Title: Deadly News
Author: Jody Holford
Published: October 2018
Publisher: Kensington Books
Readership: Adult
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: ★★★★
I received a copy of Deadly News from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Former Army brat Molly Owens is ready to put down roots, and the picturesque seaside town of Britton Bay on the Oregon Coast seems like the perfect place for it. Especially when she lands a job as editor of the local paper. But she’s got one colleague who’s very bad news . . .
As an experienced journalist, Molly is eager to bring the struggling Britton Bay Bulletin up to speed. But when she pushes Vernon, one of her less welcoming reporters, to dig a little deeper into the story of a prominent local family, the man ends up dead. The fact that he wasn’t well-liked makes finding the killer extra complicated. The lists of suspects range from his ex-wife to his own son to Molly’s boss, who has a secret of his own. But when Molly’s attempts to sleuth out the truth result in her receiving frightening threats, the trouble is just beginning . . .
The one bright spot is Molly’s newfound flirtation with Sam Alderich. The sexy mechanic is used to taking things apart and piecing them back together, and between the two of them they just might be able to solve this deadly puzzle—if Molly can survive peaceful small-town life long enough . . .
I’ve been curious about cozy mysteries since I started watching Courtney’s videos and following her reviews. She’s so passionate about them, and makes them sound like so much fun that I thought I should really give them a shot, which is what prompted me to request Deadly News from Netgalley.
Molly Owens is an experienced editor who packs up her things and moves from the city to the town of Britton Bay for a sea change. She’s eager to move on from some decisions that have left her feeling less than herself, and the welcome townsfolk help her settle in pretty quickly… until she finds one of the reporters she works with dead after pushing him to investigate a prominent local family.
First up, I have to say that this was just a delightfully easy read, full of wonderful characters who jumped off the page. Molly is clearly a strong, independent woman who is determined to carve out a new home for herself. She sees herself as responsible for the death of the reporter and seeks to uncover the truth behind it – even if it gets her into trouble.
Then you have Sam, the local mechanic who takes an immediate liking to Molly, and is honestly just so adorable that you have to wonder how he finds himself getting caught up in Molly’s investigation. The rest of the characters and the local hot spots of Britton Bay drew me in to the town – I wish I had some of the awesome local eateries near me (although my bank account is probably grateful that I don’t!) – and made me want to keep reading.
I can truly see the appeal of cozy mysteries, even from this first dip into the genre. Deadly News was the perfect read to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea with. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.
Noveltea Corner 