What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wannabe Sleuth #1
Home Is Where the Body Is
The coastal Oregon town of Rainbow Falls might be sleepy, but it’s definitely not innocent...
When graphic designer and true crime fan Annie Abbott agrees to house sit her parents’ home for a year, she’s convinced that even though the small town has ten coffee shops, nothing exciting will happen. But that’s before a seemingly feral cat gives birth in her garage, prompting a call to the very handsome, very single town vet. It’s a dream meet-cute, but just as their romance blooms, Annie discovers the bloody body of her grumpy neighbor. And despite the fact that she passes out at the sight of blood, the police suspect her.
To clear her name, Annie will need to put her years of watching police procedurals and reading mysteries to good use. She’ll also need to rely on her new friends who have welcomed her to Rainbow Falls, but is one of them the killer?
When graphic designer and true crime fan Annie Abbott agrees to house sit her parents’ home for a year, she’s convinced that even though the small town has ten coffee shops, nothing exciting will happen. But that’s before a seemingly feral cat gives birth in her garage, prompting a call to the very handsome, very single town vet. It’s a dream meet-cute, but just as their romance blooms, Annie discovers the bloody body of her grumpy neighbor. And despite the fact that she passes out at the sight of blood, the police suspect her.
To clear her name, Annie will need to put her years of watching police procedurals and reading mysteries to good use. She’ll also need to rely on her new friends who have welcomed her to Rainbow Falls, but is one of them the killer?
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 23, 2022
415 people are currently reading
532 people want to read
About the author
Jody Holford
45 books648 followersa wife* a mom* a reader and a writer* a friend* a daughter* a teacher* a sister* a blogger and follower* a worrier and word twister* a gemini*
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
March 22, 2022
“Home is Where the Body is” by Jody Holford book one in the Wannabe Slueth Mystery series. I was sad when her Britton Bay series ended so was happy when I heard about the new cozy mystery series, and Jody didn’t disappoint! I found it to be just as enjoyable and entertaining full of loveable characters and felines.
The coastal Oregon town of Rainbow Falls might be sleepy, but it’s definitely not innocent...
What a great start to a new cozy mystery series it was engaging and really well-written, with a wonderful small town, seaside setting and excellent characters. As most of you know I love the sea and the way this town was described I was dreaming of living there myself.
The protagonist Annie was intelligent, likeable, and the friends she made were people I would like to hang out with especially Ashley and Stephanie. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the story and the instant romance whilst trying to figure out the killer.
The mystery was well written and had plenty of suspects who wanted the victim dead. I did suspect the killer early on but there were a few red herrings so I wasnt 100% sure until close to the end when the final piece fell into place.
I can't wait for the next instalment Homecoming and Homicide!
The coastal Oregon town of Rainbow Falls might be sleepy, but it’s definitely not innocent...
What a great start to a new cozy mystery series it was engaging and really well-written, with a wonderful small town, seaside setting and excellent characters. As most of you know I love the sea and the way this town was described I was dreaming of living there myself.
The protagonist Annie was intelligent, likeable, and the friends she made were people I would like to hang out with especially Ashley and Stephanie. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the story and the instant romance whilst trying to figure out the killer.
The mystery was well written and had plenty of suspects who wanted the victim dead. I did suspect the killer early on but there were a few red herrings so I wasnt 100% sure until close to the end when the final piece fell into place.
I can't wait for the next instalment Homecoming and Homicide!
July 15, 2024
If you go in expecting it to be mediocre from a writing standpoint, with an unbelievable plot, these sorts of books are perfect.
May 8, 2025
I always think when I go into these books that they will come in at 3 stars, and this was no different. Albeit I’d probably say it was a touch over that at maybe a 3.25, but you can thank Goodreads for keeping us at the lousy rating system.
Anyway, overall, I enjoyed this opening story to the “Wannabe Sleuth” series. It had good characters, a fun plot (albeit a touch predictable) and a few twists and turns. Honestly, I really had no idea who the killer was. The victim was an easy choice, but the ending was great. And cheers to Shelby the cat for saving the day.
I think when you read these cozy mysteries, you have to know that what you get is just a fun, quick read, that while it won't win awards for the best book on the planet, it does the job it should do … it entertains!! I think of it as watching an episode of “Murder She Wrote.”
I know I usually have so much more to say in my reviews, but I will say this. I will go on to the next book in the series. And to me, that, in itself, is a compliment to the author. She has me hooked, and I want to read on!!
