"Killer View" By Catherine Bruns: 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.

Murder’s Up For Sale

Middle-aged Cindy York was always a conscientious real estate agent who discovered that murder was “up for sale” when confronted with a “scruples-free” colleague, an opportunity to right a serious wrong from decades past, and a recently released con requesting for her services. However, one perilous night, she had no choice but to use deadly force to save herself, her unborn child, and close friend and boss Jacques Forte. In the aftermath, she decides to give up her job and become a full-time, stay-at-home mom to her teen daughter, twin dynamos, and the newest member of the York family, Grace. Now four years later, her daughter is attending Florida State, the boys are rambunctious pre-teens, and Grace is off to pre-school. Suffering from “separation anxiety,” Cindy wonders if a few hours a day to herself won’t drive her crazy…saved by the phone call!

Killer View earns 5/5 Million-Dollar Listings…Exciting & Entertaining!

Jacques Forte has a proposition to help Cindy fill up some of her alone time…come back to work. He received a call from a client who wishes to put her multi-million dollar home on the market and asked specifically for Cindy. Pamela Hilton is Cindy’s former college roommate and BFF, but time and conflicts with social circles had the two losing touch. Cindy isn’t eager to pop back into the game, still harboring nightmarish memories of the day she killed someone, but when she learns Pam is being forced to sell her home by her soon-to-be ex-husband Kevin, Cindy has a change of heart…but just this one time. Taking the meeting, she finds her friend dependent on alcohol, an arrogant, cheat of a husband spewing vile complaints, and later, revelations of Pam’s violent threats toward her husband. Is it any surprise that Cindy discovers Kevin’s body floating in the pool?

Sold! Catherine Bruns reissued her Cindy York Mystery series June of last year, but in real time, it’s been four years since Cindy York graced the bookshelves; there’s enough background revisited, no spoilers, to get fans and newbies up to speed. The passage of time is realistic, and juggling a surprise arrival of her eldest, two pre-teens, and a pre-schooler, and confronting an antagonistic mother-in-law adds to the realism I crave in my cozies. The murder mystery, of course, is signature Catherine Bruns…karmic justice at its best, but, it also explores the personal toll and Cindy thinking herself a “jinx” from finding all the dead bodies, but her friend, however estranged, however damaged, needs and deserves her help. The investigation opened up several engaging avenues beyond the spouse’s own motive, opportunity, and means with the victim’s sons, girlfriend, clients, and partners topping the list, but the final reveal was a compelling twist. Catherine’s writing style is always very entertaining filled with vivid language to describe the setting, character appearance, and interactions among characters along with engaging banter, and varied personalities. Always a favorite series…Welcome back, Cindy York!

Cindy York Mysteries

Killer Transaction (2015; 2021)

Priced to Kill (2016; 2021)

For Sale By Killer (2018; 2021)

Killer View (2022)

Be a Big Catherine Bruns Fan!

Along with this exciting Cindy York Mystery series showing the murderous side of real estate, USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns pens one of my favorite cozies; the Cookies & Chance Mystery series, where seemingly innocent fortune cookies, free at Sally Muccio Donovan’s popular Sally’s Samples bakery, heralds “karma” looking for justice. She also has entertaining Italian Chef Mysteries featuring widow Tessa Esposito mixing up her mouthwatering sauce and dabbling as an amateur sleuth, and don’t forget, Catherine is part of Gemma Halliday Publishing Aloha Lagoon Mystery series with her own two books following Carrie Jorgensen at the Loco Moco Café.

Big Announcement!There’s nothing sweet about murder…” In late October, Catherine will be introducing her Maple Syrup Mystery series with A Doomful of Sugar currently on Amazon preorder HERE. Leila Khoury returns to Sugar Ridge, Vermont, after the death of her father, to take over his artisanal maple syrup business. But, his death is determined to be murder, her brother is a suspect, and the police are struggling with the case creating quite a “sticky situation” for Leila and her family.

 Facebook – Catherine Bruns Books

Goodreads – Catherine Bruns

Website – Catherine Bruns

To enter to win an ebook copy of Killer View, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "view,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen February 19, 2022. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter.  If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you.  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 this link to purchase the book or click here. 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. Sounds like another great book. Thanks for the chance.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. This sounds awesome! I work in real estate and I've always wondered why more cozy mysteries don't use agents as protagonists! Sign me up! Claire.denning.11 at gmail dot com.

    ReplyDelete

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