"Brush Up On Murder" by Sybil Johnson: Review/Giveaway

Review by Sarah Erwin

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

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching in Sybil Johnson’s latest entry in her Aurora Anderson Mystery series, Brush Up on Murder. This is book six in the series and can be read as a stand alone if readers are new to this series.

Despite a recent string of bank robberies rattling Vista Beach, its citizens are getting into the spirit of Valentine's Day by attaching beautifully decorated love locks to the pier’s railings.

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Image Source Vista Beach Press

Aurora (Rory) is busy with her work as a computer programmer and with helping her friends Solange and Xander prepare for their Valentine's Day wedding. Rory and her friend Liz even agree to participate in the city’s annual Love Run with the wedding party.

Race day is here, and unfortunately, the body of one of the bridesmaids is found near the end of the race and all evidence points to Xander. Rory is sure there is more to the evidence, and she’s determined to find the true culprit. She and Liz strike out on their own to investigate, while Rory’s boyfriend Martin, a detective with the city, also works to follow the clues.

I was invested in this story from page one. Sybil’s descriptions of Vista Beach felt like true armchair travel, and Rory and Liz are delightful, smart, and funny sleuths. I loved picturing them tooling around the city in Liz’s golf cart.

This story has many twists and turns that kept me guessing and second guessing the ending, which makes for a wonderful reading experience. This is a layered mystery, and Sybil does an excellent job tying everything together. I am looking forward to reading about Rory’s next adventure and especially to see where her relationship with the thoughtful Martin goes. I recommend this to all cozy reader lovers and especially those who love a mystery set around a holiday.

To enter to win a Kindle copy of Brush Up On Murder, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "brush up,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 11, 2023. 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 goes up next 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:

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

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.