
The programming director has been stabbed and left in the closet and of course Harriet thinks that Phee needs to get in on figuring out what happened, especially getting her boss Nate and boyfriend Marshall in on things. They are the actual investigators at Williams Investigations, while Phee is just he bookkeeper but her mother thinks she should do the investigating too. Phee is really good at it and that is probably because of her bookkeeping skills and being able to hone in on certain things.
There are a few suspects because not only did the deceased just break up with a lady, so woman scorned, but he was a gambler with a bit of debt. There is also another case that Nate is working on about some missing inventory that Phee is helping him with and so there are a few things going on in this one.
I really had a lot of fun with this one! Harriet and her book club friends always make me laugh. They always go a bit overboard and are overly dramatic and make me roll my eyes but at the same time laugh. I just love Streetman Harriet’s chiweenie who actually helps them find a clue!
I love all the characters! Sophie, Nate, Marshall, Harriet and all her friends! I think my only complaint is that Phee is starting to turn into her mother! She sometimes jumps to conclusions about a person because of a piece of information and she is so zoned into that person being the murderer that she doesn’t think about how it might not be that person! Other than that I really enjoyed this.
If you like your cozies funny then you need to try this series and I think you should start with book one, Booked 4 Murder!
In this one Harriet, Phee’s mother, is excited because her and Myrna are going to get a chance to be on the radio doing a radio show about her Book 4 Murder book club. What happens when they get there is they end up broadcasting finding a dead body and at first Phee thought it was part of the show but then realized something was wrong and heads over to find out what is going on.
The programming director has been stabbed and left in the closet and of course Harriet thinks that Phee needs to get in on figuring out what happened, especially getting her boss Nate and boyfriend Marshall in on things. They are the actual investigators at Williams Investigations, while Phee is just he bookkeeper but her mother thinks she should do the investigating too. Phee is really good at it and that is probably because of her bookkeeping skills and being able to hone in on certain things.
There are a few suspects because not only did the deceased just break up with a lady, so woman scorned, but he was a gambler with a bit of debt. There is also another case that Nate is working on about some missing inventory that Phee is helping him with and so there are a few things going on in this one.
I really had a lot of fun with this one! Harriet and her book club friends always make me laugh. They always go a bit overboard and are overly dramatic and make me roll my eyes but at the same time laugh. I just love Streetman Harriet’s chiweenie who actually helps them find a clue!
I love all the characters! Sophie, Nate, Marshall, Harriet and all her friends! I think my only complaint is that Phee is starting to turn into her mother! She sometimes jumps to conclusions about a person because of a piece of information and she is so zoned into that person being the murderer that she doesn’t think about how it might not be that person! Other than that I really enjoyed this.
If you like your cozies funny then you need to try this series and I think you should start with book one, Booked 4 Murder!
October 4, 2020
Accountant Sophie “Phee” Kimball knows that when her mother Harriet Plunkett starts something new, Phee will somehow end up having to get involved. Harriet becomes the envy of Sun City West, Arizona when she and her best friend have the chance to take their mulrder mystery book club discussions to a local radio station. Phee tunes into her mother’s first show, but instead of a chat about a cozy mystery, the older women are screaming about a real life murder. Fearing the worst, Phee rushes to the station and finds the body of the programming director. Phee puts her spreadsheets aside to help investigate the murder and try to get her and Harriet’s lives back to normal.
This is the seventh book in this fun series by J.C. Eaton. I’ve read some, but not all of the prior books. There are a lot of characters in the book, but they are introduced slowly over the first few chapters which is a help to new readers. I really like Phee as a main character. She works for a private investigation firm, along with her boyfriend Marshall, but as an accountant. However, that doesn’t stop Phee from getting out from behind her desk and out in the community asking questions and finding clues. I like that Marshall encourages Phee’s involvement, as long as she’s smart about it and doesn’t knowingly put herself in danger. With the help of her mom, who has connections throughout Sun City, Phee is able to get information that her boyfriend and boss can’t. Together, they slowly put things together to solve the murder case, but things get complicated before they are able to ultimately identify the killer. Harriet is a little more over the top than usual in this book and borders on being annoying, but I still love the energy and enthusiasm she has for whatever her current project is. Overall, this is an engaging and fun, and sometimes silly, cozy mystery. I enjoyed the book and look forward to more of Phee’s adventures.
I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Kensington Books. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
This is the seventh book in this fun series by J.C. Eaton. I’ve read some, but not all of the prior books. There are a lot of characters in the book, but they are introduced slowly over the first few chapters which is a help to new readers. I really like Phee as a main character. She works for a private investigation firm, along with her boyfriend Marshall, but as an accountant. However, that doesn’t stop Phee from getting out from behind her desk and out in the community asking questions and finding clues. I like that Marshall encourages Phee’s involvement, as long as she’s smart about it and doesn’t knowingly put herself in danger. With the help of her mom, who has connections throughout Sun City, Phee is able to get information that her boyfriend and boss can’t. Together, they slowly put things together to solve the murder case, but things get complicated before they are able to ultimately identify the killer. Harriet is a little more over the top than usual in this book and borders on being annoying, but I still love the energy and enthusiasm she has for whatever her current project is. Overall, this is an engaging and fun, and sometimes silly, cozy mystery. I enjoyed the book and look forward to more of Phee’s adventures.
I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Kensington Books. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
October 27, 2020
Broadcast 4 Murder
is the 7th book in the Sophie Kimball Mystery series.
