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River Sutton #1
Roadside Homicide
When Robin Pearce came home to River Sutton for her little sister's wedding, she knew she'd run into old classmates, but not with her car.
Robin cut her small town roots and moved to the big city to climb the corporate ladder. She's a little nervous about seeing folks from high school. Slipping back into small town ways is as uncomfortable for Robin as trying to squeeze into a bodycon dress. But with plenty of coffee and her own car karaoke, her confidence is high.
Until a bleeding man stumbles into the road. Right in front of her car.
Although Robin tries desperately to save him, he dies in her arms, gasping his final words to her. She vows to carry his message to whoever they're intended for. As soon as she figures that out.
She teams up with hunky Sheriff Chris Payne, the former high school star quarterback, to track down the murderer. He warns her to leave the sleuthing to him, but when he arrests her childhood friend, it's up to her to find the evidence that will clear her.
Between dress fittings, menu planning, favor making, ceremony planning, and the wedding rehearsal, Robin tries to catch a killer. Will she track down the murderer before her sister walks down the aisle?
Robin cut her small town roots and moved to the big city to climb the corporate ladder. She's a little nervous about seeing folks from high school. Slipping back into small town ways is as uncomfortable for Robin as trying to squeeze into a bodycon dress. But with plenty of coffee and her own car karaoke, her confidence is high.
Until a bleeding man stumbles into the road. Right in front of her car.
Although Robin tries desperately to save him, he dies in her arms, gasping his final words to her. She vows to carry his message to whoever they're intended for. As soon as she figures that out.
She teams up with hunky Sheriff Chris Payne, the former high school star quarterback, to track down the murderer. He warns her to leave the sleuthing to him, but when he arrests her childhood friend, it's up to her to find the evidence that will clear her.
Between dress fittings, menu planning, favor making, ceremony planning, and the wedding rehearsal, Robin tries to catch a killer. Will she track down the murderer before her sister walks down the aisle?
152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2021
About the author
Nancy Basile
15 books100 followersGet a free novelette. Meet Robin Pearce, a web traffic analyst and amateur sleuth, and her sister, Jenn, in the prequel to the series, A Shoulder to Die On. Robin comes home for a girls' weekend with her sister and her friends from sorority, but winds up in the ER. Sign up to get your free prequel at https://www.nancy-basile.com
Nancy Basile wrote about TV, movies and lifestyle for more than 20 years. As a freelance writer, she has written articles for Paste Magazine, Comic Book Resource, The Penny Hoarder, Thought Co. and Pennsylvania newspapers.
Now, she's putting her wits and her writing skills to the test in a new cozy mystery series, River Sutton Mysteries.
Be sure to follow Nancy on Instagram https://instagram.com/authornancybasile and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authornancyb...
Nancy Basile wrote about TV, movies and lifestyle for more than 20 years. As a freelance writer, she has written articles for Paste Magazine, Comic Book Resource, The Penny Hoarder, Thought Co. and Pennsylvania newspapers.
Now, she's putting her wits and her writing skills to the test in a new cozy mystery series, River Sutton Mysteries.
Be sure to follow Nancy on Instagram https://instagram.com/authornancybasile and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authornancyb...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
January 30, 2022
This was a short but fun cosy by an author I have not met before.
Roadside Homicide begins with the main character, Robin, driving back to her old home town to take part in her sister's wedding. On the way she narrowly misses running into a man on the road who turns out to have been shot. The drama continues when she realises she knows the dead man and also the sheriff from her school days.
I enjoyed the mystery that ensued as well as all the family fun of organising a wedding. The characters were all well written and it seemed that a romance might be on the cards for Robin. I thought the author wrote this well and I will be happy to read more books by her.
Roadside Homicide begins with the main character, Robin, driving back to her old home town to take part in her sister's wedding. On the way she narrowly misses running into a man on the road who turns out to have been shot. The drama continues when she realises she knows the dead man and also the sheriff from her school days.
