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Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery #1
Bowled Over Americano
Sara Cain isn't your typical thirty-two-year-old woman. Murder detective by day, writer and… sleuth by night? Just as long as there’s enough coffee to keep her going…
When her first novel gives her trouble, Sara goes for a walk to clear her writer’s block and ends up stumbling right into a real-life murder mystery. Magnum, an adventurous beagle, comes running off leash toward her in the local park, and she returns him home only to find his master dead on the entry floor.
Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler with a mean streak and a temper, and police are pegging his Golden Pin bowling trophy as the murder weapon. While any number of people could have clocked a strike by knocking him on the noggin, the prime suspect is a friend of Sara’s mother—and she expects Sara to prove the woman’s innocence. A tall order, as the case isn’t officially hers and belongs to a rival detective.
But a promise is a promise, and Sara soon finds herself sleuthing undercover—and off the clock—in a world of polyester shirts and rental shoes. It’s not all bad, though, as she’s taking her friend and partner Sean McKinley along for the ride. They are better together than they’ve ever been split, and they’re not amateurs at finding killers.
Despite being up against small-town hijinks and colorful characters who threaten to roll their efforts into the gutter, they are having fun. That is, until they get close to the killer and a dangerous twist puts their lives at risk.
A completely addictive caper full of twists that offers up a serving of murder, a dollop of romance, and a dash of humor. This perfect blend of robust and sweet is bound to hit the spot with readers who are fans of Verity Bright, Tonya Kappes, and Agatha Frost.
When her first novel gives her trouble, Sara goes for a walk to clear her writer’s block and ends up stumbling right into a real-life murder mystery. Magnum, an adventurous beagle, comes running off leash toward her in the local park, and she returns him home only to find his master dead on the entry floor.
Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler with a mean streak and a temper, and police are pegging his Golden Pin bowling trophy as the murder weapon. While any number of people could have clocked a strike by knocking him on the noggin, the prime suspect is a friend of Sara’s mother—and she expects Sara to prove the woman’s innocence. A tall order, as the case isn’t officially hers and belongs to a rival detective.
But a promise is a promise, and Sara soon finds herself sleuthing undercover—and off the clock—in a world of polyester shirts and rental shoes. It’s not all bad, though, as she’s taking her friend and partner Sean McKinley along for the ride. They are better together than they’ve ever been split, and they’re not amateurs at finding killers.
Despite being up against small-town hijinks and colorful characters who threaten to roll their efforts into the gutter, they are having fun. That is, until they get close to the killer and a dangerous twist puts their lives at risk.
A completely addictive caper full of twists that offers up a serving of murder, a dollop of romance, and a dash of humor. This perfect blend of robust and sweet is bound to hit the spot with readers who are fans of Verity Bright, Tonya Kappes, and Agatha Frost.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2023
238 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Arnold
76 books1,283 followersCAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has nearly thirty published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
December 3, 2022
Carolyn Arnold’s first book in her Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery series brings a mixture of police investigation and undercover sleuthing to this story full of humor, crimes, romance, and vibrant characters. Sara Cain is a homicide detective with the Albany, New York police department who is working on a mystery novel at night. When she needs to clear her head, she goes for a walk and finds Magnum, a dog she recognizes from the neighborhood. She returns him home and finds Cliff Cunningham dead on the entry floor. While Detective Davenport is assigned to case, Sara and her friend and work partner, Detective Sean McKinley, decide to do their own sleuthing when it seems the prime suspect is a friend of Sara’s mother.
Sara is smart, independent, grounded, has a great memory, and loves to drink coffee. Sean is more guarded and skeptical, but he’s also positive, charming, and continually has women wanting to date him. Readers learn these traits as well as the backstories of Sara and Sean as the story unfolds through actions, dialogue, and mannerisms. The backstories provide needed insight into their behaviors and actions towards others. Detective Davenport is rather stereotyped as nearing retirement, being irritating to others, and doing the minimal work required on his cases.
There are multiple threads to follow in this initial novel in the series. These include Sara’s and Sean’s assigned case to search for the killer of Aubrey Southgate during the day, their undercover sleuthing into Cliff’s murder, and their personal lives. This makes the plot twistier than many cozy mysteries. Scenes were exciting, heartrending, joyous, and suspenseful. The story captivated me from the beginning with a good plot and characters that are emotionally rich. I was immediately drawn into Sara’s and Sean’s lives and investigations. The novel shines a light on murder, relationships, friendship, family, life’s curveballs, and romance. My biggest quibble is that the setting could have been any city and did not give me a great feel for Albany.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, which was suspenseful, engaging, entertaining, and humorous. While it’s very different from the other books I have read by this author, I found the writing style relatable, vivid, and irresistible. This was an excellent start to the series. I can’t wait to find out what happens during the next book. Readers who like cozy mysteries with humor and romance may find this one a winner for them.
Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. and Carolyn Arnold provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently expected to be April 11, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 3.84 rounded to 4 stars review will be coming soon.
Sara is smart, independent, grounded, has a great memory, and loves to drink coffee. Sean is more guarded and skeptical, but he’s also positive, charming, and continually has women wanting to date him. Readers learn these traits as well as the backstories of Sara and Sean as the story unfolds through actions, dialogue, and mannerisms. The backstories provide needed insight into their behaviors and actions towards others. Detective Davenport is rather stereotyped as nearing retirement, being irritating to others, and doing the minimal work required on his cases.
There are multiple threads to follow in this initial novel in the series. These include Sara’s and Sean’s assigned case to search for the killer of Aubrey Southgate during the day, their undercover sleuthing into Cliff’s murder, and their personal lives. This makes the plot twistier than many cozy mysteries. Scenes were exciting, heartrending, joyous, and suspenseful. The story captivated me from the beginning with a good plot and characters that are emotionally rich. I was immediately drawn into Sara’s and Sean’s lives and investigations. The novel shines a light on murder, relationships, friendship, family, life’s curveballs, and romance. My biggest quibble is that the setting could have been any city and did not give me a great feel for Albany.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, which was suspenseful, engaging, entertaining, and humorous. While it’s very different from the other books I have read by this author, I found the writing style relatable, vivid, and irresistible. This was an excellent start to the series. I can’t wait to find out what happens during the next book. Readers who like cozy mysteries with humor and romance may find this one a winner for them.
Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. and Carolyn Arnold provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently expected to be April 11, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 3.84 rounded to 4 stars review will be coming soon.
April 19, 2023
While reading this book, the story seemed very familiar. I wasn't sure why until I realized that she took her short story, The Day Job is Murder, and added more details and extended the book.
I have always enjoyed Sara and Sean's stories, so I was happy to see that she decided to take the series and rewrite them to extend them and share more of their lives.
Even though I had read this story previously, I certainly didn't remember all of the details. It was like reading a new mystery! I sifted through the clues about who killed Cliff Cunningham and have to admit I was stumped. There are clues, but nothing that pointed me in the right direction...or I just missed them! I enjoyed Sear and Sara's adventures while solving the crime and revisiting how they came together as a couple.
Malcolm, the beagle, grabs a piece of my heart. That always happens when there is a dog involved. I chuckled during the scenes where Sean admits that he is not an animal person. That will have to change if he wants to be with Sara.
I noted the nod to her Madison Knight series in this book by making it a TV series. I haven't read this series yet, either, but I will one day!
This was still as good as the first time I read it, and I give it 4 paws up.
I have always enjoyed Sara and Sean's stories, so I was happy to see that she decided to take the series and rewrite them to extend them and share more of their lives.
Even though I had read this story previously, I certainly didn't remember all of the details. It was like reading a new mystery! I sifted through the clues about who killed Cliff Cunningham and have to admit I was stumped. There are clues, but nothing that pointed me in the right direction...or I just missed them! I enjoyed Sear and Sara's adventures while solving the crime and revisiting how they came together as a couple.
Malcolm, the beagle, grabs a piece of my heart. That always happens when there is a dog involved. I chuckled during the scenes where Sean admits that he is not an animal person. That will have to change if he wants to be with Sara.
I noted the nod to her Madison Knight series in this book by making it a TV series. I haven't read this series yet, either, but I will one day!
This was still as good as the first time I read it, and I give it 4 paws up.
April 13, 2023
Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold is a departure from her normal writing of police procedurals and thrillers, veering off into the world of cozies, and I am eager to see how she does. The cover looks fun…sooo….let’s go bowling.
Sara Cain is a detective by day and a writer by night. An evening run has her meeting Magnum, a beagle, who leads her to his murdered owner. Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler. Douche Detective Davenport is on the case. He is incompetent, choosing the easy way out to close his cases. She is drawn into the case, when her mother makes the request.
Sara and Sean are partners….and that’s all. They both acknowledge their attraction, but she won’t let it go any further. No mingling in the work place.
Sean is a kind and compassionate person and a kindness given reaps Sean more than he ever could have imagined. He is so romantic, so sweet. How has he not been snatched up yet? Sara better be careful.
Carolyn Arnold handles her foray into cozy mysteries with the same panache as her police procedurals and thrillers. The writing flows smoothly, leading me from page to page, devouring the words, becoming involved with the richly developed characters, walking with them step by step to the very end…enjoying every minute of it.