This was my 1st foray into the series. Although it was book seven, I had no difficulties keeping up with characters and events and it worked for me as an individual story. It was a very entertaining read with tonnes of slapstick style humour. Sophie (aka Phee), an accountant working for a private investigative agency was a marvellous protagonist whom I found to be smart and intuitive. Phee's mum, Harriet Plunkett also enriched this droll tale as I realised I needed to expect the unexpected from her! Set in Sun City, Arizona, Broadcast 4 Murder was well-crafted, swift-paced and thoroughly entertaining. The mystery was very engaging and I was kept guessing until the end of this lively yarn. I’m not sure why I have waited so long to try this series, but I am delighted I now have! There are quite a few instalments to catch up on and I can’t wait to visit Phee and her little dog, called Streetman, in Sun City again. Very highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
This was my 1st foray into the series. Although it was book seven, I had no difficulties keeping up with characters and events and it worked for me as an individual story. It was a very entertaining read with tonnes of slapstick style humour. Sophie (aka Phee), an accountant working for a private investigative agency was a marvellous protagonist whom I found to be smart and intuitive. Phee's mum, Harriet Plunkett also enriched this droll tale as I realised I needed to expect the unexpected from her! Set in Sun City, Arizona, Broadcast 4 Murder was well-crafted, swift-paced and thoroughly entertaining. The mystery was very engaging and I was kept guessing until the end of this lively yarn. I’m not sure why I have waited so long to try this series, but I am delighted I now have! There are quite a few instalments to catch up on and I can’t wait to visit Phee and her little dog, called Streetman, in Sun City again. Very highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
October 19, 2020
Broadcast 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton is Book number Seven in the Sophie Kimball Mystery series.
This is such a fantastic series!
Sophie is employed by a private investigative agency as the accountant. Her romantic interest, Marshall is one of the investigators. The relationship between these two has evolved over the course of the series and I really like it.
Sophie's mom Harriet is going to be on a radio station and she is excited to tell her daughter.
Once recording has begun, the program director is found dead. A second body shows up and Harriet is moving to the top of the suspect list and Phee (Sophie) is investigating to save her mom from jail.
There were two very well written mysteries in this book. A few twists and red herrings that were perfectly paced and plotted.
The characters are well developed, quirky and fun.
A little romance and humor and this is the perfect recipe for a fantastic cozy mystery.
HIGHLY recommend!
This is such a fantastic series!
Sophie is employed by a private investigative agency as the accountant. Her romantic interest, Marshall is one of the investigators. The relationship between these two has evolved over the course of the series and I really like it.
Sophie's mom Harriet is going to be on a radio station and she is excited to tell her daughter.
Once recording has begun, the program director is found dead. A second body shows up and Harriet is moving to the top of the suspect list and Phee (Sophie) is investigating to save her mom from jail.
There were two very well written mysteries in this book. A few twists and red herrings that were perfectly paced and plotted.
The characters are well developed, quirky and fun.
A little romance and humor and this is the perfect recipe for a fantastic cozy mystery.
HIGHLY recommend!
September 8, 2020
I enjoy checking in with these characters, although it does take me a bit to like get back in sync with them. This is more focused on Phee (with of course her mother), and the folks at the investigation business. Not much interaction with the book club ladies doing crazy things. The murders kept me guessing.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2020
4.5 stars
This was a very entertaining read. Very slap stick in nature. Phee's mom is taking over a friend's radio show and while on air, discover the dead body of the manager. And it only gets stranger from there. I think the mystery was just as fun to follow as wondering what Phee's mom would do next.
I loved the characters in this. And the mystery was engaging plus it really made you think and consider. Definitely a series I want to continue to follow.
I received this as an ARC via in return for an honest review.
This was a very entertaining read. Very slap stick in nature. Phee's mom is taking over a friend's radio show and while on air, discover the dead body of the manager. And it only gets stranger from there. I think the mystery was just as fun to follow as wondering what Phee's mom would do next.
I loved the characters in this. And the mystery was engaging plus it really made you think and consider. Definitely a series I want to continue to follow.
I received this as an ARC via in return for an honest review.
January 15, 2021
This series makes me laugh. More Streetman and book club ladies. Phee and Marshall are so bland they are boring compared to the more eccentric characters.
October 7, 2022
3.5 stars.
This one was slightly more confusing with the number of people and different/concatenated names being used, but the ending made up for it 🥰
This one was slightly more confusing with the number of people and different/concatenated names being used, but the ending made up for it 🥰
October 27, 2020
Broadcast 4 Murder by J. C. Eaton is the 7th book in the Sophie Kimball Mystery series, and another fun read. Sophie, “Phee” Kimball has moved in with her private detective boyfriend, Marshall, and things are going well. When Phees mom, Harriet, announces she is going to be a radio with one of her friends, what could possibly happen. lol I love this series, this book made me laugh out loud, it was so funny. Once I started this book, I could not stop reading it until I was done. Not only is this book an exciting mystery but also very refreshing and a quick read. If you love funny cozy mysteries, which are my favorite, I strongly recommend this book/series, you won't be disappointed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 29, 2020
Another romp in Sun City West! It is like visiting old friends, some of them a bit wacky. This series is always good for some good laughs along with a murder mystery! You have done it again Ann and Jim, looking forward to your next book!
