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Friend for Hire Mystery #1
A Plus One for Murder
Entrepreneur Emma Westlake is reinventing herself as a hired friend when murder gets in the way in this exciting new mystery series from USA Today bestselling author Laura Bradford.
Emma Westlake has always wanted to be in business for herself. As a kid, she had her own successful lemonade stand and dog-walking business. And when she entered adulthood, Emma sunk all her cash into her dream job of travel planning. But as her customers became more and more internet savvy, the need for her services declined. At a loss for what to do next, she turns to an elderly friend who suggests she try to get paid for doing something she's really good at--being a paid companion. Emma thinks it's a crazy idea until requests start pouring in. Big Max from down the block wants her to act as his wingman at the local senior center's upcoming dance, nurse practitioner Stephanie needs a workout partner, and writer Brian Hill asks Emma to be his cheering section at an open mic night.
Brian will be reading from his latest work and wants to know someone will clap for him when he's done. When Emma balks at the notion that people wouldn't, he tells her the room will be filled with people he's invited--most of whom will likely want him dead by the time he's done reading. Assuming he's joking, she laughs. But when Brian steps up to the mic and clears his throat to speak, he promptly drops dead. Emma is one of the last people to see him alive, and so she becomes an immediate suspect. Now she'll have to cozy up to a killer to save her skin and her new business.
Emma Westlake has always wanted to be in business for herself. As a kid, she had her own successful lemonade stand and dog-walking business. And when she entered adulthood, Emma sunk all her cash into her dream job of travel planning. But as her customers became more and more internet savvy, the need for her services declined. At a loss for what to do next, she turns to an elderly friend who suggests she try to get paid for doing something she's really good at--being a paid companion. Emma thinks it's a crazy idea until requests start pouring in. Big Max from down the block wants her to act as his wingman at the local senior center's upcoming dance, nurse practitioner Stephanie needs a workout partner, and writer Brian Hill asks Emma to be his cheering section at an open mic night.
Brian will be reading from his latest work and wants to know someone will clap for him when he's done. When Emma balks at the notion that people wouldn't, he tells her the room will be filled with people he's invited--most of whom will likely want him dead by the time he's done reading. Assuming he's joking, she laughs. But when Brian steps up to the mic and clears his throat to speak, he promptly drops dead. Emma is one of the last people to see him alive, and so she becomes an immediate suspect. Now she'll have to cozy up to a killer to save her skin and her new business.
281 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 7, 2021
133 people are currently reading
3717 people want to read
About the author
Laura Bradford
58 books885 followersAka Elizabeth Lynn Casey.
While spending a rainy afternoon at a friend's house nearly forty years ago, Laura Bradford fell in love with writing over a stack of blank paper, a box of crayons, and a freshly sharpened number two pencil.
Those early attempts at the craft had her writing and illustrating stories for young children. Wise beyond her years, Laura saved her first writing attempt in a hand decorated shoe box (complete with sparkly stickers) and moved on to her next idea. Her second book—O’Casey’s Wish—was so utterly brilliant, she sent it off to a well-known New York publishing house at the tender age of ten, confident she was on the verge of becoming the next Don Freeman (Corduroy) or Shel Silverstein (Giving Tree).
Months later, she received her first form letter rejection.
While she wasn’t of the mindset to save that first crushing blow for posterity, Laura did save the original copy of this particular literary masterpiece in the event the letter was a mistake.
Desperate to prove her flexibility as a writer, Laura soon found herself dabbling in jokes (for her Girl Scout troop’s newsletter), stories of angst (a somewhat autobiographical look at her teenage years), movie reviews (for the Xavier University Newswire), and countless news and feature articles (for newspapers in CT, SC, TN, and MO).
It wasn’t until Laura was home raising children of her own though, that she was finally able to dust off that rainy day dream and bring it back to its original form—writing fiction. Today, she is a bestselling mystery author with Berkley Prime Crime (Penguin Publishing), and an award winning romance author with Harlequin American. She lives in New York with her family.
Oh, and if you meet Laura at a book event in the future, ask her about O’Casey’s Wish. It tends to travel with her everywhere she goes.
While spending a rainy afternoon at a friend's house nearly forty years ago, Laura Bradford fell in love with writing over a stack of blank paper, a box of crayons, and a freshly sharpened number two pencil.
Those early attempts at the craft had her writing and illustrating stories for young children. Wise beyond her years, Laura saved her first writing attempt in a hand decorated shoe box (complete with sparkly stickers) and moved on to her next idea. Her second book—O’Casey’s Wish—was so utterly brilliant, she sent it off to a well-known New York publishing house at the tender age of ten, confident she was on the verge of becoming the next Don Freeman (Corduroy) or Shel Silverstein (Giving Tree).
Months later, she received her first form letter rejection.
While she wasn’t of the mindset to save that first crushing blow for posterity, Laura did save the original copy of this particular literary masterpiece in the event the letter was a mistake.
Desperate to prove her flexibility as a writer, Laura soon found herself dabbling in jokes (for her Girl Scout troop’s newsletter), stories of angst (a somewhat autobiographical look at her teenage years), movie reviews (for the Xavier University Newswire), and countless news and feature articles (for newspapers in CT, SC, TN, and MO).
It wasn’t until Laura was home raising children of her own though, that she was finally able to dust off that rainy day dream and bring it back to its original form—writing fiction. Today, she is a bestselling mystery author with Berkley Prime Crime (Penguin Publishing), and an award winning romance author with Harlequin American. She lives in New York with her family.
Oh, and if you meet Laura at a book event in the future, ask her about O’Casey’s Wish. It tends to travel with her everywhere she goes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
October 20, 2021
A Plus One for Murder by Laura Bradford is the first book in the new cozy Friend for Hire Mystery series. As with most cozy mysteries each book in this series will feature it’s own mystery to be solved within that book so they can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. However, there is character development that carries over from book to book for those that follow the series and characters from the beginning.
Emma Westlake has always wanted to be her own boss and run her own business but things are not going so well with Emma’s attempt to do just that. Emma had decided that she would open her own travel agency and did alright for a while but clients have been few and far between with travelers just booking themselves online these days.
As Emma goes to visit an elderly friend, Dottie, she can’t help but share her troubles. Dottie immediately suggests a new business to Emma to be a friend for hire since that is essentially how they became friends. Emma finds the idea ridiculous at first but then cautiously tries it out. However, as Emma does book a client who wants her to attend open mic night and cheer for him she instead finds herself witness to his murder.
