Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys

by D.M.S. Fick

A missing brooch. A face set in cement. This is not your average music festival.

Lewis Sinclair, a stalwart and tender country musician, is about to take the stage with his band, the Gentlemen Cowboys, at the premier U.S. country music festival when his girl dumps him for the Cowboys’ shifty manager. When that same manager ends up at FallFest’s walk of fame with his handprints—and his head—in cement, Lew finds himself on the top ten most wanted list instead of the music charts.

With the help of his loyal Cowboys and the close-knit festival staff, Lew must clear his name before the killer gets away—or strikes again.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Music, Contemporary, Thriller, Adult

288 pages, Hardcover

Published April 11, 2023

About the author

D. M. S. Fick is the author of the quirky-but-big-hearted country music mystery Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys from CamCat Books. She's an award-winning graphic designer, cartoonist, and animator. She’s worked on two Peabody Award-winning programs and the Emmy Award-winning PBS science series, Newton’s Apple and SciGirls.

A MISSING BROOCH. A FACE SET IN CEMENT. NOT YOUR AVERAGE MUSIC FESTIVAL.
Some excerpts from reviews for Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys:

Publishers Weekly - “This country music mystery hits all the right notes. Readers will hope to hear more from the cowboy crooner and his band.”

Library Journal - “Patrons looking for thrilling mysteries that include love, jealousy, and betrayal set against a music-festival backdrop will enjoy. Suggest to fans of Dolly Parton and James Patterson’s Run, Rose, Run.”

Perks of Being a Booklover - “If you love mysteries, I think you’ll like this, but also if you’re a music lover who would like a little bit of a backstage pass into the nuts and bolts of the music festival, this provides it. I highly recommend it.”

Fun Facts about D. M. S. Fick:
- She was an extra in the movie Fargo.
- She traveled via coach from Valencia, Spain to Calais, France with a retired British showgirl.
- She owns a pair of Peter Max hotpants.
- She grew up in a town of three hundred people. Her grade school had twelve students.
- She slept beneath a rock and a shrubbery on the Cornish coast.
- She held hands with The Newlywed Game host Bob Eubanks.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lewis Sinclair and his band are about to finish their U.S. tour with an appearance at the biggest country music festival in the country. In a couple of days, 'Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys' will take the stage at FallsFest, near the Twin Cities in Minnesota.





The fly in the ointment for Lew is the fact that his beautiful girlfriend, Ann-Dee Phillips, just broke up with him.



To add insult to injury, Lew's agent, Archie Grant, is now representing Ann-Dee, and has even shoehorned the aspiring singer into a spot at FallsFest.



Lew and the band were already planning to get rid of their lazy useless agent Archie. So after the clod makes a nuisance of himself when Lew is making his cement handprint on the Country Artist Walk of Fame, Lew punches Archie in the stomach and fires him.



Afterwards, Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys are a big hit onstage, with a Ghost Riders medley and a rollicking cover of Hank Williams' Move It On Over.



At the 'meet and greet' afterwards the band meets a journalist called Chuck Nelson.....



.....and two amiable retirees named Charla and Magda, all of whom become important to the story.



The next morning, horrible agent Archie is found dead, with his head encased in cement on the Country Artist Walk of Fame. Lew and the band become suspects, and Lew decides to try to investigate the case himself, to (hopefully) keep them all out of prison.

The story is interspersed with flashbacks, and we learn Ann-Dee was once so poor she searched dumpsters for food, and elderly Magda was a Polish refugee after World War II.

The ancillary characters - including the band members, their friends and relatives, and the FallsFest personnel - round out the story, which is engaging and fun.



The careful reader will discern clues scattered through the story that help identify the killer, so this is a great book for armchair sleuths.



This is author D.M.S. Fick's debut novel, and it's a good one. Recommended to fans of cozy mysteries.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jeremy Arthur, who does a fine job.

Thanks to Netgalley, D.M.S. Fick, and Comcat Books for a copy of the book.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[CarolG · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version of this cozy mystery, ably narrated by Jeremy Aurthur. I especially liked his rendition of the Irishman Mitch. I was hoping we might hear some country and western music in the audiobook but no such luck. I'm fairly new to audiobooks so I don't know if that happens at times or not.

Just before Lewis Sinclair and his band, the Gentlemen Cowboys, head to Big Pearly Falls to perform at Fallsfest, the leading U.S. country music festival, his girlfriend dumps him for the band's manager. When that same manager ends up dead with his head in cement, Lew finds himself under suspicion for murder.

This isn't a genre I normally dabble in but I enjoyed the story and the various characters we meet. Quite an assortment. Despite a number of deaths and near-deaths this is a fun story.

My big complaint would be that we'd suddenly be whisked back to the past without any warning and it'd take me a while to realize what had happened. Hopefully the print version has some kind of delineation so the reader knows when the story is switching timelines. The trips to the past were mostly so that the reader learns the backgrounds of the various characters and how they met the others.

My thanks to CamCat Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this novel. All opinons expressed are my own. I thought the book was being published on April 11th but now realize it was published on April 11, 2023!

[Faye Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lewis Sinclair and The Gentlemen Cowboys is a standalone mystery novel. Just before Lewis and his band play at the FallFest country music festival, his girlfriend (and fellow country artist) breaks up with him. While his now ex-girlfriend is performing on stage at the festival, his useless manager proposes to her! Said useless manager is later found with his hands and his head encased in the concrete of FallsFest's new walk of fame. To clear his name, Lewis and the band investigate the murder.

The murder mentioned in the blurb doesn't happen until 32% through the book. However, oddly it didn't feel slow as such, more like I was feeling the tension, waiting for the murder to occur. It didn't feel like it was in a rush, and took the time to delve into all the relationships between characters up front and set up potential clues and red herrings.

There were a lot of characters involved though, and I think I was a bit confused because the perspective changes a lot within the same chapter, and in the audiobook there isn't a long pause when it switches. This meant that I often wasn't aware that the perspective had shifted until I got confused, and it resulted in all the characters sort of rolling altogether in my mind rather than standing apart as distinct characters. I suspect I wouldn't have had this issue if I'd read this book rather than listen to it though, as I expect that there would have been an on-page marker to indicate the switch.

The story was an interesting one, and I enjoyed the setting - the country music festival was unique for a murder mystery so it definitely felt new and interesting. All the different threads in the story came together and made complete sense by the end of the book. I would have expected the police to get involved and interview Lewis earlier than they did though, and the police were strangely absent throughout really.

As a murder mystery, this one has a lot of character and an interesting setting that I haven't seen before in this genre, but it worked really well for the story and provided lots of interesting characters. To avoid the confusion regarding perspective switches, I'd recommend the physical or e-book version over the audiobook.

Disclaimer: I received an ALC from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Annalie Plaetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK! I'm so excited for you and I hope that you see this note!!! Eagerly awaiting my preordered copy!

[Indu · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️
A true blue western cozy mystery through and through. Well rounded human characters, an interesting plot that was a bit stagnant at times but caught up to speed on the others.
Lewis was a very likeable character and the ending was well done. Would love to pick up more by the author.
Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[David Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeehaw!! A country music festival to die for!
Lewis Sinclair and his bandmates can't wait to play the festival but when his girlfriend suddenly breaks up with him he's crushed. Then when the band's ex-manager proposes to her on stage in front of everyone and is found murdered shortly thereafter Lewis becomes the prime suspect. What follows is a humdinger of a mystery that has a bit of everything. Red herrings, multiple suspects, golf carts and a broach!

This was a thoroughly entertaining story. Lewis and Co. are fun to be with and likeable. Although there's a large cast of characters they all stand out in one way or another and are easy to keep straight. I especially liked the characters of Magda and Charla as they reminded me of a couple of elderly ladies I've known who are feisty and a blast to be around. The mystery of whodunit was a well kept secret that kept me guessing. If you like your mysteries on the lighter side with a well developed cast of characters, I recommend you pick this one up, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it.

Thank you to the author, CamCat Books and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour.

[Christy Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an entertaining read. I enjoyed the unique characters and the music festival setting. Lewis Sinclair and his band mates (cowboys) were fantastic and I enjoyed the secondary characters as well. This was a great mix of music, mystery, murder, romance and friendship. The references to New Orleans and Memphis were an added bonus. This light fun read was exactly what I needed during a really tough week.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story takes place at a U.S country music festival where Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys are set to take the stage. Prior to the festival, Lewis' girlfriend breaks up with him for his manager, which leaves Lew devastated, but the show must go on. He then has to defend himself when he's accused of murdering his ex-manager.

