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Death at Whispering Lake
Harley Kennedy has a serious case of the post-holiday blues: her love life is in the dumps, she lives downstairs to her overbearing mother, and her estranged uncle has recently died, leaving her to handle the estate in the Michigan hinterlands in the dead of January. The more she learns about her uncle’s death, the more suspicious she is that it’s related to an upcoming city council vote on a development deal. The only problem is the small-town policeman can’t be bothered to investigate. Harley has to find the answers herself, but her efforts are hindered by the arrival of her mother and the distraction of a certain handsome restaurant owner. As the time ticks down to the council vote, Harley has to rush to find her uncle’s killer - before the killer finds her.
A fast and fun read, Death at Whispering Lake is the debut novel of an exciting new voice in the cozy mystery world! Featuring quirky characters and snappy dialogue, this is sure to be one of your favorite cozy mystery reads for 2021!
A fast and fun read, Death at Whispering Lake is the debut novel of an exciting new voice in the cozy mystery world! Featuring quirky characters and snappy dialogue, this is sure to be one of your favorite cozy mystery reads for 2021!
- GenresFiction
180 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 8, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 6, 2021
An interesting first book in a new series with a unique personality who is definitely different from your average main character. Harley is a librarian with a weird penchant for tossing out random facts when under stress. We are introduced to Harley as her mom forces her into handling the funeral arrangements for her uncle. However, when she arrives in the small lake town she finds that all is not as it seems on the surface. She finds herself wrapped in an intense mystery that may end with her being the next person that they are planning a memorial for. A very interesting plot that drew me in and had me guessing who the murderer was with intriguing twists. The uniqueness of the character took a bit to get used to and connect with, but by the end of the book I was ready to read more. I look forward to getting to know the characters more and to see what happens next.
March 5, 2021
Harlow Kennedy's Uncle has passed unexpectedly. Her mother sends her to Whispering Lake to handle his final arrangements but when she arrives she finds that he may have been murdered. When Harlow can't get answers she decides to investigate. This may not be a wise decision. Now her life is in danger. And her mother has come to help. Someone certainly wants her to leave. Can this Chicago librarian find the killer as well as keep her mother out of trouble? I admired Harlow's determination. She won't back down. There are certainly plenty of suspects who wanted her Uncle to sell his land. At least there is someone she can trust - Bill, the owner of the Blue Lagoon. He's handsome and helpful. Their flirting makes her stay very interesting. Seeing them together made me smile. Who knew this rural Michigan town had so many dangerous secrets. I wanted Harlow to get answers and survive her stay in Whispering Lake. I enjoyed Joanna Carns writing. This cozy mystery was a quick and entertaining read. I found her characters likable and the story suspenseful. The dialogue was sassy and humorous. This book was a great way to unwind. I can't wait to see what happens when Harlow makes a return visit.
March 16, 2021
This was a very good beginning to a new series. I love Harley and her unusual tic of tossing out random trivia when she's nervous. It's quite amusing! Harley travels to Whispering Lake to take care of her uncle's estate and discovers that his death is suspicious. There are lots of suspects in this small town and Harley has no idea who to trust. There is a development deal in the works to build a casino at the lake. Her uncle was against it and refusing to sell. Is that the reason for his death? When another hold out turns up dead Harley feels she must solve the mystery or die trying. She also finds a hunk of a man at the local bar and is smitten. He seems to care about her too but does he really? And then you have Harley's mom, Joan, who is quite a character too. A rollicking good time!!
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
January 15, 2021
Whispering Lake Series, Book 1, EBk-M, Kindle, @ 1/8/21, read 1/14/21. Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Romance, West Burt Lake, Crooked Lake, Petoskey, MI setting. (Original title "Death at Crooked Lake"). I've been coming up to West Burt Lake for over 50 years, and reading this cozy reminded me why I love the area so much. I could picture the town, the Lake, the hospital in Petoskey, the highway back and forth to town. The main character, Harley Kennedy jumps to conclusions to easily, except when danger is staring her in the face. Then she's just naive! The Police Chief, the Mayor and the Funeral Director are laughable, and most of the other characters are questionable. But it did provide a few hours of reading pleasure. Not totally awesome, but an enjoyable Cozy mystery, romance, who done it, and why. 3☆'s = Good.