My first thought in seeing this new cozy was what the heck is a Friend for Hire so of course I had to pick up the book and find out. As odd as this occupation may seem the protagonist actually made it work and found clients which made sense so I became interested in seeing where else the story would take me. The secondary characters actually made the book for me more so than the protagonist as she did have a few moments that seemed a bit too naive. Overall though I did like this one enough to start this first book out at three and a half stars and to want to return to it in the future.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Emma Westlake has always wanted to be her own boss and run her own business but things are not going so well with Emma’s attempt to do just that. Emma had decided that she would open her own travel agency and did alright for a while but clients have been few and far between with travelers just booking themselves online these days.
As Emma goes to visit an elderly friend, Dottie, she can’t help but share her troubles. Dottie immediately suggests a new business to Emma to be a friend for hire since that is essentially how they became friends. Emma finds the idea ridiculous at first but then cautiously tries it out. However, as Emma does book a client who wants her to attend open mic night and cheer for him she instead finds herself witness to his murder.
My first thought in seeing this new cozy was what the heck is a Friend for Hire so of course I had to pick up the book and find out. As odd as this occupation may seem the protagonist actually made it work and found clients which made sense so I became interested in seeing where else the story would take me. The secondary characters actually made the book for me more so than the protagonist as she did have a few moments that seemed a bit too naive. Overall though I did like this one enough to start this first book out at three and a half stars and to want to return to it in the future.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
December 3, 2021
Emma Westlake has been talked into trying a new business as a paid companion for those who might need one. One of her first clients is Brian Hill, a local writer and conspiracy theorist. He wants Emma to be his cheering section at a local open mike night. When he dies not too long after starting his poem, Emma realizes he comments about there being people in the audience who wanted to kill him weren’t jokes. Feeling a sense of loyalty to Brian, Emma tries to figure out what happened to him. Can she do it?
As the first in a new series, this book has to balance setting up the premise of the series with giving us a good mystery. It does a good job of doing just that, and I was engaged the entire time. Naturally, the plot gets stronger the further we go into the book until we reach the logical climax. I did find one of the characters a little overbearing, but that was my only complaint. On the whole, I am already falling in love with the characters in the book, and it made me reflect on the friendships I have in my life. I also enjoyed the humor throughout the book. I laughed several times along the way. A new series from Laura Bradford is always reasons to rejoice, and this book proves why once again.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Carstairs.
As the first in a new series, this book has to balance setting up the premise of the series with giving us a good mystery. It does a good job of doing just that, and I was engaged the entire time. Naturally, the plot gets stronger the further we go into the book until we reach the logical climax. I did find one of the characters a little overbearing, but that was my only complaint. On the whole, I am already falling in love with the characters in the book, and it made me reflect on the friendships I have in my life. I also enjoyed the humor throughout the book. I laughed several times along the way. A new series from Laura Bradford is always reasons to rejoice, and this book proves why once again.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Carstairs.
October 7, 2022
The story started out with a very different premise which quickly led to an interesting place and setup for the murder. Reading the story had its high and lows for me. I’d get bored then the storyline would pick back up. I did feel like several of the characters were likable; however, I’m on the line about whether I really like the protagonist. I’ll read the second story soon. 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 Stars.
January 31, 2022
This book was very difficult to get through. The main character immediately pegged me as someone who was so ditzy; it was very obvious the suspect was poisoned, she fled a crime scene, and she took evidence with her after she fled. I shook my head in disbelief at how dumb she was.
I was wildly disappointed that this book did not follow how a true murder mystery book reads. The murder mystery is barely talked about until about the halfway point of the book and instead focuses on the new job that the main character takes on. This honestly did not add anything to the story.
There was also so much fluff on many of the pages that I found myself skimming through a lot of it. The main character would have a conversation with one person in one chapter and then rehash the exact same thing in very similar dialogue in the next chapter. It felt very redundant. I was not a fan of the incessant dialogue between the main character and her dog. It would have been fine every once in awhile if Emma talked with her dog or if it added anything to the story. However, most of the time it felt like unnecessary fluff andI once again found myself skimming over it.
I was wildly disappointed that this book did not follow how a true murder mystery book reads. The murder mystery is barely talked about until about the halfway point of the book and instead focuses on the new job that the main character takes on. This honestly did not add anything to the story.
There was also so much fluff on many of the pages that I found myself skimming through a lot of it. The main character would have a conversation with one person in one chapter and then rehash the exact same thing in very similar dialogue in the next chapter. It felt very redundant. I was not a fan of the incessant dialogue between the main character and her dog. It would have been fine every once in awhile if Emma talked with her dog or if it added anything to the story. However, most of the time it felt like unnecessary fluff andI once again found myself skimming over it.
December 5, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
When her travel planning business dries up Emma Westlake is at a loss of where to turn. She likes being her own boss but feels she may have no other option but go to work for someone else. That is until her friend Dottie comes up with a crazy plan. Emma is already getting paid to visit Dottie, an arrangement set up with her husband before he passed away. Why can’t she do that for other people? Dottie even has some ideas of people who could use such a service.
After Dottie sends two clients her way Emma takes the plunge and advertises her services on a community bulletin board and quickly gets an inquiry from a local writer who wants Emma to cheer him on when he appears at an open mike night. When she arrives he slips her a folder containing pictures of people, all of whom are in the audience, who he knows will not be happy with the poem he plans to read. Boy, was the man right. Before he finished the first stanza, he keeled over dead.
Emma is at the top of the suspect list because she was the last person to talk to him but also because she left the scene of the crime before the police arrived. Now to save her business she needs to clear her name. This new friend for hire is going to need some help from her old friend Dottie and her new friend Stephanie to do just that. Will their investigation rival Holmes and Watson or The Three Stooges? Only time will tell.
Laura Bradford always creates such fascinating characters and she has introduced some in this story that I am positive will grow into what I have seen her do before. Emma likes being independent but her confidence has taken a major hit which has caused her to withdraw into herself. Thankfully she has Dottie in her corner. Dottie is a sharp as a tack with great instincts and a cozy mystery lover to boot. She also has the connections Emma needs to make her new business a success.
Enter Stephanie, the daughter of one of Dottie’s friends who has a great job but still lives with her mother and hasn’t been taking good care of herself. Something I found strange for someone of her profession. She contacts Emma for help getting her life in order and I loved helps Emma right back.
Emma really didn’t want to delve into any investigation but Dottie and Stephanie dragged her right into it. I know we have barely scratched the surface on the development of these characters and I am excited to see them grow.
The mystery was very entertaining especially because the deceased had gathered many guilty parties together at the scene of the crime. I knew what the method of death was immediately but had no clue about who actually did the deed. The author dished up a plethora of twists and misdirections to really keep me on my toes.
I really enjoyed the way Dottie’s cozy mystery fandom played a part in this story. Name-dropping is always fun too. I bet Dottie’s and my bookshelves are quite similar.
I absolutely love the Friend for Hire theme. In this first book, we saw a small sample of possibilities. I can see a long-running series with this theme and all kinds of circumstances that could lead to murder.
A Plus One For Murder has set this series off to a great start. I am really looking forward to A Perilous Pal releasing this summer.
When her travel planning business dries up Emma Westlake is at a loss of where to turn. She likes being her own boss but feels she may have no other option but go to work for someone else. That is until her friend Dottie comes up with a crazy plan. Emma is already getting paid to visit Dottie, an arrangement set up with her husband before he passed away. Why can’t she do that for other people? Dottie even has some ideas of people who could use such a service.
After Dottie sends two clients her way Emma takes the plunge and advertises her services on a community bulletin board and quickly gets an inquiry from a local writer who wants Emma to cheer him on when he appears at an open mike night. When she arrives he slips her a folder containing pictures of people, all of whom are in the audience, who he knows will not be happy with the poem he plans to read. Boy, was the man right. Before he finished the first stanza, he keeled over dead.
Emma is at the top of the suspect list because she was the last person to talk to him but also because she left the scene of the crime before the police arrived. Now to save her business she needs to clear her name. This new friend for hire is going to need some help from her old friend Dottie and her new friend Stephanie to do just that. Will their investigation rival Holmes and Watson or The Three Stooges? Only time will tell.
Laura Bradford always creates such fascinating characters and she has introduced some in this story that I am positive will grow into what I have seen her do before. Emma likes being independent but her confidence has taken a major hit which has caused her to withdraw into herself. Thankfully she has Dottie in her corner. Dottie is a sharp as a tack with great instincts and a cozy mystery lover to boot. She also has the connections Emma needs to make her new business a success.
Enter Stephanie, the daughter of one of Dottie’s friends who has a great job but still lives with her mother and hasn’t been taking good care of herself. Something I found strange for someone of her profession. She contacts Emma for help getting her life in order and I loved helps Emma right back.
Emma really didn’t want to delve into any investigation but Dottie and Stephanie dragged her right into it. I know we have barely scratched the surface on the development of these characters and I am excited to see them grow.
The mystery was very entertaining especially because the deceased had gathered many guilty parties together at the scene of the crime. I knew what the method of death was immediately but had no clue about who actually did the deed. The author dished up a plethora of twists and misdirections to really keep me on my toes.
I really enjoyed the way Dottie’s cozy mystery fandom played a part in this story. Name-dropping is always fun too. I bet Dottie’s and my bookshelves are quite similar.
I absolutely love the Friend for Hire theme. In this first book, we saw a small sample of possibilities. I can see a long-running series with this theme and all kinds of circumstances that could lead to murder.
A Plus One For Murder has set this series off to a great start. I am really looking forward to A Perilous Pal releasing this summer.
October 10, 2021
Review rounded up from 3.5 stars.
I am a fan of Laura Bradford and was excited to see that she had a new cozy mystery series releasing in December 2021. I was even more excited when by some miracle Berkley granted my request for an ARC copy on NetGalley. This was an easy read but I found at the end that I had to sit with my thoughts a bit before writing my review. Besides the author, what interested me about this book was the premise - the friend for hire. I thought this was a unique profession for a cozy mystery protagonist and would provide for any number of different mysteries as well as plenty of new characters along the way. I did like Emma Westlake, the protagonist in the story. However, I felt like Dottie and Stephanie, clients of her friends for hire business, were actually more predominant sleuth than Emma. To say that Emma was a reluctant sleuth is a bit of an understatement. I think that caused her to withhold evidence and flee the scene of the death in the first place. In the end, Emma became more involved and invested in solving the mystery. There are also two possible romantic interests for Emma. I'm hoping the author doesn't prolong that aspect of the story.
The mystery was engaging. There are four distinct suspects for the reader to focus on. They are the ones who had the most to gain so when the killer's identity is revealed it is not a total surprise. However, the author did a nice job of providing plenty of clues and twists to keep the reader guessing on just which suspect had the most to gain by murder.
I enjoyed this first book and feel like with a bit of tweaking to Emma's character to strengthen her as the main character, this will appeal to fans and new readers alike. I will be back to see what the author has in store for Emma, Dottie, and Stephanie in her next book in the series.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Berkley, through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and were in no way impacted by the manner in which I received this book.
I am a fan of Laura Bradford and was excited to see that she had a new cozy mystery series releasing in December 2021. I was even more excited when by some miracle Berkley granted my request for an ARC copy on NetGalley. This was an easy read but I found at the end that I had to sit with my thoughts a bit before writing my review. Besides the author, what interested me about this book was the premise - the friend for hire. I thought this was a unique profession for a cozy mystery protagonist and would provide for any number of different mysteries as well as plenty of new characters along the way. I did like Emma Westlake, the protagonist in the story. However, I felt like Dottie and Stephanie, clients of her friends for hire business, were actually more predominant sleuth than Emma. To say that Emma was a reluctant sleuth is a bit of an understatement. I think that caused her to withhold evidence and flee the scene of the death in the first place. In the end, Emma became more involved and invested in solving the mystery. There are also two possible romantic interests for Emma. I'm hoping the author doesn't prolong that aspect of the story.
The mystery was engaging. There are four distinct suspects for the reader to focus on. They are the ones who had the most to gain so when the killer's identity is revealed it is not a total surprise. However, the author did a nice job of providing plenty of clues and twists to keep the reader guessing on just which suspect had the most to gain by murder.
I enjoyed this first book and feel like with a bit of tweaking to Emma's character to strengthen her as the main character, this will appeal to fans and new readers alike. I will be back to see what the author has in store for Emma, Dottie, and Stephanie in her next book in the series.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Berkley, through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and were in no way impacted by the manner in which I received this book.
January 9, 2022
Wow! What a kickoff for a new series! I felt A Plus One for Murder was a cut above what I’m used to reading in Cozy Mysteries. I was completely drawn in from the beginning and I could actually visualize everything I was reading on each page. I love it when I’m reading a book and it completely captures me. It certainly was a puzzling mystery and although I thought I know who done it I was wrong. In the end the author made readers wait for it so to speak when it came to finding out who the real culprit was. I thought it was puzzling, unpredictable, entertaining and at times it was humorous . It was one of Laura Bradfords best mysteries. I just can’t wait for book two, A Perilous Pal coming this summer.
Emma Westlake was self employed and worked from her home until her business became unprofitable. A friend advises her to try something different and Emma becomes a friend for hire. Emma’s new business was just starting when she was asked to go to a Open Mic Night and support a young man who seemed to be a trouble stirrer .
Emma was to cheer him on but unfortunately she didn’t get a chance to do that. After only reciting a few lines of poetry Brian Hill dropped over dead right there on the stage. People in the audience that evening actually wanted Brian Hill dead. Was his death from natural causes or murder?
I recommend this book to readers of Cozy Mystery and fans of the author.
I purchased a copy of this book . A review was not requested. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.
Emma Westlake was self employed and worked from her home until her business became unprofitable. A friend advises her to try something different and Emma becomes a friend for hire. Emma’s new business was just starting when she was asked to go to a Open Mic Night and support a young man who seemed to be a trouble stirrer .
Emma was to cheer him on but unfortunately she didn’t get a chance to do that. After only reciting a few lines of poetry Brian Hill dropped over dead right there on the stage. People in the audience that evening actually wanted Brian Hill dead. Was his death from natural causes or murder?
I recommend this book to readers of Cozy Mystery and fans of the author.
I purchased a copy of this book . A review was not requested. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.
January 28, 2022
A Plus One for Murder is the first book in a new series, A Friend for Hire.
I really enjoyed it a lot and though I've read other books by this author I think this may be my favorite so far.
Entrepreneur Emma Westlake runs a travel agency scheduling client's dream vacations until that venture goes belly up.
Talking to her elderly lunchtime teatime companion Dottie, who is a real firecracker she laments about needing money and how business has dried up. Never one to let the grass grow under her feet Dottie suggests a plan and even sets up her first clients for her. This is how A Friend For Hire comes into being.
I really enjoyed her Client "Big Max" he's trying to impress a certain lady and just "knows" if he takes Emma around this lady that she will see what a catch he is and want to date him.
The trouble is when one of her clients drops dead at an open mic night that she is attending the trouble starts. We get clues along the way and I was sure Emma and her wonderful dog Scout had solved the case along with Super Sleuth Dottie who loves reading her cozy mysteries.
Well received mystery and I look forward to reading more in this series soon.
Pub Date 07 Dec 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
I really enjoyed it a lot and though I've read other books by this author I think this may be my favorite so far.
Entrepreneur Emma Westlake runs a travel agency scheduling client's dream vacations until that venture goes belly up.
Talking to her elderly lunchtime teatime companion Dottie, who is a real firecracker she laments about needing money and how business has dried up. Never one to let the grass grow under her feet Dottie suggests a plan and even sets up her first clients for her. This is how A Friend For Hire comes into being.
I really enjoyed her Client "Big Max" he's trying to impress a certain lady and just "knows" if he takes Emma around this lady that she will see what a catch he is and want to date him.
The trouble is when one of her clients drops dead at an open mic night that she is attending the trouble starts. We get clues along the way and I was sure Emma and her wonderful dog Scout had solved the case along with Super Sleuth Dottie who loves reading her cozy mysteries.
Well received mystery and I look forward to reading more in this series soon.
Pub Date 07 Dec 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
October 25, 2021
Hire A Friend, who knew that such a thing existed, but in this new cozy series, it works for our main character, Emma.
When her small business failed, Emma tries to find a new job, and a friendly suggestion to hire herself out as a friend, intrigues her.
Although not quite sure if she really wants to do it, requests begin to come in, and Emma tries it out.
Things turn bad when a client gasps his last breath in front of her, and she needs to find out exactly what happened.
I liked the idea of this book and I found all the characters to be quite likeable.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
#APlusOneforMurder #NetGalley
When her small business failed, Emma tries to find a new job, and a friendly suggestion to hire herself out as a friend, intrigues her.
Although not quite sure if she really wants to do it, requests begin to come in, and Emma tries it out.
Things turn bad when a client gasps his last breath in front of her, and she needs to find out exactly what happened.
I liked the idea of this book and I found all the characters to be quite likeable.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
#APlusOneforMurder #NetGalley
April 19, 2025
This was such a fun read! I love the mc and her friends. I also love the business a friend for hire. What fun that would be. I also love the doggie! Scout is adorable!
February 5, 2022
Great story from an accomplished author. New series about a young woman who starts a small business helping out other people. Started after losing her travel agency. Talked into it by an older lady she spends every Tuesday with. There is a murder several suspects and of course there are several motives.
October 3, 2022
If Emma Westlake is an entrepreneur, I am the President of the United States. Her travel business is floundering because people are making their reservations online and now she has no job. She does start a new business as a paid companion, but it's an idea she gets from her friend Dottie, it's not even an idea she comes up with herself. In the beginning she doesn't even think the idea is a good one and only starts doing it because Dottie gets Emma her first two clients! Entrepreneur? I think not. (Also, can I add that travel agents can succeed even in this modern age if they specialize and publicize themselves as experts in their specialized travel area?)
Emma's first client she gets by herself keels over at their first meeting, at an open mic night. She doesn't even want to investigate it, but she's convinced by her friends, Dottie and Stephanie "because she has to so she can save her business". Emma is truly TSTL. Like I know that not everyone is a true crime fiend or into police shows, but some of the stuff that Emma doesn't know is just stupid, like what motives for murder are. Like really? You don't know why someone would kill someone else? She doesn't know who people in her small town are. That's frankly, improbable. When the victim asks if she knows who the four people are on the paper he gives her, she's like "I know who two of them are, but the other two just look familiar." Seriously?! You live in an itty bitty town and you don't know who people are? She also doesn't know basic knowledge things like what "Macbeth" is or who Shakespeare is. I mean, I know that America's public schools aren't winning any awards, but you expect me to believe that a 34 year old woman doesn't know what calling someone "Lady Macbeth" means? Don't even get me started on the long-ass monologues of her talking to her dog. I 100% believe that the dog has more brains than Emma.
The side characters are marginally better. Dottie is a cranky old lady who is judgmental as hell. She goes off on Emma for wearing white before Memorial Day. What is this, 1950? Stephanie is a 40 year old who still lives at home in spite of having a job. Yeah, she's overworked, but who isn't? The dudes in this book were pretty meh. Jack the deputy has a cute kid and Andy the client has a pretty house. Adding these two dudes into the book is just for the sake of setting up a future love triangle. Also, the only action both guys can do is "palm their faces" which made me want to smack myself in the face after the 5th time I read it.
