by
Lida Sideris
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Corrie
Locke may not be the best rookie lawyer in Southern California, but when it
comes to catching a killer, she’s got the skills to bring a band of shifty-eyed
suspects to their knees.
When the wealthy matriarch of the dysfunctional Means family dies in her sleep,
the family is convinced her death was anything but peaceful. They hire Corrie
to prove it, but the only evidence they have to go on is a psychic’s half-baked
vision that it was murder. To put the matter to rest, Corrie sets her sights on
proving the psychic is a fraud. After all, everyone knows psychics are
crack-pots, don’t they?
But what should be a simple investigation morphs into something deadly. The
deeper Corrie digs, the more bizarre clues are revealed, and a possible witness
is found dead. As tempers rise, it is up to Corrie to catch a killer…who’s
about to strike again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
Tiny beads of pain crashed together in my head like bumper
cars made of steel. It felt like I’d emerged from a deep slumber. I lifted my
leaden head. I lay sprawled in the middle of a field. Did I lose consciousness?
My fingers crept to my belt buckle, and I slipped the
Japanese throwing star into my palm, relishing the shuriken’s cold metal and
sharp points. I caught my breath. A flashlight illuminated the night. A dozen
goats huddled together a good thirty feet away, their backs to me. A deep voice
stirred the air. I couldn’t make out the words. Who was talking?
A large man stood near the goats, light beam in one hand,
while the other dangled a pistol. As he shooed away the livestock, I lowered my
head and stiffened. What was it Dad used to say?
A problem presents an opportunity to turn things around.
The guy trekked closer, stopping a few feet short of me. He
smelled faintly of tobacco and beer. Shoving aside the pain, I jumped to my
feet, only it was more like I heaved myself to a crouching position, shuriken
ready. I sucked in a breath and sprang forward, straightening up enough to
press my throwing star against his thick neck. Meanwhile, he stuck the muzzle
of his gun to my side.
“Steady now, young lady.” His voice was a baritone growl
that rustled the weeds. His crinkly blue gaze lit up like sparklers. “I’m going
to lower my gun the same time you lower that sharp pointy thing. I know you
broke inside the house tonight, but I’m willing to give you a chance to explain
before I call the police.”
“Before you what?” I pressed the star deeper, a whisker away
from drawing blood. “Who are you?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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Links:
https://www.facebook.com/lidasideris
Twitter:
@lidasideris
Instagram:
@lida_sideris
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My review:
3.75 stars
“Murderous Means” by Lida Sideris is part of the ‘A Southern
California Mystery’ series, and features intrepid almost-official private
investigator Corrie Locke and her team as they try to determine whether a
sudden death is due to homicide. Using a variety of conventional and
not-so-conventional methods, the cast of characters look for clues in unusual
places while they try to figure out if an actual crime has been committed, and
if so, why.
This cozy mystery features a somewhat wacky crew of
investigators who definitely should not be underestimated. Although this book
can be read as a stand-alone story, I suspect that it would be less confusing
to read the prior book(s) in the series and get a feel for the dynamics of the
group and their outside-of-the-box techniques.
I enjoyed working my way through the twists and turns of the
investigation even as I shook my head at some of the shenanigans and the way
these folks play fast and loose with the legalities. A few things strained my
credulity a bit, but it was fun reading the colorful descriptions of the characters
and locations. This author has a way with words that makes even serious crimes
entertaining, and I suspect the crew will soon be embroiled in even more adventures
in beautiful Southern California.
A copy of this title was provided for review
Thank you for reviewing today!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for hosting me today! I appreciate you taking the time to read and review!
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