This is the first book in the Funeral Parlor Mysteries series by Lillian Bell which is a pen name for author Kristi Abbott of the Popcorn Shop Mystery series. This is one of the most unusual jobs I’ve run across for a cozy mystery sleuth, but it’s pretty cool! I think you’ll really enjoy it.
My Goodreads review:
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’m getting ready to read the second book of this series, so I thought since I had the first book on my Kindle that I might want to read it first. This book does well as a stand alone, but I think it might be a little more enjoyable to read this book first. I love that there’s a side mystery concerning Desiree and Donna’s father that will go on into the next book.
Kyle, the man that Desiree had relied on as a second father, had been arrested for his neighbor’s murder simply because his gun had been used. Setting out to clear her good friend’s name, Desiree found that the dead banker might not be the pillar of society that he was made out to be. There were a lot of secrets that people had which made for plenty of suspects. I know that I didn’t guess who it was.
The side mystery was that someone was leaving little gifts for Desiree and Donna, only gifts that their dad, who had been presumed dead and lost while surfing, would know. Desiree even bought a little security camera to attempt to catch the person on video while they brought their gifts. Was their dad really still alive? If so, why had he hidden from them for the last sixteen months–and why did he have a storage locker that was prepaid for two years? I can’t wait to dig into the next book, no funeral pun intended there at all!
I do like the main characters a lot. Uncle Joey is the funeral director, and Desiree is the assistant. We really didn’t get to have Joey “on screen” much, but could still learn a lot about him from context and what people said. Desiree also has not two but three guys interested in her, although Officer Luke Butler didn’t really pursue her as much as Nate and Rafe did. I’m anxious to spend some more time with these characters and this slightly unusual profession for a cozy amateur sleuth!
Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery 