A Deadly Discovery by J.C. Kenney - Rajiv's Reviews

A Deadly Discovery (Allie Cobb Mystery #4) by J.C. Kenney

Release: January 19, 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Beyond the Page
Source: Suzyapproved Book Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Kobo.

Allie Cobb is ready to put her crime-solving days firmly in the past. But when the remains of a teenage girl who’s been missing for twenty years are discovered, and the victim’s mother shows up on Allie’s doorstep asking her to catch the murderer, how can the full-time literary agent and part-time amateur sleuth say no?

To figure out who’d want to take the life of the rebellious Valerie Briggs, Allie must take a deep dive into the community of Rushing Creek’s past. She finds folks who are willing to murder to keep the past, and the secrets that go with it, buried. As the list of suspects mounts, Allie has an ally, DNA testing, but time is not on her side. Exposing this murderer will make Allie take the biggest gamble of her life, and it might cost her the same thing in doing so.

About the Author:

J.C. Kenney is the Amazon and Kobo bestselling author of The Allie Cobb Mysteries. His debut, A Literal Mess, was a finalist for a Muse Medallion from the Cat Writers’ Association in mystery fiction. When he’s not writing, you can find him following IndyCar racing or listening to music. Also, he lives in Indianapolis with his wife, two children, and a cat. You can find him at www.jckenney.com.

A Deadly Discovery Review:

“A Deadly Discovery” is an adorable cozy mystery book, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Although I have not read the previous book in the series, I had no trouble catching up with the characters. I enjoyed how the author tackled the mystery. The central aspect that stood out was that Allie tries to solve a murder that happened decades ago when substantial evidence would have disappeared. Moreover, I also loved the quaint setting of Rushing Creek and the strong community sense.

Furthermore, the author also wrote the characters charmingly. Allie is terrific in the lead as she investigates Valerie’s murder. She is passionate about the case and wants to help Connie, even if it means working on it from the sidelines. I loved her friendship with Calypso, Jeanette, and Star. The scene where Allie experiences Star driving had me laughing out loud.

Similarly, Allie’s scenes with Matt were also impressive. On a side note, I loved how the author paid homage to Agatha Christie. As a Christie fan, I loved the similarities between Allie and Poirot in solving the mystery. Also, I appreciate the author for focusing on the mystery throughout and not digressing it too much with side plots (like Brent and Allie’s romance).

However, probably the only downside to the story was the lack of red herrings. True, there are quite a few suspects, but it is easy to predict who is the culprit early on. Or was it just me? To be honest, I would have loved it if the author added a few more twists and turns to give it an extra touch.

Apart from that, I thought this was a delightful cozy mystery. It made me interested in picking up the earlier books in the series.