December 18, 2020
Sophie "Phee" Kimball works for a private investigation firm in Arizona as their bookkeeper. Her boyfriend, Marshall, is one of the investigators, and they're trying to build a quiet life together. However, that's not going to happen with Phee's mother nearby in Sun City. Harriet's just landed her own radio show on a local station, where she's going to be talking about the murder mysteries her book club reads. But on the first day, Harriet and her friend Myrna discover the body of the programming director with scissors in his chest...while they're on the air. When Phee rushes over to the station, her PI boyfriend and the police not far behind, there's definitely a dead man. So Phee has to deal with two hysterical women who insist there's a killer on the loose and he or she might be after them next.
When Harriet gives Phee the information that the killer might be a jealous girlfriend, Phee finds herself once again drawn into the investigation. But there's more going on -- her boss Nate Williams is having trouble figuring out who's stealing from a local home goods chain, and has asked Phee to go over their books for him and see if she can find out where the discrepancies lie.
But when Phee starts digging into the murder, she thinks there's more going on than meets the eye. And when she discovers the truth, it's wilder than anyone expected, and leads to a fiasco that could take some time to sort out...
I absolutely love this series. Phee is beleaguered by Harriet at every turn, and Harriet is always convinced someone is out to do her in. She drags Phee into her escapades, and there's no way out. This time there's no difference, but when Harriet finds a dead body, she's convinced (again) there's a serial killer on the loose, and is insistent that Phee find the person -- and proceeds to broadcast it to anyone who will listen. She's also convinced the ghost of a dead woman has cursed her and her friends.
Refusing to give up her radio gig, Phee has to placate Harriet and her friends before they tear down what's left of her sanity. Between that and work, she's running ragged, and is out looking for clues from the retirees who might know something. When it all comes to a head, there's an extremely funny scene that I, for one, wouldn't want to be part of, but still would love to watch from the sidelines.
When the murderer is caught it all comes down to one of the oldest motives in the book, but the plot was terrific and the clues gave us enough red herrings that we had to think about who might have done the deed; in the end it was a surprise, but as always, a delightful one that gives us an ending making us look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.
I was given an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
When Harriet gives Phee the information that the killer might be a jealous girlfriend, Phee finds herself once again drawn into the investigation. But there's more going on -- her boss Nate Williams is having trouble figuring out who's stealing from a local home goods chain, and has asked Phee to go over their books for him and see if she can find out where the discrepancies lie.
But when Phee starts digging into the murder, she thinks there's more going on than meets the eye. And when she discovers the truth, it's wilder than anyone expected, and leads to a fiasco that could take some time to sort out...
I absolutely love this series. Phee is beleaguered by Harriet at every turn, and Harriet is always convinced someone is out to do her in. She drags Phee into her escapades, and there's no way out. This time there's no difference, but when Harriet finds a dead body, she's convinced (again) there's a serial killer on the loose, and is insistent that Phee find the person -- and proceeds to broadcast it to anyone who will listen. She's also convinced the ghost of a dead woman has cursed her and her friends.
Refusing to give up her radio gig, Phee has to placate Harriet and her friends before they tear down what's left of her sanity. Between that and work, she's running ragged, and is out looking for clues from the retirees who might know something. When it all comes to a head, there's an extremely funny scene that I, for one, wouldn't want to be part of, but still would love to watch from the sidelines.
When the murderer is caught it all comes down to one of the oldest motives in the book, but the plot was terrific and the clues gave us enough red herrings that we had to think about who might have done the deed; in the end it was a surprise, but as always, a delightful one that gives us an ending making us look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.
I was given an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
October 27, 2020
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Broadcast 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton is hilariously funny with witty conversations and eccentric characters.
Who is the radio station killer? Will Phee be able to save Harriet and Streetman from the murderer?
Harriet and Myrna have been given an hour-long show on a local radio show. They plan to discuss mystery books as part of the Booked 4 Murder Book Club. OK, first, OMG! Who is crazy enough to give Harriet and her book club a live radio mic. Don't get me wrong, but this is going to turn into a comedy hour for sure.
So, anyway, on their first broadcast, they find a dead body in the supply closet. Yes, while they were live on the air. So, Phee heads over from her office and is one of the first on the scene. If you have read this series, you know how Harriet and her book club can't sleep when a killer is in the midst. Enter Harriet's daughter Phee our bookkeeping sleuth.
The Mysteries
The books in this series always have more than one mystery going. Sometimes these are connected, and sometimes they aren't. So, we have the murder of the station's programming director, the second murder of Bucky, a DJ; we have a huge product theft at a couple of regional home goods stores, plus a few other behind-the-scenes cases that Marshal and Nate are working on. You know they do run a private investigating company, right?
So, lots are going on. Phee and Marshal are living together now. Oh, and that is going really well. Augusta, the investigating office secretary, is full of her witty repartee. She is kind of like Rose on the Golden Girls with her stories.
Five Stars
I love this series. Phee and Harriet are so wonderfully thought out with these funny quirks. It makes me think that Sun City West could be a place for retirement. But I do like snow, so, maybe not. Phee was so close this time, but the correct culprits were arrested for the correct crimes in the end. At least we hope so. You honestly never know with Deputies Bowman and Ranston in charge. My rating for Broadcast 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton is five stars. I highly recommend this book for all cozy mystery fans out there.
Oh and don't let the cover throw you off as it did me. This isn't a #ChristmasRead or a #HolidayMystery.
The Sophie Kimball Mystery Series
Prize: (3) ARC Broadcast 4 Murder (Sophie Kimball Mystery) by J.C. Eaton (U.S. Only)
Who is the radio station killer? Will Phee be able to save Harriet and Streetman from the murderer?
Harriet and Myrna have been given an hour-long show on a local radio show. They plan to discuss mystery books as part of the Booked 4 Murder Book Club. OK, first, OMG! Who is crazy enough to give Harriet and her book club a live radio mic. Don't get me wrong, but this is going to turn into a comedy hour for sure.
So, anyway, on their first broadcast, they find a dead body in the supply closet. Yes, while they were live on the air. So, Phee heads over from her office and is one of the first on the scene. If you have read this series, you know how Harriet and her book club can't sleep when a killer is in the midst. Enter Harriet's daughter Phee our bookkeeping sleuth.
The Mysteries
The books in this series always have more than one mystery going. Sometimes these are connected, and sometimes they aren't. So, we have the murder of the station's programming director, the second murder of Bucky, a DJ; we have a huge product theft at a couple of regional home goods stores, plus a few other behind-the-scenes cases that Marshal and Nate are working on. You know they do run a private investigating company, right? So, lots are going on. Phee and Marshal are living together now. Oh, and that is going really well. Augusta, the investigating office secretary, is full of her witty repartee. She is kind of like Rose on the Golden Girls with her stories.
Five Stars
I love this series. Phee and Harriet are so wonderfully thought out with these funny quirks. It makes me think that Sun City West could be a place for retirement. But I do like snow, so, maybe not. Phee was so close this time, but the correct culprits were arrested for the correct crimes in the end. At least we hope so. You honestly never know with Deputies Bowman and Ranston in charge. My rating for Broadcast 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton is five stars. I highly recommend this book for all cozy mystery fans out there.
Oh and don't let the cover throw you off as it did me. This isn't a #ChristmasRead or a #HolidayMystery.
The Sophie Kimball Mystery Series
Prize: (3) ARC Broadcast 4 Murder (Sophie Kimball Mystery) by J.C. Eaton (U.S. Only)
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This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
January 24, 2021
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Broadcast 4 Murder
Sophie Kimball Mystery #7
By J.C. Eaton
ISBN 9781496724564
Author’s website: jceatonmysteries.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
In J.C. Eaton’s seventh Sophie Kimball Mystery, Sophie’s kooky mother, Harriet, is gearing up to become Arizona’s newest radio star as the host of the Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour. But when she ends up broadcasting herself discovering a dead body live on air, it’s up to the reluctant sleuth Sophie to find the killer…
Phee’s mother Harriet is going to be a star! At least, that’s how the Sun City West retiree describes her chance to host a live radio program of her book club’s Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour on Arizona’s KSCW. But instead of chatting about charming cozies, Harriet ends up screaming bloody murder over the airwaves after discovering the body of Howard Buell, the station’s programming director, in a closet–with a pair of sewing shears shoved into his chest.
The number one suspect is Howard’s ex-girlfriend Sylvia Strattlemeyer who believed she was going to host a sewing talk show before Harriet was offered the spot. But not only do the fingerprints found on the scissors not match Sylvia’s, they belong to a woman who passed away twenty years ago at the age of ninety-seven. Now, with the whole town on pins and needles, it’s up to Phee to stitch together enough clues from the past to uncover the identity of a killer in the present… (From Goodreads)
Review:
One thing I know when I open a new installment in this wacky series is that there will be a lot of laughs. The mystery will be interesting, and Streetman the Chiweenie will play a role in getting the bad guy. The characters will be larger than life, and almost everyone in town knows who Harriet Plunkett is. Anyone who doesn’t, will, after her radio debut in “Broadcast 4 Murder”!
Phee moved to Arizona from Mankato, Minnesota a couple years ago. Her mother, Harriet, has lived in Sun City West, a retirement community, for many years and is a member of various clubs, most notably the Booked 4 Murder book club. Since Phee moved to Arizona, Harriet seems to have a lot of dead bodies show up in her life. Dead as in murdered.
Phee works for Nate, a retired detective from the Mankato police department where they used to work. She is the bookkeeper for his private investigation agency. Marshall is a detective she worked with in Mankato who also now works for Nate. They have been an item for quite some time. Whenever Harriet tries to get Phee to help solve a murder, Marshall and Nate end up involved, often as consultants for the sheriff’s department.
Harriet and her friend, Myrna, are excited to fill a slot at the local hometown neighborhood radio station. Vernadeen, who hosts a sewing program one morning a week, will be out of town and while she is, Harriet and Myrna will be on the air and talk about – what else – mysteries! They are planning a series in which they can bring in women from their book club to talk about different types and aspects of mystery novels.
On the morning of the first radio program, Nate is meeting with people at a retail store that has a mysterious, undocumented loss of inventory; Marshall is looking for an estranged father who took his four-year-old from the child’s mother. They missed the drama of Harriet and Myrna’s first show, and what would become one of their next consultations at Williams Investigations. The first moments sounded fine, until Myrna cried out that there was a dead guy with scissors sticking out of his chest. Listeners, including Phee and the secretary, thought they were hearing a dramatized version of a novel – until silence was all they heard on the radio.
When Phee pulled up at the station, a sheriff’s posse member was already there and deputies called. Myrna and Harriet were okay, but the programming director was not. He was dead in the huge storage closet, having been stabbed with a very fancy pair of sewing scissors.
