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Sunshine Cove Cozy Mystery #1
Makeup and Mayhem
A suspicious death at a party. A list of unusual suspects. A small town beauty consultant who just wants life to return to normal.
Celia's life isn't a bed of roses. As a widow with two young boys, she's only happy when her boys are happy. Her business, providing makeup products to the citizens of Sunshine Cove, puts food on the table and gives a purpose to her days.
When a former classmate drops dead at a party, Celia is confused and wonders what could have caused her demise. Her confusion is turned into anxiety when the police name her as a prime suspect. Celia regrets attending the party where she was cajoled into offering free make overs to the party attendees.
She can't think of anyone who would have wanted to kill the deceased. Still, in a town where anyone's business is everyone's business, she knows the killer is lurking in plain sight.
She can't afford to wallow in self-pity while there's a killer on the loose. Will she help to find the killer and restore normalcy to her life, her family and town or become the killer's next victim?
If you want to enjoy a light-hearted read, with an amateur female sleuth and a gripping murder mystery with a touch of romance, then you'll love Celia Dube and all the friendly and not-so-friendly characters in Sunny Cove.
No cliffhanger, swearing or graphic scenes!
Celia's life isn't a bed of roses. As a widow with two young boys, she's only happy when her boys are happy. Her business, providing makeup products to the citizens of Sunshine Cove, puts food on the table and gives a purpose to her days.
When a former classmate drops dead at a party, Celia is confused and wonders what could have caused her demise. Her confusion is turned into anxiety when the police name her as a prime suspect. Celia regrets attending the party where she was cajoled into offering free make overs to the party attendees.
She can't think of anyone who would have wanted to kill the deceased. Still, in a town where anyone's business is everyone's business, she knows the killer is lurking in plain sight.
She can't afford to wallow in self-pity while there's a killer on the loose. Will she help to find the killer and restore normalcy to her life, her family and town or become the killer's next victim?
If you want to enjoy a light-hearted read, with an amateur female sleuth and a gripping murder mystery with a touch of romance, then you'll love Celia Dube and all the friendly and not-so-friendly characters in Sunny Cove.
No cliffhanger, swearing or graphic scenes!
- GenresCozy MysteryMystery
183 pages, ebook
First published August 7, 2020
201 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 3, 2021
I chose this book for my Author A-Z challenge.
I do love a good cozy and I was introduced to a new set of characters in this little town. Celia is a widow and hasn't gotten back into the dating world much to the chagrin of her mother...Audrey Matinise. I found it interesting that when Audrey was speaking that she was identified as Mrs. Matinise and not Audrey or Mom.
After reading a few other reviews, I somehow missed that this was set in South Africa. The only clue is when some food is mentioned and even then it isn't definite. It doesn't feel like it is set in another country but I suppose that is a good thing, the reader can imagine the story happening in their country.
The book isn't long and Celia has to balance finding the killer, her makeup business, and her two young sons (who appear to be a handful).
I do love a good cozy and I was introduced to a new set of characters in this little town. Celia is a widow and hasn't gotten back into the dating world much to the chagrin of her mother...Audrey Matinise. I found it interesting that when Audrey was speaking that she was identified as Mrs. Matinise and not Audrey or Mom.
After reading a few other reviews, I somehow missed that this was set in South Africa. The only clue is when some food is mentioned and even then it isn't definite. It doesn't feel like it is set in another country but I suppose that is a good thing, the reader can imagine the story happening in their country.
The book isn't long and Celia has to balance finding the killer, her makeup business, and her two young sons (who appear to be a handful).
August 9, 2020
An amazing new author for me Just the right amount of suspense to keep you guessing as to what happens. Loved the characters.
October 24, 2020
Clean and easy read
This book was a fast read for me and I don’t usually read fast. It took a few chapters to get to the mystery but I liked the story and it was very clean.
This book was a fast read for me and I don’t usually read fast. It took a few chapters to get to the mystery but I liked the story and it was very clean.
October 7, 2025
I really enjoyed this mystery.
November 14, 2020
The Makeup Lady is Calling!
This was a delightful narrative. Celia, the main character, was interesting and entertaining. The author kept me guessing as to how the plot would be solved. All in all, I liked the book.
This was a delightful narrative. Celia, the main character, was interesting and entertaining. The author kept me guessing as to how the plot would be solved. All in all, I liked the book.
August 8, 2020
Makeup and Mayhem is the first book, in a new series, featuring Celia Dube as a beauty consultant and makeup distributor set in a coastal town in South Africa. As a consultant, she daily drives around to meet clients, make deliveries and offer her expertise as a beauty consultant. While stopping at a petrol station fill up on fuel, a former high schoolmate and great friend, Rosie, sees and calls to her. She invites Celia to a party. She not fun at parties, but Rosie makes it a party where the theme is makeup. A makeup themed party would work to Celia’s advantage. It was worth a shot, if the crowd was in the money. So after thinking about it, decides to go. At the party while Celia and Rosie are talking, a familiar male voice asked from behind them, standing there was the tall form of Mark Williams, Rosie’s older brother. She had shared with Mark an unspoken feeling of unfinished business since their high school romance, which ended quite abruptly. Someone dies and the investigation begins. There were many twists and turns about what was happening and it had me guessing throughout the book trying to figure out who was the murderer. A nice start to a new series.
I received a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I received a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 25, 2020
2.5 stars
Celia is a mom and widower, selling makeup to make ends meet. That is what we know.
What we don't know (unless I missed it somehow) is what she looks like. That is one reason why I had a hard time "getting to know her". Then there was the overabundance of who could have been the killer and it got annoying trying to untangle that mess. Usually with cozy mysteries, the police zero in on the main character or someone she knows and in this book, they narrowed it down to three and kept cards close to their vest so I had no idea why Celia felt the need to snoop. She might have been a suspect and then again, she might not have been. Her snooping landed her in hot water when the killer was revealed and she was caught unawares. Ugh! I felt unsatisfied with how the story progressed and the lack of reason for Celia getting involved.
Celia is a mom and widower, selling makeup to make ends meet. That is what we know.
What we don't know (unless I missed it somehow) is what she looks like. That is one reason why I had a hard time "getting to know her". Then there was the overabundance of who could have been the killer and it got annoying trying to untangle that mess. Usually with cozy mysteries, the police zero in on the main character or someone she knows and in this book, they narrowed it down to three and kept cards close to their vest so I had no idea why Celia felt the need to snoop. She might have been a suspect and then again, she might not have been. Her snooping landed her in hot water when the killer was revealed and she was caught unawares. Ugh! I felt unsatisfied with how the story progressed and the lack of reason for Celia getting involved.
October 4, 2020
I love cozy mysteries. They definitely fall under my guilty pleasure reads. This book is set in Cape Town and while it definitely aids the story sometimes the author broke my illusion by the use of "dollars" to describe currency or the way in which the characters spoke sometimes felt clumsy.
I think this could have benefited from fifty more pages. Just so that the story didn't feel too rushed. I will admit that the villain reveal was pretty cool and I loved it.
This is definitely a fun short read.
I think this could have benefited from fifty more pages. Just so that the story didn't feel too rushed. I will admit that the villain reveal was pretty cool and I loved it.
This is definitely a fun short read.
August 7, 2020
I received a free advance review copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review. .This was a good first book. Celia just wants to sell makeup when she's invited to a party. An old friend from school drops dead at the party and Celia might be a suspect. I enjoyed this book and recommend it and hope there will be more.
August 7, 2020
What a delightfully outrageous caracters ,vibrant inquisitive and challenging in so many ways and one can never forget thier unique way of humor. Ava Zuma is a writer of high caliber that draws you into her cozey murder mysterys with an easy flow of a charming tail. Aquier a copy of "Makeup and Mayhem "so you yourself can enjoy reading it as much as I have. 😊Kat
November 14, 2020
South Africa make-up and murder mystery
This is the first book I read from this author. It wasn't a terrible book but not for me. I enjoy cozy mysteries. What made it weird and unrealistic was how Celia becomes and insists on being a detective. It made no sense and was weird. She basically harasses some people and ends up getting her cake 🎂 and eating it too.
This is the first book I read from this author. It wasn't a terrible book but not for me. I enjoy cozy mysteries. What made it weird and unrealistic was how Celia becomes and insists on being a detective. It made no sense and was weird. She basically harasses some people and ends up getting her cake 🎂 and eating it too.
September 21, 2022
Very Rushed
I'm a fan of all genres, every now and then I find a cozy mystery that seems interesting. While this one had a good plot, it just felt very rushed. It felt like it didn't have enough clues to even lead up to the person who did it and then boom here's who did it.
I'm a fan of all genres, every now and then I find a cozy mystery that seems interesting. While this one had a good plot, it just felt very rushed. It felt like it didn't have enough clues to even lead up to the person who did it and then boom here's who did it.
April 28, 2021
Exactly what a cozy mystery should be..
Short, quaint and with characters you can relate to. Simple setting with a curious main character. Off to read the next in series.
Short, quaint and with characters you can relate to. Simple setting with a curious main character. Off to read the next in series.
April 14, 2022
Fast read
A quick read that's fluffy enough to read with directions around but fun enough to keep you interested. The main character has some depth and is likable.
A quick read that's fluffy enough to read with directions around but fun enough to keep you interested. The main character has some depth and is likable.
September 28, 2022
Enjoyable cozy mystery. I want that lip tint.
July 4, 2024
I really enjoyed this quick read and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
July 8, 2025
2.4
Cute cover, but the story wasn't well written, despite the fact that the characters had potential.
Cute cover, but the story wasn't well written, despite the fact that the characters had potential.
April 20, 2021
I enjoyed the characters and loved the setting. Might read others in the series, despite the light plot on this one.
November 29, 2020
This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series. I have joined the ARC team since book 2 so I bought this one for 99 cents to be on track with the series. This is a clean cozy mystery series. Celia Dube is a travelling cosmetics consultant in the idyllic Sunshine Cove in Africa. Idyllic until murder strikes the town! *gasp* As in all cozies, nothing happens in the town until book 1 and then there is a new murder every book. Formulaic and forgettable. I read this in August and I can't remember a thing about the murder mystery unless I read the synopsis.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews