Death Takes a Ride by Lorena McCourtney - Reviewed!

About the Book:
It's official. This case is above her pay grade--and Cate's in over her head.
Cate Kinkaid arrives at H&B Vintage Auto Restorations to give a friend a ride. But, as usual, trouble finds Cate even there--this time in the form of one dead man, one wounded man, and what appears to be a pretty obvious case of self-defense. 

Despite having been merely an unfortunate bystander, Cate finds herself sucked into the case. And the deeper she gets, the more she begins to suspect that the shooting in the H&B office may not have been as cut-and-dried as it appeared.

Bestselling and award-winning author Lorena McCourtney takes you on wild ride in this clever cozy mystery that will keep you guessing.

My Thoughts:

“Not even midnight yet, and already she’d turned into a PI pumpkin.”  (p. 261)

I met Cate Kincaid in Dolled Up To Die, and she is still my favorite PI!   I adore a good cozy mystery, and Lorena McCourtney uses a dog – a large, motorcycle-loving brute of a dog named Clancey – to add a unique touch of humor and attention-grabbing oddity to a rather unexpected murder mystery.  This case tumbles into Cate’s life much like the candle tumbles into the stack of napkins in one of the final scenes of the novel.  I guess that’s why I like her so much, because things tend to be a haphazard jumble most of the time. 

 

However, when things begin to come together, both in the murder mystery and her personal relationships, things happen in rapid succession with no guarantee all will end well for those involved.  Mitch, good ‘ole dependable, snarky Mitch, gets dragged into Cate’s messes in the strangest ways, and McCourtney uses this relationship to sprinkle a dash of romance into the mystery.  Just about the time I want to tell Mitch to dodge, dismiss and disengage from Cate’s life – something that in implied to be happening in this novel – he turns around and does something sweet to endear himself to my heart all over again.  He is a true keeper!

And the mystery is anything but safe!  There are some high stakes involved, and McCourntey casts a wide net for suspects.  As any good writer, she holds her cards close to her chest and has a rather dramatic and dangerous reveal at the end!

Once again, a very satisfying read!! I can’t wait to see what Cate stumbles into next!! And I really can’t wait to see what role Mitch will play after his attempt at a romantic cookout! SO FUNNY!!

About the Author:

Lorena McCourtney is the New York Timesbestselling and award-winning author of dozens of novels, including Invisible (which won the Daphne du Maurier Award from Romance Writers of America), Dying to Read, and Dolled Up to Die. She resides in Oregon. Learn more at www.lorenamccourtney.com.