I really liked that the narrator made the characters come to life and made the book more intriguing. But I did find it hard to keep track of where the characters are as the story goes from one character to another and it seems like it changes characters in one breath. There are also times throughout the book where the story goes into a characters past but there doesn't seem to be a distinction between the past and present which I found confusing in some parts.

I thought the book had a cute storyline and I liked that the different story lines all twisted through each other. However, I personally thought the murder was obvious but the story itself was still fun and I liked the concept and made for a fun read.

I would like to thank NetGalley and CamCat Publishing for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an open and honest review.

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure if this is considered a true cozy mystery but it had some elements that I enjoy from them. There was a good cast of character and a lot of different personalities. It was fun getting to know them all. I liked the setting took place at a music festival and how we get to see some of the behind the scenes that the musicians get to do. The events were easy to follow, and the crime committed was an interesting one. I liked the small twists and the unlikely detective trope. It was an entertaining and unique plot that I enjoyed.

Thank you @dmsfick @camcat_books and @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

[Stacey E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable light read. It is a fun country and music filled cozy type mystery. Short, fast-paced, and great narration. Thank you, NetGalley, CamCat Books, Independent Book Publishers Association, and Members' Audiobooks, for the opportunity to listen and review this entertaining audiobook

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable light covid reading

[Shiann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story of romantic relationships and friendships is set in the complicated world of the country music industry. This was an enjoyable story line. Listening to this via audiobook was not hard to follow as the perspective changed among the Gentleman Cowboys and other characters.

[Jennyfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lewis Sinclair, frontman for the Gentlemen Cowboys has had enough with his manager, Archie Grant. His girlfriend, singer Ann-Dee Phillips, dumps him for Archie, there are a series of questionable management decisions, and to top it off, Archie sat on Lewis' stetson on the way to the country music festival Falls Fest.

But after Archie proposes to Ann-Dee on the main stage of Falls Fest he suddenly ends up dead, and all fingers are point to Lewis.

This was a really fun, multilayered story of country music, of murder, of festivals. We have fascinating side characters, red herrings galore and a tale that will keep you guessing til the end. The final chase scene was hilarious and I love the visuals it evoked.

I had this as both an audiobook and an ebook. The narrator Jeremy Aurthur read well, embodying warmth and character into each of the characters, adding accents and personality. A thoroughly enjoyable listen.

~ Note: My audiobook version of this was provided by Netgalley. I purchased the ebook version from Amazon to read alongside the audiobook.~

[Jazzy Lemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rather enjoyable murder mystery and, although written from a man's point of view, it was pretty apparent that it was written by a woman. Thanks to Netgalley for the free audio. Nice narrator for this slice of Americana music too. #LewisSinclairandtheGentlemenCowboys #NetGalley

[Christina McComiskie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun and entertaining read. I enjoyed it very much.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to start by thanking NetGalley and the Publisher for an opportunity to read this cozy audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

The teaser for the book is as follows: A missing brooch. A face set in cement. This is not your average music festival.

Lewis Sinclair, a stalwart and tender country musician, is about to take the stage with his band, the Gentlemen Cowboys, at the premier U.S. country music festival when his girl dumps him for the Cowboys’ shifty manager. When that same manager ends up at FallFest’s walk of fame with his handprints―and his head―in cement, Lew finds himself on the top ten most wanted list instead of the music charts.

With the help of his loyal Cowboys and the close-knit festival staff, Lew must clear his name before the killer gets away―or strikes again.


I consumed the audiobook version of this book. It was a quick listen at about 6.5 hours and I would describe it as “cozy” or “fluffy”. The story is as it says it is going to be and it’s a read that swiftly moves along.

That being said there are some issues. I knew nothing of this author nor looked them up beforehand. As I listened it created a strange feeling. The over use of adjectives comes off as trying too hard and had strange personifications such as “He layered insults and spite over and over onto itself like a malicious baclava.”

The prose came off as inauthentic and when I found out that the author was a female I understood why. The protagonist is a male and it was clear the author didn’t quite hit the nail on the head in writing from a different gendered perspective. Here you have a musician on the circuit with his band and you are throwing out recipe comparatives to illustrate how a person was behaving. That’s just one of many descriptions that just do not read well.