I am eager to see what adventure comes next for Sara and Sean.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold.
Sara Cain is a detective by day and a writer by night. An evening run has her meeting Magnum, a beagle, who leads her to his murdered owner. Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler. Douche Detective Davenport is on the case. He is incompetent, choosing the easy way out to close his cases. She is drawn into the case, when her mother makes the request.
Sara and Sean are partners….and that’s all. They both acknowledge their attraction, but she won’t let it go any further. No mingling in the work place.
Sean is a kind and compassionate person and a kindness given reaps Sean more than he ever could have imagined. He is so romantic, so sweet. How has he not been snatched up yet? Sara better be careful.
Carolyn Arnold handles her foray into cozy mysteries with the same panache as her police procedurals and thrillers. The writing flows smoothly, leading me from page to page, devouring the words, becoming involved with the richly developed characters, walking with them step by step to the very end…enjoying every minute of it.
I am eager to see what adventure comes next for Sara and Sean.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold.
June 9, 2023
As detectives in the Albany, NY police forces, Sean and Sara only work on the cases to which they are assigned. When another detective botches a case and arrests a friend of Sara's mum, the two put their heads together hoping to solve it in their off-hours.
Bowled Over Americano is a police procedural that dips its toes into the cosy genre. This book is the introduction to the Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery series. Much of the story gave me warm fuzzies so I'll look forward to more of Sara and Sean's adventures.
Bowled Over Americano is a police procedural that dips its toes into the cosy genre. This book is the introduction to the Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery series. Much of the story gave me warm fuzzies so I'll look forward to more of Sara and Sean's adventures.
April 13, 2023
Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold is the first book in the Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery series. This is a revamped and extended version of The Day Job is Murder, which was originally published in 2014.
Bowled Over Americano introduces Sara Cain and Sean Mckinley, who are both homicide detectives with the Albany police department. Sara is fairly new to the department, after only working there for two years. She writes a mystery novel in her spare time. One night while experiencing writer’s block, she goes for a run to clear her head. While on her run, she came across her neighbour’s dog, Magnum on the loose. She goes to return the dog to its owner but in doing so she stumbled onto a murder scene.
Another detective is assigned to the case. Sara’s mother, however, pleaded with her to investigate the murder, as the detective in charge considered her friend to be the main suspect. Knowing she couldn’t legitimately investigate, Sara conducts her own investigation secretly with the help of her partner Sean McKinley. This was in addition to their own case involving the murder of an investment banker.
As the story progresses, readers learn that Sean and Sara love each other, but a relationship between them was off the table - mostly because it went against departmental rules. It was evident from the outset that they cared about each other and that they worked well together. Sara and Sean share similar traits, in that they are both smart and perceptive. However, while Sara is spontaneous, Sean prefers to follow a plan. These traits manifest throughout the story.
The story hidden between the pages of Bowled Ober Americano was exciting, entertaining, and fun. In true Arnold style, the story came with twists and surprising revelations. Not for one moment did I guess the outcome of both investigations. Also amidst both investigations, Sean received news that brings about changes in both his and Sara’s working and personal relationship.
Bowled Over Americano delivered a delightful small town murder mystery infused with humour and a fun romance. I look forward to what’s next Arnold has for her readers.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
Bowled Over Americano introduces Sara Cain and Sean Mckinley, who are both homicide detectives with the Albany police department. Sara is fairly new to the department, after only working there for two years. She writes a mystery novel in her spare time. One night while experiencing writer’s block, she goes for a run to clear her head. While on her run, she came across her neighbour’s dog, Magnum on the loose. She goes to return the dog to its owner but in doing so she stumbled onto a murder scene.
Another detective is assigned to the case. Sara’s mother, however, pleaded with her to investigate the murder, as the detective in charge considered her friend to be the main suspect. Knowing she couldn’t legitimately investigate, Sara conducts her own investigation secretly with the help of her partner Sean McKinley. This was in addition to their own case involving the murder of an investment banker.
As the story progresses, readers learn that Sean and Sara love each other, but a relationship between them was off the table - mostly because it went against departmental rules. It was evident from the outset that they cared about each other and that they worked well together. Sara and Sean share similar traits, in that they are both smart and perceptive. However, while Sara is spontaneous, Sean prefers to follow a plan. These traits manifest throughout the story.
The story hidden between the pages of Bowled Ober Americano was exciting, entertaining, and fun. In true Arnold style, the story came with twists and surprising revelations. Not for one moment did I guess the outcome of both investigations. Also amidst both investigations, Sean received news that brings about changes in both his and Sara’s working and personal relationship.
Bowled Over Americano delivered a delightful small town murder mystery infused with humour and a fun romance. I look forward to what’s next Arnold has for her readers.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
April 17, 2023
3.5 stars
Bowled Over Americano is a quirky mystery with two homicide detectives on the case – one of whom also happens to be a mystery writer on the side. In fact, the story begins with Sara bemoaning writer’s block, and I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek look at how a writer’s mind works. I would have actually loved even more focus on Sara’s ‘mystery writer’ side as I felt it brought a unique flair to her character and potentially to the overall story if it had been allowed a bit more page time.
My thoughts on Bowled Over Americano is really a ‘tale of two books’, so to speak. On the one hand, I thought the mystery (really, mysteries plural) was nicely plotted with several layers, unexpected twists, and clever red herrings that all keep Sara and Sean – and readers – on their toes. While homicide detectives aren’t your typical cozy mystery sleuths (usually they’re the ones the cozy mystery sleuth is helping), they also aren’t supposed to be solving the main case they’re working on. A fact that forces them to go undercover after hours with some amusing costumes and alter egos. Not to mention that this part of the plot sets the story apart from the ‘same old, same old’ of cozies.
On the other hand, I never connected to the characters. Don’t get me wrong – I liked the characters, especially Sara and her partner Sean. But I never really felt like I was able to get in their heads and live the story through their eyes. Neither ‘felt’ like a homicide detective to me, either. Sara especially seemed too flighty or that she was just making it up as she went along, like maybe she just picked ‘homicide detective’ as a role to play until she figures out what she wants to do. We’re told what’s in their heads so much (too much), but not shown it. As a result, the character & content development fell flat for me in several ways – especially the events of the last few chapters.
Bottom Line: Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold has an adorable dog, more than one murder to solve, homicide detectives in love with each other (but unable to act on it), a few surprises, and a handful of quirky characters. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story, and I liked Sean and Sara as protagonists. And how could I not mention Magnum the beagle who stole every scene he was in, as any good cozy mystery pet should? I did find it difficult to get beyond a surface connection with Sean & Sara, though, or to make sense of some of their decisions. There was more telling than showing, and a lot of the telling got repetitive and bogged down the story even further. Overall, however, I thought this was a cute introduction to a promising series!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
Bowled Over Americano is a quirky mystery with two homicide detectives on the case – one of whom also happens to be a mystery writer on the side. In fact, the story begins with Sara bemoaning writer’s block, and I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek look at how a writer’s mind works. I would have actually loved even more focus on Sara’s ‘mystery writer’ side as I felt it brought a unique flair to her character and potentially to the overall story if it had been allowed a bit more page time.
My thoughts on Bowled Over Americano is really a ‘tale of two books’, so to speak. On the one hand, I thought the mystery (really, mysteries plural) was nicely plotted with several layers, unexpected twists, and clever red herrings that all keep Sara and Sean – and readers – on their toes. While homicide detectives aren’t your typical cozy mystery sleuths (usually they’re the ones the cozy mystery sleuth is helping), they also aren’t supposed to be solving the main case they’re working on. A fact that forces them to go undercover after hours with some amusing costumes and alter egos. Not to mention that this part of the plot sets the story apart from the ‘same old, same old’ of cozies.
On the other hand, I never connected to the characters. Don’t get me wrong – I liked the characters, especially Sara and her partner Sean. But I never really felt like I was able to get in their heads and live the story through their eyes. Neither ‘felt’ like a homicide detective to me, either. Sara especially seemed too flighty or that she was just making it up as she went along, like maybe she just picked ‘homicide detective’ as a role to play until she figures out what she wants to do. We’re told what’s in their heads so much (too much), but not shown it. As a result, the character & content development fell flat for me in several ways – especially the events of the last few chapters.
Bottom Line: Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold has an adorable dog, more than one murder to solve, homicide detectives in love with each other (but unable to act on it), a few surprises, and a handful of quirky characters. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story, and I liked Sean and Sara as protagonists. And how could I not mention Magnum the beagle who stole every scene he was in, as any good cozy mystery pet should? I did find it difficult to get beyond a surface connection with Sean & Sara, though, or to make sense of some of their decisions. There was more telling than showing, and a lot of the telling got repetitive and bogged down the story even further. Overall, however, I thought this was a cute introduction to a promising series!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
September 4, 2023
Carolyn Arnold is one of my favourite crime thriller authors, so when I heard she was writing a cozy mystery series, I decided to give it a go. Bowled Over Americano introduces us to Sara Cain, a detective and unpublished author, and her partner, Sean McKinley. When Sarah goes for a walk to clear her writer's block, Magnum, a beagle owned by a neighbour runs up to her. She follows him and finds his owner, Cliff Cunningham, dead just inside his door. The detective on the case quickly pins the murder on an ex, a friend of Sara’s mother, and stops investigation. Sara promises her mother to check into it, but she can't involve herself in another detective's case, so she and Sean begin an undercover investigation to find the real murderer.
I enjoyed the first book in this new series. Sara and Sean are great characters. They get along so well together and are willing to try whatever it takes to solve a case. Sean even puts on a fake moustache, similar to his hero, Magnum PI. Cliff was not a very well-liked character, but he was a good bowler and had many titles and trophies. He has a lot of exes and other bowlers who don't like him much, so lots of suspects. I enjoyed the way Sara and Sean went about solving this case and they had me giggling more than once. Of course they were able to solve the case, but the ending took me by surprise, and sets up the rest of this series. The mystery was well plotted, has great characters and now has an animal character in Magnum which they have adopted. I have already started the next in the series and am enjoying it even more. Samantha Novak narrated this book and is a new one to me. I enjoyed her performance and thought she did a good job with the expression and tone in the story.
I enjoyed the first book in this new series. Sara and Sean are great characters. They get along so well together and are willing to try whatever it takes to solve a case. Sean even puts on a fake moustache, similar to his hero, Magnum PI. Cliff was not a very well-liked character, but he was a good bowler and had many titles and trophies. He has a lot of exes and other bowlers who don't like him much, so lots of suspects. I enjoyed the way Sara and Sean went about solving this case and they had me giggling more than once. Of course they were able to solve the case, but the ending took me by surprise, and sets up the rest of this series. The mystery was well plotted, has great characters and now has an animal character in Magnum which they have adopted. I have already started the next in the series and am enjoying it even more. Samantha Novak narrated this book and is a new one to me. I enjoyed her performance and thought she did a good job with the expression and tone in the story.
January 27, 2023
Bowled Over Americano is a great start to a new series from Carolyn Arnold.
I loved the main characters, Sara and Sean. And the dog, Magnum, was a cute part of the story too.
The story is full of small town charm, murder, romance and plenty of humor.
I’m hoping to see more growth between the characters in the next book.
Bowled Over Americano is a easy, quick read with plenty of twists and humor to keep you engaged in the story.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I loved the main characters, Sara and Sean. And the dog, Magnum, was a cute part of the story too.
The story is full of small town charm, murder, romance and plenty of humor.
I’m hoping to see more growth between the characters in the next book.
Bowled Over Americano is a easy, quick read with plenty of twists and humor to keep you engaged in the story.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 7, 2024
Starter for a new series in debut
I chanced upon this electronic version of the novel and browsed the chapters one to two at a time and ended up enjoying the thrills of sheer drama between its two start characters & supporting cast, even the unseen villain in the culmination - wowee!! That was a good book to read on through, like how!! I hope for the next one to come up!!
I chanced upon this electronic version of the novel and browsed the chapters one to two at a time and ended up enjoying the thrills of sheer drama between its two start characters & supporting cast, even the unseen villain in the culmination - wowee!! That was a good book to read on through, like how!! I hope for the next one to come up!!
June 5, 2023
https://openbooksociety.com/article/b...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Bowled Over Americano is the first book in the Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery series by author Carolyn Arnold. The story caught my attention early on and I was engaged throughout the sleuthing tale.
Sara Cain is one of Albany’s finest – a homicide detective but she is also a mystery writer by night! Her special elixir allowing her to go like the ‘ever ready’ bunny is coffee – and her partner Sean McKinley – knows this (though not sure he approves of the quantity she drinks…but what the heck). During a bout of writer’s block, Sara goes for a walk in a local park. Here she notices her neighbours dog NOT on a leash nor the owner in sight. As Sara tries to catch “Magnum”, the reader is given a hilarious scene where Sara is running around trying to catch the dog, but to no avail for quite a while, and there are young on lookers in the park giggling to no end. Certainly made me chuckle! As the tale unfolds – Sara returns Magnum to her neighbour, only to discover that Cliff Cunningham is dead. As Sara discovered the body (while off for the night in her official capacity as a homicide detective) the detective assigned to the case was Detective Davenport, whom Sara was not a fan of. He tends to jump to the first presented scenario without fully investigating, which can be problematic for those that actually might be innocent!
A friend of Sara’s mother is the prime suspect and with little confidence in Davenport’s investigative skills, Sara decides to investigate on the down low (undercover as she is not assigned to this homicide!). With the assistance of her work partner, Sean, they search for the truth. What a journey the reader is taken on. The other “suspects” are many and the elimination process that Sara and Sean go through is at times quite hilarious. Acting like groupies for the bowling circuit…had me chuckling many times as they slyly talked with many people at the bowling alley!
As Sara and Sean work through the case, even more potential suspects emerge. We also get a glimpse of a potential romance between the two? There is attraction for sure – but Sara feels that they should keep it professional – for the sake of their jobs. We shall see – since the attraction is palpable. I for one, can’t wait to see if and how their relationship progresses as the series continues. Though Sean had better lighten up on the “too many coffee comments” he makes with respect to the quantity of coffee that Sara consumes.
I loved that the author fashioned Magnum (Cliff’s run-away dog) after her own pups, all being beagles! And the fact that Sara took the dog home after discovering his owner dead, spoke volumes as to her love of animals. That always endears a protagonist to me ☺.
The story also has an in-depth look into one of the persons that meant a lot to Sean in his life – a senior named Douglas Quinn. Sean came to Douglas’ aid while on the job and since that time – they became friends, regardless of the age difference between the two. Unfortunately, Sean must deal with the loss of this important person in his life and what that means for him in this story. The reactions from Sara show how much she does care for Sean:
“Sara hadn’t wanted to leave Sean alone tonight of all nights, even if she sensed he wanted time to process the news. It was just that she felt somewhat responsible because she’d been the one to deliver the bomb.”
I also have a soft spot for Sean as he drives a Sentra – which in fact is the first car that I bought. Talk about engaging this reader! Bowled Over Americano was a fun filled, engaging cozy mystery which kept my interest for the entire story. It caught my interest to the extent that I cannot wait for Sara and Sean’s story and sleuthing ways to continue. I will also investigate other stories written by Carolyn Arnold.
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Bowled Over Americano is the first book in the Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery series by author Carolyn Arnold. The story caught my attention early on and I was engaged throughout the sleuthing tale.
Sara Cain is one of Albany’s finest – a homicide detective but she is also a mystery writer by night! Her special elixir allowing her to go like the ‘ever ready’ bunny is coffee – and her partner Sean McKinley – knows this (though not sure he approves of the quantity she drinks…but what the heck). During a bout of writer’s block, Sara goes for a walk in a local park. Here she notices her neighbours dog NOT on a leash nor the owner in sight. As Sara tries to catch “Magnum”, the reader is given a hilarious scene where Sara is running around trying to catch the dog, but to no avail for quite a while, and there are young on lookers in the park giggling to no end. Certainly made me chuckle! As the tale unfolds – Sara returns Magnum to her neighbour, only to discover that Cliff Cunningham is dead. As Sara discovered the body (while off for the night in her official capacity as a homicide detective) the detective assigned to the case was Detective Davenport, whom Sara was not a fan of. He tends to jump to the first presented scenario without fully investigating, which can be problematic for those that actually might be innocent!
A friend of Sara’s mother is the prime suspect and with little confidence in Davenport’s investigative skills, Sara decides to investigate on the down low (undercover as she is not assigned to this homicide!). With the assistance of her work partner, Sean, they search for the truth. What a journey the reader is taken on. The other “suspects” are many and the elimination process that Sara and Sean go through is at times quite hilarious. Acting like groupies for the bowling circuit…had me chuckling many times as they slyly talked with many people at the bowling alley!
As Sara and Sean work through the case, even more potential suspects emerge. We also get a glimpse of a potential romance between the two? There is attraction for sure – but Sara feels that they should keep it professional – for the sake of their jobs. We shall see – since the attraction is palpable. I for one, can’t wait to see if and how their relationship progresses as the series continues. Though Sean had better lighten up on the “too many coffee comments” he makes with respect to the quantity of coffee that Sara consumes.
I loved that the author fashioned Magnum (Cliff’s run-away dog) after her own pups, all being beagles! And the fact that Sara took the dog home after discovering his owner dead, spoke volumes as to her love of animals. That always endears a protagonist to me ☺.
The story also has an in-depth look into one of the persons that meant a lot to Sean in his life – a senior named Douglas Quinn. Sean came to Douglas’ aid while on the job and since that time – they became friends, regardless of the age difference between the two. Unfortunately, Sean must deal with the loss of this important person in his life and what that means for him in this story. The reactions from Sara show how much she does care for Sean:
“Sara hadn’t wanted to leave Sean alone tonight of all nights, even if she sensed he wanted time to process the news. It was just that she felt somewhat responsible because she’d been the one to deliver the bomb.”
I also have a soft spot for Sean as he drives a Sentra – which in fact is the first car that I bought. Talk about engaging this reader! Bowled Over Americano was a fun filled, engaging cozy mystery which kept my interest for the entire story. It caught my interest to the extent that I cannot wait for Sara and Sean’s story and sleuthing ways to continue. I will also investigate other stories written by Carolyn Arnold.
April 11, 2023
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold lets us see within the lives of two detectives fighting their feelings for each other.
Will Sara and Sean have a happily ever after?
Sara and Sean are the two main characters and love interests. Sean has been with Albany PD since he was a rookie and always knew he wanted to be a cop. The reason is that his father was one, and he wanted to become one to honor his father's legacy. Sean has been a good cop all these years and is good at catching bad guys and putting them away.
Sara was a cop in her small hometown that isn't that far away from Albany but enough away to make her parents worry about her. She has only been a detective at Albany PD for two years, and within that time, she has learned a lot. Sara has started to write a book about a sleuth and continues to work on it. Sean and Sara are pretty good together as detectives and want something more. Except they can't because cops can't date each other if they stay partners.
I love how the two of them interact with each other and how everyone around them suspects they are a couple when they aren't. Sara and Sean are a great team, and I hope that continues within the other books.
The Mystery
Sara and Sean have two different mysteries that they are solving. One is part of their job as detectives, and the other is who killed Cliff Cunningham. Sara and Sean are trying to solve a case of an investor getting killed at his office, which is sad. Sara's mom begged her to take the other one, which Sara stumbled on when she found Magnum running around loose. So, Sara takes it and brings Sean to help her solve it. They are partners, and it is what they do, plus Sean likes to spend time around Sara.
I have to say that I did fall for the red herring on the Cliff Cunningham investigation. Then again, the clues didn't fall into place until Sara and Sean put them together. Ms. Arnold got me good on this one!
Five Stars
Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold is a fantastic start to a new series. I must confess I did read the second book when a different publishing company published it, but it was many books ago that I don't remember the book much. Reading this first book makes me want to read this entire series as it is being republished, as it is so good. Ms. Arnold's excellent writing style immerses you in the characters' world and makes you want to finish the book. Especially to find out who did kill the bowling champion.
I am giving five stars to Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold and recommending it to anyone interested in a great and wholesome cozy mystery.
Thank you for dropping by! What do you think of Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold?
Until the next time,
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
Will Sara and Sean have a happily ever after?
Sara and Sean are the two main characters and love interests. Sean has been with Albany PD since he was a rookie and always knew he wanted to be a cop. The reason is that his father was one, and he wanted to become one to honor his father's legacy. Sean has been a good cop all these years and is good at catching bad guys and putting them away.
Sara was a cop in her small hometown that isn't that far away from Albany but enough away to make her parents worry about her. She has only been a detective at Albany PD for two years, and within that time, she has learned a lot. Sara has started to write a book about a sleuth and continues to work on it. Sean and Sara are pretty good together as detectives and want something more. Except they can't because cops can't date each other if they stay partners.
I love how the two of them interact with each other and how everyone around them suspects they are a couple when they aren't. Sara and Sean are a great team, and I hope that continues within the other books.
The Mystery
Sara and Sean have two different mysteries that they are solving. One is part of their job as detectives, and the other is who killed Cliff Cunningham. Sara and Sean are trying to solve a case of an investor getting killed at his office, which is sad. Sara's mom begged her to take the other one, which Sara stumbled on when she found Magnum running around loose. So, Sara takes it and brings Sean to help her solve it. They are partners, and it is what they do, plus Sean likes to spend time around Sara.
I have to say that I did fall for the red herring on the Cliff Cunningham investigation. Then again, the clues didn't fall into place until Sara and Sean put them together. Ms. Arnold got me good on this one!
Five Stars
Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold is a fantastic start to a new series. I must confess I did read the second book when a different publishing company published it, but it was many books ago that I don't remember the book much. Reading this first book makes me want to read this entire series as it is being republished, as it is so good. Ms. Arnold's excellent writing style immerses you in the characters' world and makes you want to finish the book. Especially to find out who did kill the bowling champion.
I am giving five stars to Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold and recommending it to anyone interested in a great and wholesome cozy mystery.
Thank you for dropping by! What do you think of Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold?
Until the next time,
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
March 10, 2023
This is the first book that I have ever read by Carolyn Arnold and I am sure it will not be the last. I found this book to be an absolute delight. I am relatively new to cozy mystery books but from what I have gathered from Booktube this hits all the marks of a good cozy mystery. There is the female sleuth/cop, small-town feel, and super cute animal companion. I found this book to be a comfort and a joy to read. Bowled Over Americano had me flying through the pages, I just could not seem to put it down. I am happy to say that I am eager for the next one in the series to come out. I just need to know how these characters get on including the four-legged one.
Bowled Over Americano opens with Sara taking a break from writing her novel and going out for a walk in her neighborhood. As she is walking along and lost in thought she spots her neighbor's dog, Magnum running loose in the park with no owner in sight. Sara eventually catches Magnum and returns him to his home only to discover that the owner Cliff has been murdered in his own home. Sara soon calls the police and low and behold Detective Davenport enters the scene. Davenport is not one of Sara's favorite people, he is a detective who has been at it for a long time and is often times lazy and sloppy in his work. Davenport gives Sara two options for the dog and that is to take him to a shelter or bring him home with her. She is completely disgusted by Davenport's lack of caring and ends up taking Magnum home with her.
Sara receives a call soon after Cliff's death from her mother who informs Sara that Gladys who happens to be Cliff's long-time girlfriend has been accused of murder. Gladys happens to be Sara's mother's friend who swears up and down that her friend is innocent. Sare eventually meets with her mom and after speaking with both her mother and Gladys she decides that she is going to do some snooping around in the case during her free time. She knows Davenport's reputation and truly feels that Gladys is innocent. It is not long before Sara gets her partner/boss of two years Sean involved in trying to discover who murdered Cliff.
This is the start of two cops becoming evening Sleuths. I really enjoyed the relationship that these two characters have with each other both in their real jobs and now their side job. They work really well together and are just different enough that they complement each other well. The side sleuthing that they do I found to be entertaining, they will go to any length to discover who killed Cliff, from crazy costumes to creeping around bowling alleys it doesn't matter to them and often times Magnum is involved.
If you are looking for a fun, light-hearted cozy mystery with an adorable four-legged character then please pick this one up. Bowled Over Americano comes out on April 11th, 2023. I received an advanced reader copy from Netgalley and the author Carolyn Arnold in return for an honest review. I want to thank Netgalley and Carolyn Arnold for the opportunity to read this book before it hits store shelves. I very much enjoyed the story and recommend it to anyone who loves a cozy mystery with a touch of romance. All the thoughts and opinions written above are entirely my own.
Bowled Over Americano opens with Sara taking a break from writing her novel and going out for a walk in her neighborhood. As she is walking along and lost in thought she spots her neighbor's dog, Magnum running loose in the park with no owner in sight. Sara eventually catches Magnum and returns him to his home only to discover that the owner Cliff has been murdered in his own home. Sara soon calls the police and low and behold Detective Davenport enters the scene. Davenport is not one of Sara's favorite people, he is a detective who has been at it for a long time and is often times lazy and sloppy in his work. Davenport gives Sara two options for the dog and that is to take him to a shelter or bring him home with her. She is completely disgusted by Davenport's lack of caring and ends up taking Magnum home with her.
Sara receives a call soon after Cliff's death from her mother who informs Sara that Gladys who happens to be Cliff's long-time girlfriend has been accused of murder. Gladys happens to be Sara's mother's friend who swears up and down that her friend is innocent. Sare eventually meets with her mom and after speaking with both her mother and Gladys she decides that she is going to do some snooping around in the case during her free time. She knows Davenport's reputation and truly feels that Gladys is innocent. It is not long before Sara gets her partner/boss of two years Sean involved in trying to discover who murdered Cliff.
This is the start of two cops becoming evening Sleuths. I really enjoyed the relationship that these two characters have with each other both in their real jobs and now their side job. They work really well together and are just different enough that they complement each other well. The side sleuthing that they do I found to be entertaining, they will go to any length to discover who killed Cliff, from crazy costumes to creeping around bowling alleys it doesn't matter to them and often times Magnum is involved.
If you are looking for a fun, light-hearted cozy mystery with an adorable four-legged character then please pick this one up. Bowled Over Americano comes out on April 11th, 2023. I received an advanced reader copy from Netgalley and the author Carolyn Arnold in return for an honest review. I want to thank Netgalley and Carolyn Arnold for the opportunity to read this book before it hits store shelves. I very much enjoyed the story and recommend it to anyone who loves a cozy mystery with a touch of romance. All the thoughts and opinions written above are entirely my own.
April 11, 2023
Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold is the first book in her new Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery series. I am a big fan of Carolyn Arnold, having read all her different series; and I looked forward to this new cozy mystery.
We meet Sara Cain, our heroine, who is a homicide detective with the Albany police department. She is a detective by day, and writes a mystery novel at night; one night she decides to take a walk and finds a loose dog she recognizes. When Sara brings the dog, Magnum back to his home, she finds the owner of the dog dead. Another detective is assigned to the murder of Cliff Cunningham, a famous bowler; but when Sara’s mother asks her to investigate the murder, because her friend was arrested, Sara decides to be a sleuth at night. Her partner Sean McKinley is currently working with Sara, on another case, searching for the killer of Aubrey Southgate; but he agrees to help her with looking into this other case, without letting their boss know.
