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Chelsea Lawson #1
Mooved to Murder
Chelsea Lawson is a ride-or-die friend. When her best friend Tilly asked her to stay at her place to watch her six-year-old daughter and pets for a while, Chelsea didn't hesitate to say yes. What she didn't realize was that "Tilly's place" was a micro-farm and "a few pets" included a cow and two goats as well as a child who was too smart for her own good.
Chelsea was already in over her head before the dead body turned up.
When the local community, instead of offering support, tries to run her out of town, Chelsea suspects something is going on. Something big and rotten. The mayor makes it clear she's not wanted and the townspeople give her the cold shoulder, but that only makes Chelsea more determined to uncover their secrets.
But no one expected the repercussions those secrets would have, especially Chelsea. Now life on the farm is hanging in the balance. Will Chelsea ever be able to wake up from this nightmare?� These cozy mysteries are wrapped up by the end of the book even as Chelsea's life continues on to the next. Sweet, clean, funny reads with a little suspense and a lot of animal cuddles thrown in make these mysteries a fan favorite.
Chelsea was already in over her head before the dead body turned up.
When the local community, instead of offering support, tries to run her out of town, Chelsea suspects something is going on. Something big and rotten. The mayor makes it clear she's not wanted and the townspeople give her the cold shoulder, but that only makes Chelsea more determined to uncover their secrets.
But no one expected the repercussions those secrets would have, especially Chelsea. Now life on the farm is hanging in the balance. Will Chelsea ever be able to wake up from this nightmare?� These cozy mysteries are wrapped up by the end of the book even as Chelsea's life continues on to the next. Sweet, clean, funny reads with a little suspense and a lot of animal cuddles thrown in make these mysteries a fan favorite.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 28, 2019
994 people are currently reading
323 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
January 15, 2020
Delightful new cozy series! Chelsea Lawson is taking care of a friends child, Emma, and their farm. Emma is the cutest, most precocious six year old! She wakes Chelsea in the morning and announces, “there’s a dead body in the barn�! LOL! That basically sets the scene for this light, fun, easy-to-read mystery! I’m looking forward to book two!
January 23, 2020
I really enjoyed this murder mystery that has another mystery inside it. Just a heads up that there is a small cliff hanger, but it's the type that I can live with, especially since the murder was solved. It's no different than one of the nighttime soaps I used to watch that always had a continuing personal story. I'm super anxious to read the next book! (I noticed there's a teaser at the end of this one, so that's what I'm off to read as soon as I finish this review!)
January 1, 2020
Mooved to Murder was one of the best books I have read in 2019! Chelsea Lawson is one of the most honest, complicated, determined and kind characters I've "met" in a cozy mystery. When Chelsea is asked to take care of her best friend's six year old adorable daughter and a menagerie of animals , for a week, the adventure begins. Finding a dead body in the barn kicks off her week and she finds herself in the middle of a mystery that has far reaching consequences.
Chelsea is a character that we can relate to and root for throughout the book. Her approach to sleuthing is to use caution and she doesn't have a "run right into danger" attitude. The relationship with her mother is heartwarming and Chelsea's backstory is a mystery within itself.
The mystery has so many wonderful layers and the "mystery within a mystery" ( not going to say anymore!) will keep you reading. I started this book in the evening and read until the early morning hours - I couldn't put it down!
The hallmark of the author's characters, in my opinion, is that they are real, complicated, kind, smart and determined to do the right thing. Chelsea is a wonderful addition to the "family"!
I'm impatiently waiting for the next book!
I received an ARC from the author for a fair and honest review of this book.
Chelsea is a character that we can relate to and root for throughout the book. Her approach to sleuthing is to use caution and she doesn't have a "run right into danger" attitude. The relationship with her mother is heartwarming and Chelsea's backstory is a mystery within itself.
The mystery has so many wonderful layers and the "mystery within a mystery" ( not going to say anymore!) will keep you reading. I started this book in the evening and read until the early morning hours - I couldn't put it down!
The hallmark of the author's characters, in my opinion, is that they are real, complicated, kind, smart and determined to do the right thing. Chelsea is a wonderful addition to the "family"!
I'm impatiently waiting for the next book!
I received an ARC from the author for a fair and honest review of this book.
January 2, 2020
Chelsea Lawson is a city girl from Charlotte, N.C. When her best friend, Tilly Miller, asks her to watch after her daughter and "pets" in Cedar Falls, Chelsea readily agrees. Tilly's daughter, Emma, is a 6-year old fireball with more energy than Chelsea knows how to harness. The pets include an unruly cow, Rosy, a couple of goats, a cat, and a dog, Jasper, that is as wild and rambunctious as Emma. As if this is not enough to have to deal with, Chelsea also has a problem with a recurring nightmare
Early one morning after arriving at Tilly's ranch, Chelsea awakes to see Emma staring at her. When Chelsea asks Emma why she is up so early, Emma tells her that there is a dead body in the barn. To make matters worse, the dead person is Clint McDaniel, the mayor's cousin. A short time later, while chasing the dog, Emma and Chelsea discover an old abandoned car in a valley and it is full of money!
Who killed Clint McDaniel? Why was he killed at Tilly's farm? Where did the car with the money come from? Are the two mysteries connected? What is causing Chelsea's nightmares? Can Chelsea figure out what is going on before there is more trouble?
This is a good start to a new series, with an on-going background story that supplements the main mystery. The characters and situations are vividly described and very realistic. I am looking forward to more books in this series.
Early one morning after arriving at Tilly's ranch, Chelsea awakes to see Emma staring at her. When Chelsea asks Emma why she is up so early, Emma tells her that there is a dead body in the barn. To make matters worse, the dead person is Clint McDaniel, the mayor's cousin. A short time later, while chasing the dog, Emma and Chelsea discover an old abandoned car in a valley and it is full of money!
Who killed Clint McDaniel? Why was he killed at Tilly's farm? Where did the car with the money come from? Are the two mysteries connected? What is causing Chelsea's nightmares? Can Chelsea figure out what is going on before there is more trouble?
This is a good start to a new series, with an on-going background story that supplements the main mystery. The characters and situations are vividly described and very realistic. I am looking forward to more books in this series.
March 25, 2021
Tilly Chelsea best friend from 20years , wanted Chelsea to help take care of Tilly daughter that was 6 years old Emma is a handful at that. And wants Chelsea to help with the farm. Tilly was going to Australia for a first ever photo shoot. Tully was a photographer. So Chelsea went to North Carolina to help her. Emma found a dead body first day Chelsea got there in the barn. It was the mayor's cousin. Chelsea had a life threatening experience that you get to find out. Love the little girl in this book. Emma has her own ways and she is smart. Emma get in mischeifs. I will read the next book. Because the end makes you want to read more
July 28, 2020
I've had a recurring dream ever since I was a little girl.
Chelsea has quit her job in Charlotte, NC (my hometown!) to move to a micro farm in Cedar Falls, NC to help out her childhood friend Tilly. Tilly's daughter discovers a body in the barn and Chelsea slips into sleuth mode to find the killer.
This was an interesting entry into the series. I was a bit confused by the constant reminders of a childhood trauma that Chelsea experienced. The reader is not really clued into what happened until later in the book. It was almost like there should have been a prequel to let us know what was going on.
The animals were the best part of the book! Who doesn't love a runaway cow and property damaging goats? Tilly's daughter, Emma, is a precocious child. She made me laugh.
I did like that Chelsea did not make overly stupid mistakes and didn't really try to impede the investigation. She did contact the police when she discovered new evidence.
There is a set up for the dreaded love triangle with the local vet and Emma's teacher. We will see how that goes.
I would have liked for the townspeople to be fleshed out a bit more. Gotta love the quirkiness of a small town.
I will read the next book to see if more information is provided for what was a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of the book.
Chelsea has quit her job in Charlotte, NC (my hometown!) to move to a micro farm in Cedar Falls, NC to help out her childhood friend Tilly. Tilly's daughter discovers a body in the barn and Chelsea slips into sleuth mode to find the killer.