The only reason I didn't DNF is I wanted to see who the murderer was to see if my guess was right. The actual mystery and motivation for the murder were interesting, but they were just combined with mediocre characters. Unless the MC gets a brain transplant, I won't be reading the rest of the series.
Emma's first client she gets by herself keels over at their first meeting, at an open mic night. She doesn't even want to investigate it, but she's convinced by her friends, Dottie and Stephanie "because she has to so she can save her business". Emma is truly TSTL. Like I know that not everyone is a true crime fiend or into police shows, but some of the stuff that Emma doesn't know is just stupid, like what motives for murder are. Like really? You don't know why someone would kill someone else? She doesn't know who people in her small town are. That's frankly, improbable. When the victim asks if she knows who the four people are on the paper he gives her, she's like "I know who two of them are, but the other two just look familiar." Seriously?! You live in an itty bitty town and you don't know who people are? She also doesn't know basic knowledge things like what "Macbeth" is or who Shakespeare is. I mean, I know that America's public schools aren't winning any awards, but you expect me to believe that a 34 year old woman doesn't know what calling someone "Lady Macbeth" means? Don't even get me started on the long-ass monologues of her talking to her dog. I 100% believe that the dog has more brains than Emma.
The side characters are marginally better. Dottie is a cranky old lady who is judgmental as hell. She goes off on Emma for wearing white before Memorial Day. What is this, 1950? Stephanie is a 40 year old who still lives at home in spite of having a job. Yeah, she's overworked, but who isn't? The dudes in this book were pretty meh. Jack the deputy has a cute kid and Andy the client has a pretty house. Adding these two dudes into the book is just for the sake of setting up a future love triangle. Also, the only action both guys can do is "palm their faces" which made me want to smack myself in the face after the 5th time I read it.
The only reason I didn't DNF is I wanted to see who the murderer was to see if my guess was right. The actual mystery and motivation for the murder were interesting, but they were just combined with mediocre characters. Unless the MC gets a brain transplant, I won't be reading the rest of the series.
Read
September 13, 2021DNF. I just can't with this TSTL main character. She's at an open mic night with this guy she just met who had a reputation for being fairly loathesome. He gives her a piece of paper with a picture of 4 people he says want him dead. He alone eats this appetizer that he ordered for them, but, for some reason, left on the table while he went to meet her out front. He gets up on stage and dies. The MC flees. Seriously? Obviously he was poisoned and the most likely carrier for the poison was the mushrooms! And don't you think someone should know about the picture of the 4 people? Which included the sheriff??? Gah. I just can't with this one.
May 18, 2022
Great new series and a clever idea! Emma Westlake has been her own boss.
But her travel business is not going anywhere anymore.
She gets a suggestion from an older woman, Dottie Adler. Emma has been a companion to Dottie for quite a while.
But one day Dottie suggests that Emma be a paid companion for special occasions.
Dottie refers her to Big Max, who needs a companion for a local dance. She also meets Stephanie, a nurse who has no social life and Emma steps up to help her as well. Stephanie decides she needs a workout partner.
Maybe the paid companion business could work?
Meanwhile, she gets a request to be a plus one for an open mic poetry reading from Brian Hill.
Brian hasn't told her that he is a bit of a rabble rouser and four people who would like to see him dead are in the room.
Brian steps up to the mic and shortly after,..drops dead.
Emma is now on the radar of the cops as the last person to see him alive.
And is forced to try and find answers. Stephanie, Dottie and Stephanie get to work looking for clues! A fun new idea for a cozy!
But her travel business is not going anywhere anymore.
She gets a suggestion from an older woman, Dottie Adler. Emma has been a companion to Dottie for quite a while.
But one day Dottie suggests that Emma be a paid companion for special occasions.
Dottie refers her to Big Max, who needs a companion for a local dance. She also meets Stephanie, a nurse who has no social life and Emma steps up to help her as well. Stephanie decides she needs a workout partner.
Maybe the paid companion business could work?
Meanwhile, she gets a request to be a plus one for an open mic poetry reading from Brian Hill.
Brian hasn't told her that he is a bit of a rabble rouser and four people who would like to see him dead are in the room.
Brian steps up to the mic and shortly after,..drops dead.
Emma is now on the radar of the cops as the last person to see him alive.
And is forced to try and find answers. Stephanie, Dottie and Stephanie get to work looking for clues! A fun new idea for a cozy!
November 16, 2021
3.5 stars
The premise of this series shows a lot of potential. I like the concept of a friend for hire and can see this occupation leading to many a murder mystery situation. The setting is nice but a bit generic, and the supporting characters are outstanding. It is the protagonist Emma that keeps this from being a 4-41/2 star read. She is bland and seems to live in a vacuum with her dog. Where are her friends and family not associated with her new work venture? I really enjoy Bradford's other books so will definitely give book 2 in the series a try.
The premise of this series shows a lot of potential. I like the concept of a friend for hire and can see this occupation leading to many a murder mystery situation. The setting is nice but a bit generic, and the supporting characters are outstanding. It is the protagonist Emma that keeps this from being a 4-41/2 star read. She is bland and seems to live in a vacuum with her dog. Where are her friends and family not associated with her new work venture? I really enjoy Bradford's other books so will definitely give book 2 in the series a try.
July 24, 2022
This was hard to rate! The main character was interesting because even though she was a reluctant sleuth, she was incredibly dumb. First she sees a man (her client die) and she LEAVES the scene of a possible crime and with evidence she then doesn’t turn over!! Not only that, she doesn’t turn over evidence twice!!! Ughh Then she faces a killer ALONE!! 🙄🙄
The dog is smarter than she is.
The dog is smarter than she is.
December 7, 2021
Emma Westlake needs a career. She wants to be her own boss and opens a travel agency business. Unfortunately, in this day and age, people prefer to make their own travel arrangements online. She does have a side job as a paid companion to an elderly widow, Dottie, but that’s not going to be enough to support herself. Dottie suggests she put her services out there and can be a paid companion for other people.
Between her own advertising and Dottie’s “word of mouth”, Emma’s business begins to build up. One of her first jobs is to accompany Brian Hill to an open mic night where he is going to recite one of his poems. Her job is to make sure to clap for him. He wants to be sure someone will clap since the people in the audience would prefer to see him dead. Emma doesn’t know what to think until Brian begins his poetry reading but doesn’t get to finish it as he dies in the middle.
Since Emma was the last one with him, she becomes the prime suspect.
This is the first book in Laura Bradford’s “A Friend for Hire” mystery series. It’s off to a good start. The premise is clever and has potential. It’s not your typical cozy set around a hobby or food. It’s much different and unique.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more reluctant amateur sleuth than Emma. She’d much prefer to leave the investigation to the police, but her clients, Dottie and Stephanie, have other ideas. Dottie loves cozy mystery books and Stephanie loves crime TV shows. Who would be better to investigate this murder?
Dottie and Stephanie are a delight. They are lively characters full of energy and are very entertaining. Their determination does eventually rub off on Emma. I would love to see Emma’s character developed more. It began happening in the second half of the book. Emma, also, has an adorable dog named Scout. There are a couple of possibilities for romance for Emma. I look forward to seeing how that plays out.
The storyline is captivating with many suspects. It’s a fun escape. For me, Dottie, Stephanie and Scout stole the show. I can’t wait to revisit them in the next book.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Between her own advertising and Dottie’s “word of mouth”, Emma’s business begins to build up. One of her first jobs is to accompany Brian Hill to an open mic night where he is going to recite one of his poems. Her job is to make sure to clap for him. He wants to be sure someone will clap since the people in the audience would prefer to see him dead. Emma doesn’t know what to think until Brian begins his poetry reading but doesn’t get to finish it as he dies in the middle.
Since Emma was the last one with him, she becomes the prime suspect.
This is the first book in Laura Bradford’s “A Friend for Hire” mystery series. It’s off to a good start. The premise is clever and has potential. It’s not your typical cozy set around a hobby or food. It’s much different and unique.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more reluctant amateur sleuth than Emma. She’d much prefer to leave the investigation to the police, but her clients, Dottie and Stephanie, have other ideas. Dottie loves cozy mystery books and Stephanie loves crime TV shows. Who would be better to investigate this murder?
Dottie and Stephanie are a delight. They are lively characters full of energy and are very entertaining. Their determination does eventually rub off on Emma. I would love to see Emma’s character developed more. It began happening in the second half of the book. Emma, also, has an adorable dog named Scout. There are a couple of possibilities for romance for Emma. I look forward to seeing how that plays out.
The storyline is captivating with many suspects. It’s a fun escape. For me, Dottie, Stephanie and Scout stole the show. I can’t wait to revisit them in the next book.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 4, 2022
A Plus One for Murder is the first book in a new cozy series, “A Friends for Hire Mystery.” I like the premise of this series, which is original and fun to imagine. Just think how nice it would be to be able to hire someone to be your companion and friend, as well as your plus one at those awkward business dinners, conventions, and so forth. Or when you are old and gray, someone who you can count on to be there once in a while to just chat.
Enter Emma, independent, youngish, and needing an income. Unfortunately, the travel business isn’t what it used to be, and time is slipping away. Being the paid companion and friend to an elderly woman has its moments of interest but her worry about making ends meet gets in the way sometimes. After Dottie suggests hiring herself out as a friend, Emma laughs and tries not to think about it, as she feels it’s a ridiculous idea. But shortly after her regular afternoon tea with Dottie, she starts getting calls from people who want to hire her. Taking a risk that this friend for hire idea might work out, Emma accepts a couple of clients. Unfortunately, one of her new clients dies, and she becomes a suspect in his murder.
The characters in this series are interesting. I love Dottie and Stephanie and Big Max, but to be honest, I didn’t warm up to Emma very quickly. I found her to be a little too pessimistic about most things. The good news is, she grew on me, and by the end of the book, I could see her as a friend to her clients and someone they would enjoy being around. The suspects in the murder of Emma’s client are not too difficult to believe, and their motives were laid out very well. The clues point in several directions and allow the reader to do the sleuthing alongside Emma. I liked the investigator, and I hope all of the supporting characters from this first book continue to appear in other installments.
A Plus One for Murder is a good first book in a new series. The writing is smooth, the characters interesting, and the storytelling first-rate. In the second book, I hope that we will get some background on Emma, her family and friends, and the area where she is living and working as a paid companion /friend. I think readers will like this book and want to read the next one in the series.
Enter Emma, independent, youngish, and needing an income. Unfortunately, the travel business isn’t what it used to be, and time is slipping away. Being the paid companion and friend to an elderly woman has its moments of interest but her worry about making ends meet gets in the way sometimes. After Dottie suggests hiring herself out as a friend, Emma laughs and tries not to think about it, as she feels it’s a ridiculous idea. But shortly after her regular afternoon tea with Dottie, she starts getting calls from people who want to hire her. Taking a risk that this friend for hire idea might work out, Emma accepts a couple of clients. Unfortunately, one of her new clients dies, and she becomes a suspect in his murder.
The characters in this series are interesting. I love Dottie and Stephanie and Big Max, but to be honest, I didn’t warm up to Emma very quickly. I found her to be a little too pessimistic about most things. The good news is, she grew on me, and by the end of the book, I could see her as a friend to her clients and someone they would enjoy being around. The suspects in the murder of Emma’s client are not too difficult to believe, and their motives were laid out very well. The clues point in several directions and allow the reader to do the sleuthing alongside Emma. I liked the investigator, and I hope all of the supporting characters from this first book continue to appear in other installments.
A Plus One for Murder is a good first book in a new series. The writing is smooth, the characters interesting, and the storytelling first-rate. In the second book, I hope that we will get some background on Emma, her family and friends, and the area where she is living and working as a paid companion /friend. I think readers will like this book and want to read the next one in the series.
August 7, 2021
This new series feels new in that the protagonist, Emma, seemingly had no life before page 1. While she claims that Sweet Falls is her home, she had no family, friends, or coworkers— only a dog and an old lady she visited once a week. Although the backstory and some character building feels underdeveloped, the future feels promising for the cast of characters. Between Dottie’s money and love of mysteries, Stephanie’s medical training, Jack’s police access, and Emma’s connections as a companion, they seem poised to succeed at solving mysteries.
December 22, 2021
This was a fantastic start to a new series! I love the concept of hiring a friend and that it was successful for our protagonist, Emma. The mystery was fun to solve, and I loved the variety of characters and their personalities. The book was well-paced, and I loved the setting. Scout is a new favorite animal companion! I cannot wait for book 2!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
January 30, 2022
This is a great start to a new series. Emma has to change course in careers and with the help of a woman that she is a companion for, she begins a new career which almost comes to a halt when one of the first few clients ends up dead.
The characters are likable and have diverse personalities that mesh nicely together. Emma's dog gave me a few laugh out loud moments with it's antics. The mystery was good, and had a few twists. A fun read that I will continue on with.
The characters are likable and have diverse personalities that mesh nicely together. Emma's dog gave me a few laugh out loud moments with it's antics. The mystery was good, and had a few twists. A fun read that I will continue on with.
