Book Review: Murder at the PTA (Maya and Sandra Mystery, #1) by Lee Hollis

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Murder at the PTA (Maya and Sandra Mystery, #1) by Lee Hollis is the first installment in the Maya and Sandra Mystery series, a cozy mystery series centered on private investigators. The story follows Sandra Wallage , the wife of a U.S. senator and the newly elected president of Portland High School’s PTA, who becomes the latest target of a vicious gossip website called Dirty Laundry . After a heated PTA meeting, Sandra crosses paths with Maya Kendrick , a private investigator who has uncovered the identity of the person behind the gossip site. When the two women attempt to confront the culprit, they instead discover a dead body. Was it really a suicide, or did someone have a motive for murder? I’m a longtime fan of books by Lee Hollis , which is actually the pen name for sibling writing duo Rick Copp and Holly Simason . They’ve written several cozy mystery series, and what I appreciate most about their books is that they aren’t overly kitschy, unlike some other cozy mysteries I’ve ...
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Book Review: Heartbreak Bay (Stillhouse Lake, #5) by Rachel Caine

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book review heartbreak bay rachel caine

In Heartbreak Bay (Stillhouse Lake, #5) by Rachel Caine, a car is found submerged in a pond with twin girls still strapped in their car seats and their mother nowhere to be found. Detective Kezia Claremont of Norton requests the help of private investigator Gwen Proctor, who has recently moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. As the threats mount against both women, they know they have to fight to the end to save their families.

I absolutely loved this most recent installment in the Stillhouse Lake book series, and it makes me extremely sad that this is the last book since the author passed away from cancer late last year. With that being said, I wonder if she had help with writing Heartbreak Bay because there were a couple of times a sentence didn't quite sound like her writing style. However, even with those few lines, the writing still felt like Rachel Caine wrote it, so I guess it could have been the editing.

The character development with Laney, Connor, and Kezia was remarkable. Even Vee had some growth, which was nice to see. It's also gratifying to see a book series with several strong women characters, not just one. And, I love the fact that they're shown in a good light.

I tried to take my time reading the story instead of rushing through it like I did with the other books in the series. But it was so hard to do so because I was sitting on the edge of my seat the entire time. I kind of figured out who the bad guy was, but there was a twist with the identity that I didn't see coming, which is why I say I kind of figured out who it was. I won't say more as to not ruin it for everyone.

You can read this book as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading the other books in the series first. I gave Heartbreak Bay (Stillhouse Lake, #5) by Rachel Caine five out of five stars.


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