Category: Amateur Detective

A #CosyHistoricalMystery #CrimeFicFridays | Jorie discovers the South Shores Mysteries by I.M. Foster!

Posted Friday, 28 February, 2025 by jorielov , , , 2 Comments

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Acquired Book By: Uniquely, I discovered this book series via The Coffee Pot Book Club’s blog tour featuring the third novel in the South Shores Mysteries (“Murder on West Lake”). Ever the curious Cosy Historical Mystery reader – I decided to grab a copy of the first novel “Murder on Oak Street” whilst purchasing two other books of Chinese Fantasy (“The Earthly Blaze” by Alice Poon and “A Hero Born” by Jin Yong). It has been quite a few years since I’ve actively read and reviewed Cosy Historical Mysteries, and I was dearly intrigued by the premise of this one! Especially as I love Medical Examiner storylines and I like tucking into non-Contemporary centuries of thought about Forensic Science, too. 

Thereby, this is a self-purchase of mine and I was not obligated to post a review. I am sharing my ruminative thoughts for my own edification and for continuing to share my readerly life on Jorie Loves A Story. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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What I found so dearly intriguing about the South Shores Mysteries:

The second novel focuses on Kathleen’s brother Colin, of whom was a protective bloke in the first novel Murder on Oak Street – as he took his duties as a brother quite seriously. Even though they were at odds most of the time, you knew beneath that tug-of-war relationship they cared for each other as siblings oft do. I wasn’t surprised the second novel would focus on Colin as he was ever present in the first and I had a feeling his story might need to be focused on next. I am reading the series in order and so, I only had the synopsis to go on in respect to what the sequel involves.

The third installment, Murder on West Lake is interesting as it pivots from Kathleen taking a more distanced interest in sleuthing and turning into a bit of an investigative sleuth herself! I was quite charmed to read that in the synopsis as I had a feeling, she might have a natural knack for it! She has such a strong mind and heart – she isn’t easily offended nor swayed, and I had a feeling the harder bits to the realities of investigating wouldn’t phase her either. She was her own women in that respect, and she could handle anything she put her mind too as well.

I am also appreciating that Foster is keeping Daniel and Kathleen’s relationship a long-drawn out romance and not having them tie the knot too quickly. I would imagine it would have to do with a lot of the circumstances that were going on in the background of the story – originating in the first novel Murder on Oak Street and continuing forward from there, too. As much as I think for their sake – a longer courtship might be just what they each needed.

I can definitely say, Foster is writing convicting historically dramatic Cosy Crime stories with her South Shores Mysteries. She grips your heart as you read the installments and there are many times where you are either properly shocked by what is revealled or altogether gutted. This is also a family drama with lots of layers to unpack too. She takes you up close and personal to the crimes, but she does so with a deft hand for knowing where to lay the boundaries of what is seen on the page. I appreciate her choices and am enjoying becoming enraptured with the journey of reading her series.

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Murder on Oak Street
Subtitle: A South Shores Mystery
by I.M. Foster
Illustrator/Cover Designer: Jenny Quinlan (JennyQ)
Source: Purchased | Personal Library

Genres: Crime Fiction, Amateur Detective, Cosy Historical Mystery, Historical Fiction



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 978-1733337571

Also by this author: Murder on West Lake

Published by Self Published

on 31st October, 2022

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 503

The South Shores Mysteries:

Murder on Oak Street by I.M. FosterMurder on West MainMurder on West Lake by I.M. Foster

Murder on Oak Street (Book One)

Murder on West Main (Book Two)

Murder on West Lake (Book Three)

Available Formats: Paperback and Ebook

Converse via: #CoffeePotBookClub, #SouthShoresMysteries, #CosyHistoricalMysteries,
#CosyMystery, #HistoricalMystery

About I.M. Foster

IM Foster

I. M. Foster is the pen name author Inez Foster uses to write her South Shore Mystery series, set on Edwardian Long Island. Inez also writes Historical Romances under the pseudonym Andrea Matthews and has so far published two series in that genre: the Thunder on the Moor series, a time-travel romance set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Borders, and the Cross of Ciaran series, which follows the adventures of a fifth century Celt who finds himself in love with a twentieth-century archaeologist.

Inez is a historian and librarian, who loves to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogically speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science and enjoys doing the research almost as much as she does the actual writing of the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. Inez is a member of the Long Island Romance Writers, the Historical Novel Society, and Sisters in Crime.

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Posted Friday, 28 February, 2025 by jorielov in 20th Century, Amateur Detective, Blog Tour Host, Cosy Historical Mystery, Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Indie Author, The Coffee Pot Book Club, the Edwardian era

Book Spotlight | A lovely new discovery of Cosy Historical Mysteries: the South Shore Mystery series by I.M. Foster!

Posted Friday, 14 February, 2025 by jorielov , , , , 1 Comment

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What I found so dearly intriguing about the South Shores Mysteries:

I decided to start to look up the authors I’ll be hosting on blog tours on #bookstagram, now that I am establishing my own presence on there as well. I enjoy finding other book bloggers and readers on Insta and when it comes to authors, I enjoy seeing how their keeping their feeds active. Some get really cleverly creative when it comes to content and I must admit, my inclination to want to purchase this series was solely motivated by two factors:

the premise I read for Murder on West Lake,

and Foster’s Insta feeds!

She had carved out this entire day to day selection of hours with her lead characters in an old-fashioned block of images which alighted you into their showcased days. It felt so dearly alive to me, and it was a wonderful chase-up to Christmas, too, and dearly inventive on behalf of Foster! I was truly captured by it and with other posts I saw on her feeds which talked about either the characters, the stories or the series overall.

I happen to have a penchant for finding authors who are Ancestry Sleuths in their families, like Mum and I are in ours as well. I find these kinds of women are well-suited to writing Historical Fiction stories and series because they champion History and the intrigue of lost stories of the ancestral past. Another author I’ll be reading this month I showcased in late Autumn, 2024 of whom dips her pen into writing the lives of her ancestors, too. Research into Ancestry is great fodder for being a writer because of all the entanglements you discover once you uncover one seed of information, and it allows you to pursue a whole web of loveliness thereafter!

Whilst what truly had me at ‘hallo’ so to speak was how dramatic this series felt even before I started to read it. As I found myself truly captured by Daniel and Kathleen once I started reading Murder on Oak Street. Their story is dearly heart-wrenching in so many respects and a testament of the will to not only survive but to overcome one’s challenging circumstances. It is difficult to read in some scenes and uplifting in others. It feels authentically real and not forced when it comes to the drama and the evocative circumstances the characters are living through and that is a credit to how Foster approached penning their lives.

My time spent with them has left me further intrigued and I know I shall be carrying on reading the rest of this series. I will be forever grateful I caught the announcement for this lovely blog tour as it led me to becoming introduced to a new voice in Cosy Historical Mysteries with I.M. Foster.

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Book Spotlight | A lovely new discovery of Cosy Historical Mysteries: the South Shore Mystery series by I.M. Foster!Murder on West Lake
Subtitle: A South Shores Mystery
by I.M. Foster

A scream shattered the tranquil air, echoing off the ice-covered lake, and Daniel's heart froze. He knew that voice all too well.

After a pleasant afternoon of ice skating on the frozen waters of West Lake, local librarian Kathleen Brissedon stumbles across a gruesome sight in the nearby gazebo. It only takes a moment for her beau, assistant coroner Doctor Daniel O'Halleran, to determine that the victim was murdered.

To protect Kathleen from the ghastly sight of the man’s slashed throat, Daniel insists she return home while he examines the body further. Though the immediate cause of death appears obvious, he fears the subsequent autopsy will uncover more questions than answers, and it's clear that he has his work cut out for him if he's going to find the person responsible.

Kathleen has no intention of remaining demurely at home, not when there's a murder to solve. Slipping back to the scene, she conducts her own investigation. Though her discoveries prove interesting, Daniel is too concerned about her safety to stifle his annoyance, especially after the killer makes a second attempt closer to home. But as the puzzle pieces begin to fall into place and Daniel starts closing in on the truth, the killer sets their sights on him.

With the danger increasing, Kathleen intent on assisting in the investigation, and his family descending on Patchogue to spend the Christmas holidays, Daniel has his hands full.

Will he and Kathleen be able to put their heads together and discover who is behind the attacks, or will the killer continue to plague the tranquil South Shore village unhindered?

Genres: Crime Fiction, Amateur Detective, Cosy Historical Mystery, Historical Fiction



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 979-8987630631

Also by this author: Murder on Oak Street

Published by Self Published

on 11th December, 2024

Available Formats: Paperback and Ebook

Converse via: #CoffeePotBookClub, #SouthShoresMysteries, #CosyHistoricalMysteries,
#CosyMystery, #HistoricalMystery

About I.M. Foster

IM Foster

I. M. Foster is the pen name author Inez Foster uses to write her South Shore Mystery series, set on Edwardian Long Island. Inez also writes Historical Romances under the pseudonym Andrea Matthews and has so far published two series in that genre: the Thunder on the Moor series, a time-travel romance set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Borders, and the Cross of Ciaran series, which follows the adventures of a fifth century Celt who finds himself in love with a twentieth-century archaeologist.

Inez is a historian and librarian, who loves to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogically speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science and enjoys doing the research almost as much as she does the actual writing of the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. Inez is a member of the Long Island Romance Writers, the Historical Novel Society, and Sisters in Crime.

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Posted Friday, 14 February, 2025 by jorielov in 20th Century, Amateur Detective, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Cosy Historical Mystery, Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Indie Author, The Coffee Pot Book Club, the Edwardian era

A #CrimeFicFridays Book Review | “Death Washes Ashore” (A Myrtle Beach Mystery, Book Two) by Caleb Wygal

Posted Friday, 12 July, 2024 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

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Acquired Book By: Interestingly, I was first contacted in November, 2021 by Mr Wygal’s publicist about his Myrtle Beach Mysteries – however, I was a bit delayed in responding until March, 2022. It took a bit of time to receive the first two books in the series by Mr Wygal and then, I had a few delays of my own this Summer, 2022. He also sent me a copy of “Death Washes Ashore” the second book in the series which is when I realised I needed a copy of the prequel “The Brass Key” in order to better understand the sequencing of the series itself.

I had fully planned to read all the stories shortly thereafter in Autumn of 2022 however, my migraines returned in September and from October 2022 – February 2023 my family and I had gone through over 90+ days of loss (two cats) and medical emergencies with my father who had multiple hospitalisations and stays until he was finally able to be released into a 24/7 nursing care home where he could receive rehab and recovery. Ergo, my readings of this series were delayed due to circumstances rather than anything else which would have delayed me from reviewing the series. I posted my review last year for Death on the Boardwalk and The Brass Key (February, 2023). Whilst Spring 2023 involved an unplanned relocation and a search for a second job – you could say it has been an incredible ride since then juggling two jobs and life outside of work. My blog hasn’t been as updated as regularly as it used to be due to all these different circumstances, but I am coming back strong this Summer, 2024. Whilst I took a short hiatus from reading this series, two more installments have released and a third (book eight) will be releasing October, 2024.

This is another prime example of how publicists and authors alike read through my Review Policy and note the kind of stories I love to seek out to read. Quite a few of the requests I receive are a bit of a miss for me as a reader as they fall outside the realms of what I will accept as a reader or outside my review policy altogether. This is why I left the tweet in my sidebar to alert those seeking reviewers to know this is why we write those pages on our blogs – to help authors, publishers and publicists know our reading sensibilities and preferences. I am celebrating the authors, publishers and publicists today who kindly read those pages and offer us a story we can accept for review consideration.

I received a complimentary copy of “Death Washes Ashore” direct from the author Caleb Wygal in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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What I am enjoying about The Myrtle Beach Mysteries:

First off: I would definitely recommend reading the prequel The Brass Key ahead of Death on the Boardwalk because it sets such a lovely tone of entrance into the expanding series as much as Peggy and Mark are the kind of characters which endear you to them quite immediately and leave a mark of joy on your heart.

Wygal set a delightful tone of entrance into this Myrtle Berach Mysteries within his prequel of The Brass Key which also laid out the towne itself and gave us a warm entrance of place and setting. However, moreso than even that, I appreciated the chance to get to know Peggy and Mark, as through their own adventure in the towne, it opened the door to meet Clark ahead of his own purposeful position within the series, as well. Wygal has a dry wit about him and writes humour into the backbone of his Cosy series in a way that feels both modern and contemporary at the same time. He isn’t overly comedic either – which gives his series a refreshing voice and style.

The pacing of the series is wonderfully slow-brewing – to where you can settle into the atmosphere of the setting and appreciate where Wygal leads you to traverse through his version of Myrtle Beach. I had to smirk though a bit about the ‘golf car lifestyle’ images because that was something I had previously become familiar with in other stories as well as through travelling to different areas which have far more carts than cars! Laughs. Wygal gently touches on the background of his series setting whilst keeping the focus shifting forward through Clark (his main character) and the persons who interact with Clark as well. From their vantage points, we retreat closer to what is suspending itself behind the evolving mystery whilst gaining a bit more traction into getting our bearings about the community, too.

There is a light-heartedness to this series as much as there is just enough drama percolating in the background to draw your attention forward, too. I found myself delighted in reading the series – from the prequel into the first installment due to how light of a read they were and how enjoyable they were to read, too. Sometimes you want lighter fare in your readerly life and these fit that category brilliant for me. They also were a great transition back into reading after months of non-reading due to personal circumstances affecting my family, too.

I believe this would be a wicked Cosy series for the Cosy Mystery reader who wants to soak into the beachy atmosphere whilst endeavouring to walk alongside Clark and perhaps pick up on the clues as he does whilst potentially connect the dots just ahead of Clark, too! It was a lovely reprieve from reading harder hitting Cosy Crime dramas and I am eager to dive into Death Washes Ashore!

On being delightfully Cosy for Cosy:

For readers who are worried about descriptive scenes within Cosy Mysteries, this series is delightfully cosy for cosy – meaning, you don’t have to worry about descriptive crime scenes. The very first crime scene experience happens in the opening chapter(s) and Wygal shares less depiction of that scene than other Cosy Mystery authors which makes this a very gently told Cosy and a new spin on how you can lead a hearty Mystery without depicting violence.

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A #CrimeFicFridays Book Review | “Death Washes Ashore” (A Myrtle Beach Mystery, Book Two) by Caleb WygalDeath Washes Ashore
Subtitle: A Myrtle Beach Mystery
by Caleb Wygal
Source: Direct from Author

Minutes after solving his first murder, Clark Thomas receives life-changing information about his past. But time waits for no one.

He receives a late-night message from Detective Moody soon after the body of a locally famous entertainer washes up on the Myrtle Beach shore. The department is under enormous pressure to solve the high-profile case quickly. They call upon Clark to help investigate, but to do it quietly.

Clark soon learns there was more to this entertainer than met the eye. He goes behind the curtain of the popular Gladiator Games Dinner Show and meets the performers and the victim's coworkers. He learns that the entertainer with a sparkling public persona was not as squeaky clean as he appeared.

Clark lends his unique ability to tie seemingly unrelated clues together as he races to solve the case. Along the way, he learns more about his wife's death. What he learns shatters his perception of the woman he once loved.

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Crime Fiction, Cosy Mystery



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781735437385

Also by this author: Death on the Boardwalk, The Brass Key

Published by Franklin Kerr Press

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 281

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The Myrtle Beach Mysteries:

The Brass Key (A Prequel, 0.5) (see also Review)

Death on the Boardwalk (Book One) (see also Review)

Death Washes Ashore (Book Two)

Death on the Golden Mile (Book Three)

Death on the Causeway (Book Four)

Death at Tidal Creek (Book Five) *released, October 2023

Death on the Back Nine (Book Six) *released, 23rd April 2024

Myrtle Beach Burns (Book Seven) *forthcoming release October, 2024

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Published By: Franklin/Kerr Press (@thefranklinkerr)

Converse via: #ContemporaryMystery or #CosyMystery
as well as #MyrtleBeachMysteries

Available Formats: Trade paperback and Ebook

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Posted Friday, 12 July, 2024 by jorielov in 21st Century, Amateur Detective, Book Review (non-blog tour), Cosy Mystery, Crime Fiction, Modern Day

A #CrimeFicFridays Book Review | “Death on the Boardwalk” (A Myrtle Beach Mystery, Book One) and feat. the (Prequel) “The Brass Key” by Caleb Wygal

Posted Friday, 10 February, 2023 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

#CrimeFicFridays banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: Interestingly, I was first contacted in November, 2021 by Mr Wygal’s publicist about his Myrtle Beach Mysteries – however, I was a bit delayed in responding until March, 2022. It took a bit of time to receive the first two books in the series by Mr Wygal and then, I had a few delays of my own this Summer, 2022. He also sent me a copy of “Death Washes Ashore” the second book in the series which is when I realised I needed a copy of the prequel “The Brass Key” in order to better understand the sequencing of the series itself.

I had fully planned to read all the stories shortly thereafter in Autumn of 2022 however, my migraines returned in September and from October 2022 – February 2023 my family and I had gone through over 90+ days of loss (two cats) and medical emergencies with my father who had multiple hospitalisations and stays until he was finally able to be released into a 24/7 nursing care home where he could receive rehab and recovery. Ergo, my readings of this series were delayed due to circumstances rather than anything else which would have delayed me from reviewing the series.

This is another prime example of how publicists and authors alike read through my Review Policy and note the kind of stories I love to seek out to read. Quite a few of the requests I receive are a bit of a miss for me as a reader as they fall outside the realms of what I will accept as a reader or outside my review policy altogether. This is why I left the tweet in my sidebar to alert those seeking reviewers to know this is why we write those pages on our blogs – to help authors, publishers and publicists know our reading sensibilities and preferences. I am celebrating the authors, publishers and publicists today who kindly read those pages and offer us a story we can accept for review consideration.

I received a complimentary copy of “Death on the Boardwalk” and “The Brass Key” direct from the author Caleb Wygal in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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Why I wanted to read The Myrtle Beach Mysteries:

First off, I should mention I appreciate a wicked good Cosy Mystery — I also happen to have a penchant for Southern Literature. Which is why when a beloved book series by Sherryl Woods became a series on NetFlix, I was dearly thrilled to bits (ie. “Sweet Magnolias”) as that doesn’t always happen. I have loved reading Southern Romances, Southern Literature & Southern Gothic stories for quite a long time now — stories set in the Southeast of the United States have a particular characteristic about them. There is a cultural identity to them but there is also a particular climate – as weather plays a strong role in these stories as much as the infamous Southern hospitality and affection for ‘sweet tea’.

However, I have the tendency to read Southern Fiction (overall) which has full inclusivity of all persons, cultures and lifestyles as sometimes the IRL climate of culture of the South is far different than how it is portrayed in fiction. As most have sorted out over the years, I am a girl who embraces the melting pot of the world whilst I am an LGBTQ+ ally. Thereby whenever I reach for a Southern story, I like to seek out stories which embrace the world as I see the world myself and are not stuck in the past with views which are not contemporary minded.

Another reason I like Southern set stories are the small townes, the slower paced lives and the landscape of the stories where they are set — as the Southeast hugs the Atlantic Coast whilst it also has a firm grip on Appalachia.

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A #CrimeFicFridays Book Review | “Death on the Boardwalk” (A Myrtle Beach Mystery, Book One) and feat. the (Prequel) “The Brass Key” by Caleb WygalThe Brass Key
by Caleb Wygal
Source: Direct from Author

A discovery in a Grand Strand consignment store sends Mark and Peggy Whitman, two tourists celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary while staying at the OceanScapes Resort on an adventure. Mark is aging, unmotivated, and hasn't been the same since a heart attack. Peggy has tried to boost Mark's spirits, but failed.

That starts to change when they find an item tucked inside a purchase, igniting an unexpected journey that explores the Grand Strand, a secret romance, and rekindles their love for one another. But to find the secret, Peggy needs Mark to find the drive to help before they have to check out.

Along the way, they will encounter faces familiar to the series, and meet some that have not been seen before, all in the day before Clark Thomas finds a body on his bookstore doorstep.

Filled with Wygal's characteristic humor and fast, fun writing style,
The Brass Key is a delightful entry to the Myrtle Beach Mystery Series.

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Crime Fiction, Cosy Mystery



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 979-8986000626

Also by this author: Death Washes Ashore

Published by Franklin Kerr Press

on 10th May, 2022

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 52

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My review of the brass key:

Peggy and Mark are your typical tourists who get lost in the experience of visiting a place and set their own timeclock of how they want to spend their hours at their destination. Their a bit eccentrically hilarious, too, as Mark loves collecting knick-knacks which only he understands the purpose of why he collects them whereas Peggy would at least like to spend a bit of time on the sand as they frequently visit an infamous beach resort towne (ie. Myrtle Beach) but spend zero time at the beach itself! Laughs. They draw you into their fold as soon as you meet them – because you nearly presume their speaking a bit out of turn about someone until you realise what the reference is actually about by Mark!

Townes which feature a lot of storefronts and tucked away places to traverse through are my kind of places to travel off to myself. I love whenever you have more shops to wander inside than time allows as there is something magical about becoming lost in the moment and just allowing yourself to wander a bit amiss and afield and see what you can find unexpectedly as you journey through a towne like this one where the past comes back alive through the items which are offered for sale.

Mark’s retirement sounded eerie close to my fathers – wherein both men worked long hard hours and didn’t collect a lot of hobbies over the years. And, of course, by the time they retired, their health afflictions and issues started to occur with gusto. I felt for Peggy, especially as I’ve been living through something similar with Dad and have watched the effect it has had on myself and my Mum over the past several years. A credit to Peggy (and my Mum) she finds ways to workaround Mark’s health problems and still finds ways to curate a bit of joy for both of them along the way. Travelling though was something new for this couple as they had lead such a quieter life together and with their children. That was something that differed from our family as Mum set the standard early-on wherein we’d take a lot of day to overnight trips in and round our state ever since I was a young girl. She found ways to get around my Dad’s job but also curated a way for us to see the state as well. I always thought that was a wicked balance to solve.

I loved how Wygal highlighed travelling where you can stay with a built-in kitchenette – as it is one way to keep a healthy diet but also have a cosy nights inside if you don’t want to go out on the towne you’re visiting. He kept this very contemporary and current, too, as Peggy and Mark received a Wal-mart food delivery! Laughs. I knew it was only a matter of time before I’d read a story which utilised food delivery services in one form or another and in this instance, it felt well with their lifestyle of choice.

Of course, it was over the course of dinner one evening when Peggy and Mark discovered something in their room (which eludes to the title of this short prequel story!) which fancied them a bit of a turn at playing detective. They were also Wygal’s eyes and ears for his readers to become introduced to his version of Myrtle Beach and to give a curious presentation of how the towne was situated and the sights which visitors might expect to find there if they were to visit. It was lovely to see the area as they journeyed around and made the best of their time on their holiday.

The best moment by far for me was when Clark (at the bookstore) invited Peggy and Mark to have coffee and conversation with him at the table! It was one of those unexpected kind graces that you hoped to experience for yourself but don’t oft get the chance to find people that warmly hospitable!

Clark, of course, is the main character in the series – and it was a delightful introduction to who he is as a person and as a member of the community. The only surprising turn for me in the end of this delightful short story is how Peggy and Mark didn’t leave a note or story behind for their family about their adventure on the day we spent with them in Myrtle Beach. It had such an endearing ending – what they found and what it meant for the people in the past – I thought for sure they might have left something behind for their own family to understand their adventure and their discovery but in the end, they left it as an unspoken mystery with only a singular bit of evidence as a lasting clue of their time there. Although, I was curious if there might be a connecting reference in the general series to what they effectively achieved on behalf of one of the oldest residents of the area.

I would definitely recommend reading this story ahead of Death on the Boardwalk because it sets such a lovely tone of entrance into the expanding series as much as Peggy and Mark are the kind of characters which endear you to them quite immediately and leave a mark of joy on your heart.

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Posted Friday, 10 February, 2023 by jorielov in 21st Century, Amateur Detective, Book Review (non-blog tour), Cosy Mystery, Crime Fiction, Modern Day

A #CrimeFicFridays Book Review | “The Secret at Sunset Hill” (A Katie Porter Mystery, Book One) by K.T. McGivens

Posted Friday, 23 September, 2022 by jorielov , , , 1 Comment

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Acquired Book By: Quite happily, my path with Ms McGivens crossed in early July, 2021 wherein I messaged her via Twitter and we struck up a conversation which led me to booking her for @SatBookChat and I received her first novel for the Katie Porter Mysteries in the mail. I had fully intended to read and review this novel closer to the time in which I spoke with her during my chat but sadly, that simply wasn’t in the cards. This August I started to resume my readerly life after a difficult Summer wherein I had a complete disconnection with both my reading life and my blogging life. Mysteries, especially Cosy Mysteries have always been the backbone of my readerly interests – thus, I had a feeling that if I returnt to reading this lovely to jump-start my #CrimeFicFridays again alongside other selections I’ve been blogging about during #WWWednesdays, I might find myself in happy cycle of reading more Crime Fiction before year’s end.

I received a complimentary copy of “The Secret at Sunset Hill” direct from the author K.T. McGivens in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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Why I wanted to read The Katie Porter Mysteries;

I was looking at the chapter sampler for the first Katie Porter Mystery “The Secret at Sunset Hill” and I was loving it. I have a soft spot for newspaper reporters… grew up on Lois Lane in one version or another and my fascination always stuck. Plus, like McGivens, I loved Nancy Drew as I cut my teeth on Mysteries quite young devouring the case files and reading the Hardy Boys too. By 8 or 9 I was given my first Miss Marple anthology of stories and I was literally in awe and set for life to be a Mystery, Suspense & Thriller reader. Although, I carry my Cosy sensibility with me as I don’t like anything too overtly violent or graphic, plus I’m not into overly peppered vulgarity in stories either.

And, then when I realised it was going to become a fully developed series with multiple installments, I knew I had to interview Ms McGivens on my chat as I felt this series and Katie Porter in particular would be a wicked good fit for @SatBookChat. As I have had the tendency of focusing on strong women & imploring narratives across genres which interest me most as a reader. There was something wicked clever, too, about Katie Porter – about how she’s quite the everywoman heroine and someone you can relate, too.

Similar in vein to how we all cross-identify with Nancy Drew but also with women like Anna Blanc but in a different capacity of course, as Ms Blanc’s life is a bit grittier than Katie & Nancy’s but evenso, there is a thread of connection between them in finding strong women set in historical eras who were choosing to live their lives on their own terms and just finding themselves able to solve mysteries as if they were bourne to it. Of course, this also brings to thought and mind the characters within Jennifer Lamont Leo’s novels & stories, too!

We could always use another wicked awesome heroine in our lives and for me, right now, that new heroine has arrived in the form of Katie Porter!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

A #CrimeFicFridays Book Review | “The Secret at Sunset Hill” (A Katie Porter Mystery, Book One) by K.T. McGivensThe Secret at Sunset Hill
Subtitle: A Katie Porter Mystery : One
by K.T. McGivens
Source: Direct from Author

About the Katie Porter series:

Set in year 1947, Katie Porter is a 21 year old newspaper reporter who finds herself caught up in various mysteries while researching and writing articles for her hometown paper, the Fairfield Gazette. Set before modern technology such as cellphones, computers, and the Internet, she must rely on her courage and wits to discover the truth and capture the culprits. She has a wide circle of friends who help her and her adventures are filled with friendship, loyalty, suspense, danger, tenacity, problem solving, and romance! Each book builds on the previous one as the reader helps Katie and her friends solve yet another case. Life in the town of Fairfield and Katie’s ancestral home, Rosegate, is never dull! And the mysteries continue...

Genres: Crime Fiction, Amateur Detective, Cosy Historical Mystery



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 978-1692346652

Published by Self Published

on 18th September, 2019

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 140

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The Katie Porter Mysteries:

NOTE: Books One-Three are now in audiobook! 🎧📖

1. The Secret at Sunset Hill
2. The Mystery at the Mystic Museum
3. The Plot at the Pearson Playhouse
4. The Ghost of Golden Joe
5. The Murder of Major Pennington
6. The Disappearance of Devlin Douglas
7. The Passing of Preston Peabody
8. The Case of the Casual Killer
9. The Mystery at Maplewood Hall
10. The Incident on Ivory Island
11. The Odd Appearance of Anneliese Abbott
12. The Crime at Covington Corner
13. The Body in Bounty Bay

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Converse via: #HistoricalMystery or #CosyMystery
as well as #KatiePorterMysteries

Available Formats: Trade paperback and Ebook

Read More

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • #CrimeFicFridays
  • 2022 Backlogue Reviews
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Posted Friday, 23 September, 2022 by jorielov in 20th Century, Aftermath of World War II, Amateur Detective, Book Review (non-blog tour), Content Note, Cosy Historical Mystery, Crime Fiction, Fly in the Ointment, Historical Fiction, the Forties, The World Wars