Nate’s company was called to consult on the case within hours. One of the more shocking pieces of evidence included fingerprints of a retired high school teacher, one who had died about twenty years earlier. When members of the Booked 4 Murder book club received threats, it becomes far too personal, and Harriet will give Phee no peace until she helps find the killer. Phee takes a deep breath and knows what is coming next – an early morning or two at the dog park with Harriet’s Chiweenie, Streetman, to visit with one of the women who knows much of the gossip around Sun City West.
The husband-and-wife team of J.C. Eaton gift us with funnier and more complex mysteries with each new one in the series! Included is laugh-out-loud humor as befitting ladies who rival Lucy and Ethel at the age of the Golden Girls. Many middle-aged women will appreciate Phee’s attempts to honor her mother while living her own life. They describe characters so well I can picture and hear them, but never could I predict the shenanigans they will get involved in each time.
Plot twists serve to bring in new suspects and unusual circumstances, including a second murder that doesn’t seem to have any connections to the first. I was not able to figure out all the connections and guilty parties and was as surprised as Phee and Marshall at who was involved in the murders. The end was satisfying, with loose ends tied up for the murders and other crimes being investigated. I highly recommend this novel, which can be read as a standalone, and the rest of the series!
Broadcast 4 Murder
Sophie Kimball Mystery #7
By J.C. Eaton
ISBN 9781496724564
Author’s website: jceatonmysteries.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
In J.C. Eaton’s seventh Sophie Kimball Mystery, Sophie’s kooky mother, Harriet, is gearing up to become Arizona’s newest radio star as the host of the Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour. But when she ends up broadcasting herself discovering a dead body live on air, it’s up to the reluctant sleuth Sophie to find the killer…
Phee’s mother Harriet is going to be a star! At least, that’s how the Sun City West retiree describes her chance to host a live radio program of her book club’s Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour on Arizona’s KSCW. But instead of chatting about charming cozies, Harriet ends up screaming bloody murder over the airwaves after discovering the body of Howard Buell, the station’s programming director, in a closet–with a pair of sewing shears shoved into his chest.
The number one suspect is Howard’s ex-girlfriend Sylvia Strattlemeyer who believed she was going to host a sewing talk show before Harriet was offered the spot. But not only do the fingerprints found on the scissors not match Sylvia’s, they belong to a woman who passed away twenty years ago at the age of ninety-seven. Now, with the whole town on pins and needles, it’s up to Phee to stitch together enough clues from the past to uncover the identity of a killer in the present… (From Goodreads)
Review:
One thing I know when I open a new installment in this wacky series is that there will be a lot of laughs. The mystery will be interesting, and Streetman the Chiweenie will play a role in getting the bad guy. The characters will be larger than life, and almost everyone in town knows who Harriet Plunkett is. Anyone who doesn’t, will, after her radio debut in “Broadcast 4 Murder”!
Phee moved to Arizona from Mankato, Minnesota a couple years ago. Her mother, Harriet, has lived in Sun City West, a retirement community, for many years and is a member of various clubs, most notably the Booked 4 Murder book club. Since Phee moved to Arizona, Harriet seems to have a lot of dead bodies show up in her life. Dead as in murdered.
Phee works for Nate, a retired detective from the Mankato police department where they used to work. She is the bookkeeper for his private investigation agency. Marshall is a detective she worked with in Mankato who also now works for Nate. They have been an item for quite some time. Whenever Harriet tries to get Phee to help solve a murder, Marshall and Nate end up involved, often as consultants for the sheriff’s department.
Harriet and her friend, Myrna, are excited to fill a slot at the local hometown neighborhood radio station. Vernadeen, who hosts a sewing program one morning a week, will be out of town and while she is, Harriet and Myrna will be on the air and talk about – what else – mysteries! They are planning a series in which they can bring in women from their book club to talk about different types and aspects of mystery novels.
On the morning of the first radio program, Nate is meeting with people at a retail store that has a mysterious, undocumented loss of inventory; Marshall is looking for an estranged father who took his four-year-old from the child’s mother. They missed the drama of Harriet and Myrna’s first show, and what would become one of their next consultations at Williams Investigations. The first moments sounded fine, until Myrna cried out that there was a dead guy with scissors sticking out of his chest. Listeners, including Phee and the secretary, thought they were hearing a dramatized version of a novel – until silence was all they heard on the radio.
When Phee pulled up at the station, a sheriff’s posse member was already there and deputies called. Myrna and Harriet were okay, but the programming director was not. He was dead in the huge storage closet, having been stabbed with a very fancy pair of sewing scissors.
Nate’s company was called to consult on the case within hours. One of the more shocking pieces of evidence included fingerprints of a retired high school teacher, one who had died about twenty years earlier. When members of the Booked 4 Murder book club received threats, it becomes far too personal, and Harriet will give Phee no peace until she helps find the killer. Phee takes a deep breath and knows what is coming next – an early morning or two at the dog park with Harriet’s Chiweenie, Streetman, to visit with one of the women who knows much of the gossip around Sun City West.
The husband-and-wife team of J.C. Eaton gift us with funnier and more complex mysteries with each new one in the series! Included is laugh-out-loud humor as befitting ladies who rival Lucy and Ethel at the age of the Golden Girls. Many middle-aged women will appreciate Phee’s attempts to honor her mother while living her own life. They describe characters so well I can picture and hear them, but never could I predict the shenanigans they will get involved in each time.
