Dead of the Day

Annie Seymour Mystery #3

by Karen E. Olson

A soggy April has hit New Haven, Connecticut-along with an unidentified body in the harbor. The strange fact that there were bee stings on the floater gives New Haven Herald police reporter Annie Seymour an intriguing excuse to put off her profile of the new police chief-a piece that becomes a lot more interesting when the subject is gunned down.

But this is only the beginning of a killer exposé-because as she connects the dots between the John Doe, the police chief, and the city's struggling immigrant population, Annie's drawing a line between herself and someone who doesn't want her to learn the truth, or live to report it...

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery

309 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 6, 2007

About the author

I am the author of the Black Hat Thrillers and the Annie Seymour and Tattoo Shop mystery series. My new book AN INCONVENIENT WIFE, a Modern Tudor Mystery, is a modern retelling of Henry VIII and his wives as a crime novel. The sequel, A DEFIANT WOMAN, will be published in March 2026.

My first book, SACRED COWS, won the Sara Ann Freed Award for best first mystery and my fourth book, SHOT GIRL, was shortlisted for a Shamus Award.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The familiar New Haven setting made this book fun for me to read. Landmarks in the book include IKEA, the Pirelli building, Chapel Street, the Q bridge and several other New Haven landmarks. The story centers on Annie who is a journalist for the New Haven paper. There are the cozy-mystery standard two boyfriends vying for her attention. She has stumbled onto a ring of illegal immigrants who are involved with some crooked people looking to exploit them. There are a lot of moving pieces in the plot but it's entertaining. There's more than a smattering of unnecessary 4-letter-word language. There are three other books in the series but I'm not sure if I will read them or not.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third in the Annie Seymour series with a plot that gets ever more complicated as it goes on. The author's roots in journalism really show in this series. So many writers get the day-to-day realities of a reporter's job wrong. Nice to see Louis' Lunch get a mention.

[Mary McKay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best thing about this 4-book series is the local setting of New Haven CT and all the familiar restaurants and iconic spots woven into the stories! Entertaining, easy reading.

[Robin Mattei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each gets better and better. Sad only 4. Really connect with it as i am from area so feel like i really know these people. I certainly know the places they go

[Taylor Schirmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and investing read, though it felt a little convoluted halfway

[Goose · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite book in this series thus far. I still like the main character and her relationship with her mother. I still like that she's a reporter for a newspaper and her relationships with the people at work. What I think this book needed was a little more editing to streamline the action. Between the body in the harbor, the new chief of police, the illegal immigrants, the fake green cards, two car crashes, the moldy romantic triangle, the annoying novelist, not to mention the bomb sniffing bees(yes you read that correctly), this book tries to shove too much between the pages. Sometimes simpler is better. Still I enjoyed it enough to probably pick up the fourth in the series. Hopefully, Olson's editor will work a little harder with her on the next one.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started to add this book to my currently-reading page, and lo and behold, I already wrote a review of it. Really? I don't remember reading it. Oh my god, it wasn't even that long ago. But so far I agree with the assessment I made below, back in 2008, apparently...

This is the third book in a mystery series about a New Haven newspaper reporter, and while I liked the first two installments better, this one is very enjoyable. It has a great sense of place and accurate depiction of the life of a reporter. Plus they are well-crafted mysteries - the kind where you have all the clues the character has and can figure out whodunnit. Ever notice how Poirot seems to know something you don't?

[Shirley · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I like much about this book, call me old-fashioned but the language of Annie, her crime reporting main character,is not to my taste. Perhaps it's done to make her seem authentic, but I have known reporters and know that they don't all use "fuck" and "shit" to such excess. Occasional use is ok, but for a supposed reporter she certainly has a limited vocabulary. I am a real fan of women mystery writers--have read and continue to read as many as I can get my hands on, and this is the first time I have ever found the language objectionable.

[Felicity · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not even the title of this book really makes much sense...it refers to an event that happens in the first chapter, and then never occurs again. This is the least interesting of the series of four Annie Seymour books. The "love triangle" between Annie, Vince, the PI, and Tom Behr, the Detective, is never really convincing because we always know she's going to end up with Vince...and the introduction of Vince's brother, Rocco, to the plot doesn't really seem to add anything. Skip this one, and move to the final novel, "Shot Girl."

[Li · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dead of the Day by Karen E. Olson. This third one in the series is rather hard to sum up without giving stuff away, so I'll be vague… Police reporter Annie Seymour’s investigation of a “floater” snowballs into many more mysteries to solve. Although I liked this story okay, it took me forever to read it. Just when I was ready for it to be over, I had reached only the middle of the book. As always, I’m not crazy about love triangles. And, the profanity is really not necessary for the character or the story, in my opinion. Still, I’m eager to read the next one.

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like this author. The writing is a little manic when she tries to convey intense action for her characters, but its an enjoyable, solid read, with a strong female character. I'll continue to read the stories....the titles for this and the last (something about cows) throws me a little, as they really have nothing to do with the central story...well peripherally, at least in this one, I realized the connection quicker.

[Iliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another exiting entry in the Annie Seymour series. I particularly enjoyed that Vinny's brother makes an appearance in this book.

The only thing I wasn't too keen on was that there seems to be a bit more focus on Annie's love life and the turmoil in it. It sort of reminded me of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Hopefully this won't be a recurring theme as I found the Plum books got a bit too predictable in this regard.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen Olson's latest was released as a paperback original (unlike the others in the series) and I hope the decision brings her many more fans. She's a solid mystery writer with an appealing heroine in Annie Seymour. This time around Annie finds herself caught up in a case involving illegal aliens and bomb-sniffing bees. Good stuff.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
one of the better murder mystery fluff-type books that i have read lately. This one has a female reporter as the lead character, tracking down disjointed clues such as bees, missing scrap metal and illegal immigrants to put the big story together for her newspaper. Throw in a dead police chief and two potential romances = a fun read.

[Mary Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good readable mystery. Solid characters, and a good story line. However the bomb sniffing bees were a LITTLE far fetched. All around good book, I would most defintely read more of her books.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was based out of New Haven CT, so it was pretty cool to read and actually visualize the streets and area's the characters were traveling. Made you feel like you were going through the story line with them (because I am from the area).

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am still not a huge fan of Annie, but I enjoyed this book more than the previous two. This one was more fun and while I knew who the "bag guy" was, I did not know the how which was nice. I will continue with this series.

[Patricia Solla · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the romance in this book is a little crazy, the action and murder(s) mystery is strong and interesting. There plenty of action and the storyline holds the reader right to the of the who done it.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not read the first two books in this series so missed a lot of the back stories. The story was ok; I quite enjoyed the descriptions of all the different areas around New Haven. Will probably read the others of the series.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm liking this mystery series. Annie Seymour is a spunky news reporter who seems to find herself in the middle of some big mystery in each book.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it, good book

[Tory Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously part of a series so I didn't really get all the relationships, but it still was a lot of fun. Is it kosher to string two guys along??

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie leads such an interesting life.

She is so lucky to have so many people who love her and care for her.

I look forward to reading about Annie's next adventure.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Annie Seymour does it again. In search of a front page story she stumbles into the middle of a murder.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a fan of the title but still a cute story.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read three of the books in this series and have loved every one of them! I can't wait to read more!!!!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.literaryfeline.com/2007/11...

[Sandra C. Pertzborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thumbs up...

..once again good book...funny funny funny...gotta luv Annie! Can't wait to start the next one....to hear their new adventure and chemistry...

[K. East · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series. Too bad there is only one more volume.

[Maureen ~Bitch Can Write A Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fave, great series!