Book Review: Dying to Read by Lorena McCourtney

Excerpt: Cate glanced at the identification card her Uncle Joe had printed out just before she left his office. Cate Kinkaid, Assistant Private Investigator. Complete with the photo he'd snapped, which showed a spike of red hair growing out of her left ear, and the address and phone number of Belmont Investigations.

An identification card that made her - what? An overage Nancy Drew? An underage Jessica Fletcher? A clueless Stephanie Plum?

Whatever, she was getting desperate, and the job was only temporary, not a lifetime commitment. She was, as Uncle Joe had put it, just dipping her toe into the world of private investigation. Just until one of the many resumes she had floating around brought results. All she had to do today was check on a woman named Willow Bishop living at an address on Meisman Street here in Eugene, Oregon, and then write up a brief report for the files. Dying to Read, pg 5.

Back Cover: All she wanted was a paycheck. What she got was a murder.

Cate Kinkaid's life is . . . well, frankly it's floundering. Her social life, her career, her haircut--they're all a mess. Unemployed, she jumps at the chance to work for her PI uncle, even though she has no experience and no instincts. After all, she is just dabbling in the world of private investigating until she can find a "real" job.

All she has to do for her first assignment is determine that a particular woman lives at a particular address. Simple, right? But when she reaches the dark Victorian house, she runs into an hungry horde of gray-haired mystery readers and a dead body. This routine PI job is turning out to be anything but simple. Is Cate in over her head?

My Review: I had a hard time putting this book down. McCourtney's characters are fun, interesting, and eccentric. I loved trying to figure out who done it, and why. I have to admit, I didn't figure it out until the book revealed it. I had never read McCourtney's work, and I will be looking for more. This book will definitely be added to the shelves of my library.
My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a light, cozy mystery.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.