Plot twists serve to bring in new suspects and unusual circumstances, including a second murder that doesn’t seem to have any connections to the first. I was not able to figure out all the connections and guilty parties and was as surprised as Phee and Marshall at who was involved in the murders. The end was satisfying, with loose ends tied up for the murders and other crimes being investigated. I highly recommend this novel, which can be read as a standalone, and the rest of the series!
June 17, 2021
Phee's mother Harriet is going to be a star! At least, that's how the Sun City West retiree describes her chance to host a live radio program of her book club's Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour on Arizona's KSCW. But instead of chatting about charming cozies, Harriet ends up screaming bloody murder over the airwaves after discovering the body of Howard Buell, the station's programming director, in a closet--with a pair of sewing shears shoved into his chest.
The number one suspect is Howard's ex-girlfriend Sylvia Strattlemeyer who believed she was going to host a sewing talk show before Harriet was offered the spot. But not only do the fingerprints found on the scissors not match Sylvia's, they belong to a woman who passed away twenty years ago at the age of ninety-seven. Now, with the whole town on pins and needles, it's up to Phee to stitch together enough clues from the past to uncover the identity of a killer in the present.
The author treats us to not just one but two murder mysteries, a theft of store inventory, and all of their entanglements. All of the mysteries are well-written, have lots of red herrings thrown in, lots of viable suspects, and with many twists and turns mixed in that will lead up to 2 unexpected and entertaining arrests. The characters are well-written, full of personality and charm that makes them very relatable and lifelike. The characters have all grown and developed since book one and it's nice to see how some of the characters are only getting better.
I like that Phee and Marshall's relationship is still going strong, and that it doesn't get lost in the story but that it helps support the story. I think that since Phee is investigating the murders and the theft that takes place in the book that maybe Phee should become a licensed PI since she is doing the same type of work while being unlicensed. I am getting tired of how much time Harriet dotes on Streetman and the makes her own daughter take the backseat to the dog for her affections. I'm also getting tired of Harriet trying to get others to dote on Streetman like she does. I'm looking forward to reading book #8 to see what kind of antics the characters find themselves getting mixed up in.
I received an ARC of this book from Kensington Books through NetGally for my honest review.
The number one suspect is Howard's ex-girlfriend Sylvia Strattlemeyer who believed she was going to host a sewing talk show before Harriet was offered the spot. But not only do the fingerprints found on the scissors not match Sylvia's, they belong to a woman who passed away twenty years ago at the age of ninety-seven. Now, with the whole town on pins and needles, it's up to Phee to stitch together enough clues from the past to uncover the identity of a killer in the present.
The author treats us to not just one but two murder mysteries, a theft of store inventory, and all of their entanglements. All of the mysteries are well-written, have lots of red herrings thrown in, lots of viable suspects, and with many twists and turns mixed in that will lead up to 2 unexpected and entertaining arrests. The characters are well-written, full of personality and charm that makes them very relatable and lifelike. The characters have all grown and developed since book one and it's nice to see how some of the characters are only getting better.
I like that Phee and Marshall's relationship is still going strong, and that it doesn't get lost in the story but that it helps support the story. I think that since Phee is investigating the murders and the theft that takes place in the book that maybe Phee should become a licensed PI since she is doing the same type of work while being unlicensed. I am getting tired of how much time Harriet dotes on Streetman and the makes her own daughter take the backseat to the dog for her affections. I'm also getting tired of Harriet trying to get others to dote on Streetman like she does. I'm looking forward to reading book #8 to see what kind of antics the characters find themselves getting mixed up in.
I received an ARC of this book from Kensington Books through NetGally for my honest review.
August 2, 2022
“Broadcast 4 Murder (Sophie Kimball Mystery #7 ) by J.C. Eaton ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Cozy Mystery. Location: Sun City West, Arizona, USA. Time: Winter, Present.
THE SERIES: Set in Arizona’s Sun City West retirement community (where the authors live), the main character is clever, middle-aged Sophie (Phee), who lives nearby and works for a private investigator. Phee is frequently stressed out by the antics of her mother Harriet and her mother’s Sun City West book club friends.
THIS BOOK: Harriet is making her radio show debut on the local station. When she arrives at the studio, she finds a dead body. The microphone is accidentally turned on when Harriet arrives, so everyone listening learns all about the murder. Soon there is a 2nd dead body, and Phee’s firm is called in to consult. Meanwhile, Phee’s firm is also investigating the mysterious loss of inventory from a big home goods store. And then death threats start arriving.
The plot has a number of clever twists and turns so it keeps your interest. The audiobook narrator’s voice was enjoyable. She used appropriate slight regional accents, and didn’t overemphasize men’s voices as some narrators do when reading a voice not of their own gender.
This book takes place in Sun City West. That’s a plus for me because we live there, and it’s a lot of fun to recognize locations. It’s also a minus for me because I don’t know anyone like these distressingly stereotyped senior citizens. They are written as embarrassingly ditsy, gossipy, and unwilling to listen to reason. Don’t get me wrong, I understand it’s all in good fun, but I wish the portrait of seniors wasn’t quite so one-sided. The only one grounded in reality is the daughter. Perhaps one of Harriet’s book club friends could have been another voice of reason? It’s 3 stars from me for this cozy little mystery.🌵📚👩🏼🦳”
THE SERIES: Set in Arizona’s Sun City West retirement community (where the authors live), the main character is clever, middle-aged Sophie (Phee), who lives nearby and works for a private investigator. Phee is frequently stressed out by the antics of her mother Harriet and her mother’s Sun City West book club friends.
