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Florida Retirement Is Murder

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FLORIDA RETIREMENT IS MURDER
Snowbirds do more than just Flock

“Stewart Johnson had worked hard his entire life to reach retirement. However, his Golden Years would prove to be more of a challenge than he anticipated after his wife passed away. Seeking to find peace of mind and warmth in Florida, Stewart became surrounded by a tribe of Snowbird residents who took him on a journey of laughter and sleuthing inside a gossip riddled community filled with the humorous dysfunction of overgrown children.”

Dive into the whimsical world of "Florida Retirement Is Murder," where retirement isn't just about rest and relaxation but an unexpected adventure into the heart of Central Florida's most colorfully quirky community. Every lifestyle imaginable can be found from the hilarious antics of 'Micah' down to the straight lace Marine Corp Sergeant, Police Detective or the Flirtatious 'Jodi' and her tight-fitting miniskirts...

Stewart Johnson, a recently widowed retiree, expected nothing more than to settle quietly into his new life at Sun Gate, surrounded by the warmth of the Florida sun and the company of fellow snowbirds. Yet, life has other plans. Drawn into a community bursting with vibrant personalities and capricious intrigues, Stewart finds himself at the center of a laugh-out-loud mystery that will challenge his perceptions of friendship and fun.

This fictional satire comedy cozy mystery novel is not just a book but an experience, inviting readers of all ages to revel in the humorous dysfunctions of a group of overgrown children—retirees whose antics and mysteries provide endless entertainment. From the first page to the last, readers will encounter a saga filled with suspense, laughter, and a series of shockers that will keep them on their toes.

Praise for 'Florida Retirement Is Murder':
"Great Book!!! Loved the characters who all feel like family!! The ending was a shocker!!!"
"I want them as my friends!!! I swear this would make a great weekly TV show." – Reader Feedback.
"The character development is top-notch, and the suspense paired with hilarious antics makes for an unforgettable journey."

Whether you’re considering the snowbird lifestyle or simply looking for your next book club treasure, "Florida Retirement Is Murder" is your passport to a world where old age meets golden opportunities to laugh, solve mysteries, and maybe even act a little mischievous. Perfect for your summer beach reading list, this colorful story is poised to become a favorite on every bookshelf and screen, captivating you with its creative metaphors and the genuine camaraderie of Sun Gate.

Engage with the residents of Sun Gate—where every chuckle and plot twist promises that old age retirement in Florida doesn’t get any better than this. Join Stewart as he evolves from a grieving widower to a champion of the eccentric and endearing seniors, ensuring everyone’s welfare with wit and a keen detective’s eye. It’s a place you'll wish to live, as long as you have Stewart looking after your welfare.

Laugh, guess, and reminisce with "Florida Retirement Is Murder," where snowbirds do more than just flock—they turn every day into an unforgettable adventure.

The setting is in Central Florida and the dramatic genre of "Fictional Satire Mystery Novel" appeals to both young and old. With the more-alike-than-different family ancestry, we all share some of the very same quirks and ability to laugh at ourselves. It is that level of vulnerable exposure inside the mind of senior citizens that we can all relate to with humor. This book will cause the reader to laugh out-loud and relate back to their own memories or current life history, not to mention an entertaining ‘Book Club’ experience. This colorful story will fit perfectly on every shelf and screen.

Oh, Wake Up, Earl! ©

www . cozycomedymystery . com

405 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 15, 2022

126 people are currently reading
5290 people want to read

About the author

Kris Courtney

7 books50 followers
FLORIDA RETIREMENT IS MURDER

(Cozy Comedy Sleuth Murder Mystery)

Dive into the whimsical world of "Florida Retirement Is Murder," where retirement isn't just about rest and relaxation but an unexpected adventure into the heart of Central Florida's most colorfully quirky community. Every lifestyle imaginable can be found from the hilarious antics of 'Micah' down to the straight lace Marine Corp Sergeant, Police Detective or the Flirtatious 'Jodi' and her tight-fitting miniskirts...

Stewart Johnson, a recently widowed retiree, expected nothing more than to settle quietly into his new life at Sun Gate, surrounded by the warmth of the Florida sun and the company of fellow snowbirds. Yet, life has other plans. Drawn into a community bursting with vibrant personalities and capricious intrigues, Stewart finds himself at the center of a laugh-out-loud mystery that will challenge his perceptions of friendship and fun.

This fictional satire comedy cozy mystery novel is not just a book but an experience, inviting readers of all ages to revel in the humorous dysfunctions of a group of overgrown children—retirees whose antics and mysteries provide endless entertainment. From the first page to the last, readers will encounter a saga filled with suspense, laughter, and a series of shockers that will keep them on their toes.

Praise for 'Florida Retirement Is Murder':
"Great Book!!! Loved the characters who all feel like family!! The ending was a shocker!!!"
"I want them as my friends!!! I swear this would make a great weekly TV show." – Reader Feedback.
"The character development is top-notch, and the suspense paired with hilarious antics makes for an unforgettable journey."

Whether you’re considering the snowbird lifestyle or simply looking for your next book club treasure, "Florida Retirement Is Murder" is your passport to a world where old age meets golden opportunities to laugh, solve mysteries, and maybe even act a little mischievous. Perfect for your summer beach reading list, this colorful story is poised to become a favorite on every bookshelf and screen, captivating you with its creative metaphors and the genuine camaraderie of Sun Gate.

Engage with the residents of Sun Gate—where every chuckle and plot twist promises that old age retirement in Florida doesn’t get any better than this. Join Stewart as he evolves from a grieving widower to a champion of the eccentric and endearing seniors, ensuring everyone’s welfare with wit and a keen detective’s eye. It’s a place you'll wish to live, as long as you have Stewart looking after your welfare.

Laugh, guess, and reminisce with "Florida Retirement Is Murder," where snowbirds do more than just flock—they turn every day into an unforgettable adventure.



Learn More:

https://www.cozycomedymystery.com

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5 stars
113 (48%)
4 stars
58 (24%)
3 stars
41 (17%)
2 stars
12 (5%)
1 star
10 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
Profile Image for Brenda.
1,306 reviews6 followers
September 1, 2023
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I was happy to have won a copy of this book because it seemed like it would be a cozy mystery set in Florida with a case of older adults; all things I like. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked. A lot of my issues were that the book needed a lot of editing/proofreading. There were many times that I would be reading along and get pulled out of the story because the sentence didn't make sense. I would have to reread and try to figure out what was happening. There were grammar, punctuation, word usage, and timeline issues. The book seemed to drag until everything wrapped up quickly in the epilogue. I could see potential in the book but I couldn't get past the lack of editing/proofreading.
Profile Image for Gail.
1,545 reviews
May 16, 2025
It was a good story. Some funny parts. But I felt the story was drawn out and stuff couldn’t have omitted or condensed. The story really didn’t need all that.
Profile Image for Shrike.
Author 1 book9 followers
January 2, 2023
My favorite part of this book was the colorful cast of characters. Despite how quirky our seniors seem, I can vouch for this being a pretty accurate representation of many seniors I know. I often found myself forgetting how old the characters were and picturing them younger - which goes to show that Courtney appreciates that while our bodies change with age, we don't lose our personalities and love of adventure.

I struggled the most with the pacing. I'm used to high stakes where each scene has some direct connection to solving the mystery. The plot tends to meander, focusing more on the characters and how they interact in different scenarios than the titular murder. While we do get hints and we see our characters piecing clues together, this often takes a backseat to their everyday lives. This sets it apart from most other murder-mystery-type plots. It felt odd for the seniors to go off on various "side quests" right after losing a friend, but maybe death becomes more "familiar" when one lives amongst older folks.

Overall an enjoyable read, just different from what I was expecting!
Profile Image for Grady.
Author 51 books1,822 followers
February 13, 2023
“Getting old sucks” - A hilarious cadre of retirees and a mystery. Super fun read!

Indiana author/artist Kris Courtney has traveled across the US, attending exhibition openings of his art works, and has experienced living in Florida as well - the nidus for this hilarious and edifying new novel about ‘snowbirds’ or people who retire in Florida. His initial novel was NORMA JEAN’S SUN, followed by IT’S OK SCOOTER, and mow FLORIDA RETIREMENT IS MURDER. In the book’s Preface, Courtney describes his novel as ‘a collection of elder aged and loosely governed comedic characters that live in a Florida Gated Retirement Mobile Home Park and find themselves entangled with each other to uncover there is a killer among them - a gossip riddled community filled with the humorous dysfunction of overgrown children.’