Anyway, overall, I enjoyed this opening story to the “Wannabe Sleuth” series. It had good characters, a fun plot (albeit a touch predictable) and a few twists and turns. Honestly, I really had no idea who the killer was. The victim was an easy choice, but the ending was great. And cheers to Shelby the cat for saving the day.
I think when you read these cozy mysteries, you have to know that what you get is just a fun, quick read, that while it won't win awards for the best book on the planet, it does the job it should do … it entertains!! I think of it as watching an episode of “Murder She Wrote.”
I know I usually have so much more to say in my reviews, but I will say this. I will go on to the next book in the series. And to me, that, in itself, is a compliment to the author. She has me hooked, and I want to read on!!
August 24, 2022
This is a fun easy cosy mystery that has enough drama to keep you engaged but is at heart a fun read
When Annie Abbott agrees to house sit her parents’ home for a year she expects everything to be quite and dull She doesn't expect to find the man of her dreams in local vet Ben Nor did she expect to be accused of the murder of her grumpy neighbour but that is what happened Now she needs to work to prove her innocence with the help of her FB crime solving buddies.
Altogether a fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
When Annie Abbott agrees to house sit her parents’ home for a year she expects everything to be quite and dull She doesn't expect to find the man of her dreams in local vet Ben Nor did she expect to be accused of the murder of her grumpy neighbour but that is what happened Now she needs to work to prove her innocence with the help of her FB crime solving buddies.
Altogether a fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
September 25, 2022
Jody Holford makes her Tule Publishing debut with Home Is Where the Body Is, the first book in her Wannabe Sleuth cozy mystery series.
Graphic designer Annie Abbott has moved from Portland, Oregon to the small coastal town of Rainbow Falls, Oregon to housesit for her parents, who are sailing around the world for the next year. This isn’t her childhood home or hometown, but she’s excited nonetheless. After all, the town of less than two thousand people has ten unique coffee shops and other equally charming small businesses. With Rainbow Falls being small and a tourist town, one would think that everyone you encountered would be nice. Not.
On Annie’s drive into town, she stops at one of the first coffee shops she sees and is in for a rude awakening. Just Coffee is just that. Just Coffee. But the rude part is the man behind her who’s grumpy because she’s asking about pastries. Annie is shocked to realize that the rude, mean sexagenarian is her new next-door neighbor, Gill Downs. The two clash again, and Annie soon realizes Gill clashes with everyone. Deciding to put Mr. Ornery out of her mind, Annie goes to her parents' garage where she discovers a not-so-happy cat. Needing reinforcements, Annie calls for help and gets local vet Benjamin (Ben) McIntyre. To her surprise, the cat is in labor and also belongs to Gill.
Shelby the cat is in no rush to leave Annie’s garage and go back home. So, Annie decides to go to Gill’s to retrieve some of Shelby’s items, to make her and her kittens more comfortable. Annie discovers Gill dead and immediately passes out due to a medical condition. Rainbow Falls PD has a lack of murder investigation experience, resulting in a larger agency taking over and immediately having Annie in its sights. Her running a mystery blog where she’s currently planning a mystery game with the victim having a strong resemblance to Gill doesn’t help her at all.
Home Is Where the Body Is was a good start to this series. A lot of the book involves introducing readers to all the people Annie will live next to for the next year and people closer to her age who will become friends. Ben is slated to become her love interest, but you can tell that she’s going to become great friends with Ryan, a police officer with Rainbow Falls PD, and twins Ashley and Stephanie, who own the coffee shop Cuppa.
I found the mystery of who killed Gill to be very good. My spidey senses didn’t go off even as the big reveal was happening. I’m a romance reader first, and a big reason I love Jody’s cozy mysteries is because she includes a closed-door romance. I’m looking forward to the relationship between Ben and Annie growing and watching Annie’s found family come together in the next book.
~ Favorite Quote ~
“Don’t be afraid to start all over again; you might like your new story better. ~ Anonymous”
**Received a copy of the book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.**
Graphic designer Annie Abbott has moved from Portland, Oregon to the small coastal town of Rainbow Falls, Oregon to housesit for her parents, who are sailing around the world for the next year. This isn’t her childhood home or hometown, but she’s excited nonetheless. After all, the town of less than two thousand people has ten unique coffee shops and other equally charming small businesses. With Rainbow Falls being small and a tourist town, one would think that everyone you encountered would be nice. Not.
On Annie’s drive into town, she stops at one of the first coffee shops she sees and is in for a rude awakening. Just Coffee is just that. Just Coffee. But the rude part is the man behind her who’s grumpy because she’s asking about pastries. Annie is shocked to realize that the rude, mean sexagenarian is her new next-door neighbor, Gill Downs. The two clash again, and Annie soon realizes Gill clashes with everyone. Deciding to put Mr. Ornery out of her mind, Annie goes to her parents' garage where she discovers a not-so-happy cat. Needing reinforcements, Annie calls for help and gets local vet Benjamin (Ben) McIntyre. To her surprise, the cat is in labor and also belongs to Gill.
Shelby the cat is in no rush to leave Annie’s garage and go back home. So, Annie decides to go to Gill’s to retrieve some of Shelby’s items, to make her and her kittens more comfortable. Annie discovers Gill dead and immediately passes out due to a medical condition. Rainbow Falls PD has a lack of murder investigation experience, resulting in a larger agency taking over and immediately having Annie in its sights. Her running a mystery blog where she’s currently planning a mystery game with the victim having a strong resemblance to Gill doesn’t help her at all.
Home Is Where the Body Is was a good start to this series. A lot of the book involves introducing readers to all the people Annie will live next to for the next year and people closer to her age who will become friends. Ben is slated to become her love interest, but you can tell that she’s going to become great friends with Ryan, a police officer with Rainbow Falls PD, and twins Ashley and Stephanie, who own the coffee shop Cuppa.
I found the mystery of who killed Gill to be very good. My spidey senses didn’t go off even as the big reveal was happening. I’m a romance reader first, and a big reason I love Jody’s cozy mysteries is because she includes a closed-door romance. I’m looking forward to the relationship between Ben and Annie growing and watching Annie’s found family come together in the next book.
~ Favorite Quote ~
“Don’t be afraid to start all over again; you might like your new story better. ~ Anonymous”
**Received a copy of the book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.**
September 25, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It is the first in a new series, so there is a lot of getting to know the characters, main and supporting, and of course, there is a murder to solve. I liked Annie, the main character, who has moved to Rainbow Falls for a year to house sit for her parents, who are on a round the world cruise. As a graphic designer, she has the luxury of being able to work from home, so this move is not a huge deal for her. Her new next door neighbor, on the other hand? Not only a big deal, but a curmudgeon of the biggest sort! And there is his cat, Shelby, who has taken residence in her garage.
As I said, this is the first book in a new series, and I for one, am happy to see the second one already has a publication date listed. I can't wait!!
As I said, this is the first book in a new series, and I for one, am happy to see the second one already has a publication date listed. I can't wait!!
March 23, 2022
This book is brilliant. The characters are brilliant, and some had me in stitches. The banter between Annie and Ben is wonderfully portrayed and it was a joy watching them try and navigate their growing feelings. The story follows Annie, who thinks herself a wannabe sleuth, albeit one who passes out at the slightest sight of blood. After finding her grumpy neighbour dead, and faints at the crime scene, she finds herself smack bang in the middle of a murder mystery, where she is the number 1 suspect. I love this author and adored 5his book. Cant wait for the next book in the series
August 19, 2022
4.5 stars
A great start to a new series. Murder and romance come together to make a fun and fast read.
Annie moves to her parents home in coastal Rainbow Falls while they go on a tour of the world. She expects a quiet life of coffee shops and beach walking. What she gets is a cranky cat, a murder, an overwhelming neighbor, and a hunky vet.
Annie is a protagonist I think all readers will enjoy. She has small town charm that draws others to her like a moth to a flame. She is a lover of junk food, a cozy mystery reader, and has a penchant of fainting at the sight of blood. The fainting is what gets her in the crosshairs of two bumbling detectives that couldn’t find the nose on their face.
Home is Where the Body Is kept me interested from beginning to end and I’m ready for book two, Homecoming and Homicide.
A great start to a new series. Murder and romance come together to make a fun and fast read.
Annie moves to her parents home in coastal Rainbow Falls while they go on a tour of the world. She expects a quiet life of coffee shops and beach walking. What she gets is a cranky cat, a murder, an overwhelming neighbor, and a hunky vet.
Annie is a protagonist I think all readers will enjoy. She has small town charm that draws others to her like a moth to a flame. She is a lover of junk food, a cozy mystery reader, and has a penchant of fainting at the sight of blood. The fainting is what gets her in the crosshairs of two bumbling detectives that couldn’t find the nose on their face.
Home is Where the Body Is kept me interested from beginning to end and I’m ready for book two, Homecoming and Homicide.
November 29, 2022
First comment: the official publisher’s log line is “The coastal Oregon town of Rainbow Falls might be sleepy, but it’s definitely not innocent…” Yay! Another mystery set on the Oregon coast. Sign me up. But then, imagine my surprise when I find in chapter 15 there’s a restaurant serving the “best burgers and curly fries in all of Washington”. That’s not even an editing error. That’s a major error by the publisher’s publicity team. Shame on them.
Second comment: this is an excellent book. There was so much that was right and very little wrong.
The main character, Annie, is believable and not written as overly cute. Here the author skillfully creates a very real character with normal responses and hesitancies. Fainting at the sight of blood is pushing limits but I’ll allow it. The meet cute romantic interest develops slowly and his presence adds to the story. There are plenty of suspects but all are clearly defined alleviating the all-too-common confusion of ‘identity overload’. New acquaintances are introduced in a reasonable manner. They are friendly but the reader is not subjected to the “instant best friend” syndrome we so often find.
I’m not one to try to pick up clues to determine the culprit before the reveal. If you’re one of those readers, you should be warned there was no clue trail as such here. One could put a couple of things together but they are not clear clues until seen after the fact.
The one fault I saw was that when a neighbor discovers Annie with the body she mentions Annie couldn’t be the murderer because she had no blood spatter on her. The officers, detectives, forensic folk, no one else mentions that throughout the book as they try to railroad Annie as their suspect. It was a distraction waiting for someone to bring it up again.
There are a massive amount of editing errors appearing in this edition of the e-book. This is no fault of the author and, again, shame on the publisher for not employing a capable proofreader.
Second comment: this is an excellent book. There was so much that was right and very little wrong.
The main character, Annie, is believable and not written as overly cute. Here the author skillfully creates a very real character with normal responses and hesitancies. Fainting at the sight of blood is pushing limits but I’ll allow it. The meet cute romantic interest develops slowly and his presence adds to the story. There are plenty of suspects but all are clearly defined alleviating the all-too-common confusion of ‘identity overload’. New acquaintances are introduced in a reasonable manner. They are friendly but the reader is not subjected to the “instant best friend” syndrome we so often find.
I’m not one to try to pick up clues to determine the culprit before the reveal. If you’re one of those readers, you should be warned there was no clue trail as such here. One could put a couple of things together but they are not clear clues until seen after the fact.
The one fault I saw was that when a neighbor discovers Annie with the body she mentions Annie couldn’t be the murderer because she had no blood spatter on her. The officers, detectives, forensic folk, no one else mentions that throughout the book as they try to railroad Annie as their suspect. It was a distraction waiting for someone to bring it up again.
There are a massive amount of editing errors appearing in this edition of the e-book. This is no fault of the author and, again, shame on the publisher for not employing a capable proofreader.
January 31, 2024
Well written, but hard for me to read and anticipate that the main character's online best female friend has a wife. Sorry, just do not understand the necessity of including this detail and then repeating evidence of the the female/female relationship multiple times throughout the book. If you don't wish to include my review because of this viewpoint so be it!
August 22, 2022
Thank you to the publisher for ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily. This was a fun and easy read. It had the mystery that you need for a cozy mystery, but it also had some lighthearted fun mixed in. Annie Abbott is excited and apprehensive at the same time about moving from the "big city" to the small town of Rainbow Falls. She is a graphic designer, and her parents have decided to go on a year long vacation and ask her to move into their home on the seashore. She fancies herself an armchair sleuth with her Facebook group who like to "solve" mysteries, but she faints at the sight of real blood! So, when she finds her new next door neighbor dead in his home, she and her friends think they can solve this mystery, since it seems she is suspect #1! One of my favorite parts was when she discovers what she thinks is a feral cat in her garage, and she calls the local vet, who is quite handsome I might add! This scene was very humorous. The characters were fun and the author did a great job of helping the reader get to know each character. My favorite character was Margie. She is a flamboyant older lady who takes charge in all situations. This is book #1 in this series, and I look forward to reading the next installment.
January 18, 2024
When you come down to it, it was the cat's fault.* If Annie Abbott hadn't had to inform the curmudgeon next door that his cat had kittens in her parents' garage, she wouldn't have seen the man's dead body. Then again, Annie wouldn't have met the dishy vet, which was almost worth being caught up in a murder investigation. Annie didn't kill the neighbour (as the detectives believed), nor could she tie any of the other neighbours to his death. Not even the cat.
*I adore cats - this is tongue-in-cheek.
Home is Where the Body Is shapes up to be one of those cosies that are such an enjoyable read that you're almost sad the murderer was caught (minor spoiler, I guess). Everything about this book is sheer fantasy - dream job, dream setting, dream man, dream friendships that were easy to form. I want this girl's life! So much fun.
The mystery, however, was the usual "mean man with multitudes of enemies". Sifting through the suspects took time, but the characterisation was skilfully written. Each character was introduced with enough description, causing them to be memorable (side characters) or spring off the page (main characters). With all the background, the solution was fair, though I didn't guess the perpetrator.
Absolutely recommended for cosy lovers.
*I adore cats - this is tongue-in-cheek.
Home is Where the Body Is shapes up to be one of those cosies that are such an enjoyable read that you're almost sad the murderer was caught (minor spoiler, I guess). Everything about this book is sheer fantasy - dream job, dream setting, dream man, dream friendships that were easy to form. I want this girl's life! So much fun.
The mystery, however, was the usual "mean man with multitudes of enemies". Sifting through the suspects took time, but the characterisation was skilfully written. Each character was introduced with enough description, causing them to be memorable (side characters) or spring off the page (main characters). With all the background, the solution was fair, though I didn't guess the perpetrator.
Absolutely recommended for cosy lovers.
April 29, 2024
Fans of Kate Carlisle and Krista Davis will be gripped by Jody Holford's Home is Where the Body is.
Graphic designer Annie Abbott has agreed to house-sit for her parents for a whole year in the small Oregon town of Rainbow Falls. Despite the many attractions Rainbow Falls offers, Annie is sure that nothing exciting or out of the ordinary will happen, but she is soon proven wrong when she stumbles upon her grumpy next door neighbor's body!
Annie faints at the first sight of blood, but the police still think that she is the killer! With her freedom on the line, Annie will need to put her years of watching procedurals and reading mysteries to good use to find the real killer. Luckily for her, her new friends - and a handsome vet - are on hand to help her out when she needs them most.
Jody Holford's Home is Where the Body Is is a nail-biting cozy mystery where the pages just turn themselves. With a fantastic heroine, a gorgeous small town setting and plenty of tension, intrigue and suspense to keep readers reading all through the night, Jody Holford's Home is Where the Body Is will delight cozy mystery aficionados everywhere.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Graphic designer Annie Abbott has agreed to house-sit for her parents for a whole year in the small Oregon town of Rainbow Falls. Despite the many attractions Rainbow Falls offers, Annie is sure that nothing exciting or out of the ordinary will happen, but she is soon proven wrong when she stumbles upon her grumpy next door neighbor's body!
Annie faints at the first sight of blood, but the police still think that she is the killer! With her freedom on the line, Annie will need to put her years of watching procedurals and reading mysteries to good use to find the real killer. Luckily for her, her new friends - and a handsome vet - are on hand to help her out when she needs them most.
Jody Holford's Home is Where the Body Is is a nail-biting cozy mystery where the pages just turn themselves. With a fantastic heroine, a gorgeous small town setting and plenty of tension, intrigue and suspense to keep readers reading all through the night, Jody Holford's Home is Where the Body Is will delight cozy mystery aficionados everywhere.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 25, 2022
Home Is Where the Body Is by Jody Holford s a marvelous start to The Wannabe Sleuth Series. Annie Abbott has come to the Oregon small-town not as her forever home but as one house sitter for her parents. While her parents are not part of the story since they are on a round-the-world cruise I liked them and their live life to the fullest attitude. Not everyone on their small neighborhood have that attitude.
I liked Annie too wishing I could join her on-line mystery Clue-like group. Her first intro into the small-town has a least than pleasant encounter with her second one being pleasant enough but with lots of requirements. I could understand the overwhelming feeling that she had. In fact, what she thought would be a boring little town was anything but that. At least there is a handsome vet among all the senior citizens. Also can I be Margie when I grow old? So enjoyed this first book which cozy mystery lovers everywhere will too.
An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I liked Annie too wishing I could join her on-line mystery Clue-like group. Her first intro into the small-town has a least than pleasant encounter with her second one being pleasant enough but with lots of requirements. I could understand the overwhelming feeling that she had. In fact, what she thought would be a boring little town was anything but that. At least there is a handsome vet among all the senior citizens. Also can I be Margie when I grow old? So enjoyed this first book which cozy mystery lovers everywhere will too.
An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 22, 2024
Home is Where the Body Is ~ The Wannable Sleuth #1 by Jody Holford
Blurb:
The coastal Oregon town of Rainbow Falls might be sleepy, but it’s definitely not innocent...
Jody Holford is a new author to me and I found this book on Booksprout, a lovely cover and an interesting blurb, so I thought I would try it.
I found this book to be very well written with wonderful characters. Here we have graphic designer and true crime fan Annie Abbott who is house-sitting for her parents while they have gone cruising for the year.
So what will a lovely seaside complex hold for Annie?
a lot is going on here, a good-looking vet, a cat in the garage, who is having kittens, doggy detectives, and a dead body for a start.
I was engaged from start to finish. I can honestly say that I did enjoy this book and will be looking into getting the next in the series.
I highly recommend this book to all, and will be looking into reading more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Blurb:
The coastal Oregon town of Rainbow Falls might be sleepy, but it’s definitely not innocent...
Jody Holford is a new author to me and I found this book on Booksprout, a lovely cover and an interesting blurb, so I thought I would try it.
I found this book to be very well written with wonderful characters. Here we have graphic designer and true crime fan Annie Abbott who is house-sitting for her parents while they have gone cruising for the year.
So what will a lovely seaside complex hold for Annie?
a lot is going on here, a good-looking vet, a cat in the garage, who is having kittens, doggy detectives, and a dead body for a start.
I was engaged from start to finish. I can honestly say that I did enjoy this book and will be looking into getting the next in the series.
I highly recommend this book to all, and will be looking into reading more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 13, 2025
This is the first book in the Wannabe Sleuth series by Jody Holford. I listened to this on Hoopla via my local library. Mary Castillo narrated the book.
Annie Abbott moves to the coastal Oregon town of Rainbow Falls to babysit her parent’s home. She is able to do this as graphic artist that works from home. She discovers her neighbor is the grouch she encountered at one of the nine local coffee shops.
She encounters a cat in her garage and calls the local veterinarian office for assistance. Annie and the cat do not hit it off on first contact. Turns out the cat is pregnant and looking to give birth in a quiet and comfortable space. Sam, the veterinarian is quite conservative and shy.
There is a little romance, plenty of suspects, not incompetent police, and lots of twists in this story.
I enjoyed the cat, Sam and Annie’s new friends. I thought I knew who the killer was early on but there were plenty of suspects and motives. So glad I wasn’t thrown off but I had to consider each new suspect.
Annie Abbott moves to the coastal Oregon town of Rainbow Falls to babysit her parent’s home. She is able to do this as graphic artist that works from home. She discovers her neighbor is the grouch she encountered at one of the nine local coffee shops.
She encounters a cat in her garage and calls the local veterinarian office for assistance. Annie and the cat do not hit it off on first contact. Turns out the cat is pregnant and looking to give birth in a quiet and comfortable space. Sam, the veterinarian is quite conservative and shy.
There is a little romance, plenty of suspects, not incompetent police, and lots of twists in this story.
I enjoyed the cat, Sam and Annie’s new friends. I thought I knew who the killer was early on but there were plenty of suspects and motives. So glad I wasn’t thrown off but I had to consider each new suspect.
July 9, 2022
The teaser for the first book in this series starts with:”When graphic designer and true crime fan Annie Abbott agrees to house sit her parents’ home for a year, she’s convinced that even though the small town has ten coffee shops, nothing exciting will happen. But that’s before a seemingly feral cat gives birth in her garage, prompting a call to the very handsome, very single town vet. It’s a dream meet-cute, but just as their romance blooms, Annie discovers the bloody body of her grumpy neighbor. And despite the fact that she passes out at the sight of blood, the police suspect her.”
I found this to be an easy read, fitting into the cosy mystery and light romance categories. There were several humorous episodes and the tone of the story was lighthearted. Intrigue as to the murderer persisted right to the end. Was an enjoyable read.
I received an advance copy from the author, Tule Publishing via Bookfunnel and leave this honest review voluntarily.