THIS BOOK: Harriet is making her radio show debut on the local station. When she arrives at the studio, she finds a dead body. The microphone is accidentally turned on when Harriet arrives, so everyone listening learns all about the murder. Soon there is a 2nd dead body, and Phee’s firm is called in to consult. Meanwhile, Phee’s firm is also investigating the mysterious loss of inventory from a big home goods store. And then death threats start arriving.
The plot has a number of clever twists and turns so it keeps your interest. The audiobook narrator’s voice was enjoyable. She used appropriate slight regional accents, and didn’t overemphasize men’s voices as some narrators do when reading a voice not of their own gender.
This book takes place in Sun City West. That’s a plus for me because we live there, and it’s a lot of fun to recognize locations. It’s also a minus for me because I don’t know anyone like these distressingly stereotyped senior citizens. They are written as embarrassingly ditsy, gossipy, and unwilling to listen to reason. Don’t get me wrong, I understand it’s all in good fun, but I wish the portrait of seniors wasn’t quite so one-sided. The only one grounded in reality is the daughter. Perhaps one of Harriet’s book club friends could have been another voice of reason? It’s 3 stars from me for this cozy little mystery.🌵📚👩🏼🦳”
October 26, 2020
In Broadcast 4 Murder, Harriet and her friend, Myrna, are thrilled to be asked to star in a live radio show in their hometown, retirement village Sun City West. As part of the Booked 4 Murder book club, they expect to talk about murder—they don’t expect to find a murder victim live on air!
Harriet’s daughter, Phee, works at a private investigation firm as their accountant. That doesn’t stop Harriet from assuming Phee is an investigator herself. The police ask Phee’s firm to help with their investigations. That is like a starting pistol for Phee to start talking to possible killers.
After all, many people had a motive to kill the radio station’s programming director, Howard. But who would have access to the murder weapon, a pair of specialized crafting scissors? And why would the only fingerprints on the scissors be from a 97 year-old women who has been dead for twenty years?
Seeing Harriet and her book club crew once again solve a murder makes me look forward to retirement! I hope I am half as active when I finally get there. The best part of this series is the characters. Every one of the regulars have large individual personalities. It is also just plain fun to follow the retirees’ exploits. The mystery was entertaining too.
The books in this series really build on each other. You can read this book as a standalone but it contains substantial spoilers for the earlier books.
If you want to read a laugh-out-loud cozy mystery, don’t miss Broadcast 4 Murder. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!
Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Harriet’s daughter, Phee, works at a private investigation firm as their accountant. That doesn’t stop Harriet from assuming Phee is an investigator herself. The police ask Phee’s firm to help with their investigations. That is like a starting pistol for Phee to start talking to possible killers.
After all, many people had a motive to kill the radio station’s programming director, Howard. But who would have access to the murder weapon, a pair of specialized crafting scissors? And why would the only fingerprints on the scissors be from a 97 year-old women who has been dead for twenty years?
Seeing Harriet and her book club crew once again solve a murder makes me look forward to retirement! I hope I am half as active when I finally get there. The best part of this series is the characters. Every one of the regulars have large individual personalities. It is also just plain fun to follow the retirees’ exploits. The mystery was entertaining too.
The books in this series really build on each other. You can read this book as a standalone but it contains substantial spoilers for the earlier books.
If you want to read a laugh-out-loud cozy mystery, don’t miss Broadcast 4 Murder. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!
Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 10, 2025
Overview: Harriet and her best friend have a new project. They are going to be hosting their Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour! It's a program on the local radio station. Too bad that the local station manager is found dead, by Myrna no less, in the studio. Someone used an expensive pair of sewing shears for the murder weapon. Who would want Howard Buell dead? Why does Harriet suspect Sylvia? And will Sophie, Phee, be able to avoid pet-sitting Streetman? Let's find out.
Dislikes: I'm a dog person. That being said, Streetman is rude. Food territoriality? No, you nip that attitude in the bud. The sooner the better even. It's called small dog syndrome, and if you find letting a small dog get away with things that a larger dog wouldn't, you create unholy terrors for others to deal with.
When it comes to the murder weapon, I'd have to hurt the killer. Ginghers are fabric scissors, you want them for anything else, then you can go and buy your own scissors. No, I'm not bitter, just protective over the specialty scissors.
Likes: Sophie does know her strengths. Give her spreadsheets and invoices, and she can follow all kinds of breadcrumbs.
The Booked 4 Murder Club definitely brings levity to this book. Some of the conversations were hilarious.
Shirley, one of the Booked 4 Murder ladies, thought her scissors might have been the murder weapon. Lucky for her, one of the deputies found them. Unfortunately for Deputy Ralston, he found them in a chair. In particular, the chair he was sitting in.
Conclusion: This was a fascinating tale. If you like cozy mysteries, then this book is for you. Enjoy the read.
Dislikes: I'm a dog person. That being said, Streetman is rude. Food territoriality? No, you nip that attitude in the bud. The sooner the better even. It's called small dog syndrome, and if you find letting a small dog get away with things that a larger dog wouldn't, you create unholy terrors for others to deal with.
When it comes to the murder weapon, I'd have to hurt the killer. Ginghers are fabric scissors, you want them for anything else, then you can go and buy your own scissors. No, I'm not bitter, just protective over the specialty scissors.
Likes: Sophie does know her strengths. Give her spreadsheets and invoices, and she can follow all kinds of breadcrumbs.
The Booked 4 Murder Club definitely brings levity to this book. Some of the conversations were hilarious.
Shirley, one of the Booked 4 Murder ladies, thought her scissors might have been the murder weapon. Lucky for her, one of the deputies found them. Unfortunately for Deputy Ralston, he found them in a chair. In particular, the chair he was sitting in.
Conclusion: This was a fascinating tale. If you like cozy mysteries, then this book is for you. Enjoy the read.
March 22, 2021
Laugh out loud fantastic!!! I absolutely love this series and it is a great one to read when you need a good laugh. In this latest, Phee's mom, Harriet, and Harriet's friend, Myrna, have landed their own cozy mystery book club radio show. Unfortunately, the day of their first show, they discover a dead body. The man who was murdered worked at the radio station and was stabbed with a pair of scissors. The interesting part is that the only fingerprints on the scissors belonged to a dead person. Phee's mom is insistent that she help investigate along with Phee's boss, Nate, and boyfriend, Marshall. When Phee and her mother discover another dead body at the radio station, her mother becomes convinced there is a maniac killer on the loose. Phee does her best to placate her mother and help investigate. She also gets involved in a case her boss, Nate, is working on for a home goods store that is missing inventory. She really starts to get into the whole forensic accounting while also helping to investigate the murders. Lots of laughs in this book and I definitely did not see how all of this was going to end up. Phee's mother and her friends are always hysterical to read about and make me glad my mom isn't like that. I can't wait to read more of these fantastic books and See what's next for the Booked 4 Murder book club, Phee and Marshall, Nate, Augusta, and of course, Streetman the dog!
October 10, 2021
Get ready to solve several mysteries, laughing your way through the pages of J.C. Eaton’s Broadcast 4 Murder. Sophie (aka “Kiddo” to her boss, “Phee” to her mother, and “Hon” to her boyfriend Marshall) gets pulled into a murder investigation when her mother discovers a dead body at the Sun City West radio station as she prepares to broadcast a show about cozy mysteries. As soon as Sophie’s mother enters the scene, the reader can expect demands on Sophie to nose around, daily phone calls, and wacky shenanigans as the residents of this Arizona senior community interact. Streetman, her mom’s chiweenie, gets a delightful starring role.
The first murder is not the last, and other crimes are discovered in the process of the investigation. Lots of characters are implicated as possible suspects, but they don’t appear to fit all the requirements—motive, means, and opportunity. These crimes are a puzzle to local detectives as well as the private investigators Sophie works with. She is not a private investigator; she is an accountant. In this book, however, she is able to do some informal forensic accounting along with on the ground sleuthing to catch some crooks. Broadcast 4 Murder is funny, has a complicated plot, and will keep you turning pages while you just don’t want it to end.
I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The first murder is not the last, and other crimes are discovered in the process of the investigation. Lots of characters are implicated as possible suspects, but they don’t appear to fit all the requirements—motive, means, and opportunity. These crimes are a puzzle to local detectives as well as the private investigators Sophie works with. She is not a private investigator; she is an accountant. In this book, however, she is able to do some informal forensic accounting along with on the ground sleuthing to catch some crooks. Broadcast 4 Murder is funny, has a complicated plot, and will keep you turning pages while you just don’t want it to end.
I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2020
Get ready to have a fun time when Sophie (Phee) and Williams Investigations tackles a case involving two murders, a radio book club, determined senior sleuths and suspect who died 20 years ago at the age of 97!
Phee's mother Harriet, and her fellow book club member Myrna, are selected as the hosts of a Sun City West radio program called Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour. .When the station manager is murdered and Harriet and Myrna find the body, Phee is recruited to solve the murder and the adventure begins!
I loved everything about the book - the mystery, humor, the lovable characters and of course, Streetman! The story is fast-paced with red herrings everywhere! I enjoy that Phee has become more confident as an investigator and her relationship with Marshall enhances the story. I also enjoy the characters of Augusta and Nate. One of my favorite parts of the book, was when Harriet and Myrna confront a rival for their program time slot - the Lake Fishing with Paul host! It was classic Harriet!
In the series, age is just a number and the Sun City West residents prove that over and over again! The supporting characters are just as important as the main characters and that makes for a wonderfully written mystery with humor, heart and of course the grumpy but lovable Streetman!
I received an ARC from NetGalley. The opinions expressed about this book are my own.
Phee's mother Harriet, and her fellow book club member Myrna, are selected as the hosts of a Sun City West radio program called Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour. .When the station manager is murdered and Harriet and Myrna find the body, Phee is recruited to solve the murder and the adventure begins!
I loved everything about the book - the mystery, humor, the lovable characters and of course, Streetman! The story is fast-paced with red herrings everywhere! I enjoy that Phee has become more confident as an investigator and her relationship with Marshall enhances the story. I also enjoy the characters of Augusta and Nate. One of my favorite parts of the book, was when Harriet and Myrna confront a rival for their program time slot - the Lake Fishing with Paul host! It was classic Harriet!
In the series, age is just a number and the Sun City West residents prove that over and over again! The supporting characters are just as important as the main characters and that makes for a wonderfully written mystery with humor, heart and of course the grumpy but lovable Streetman!
I received an ARC from NetGalley. The opinions expressed about this book are my own.
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