Murder on Cape Cod

Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery, Book 1

By: Maddie Day

Narrated by: Rachel Dulude

A Cape Cod shop owner and her book club must find a crafty killer in this charming new series from the Agatha-nominated author of the Country Store Mystery series.

Summer is busy season for Mackenzie "Mac" Almeida's bicycle shop, nestled in the quaint, seaside hamlet of Westham, Massachusetts. She's expecting an influx of tourists at Mac's Bikes; instead she discovers the body of Jake Lacey. Mac can't imagine anyone stabbing the down-on-his-luck handyman. However, the authorities seem to think Mac is a strong suspect after she was spotted arguing with Jake just hours before his death. Mac knows she didn't do it, but she does recognize the weapon - her brother Derrick's fishing knife.

Mac's only experience with murder investigations is limited to the cozy mysteries she reads with her local book group, the Cozy Capers. So to clear her name-and maybe her brother's too - Mac will have to summon help from her Cozy Capers coinvestigators and a library's worth of detectives' tips and tricks. For a small town, Westham is teeming with possible killers, and this is one mystery where Mac is hoping for anything but a surprise ending.

©2019 Edith Maxwell (P)2019 Tantor

Confusing setting for the story

The main character and her family appear to be native Kiwi New Zealanders but the story is set on Cape Cod. The Kiwi honorifics add confusion, the story is lackluster and lacks suspense. The narrator did a nice job.

It’s ok

The thing about this book that bothered me the most was honestly the narrator. Her delivery has such a strange cadence to it. It’s not natural at all. The only time it felt natural was when she would read the dialogue. And even then, as a native Cape Cod, her, there was none of that accent that belonged. The story ended up being really boring with an anti-climatic ending. Kind of disappointed.

Wonderful Mystery

It’s a great story with mystery and always happening findings. The characters are well developed and introduced! The scenery depicted is a lovely town with an unforeseen crime!

Smooth

So what did I like about this? I didn’t like how smooth it was. I like how it just flowed easy from the beginning, and then plop just like in the movies. The idea of who it was that did it was revealed at a certain point, and I have to say I was actually surprised. Normally I can pick them out right away. So I really did enjoy this book. I wonder if there’s more.?

Meh

Not a very exciting story. Just ok. Not sure I will read the other books in the series