September 26, 2022
I love the concept of this series. Very original. This book is hard for me to review because I love Laura Bradford; A Plus One for Murder not so much. I will however give the second book in the series a try. Just because this series might not be for me, you might love it.
September 28, 2022
I was already a fan of this author & this book has me looking forward to more! Do you ever need a friend? A plus one? An accountability partner? That is exactly what Emma does. Or at least, she is trying. Soon she can add sleuth to her resume. I loved Dottie! Her spunk, her knowledge, her friendship. She had me laughing a few times. Great start to a new cozy series.
November 12, 2025
2.5* it was ok and fun but the main character could be SO dumb
October 27, 2021
This is the first book of a new series. I wasn't sure about this book based on the description but I love Laura Bradford books so I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did.
With so many people now planning their own trips, travel agent Emma Westlake needs a new job. When friend and client Dottie makes the suggestion that Emma does for others what she does for her, be a friend to some lonely people Emma thinks it will never work. But when one call after another comes in for a friend she decides to give it a try. Unfortunately when one of her clients falls dead in front of her she is drawn into the mystery by some of her other clients.
This is a great first book for a series with fun relatable characters, mystery and heart. I look forward to the next book.
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
With so many people now planning their own trips, travel agent Emma Westlake needs a new job. When friend and client Dottie makes the suggestion that Emma does for others what she does for her, be a friend to some lonely people Emma thinks it will never work. But when one call after another comes in for a friend she decides to give it a try. Unfortunately when one of her clients falls dead in front of her she is drawn into the mystery by some of her other clients.
This is a great first book for a series with fun relatable characters, mystery and heart. I look forward to the next book.
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2022
I have read a few of Laura Bradford's books and also under her pen name Elizabeth Lynn Casey. This first book in a new series looked promising with an interesting theme - hiring Emma as a friend.
I cannot express how disappointed I was in this book. It was like a cliche of stereotyped characters:
Emma Westlake - the main character was a complete bubble-headed ditz who repeated everything that others said, like a mynah bird. (Is this the author's attempt to achieve a word count?) She was a failure at owning her travel business so she started a new business, not from her own initiative, but someone else's.
Dottie - An octogenarian friend and companion of Emma's. She was so matter of fact and self-righteous, constantly chastizing and criticizing Emma.
Big Max - Put all the stereotypes of seniors and you have Big Max. He cannot seem to dress appropriately, a chatterbox, and is totally eccentric. This is a huge pet peeve of mine, portraying seniors as eccentric and a comical character. Seniors in real life are not like this!
Stephanie - What 40-year-old woman still lives at home with their mother? Mind you, Stephanie is a professional, very successful in her career and her mother is not inept nor in need of care. Stephanie is portrayed as so pathetic with no life except for work so she needs to hire Emma to be her friend.
The mystery could have been a good one. In fact, I did like the plot, the motive, the culprit, etc. However, I just could not get past these extremely unlikable characters including the MC. I wasted money and hours of my life with this story. Again, so disappointing.
I cannot express how disappointed I was in this book. It was like a cliche of stereotyped characters:
Emma Westlake - the main character was a complete bubble-headed ditz who repeated everything that others said, like a mynah bird. (Is this the author's attempt to achieve a word count?) She was a failure at owning her travel business so she started a new business, not from her own initiative, but someone else's.
Dottie - An octogenarian friend and companion of Emma's. She was so matter of fact and self-righteous, constantly chastizing and criticizing Emma.
Big Max - Put all the stereotypes of seniors and you have Big Max. He cannot seem to dress appropriately, a chatterbox, and is totally eccentric. This is a huge pet peeve of mine, portraying seniors as eccentric and a comical character. Seniors in real life are not like this!
Stephanie - What 40-year-old woman still lives at home with their mother? Mind you, Stephanie is a professional, very successful in her career and her mother is not inept nor in need of care. Stephanie is portrayed as so pathetic with no life except for work so she needs to hire Emma to be her friend.
The mystery could have been a good one. In fact, I did like the plot, the motive, the culprit, etc. However, I just could not get past these extremely unlikable characters including the MC. I wasted money and hours of my life with this story. Again, so disappointing.
December 4, 2022
I’m still trying to figure out how this book got published. Wait… I know. It’s an example of writing advice all thrown out the door. Maybe it’s a cautionary tale. I don’t know. All I know os that I did listen to the whole book but more than once I just wanted to stop.
Emma, the main character, is quite frankly a terrible protagonist for this cozy mystery. Usually she’s bone-numbing obtuse until the author decides she needs a flash of insight that comes out of nowhere except convenient as a plot device. Stephanie is kind of smart except when she’s isn’t so there can be exposition and explanation. As an Np she’d know better than Emma about exercise and how to ramp up when one’s been sedentary yet she lets Emma take over. It was so annoying to me. Dotty is fine as the meddling octogenarian but also frustrating as well. Jake is Jake-he’s not too complicated. In fact only Jake and Scout seem written consistently and Big Max. The women just all seem to be either idiots or suddenly brilliant. Ugh. It was just Bad. Don’t read unless you want an example of how not to do things. Characters looking in the mirror to describe themselves. Characters being stupid so the other character can do exposition. Subplots that make no sense. Two suspects that the reader never met, just heard about from other characters. Really? Just ugh. More than once I wanted to hit Emma with the cluestick and also whack the author for writing this. Just. Not. Good.
Lastly, green eyes are rare but it seemed like half or more of them characters had them. Yeah… I don’t think so.
Emma, the main character, is quite frankly a terrible protagonist for this cozy mystery. Usually she’s bone-numbing obtuse until the author decides she needs a flash of insight that comes out of nowhere except convenient as a plot device. Stephanie is kind of smart except when she’s isn’t so there can be exposition and explanation. As an Np she’d know better than Emma about exercise and how to ramp up when one’s been sedentary yet she lets Emma take over. It was so annoying to me. Dotty is fine as the meddling octogenarian but also frustrating as well. Jake is Jake-he’s not too complicated. In fact only Jake and Scout seem written consistently and Big Max. The women just all seem to be either idiots or suddenly brilliant. Ugh. It was just Bad. Don’t read unless you want an example of how not to do things. Characters looking in the mirror to describe themselves. Characters being stupid so the other character can do exposition. Subplots that make no sense. Two suspects that the reader never met, just heard about from other characters. Really? Just ugh. More than once I wanted to hit Emma with the cluestick and also whack the author for writing this. Just. Not. Good.
Lastly, green eyes are rare but it seemed like half or more of them characters had them. Yeah… I don’t think so.
December 4, 2021
I was excited to see that Laura Bradford was doing another cozy series and even more excited to be approved to read an ARC of it! The book definitely didn't disappoint. What a cool and different kind of job for main character Emma, being a paid friend to people. I got such a kick out of her clients too especially Big Max, a sweet senior man who was trying to impress a lady by having Emma take him places. I loved how Emma's friendship with Dottie had grown from what was the start for her new business-except at that time she didn't realize it. Then eventually, Emma, Stephanie, another client and Dottie made quite the sleuthing trio! And Emma's sweet dog, Scout always seemed to be pointing out clues to her. I love it when a pet's just a bit more than a simple pet.
There was a nice assortment of suspects, and I wasn't expecting the perp to be who it was. The showdown was a good one, and the three sleuths were happy with their work. Deputy Jack, well I don't think he was too thrilled with their sleuthing, but I could tell he really liked Emma from the beginning especially from his line at the very end. ;)
It was well-written mystery that I've always come to expect and know from this author, and now I can't wait to read more about the characters in the next book! Don't miss this book which releases Tuesday, December 7, 2021.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Berkley Publishing via NetGalley, an my opinions are my own.
There was a nice assortment of suspects, and I wasn't expecting the perp to be who it was. The showdown was a good one, and the three sleuths were happy with their work. Deputy Jack, well I don't think he was too thrilled with their sleuthing, but I could tell he really liked Emma from the beginning especially from his line at the very end. ;)
It was well-written mystery that I've always come to expect and know from this author, and now I can't wait to read more about the characters in the next book! Don't miss this book which releases Tuesday, December 7, 2021.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Berkley Publishing via NetGalley, an my opinions are my own.
November 3, 2021
"A Plus One for Murder" is a strong start for Laura Bradford's "A Friend For Hire Mystery" series. I always enjoy her books and was delighted to have the opportunity to read and review this one.
The story is about Emma Westlake, a travel agent whose business failed as more people started planning their own trips. Emma is down to one small income as she is being paid to visit and have tea with an elderly woman named Dottie. Dottie's husband had made the arrangements so his wife would have companionship after his passing.
Dottie pushes Emma towards a new business continuing with what she already does for Dottie. That is being a friend for hire. Emma gets two clients quickly as Dottie has lined them up for her. Things seem to be off to a good start and she places an online ad offering her services. In this case, the third client is not the charm. He's a pompous jerk who offends everyone enough that someone wants to kill him. On their "date" where the client, Brian Hill,, is set to read a poem he is instead murdered, although at first murder isn't suspected. Emma just wants to get away from the situation and takes off before being questioned. She also took a piece of paper that Brian had given her showing pictures of four people in attendance at the event who he said all wanted to kill him.
Dottie is an enthusiastic cozy mystery reader and she and Stephanie, another of Emma's clients, push Emma to help them investigate the murder on their own. Can the trio solve the case before the police can? What if the police don't really want to solve the case? It may be up to the women to get the job done.
I liked the book overall, but I especially liked how the cozy mystery readers decided to fancy themselves as amateur sleuths just like how things play out in the genre. That gave this book an extra layer of familiarity between readers and characters. The premise of being a friend for hire is a new one in a genre that is often repetitive from series to series. Bravo to Laura Bradford for her originality!
There wasn't much information shared about Emma's background and although that left me wondering that also leaves many options open for different routes the series can take.
This is a good story with interesting characters, a solid and engaging murder mystery, and enough suspects to keep you guessing. I absolutely recommend this to cozy readers as a five-star series debut!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The story is about Emma Westlake, a travel agent whose business failed as more people started planning their own trips. Emma is down to one small income as she is being paid to visit and have tea with an elderly woman named Dottie. Dottie's husband had made the arrangements so his wife would have companionship after his passing.
Dottie pushes Emma towards a new business continuing with what she already does for Dottie. That is being a friend for hire. Emma gets two clients quickly as Dottie has lined them up for her. Things seem to be off to a good start and she places an online ad offering her services. In this case, the third client is not the charm. He's a pompous jerk who offends everyone enough that someone wants to kill him. On their "date" where the client, Brian Hill,, is set to read a poem he is instead murdered, although at first murder isn't suspected. Emma just wants to get away from the situation and takes off before being questioned. She also took a piece of paper that Brian had given her showing pictures of four people in attendance at the event who he said all wanted to kill him.
Dottie is an enthusiastic cozy mystery reader and she and Stephanie, another of Emma's clients, push Emma to help them investigate the murder on their own. Can the trio solve the case before the police can? What if the police don't really want to solve the case? It may be up to the women to get the job done.
I liked the book overall, but I especially liked how the cozy mystery readers decided to fancy themselves as amateur sleuths just like how things play out in the genre. That gave this book an extra layer of familiarity between readers and characters. The premise of being a friend for hire is a new one in a genre that is often repetitive from series to series. Bravo to Laura Bradford for her originality!
There wasn't much information shared about Emma's background and although that left me wondering that also leaves many options open for different routes the series can take.
This is a good story with interesting characters, a solid and engaging murder mystery, and enough suspects to keep you guessing. I absolutely recommend this to cozy readers as a five-star series debut!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 2, 2022
I've read other series by this author and was eager to read this book, which is the first in a new series by the author. I love the premise of this book in which a woman creates a business of being a friend to those in need. When one of her first clients is murderered, Emma is convinced to help solve his murder by two of her other clients.
These other two clients are really interesting. The elderly Dottie is a cozy mystery fan, and Stephanie a fan of true crime shows. The two armchair detectives convince the reluctant Emma to investigate the death of her other client who was killed while on an outing with Emma. It actually took me a few chapters to warm to the main character who is kind and generous, but makes one questionable decision after another throughout her unofficial investigation. She keeps the deputy sherrif in the dark about so many things for no good reason. In spite of this, I enjoyed the book and the way things turn out in the end. I definitely want to read the next book in this series which is scheduled to come out later this year.
These other two clients are really interesting. The elderly Dottie is a cozy mystery fan, and Stephanie a fan of true crime shows. The two armchair detectives convince the reluctant Emma to investigate the death of her other client who was killed while on an outing with Emma. It actually took me a few chapters to warm to the main character who is kind and generous, but makes one questionable decision after another throughout her unofficial investigation. She keeps the deputy sherrif in the dark about so many things for no good reason. In spite of this, I enjoyed the book and the way things turn out in the end. I definitely want to read the next book in this series which is scheduled to come out later this year.
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