I found this to be an easy read, fitting into the cosy mystery and light romance categories. There were several humorous episodes and the tone of the story was lighthearted. Intrigue as to the murderer persisted right to the end. Was an enjoyable read.
I received an advance copy from the author, Tule Publishing via Bookfunnel and leave this honest review voluntarily.
August 25, 2022
Home is Where the Body Is is the first book in the very promising new series Wannabe Sleuths by Jody Holford. With the requisite foundation of a small town with quirky characters, simmering tensions, and suspicious circumstances, the story is captivating at its onset. Especially pleasing was the often witty and humorous banter, smart and rapidly moving dialog, and the dynamic relationships that gave the mystery its own level of curiosity. With perfectly placed and timed clues and misdirections, the culprit was never a given and came as a complete surprise at their reveal.
Since Jody Holford is new to me author, I find myself wanting to go back to her previous books/series and further acquaint myself with her writing as I await the next installment of this series.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
Since Jody Holford is new to me author, I find myself wanting to go back to her previous books/series and further acquaint myself with her writing as I await the next installment of this series.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
July 26, 2022
A great start to a new murder mystery series.
Graphic designer, Annie Abbott, was excited about the coming year. She would be house sitting for her parents while they sailed around the world. Without warning, Annie suddenly finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation where she is the prime suspect. Since Annie has a murder mystery blog and online murder club, she has a little knowledge about solving crimes. Annie’s knowledge is put to the test when she, along with her new friends, try to solve the murder.
This was such a fun book. I loved Annie’s go-getter attitude when it came to finding the killer. I liked the bit of romance in the story as well. And of course, the part with the cat and kittens was fun to read too.
Graphic designer, Annie Abbott, was excited about the coming year. She would be house sitting for her parents while they sailed around the world. Without warning, Annie suddenly finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation where she is the prime suspect. Since Annie has a murder mystery blog and online murder club, she has a little knowledge about solving crimes. Annie’s knowledge is put to the test when she, along with her new friends, try to solve the murder.
This was such a fun book. I loved Annie’s go-getter attitude when it came to finding the killer. I liked the bit of romance in the story as well. And of course, the part with the cat and kittens was fun to read too.
July 28, 2022
“To clear her name, Annie will need to put her years of watching police procedurals and reading mysteries to good use.” Say no more. Annie is a graphic designer and true crime fan who comes across her very own whodunnit right next door. I love how she organizes Murder mystery nights for her FB group and how her mind pulls in information she learned from various tv shows. The banter between Annie and Ben is fun, sweet and witty and it will be fun to watch their new relationship unfold. Love the close knit feel of Rainbow Falls and the friends Annie is beginning to make. I hope we get more of the “book club” in future installments! Looking forward to my next trip to the coastal town of Rainbow Falls!
January 14, 2024
What a great title for a cozy mystery--Home is Where the Body is. In this book by Jody Holford, Graphic Designer Annie Abbott moves from Portland to Rainbow Falls to live in her parents' house while they sail the world for a year. The house is in a gated community and the neighbors are an interesting tight knit group to say the least. When one of the homeowners is killed and Annie is the one to find him, she knows she has to do some sleuthing to rule the other neighbors out as murderers. This fun book has small beach town charm, mystery, romance, new friendships, a cat and her kittens, and the promise of more to come! I look forward to following Annie's adventures in Rainbow Falls.
January 16, 2024
Annie has moved from Portland to Rainbow Falls to house sit while her parents cruise around the world on their sailboat. Margie, a neighbor, stops by to advise her of her neighborly assignments, including delivering six dozen muffins, prescriptions and library books every six weeks, something her parents didn’t mention! Before she can get settled in, she meets her grouchy neighbor, Gill, finds a pregnant cat in her garage and calls Ben, the local vet, to come help. Of course, the cat winds up belonging to the grouchy neighbor, who turns up dead, and there’s a murder to solve! Fun cozy mystery, with a little romance!
February 6, 2025
Grumpy dead neighbor
Annie moved into her parents house while they are sailing the world for a year. As soon as she moved in her neighbor Margie tells her what her duties are for the neighborhood. The rest off the neighbors are just as kooky. She finds a pregnant cat in the garage and is trying to find the owner which happens to be her dead grumpy neighbor Gill. She calls the local vet Ben to help her with the cat and a little romance is brewing. She is also a suspect in her neighbor's death so she starts looking at the rest of her neighbors to see who is the real killer since all of them did not like him. Fun, humorous cozy mystery.
Annie moved into her parents house while they are sailing the world for a year. As soon as she moved in her neighbor Margie tells her what her duties are for the neighborhood. The rest off the neighbors are just as kooky. She finds a pregnant cat in the garage and is trying to find the owner which happens to be her dead grumpy neighbor Gill. She calls the local vet Ben to help her with the cat and a little romance is brewing. She is also a suspect in her neighbor's death so she starts looking at the rest of her neighbors to see who is the real killer since all of them did not like him. Fun, humorous cozy mystery.
February 9, 2025
disappointing
This book would benefit from a good proof reader. I also found it to be boring in places.
I grew up in a small town, they are not all filled with people who get along.
Kittens open their eyes anywhere from two days after birth to two weeks at the longest, I felt that the authour had never seen a new born kitten when she wrote they didn’t even look like cats!
Lots of dumb stuff and words left out and spelling mistakes.
For an opening book of a series, it was a clunker.
This book would benefit from a good proof reader. I also found it to be boring in places.
I grew up in a small town, they are not all filled with people who get along.
Kittens open their eyes anywhere from two days after birth to two weeks at the longest, I felt that the authour had never seen a new born kitten when she wrote they didn’t even look like cats!
Lots of dumb stuff and words left out and spelling mistakes.
For an opening book of a series, it was a clunker.
August 4, 2025
This was a good cozy mystery, where a few things actually happened.
Annie Abbott is staying at her parents house for one year while they travel. The house is in a small town. She gets to know a vet due to her grumpy neighbor's cast and then she finds the body of the grumpy neighbor. Now she needs to solve the murder to clear her name. Can she find the murderer? Who can she trust in this small town?
The writing was good for this kind of book. There were a few minor mistakes in the book, but nothing crazy.
I recommend this for a cozy mystery.
Annie Abbott is staying at her parents house for one year while they travel. The house is in a small town. She gets to know a vet due to her grumpy neighbor's cast and then she finds the body of the grumpy neighbor. Now she needs to solve the murder to clear her name. Can she find the murderer? Who can she trust in this small town?
The writing was good for this kind of book. There were a few minor mistakes in the book, but nothing crazy.
I recommend this for a cozy mystery.
February 13, 2025
Great start to a series…I like the characters and the town. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the ten coffee shops in town lol! I’m sure the rest of the series will also be interesting. I love Margie…she’s bossy but she’s also fun. I’m hoping to see more of the cats. I think Annie and Ben will be a good couple to follow through the series but part of me wonders if Ryan will make a bid for Annie…time will tell!
March 26, 2025
Great mystery and launch of romance
I love these kinds of murder mystery books that has the beginning of a romance involving the young sleuth. There were many suspects and I was wrong on my suspicions until the end!
I look forward to reading the second book but I do hope the editing has greatly improved in it and the last edition in the series. There were many grammatical errors in this one…
I love these kinds of murder mystery books that has the beginning of a romance involving the young sleuth. There were many suspects and I was wrong on my suspicions until the end!
I look forward to reading the second book but I do hope the editing has greatly improved in it and the last edition in the series. There were many grammatical errors in this one…
August 23, 2022
This is book 1 in the Wannabe Sleuth series. It's a good beginning introducing lots of small town characters. Annie comes to Rainbow Falls to house sit for her parents. When she finds a stray cat giving birth in her garage she meets the town vet and when she finds her neighbor dead she becomes a prime suspect.
September 7, 2022
This is a great cozy mystery. It's set of a small Oregon town in the main character Annie is a mystety crime buff, she has a Blog where she shares made up murder mystery cases, like those boxes you get in the mail or buy at the stores, for entertainment. She's mostly in Rainbow Falls, the town in the book, house sitting for her parents. Her grumpy neighbors killed she uses her love of mysteries to solve his murder.
January 13, 2024
Ok, this is a 1st for me reviewing a book not finished, but plan to. Why? That one of those” oh that’s a good question” dud …I just had to stop and vent.
32% in and she gets #1 TSTL trophy. Ok she earned it before I got to 32%. Yea, probably isn’t one, but should be.
Ok, back to the book. I’ll be back with my conclusions!?
32% in and she gets #1 TSTL trophy. Ok she earned it before I got to 32%. Yea, probably isn’t one, but should be.
Ok, back to the book. I’ll be back with my conclusions!?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews