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.
Retired & Ready to…Rumble!Teresa Treslow is a great mechanic having learned her skill courtesy of her Aunt Edna, her mother’s younger sister, and mastered it after more than twenty years as an officer in the U.S. Army’s Ordnance Corp. Now, she’s in her forties, retired, and ready for the next chapter in her life. But first, before heading off to parts unknown, she and her boxer, Vince, returned home to New Oslo, Idaho, to visit her family, including her sister Tru and teenage niece Summer, and her BFF and deputy sheriff Petunia “Freddie” Frederickson. It didn’t, however, go as planned since her Aunt became the prime suspect in the murder of a local shyster, but she did find a renewed passion, and with her “acquitted of all charges” Aunt, a veteran herself, they’ve become business partners: BOSS, Band of Sisters Service. The two “SheChanics” will provide top notch mechanic work and restoration services although rebuilding their shop is top of their “To Do” list. Home, as Tessa’s discovered, is where her heart is, and hopefully murder is well behind her and her family.
Image Source Gemma Halliday Publishing |
“Everyone has a past, remember?” — Nick Hunt
Teresa is always ready to help the community, especially when it benefits her favorite veteran support group, so for New Oslo’s Pioneer Day celebration, she organized a 5k and 10k “FUNdraiser.” Although she did regret participating in the run, it and the rest of the events were a big success. But, it seems the day wasn’t without its conflict. A woman, a stranger to many in the town, revealed she is the biological granddaughter of Boyd Nicholas Frederickson from a wartime liaison with a French nurse. Freddie is furious, calling the woman a liar, and adamant that her Papa Boyd would never have cheated, but the woman, Wendy Grove, stands by her claim, even adding a shove to punctuate her determination, but who inherits Papa Boyd’s property is now in question. Until … the woman’s body is found and Freddie nearby: “I didn’t do it! I didn’t do it!”
Hometown Hit! Rosalie Spielman has added a second engaging cozy to Hometown Mysteries with a surprise paternity claim, a challenged will, a friend in distress, a young woman whose identity is curious, and a murder. When a family claim from a wartime hook-up threatens the easy disposition of Papa Boyd’s will, it seems Freddie has the most compelling motive along with opportunity (a meeting request) and means (her multi-tool) which makes her the prime suspect. However, details uncovered, or leaked with friendly intentions, reveal shocking identities and unexpected connections … I literally gasped multiple times! The final arrest was not without its perilous moments and lots of finger pointing; definitely a nail-biter. I enjoyed the military aspect with Tessa’s physical therapy, mental health visits, and her tragic experiences and emotional survival along with many veterans in the community. I was entertained by Tessa’s multi-generational partnership with her aunt and very eager niece with online searches, old photographs, remnants of an old Triple-C (Civilian Conservation Corp.) site, and a tale decades long past. All makes for an excellent read, and high on my list for 2023 honors.
Romance is a nice component for which I find necessary in my cozy mysteries, and if the relationships have a rough road, it’s added drama. Tessa is slowly moving on from the death of her fiancé in Iraq, but the loss effects her willingness to eagerly engage another. Nick Hunt, with his own post-military issues, is a strong candidate, but oddly Tessa senses he’s cooled off, and although recent revelations may explain some of that, they have greatly complicated their relationship. There is the former high school boyfriend, now, Sheriff Joe Eriksson, and although he may be an outlier in the situation, he could still be in the mix. So much to build on, unless murder gets in the way!
Personal Point of Order…Shout out to a fellow “spud”! It was a real hoot to have the story set close to Moscow, Idaho, where my father graduated from the University, there, and I greeted the world. My family mostly spent time in and around Boise, but we also kept an eye on the Vandals football team of which my dad had once been a part. And Vince? A boxer? Our family had a faun boxer named Casey…the love of our lives!
A Hometown Mysteries
Welcome Home to Murder (2022) KRL Review HERE
Home Is Where the Murder Is (2023)
Be a Big Fan of Rosalie Spielman!
Rosalie Spielman is an army veteran, herself, and “Somewhere along the way, I discovered that I could make other people laugh with my writing. I enjoy reading to escape from the real world, and hope to give you the same with my stories.” She is one of the several authors writing in the Aloha Lagoon Mystery series for which both have been reviewed; Death Under the Sea and Death on a Cliff follow the escapades of former socialite Kiki Hepburn working in the resort’s dive shop. Fun!
Facebook—Rosalie Spielman, Author
Website—Rosalie Spielman, Author
Be a Big Fan of Gemma Halliday Publishing!
Website—Gemma Halliday Publishing
To enter to win an ebook copy of Home Is Where the Murder Is, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "home,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen February 25, 2023. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. 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 goes up next week.
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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.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.
Sounds interesting! Count me in!
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We have a winner!
ReplyDeleteLorie Ham