We learn quickly that Sean has a strong crush on Sara, though she likes him, but she won’t let any possible romance happen between them, since it against the rules. I really liked Sara and Sean together. Sara is smart, savvy, independent, fun and is a coffeeholic; Sean is the opposite, more skeptical, but very charming. It was great to watch how both Sara and Sean work on the two different investigations. The third partner is Magnum, the cute beagle, who Sara brought home, and occasionally helps.
What follows is an exciting, suspenseful, entertaining, and fun story. Both Sara and Sean manage to find clues with some twists, that will help find the real killer in their case, including discovering the person behind the wrongful arrest of Sara’s mothers friend. To say too much more would be spoilers, as once you get to the second half of the book, you really need it all. Detective Davenport was not a good cop, and totally bad news with his minimal quick investigations, thankfully Sean and Sara will discover the truths. Bowled Over Americano was a wonderful murder mystery, in a small town, dangerous killers, as well as a fun romance and some humor. Bowled Over Americano was very well written by Carolyn Arnold.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
We meet Sara Cain, our heroine, who is a homicide detective with the Albany police department. She is a detective by day, and writes a mystery novel at night; one night she decides to take a walk and finds a loose dog she recognizes. When Sara brings the dog, Magnum back to his home, she finds the owner of the dog dead. Another detective is assigned to the murder of Cliff Cunningham, a famous bowler; but when Sara’s mother asks her to investigate the murder, because her friend was arrested, Sara decides to be a sleuth at night. Her partner Sean McKinley is currently working with Sara, on another case, searching for the killer of Aubrey Southgate; but he agrees to help her with looking into this other case, without letting their boss know.
We learn quickly that Sean has a strong crush on Sara, though she likes him, but she won’t let any possible romance happen between them, since it against the rules. I really liked Sara and Sean together. Sara is smart, savvy, independent, fun and is a coffeeholic; Sean is the opposite, more skeptical, but very charming. It was great to watch how both Sara and Sean work on the two different investigations. The third partner is Magnum, the cute beagle, who Sara brought home, and occasionally helps.
What follows is an exciting, suspenseful, entertaining, and fun story. Both Sara and Sean manage to find clues with some twists, that will help find the real killer in their case, including discovering the person behind the wrongful arrest of Sara’s mothers friend. To say too much more would be spoilers, as once you get to the second half of the book, you really need it all. Detective Davenport was not a good cop, and totally bad news with his minimal quick investigations, thankfully Sean and Sara will discover the truths. Bowled Over Americano was a wonderful murder mystery, in a small town, dangerous killers, as well as a fun romance and some humor. Bowled Over Americano was very well written by Carolyn Arnold.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
April 6, 2023
Bowled over Americano by Carolyn Arnold is the beginning of A Sara and Sean Cozy Mysteries. The author introduces us to Sara Cain and Sean McKinley who are detectives with the Albany police department. The pair are work partners and friends. The attraction between them is apparent. Sean would love to take their relationship out of the friend zone, but Sara does not want to lose her partner. I felt that Sara took advantage of Sean’s feelings. She knew Sean would do anything for her and used that to get him to help her with an investigation (plus finding a dog sitter for Magnum). Magnum is a cutie. I wish he had a bigger role in the book. The story is told from Sean and Sara’s point-of-view. It allows you to see things from both perspectives, but it also leads to repetition (I lost track of how many times we are told that Sean loves the show Magnum PI—the original). I quickly tired of hearing how Sean felt for Sara (he loves her, we get it, no need to keep telling us). The romance seemed to overpower the mystery portion. There are two mysteries in the book. Sara and Sean have their own case to solve at work. Then, Sara gets a call from her mother asking for help. It appears that the Albany PDs laziest detective is determined to pin a murder on the victim’s girlfriend (and Sara’s mother is convinced the woman is innocent). Sara persuades Sean to go undercover (when they are not on duty) so they can make sure the wrong person does not end up in jail for Cliff Cunningham’s murder. The story lacks action. There is paperwork for Sean and Sara to process. You cannot get a subpoena without filing the proper paperwork. Sean and Sara ask questions and search for clues. I was not a fan of how the mysteries were laid out. My favorite part of a cozy mystery is solving them, but we need all the details in order to accomplish that task. There are some over-the-top characters in the story as well as some unbelievable situations. Bowled over Americano did not feel like a cozy mystery (it lacked some of the traditional elements). Bowled over Americano is a lighthearted story with humor, romance, mystery, a coffee obsession, and an adorable dog.
April 8, 2023
I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The story begins when Sara is out for a run when she sees a beagle running loose. She knows who the beagle belongs to so she runs after it to catch and return to his owner. Upon arriving at the owner's home, she discovers the front door open. She opens it and discovers that Cliff, the dog's owner, has been murdered. She notified the police and when the detective arrived, she was interrogated like it was the ninth degree. Even though she was a detective, she wasn't the one who would do the investigation.
The next day, she and her partner Sean were working on another murder case which happened earlier. They went to the deceased's employer to interview the boss who had been on vacation. They did not get a lot of information and started looking at other clues. They got lucky and were able to find a picture of an individual who was meeting with Aubrey, the victim. Using that as a lead, they began by following up on a credit receipt from the restaurant the two were meeting at. Later, Sara received a call from her mother asking for her help. It seems like Gladys, a member of Srar's mother's book club, had become a suspect in Cliff's murder. She wanted Sara to help Gladys and find who killed Cliff. That same day, Earlier, Sara had been looking at obituaries and discovered that a person that Sean knew had died and told Sean about a service that was to be held for Sean's friend.
As the story went on, Sara and Sean during their day job was searching for Aubrey's killer and at night they were looking into Cliff's murder.
To discover how the beagle played in the story, who killed Aubrey, what Sean and Sara did in the search for Cliff's killer and what unexpected happening Sean received as well as how the story ended, then you need to read this book.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started, but this will definite be a great series as time progresses.
The story begins when Sara is out for a run when she sees a beagle running loose. She knows who the beagle belongs to so she runs after it to catch and return to his owner. Upon arriving at the owner's home, she discovers the front door open. She opens it and discovers that Cliff, the dog's owner, has been murdered. She notified the police and when the detective arrived, she was interrogated like it was the ninth degree. Even though she was a detective, she wasn't the one who would do the investigation.
The next day, she and her partner Sean were working on another murder case which happened earlier. They went to the deceased's employer to interview the boss who had been on vacation. They did not get a lot of information and started looking at other clues. They got lucky and were able to find a picture of an individual who was meeting with Aubrey, the victim. Using that as a lead, they began by following up on a credit receipt from the restaurant the two were meeting at. Later, Sara received a call from her mother asking for her help. It seems like Gladys, a member of Srar's mother's book club, had become a suspect in Cliff's murder. She wanted Sara to help Gladys and find who killed Cliff. That same day, Earlier, Sara had been looking at obituaries and discovered that a person that Sean knew had died and told Sean about a service that was to be held for Sean's friend.
As the story went on, Sara and Sean during their day job was searching for Aubrey's killer and at night they were looking into Cliff's murder.
To discover how the beagle played in the story, who killed Aubrey, what Sean and Sara did in the search for Cliff's killer and what unexpected happening Sean received as well as how the story ended, then you need to read this book.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started, but this will definite be a great series as time progresses.
April 12, 2023
Original review posted on my blog From Ink to Paper
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to see that Carolyn was starting a new series and was glad I got to read an ARC of it. Overall I thought it was a fun read. I don’t think it beats her other series, but it was still worth a read. I am intrigued to see where it goes from here with how it ended, I have an idea that they will break out on their own and do private investigating. I think the thing that just felt rushed to me was the romance. They went from not wanting to date because they worked together to getting engaged all of a sudden at the end, which I feel only happened because he got lots of money and they were like we don’t need work. I felt like it could have evolved more and been a little more realistic about them ending up together.
I thought the storyline was fun and it had a good mystery to it. I did end up picking the wrong person on who was the killer so that was a nice surprise to be wrong! I liked that they had fun disguises when they were undercover. The story had adventure and humor and some slight romance. I am hoping that as the story continues we get some more background on the characters. I weirdly want to know why Sean was so weird about the dog and the dog hair, I feel there is a story there. I thought the dog was a cute add and I hope he gets to tag along more in the next book.
The writing was well done and the story flowed nicely. It was a quick read which was nice because you didn’t have all of these random things that veer you away from the mystery. It is instead focused on finding out who the killer was, and actually, there are two cases being solved in this one. One isn’t as much a part of the story but I was intrigued still by how they figured that one out as well.
I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to seeing where the series goes from here and what mystery Sara and Sean will get to solve and what their disguises will be this time.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to see that Carolyn was starting a new series and was glad I got to read an ARC of it. Overall I thought it was a fun read. I don’t think it beats her other series, but it was still worth a read. I am intrigued to see where it goes from here with how it ended, I have an idea that they will break out on their own and do private investigating. I think the thing that just felt rushed to me was the romance. They went from not wanting to date because they worked together to getting engaged all of a sudden at the end, which I feel only happened because he got lots of money and they were like we don’t need work. I felt like it could have evolved more and been a little more realistic about them ending up together.
I thought the storyline was fun and it had a good mystery to it. I did end up picking the wrong person on who was the killer so that was a nice surprise to be wrong! I liked that they had fun disguises when they were undercover. The story had adventure and humor and some slight romance. I am hoping that as the story continues we get some more background on the characters. I weirdly want to know why Sean was so weird about the dog and the dog hair, I feel there is a story there. I thought the dog was a cute add and I hope he gets to tag along more in the next book.
The writing was well done and the story flowed nicely. It was a quick read which was nice because you didn’t have all of these random things that veer you away from the mystery. It is instead focused on finding out who the killer was, and actually, there are two cases being solved in this one. One isn’t as much a part of the story but I was intrigued still by how they figured that one out as well.
I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to seeing where the series goes from here and what mystery Sara and Sean will get to solve and what their disguises will be this time.
May 6, 2023
*** Thank you to Netgalley, Carolyn Arnold and Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. for the copy***
Publish Date: 04.11.2023
Are you a fan of the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel? If so, I have a great recommendation for you! Sara and Sean are coworkers who refuse to bring up the undeniable chemistry between the two of them as they are partners working in homicide. Sara is writing a novel and during a bout of writers block goes for a walk. Sara finds a loose dog while out and about and brings said dog back to his owners home only to find his owner dead - murdered. Saras subpar coworker is on the case, does little to get the actual details and really doesn't care what happens to the dog. Sara takes the dog and decides she'll figure it out. The following day Sara gets a call from her mother and tells her to come over. Sara's mother is friends with the woman who is being accused of the murder and Sara must find the real killer, without anyone besides Sean know shes covertly working on the case - with Seans help. Sean is also dealing with the loss of one of his friends that he lost contact with, an older gentleman, who left him something in his will.
I thought this book was really cute and I devoured the first 3/4's of it. Towards the end I did begin to lost interest because of Seans sudden proposal with little prior romance (I understand that it works for the story line, it just doesn't work in my head). I found Sara to be quirky in her own way but a very realistic character. When the two go "undercover" I was reminded of when Bones and Booth (from Bones) except both Sara and Sean have the ability to talk to people. Although it wasn't a crazy intense murder mystery, I did like the continuous guessing of who-done-it and let's be real, I got it wrong. I am going to keep my eye out for more of this series as they come.
Publish Date: 04.11.2023
Are you a fan of the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel? If so, I have a great recommendation for you! Sara and Sean are coworkers who refuse to bring up the undeniable chemistry between the two of them as they are partners working in homicide. Sara is writing a novel and during a bout of writers block goes for a walk. Sara finds a loose dog while out and about and brings said dog back to his owners home only to find his owner dead - murdered. Saras subpar coworker is on the case, does little to get the actual details and really doesn't care what happens to the dog. Sara takes the dog and decides she'll figure it out. The following day Sara gets a call from her mother and tells her to come over. Sara's mother is friends with the woman who is being accused of the murder and Sara must find the real killer, without anyone besides Sean know shes covertly working on the case - with Seans help. Sean is also dealing with the loss of one of his friends that he lost contact with, an older gentleman, who left him something in his will.
I thought this book was really cute and I devoured the first 3/4's of it. Towards the end I did begin to lost interest because of Seans sudden proposal with little prior romance (I understand that it works for the story line, it just doesn't work in my head). I found Sara to be quirky in her own way but a very realistic character. When the two go "undercover" I was reminded of when Bones and Booth (from Bones) except both Sara and Sean have the ability to talk to people. Although it wasn't a crazy intense murder mystery, I did like the continuous guessing of who-done-it and let's be real, I got it wrong. I am going to keep my eye out for more of this series as they come.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2023
Disclosure. This is a review of an ebook I was sent for free. All opinions are my own.
This is the first title in the Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery Series, but as soon as I started reading it, I knew I had already met and loved Sara and Sean in Exercise is Murder, a McKinley Mystery. I’ve now discovered that the McKinley Mysteries were unpublished last year, in order to be expanded into full-length novels. However I hadn’t read the original that this one is based on, so all new and fresh to me.
The story begins with Sara, a detective rescuing a lost dog in the park, but when she returns him home, she finds his owner Cliff Cunningham murdered. Certainly an opening to get the reader hooked.
She ends up having to take Magnum the dog home with her, but sneaking him into the police station for work the next day doesn’t go down well with the Sergeant. What will she do with Magnum?
Sara and partner Sean aren’t assigned to the Cunningham case, but when her mum calls to ask for help because her friend Gladys has been arrested for the murder of Cliff Cunningham, she and Sean set about some moonlighting on the case.
Can they do a better job at it than Detective Davenport? Is Gladys innocent?
Have a laugh at the antics of how they deal with Magnum.
The author has done a great job at filling in the back story for this, the start of a series, which is interwoven into this tale. And a fab twist at the end.
Most of Carolyn Arnold’s other series are dark psychological thrillers. Yes this is still murder, but a much more light-hearted fun mystery style.
A highly recommended whodunnit style mystery, that will leave you looking forward to reading more Sara and Sean tales.
This is the first title in the Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery Series, but as soon as I started reading it, I knew I had already met and loved Sara and Sean in Exercise is Murder, a McKinley Mystery. I’ve now discovered that the McKinley Mysteries were unpublished last year, in order to be expanded into full-length novels. However I hadn’t read the original that this one is based on, so all new and fresh to me.
The story begins with Sara, a detective rescuing a lost dog in the park, but when she returns him home, she finds his owner Cliff Cunningham murdered. Certainly an opening to get the reader hooked.
She ends up having to take Magnum the dog home with her, but sneaking him into the police station for work the next day doesn’t go down well with the Sergeant. What will she do with Magnum?
Sara and partner Sean aren’t assigned to the Cunningham case, but when her mum calls to ask for help because her friend Gladys has been arrested for the murder of Cliff Cunningham, she and Sean set about some moonlighting on the case.
Can they do a better job at it than Detective Davenport? Is Gladys innocent?
Have a laugh at the antics of how they deal with Magnum.
The author has done a great job at filling in the back story for this, the start of a series, which is interwoven into this tale. And a fab twist at the end.
Most of Carolyn Arnold’s other series are dark psychological thrillers. Yes this is still murder, but a much more light-hearted fun mystery style.
A highly recommended whodunnit style mystery, that will leave you looking forward to reading more Sara and Sean tales.
January 3, 2023
There were a lot of things I liked about this book. While it may have been slow action wise at times, it seemed to be a realistic portrayal of police procedure. There were times where our sleuths had to wait to get the proper paperwork filed, to get warrants from judges, instead of bursting in with guns blazing at every turn. This made it different from books I've read before in a very pleasant way.
In terms of the attraction between Sean and Sara, I liked that they admired good traits in each other, but weren't blind to faults. The tension between them and reasons why they couldn't be together was unsatisfying to me, it might have been something that does happen in real life, but the way it played out seemed a little flat. I was waiting for them to get over their excuses and get together, or to admit they simply couldn't be partners because of their attraction for each other anyway. There were also times I was a bit put out with Sara - Sean would do anything for her, and she seemed to take advantage of this. It came across less as strong-independent woman, and more someone using another person's feelings for their own gain.
This isn't quite what I'd consider when I think of a cozy mystery, but it does set up quite nicely for that in the future. This was more of the origin story, putting things into place for us to move forward. I'm curious to try other books by Carolyn Arnold, to see how they compare to this one in terms of mysteries unfolding.
An enjoyable read, though I would recommend this more if you like procedural crime books than cozy mysteries.
A copy was kindly provided to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
In terms of the attraction between Sean and Sara, I liked that they admired good traits in each other, but weren't blind to faults. The tension between them and reasons why they couldn't be together was unsatisfying to me, it might have been something that does happen in real life, but the way it played out seemed a little flat. I was waiting for them to get over their excuses and get together, or to admit they simply couldn't be partners because of their attraction for each other anyway. There were also times I was a bit put out with Sara - Sean would do anything for her, and she seemed to take advantage of this. It came across less as strong-independent woman, and more someone using another person's feelings for their own gain.
This isn't quite what I'd consider when I think of a cozy mystery, but it does set up quite nicely for that in the future. This was more of the origin story, putting things into place for us to move forward. I'm curious to try other books by Carolyn Arnold, to see how they compare to this one in terms of mysteries unfolding.
An enjoyable read, though I would recommend this more if you like procedural crime books than cozy mysteries.
A copy was kindly provided to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2023
I’ve come to know and love Carolyn Arnold for her ability to portray crime thrillers in writing with such accuracy and depth. I was excited when I learned that she was adding a cozy mystery series to her works. Throughout the book, I enjoyed the little “Easter eggs” that were in place such as the Detective Madison Knight TV series that Sean watches, along with the beagle — a nod at Carolyn’s own beagles, I presume! If you’ve read her other books, you’ll smile when you find them.
Sara and Sean are incredibly perfect for each other. I love their back story and how they hold back on their personal feelings to accomplish great things as work partners. They balance each other out in all the best ways and I love their individual idiosyncrasies (i.e. Sean’s opinion about taking a cell phone into a restroom and Sara’s need for order).
In true cozy fashion, the murder of Cliff Cunningham is kept off-page, yet we’re given enough detail to help see the case through. There are plenty of twists in the storyline that have you sniffing in one direction, then twisted to another in order to find the real culprit. I had my suspicions, but alas, I was wrong! Magnum’s contribution needs to be noted as he poses as a police dog early on in the book, then actually becomes one of the crucial parts in stopping the murderer.
I’m excited to see where Sara and Sean take us in future books and hope to see more fun undercover costumes from Molly’s!
I received a complimentary copy for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Sara and Sean are incredibly perfect for each other. I love their back story and how they hold back on their personal feelings to accomplish great things as work partners. They balance each other out in all the best ways and I love their individual idiosyncrasies (i.e. Sean’s opinion about taking a cell phone into a restroom and Sara’s need for order).
In true cozy fashion, the murder of Cliff Cunningham is kept off-page, yet we’re given enough detail to help see the case through. There are plenty of twists in the storyline that have you sniffing in one direction, then twisted to another in order to find the real culprit. I had my suspicions, but alas, I was wrong! Magnum’s contribution needs to be noted as he poses as a police dog early on in the book, then actually becomes one of the crucial parts in stopping the murderer.
I’m excited to see where Sara and Sean take us in future books and hope to see more fun undercover costumes from Molly’s!
I received a complimentary copy for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
April 17, 2023
Having read Carolyn Arnold's Detective Amanda Steele series, I was eager to read a new series with new characters.
Sean and Sara work for the Albany police department they have been tasked to investigate a crime where a man was shot in broad daylight. But that isn't their only case. Sara's mother contacts her about her friend who is being wrongly accused of murdering her boyfriend Cliff Cunningham. The problem is, it's been given to another detective to investigate, a detective who is both lazy and incompetent. This leads them to go undercover to find the real culprit.
Bowled Over Americano was a fun mystery that was quite heavy on the romance, but still an enjoyable read.
Sara was a strong character. Determined, independent with a coffee addiction, she loves to write in her spare time. She ends up adopting the very cute Magnum, a mischievous Beagle.
For the most part, I found Sean unlikeable. There was just something about him and his constant ramblings about his father, Magnum PI, and his love for Sara. It was until the end that I warmed to him.
As for the story, I found the parts where they were undercover much more enjoyable and, overall, a better mystery than their other case.
As it's the first in the series, I feel there were a lot of setups for future books which I can forgive the storyline for not being as strong. I would definitely read more stories featuring these characters.
Sean and Sara work for the Albany police department they have been tasked to investigate a crime where a man was shot in broad daylight. But that isn't their only case. Sara's mother contacts her about her friend who is being wrongly accused of murdering her boyfriend Cliff Cunningham. The problem is, it's been given to another detective to investigate, a detective who is both lazy and incompetent. This leads them to go undercover to find the real culprit.
Bowled Over Americano was a fun mystery that was quite heavy on the romance, but still an enjoyable read.
Sara was a strong character. Determined, independent with a coffee addiction, she loves to write in her spare time. She ends up adopting the very cute Magnum, a mischievous Beagle.
For the most part, I found Sean unlikeable. There was just something about him and his constant ramblings about his father, Magnum PI, and his love for Sara. It was until the end that I warmed to him.
As for the story, I found the parts where they were undercover much more enjoyable and, overall, a better mystery than their other case.
As it's the first in the series, I feel there were a lot of setups for future books which I can forgive the storyline for not being as strong. I would definitely read more stories featuring these characters.
September 1, 2023
My reaction to this was simply "meh".
What might be a very good series was harmed by this introduction, if that's indeed what it is. Two cops, partners, each longing for the other but constrained by the partners circumstances. The resolution strains credibility, as do a few other parts.
At one point, we're told "Sara had some martial arts classes under her belt, and what she hadn’t picked up there, she learned on the job as a detective in Homicide." This implies that someone can become a homicide detective without time as a uniform, and without attendance at the police academy, where she'd have learned firearms handling *and* hand-t0-hand defense. Nowhere is there any mention of time in uniform, or range time.
It seems everyone on the force understands Davenport is a lazy, incompetent detective. Still, it's not until the end that the bureaucracy takes note. One wonders about the force itself when "interference" with another's case is neither celebrated (many hands make light work) nor actively discouraged.
So, while I can imagine the possibilities for Sara and Sean going forward, this introduction did not make me want to read further.
I dislike the technique of telling a story from two or more characters' perspectives, but I also realize that's the author's choice, and not everyone dislikes it, so I'm prepared to overlook it, but it does nothing to endear me to a book.
What might be a very good series was harmed by this introduction, if that's indeed what it is. Two cops, partners, each longing for the other but constrained by the partners circumstances. The resolution strains credibility, as do a few other parts.
At one point, we're told "Sara had some martial arts classes under her belt, and what she hadn’t picked up there, she learned on the job as a detective in Homicide." This implies that someone can become a homicide detective without time as a uniform, and without attendance at the police academy, where she'd have learned firearms handling *and* hand-t0-hand defense. Nowhere is there any mention of time in uniform, or range time.
It seems everyone on the force understands Davenport is a lazy, incompetent detective. Still, it's not until the end that the bureaucracy takes note. One wonders about the force itself when "interference" with another's case is neither celebrated (many hands make light work) nor actively discouraged.
So, while I can imagine the possibilities for Sara and Sean going forward, this introduction did not make me want to read further.
I dislike the technique of telling a story from two or more characters' perspectives, but I also realize that's the author's choice, and not everyone dislikes it, so I'm prepared to overlook it, but it does nothing to endear me to a book.
April 12, 2023
Bowled Over Americano is the start of a new cozy series. Sara Cain is a police detective who works days and nights sleuthing, along with the help of her partner Sean McKinley. While investigating a case involving a champion bowler who is murdered, Sara ends up adopting the bowler's beagle Magnum, and the dog goes along on a few cases.
I wanted to read this book because the bowling storyline sounded like fun. I love cozy mysteries and I also liked that this is the first book in a new series.
This is a great start to a new series with Sara and Sean solving mysteries together. They are a great pair - detectives and friends, but there is also a sweet romantic storyline. The mystery aspect of this story is well written. Sara and Sean have great sleuthing experience because of their work. There are several possible suspects, and it was fun to tag along with Sara and Sean as they worked to solve the case.
Magnum the beagle was a fun addition to the story! The author captures the beagle personality perfectly in this book. I am a lifelong animal lover and especially enjoy mysteries that involve dogs or cats.
I look forward to future books in this series, and recommend Bowled Over Americano to other fans of cozy mysteries. This is a lively, well written start to a new series!
I wanted to read this book because the bowling storyline sounded like fun. I love cozy mysteries and I also liked that this is the first book in a new series.
This is a great start to a new series with Sara and Sean solving mysteries together. They are a great pair - detectives and friends, but there is also a sweet romantic storyline. The mystery aspect of this story is well written. Sara and Sean have great sleuthing experience because of their work. There are several possible suspects, and it was fun to tag along with Sara and Sean as they worked to solve the case.
Magnum the beagle was a fun addition to the story! The author captures the beagle personality perfectly in this book. I am a lifelong animal lover and especially enjoy mysteries that involve dogs or cats.
I look forward to future books in this series, and recommend Bowled Over Americano to other fans of cozy mysteries. This is a lively, well written start to a new series!
April 19, 2023
Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold is the first book in the new Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery Series. This book was a lovely quick read and a book you can get stuck into and easy to get to know the main two characters Sara Cain and Sean McKinley they work together at the Albany police departments. But, at night Sara writes a mystery novels.
This book starts when Sara is out for her regular run when she sees a beagle running loose. She knows who the beagle belongs to and runs after it to try and catch it so she can return to their owner. Arriving at the owner's home, she discovers their front door open.
Sara opens it and discovers that Cliff, the dog's owner, is dead and has been murdered. She phones the police, and a detective arrives, she was interrogated, even though she is a detective herself, she is made to feel guilty!!!
Sean McKinley, is currently working on a case and is searching for another killer. Sara can not let this lie and wants to investigate Cliff's murder herself! He agrees to help Sara with this case but in secret and not telling their boss!
Will they both find the killer before they strike again?
This was a great read and looking forward to Carolyn Arnold next book within this series. I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend it,
If you love cosy mystery books this is a new series for you
This book starts when Sara is out for her regular run when she sees a beagle running loose. She knows who the beagle belongs to and runs after it to try and catch it so she can return to their owner. Arriving at the owner's home, she discovers their front door open.
Sara opens it and discovers that Cliff, the dog's owner, is dead and has been murdered. She phones the police, and a detective arrives, she was interrogated, even though she is a detective herself, she is made to feel guilty!!!
Sean McKinley, is currently working on a case and is searching for another killer. Sara can not let this lie and wants to investigate Cliff's murder herself! He agrees to help Sara with this case but in secret and not telling their boss!
Will they both find the killer before they strike again?
This was a great read and looking forward to Carolyn Arnold next book within this series. I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend it,
If you love cosy mystery books this is a new series for you
April 20, 2023
I started this book and had a bit of a blond moment as I was thinking wait a min I have read this - a quick check and discovered that this is a revamp of the McKinley Mysteries #1 The Day Job is Murder! I loved that book and the only thing I wished was that it was longer and it seems I was not alone and Arnold has revamped that series of books and made them into full blown stories and fleshed them out and given this story a reimagining if you will.
Sean and Sarah are partners for Albany PD, and unfortunately for them they have fallen in love with each other but Sarah has decided that as long as they work together all they can be is friends, much to Sean's dismay. Whilst on a case Sean hears about the passing of his friend Quinn who he hasn't seen for a few years, but discovers when attending his funeral that he has mentioned Sean in his will. What ensues results in Sean being set for life and the chance for him to be with Sarah.
For I have previously read the short version I by no means remembered every detail but I loved how the budding romance between the two was more fleshed out and also the aftermath of Sean inheriting from Quinn.
I love how Caroline can give you a gritty read with her Madison Knight series and then give you a great cozy mystery with this series, great author and great series cant wait to see what is in store for Sean and Sarah next.
5 stars
Sean and Sarah are partners for Albany PD, and unfortunately for them they have fallen in love with each other but Sarah has decided that as long as they work together all they can be is friends, much to Sean's dismay. Whilst on a case Sean hears about the passing of his friend Quinn who he hasn't seen for a few years, but discovers when attending his funeral that he has mentioned Sean in his will. What ensues results in Sean being set for life and the chance for him to be with Sarah.
For I have previously read the short version I by no means remembered every detail but I loved how the budding romance between the two was more fleshed out and also the aftermath of Sean inheriting from Quinn.
I love how Caroline can give you a gritty read with her Madison Knight series and then give you a great cozy mystery with this series, great author and great series cant wait to see what is in store for Sean and Sarah next.
5 stars
January 29, 2023
Thank you Carolyn Arnold and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. Below is my honest opinion.
I can honestly say I really liked this book. It was easy to read, funny at times and it kept my attention. I seriously had no idea who the killer was, even at the end I was shocked at who the killer was.
To me, this wasn’t like the cozy mysteries that I’ve read before. I felt like this was a long prequel to the beginning of Sean and Sara’s cozy mystery adventures. It has some really good police procedures and was a bit slow at times for cozy mystery. But it was still cute and kept me wanting to read.
Also, I felt like them coming together was extremely fast. Yes we could see that Sean was in love with Sara but we didn’t see that Sara reciprocated the feelings as much as Sean did. It just didn’t add up to me. For the majority of the book Sara wanted to be friends and nothing more but the minute Sean proposes she’s all in. Maybe there was more there for Sara than I saw.
This is my first book by this author and I’m excited to see where Sean and Sara go in their next book. I think there is a great premise here especially with Magnum by their side, sniffing out the bad guys.
Thank you again and congratulations on your new cozy mystery series!!
I can honestly say I really liked this book. It was easy to read, funny at times and it kept my attention. I seriously had no idea who the killer was, even at the end I was shocked at who the killer was.
To me, this wasn’t like the cozy mysteries that I’ve read before. I felt like this was a long prequel to the beginning of Sean and Sara’s cozy mystery adventures. It has some really good police procedures and was a bit slow at times for cozy mystery. But it was still cute and kept me wanting to read.
Also, I felt like them coming together was extremely fast. Yes we could see that Sean was in love with Sara but we didn’t see that Sara reciprocated the feelings as much as Sean did. It just didn’t add up to me. For the majority of the book Sara wanted to be friends and nothing more but the minute Sean proposes she’s all in. Maybe there was more there for Sara than I saw.
This is my first book by this author and I’m excited to see where Sean and Sara go in their next book. I think there is a great premise here especially with Magnum by their side, sniffing out the bad guys.
Thank you again and congratulations on your new cozy mystery series!!
April 7, 2023
4.25 Stars
When her first novel gives her trouble, Sara Cain goes for a walk to clear her writer’s block and ends up stumbling right into a real-life murder mystery. Magnum, an adventurous beagle, comes running off leash toward her in the local park, and she returns him home only to find his master dead on the entry floor. Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler with a mean streak and a temper, and police are pegging his Golden Pin bowling trophy as the murder weapon. The prime suspect is a friend of Sara’s mother—and she expects Sara to prove the woman’s innocence. Sara soon finds herself sleuthing undercover. It’s not all bad, though, as she’s taking her friend and partner Sean McKinley along for the ride.
The start of a new series & a very entertaining read, it had all the ingredients needed for a cosy mystery, red herrings, twists & turns, an eclectic mix of characters, an adorable dog & a pair of sleuths who have lovely chemistry between them plus a good smattering of humour. It’s also set in a small town so everyone knows everyone. I thoroughly enjoyed it & look forward to more
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
When her first novel gives her trouble, Sara Cain goes for a walk to clear her writer’s block and ends up stumbling right into a real-life murder mystery. Magnum, an adventurous beagle, comes running off leash toward her in the local park, and she returns him home only to find his master dead on the entry floor. Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler with a mean streak and a temper, and police are pegging his Golden Pin bowling trophy as the murder weapon. The prime suspect is a friend of Sara’s mother—and she expects Sara to prove the woman’s innocence. Sara soon finds herself sleuthing undercover. It’s not all bad, though, as she’s taking her friend and partner Sean McKinley along for the ride.
The start of a new series & a very entertaining read, it had all the ingredients needed for a cosy mystery, red herrings, twists & turns, an eclectic mix of characters, an adorable dog & a pair of sleuths who have lovely chemistry between them plus a good smattering of humour. It’s also set in a small town so everyone knows everyone. I thoroughly enjoyed it & look forward to more
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
April 2, 2023
Bowled Over Americano is a great new series by Carolyn Arnold. It is fast-paced and kept my interest. Sara and Sean are partners on the Albany, NY Police Dept. They are attracted to each other but like working together so they try to ignore their feelings. Sara is also writing a mystery book in her free time. Sara is out for a run and finds the dog Magnum roaming around so she takes him back to his owner but finds Cliff Cunningham dead. The prime suspect is a friend of Sara's mother so Sara and Sean do some sleuthing on their own. They are assigned to a case for the murder of a local businessman. Their job, the sleuthing and their relationship keep this book interesting!. The topic of bowling was a nice change from the usual cozy themes. The characters are likable and interesting. The mystery was good and kept me guessing. An enjoyable cozy mystery! I received an advance copy for free and am voluntarily leaving this review. #BowledOverAmericano #NetGalley #Hibbert&StilesPublishing
April 8, 2023
Albany Homicide Detective Sara Cain’s partner “on the job” is Sean McKinley. The first day they met, there was a strong attraction between them, but they know that they must keep things strictly platonic in order to remain as partners. Sean is saddened to learn that Douglas Quinn, the man he once helped and visited has died. As Sara is walking in her neighborhood, she comes across Magnum, a beagle belonging to a neighbor. Returning him, she finds Magnum’s owner dead and calls it in. When the man’s girlfriend, who is her mother’s friend, is accused of the murder, Sara is asked to check on the case. Knowing that the case will probably not receive the attention it deserves, she and Sean decide to discreetly investigate even as they work to solve their own case of a man who was murdered at work. When Sean is called to a lawyer’s office, he has no idea why an attorney would want to talk to him. An intriguing mystery with witty dialog and two engaging main characters. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)
May 7, 2023
Bowled Over Americano - a review by Rosemary Kenny.
A change of genre, for the amazing Queen of the Mystery-thriller Carolyn Arnold, to cozy mysteries, Bowled Over Americano introduces Homicide cops Detective Sean McKinley and Sara Cain.
Stumped for writing inspiration, Sara takes a walk in the neighborhood one night, only to find a lost beagle... what's happened to his master?
Who later becomes the prime suspect?
I like Sara's character... she's a little ditzy, but mostly practical and a good investigator, whereas Sean seems rather ineffective by comparison, as he's trying, (but barely succeeding) to hide his continuing crush on Sara, which makes him seem a bit dopey and annoying.
I really don't like their boss Davenport, who comes across as lazy, self-important and more than a little misogynistic. He's the worst kind of person to be in a position of authority, which he'll abuse by letting those under him do all the work, for which he'll no doubt steal the credit.
Why not give this series a try - you'll love it!
A change of genre, for the amazing Queen of the Mystery-thriller Carolyn Arnold, to cozy mysteries, Bowled Over Americano introduces Homicide cops Detective Sean McKinley and Sara Cain.
Stumped for writing inspiration, Sara takes a walk in the neighborhood one night, only to find a lost beagle... what's happened to his master?
Who later becomes the prime suspect?
I like Sara's character... she's a little ditzy, but mostly practical and a good investigator, whereas Sean seems rather ineffective by comparison, as he's trying, (but barely succeeding) to hide his continuing crush on Sara, which makes him seem a bit dopey and annoying.
I really don't like their boss Davenport, who comes across as lazy, self-important and more than a little misogynistic. He's the worst kind of person to be in a position of authority, which he'll abuse by letting those under him do all the work, for which he'll no doubt steal the credit.
Why not give this series a try - you'll love it!
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