The Game Changer: A Parkwood Mystery

by Jennifer Brown

Hollie Bisbee used to be a big-city crime reporter. Now, she’s a small-town journalist, and she’s bored. She and a young mom, talented baker Daisy Mueller, start the Knock ‘Em Dead podcast…”Where murder and muffins meet!” It’s all fun, games, and baking tips until real murder comes to Parkwood. The coach of a rival football team turns up dead―the victim of a hit-and-run in the Parkwood High parking lot after a brutal Homecoming game loss. The entire town is on edge, and the police chief, whose son is the star quarterback, just may look the guiltiest of all.

With Hollie’s investigative skills and Daisy’s famous muffins…and in spite of the charming rookie police officer tasked with keeping Hollie out of the way… the podcasting duo sets out to solve their first real case.

This new cozy mystery, the first in a series, includes a killer free recipe for Cherry-Choco-Chunk Muffins.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Romance, Audiobook, Fiction, Contemporary

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2020

About the author

Two-time winner of the Erma Bombeck Global Humor Award (2005 & 2006), Jennifer's weekly humor column appeared in The Kansas City Star for over four years, until she gave it up to be a full-time young adult novelist.

Jennifer's debut novel, HATE LIST (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009) received three starred reviews and was selected as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a VOYA "Perfect Ten," and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. HATE LIST also won the Michigan Library Association's Thumbs Up! Award, the Louisiana Teen Readers Choice award, the 2012 Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award, was an honorable mention for the 2011 Arkansas Teen Book Award, is a YALSA 2012 Popular Paperback, received spots on the Texas Library Association's Taysha's high school reading list as well as the Missouri Library Association's Missouri Gateway Awards list, and has been chosen to represent the state of Missouri in the 2012 National Book Festival in Washington, DC. Jennifer's second novel, BITTER END, (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011) received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and VOYA and is listed on the YALSA 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list and is a 2012 Taysha's high school reading list pick as well.

Jennifer writes and lives in the Kansas City, Missouri area, with her husband and three children.

Reviews

[Dawnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

City crime reporter Hollis moves to a small town. Her and her friend and pod caster sidekick Daisy are on the case when a rival head coach is the victim of a hit-and-run accident. It's a mystery and muffins, comical and enjoyable read. True Hallmark Mystery style and looks as if it might become a series.
I was given a copy by the publisher for my honest review.

Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY

[Ell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, witty, conversational and entertaining! A Parkwood Mystery from Hallmark Publishing Is an enjoyable start to a new cozy mystery series. I can't wait to see what else is in store for podcast duo and amateur sleuths Daisy and Hollis.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author, publisher, and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Hollis Bisbee discovers a murder at the High School homecoming game where she is covering the new hot dog machine at the concessions stand, she decides to figure out who did it. Can she and her friend Daisy solve the mystery of who killed the football coach before its too late? Read on and find out for yourself.

This was a pretty good cozy mystery and my first ever Parkwood novel. Fans of Cozy mysteries will enjoy this book which also includes a recipe inside. Be sure to check this book out when it officially hits bookstores and wherever you buy books online on January 7, 2020.

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Game Changer by Jennifer Brown is a cozy mystery that is the first in a new cozy series.

The plot is quickly paced and there were several suspects that often stood out thanks to red herring clues. Hollis is new to Parkwood and hasn't adjusted yet to living in a small community after leaving Chicago. Her thoughts were often on her past as an investigative reporter in Chicago and the ex-boyfriend that she left behind. Daisy is a native of Parkwood and the mother of several children. The podcast that Hollis and Daisy start, Knock 'Em Dead, is supposed to be about cold murder cases but often turned to baking tips from Daisy instead. Frankly, I found the podcasts to be more of a distraction rather than adding anything to the story. A pleasant read with likable characters.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Hallmark Publishing via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Someone recommended this book to me and I've liked previous books by the author so I picked it up. The whole time I'm reading this, I'm thinking about how it reminded me of a Hallmark movie. I could just be watching too many of those lately, but I just looked at the goodreads page for this and realized it was published by Hallmark publishing! I had read it in a friend's review, but then completely forgot! I love how stuff like that works out 😊😊 So to the book: the mystery was back and forth with suspects. I liked the friendship between Hollis and Daisy. I think they made a good team for the podcast and solving the murder. I hope to have more books with them in the future!

[Tracy Fritts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Games Changer is an fun, Intersting, murder mystery. Its wonderful written. Has a really good storyline. I truly enjoyed reading about the characters. Its a page turner and kept my interest throughout the story. I look forward to reading more stories by this author.
I read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book All thoughts and opinions are of my own. Thank you NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing for letting me read this story.

[Annabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this was my first cosy mystery and I loved it! I can't wait to see what will happen next with this duo!

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a first time read by this writer for me, as well as being the first in a new cozy series.
daisy & hollis are likable characters. interesting mystery.
like most cozy books, it moves slow in the beginning & has the requisite sexy cop for a romantic angle.
typical of first book in a series, it spends time setting up/describing the various characters in the town. but it wasn't so many that i forgot who was who which was great.
there was cute humor w/Daisy & her family. It was really sweet!
and how cool is Mike as a dad? (he gets fully enmeshed in playing games w/all the kids)

overall, this was an ok book. The mystery gets lost for a bit while it moved slowly, but the characters were charming.
and it was a good ending (the last chapter).
I probably will read the next book in the series.

the reason i chose this at random was for two reasons:
the author name & a hallmark publishing book.
i have a common name so if i see products w/my name on it, i always try them and the same goes when i see it for someone i know.

so you know who.., knows why i picked this one. plus, it's a hallmark too.
come on...how could i not? (JB)

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook of a new cozy mystery published by Hallmark was a really quick and pleasant listen. I enjoyed the fact that the main character is an aspiring podcaster, as I really enjoy listening to true crime podcasts, and though the mystery itself was not all that unusual compared to others I have read, her investigation, the problems she runs into with her boss at the local newspaper, and her friendship with her best friend, supermom Daisy, kept me totally hooked on the story. I can't wait for more titles in this series to be published!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book! Loved the premise! Some of the characters were pretty annoying (if I had a mother and Aunt like Hollis did in this story, I would never answer my phone) I know it was intended to be humorous but they were just annoying. But overall; I loved the book and Hollis.

[Heather Stacks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute Hallmark mystery.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out with promise but just fell apart. I lost interest in the story. There was just too much going on. It jumped around too much. I would have preferred more of the podcast.

[Jerri Cachero · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new Hallmark cozy mystery that's fun and keeps you guessing! Hollis, a former big city journalist and her best friend Daisy, a baker, get more than they bargained for when they start their " Knock Em' Dead" mystery podcast. When a rival high school coach is the victim of a hit and run accident that's later declared a murder, the women must use their talents to bring the guilty to justice.

The characters are likable and relatable and I enjoyed the mystery's pace. Hollis and Daisy are fun to read about as are the supporting characters. I enjoyed the attention the author paid to the relationships between the main characters and their families. It made Hollis & Daisy "come to life".They are interesting and full of life and determination. The podcast was a neat way to present the mystery.

I'm looking forward to the next book!

I received an ARC from Netgalley for a fair and honest review of the book.

[Anjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new series featuring an investigative reporter who has had to relocate to a small town due to cutbacks. She is not really resenting her seemingly trivial stories, but an unsettled feeling is starting to creep up on her when we first get introduced to her. Life, in general, has been good for her other, all except for her job. This last thing might just be picking up as she wants to start a podcast with her new best friend. Things do not turn out the way she expects at that end either. I, for one, sympathise with her over that last bit because I have had plans morph into something unrecognisable when I least expect them to. Then a local murder occurs and Hollis jumps right in and thinks she has found out an underhanded ploy to protect her prime suspect. This leads to multiple stakeouts, a new cop in town and a lot of misunderstandings.
I liked the narrative style of the story and could feel the warmth that Hollis felt for her new community, and even the group calls with her aunt and mother on the line were fun. I felt the last bit was a little rushed but considering it involved multiple chases, it might have been just right.

Not all mysteries in this genre appeal to me but this one did almost solely based on the writing style and the conversations that everyone has. The murder plot was an afterthought to me despite having been unable to land on the actual culprit without Hollis figuring it out first. I would recommend this to readers of this genre!

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

What do you get when a big-city crime reporter moves to a small town with absolutely little to none in the crime area to report about? You get bored. Then you join up with your new bestie and start a podcast about crime. You relax, enjoy the slower pace of life and maybe flirt, banter a bit with one police officer in particular. Then one night, after a high school football game, it seems that murder has come to town when the rival team’s coach is the victim of a hit and run in the school parking lot – that’s when the crime reporter, Hollis, and her muffin-baking sidekick, Daisy step it up to find the real murder because we all know the star quarterback didn’t do it.

The Game Changer is a fun Cozy Mystery with suspects, sleuths, and a few twists and turns along the way to the ending. I enjoyed the banter between Hollis and Brooks, I definitely think if this should be the start of a series that something’s going to happen between them. They got a good start, I’d like to see where it goes from here. Although I love Cozy Mysteries I rarely try to solve it – the journey getting to the reveal is more fun for me. And I had a good time with this story. I don’t know if more stories are planned, but I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

To quote Joe Kenda who has his own show on Investigation Discovery, "Well my my my..."

That's just scratching the surface of this latest mystery entry from Hallmark. Hollis Bisbee is a former crime reporter who now lives in the small town of Parkwood and reports on...more small-town fare like giblets. When the coach of a rival high school football team is killed after a homecoming game, excitement brews as Hollis and her friend, Daisy, team up to solve the mystery while launching their own podcast, "Knock 'Em Dead."

We enter the fun straight out of the gate with Hollis reeling with boredom and the introduction of the other characters including Daisy and her wild brood of kiddos, Mary Jane, Officer Brooks Hopkins and more. By the time the mystery happens, the pace of the story does not wane and throughout you are kept guessing about the true culprit. Brown's writing is spectacular in its tact, hilarity, themes of journalism and pursuing the truth and small-town gossip. I did feel the middle drag a little in terms of the characters but it managed to pick itself back up by the big finish. Well done mystery for sure!

Also, I have to mention the podcast. Brilliant idea of combining true crime with food and I believe it helped Hollis develop further as a character even more and make Daisy shine when the time came. Loved it!

Mystery buffs, get ready to add this one to your list and tell your friends because this is--figuratively--to die for.

I received this book for free from Hallmark Publishing and BookFunnel in exchange for an honest review.

[Dixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The small town vibe is strong with this book. There is a delightful cast of characters, some divinely quirky and others of the "salt of the earth" variety. I loved the madcap female buddy pairing of Hollis and her neighbor, Daisy. I had some moments where I tired of Hollis' over the top determination to blow the lid off what she perceived was a police cover-up. I cheered when Hollis realized she had been pining over a life she left behind that wasn't all she had believed it to be. It was a great whodunit to solve along with the characters. This is a family friendly read with no sex, on-screen violence, or swearing. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
I voluntarily read an advanced review copy provided by the publisher. I offer my honest opinion in response.

[Jojo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hallmark movie in book form? Crime podcasts, sweet treats and journalists? Add in a suspicious death in the community and you have what sounds like a perfect fun, light read. Sadly, for me this just wasn't it. I wanted to love this one. I adore the Christmas hallmark books, but this one just didn't hit the mark. Unless that mark was making me crave a hotdog?! I didn't connect with any of the characters, and I didn't particularly care who did it or why.

[Rachel Patek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Hallmark movies, but wasn't sure how I would feel about Hallmark books. I gave this one a try since it was a mystery. It was pretty good. I will probably read a sequel if they make one, but it wasn't my favorite. Hollis and her neighbor/best friend Daisy decide to start a podcast about baking and murder, which sounded like something that would be a hit. I wish we could have seen more of the podcast. I know it is Hallmark and Hallmark settings are quaint small towns (like most cozy mysteries), but this town was almost too "small town." They were blatantly ignoring a murder because it would upset people and they would rather read a news article about a hot dog stand. To me, that is just unbelievable.

I liked the character of Daisy at some points, but honestly, she annoyed me a lot. She was kind of whiny and got upset over things that didn't seem to be that big of a deal. I did like that Daisy is a secondary character who has children, because many times these characters do not, but I feel like any time you see Daisy's children, all they are doing is causing chaos. It seems like the other adults she leaves them with can't watch them, which is odd. I feel like her husband and mother should be competent enough to watch the kids for an afternoon. I feel like all of the mayhem was supposed to show how good Daisy is at juggling her children and to be comic relief, but I felt like it was too much. I would rather have seen some other moments with her children other than them wreaking havoc.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You can purchase your copy from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Game-Changer-P...

This book comes from Hallmark Publishing.

This book was very silly! I feel like they bring up almonds and cyanide a lot in this book. So, in case you didn't know if someone was poisoning you or not and your food smells and tastes like bitter almonds, there is a good chance that they are and it is too late. However, don't let that dissuade you. Food with strong flavors and smells can also mask other bitter poisons as well. So, if I learned nothing else in this book, I learned to beware of poignant flavors and smells in food from people who are suspicious.

There were many silly references in this book like saying Sweet & Sour Chicken tastes like Chicken with Barbecue sauce. I want to know what Barbecue sauce the author is using. My Barbecue Chicken never tastes that way.
We begin this book in an editor’s office of the Parkwood Chronicle Weekly, as Mary Jean, the editor tears apart the three paged article word by word with a red pen including the overuse of the work GIBLETS. Henceforth, the beginning of the silliness of this book. I was very caught up in the silliness of this book and lost track of the plot.
This book has a great recipe at the end! Cherry Chunk Muffins, oh my! My copy also had a sneak peak of Out of the Picture, A Shepherd Sisters Mystery by Tracy Gardner.

[Joy Crain · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hollie Brisbee is on the case and she’s ready for much more than silly stories about a new hot dog machine. Too bad her boss doesn’t quiet share the same sentiment. So while Hollie handles the dead end stories by day, she and her best friend Daisy start the “Knock ‘Em Dead” podcast where the discuss murder and muffins.

Then a football coach is the victim of a hit and run accident that may or not be an accident at all.

I wish I could say I liked this but halfway through I found myself forcing my eyes to stay glued to the page because it seemed like everything had slowed and the main characters were getting nowhere. Even the comedic dialogue couldn’t save this for me. On the plus side, there was a car chase so it’s got that going for it.

This book is appropriate for ages 13+ for non-graphic murder and some thematic elements.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hollis has spent a year working for the small town newspaper in Parkwood, missing her lost job in Chicago and the boyfriend who wouldn't move to Missouri with her. When there's a death at the high school homecoming football game, Hollis thinks she has found a murder case that she can solve, even though local and office politics combine to thwart her investigation. Thwarter in chief is the cute new cop in town, despite his dreamy blue eyes. Hollis and her next-door neighbor, mother and baker Daisy, try to start a podcast that will combine their twin passions--murder and muffins--but run into problems with that, as well, before Hollis eliminates all her suspects and finally figures out whodunnit.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Game Changer : A Parkwood Mystery from Hallmark Publishing by Jennifer Brown is a delightful and fun mystery. Hollis Bisbee use to be a crime reporter in Chicago, and now she lives and works on a small town paper in Missouri. Board with the fuff, no crime reporting newspaper, she and her best friend, Daisy, start a podcast called Murder and Muffins. Daisy is an excellent baker, and Hollis knows murder. This book has a little bit of everything, mystery, romance, and humor. I will be reading more books by this author. I highly recommend this book for a fun escape.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Patti Whitson Stephenson She Lives to Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fun cozy mystery! I loved the main characters of Hollis and Daisy. The small town setting was great, and I could almost imagine that I could walk down the street and recognize the townspeople. I liked this author’s writing style and the humor that she put all throughout the book. I’m not sure if this will be a series, but I’d love to revisit these characters again. This is a sweet and clean mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.

Oh, and the recipe at the end of this story looks wonderful! Cherry Chocolate Chunk Muffins!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friday Night Lights meets Nancy Drew. When Hollis moves from a prestigious reporting job in Chicago to a job writing for a small town newspaper in Parkwood her life changes. Assigned to cover trivial, everyday matters like a new hot dog cooker in the high school’s snack bar, Hollis is irritated but still has her eyes open for the bigger crimes in town. In this small town high school football is king and everyone in the town, including the sheriff, is willing to lie to cover-up a mysterious crime in which a rival team’s football coach is mowed down in the high school’s parking lot. This book is more interesting than the regular cozy mystery! A fun read!

[Ashley Cate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, easy to read book. I originally picked up this book because it was a mystery and it was centered around a podcast. I’m big into podcasts and that was why really drew me to the book. Unfortunately, I felt like the podcast was not as big a part of the book as what I had expected. I wish more time had been spent on it. That’s only my opinion though and most people probably wouldn’t be bothered by that.

I thought the mystery was solid, even if I was a bit put off by how the police handled the murder. Overall, this was a fun book and I will probably read more books in the series. This is not a series that will go on my must buy immediately list though.

[Melissa Patek · Rating 2 out of 5]

I chose to read this because I needed a quick, cozy mystery, that would be easy to follow. It was my pre-service week for teaching, and I just didn't have the energy to read a heavier historical mystery. This was just not it for me.

Things I Liked:

The podcast idea. I liked the idea for the podcast. It reminds me of like Youtube videos where girls do their makeup and talk about murder. I don't think it was explained very well in the book though. They spent a lot of time kind of bickering about it, but I never really got the big picture.

Funny lines. Hollis definitely had some funny one-liners in the book. I appreciated those.

Things I Didn't Like

The town. This town was just too "small, hokey, hometown" for me (even though it's not her hometown). I just thought it was ridiculous that some of these people were ignoring murders and covering up stuff and everyone was like "it's ok...that's just small-town life."

Annoying characters. There were just too many annoying characters for me. I found Daisy to be annoying a lot of the time. Mary Jean was annoying and so was the police chief. I also found Brooks annoying as well. I know some of these people are "bad guy" type characters, and I'm sure if there is/was going to be more books they would have gotten theirs in due course, but there were just too many annoying people.

[Lindsey Forkel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reason I bought this book was because it had so many of my favorite things… Murder mysteries, baking and also podcasts!
Baking and mysteries just go together but adding in the aspect of the podcast was one of the main things that caught my attention.
This book was among a few of the books I've read this year that I have made myself slow down for. I was holding my breath to the last page not wanting to miss anything and was surprised when I could guess the killer for most of the book.
If you decide to read this you might need a crime board to keep up with all of its developments!
Happy Reading!

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was going to use this for a recipe in a book or three word title. I ended up using for a happy ending. Hollis left her home town, family, job and ex boyfriend. She was heart broken when she left. She started a new job that was less than exciting. The assignments were awful and she was struggling. She is at a football game when a hit and run occurs. She is tenacious and does not stop until she solves the case. Much to the chagrin of the chief of police. I could total see this as a hallmark movie where everything gets solved in the end and everyone lives happy ever after.

[Lynne Ernst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Hallmark romance mystery. Found the story had great layers as the mystery and solution comes together. Hallmark will have a great movie from this story.

Thank you NetGalley and Hallmark for allowing me to read and review.