I enjoyed the mystery that ensued as well as all the family fun of organising a wedding. The characters were all well written and it seemed that a romance might be on the cards for Robin. I thought the author wrote this well and I will be happy to read more books by her.
September 13, 2022
Roadside Homicide is probably one of my favorite cozy mysteries yet. It had the perfect balance of predictability, romance, and overall ease of reading. Whether the length of the book or of the chapters helped in this case who knows.
Regardless, I loved the fact that there was such a variety of plotlines to focus on. Care to focus on the main character, Robin, and her drive for solving a murder? Or perhaps the romantic aspect of not only her sister's wedding but Robin's potential romantic endeavors? It is not strictly a novel about murder, but it is one that allows a reprieve from it all to bring a light-heartedness aspect.
All of this to say, I did think that the constant reference to Robin's past nickname "Professor Robin" did become a bit tiresome. However, it was pivotal to her character's background, but it could have been addressed in another manner. Needless to say, I can not wait to find out what happens throughout the rest of the series!
Regardless, I loved the fact that there was such a variety of plotlines to focus on. Care to focus on the main character, Robin, and her drive for solving a murder? Or perhaps the romantic aspect of not only her sister's wedding but Robin's potential romantic endeavors? It is not strictly a novel about murder, but it is one that allows a reprieve from it all to bring a light-heartedness aspect.
All of this to say, I did think that the constant reference to Robin's past nickname "Professor Robin" did become a bit tiresome. However, it was pivotal to her character's background, but it could have been addressed in another manner. Needless to say, I can not wait to find out what happens throughout the rest of the series!
July 25, 2022
Cute but very predictable. 2.5 stars
August 27, 2021
Excellent beginning to what I hope will be a long-running cozy series! Robin heads home to help with her sister's wedding, and she runs into more than just old high school classmates. Solving the mystery was believable, and I loved the scenery which gave me a taste of home. I hope we'll get to visit with Robin & the River Sutton gang several more times!
February 19, 2022
Super quick and enjoyable read. I liked the characters but would have liked a little more depth to them as well as to the story. Also, I get it's a small town but the constant references to her as Professor Robin got tiresome. Still, I enjoyed it enough to continue with the series.
I received a copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
I received a copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
January 12, 2022
I enjoyed this book. An interesting story combined with the weirdness many feel when coming home after a long time gone. Robin literally almost crashes into this mystery as the soon to be dead man stumbles out in front of her car. He's only able to mutter a few syllables before he dies but that is enough to make Robin, a computer search wiz, determined to find out not just who killed him but why. Along the way she encounters some blasts from the past, both good and bad. I had the wrong suspect pegged as the murderer, by the way, but it all made perfect sense at the end.
I liked Robin. Having been quite shy during my own high school days, more at home with my nose in a book than being social, I could relate. That made her ability to focus on finding long forgotten clues that tied two cases together make sense. She seemed to jump right into questioning people and pushing ahead when it might have been wiser to allow Chris, the local police and a former crush, to take the lead, of course. Will she get smarter and let him into her amateur investigation? Will Jenn's wedding come off with no more problems? Will Chris ever act on his long ago crush? Will Robin stay or will Robin go?
This book seemed to be a nice mesh of mystery and romance. Between Jenn's upcoming wedding (and I should probably note for any who care that it's a same sex wedding, in small town West Virginia, no less) and Robin discovering Chris' long ago crush, the mystery occasionally seems shoved into the background. That's actually good as, let's face it, even in real life investigations shouldn't focus our attention on finding the solution 24/7 but allow those involved to continue living, too. I liked that. On the downside, I made an early note to myself saying, "Will what's in her suitcase matter?" as I read the great detail given to that aspect of Robin's trip back to her ol' home town. Let's just say, the book started slow in my eyes. No fault of the author, I'm sure, but Ch. 2 was a repeat of Ch. 1, so the real action didn't start until the third chapter. After that, however, the pace began to pick up and I found myself interested in not just the mystery but Robin's family and relationships about her. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #MediaMedusaLLC for the copy.