March 3, 2021
I couldn’t read this debut cozy by Joanna Carns fast enough! I adore a cozy where the heroine isn’t what society deems perfect. A woman who blushes too much when a handsome man smiles at her, who is also just a tad overweight, doesn’t care too much about her appearance (but sounds like she’s pretty adorable) and has quirky ‘ticks’ of blurting out random trivia when she’s nervous!
Harley Kennedy is our main character who has just been notified with the sad news that her Uncle Tommy has met his demise in a small, backwoods town in Michigan. Harley’s mother Joan, who is quite the character herself, begs Harley to go ‘collect his corpse’ as the local authorities have asked Joan to do, as she certainly couldn’t handle such a horrid responsibility herself. Besides Harley has been made the executor of his will so she reluctantly heads to Outer Michigan at the dramatic imploring of her mother. What could possibly go wrong?
What she didn’t expect when she got there was an underhanded casino development being voted on in this town where her Uncle Tommy lived. Whispering Lake would no longer be the small, quiet and charming hometown community because Denver Development has been buying all the property needed to construct and develop a large casino. But, there are three properties that weren’t selling, and one of those properties belonged to Uncle Tommy. Coincidence that Uncle Tommy accidentally died on the frozen lake outside of his cabin? Some authorities were calling it suicide, but Harley knows her Uncle would never be the type of person to do this. Something awry is happening in Whispering Lake and Harley is going to get to the bottom of it. Even if it means putting herself in harm’s way and danger at every corner.
Oh, and let’s not forget to add in a sprinkling of crazy townsfolk, a eerily cheerful Funeral Director, Harley’s overbearing, criticizing, female fatale of a mother driving out to lend a helping hand and most importantly, the sexy, flannel clad, broad chested, dark curly haired and bearded Bill, who just happens to own the local bar Blue Lagoon and may have eyes for Harley, and you get a recipe for intrigue, amusement, suspense, and the perfect who-done-it!
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed and my comments are my honest opinion.
Harley Kennedy is our main character who has just been notified with the sad news that her Uncle Tommy has met his demise in a small, backwoods town in Michigan. Harley’s mother Joan, who is quite the character herself, begs Harley to go ‘collect his corpse’ as the local authorities have asked Joan to do, as she certainly couldn’t handle such a horrid responsibility herself. Besides Harley has been made the executor of his will so she reluctantly heads to Outer Michigan at the dramatic imploring of her mother. What could possibly go wrong?
What she didn’t expect when she got there was an underhanded casino development being voted on in this town where her Uncle Tommy lived. Whispering Lake would no longer be the small, quiet and charming hometown community because Denver Development has been buying all the property needed to construct and develop a large casino. But, there are three properties that weren’t selling, and one of those properties belonged to Uncle Tommy. Coincidence that Uncle Tommy accidentally died on the frozen lake outside of his cabin? Some authorities were calling it suicide, but Harley knows her Uncle would never be the type of person to do this. Something awry is happening in Whispering Lake and Harley is going to get to the bottom of it. Even if it means putting herself in harm’s way and danger at every corner.
Oh, and let’s not forget to add in a sprinkling of crazy townsfolk, a eerily cheerful Funeral Director, Harley’s overbearing, criticizing, female fatale of a mother driving out to lend a helping hand and most importantly, the sexy, flannel clad, broad chested, dark curly haired and bearded Bill, who just happens to own the local bar Blue Lagoon and may have eyes for Harley, and you get a recipe for intrigue, amusement, suspense, and the perfect who-done-it!
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed and my comments are my honest opinion.