In this completely entertaining mystery novel Kris Courtney explores all facets of ‘growing old’ in the personas of his well-crafted characters, allowing us to chuckle at qualities we see in ourselves, observing how aging magnifies those traits. Underscoring his skills as a solid writer, the book opens with terrifying murder that initiates the spin of the story. Then the assortment of characters is so vividly drawn that meeting each of them is an observations of the ‘kiss of father time’ aging traits. On every level this is a successful outing, one that pleads for cinematic transition…Highly recommended
242 reviews4 followers
January 17, 2023
I found this to be an interesting murder mystery. The story revolves around a newcomer to an exclusive retirement community. Stewart wants to be mainly alone to adjust to a new life in a new state. He unexpectedly witnesses what he believes to be the murder of his next door neighbor. His other new neighbors turn out to be a group of wildly different people who barge into his life demanding his friendship. Throughout the story Stewart develops true friendship with many of his crazy neighbors and they work together to figure out the murder mystery and find out who is killing people and why. I enjoyed the colorful cast of characters in this book which made me laugh.
Profile Image for Bruce.
9 reviews
December 17, 2023
I just finished reading Kris Courtney's "Florida Retirement is Murder". I found it to be a very enjoyable read. It had rich and recognizable characters and a plotline that was easy to follow, but was not extremely predictable. I liked the way the author piqued the interest of the reader regarding the protagonist, Stewart Johnson's backstory, without fully fleshing it out, which I assume will allow for interest in a sequel. It had several episodes to make the reader smile, especially if the reader is a person of a certain age. Finally, I appreciated the significance that author placed on extolling the virtues of community. As an underlying yet emphasized theme, community draws the reader to identify with and possibly relate to the characters.
6,726 reviews5 followers
February 12, 2025
Entertaining mystery relationship listening 😮😏

This kindle ebook novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account. This is a stand alone book.

He is lead by his daughter to Florida and a retirement RV park. He becomes friends with a number retirees. Then one dies or is it murder? Then another person dies or is it murder? The truth comes out with a great ending and romance 😏

I would recommend this novel and author to readers of family and friends relationships with murder and mystery novels 🙄😉 2025 👒🎶
Profile Image for Julia David.
2,517 reviews27 followers
January 2, 2023
Some very fun characters and one guy who is trying to be the adult. Stewart isn't boring, he is just more sedate than the other residents of the community. They are a lot of fun, but sometimes it seems they need a keeper. When Stewart moves to Florida, he isn't sure what to expect, but he finds friends and murder. Some people in the community have died. You expect that when it is a retirement community but as the people die, their place is cleared out and there is no one moving in. Usually, the place is either rented or sold right away. The community is laying off people and seems to be going downhill. Stewart isn't shy about making waves and everyone starts looking to him for answers. Were these people really murdered or something else going on?
376 reviews5 followers
February 24, 2023
What's going on...

Stewart moves into a gated senior community and soon realizes it isn't the quiet, peaceful atmosphere it's billed to be. The friendships he makes help as he tries to piece together the deception behind the administration of the community. Deaths are inevitable in a retirement community, but they don't appear random. Cam Stewart and his new friends uncover the dastardly reason behind the deaths and survive to see justice served?
Profile Image for Sandra Burns.
1,805 reviews42 followers
December 31, 2022
First time reading this author.

A widower, decided to make a change. He moved to Florida , into a retirement community. Little did he know, about the nefarious plot developing around him. A quirky group of people living there, soon became his friends. They also helped him sleuth.

1 review
January 11, 2023
I truly enjoyed this murder mystery set in a gated retirement community in Florida. The characters were very believable and the types of people that make the best of friends. The story was interesting and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. It was a very fun read, especially if you are at the right, ripe age. If you are interested in a fun adventure check it out!
Profile Image for Anita.
61 reviews2 followers
January 13, 2023
I recommend this book for someone looking for a not too cozy mystery. The cast of characters in this retirement mobile home community is engaging. The author does a great job of describing the setting. I look forward to reading other books by this author.
12 reviews3 followers
January 17, 2023
I truly enjoyed the story and it’s wonderful characters. The story kept me interested throughout and had a hard time putting it down! I loved the retirement community setting. I liked how each character interacted and took care of each other.
Profile Image for Julie.
152 reviews1 follower
March 15, 2023
Living in Florida, surrounded by snowbirds and retirement communities, I just had to read this book. I'm so glad I did! I loved the characters and enjoyed the mystery. I'll be checking out more works by this author.
Profile Image for Tina Walker.
46 reviews
June 25, 2023
*4.5 stars*. This was a fast and entertaining read. I enjoyed the characters and being a Central Floridian I found the setting believable as well. There were several parts of the book that made me laugh out loud. I can easily picture this book as a movie and I do hope there is a sequel.
1,077 reviews15 followers
August 17, 2023
Cozy mystery

This was a very entertaining read. If you want anice little mystery with a cast of truly wonderful characters, then this is it. It flows quickly with a lot of humor along the way. A good read.
Profile Image for Karen.
21 reviews2 followers
March 10, 2024
excellent read

This book about senior citizens in an over 55 mobile home park in Florida is not only cute but very entertaining. I hope there are more books ,, that this is a series. It was so good, I stayed up all night reading it. I finished at 6 am
7 reviews
January 11, 2023
great read

I am a senior citizen. I loved the rich characters and their relationships. Very funny too. I laughed out loud many times.
Definitely recommend this book
Profile Image for Mickey Solan.
315 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2023
Cute lit cozy mystery. If you like cozy mysteries you will like this one. A group of retired seniors have friends dying one after another. Are they naturally dying or is it murder. Read to find out.
2 reviews
February 18, 2024
don’t mess with retired folks

Very good book. Don’t mess with retired people they have nothing but time to prove a point. Would like more books like this.
11 reviews3 followers
April 2, 2024
A hoot!

The characters in this book are such funny, unique individuals. Their chemistry is spot on. The plot keeps you riveted. A great read!
105 reviews1 follower
May 19, 2025
The book is good, entertaining and well written, but convinced me I don’t ever want to live in a Florida retirement community.
Profile Image for Amary Chapman.
1,665 reviews27 followers
March 15, 2023
Retirement is deadly

This is a well thought out murder mystery set in a retirement community with an eclectic and eccentric bunch of retirees. I enjoyed it and do recommend it. Do not be put off by some auto correct errors. There are only about 10 and re-reading the sentence made sense allowing for them. It doesn't affect the gist of the tale.
Profile Image for Nita Sherer-Baker.
1 review
April 25, 2023
Was a rainy day yesterday so I started the book and couldn't put it down, finished at 2:45 a.m.!! Really enjoyed this Kris !!
Profile Image for Roxy.
113 reviews8 followers
December 29, 2022
I cannot rave about this novel enough.

It is an extremely unique setting - a Florida retirement community - filled with mischievous characters who are personable and enticing. I was enthralled from the first paragraph and I devoured it in a day, dying to find out what would happen.

The mystery was interesting and I couldn't wait to solve it, but enjoyed the journey to the truth. I laughed out loud numerous times and it was one of my best reads of the year.

Highly recommend.
59 reviews1 follower
June 4, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. With its interesting & varied characters I hope it becomes a series.
Profile Image for Robert Rootes.
Author 11 books5 followers
January 23, 2023
Fast and irreverent fun. A class-act, above the rest. It will be good to see a series from this author with a colorful cast of characters.
42 reviews
July 12, 2023
A nice change from the intense mysteries I usually read...still a mystery but with humor, completely enjoyed it
7 reviews1 follower
Read
January 18, 2023
Quirky little read

I really enjoyed the plot of this book and the characters, especially Suzy ,were well thought out and enjoyable. I also enjoyed that it was set in Lakeland FL as I live there. However, the book is hard to follow because of the writing, mostly the words that were not well chosen and didn't fit the sentences they were placed in. Overall, I would recommend it as you do grow to love the characters and want to find out what happens to them. Perhaps a proof reader or editor could help because the author has writing potential.
59 reviews
February 7, 2023
just desserts

Missing one star because of all the not quite right words. Someone needs a thesaurus or dictionary. I loved the characters - lots of warmth, joy and recognition that no matter how far apart we are, we all all the same, mostly
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews

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