I liked Robin. Having been quite shy during my own high school days, more at home with my nose in a book than being social, I could relate. That made her ability to focus on finding long forgotten clues that tied two cases together make sense. She seemed to jump right into questioning people and pushing ahead when it might have been wiser to allow Chris, the local police and a former crush, to take the lead, of course. Will she get smarter and let him into her amateur investigation? Will Jenn's wedding come off with no more problems? Will Chris ever act on his long ago crush? Will Robin stay or will Robin go?
This book seemed to be a nice mesh of mystery and romance. Between Jenn's upcoming wedding (and I should probably note for any who care that it's a same sex wedding, in small town West Virginia, no less) and Robin discovering Chris' long ago crush, the mystery occasionally seems shoved into the background. That's actually good as, let's face it, even in real life investigations shouldn't focus our attention on finding the solution 24/7 but allow those involved to continue living, too. I liked that. On the downside, I made an early note to myself saying, "Will what's in her suitcase matter?" as I read the great detail given to that aspect of Robin's trip back to her ol' home town. Let's just say, the book started slow in my eyes. No fault of the author, I'm sure, but Ch. 2 was a repeat of Ch. 1, so the real action didn't start until the third chapter. After that, however, the pace began to pick up and I found myself interested in not just the mystery but Robin's family and relationships about her. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #MediaMedusaLLC for the copy.
March 10, 2022
3.5/5 stars
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed this read. It features Robin, who's on her way home for her sister's wedding when she comes upon an injured man who dies in her arms. The rest of the story follows Robin as she attempts to both prepare for her sister's wedding and solve the mystery surrounding the man's death. Though it was a mystery, and generally those tend to be a little darker, I felt like this book still had a very fun, light-hearted feel to it.
If you like to visualize books as you read them, definitely pick this one up - the author is very detailed with her writing (also, was she sponsored by Subaru? I definitely read the word Subaru once every other page).
There were a few random aspects about the book, like the appearance of characters that wouldn't show up again (eg., , who I marked the name off as a spoiler in case people didn't want to know this when reading it), or really detailed scenes that didn't have a connection to the plot (eg., , which I'm again marking off as a spoiler just for hardcore mystery fans). At times, information that Robin got seemed very conveniently dropped into her lap, which seemed a little too easy in a mystery. I also would have loved to see more depth with the characters, because I felt like there wasn't as much depth into their thought processes or characteristics as there could've been.
Overall, this was a really light-hearted, easy read, and I would definitely recommend it for anyone who'd like to read a mystery like that!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed this read. It features Robin, who's on her way home for her sister's wedding when she comes upon an injured man who dies in her arms. The rest of the story follows Robin as she attempts to both prepare for her sister's wedding and solve the mystery surrounding the man's death. Though it was a mystery, and generally those tend to be a little darker, I felt like this book still had a very fun, light-hearted feel to it.
If you like to visualize books as you read them, definitely pick this one up - the author is very detailed with her writing (also, was she sponsored by Subaru? I definitely read the word Subaru once every other page).
There were a few random aspects about the book, like the appearance of characters that wouldn't show up again (eg., , who I marked the name off as a spoiler in case people didn't want to know this when reading it), or really detailed scenes that didn't have a connection to the plot (eg., , which I'm again marking off as a spoiler just for hardcore mystery fans). At times, information that Robin got seemed very conveniently dropped into her lap, which seemed a little too easy in a mystery. I also would have loved to see more depth with the characters, because I felt like there wasn't as much depth into their thought processes or characteristics as there could've been.
Overall, this was a really light-hearted, easy read, and I would definitely recommend it for anyone who'd like to read a mystery like that!
March 25, 2022
Roadside Homicide is the inaugural book in Nancy Basile's River Sutton Mystery series. The book opens with protagonist Robin Pearce traveling from Cleveland to her hometown of River Sutton, West Virginia to attend the wedding of her sister Jenn. Shortly before she arrives at home, she comes across a man stumbling near the road and she stops to offer aid. The man dies and when the police arrive she discovers that the deceased was a high school classmate that had disappeared shortly before graduation and has just recently returned to town. She also discovers that the sheriff is another of her high school classmates that she just happened to have had a crush on as a teenager.