February 17, 2021
Joanna Carns delivers a lighthearted mystery featuring her protagonist Harley Kennedy, a socially- awkward, single, 37-year old librarian turned bumbling amateur sleuth. Carns paints a clear picture of Harley, replete with wrinkled, ill-fitting clothes, a penchant for comfort-over-style (much to her mother’s chagrin), and a nervous tic that makes Harley blurt peculiar and irrelevant trivia whenever she is rattled. Yikes! Readers will learn many unusual facts from Harley’s uncomfortable and cringe-worthy outbursts. Though intelligent, Harley is not an obvious choice for detective work, as she lacks people savvy and sophistication. She stumbles into a murder investigation because her uncle has passed, and with the assistance of her mother, eventually nabs the killer who is plaguing the small town of Whispering Lake Michigan. Harley is stubbornly independent and is plagued by her mom’s judgment and needing to “manage” her mother. Perhaps needing her mom will help heal their troubled relationship? We’ll see in the next books.
The setting for this cozy is a one-horse lake town that is notable for its lack of any personalities other than those who are suspects in the case. In fact, the only person who is not a suspect is the killer, so it’s easy to solve this mystery early on, as Harley accuses everyone she meets (except the killer) of wrongdoing at some point. The symbiotic, but tense relationship that Carns establishes between Harley and her glamorous, dysfunctional, mother Joan will definitely yield drama in future installments of this series, and the too-good looking Bill yields some promise as a romantic prospect, as the author leaves us some clues that there is more to Bill than his strong jawline and rugged good looks. Hopefully future mysteries in Whispering Lake will flesh out the setting so that it is more than just a cold, deserted resort town in the winter. A summer mystery in which the town is bustling with tourists and activity would be welcome.
I received a copy of this book, which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.
The setting for this cozy is a one-horse lake town that is notable for its lack of any personalities other than those who are suspects in the case. In fact, the only person who is not a suspect is the killer, so it’s easy to solve this mystery early on, as Harley accuses everyone she meets (except the killer) of wrongdoing at some point. The symbiotic, but tense relationship that Carns establishes between Harley and her glamorous, dysfunctional, mother Joan will definitely yield drama in future installments of this series, and the too-good looking Bill yields some promise as a romantic prospect, as the author leaves us some clues that there is more to Bill than his strong jawline and rugged good looks. Hopefully future mysteries in Whispering Lake will flesh out the setting so that it is more than just a cold, deserted resort town in the winter. A summer mystery in which the town is bustling with tourists and activity would be welcome.
I received a copy of this book, which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.
March 16, 2021
Harlow “Harley” Kennedy drives from Chicago to Whispering Lake, a village in Michigan, to make decisions regarding funeral arrangements for her recently deceased uncle and to fulfill her duties as executor of his will. After Harley’s arrival in the small town, she begins to suspect that her uncle’s death was not due to suicide. She gets caught up in a controversy among the townspeople concerning a casino development project. Harley’s uncle was vehemently opposed to the project and stood in the way of its success. After the death of a second man, who also was a thorn in the development company’s side, Harley is convinced that both men were murdered. However, she hits a brick wall when to comes to the police sergeant conducting an investigation, so she takes it upon herself to ascertain the truth. This decision puts Harley in danger. Will the culprit(s) get away with murder or will justice prevail?
Death at Whispering Lake is the first book in a new series, and Joanna Carns has created a diverse group of characters who come alive on the pages and are imbued with distinctive personality traits that trigger their emotional and behavioral responses to situations. I like how Carns has imbued Harley with some quirky traits, such as quoting obscure trivia facts when she is nervous, obsessive cleaning of surfaces, and the comparison of people in her life to characters in Pride and Prejudice.
A wonderful debut penned by Carns that incorporates a romantic subplot into an exciting mystery along with an accurate representation of life in a small community. Short chapters encourage readers to keep turning the pages, and the chapter titles work as hooks to pique one’s interest. The story progresses at a steady pace as the tension builds to a peak, and with more than one viable suspect readers are kept guessing until the final reveal. At the end is a blurb about the next book in the series, Murder by Morel. I look forward to more of Meg’s adventures.
Death at Whispering Lake is the first book in a new series, and Joanna Carns has created a diverse group of characters who come alive on the pages and are imbued with distinctive personality traits that trigger their emotional and behavioral responses to situations. I like how Carns has imbued Harley with some quirky traits, such as quoting obscure trivia facts when she is nervous, obsessive cleaning of surfaces, and the comparison of people in her life to characters in Pride and Prejudice.
