I quite enjoyed this book. It seems a very promising start for this new series. ( )

For good and ill, this is not really a "cozy"; it's a bit too cynical, and definitely too un-wrapped-up for that.

The dog is extraneous; nothing would have changed without the dog. The dog was not even particularly interesting, even as comic relief- and if Charlie can't spend more time with him, she should rehome him to someone who would not spend most of her time leaving him alone.

The mystery started out interesting... but as it increased in complexity, it also lost more and more of my interest. Which was just as well, as it tuned out, because the ending- while it "solves" the mystery- leaves the 3 main plot threads stubbornly unresolved. And I did not believe for a minute that the first murder victim, in the end, did what he was said to have done- just too alien to his character.

Charlie didn't even run into the hostility from the cops because she was not only meddling in their investigation, but regularly and repeatdly withheld evidence. I do not think real cops would have shrugged that off.

Charlie is rather a cipher. While I like that she is not the common doormat that too many "cozy" protagonists are- I just never got much of a feel for her. I did like, though, that Shelton did not see the need to give her an incipient romance.

It was not a bad read, and it is free for Kindle, so might be worth it if you want some brain candy. ( )

Better than most of the mysteries I've read so far this year. I liked that the main character followed up a LOT of different leads in different directions, but there was a fairly lengthy period where she just seemed not to be getting anywhere, so the resolution, once it came, was very quick by comparison. Enjoyable; I would read more in the series. ( )

Charlie Parker is an accountant and partner with her brother in their own small private investigations firm.
Although she is not an investigator, as her brother is out of town, she decides to help out an old school friend Stacy, to find her missing Rolex. After a bit of amateur sleuthing she turns up the watch at a pawn brokers.
A few days later, after the man who took the watch is found murdered, Stacy is back, asking for help to keep her clear of the investigation. So once again Charlie indulges in some amateur sleuthing.
This is the first in a series of Charlie Parker mysteries, a bit long on description perhaps, but an easy and comfortable read, with enough twists to keep it interesting. It’s certainly worth while checking out another one. ( )

Likkakirjallisuuden rikososastolta. Huonompiakin on luettu. ( )