The author has taken the time to develop not only the storyline for this book but also a cast of characters whose history lends the opportunity to create numerous interactions and future for all involved. I was especially intrigued by the integration of a long unsolved case into the overall plot as the ultimate reveal of both the culprit and motive being tied to it. I look forward to more books in this series to see where the author chooses to take these characters as they move forward.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The author has taken the time to develop not only the storyline for this book but also a cast of characters whose history lends the opportunity to create numerous interactions and future for all involved. I was especially intrigued by the integration of a long unsolved case into the overall plot as the ultimate reveal of both the culprit and motive being tied to it. I look forward to more books in this series to see where the author chooses to take these characters as they move forward.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 25, 2022
My first read from this author and this the first in the River Sutton Cozy Mystery Series. This is a light hearted romp involving a bank robbery from 10 years ago, a murdered man who had strangely disappeared for years and Robin’s best friend from school days. Oh and the hunk of a sheriff !!
Briefly, Robin Pearce left her hometown of River Sutton, Virginia to make a new life in Cleveland and is working for a web traffic analyst company. She is now driving back home to attend her younger sisters wedding when she literally runs into a former school classmate. However, when she gets out of the car she discovers he has been shot and before he dies he utters some words which she promises to pass on to whoever it was intended for. Along with the sheriff (another former classmate) she decides to track down the killer all whilst preparing for her sister’s wedding.
A faintly quick read I found difficult to put down. The small town interactions are extremely well portrayed and despite the subject matter there were some very funny parts. A well written book and although I felt the mystery part of it needed a little more depth it was an enjoyable read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Briefly, Robin Pearce left her hometown of River Sutton, Virginia to make a new life in Cleveland and is working for a web traffic analyst company. She is now driving back home to attend her younger sisters wedding when she literally runs into a former school classmate. However, when she gets out of the car she discovers he has been shot and before he dies he utters some words which she promises to pass on to whoever it was intended for. Along with the sheriff (another former classmate) she decides to track down the killer all whilst preparing for her sister’s wedding.
A faintly quick read I found difficult to put down. The small town interactions are extremely well portrayed and despite the subject matter there were some very funny parts. A well written book and although I felt the mystery part of it needed a little more depth it was an enjoyable read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 28, 2021
I love a cosy mystery so this was always going to be a fun read for me. I liked the setting - and am excited for an entire River Sutton series - and the characters, but I found myself enjoying the scenes sorting out the wedding chaos more than the scenes involving the mystery itself. The mystery aspect may be better suited to someone who doesn't consume a lot of mystery in media, because it was a very predictable conclusion and it was kind of surprising just how incompetent the police department was, all so that our main character could investigate instead.
Our main character Robin is a web traffic analyst, which sounds promising for the future of this series. I haven't read a cosy mystery series with a character well versed in tech, so I'm interested to see how she uses these skills for future mysteries, and I actually really enjoyed the side characters so I'm excited to see where they all end up in River Sutton.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Our main character Robin is a web traffic analyst, which sounds promising for the future of this series. I haven't read a cosy mystery series with a character well versed in tech, so I'm interested to see how she uses these skills for future mysteries, and I actually really enjoyed the side characters so I'm excited to see where they all end up in River Sutton.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2022
Going back to your hometown after a long time away can be a little nerve wracking. Robin Pearse is going home for her sister's wedding and is a little nervous about running into old classmates from high school. She knows it is inevitable because it is a small town, but she didn't know how literal it would be. When an old classmate dies in her arms, she is determined to pass on his final message and figure out who murdered him. The sheriff just happens to be the guy she had a crush on in high school. Will she be able to help him figure out who the murderer is before anyone else is harmed? This book flows smoothly and have well developed characters. I really enjoyed it. I am looking forward learning more about the characters and their lives in the next book.
August 30, 2022
This book was a much needed pallet cleanser and a bit of sunshine and humor exactly when I needed it. Robin has a some really funny one liners and she banters back and fourth with most of the characters in the book. She is an excellent big sister and helping her sister put the finishing touches on her wedding which takes place at then end of the week. She is working hard to keep their mother from driving them both nuts. I will say the dialog was just a bit cheesy but the author will improve overtime I have no doubt. If your seeing this keep up the good work Nancy! This has all the hallmarks of a cozy mystery which I love but had me guessing at who the killer was until the 75% mark :). Usually I've got it figured out pretty early on lol.
January 7, 2023
Rounded up from 4.25
I love a cozy mystery. They always feel so... wholesome...can you even say that when there is a murder in the first chapter? Roadside Homicide is no different in this regard - with interesting family dynamics, a potential love interest, and a town secret.
I love the way Robin isn't your typical cozy mystery heroine in that she doesn't currently live in River Sutton AND she has a job in STEM! Unlike our typical bakery or bookstore owner, Robin is a data analyst and is most comfortable with numbers and a spreadsheet. Woot woot for some diversity in that regard!
While the mystery was a bit straightforward, it was an enjoyable read. Perfect comfort read. I do wish we had seen more of Jenn and Deb - and I see they have their own short story, so I'll check it out.
I love a cozy mystery. They always feel so... wholesome...can you even say that when there is a murder in the first chapter? Roadside Homicide is no different in this regard - with interesting family dynamics, a potential love interest, and a town secret.
I love the way Robin isn't your typical cozy mystery heroine in that she doesn't currently live in River Sutton AND she has a job in STEM! Unlike our typical bakery or bookstore owner, Robin is a data analyst and is most comfortable with numbers and a spreadsheet. Woot woot for some diversity in that regard!
While the mystery was a bit straightforward, it was an enjoyable read. Perfect comfort read. I do wish we had seen more of Jenn and Deb - and I see they have their own short story, so I'll check it out.
January 11, 2022
When Robin comes home for her sister’s wedding, she gets involved in a murder investigation and she wouldn’t rest until she finds out who the killer is.
This was a cozy mystery. A short n sweet one. I liked the premise of it as well as the characters. It isn’t too intense. Just a light read! The plot twists weren’t that great but overall, it’s not bad given the length of the book which is only around 152 pages. You’ll definitely get all the small town vibes!
Thank you @netgalley for the free copy of this book :)
This was a cozy mystery. A short n sweet one. I liked the premise of it as well as the characters. It isn’t too intense. Just a light read! The plot twists weren’t that great but overall, it’s not bad given the length of the book which is only around 152 pages. You’ll definitely get all the small town vibes!
Thank you @netgalley for the free copy of this book :)
March 6, 2022
This was a fun, cozy mystery. (My first ever read cozy 😮).
Poor Robin! Almost hits a guy with her car (and someone she knew from high school) and he dies in her arms. Then comes the sheriff, who she liked in high school, and he enlists her help to find out the killer. All while Robin is in the midst of getting her sister Jenn ready for her marriage to Deb.
I loved the sisters relationship. I thought that the way Robin helps solve the murder was believable for a small town with a small force, as she did not that breaks the law as we see in some books.
Poor Robin! Almost hits a guy with her car (and someone she knew from high school) and he dies in her arms. Then comes the sheriff, who she liked in high school, and he enlists her help to find out the killer. All while Robin is in the midst of getting her sister Jenn ready for her marriage to Deb.
I loved the sisters relationship. I thought that the way Robin helps solve the murder was believable for a small town with a small force, as she did not that breaks the law as we see in some books.
March 28, 2022
I love me a good cozy mystery! This is the first in the Sutton Country Cozy Mysteries series and I promise you that I will be picking up the rest!
Robin, on her way back to her hometown, nearly runs over a man…who later shows up dead from a gunshot. I loved how believable the solving of the mystery was. It gave me a bit of Aurora Teagarden mystery vibes - and I am totally here for that!
📌 Pub Date: June 26, 2021
I was given an ARC of this story to read; but thoughts and opinions are all my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Media Medusa LLC for the chance to read this book!
Robin, on her way back to her hometown, nearly runs over a man…who later shows up dead from a gunshot. I loved how believable the solving of the mystery was. It gave me a bit of Aurora Teagarden mystery vibes - and I am totally here for that!
📌 Pub Date: June 26, 2021
I was given an ARC of this story to read; but thoughts and opinions are all my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Media Medusa LLC for the chance to read this book!
February 5, 2022
Cozy mystery with not a lot of gore—perfect if you’re looking for a quick one afternoon mystery read! Robin, the likable main character, finds herself holding a dying man by chance upon her trip home for her sister’s wedding. As she unravels the mystery, she explores her personal relationships. Hope to see more in this series and more of Robin’s story! (Also could absolutely see this becoming a Hallmark mystery series, which I will definitely watch). Many thanks to NetGalley.
August 20, 2022
Roadside Homocide follows Robin who is returning home to her small town for her sisters wedding, but before she even arrives she runs into an old classmate, covered in blood and dying.
As he dies in her arms it soon becomes clear that something isn’t right here and Robin makes it her mission to find out exactly what happened.
This is a short but sweet whodunnit set in a cosy small town. It’s fun (despite the subject matter) and fast paced and easy to read in one sitting.
As he dies in her arms it soon becomes clear that something isn’t right here and Robin makes it her mission to find out exactly what happened.
This is a short but sweet whodunnit set in a cosy small town. It’s fun (despite the subject matter) and fast paced and easy to read in one sitting.
July 6, 2021
This was a well written book that held my interest. The characters were likable and well done. The chapters were short which is something I really appreciate. I always seem to have to stop every so often and I always squeeze in just one more chapter before I have to stop to do what ever I have to do. Highly recommended.
February 6, 2022
This is the first in the series. The main character is Robin. Robin comes home for her sister's wedding. Coming into town, she has a dying man run almost in front of her. Before anyone can get there he dies. Robin gets caught up in trying to figure out who could have done this. Can she fugre it all out before it's too late for her ?
January 5, 2022
This is book one of the River Sutton Country Cozy Mysteries Series.. This is the perfect cozy mystery. Good story, interesting people, and hopefully a budding romance. Am excited to read the next book.
January 24, 2022
Cute cozy mystery in which I won the printed paperback(no option to choose that edition.) I won this in a multi-author cozy Facebook group giveaway to further clarify. It was a quick and easy read. Recommend.
April 9, 2023
Roadside Homicide (River Sutton Mysteries Book1)
This is a good mystery Robin returns to her hometown for her sisters wedding and a man almost falls in front of her car and he ha been shot Robin helps to find the killer A good mystery
This is a good mystery Robin returns to her hometown for her sisters wedding and a man almost falls in front of her car and he ha been shot Robin helps to find the killer A good mystery
September 5, 2023
Roadside Homicide by Nancy Basile is a great first in a cozy mystery series which has great characters, storyline and representation of LGBT as well as Plus-Size. I really enjoyed this one as it got me hooked.
July 4, 2021
This was a good story line for a cozy mystery but the writing felt very amateurish… but this was a free ebook so I guess I shouldn’t complain.
July 13, 2021
A fun small town homecoming cozy with great characters, an intriguing mystery, and best of all a hunky cop. Would recommend!
July 14, 2021
I absolutely loved this debut cosy mystery. It was the perfect balance of romance and murder. I loved the characters and the way Nancy painted the small town scene. Can't wait to read the next one!!
August 27, 2021
A wonderful Book
I enjoyed this book very much. It was an interesting story. I enjoyed the Robin character the most. Also, I never got bored.
I enjoyed this book very much. It was an interesting story. I enjoyed the Robin character the most. Also, I never got bored.
November 25, 2021
This book was so fun. It was unlike anything I’ve ever ready before. I can’t wait to read more from this series.
December 20, 2021
Unputdownable! I truly enjoyed the characters and the great story line. Really loved this book! I totally recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews