"Gooseberry Christmas" By Kathi Daley: Review/Giveaway

Review by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

Mysteries at Gooseberry Bay

Twenty-something Ainsley Holloway has traveled from Georgia to Maine to Washington state and the little hamlet of Gooseberry Bay where she hopes to uncover the truth about her family. She was under the impression that the man she called “Dad” all these years rescued her at the age of three from a burning warehouse on Christmas Eve. Then adopting her as his own daughter, it appears without official channels. She’s had a good life, and growing up as a detective’s daughter and with experience as a reporter and later a PI partner with her father, she inherited a nose for mystery. After his death, she found a diary along with an old photograph of a young woman with two children sitting on the porch of an old house calling into question everything he had told her. Unable to get the image out of her mind and plagued with vivid thoughts, she set out on a journey for answers.

In Gooseberry Bay, she acquired a permanent base in a lovely cottage on the peninsula surrounded by other cottages. From her vantage point, Ainsley has a perfect view of the house on Piney Point subsequently learning about her connection to the house and the people in the photo. Her search has caused long-ago memories, images, and her “real” name to bubble up to the surface, but so much is still left to be answered...Who? What? Why? Along with a marvelous group of “just as curious” friends and a pair of four-legged partners, Ainsley is confident the answers are there to uncover. However, her search may be getting too close to truths best kept secret.


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Gooseberry Christmas earns 5/5 Trimmed Trees...Clever and Engaging!

“Ava is dead. It’s best to let her stay that way.” The disturbing threat or ominous warning was a text sent by an unknown sender; maybe someone she spoke to, maybe someone who heard secondhand, but whoever it is, they seem to mean business. Undaunted Ainsley continues her search at the house on Piney Point with the help of the owners Adam and Archie Winchester, but despite the fact real details have been hard to come by, Ainsley is finding she enjoys spending quality time with Adam. It’s nearing Christmas and the little town is festooned in red and green and prepping for different festivities. Ainsley is eager to join in volunteering at the Christmas tree lot, but arriving early turns deadly. The man for whom she’d be working is not answering her “Hello?” It’s no wonder since Bradford, retired real-estate broker, womanizer, and drinker, is found murdered! Disgruntled drinking buddy? Business rivals? Woman scorned? Hidden family relations? All are intriguing avenues for the “Peninsula Gang” to explore, and their involvement is made imperative when one of their own is arrested.

Brilliant! Kathi Daley has added an engaging third installment to her four-book Cottage on Gooseberry Bay series. Building on the revelations from the previous two books, Ainsley continues to peel off another layer of her intriguing story with more exciting “could it be” details. But, as she becomes an integral part of the community, building friendships and enjoying the “is it or isn’t it” dating with Adam Winchester, she gets involved in another murder and finding her niche as a private investigator. The murder mystery upstages her personal mystery with engaging avenues of interest, suspects, motives, and a satisfying “justice served” conclusion. For my taste, too many of the clues, alibis, informal interviews, and follow-up occur off the page, but the friends always catch up and brainstorm over the phone or gathering for a meal. Along with an engaging mystery or two making this quite a page turner, Kathi shares the holidays with her usual flair from a selling trees to decorating trees to watching trees lit up in the center of town and topped off with the Winter Ball. But...it’s not done yet!

Alert! Book Four, Kiss ‘N Tell, is on PREORDER set to be released in February just in time for Valentine’s Day. Four friends create The Casanova Challenge to final determine which one can rack up the most points for random acts of romance. However, one ends up dead, and Parker ropes the Peninsula Gang in her investigation. And for Ainsley more answers reveal themselves.

Alert Part Two! Audible: Gooseberry Christmas (4 hrs/6 mins) was released 11/21/20 and is a great way to enjoy book three. Narrator Angel Clark brings her voice artistry going beyond a traditional reading out loud to enrich Kathi Daley’s drama. But don’t worry, book one Halloween Moon (4 hrs./10 mins) and book two Thanksgiving Past (4 hrs/23 mins) are both available on audible.

Be a Big Kathi Daley Fan!

USA Today bestselling author Kathi Daley has twelve series offering something for every cozy taste with clever dramas, arctic to tropical to west coast settings, close relationships with friends and family, and a variety of “fur” friends. She has a great social media community of fans and can be followed on Amazon, Goodreads, and BookBub. Keep updated on all of her book releases, events, and goings-on by signing up for her newsletter HERE.

Facebook - Kathi Daley Books

Join the Club Kathi Daley Book Club

On the Web Kathi Daley Website

Blog - Random Thoughts and Meaningless Musings

To enter to win an ebook copy of Gooseberry Christmas, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "gooseberry,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen December 5, 2020. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter.  You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode went up this week.

You can use these links to purchase the book. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.
Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Comments

  1. Another one from Kathi Daley! Count me in!

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  2. I've read a few of Kathi's book and they are
    always well-put-together. This one sounds
    intriguing. thanks.
    txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  3. Thanks for the article and the contest. This sounds like a good book. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

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  4. Love this series!! jawdance@yahoo.com

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  5. Another Great Sounding Book Thanks for sharing her books with us

    ReplyDelete
  6. Shared Post Today on Twitter
    #SharingIsCaring
    https://mobile.twitter.com/LindaMoffitt02/status/1332522357047631872

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  7. Love Kathi Daley's books. She is has such fun and entertaining books.

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  8. Sounds like another great holiday book from Kathi Daley. Thanks for the chance.

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  9. Thanks for the chance for your contest bibbiesparks@yahoo. com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sounds great! Thanks for the opportunity!
    Techols9472@bellsouth.net

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sounds like a great read. Love Kathi Daley’s books.
    Thanks for the chance to win.
    Carol Smith. penelope223(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you for this chance to win.

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  13. oh i would love to read this aelinderman (at) sbcglobal (dot) net

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  14. I read this book on Kindle Unlimited and absolutely loved it! This is a great series! bernice-kennedy(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

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  15. I have enjoyed reading the books in this wonderful series and I have no doubt this one will be great too! Love the town, the characters and all of the four legged partners that help investigate the murders and ancestries! Enjoyed the review as well and thank you! oh_bother88@hotmail.com

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