One other issue is that we know a death is going to take place from the book jacket but it doesn’t happen until 1/3 of the book has passed in a shorter novel. The set up had no bearing on the plot having some excerpts just hang without any resolution. I mention these things because it can make for some frustrating reading. Lastly, without giving spoilers, when you write subject matters in the real world, they need to make sense. Especially in crimes, things can move quickly where characters don’t have time to wax poetic about their lives.

Back to the positive, the characters are likable. They are developed enough for the type of book that it’s. So if you want a fluffy quick read of a book that is a little different, being about the country music scene, give it read

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Louis Sinclair And The Gentleman Cowboys or a band on the way up. The band consist of Lewis, Gary, Mitch and slim. They all come from different places but they come together and have formed a ban and a brotherhood of Love and having each other‘s back. This is why when Louis started dating Andy Phillips the band wasn’t happy but most kept it to their self all except for Gary. Gary didn’t suffer fools in his opinion of Andy was that of a fool and a Golddigger. So when leaving Wisconsin to play the legendary Pearly Hills music festival Lewis is distraught because it seems Andy has broken up with him and when he finds out it was to be with his shady manager Archie he is already almost too low to care. As the story goes on and we meet Gordy in his right hand ruby we learned the manager has a history that spans beyond the music industry it seems he has been making enemies for a while. So when the unscrupulous Archie is found dead with his head encased in cement, At first Lewis is the prime suspect but when hometown boy Gary is arrested everyone is shocked. This is why Louis taking it upon himself investigates the crime and gets much further than he thought but also finds out things that needs answers but leave it to his band mates and brothers to fill that gap. There’s a lot I am not mentioning in my review that we’re also pivotal people in the book like Nancy galleries girlfriend the reporter John and the bloggers chuck there is way too much to the story to give a cohesive summary but this is the just of the book I also love how we got to see backstage at a big festival but then again I love so much about this book. I absolutely love this book I love that they made friends with The fans Charlotte and Magda I love that unlike most cozy mysteries we learned about Magda and Andy’s past I also love that everyone had their own distinct personality which is an always the case in a cozy mystery and I think this is a superb better than most cozy mystery I really enjoyed it and liked it so much! Not to mention with so many great motives it’s hard to pick out the killer it’s so with that and a super interesting plot and the great narrator with Jeremy Arthur really makes for a great book! I want to thank DMS Fick end NetGalley for a great free audiobook please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Norma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have listened to by this author and narrator. At the moment, it is a stand-alone cozy mystery book. I am not sure if the author has plans of writing more about this country music group in the future.

Let's start off with the narration. There were times when the narrator slipped in and out of a character's accent. There was even an instant where it seemed like he was using the wrong accent for a character. There wasn't much intonation in his voice. There was some, but it was extremely subtle.

The set up of the audiobook didn't have any denotations of chapters or any other types of breaks. So, it did make it a little disconcerting when they switched POV or even had a flashback.

As for the story itself, I loved it. The story centers around Lewis Sinclair (lead singer & guitarist) and his band The Gentlemen Cowboys. Lewis recently was dumped by his girlfriend Ann-Dee. The band is getting ready to go to a huge country music festival. While at the festival, their manager Archie is murdered in a very horrific way. The band members, including Lewis, are all suspects.

There was great world building in this story. I could picture the band up on stage performing. There was a sort-of walk-of-fame where different performers were asked to leave their handprints in cement. The story did have quite a few flashbacks that provided great information and clues as to what was going on.

The only thing is that the blurb about the book makes it feel like the storyline with the brooch was going to be extremely important. It was more of a side-story than a main feature. It was a good storyline though.

I would like to thank NetGalley and CamCat Publishing for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an open and honest review.

[Nyra Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lewis Sinclair and the Gentleman Cowboys by DMS Fick
A Tale of Music, Heartbreak, and Mystery
Set in the lively world of American country music, DMS Fick's "Lewis Sinclair and the Gentleman Cowboys" is a gripping story that combines music, love, betrayal, and a murder mystery during Fall Fest, the top U.S. country music festival.
Lewis Sinclair, or Lew, is a dedicated and gentle country musician with a heart full of passion for his music and his girl. With a voice that can touch anyone's soul and lyrics that speak the truth, Lew is on the brink of making it big. He's ready to perform with his band, the Gentleman Cowboys, at Fall Fest, a stage that could launch them into fame.
Just as Lew is about to shine, his world falls apart. His girlfriend, who inspired many of his heartfelt songs, leaves him for the Cowboys' sneaky manager. This betrayal hits Lew hard, breaking his heart right before he's supposed to have his moment of glory on stage.
Things take a darker turn when the same shady manager turns up dead at FallFest’s walk of fame, with his handprints and head set in cement. This shocking event throws the festival into chaos, and suddenly, Lew finds himself as the prime suspect, landing him on the top ten most wanted list instead of the music charts.
"Lewis Sinclair and the Gentleman Cowboys" by DMS Fick is a masterful blend of country music charm and murder mystery intrigue. It's a heartfelt and compelling story that celebrates resilience and the power of community.

[Lin Salisbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lewis Sinclair and his band, the Gentlemen Cowboys may be headlining at the premier country music festival in the country, FallsFest, but when his manager's head is found encased in cement on the FallFest's walk of fame, he becomes a prime suspect in his murder. Shortly after arriving at the festival, Lew's girlfriend, Ann Dee, dumped him for his manager, Archie, and though soft-hearted Lew may have been heart-broken, he wasn't the murdering type.

LEWIS SINCLAIR AND THE GENTLEMEN COWBOYS is author D.M.S. Fick's debut mystery novel, but she writes with the aplomb of a seasoned author. Though nearly everyone is a suspect at one point or another, you'll keep rooting for Lewis and his broken heart. As the bodies begin to stack up, Lew does a little sleuthing to clear his name. With a full cast of crooners and misfits, Fick keeps you guessing until the last. Written with the cadence and twang of a good old country western song, the dialogue is sharp and the action fast-paced.

If you like a little humor with your murder mystery, and a cast of unique characters, you'll be a fan of LEWIS SINCLAIR AND THE GENTLEMEN COWBOYS.

Listen to my author interviews on Superior Reads on WTIP 90.7 Grand Marais the fourth Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm or stream them from the web at wtip.org and at www.superiorreads.com.

[Larissa Goulart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lewis Sinclair is the leader of the "Gentlemen Cowboys" they are set to play on a big music festival, when his girlfriend dumps and his manager proposes to his, now, former girlfriend on stage! The next day his manager appears dead and of course he is one of the main suspects!

I received a reviewer's copy of the audiobook and I think that a lot of what I didn't like might related to the audiobook production. There are too many characters in the book and we get different POVs but the narrator is flat, so it's hard to follow who is the "you" he is referring to when a chapter starts. Talking about chapters, this production lacked any type of division between chapters, something like "Chapter X" that would help the listener understand the transitions from one view point to the next.

Regardless of audiobook issues, I would like to have gotten a bit more background on each character. We don't get enough about the band members and how they came friends. The brooch story only appears in the end of the book. I don't know it seems like this book is a bit rushed.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Title: Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys
Author: DMS Turk
Narrator: Jeremy Authur
Format: 🎧
Publisher: ComCat Books Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: April 11, 2023
My Rating: 3.5
Pages: 404


The book’s blurb got my attention ~ A missing brooch. A face set in cement.
This is not your average music festival.
The story takes place at a country music festival where Lewis (Lew) Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys are set to take the stage. Prior to the festival, Lew’s girlfriend breaks up with him for his manager, which leaves Lew deviated – next thing he is accused of murdering (what is not) his ex-manager.

This turned out better than expected. Narrator Jeremy Aurthur made the story so enjoyable.

I did enjoy this but have to admit – since this was an audiobook- I was expecting some music from the ‘Gentlemen Cowboys’!!!

Want to thank NetGalley and ComCat Books Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for this audiobook.
Audiobook Publishing Release Date is scheduled for - April 11. 2023.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book isn’t bad, but there are some issues.

When I first started reading this book, I assumed it was a cozy mystery. Everything about it screams cozy: the plot summary, the title, the cover art, the setting. So I was surprised that it was shelved as a thriller on Goodreads. It isn’t that. It’s not completely a cozy, but it would have benefited from leaning more into that genre. Emphasis on likable and eccentric characters, a short and sweet plot, and a lighter tone would have been perfect. Or if it’s a thriller, it needed to be much more thrilling.

It darts from character to character very quickly, as well as from past to present. So you get the impression that it’s fast paced. Unfortunately, it also takes forever for anything substantial to happen. It’s jarring.

The author shows moments of being funny and smart, so I don’t doubt she will write great books in the future. I just don’t think this one got there.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Chelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever curious on what traveling with the band is like? Now add the drama of a woman, the biggest music stage the band could want to be on and murder. Lewis and his band, the Gentlemen Cowboys have been invited to one of the biggest music festivals in the midwest and this is their change to get their name out there and known. Thinking things can only go up, Lewis then gets dumped only to find out she has taken up with their scummy manager. A missing broach, a dead manager and being the newly ex would is the perfect reason to be number one suspect. With everything on the line for the band, Lewis might lose it all when it was right at his finger tips - no longer possible to be headliner number one, he now might be the most wanted number one. This was what I consider a cozy mystery with the fun of feeling as you are part of the band. Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite and to the author and publisher for the free book. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cozy mystery that has a truly nice group of characters (except the killer). I really like the writing style because I felt like it really embodied the spirit of the characters.

It’s set at a musical festival called FallFest and country musician, Lewis Sinclair, is performing with his band, the Gentlemen Cowboys. The band just fired their manager, Archie, who was doing a terrible job.

Archie goes on stage at FallFest to propose to Lewis’s ex-girlfriend which surprises everyone. When Archie is found dead on the StarWalk with his head encased in cement, Lewis is a prime suspect. Lewis and his band, along with a podcaster/blogger named Chuck decide to become amateur sleuths to find the real killer.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the opening chapters, I thought this might be a story about poor Lewis, a heartbroken country musician who watches his ex, Ann-Dee, get proposed to on stage by his weasely manager. (It even sounds like a country song, right?) 🎶

But then things took a very interesting turn. That same slimeball of a manager winds up dead. Yep, and of course, Lewis is a prime suspect.

I loved that this mystery takes place at the FallFest, a hot-ticket country music festival. Lewis is a great character, but his bandmates make for a full-bodied, fun cast. A fantastic blend of humor, mystery, and music makes this one a hit!



Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours @camcat_books and @dmsfick for a spot on tour and a gifted book.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not only has Lewis Sinclair fired his crooked manager Archie Grant, but he's slugged him too. That makes him the logical suspect when Archie is found murdered at the biggest folk festival the Gentlemen Cowboys have ever played. As though his lazy ways were not enough, Archie had also stolen Lewis' girl, the beautiful singer Ann-Dee, who only cares about getting her next big break. But the guys in the band know Lewis is a straight shooter (and actually they have some motives for hating Archie themselves), and will do what they can to clear his name. The close-knit festival staff are also willing to support an artist who's paid his dues, and a few fans have their own history with Archie.

I really enjoyed this one.

[Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fun cozy mystery and the narration by Jeremy Arthur is fantastic. His character accents were clear as were his nuances and personalities. Awesome job

DMS Fick created a highly illustrated narrative and very colourful, enjoyable analogies. I am not one for country music, but the lifestyle was brilliantly described and the character building was very well done. The plotline was strong as were the woven arcs and there was a lot of wry comedy that was right up my street

The writing style was immersive and exactly what I would hope for in a cozy mystery,

Thank you very much to Netgalley, Camcat Books, DMS Fick, and the narrator Jeremy Author for this fun cozy. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

[Laura Oblinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book just overall was not for me, but I could see a niche audience out there. This was my first cozy mystery.

Starting with the positives: the unique setting, a great core cast, solid narration.

Where it fell short: I was expecting the murder to happen so much earlier. This caused the pacing to lag, and it lost my attention pretty early. I also kept getting confused as new characters were introduced and then the "victim" was still alive. The characters were also not as dimensional as I would have liked to read, and it was kind of just a, "oh, and she died" unveiling for me.

Overall, I likely wouldn't recommend this, but I would say there is an audience out there somewhere.

Thank you, NetGalley and ComCat Books, for the advanced listening copy.

[Pat Fayo Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice, light read. Enjoyable and entertaining. The author did a great job blending action and mystery with humor and romance all into one. This book reminded me of concerts and camping trips we took as young adults. There are many characters (cowboys) in this book that I could see this becoming a series based on each of them. Each one brings a different sense of who we may think cowboys are. I think the author did a wonderful job on the debut novel and I look forward to following her and reading more of her books. Thank you to #suzyapprovedbooktours and #dmsfick for providing me with an advanced sale book. All opinions expressed are my own