A wonderful debut penned by Carns that incorporates a romantic subplot into an exciting mystery along with an accurate representation of life in a small community. Short chapters encourage readers to keep turning the pages, and the chapter titles work as hooks to pique one’s interest. The story progresses at a steady pace as the tension builds to a peak, and with more than one viable suspect readers are kept guessing until the final reveal. At the end is a blurb about the next book in the series, Murder by Morel. I look forward to more of Meg’s adventures.
March 17, 2021
Harley Kennedy is a librarian who is full of self-doubt and low self-esteem. Although her flamboyant mother keeps on her case pushing to get Harley out of her shell. Then, her uncle Tommy who she was close to as a child, but hasn't been in touch with him for years has died up in the small town of Whispering Lake and they wanted her mother, Joan to come and claim him. We, Joan just can't do it and so Harley drove the hours up to Whispering Lake to take care of business. She finds out that her uncle died of suicide walking into the middle of a lake and falling through. But that just didn't seem like her uncle at all. Everyone in town she talked to all said he was a wonderful, helpful, kind and friendly person. Why would he commit suicide? Plus he was an ice fisherman and knew when not to go out on the lake. And now Harley finds out she inherited her uncle's cabin and is now being hounded to sell because a developer has been buying up major properties and the cabin is right in the middle. But Harley will not be pushed into anything and decides she has to investigate her uncle's death. When another towns person who was against selling his property dies, she is really suspicious and along the way sh met Bill the owner and bartender of a bar who seems to take a liking to her. But she doesn't want to get involved even though he is so nice and protective of her and seems to care about her. She will not get side tracked. She wants to find out about her uncle's death and who are all involved. There are so many possible suspects that she stumbles in her amateur sleuthing from one to the other. You will be surprised by the ending and will want to read more! This book was a real page turner and the whole series has a lot or promise and I can't wait to see what will happen to Harley next. Will she and Bill get together, will she sell the cabin? Will this experience change her or give he self-confidence? Harley is a great character and so real. I highly recommend this book and can't wait for more! I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
February 21, 2021
Harley (Harlow) and her mother Joan have been told that Joan’s brother Tommy has died at Whispering Lake where he lived in a small village on the lake. Harley has been named executor of his estate and needs to go there to take care of things. After making the several hour trip from Chicago to the village Whispering Lake Harley checks into the only hotel there and goes to one of the only restaurants that is open in the “off season”. Harley and Bill, restaurant owner/manager, have an instant connection, something she never expected.
Harley soon discovers that everyone believes her uncle Tommy committed suicide. Not accepting this as his cause of death, Harley sets out to prove them wrong. Proving he was murdered is how Harley the Liberian becomes Harley the sleuth. One of the first things she learns is that Denver Development is trying to get the village to vote on building a casino that will bring tourist in all year round. Of course this will change the whole village and require many changes to the village including her uncle selling his land to them. Well that is one motive and she begins her hunt there. You will be taken on a journey that has deception, mother-daughter bonding, unrequited love, car chases and even another death and arson as Harley works to find who killed her uncle Tommy.
This is a very enjoyable cozy and will keep you thinking you know who did it but you will probably be wrong.
Harley soon discovers that everyone believes her uncle Tommy committed suicide. Not accepting this as his cause of death, Harley sets out to prove them wrong. Proving he was murdered is how Harley the Liberian becomes Harley the sleuth. One of the first things she learns is that Denver Development is trying to get the village to vote on building a casino that will bring tourist in all year round. Of course this will change the whole village and require many changes to the village including her uncle selling his land to them. Well that is one motive and she begins her hunt there. You will be taken on a journey that has deception, mother-daughter bonding, unrequited love, car chases and even another death and arson as Harley works to find who killed her uncle Tommy.
This is a very enjoyable cozy and will keep you thinking you know who did it but you will probably be wrong.
March 10, 2021
If you are looking for a cute cozy mystery, look no further than Death at Whispering Lake by Joanna Carns. This is an enjoyable story about Harley Kennedy, a librarian with a lot of humorous inner monologue and a penchant for blurting out the most random facts at the most inappropriate times. But this just makes the story funnier. Harley’s Uncle Tommy has passed away and she was named as his heir. She journeys to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to settle his estate and wound up in the middle of a murder mystery, a conspiracy to build a casino in the quiet village of Whispering Lake, and a new love interest. Since the town’s policeman will not investigate her uncle’s death, she starts snooping around. Soon she is caught up in small town intrigue. Add to that the arrival of her mother, who could not be more different from Harley, and hijinks ensue! This just barely scratches the surface of the story – you will need to read it for yourself😊
I especially enjoyed the setting of this cozy mystery. The UP is such a beautiful, remote area (with little cell service!). I would highly recommend this book. It is a quick read and I look forward to more cozy mysteries from Joanna Carns!
I was given a free copy of this book in the hope that I would review it. I am happy to do so.
I especially enjoyed the setting of this cozy mystery. The UP is such a beautiful, remote area (with little cell service!). I would highly recommend this book. It is a quick read and I look forward to more cozy mysteries from Joanna Carns!
I was given a free copy of this book in the hope that I would review it. I am happy to do so.
March 8, 2021
That was definitely a nail biter! Throughout the story I kept saying to myself, "it has to be this one or it has to be that one" but I did not, until almost the reveal, realize who the actual killer was! Death at Whispering Lake was a good read and definitely worth the time. I did enjoy the characters and I would love to read the next book in the series. And even though Whispering Lake is a small town with not much going for it, I can understand why the many characters love to live there. At first I was a bit saddened by Harley's tic and the spouting of random bits of trivia but throughout the story I realized it was definitely something I could see myself doing in those situations. I also was very understanding about her relationship with her mother. I definitely recommend this book and am excited to read the next story in the series.
March 16, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the first in a new series; I was glad to see that there will be more books, because I became attached to the main character, Harley, even as awkward as she is. She’s very likable; I wish I could say the same about her crazy mother! The mystery was very intriguing, although probably a bit unrealistic; I certainly hope no police officers are as awful as the lone cop of Whispering Lakes. I live in Michigan, so I thought it was fun that the book is set in northern Michigan. There were plenty of suspects and I must say that I figured out the culprit not long before he/she was revealed. I definitely recommend this book; I was provided an arc, but these opinions are my own.
February 27, 2021
When Harley’s uncle dies she packs up her car and drives to a one horse town in the middle of nowhere to settle his estate. When she arrives, she finds that her uncle died under questionable circumstances and that he was one of the people against building a casino in town.
The town and surrounding area are described beautifully. My main issue with the book is the characters. Harley is extremely naive for her age, jumps to conclusions and accuses everyone except the killer. Her mother is dysfunctional, and most of the other characters are two dimensional.
The author’s writing style was very readable and I think this could be a good series with some reworking.
The town and surrounding area are described beautifully. My main issue with the book is the characters. Harley is extremely naive for her age, jumps to conclusions and accuses everyone except the killer. Her mother is dysfunctional, and most of the other characters are two dimensional.
The author’s writing style was very readable and I think this could be a good series with some reworking.
March 16, 2021
There are plenty of other reviews that will give you the general plot of this cozy mystery. I’m here to tell you it is immensely bingeable! The main character is so quirky, yet lovable. Plus there are so many little clues left to throw you off the real murderer, you will not want to stop reading. And it’s set in the UP, what’s not to love?! I cannot wait for the next book in the series!
January 15, 2021
Worth reading and recommending
As there were no reviews to the book when I started reading, I did not know what to expect. I am glad that I have the book and the author a chance as I really did enjoy the storyline. I look forward to more from this author.
As there were no reviews to the book when I started reading, I did not know what to expect. I am glad that I have the book and the author a chance as I really did enjoy the storyline. I look forward to more from this author.
March 4, 2021
I enjoyed this book as it kept ME guessing who-dun-it right up to the end! (I blame the entrance of Joan, the mc's mother, who was just so frigging "so" that I took my eye off the proverbial ball.) If you like intrigue and little towns, you gotta read this! I may not read the next (Joan) but then again, I might as this was a highly entertaining quickish read.
August 23, 2021
Harley is one of the most interesting new main characters in a cozy mystery that I’ve come across in awhile. She’s 37, a librarian, lives in Chicago in her mom and stepfather’s mother-in-law unit, drives a beat-up old 15-year-old Honda, has a cat named Captain Hook and blurts out odd bits of trivia whenever she’s nervous (which is quite often).
While her mom encourages her to forget her ex, Daniel, and improve herself, Harley is just trying to get through life with as few awkward interactions as possible. When she finds out that she’s the executor of her uncle Tommy’s will, she heads to a very cold and frozen town, Whispering Lake, to clear out his things and settle his estate.
As Harley starts going through her uncle’s things, she starts to learn more about his life and time at Whispering Lake, where he was better known as Brother Thomas. The local police officer, Sgt. Tannenbaum had ruled Tommy’s death a suicide, but Harley is having a tough time accepting that. She’s even more convinced that there’s something suspicious with the death as Tannenbaum comes off as a lazy, rude and obnoxious jerk and decides to do a little investigating of her own.
And while Harley is absolutely determined not to get too attached to Whispering Lake or its inhabitants, she can’t help be attracted to the local bartender at the Blue Lagoon restaurant, Bill. With his rugged good looks and helpful persona, it seems that Harley and Bill are always crossing paths.
When I picked up Death at Whispering Lake, I had only intended to read a few chapters a day while I caught up on other things. But the characters and mystery just pulled me in and I finished the book in a day. Harley is quirky and awkward, but in an endearing way that is totally relatable. Her reactions don’t seem out of the ordinary and I definitely found myself rooting for her as she went about trying to discover the truth about her uncle.
The town of Whispering Lake, and its inhabitants, are an interesting mix and added to the enjoyment of the story. I could almost FEEL the winter snow blowing at my from the pages (brrrrr!) and halfway through the story I was already wondering if Harley would be pulling up roots to leave Chicago for Whispering Lake.
There are a lot of supporting characters to the story, both in Chicago and in Whispering Lake and it was sometimes hard to figure out who was on Harley’s side and who was working against her, which added to the mysterious feeling of the story.
Another aspect of the story that is a bit different than most other cozy mysteries is that the Tommy’s death takes place prior to beginning of the story so you are thrown right into it from the start. Most cozy mysteries take a few chapters to introduce you to all the characters before someone is murdered (sometimes guessing who is going to be the victim is half the fun). Carns does a great job of allowing us to get to know Tommy through the other characters, whether it’s their reaction to his death or their memories of him. Regardless, I felt like I knew Tommy as a fully-fleshed out character by the end of the book even though he was never alive during it.
Death at Whispering Lake is a great start to a new cozy mystery series and I’m very much looking forward to the next one. Harley has some big decisions to make and I’m excited to see how things go from here!
*** Thank you to the author, Joanna Carns, for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
While her mom encourages her to forget her ex, Daniel, and improve herself, Harley is just trying to get through life with as few awkward interactions as possible. When she finds out that she’s the executor of her uncle Tommy’s will, she heads to a very cold and frozen town, Whispering Lake, to clear out his things and settle his estate.
As Harley starts going through her uncle’s things, she starts to learn more about his life and time at Whispering Lake, where he was better known as Brother Thomas. The local police officer, Sgt. Tannenbaum had ruled Tommy’s death a suicide, but Harley is having a tough time accepting that. She’s even more convinced that there’s something suspicious with the death as Tannenbaum comes off as a lazy, rude and obnoxious jerk and decides to do a little investigating of her own.
And while Harley is absolutely determined not to get too attached to Whispering Lake or its inhabitants, she can’t help be attracted to the local bartender at the Blue Lagoon restaurant, Bill. With his rugged good looks and helpful persona, it seems that Harley and Bill are always crossing paths.
When I picked up Death at Whispering Lake, I had only intended to read a few chapters a day while I caught up on other things. But the characters and mystery just pulled me in and I finished the book in a day. Harley is quirky and awkward, but in an endearing way that is totally relatable. Her reactions don’t seem out of the ordinary and I definitely found myself rooting for her as she went about trying to discover the truth about her uncle.
The town of Whispering Lake, and its inhabitants, are an interesting mix and added to the enjoyment of the story. I could almost FEEL the winter snow blowing at my from the pages (brrrrr!) and halfway through the story I was already wondering if Harley would be pulling up roots to leave Chicago for Whispering Lake.
There are a lot of supporting characters to the story, both in Chicago and in Whispering Lake and it was sometimes hard to figure out who was on Harley’s side and who was working against her, which added to the mysterious feeling of the story.
Another aspect of the story that is a bit different than most other cozy mysteries is that the Tommy’s death takes place prior to beginning of the story so you are thrown right into it from the start. Most cozy mysteries take a few chapters to introduce you to all the characters before someone is murdered (sometimes guessing who is going to be the victim is half the fun). Carns does a great job of allowing us to get to know Tommy through the other characters, whether it’s their reaction to his death or their memories of him. Regardless, I felt like I knew Tommy as a fully-fleshed out character by the end of the book even though he was never alive during it.
Death at Whispering Lake is a great start to a new cozy mystery series and I’m very much looking forward to the next one. Harley has some big decisions to make and I’m excited to see how things go from here!
*** Thank you to the author, Joanna Carns, for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
April 29, 2021
I really tried with this one.
However, it just didn’t grab me. The mother/daughter relationships was not my jam, and although a small town setting with secluded cabin really hits a sweet spot for me in cosy books, I wasn’t engaged by any of the character. I didn’t find this badly written, just not for me.
2.5 stars ⭐️
However, it just didn’t grab me. The mother/daughter relationships was not my jam, and although a small town setting with secluded cabin really hits a sweet spot for me in cosy books, I wasn’t engaged by any of the character. I didn’t find this badly written, just not for me.
2.5 stars ⭐️
May 26, 2021
I received an advanced copy of Death at Whispering Lake in return for an honest review. I found this book to be a fun read, although I figured out who the killer was at the begging of the book it didn't stop me from wanting to keep reading the book until the end. There are all kinds of twists and turns with a little romance.
June 2, 2021
Very Different book That I usually don't read I then enjoyed it
This is actually the second time I read this book I read it about a year ago and it was downloaded and I truly eng it again it was probably the 1st book that I've read ever read twice so I guess that's a true Revelation
This is actually the second time I read this book I read it about a year ago and it was downloaded and I truly eng it again it was probably the 1st book that I've read ever read twice so I guess that's a true Revelation
June 6, 2021
Interesting mystery, but...
too many capitalization errors(which seems to be par for the course with most Kindle books, as well as spelling errors.) It really ruins a book when there are "printing" errors. I was surprised by who was the murderer, though. I'm not certain I will read the next book in the series. This was a Goodreads win.
too many capitalization errors(which seems to be par for the course with most Kindle books, as well as spelling errors.) It really ruins a book when there are "printing" errors. I was surprised by who was the murderer, though. I'm not certain I will read the next book in the series. This was a Goodreads win.
December 30, 2021
Enjoyable, easy to read cozy mystery with an unusual main character (and mother) with lots of room for character conflict in upcoming stories. There are plenty of suspects and red herrings, but no early clues that point to the real killer for this bookworm sleuth, my only critique. That said, the writing was well done and the story provided a nice diversion on a stormy night.
March 19, 2021
This book is the first in a cozy mystery series. Harlow "Harley" Kennedy ends up in the middle of nowhere Michigan in the dead of winter to settle her uncle's estate. Until she realizes that her uncle may have been murdered. It's a fun and humorous cozy mystery.
March 16, 2021
Good book
April 19, 2022
What a fun read! The protagonist is real and relatable and I was guessing the whole time. Whispering lake feels like a place we've all been.
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