This was an interesting entry into the series. I was a bit confused by the constant reminders of a childhood trauma that Chelsea experienced. The reader is not really clued into what happened until later in the book. It was almost like there should have been a prequel to let us know what was going on.
The animals were the best part of the book! Who doesn't love a runaway cow and property damaging goats? Tilly's daughter, Emma, is a precocious child. She made me laugh.
I did like that Chelsea did not make overly stupid mistakes and didn't really try to impede the investigation. She did contact the police when she discovered new evidence.
There is a set up for the dreaded love triangle with the local vet and Emma's teacher. We will see how that goes.
I would have liked for the townspeople to be fleshed out a bit more. Gotta love the quirkiness of a small town.
I will read the next book to see if more information is provided for what was a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of the book.
June 5, 2020
When Chelsea Lawson agreed to help out her friend Tilly she was not expecting to take care of cows and goats. She definitely wasn't expecting to find a dead body in the barn her first morning there. This was a fun, quick, first book in a series. I loved Chelsea. Little Emma was so cute. This does have a slight cliffhanger but I was okay with it since I plan to read the next book anyway.
January 16, 2020
Story mooves along well
Entertaining. Held my interest. Good plot. Easy read. I've read other CeeCee James books that were also "fun.". The biggest issue I have with this book is grammatical mistakes. They weren't' frequent , but were somewhat bothersome to me.
Entertaining. Held my interest. Good plot. Easy read. I've read other CeeCee James books that were also "fun.". The biggest issue I have with this book is grammatical mistakes. They weren't' frequent , but were somewhat bothersome to me.
January 14, 2020
Mooved To Murder
Chelsea Lawson Cozy Mystery, Book #1
CeeCee James
5 Stars
Synopsis:
"Mooved to Murder was one of the best books I have read in 2019!"Chelsea Lawson is a ride-or-die friend. When her best friend Tilly asked her to stay at her place to watch her six-year-old daughter and pets for a while, Chelsea didn't hesitate to say yes. What she didn't realize was that "Tilly's place" was a micro-farm and "a few pets" included a cow and two goats as well as a child who was too smart for her own good.
Chelsea was already in over her head before the dead body turned up.
When the local community, instead of offering support, tries to run her out of town, Chelsea suspects something is going on. Something big and rotten. The mayor makes it clear she's not wanted and the townspeople give her the cold shoulder, but that only makes Chelsea more determined to uncover their secrets.
But no one expected the repercussions those secrets would have, especially Chelsea. Now life on the farm is hanging in the balance. Will Chelsea ever be able to wake up from this nightmare?â€� These cozy mysteries are wrapped up by the end of the book even as Chelsea's life continues on to the next. Sweet, clean, funny reads with a little suspense and a lot of animal cuddles thrown in make these mysteries a fan favorite.Next in the series- Farmer in the Dead (Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ)
Review:
The characters were well developed and well rounded. I really enjoyed getting to know Chelsea, she seemed very down-to-earth to me. I could imagine her being my friendly helpful neighbor. I really enjoyed the fact that she did not rush head first into an investigation and put herself in harm’s way. She has her hands full trying to take care of her friend’s six year old daughter, Emma, and all of the farm animals. There were lots of funny moments with Chelsea and the animals, it had me laughing out loud.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy way. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing. The farm came to life in my mind’s eye and I enjoyed that a lot.
There were a couple of mysteries to solve in this book, which is a plus in my book. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider and they were intriguing enough to keep me engaged.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to the next one in the series.
Chelsea Lawson Cozy Mystery, Book #1
CeeCee James
5 Stars
Synopsis:
"Mooved to Murder was one of the best books I have read in 2019!"Chelsea Lawson is a ride-or-die friend. When her best friend Tilly asked her to stay at her place to watch her six-year-old daughter and pets for a while, Chelsea didn't hesitate to say yes. What she didn't realize was that "Tilly's place" was a micro-farm and "a few pets" included a cow and two goats as well as a child who was too smart for her own good.
Chelsea was already in over her head before the dead body turned up.
When the local community, instead of offering support, tries to run her out of town, Chelsea suspects something is going on. Something big and rotten. The mayor makes it clear she's not wanted and the townspeople give her the cold shoulder, but that only makes Chelsea more determined to uncover their secrets.
But no one expected the repercussions those secrets would have, especially Chelsea. Now life on the farm is hanging in the balance. Will Chelsea ever be able to wake up from this nightmare?â€� These cozy mysteries are wrapped up by the end of the book even as Chelsea's life continues on to the next. Sweet, clean, funny reads with a little suspense and a lot of animal cuddles thrown in make these mysteries a fan favorite.Next in the series- Farmer in the Dead (Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ)
Review:
The characters were well developed and well rounded. I really enjoyed getting to know Chelsea, she seemed very down-to-earth to me. I could imagine her being my friendly helpful neighbor. I really enjoyed the fact that she did not rush head first into an investigation and put herself in harm’s way. She has her hands full trying to take care of her friend’s six year old daughter, Emma, and all of the farm animals. There were lots of funny moments with Chelsea and the animals, it had me laughing out loud.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy way. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing. The farm came to life in my mind’s eye and I enjoyed that a lot.
There were a couple of mysteries to solve in this book, which is a plus in my book. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider and they were intriguing enough to keep me engaged.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to the next one in the series.
January 2, 2020
The prolific CeeCee James begins this new series with a humdinger of a mystery.
Chelsea really didn't know what to expect when she agreed to house-sit her friend's little farmhouse and her more than precocious six-year-old daughter. But she was pretty sure she could handle things until a dead body shows up in the barn and it had been discovered by the six-year-old. Things go pretty wonky for Chelsea after that and you will want to be in the front car for this roller coaster ride.
Chelsea really didn't know what to expect when she agreed to house-sit her friend's little farmhouse and her more than precocious six-year-old daughter. But she was pretty sure she could handle things until a dead body shows up in the barn and it had been discovered by the six-year-old. Things go pretty wonky for Chelsea after that and you will want to be in the front car for this roller coaster ride.
February 13, 2021
*** 3 STARS ***
Mooved to Murder is a cozy mystery which I enjoyed even if I would usually prefer suspense/thriller mysteries. It was cute to read about Chelsea, the main character, getting used to the farm life, taking care of her friend’s child and the life in a new small town. I laughed at some situations because I could see that it would happen exactly the same to myself. The story focused more on all these things rather than the mystery but you still get the part of "who is the killer�.
Even if the main murder in this book is solved, there is a mystery regarding Chelsea that is making me looking forward to the next novel!
Mooved to Murder is a cozy mystery which I enjoyed even if I would usually prefer suspense/thriller mysteries. It was cute to read about Chelsea, the main character, getting used to the farm life, taking care of her friend’s child and the life in a new small town. I laughed at some situations because I could see that it would happen exactly the same to myself. The story focused more on all these things rather than the mystery but you still get the part of "who is the killer�.
Even if the main murder in this book is solved, there is a mystery regarding Chelsea that is making me looking forward to the next novel!
January 19, 2021
A funny mystery involving farm animals. Different than the normal cozy mystery. A good start to a new series.
August 18, 2020
Good read
Totally enjoyed this story! Such fun and something around each corner to check out! Good read!
Waiting for the next one!
Totally enjoyed this story! Such fun and something around each corner to check out! Good read!
Waiting for the next one!
December 31, 2019
New cozy mystery series!
I was already a huge fan of this author so I bought this book as soon as it came out and it did not disappoint. The follow up book cannot come soon enough, it ends with a huge cliffhanger! Chelsea is helping out a friend by watching her little girl and farm while she leaves for a job. Given that this is a cozy, you know things are not going to go as planned. The characters are well written and believable with this lively story, a bunch cute farm animals, and a great story that has some comedy mixed in and I'm already hooked.
I was already a huge fan of this author so I bought this book as soon as it came out and it did not disappoint. The follow up book cannot come soon enough, it ends with a huge cliffhanger! Chelsea is helping out a friend by watching her little girl and farm while she leaves for a job. Given that this is a cozy, you know things are not going to go as planned. The characters are well written and believable with this lively story, a bunch cute farm animals, and a great story that has some comedy mixed in and I'm already hooked.
February 6, 2020
My new favorite from this author. I haven't laughed out-loud so much reading a cozy mystery before. The characters are great, and the trouble Chelsea Lawson finds herself in while trying to do a favor for her best friend is hysterical. Can't wait to read the next book in this series.
June 19, 2020
Abrupt unsatisfying ending
September 12, 2020
Cute cozy mystery about life on a small farm for a city girl. Look forward to the next book in this series to see what happens next for Chelsea as she adjusts to life in a new town.
April 21, 2020
I’m not sure most of the other reviewers read the same book as I did. Soooo many questions left unanswered.
Many reviewers mentioned humor. That must be the “fish out of water� city girl taking care of a hobby farm. That situation seemed more irresponsible than funny that a farm owner wouldn’t leave more thorough instructions. Not only for the animals but also the daughter. Described as a “spitfire�, she should have come with her own set of warnings and handbook.
The book is well written with a group of characters that could be great if given more depth. My complaint is when an author has so many separate storylines weaving through a book generally the reader is rewarded with a satisfying payoff at the end. Here all the threads are left hanging except for the actual murder. The book seemed barely more than a teaser for the second in the series � which I am interested enough to buy and read. So can’t fault the author. But, boy howdy, all the loose ends had best be explained.
Many reviewers mentioned humor. That must be the “fish out of water� city girl taking care of a hobby farm. That situation seemed more irresponsible than funny that a farm owner wouldn’t leave more thorough instructions. Not only for the animals but also the daughter. Described as a “spitfire�, she should have come with her own set of warnings and handbook.
The book is well written with a group of characters that could be great if given more depth. My complaint is when an author has so many separate storylines weaving through a book generally the reader is rewarded with a satisfying payoff at the end. Here all the threads are left hanging except for the actual murder. The book seemed barely more than a teaser for the second in the series � which I am interested enough to buy and read. So can’t fault the author. But, boy howdy, all the loose ends had best be explained.
June 15, 2022
Chelsea Lawson left her job in Charlotte to take care of her friend Tilly's home and daughter while Tilly is in Australia on an assignment. What she thought should be easy turned out not to be. Chelsea discovered that there was a veritable mini-farm she'd be tending, and Emma turned out to be not much what she expected a six-year-old would be. Not to mention the body in the barn, that turns out to be related to someone powerful in town. Now almost the entire town wants to see her gone, and she can't even get her mail delivered. It doesn't help that everyone is calling her Denise and thinks she's someone else. How can Chelsea do what she came to do if she can't get any help? Or if she might be the one everyone thinks murdered the dead man?
This is the first book in the series and I generally found it to be interesting. The idea of a career woman totally out of her element with no help sounded fun. But I did have to wonder about the main character, as I do in most cozies: what are they doing with their money? Are they not saving any of it? Because they all seem to be in dead-end jobs and making barely anything at all; otherwise they wouldn't be struggling financially. Saying that, I did find the way she interacted with the 'pets' amusing; although I really didn't buy that Emma was only six, the way she acted. Ah, well.
Other than that I did like the story line. I enjoyed the mystery a bit (although the clues came late in the book, and the police had figured it out, too). I liked the descriptions of the animals and parts of the town. I didn't like the fact Chelsea didn't stand up to those who insulted her. She was timid and didn't strike me as the type of person who would be left to the care of one's livelihood and child. She couldn't even cook! Tell me, how many women in their thirties can't at least make eggs? Or hamburgers? These are basics anyone can cook. Why would you leave your child in the care of someone who had to order in every night?
But what really turned me off was the fact that the author held me hostage, so to speak. I absolutely hate cliffhangers. Don't authors trust their writing to be enough to bring people to the next book? It irks me that I didn't read reviews so I would know beforehand that I have to read the others in the series to get a resolution to Chelsea's problems. I definitely took off a star because of this. Hopefully the next in the series will give more answers than this book did.
This is the first book in the series and I generally found it to be interesting. The idea of a career woman totally out of her element with no help sounded fun. But I did have to wonder about the main character, as I do in most cozies: what are they doing with their money? Are they not saving any of it? Because they all seem to be in dead-end jobs and making barely anything at all; otherwise they wouldn't be struggling financially. Saying that, I did find the way she interacted with the 'pets' amusing; although I really didn't buy that Emma was only six, the way she acted. Ah, well.
Other than that I did like the story line. I enjoyed the mystery a bit (although the clues came late in the book, and the police had figured it out, too). I liked the descriptions of the animals and parts of the town. I didn't like the fact Chelsea didn't stand up to those who insulted her. She was timid and didn't strike me as the type of person who would be left to the care of one's livelihood and child. She couldn't even cook! Tell me, how many women in their thirties can't at least make eggs? Or hamburgers? These are basics anyone can cook. Why would you leave your child in the care of someone who had to order in every night?
But what really turned me off was the fact that the author held me hostage, so to speak. I absolutely hate cliffhangers. Don't authors trust their writing to be enough to bring people to the next book? It irks me that I didn't read reviews so I would know beforehand that I have to read the others in the series to get a resolution to Chelsea's problems. I definitely took off a star because of this. Hopefully the next in the series will give more answers than this book did.
August 21, 2020
Chelsea quits her job and moves to a new city to babysit her BFF's daughter and pets while she is out of the country.
What I enjoyed:
* There is an intriguing personal story in Chelsea's past, but unfortunately I won't be continuing the series and discover it.
* I liked the neighbor Sharon, she has a good no-nonsense type of personality
What could have been better:
* The fish out of water humor didn't work for me. I just felt Tilly was totally irresponsible for not giving more thorough instructions on not only the farm life (and really expecting a friend from the city to know how to care for the animals is insane) but also her daughter. Really, Chelsea doesn't even know the basics of taking care of a dog.
* Not sure of Chelsea's age, but I would guess early twenties because she doesn't behave like a mature person. Weird car engine noise, let's just turn up the radio?!?!?! On no, the police officer was mean to me when she said the world didn't revolve around her.
* The town is weird. Everyone seems to be under the mayor's thumb and treat Chelsea badly because of it. The mailman won't even deliver her mail. How is that legal?
*
* She texts and calls Tilly in Australia at all times of the day like there is no time difference
What I enjoyed:
* There is an intriguing personal story in Chelsea's past, but unfortunately I won't be continuing the series and discover it.
* I liked the neighbor Sharon, she has a good no-nonsense type of personality
What could have been better:
* The fish out of water humor didn't work for me. I just felt Tilly was totally irresponsible for not giving more thorough instructions on not only the farm life (and really expecting a friend from the city to know how to care for the animals is insane) but also her daughter. Really, Chelsea doesn't even know the basics of taking care of a dog.
* Not sure of Chelsea's age, but I would guess early twenties because she doesn't behave like a mature person. Weird car engine noise, let's just turn up the radio?!?!?! On no, the police officer was mean to me when she said the world didn't revolve around her.
* The town is weird. Everyone seems to be under the mayor's thumb and treat Chelsea badly because of it. The mailman won't even deliver her mail. How is that legal?
*
* She texts and calls Tilly in Australia at all times of the day like there is no time difference
December 31, 2019
Doppelganger or triple vision
A good read although I must admit that the ending felt somewhat flat. The tension had built up nicely and then it dissipated into the ether. A nice plot of a murder that occurs when our FMC is babysitting her BFF's young daughter for a week. But although the murder was solved, the question regarding the broken fence and the open gate still remain. Our FMC is still trying to get over the survivor's guilt from an incident that happened when she was very young. She emotionally scarred but takes on the care of a precocious youngster and her numerous pets including a feisty cow.
When she is woken by ghetto news that there's a dead body in the barn, she puts it down to a childish prank. However the man is dead, murdered! Then she finds an abandoned car full of money, her gate and fence has been tampered with, her mail isn't getting through, people cross themselves when they see her and call her by a different name. Then there is the history of a cold crime that was ever solved. Can the killer be found? What was the reason behind the killing?
A good read although I must admit that the ending felt somewhat flat. The tension had built up nicely and then it dissipated into the ether. A nice plot of a murder that occurs when our FMC is babysitting her BFF's young daughter for a week. But although the murder was solved, the question regarding the broken fence and the open gate still remain. Our FMC is still trying to get over the survivor's guilt from an incident that happened when she was very young. She emotionally scarred but takes on the care of a precocious youngster and her numerous pets including a feisty cow.
When she is woken by ghetto news that there's a dead body in the barn, she puts it down to a childish prank. However the man is dead, murdered! Then she finds an abandoned car full of money, her gate and fence has been tampered with, her mail isn't getting through, people cross themselves when they see her and call her by a different name. Then there is the history of a cold crime that was ever solved. Can the killer be found? What was the reason behind the killing?
December 31, 2019
Warm sunshine and strawberry fields..
I loved this book! The story begins with Chelsea Lawson, a single young woman and accountant. She often seems to feel unworthy of life and love. It's almost like she feels she's wasting her life and has no purpose. So, when her friend Tilly asks her for a huge favor (caring for her six year old and pets while shes away),she readily agrees to help. Chelsea quits her job and loads up her car.. no questions asked! Without clear understanding, she'd almost bitten off more than she could chew! Not only was she caring for a 6 year old, but by, "Pets," Tilly really means mini farm! Chelsea knows nothing about animals. She also discovers her knack for finding mysteries, some even decades old. And, although she's grows to enjoying leaving her boring old life behind, Chelsea has a recurring nightmare of warm sunshine and strawberry fields. Her only instant comfort is an old photo of her mother and herself.. little Chelsea staring in the mirror. Looking at the picture grounds her and brings her back to reality. But why does such a beautiful dream wreck her world?
I loved this book! The story begins with Chelsea Lawson, a single young woman and accountant. She often seems to feel unworthy of life and love. It's almost like she feels she's wasting her life and has no purpose. So, when her friend Tilly asks her for a huge favor (caring for her six year old and pets while shes away),she readily agrees to help. Chelsea quits her job and loads up her car.. no questions asked! Without clear understanding, she'd almost bitten off more than she could chew! Not only was she caring for a 6 year old, but by, "Pets," Tilly really means mini farm! Chelsea knows nothing about animals. She also discovers her knack for finding mysteries, some even decades old. And, although she's grows to enjoying leaving her boring old life behind, Chelsea has a recurring nightmare of warm sunshine and strawberry fields. Her only instant comfort is an old photo of her mother and herself.. little Chelsea staring in the mirror. Looking at the picture grounds her and brings her back to reality. But why does such a beautiful dream wreck her world?
September 9, 2020
Truthfully, until I got to somewhere in the middle of the book, I was going to just stop reading and chalk it up to experience. It started out and continued with the musing of a deranged mind. Not until the reader was given some insight into the fact that Chelsea was the sole survivor of an airplane crash did the musings begin to make sense. But I still could find no connection in her nightmare as to the strawberries or the street signs being related to the airplane crash. But I persevered and got through all that and discovered that there was a really good tale being told.
So, at least part of the book was enjoyable.
But I am still at a loss to understand the business about the mirror and Chelsea's sister, Denise. I cannot, having put a great deal of thought into it, understand how a picture of two people purportedly looking into a mirror and the reflection showing three people can even entertain the idea that a mirror could have been involved.
Although I enjoyed the basic story once it was revealed, I don't know whether I will try any other books in this series as I really do not enjoy having to read almost half a book before I begin to understand and enjoy it. it.
So, at least part of the book was enjoyable.
But I am still at a loss to understand the business about the mirror and Chelsea's sister, Denise. I cannot, having put a great deal of thought into it, understand how a picture of two people purportedly looking into a mirror and the reflection showing three people can even entertain the idea that a mirror could have been involved.
Although I enjoyed the basic story once it was revealed, I don't know whether I will try any other books in this series as I really do not enjoy having to read almost half a book before I begin to understand and enjoy it. it.
May 23, 2020
A refreshing cozy mystery style.
Cozy mysteries are my favorite genre. It is not often that I run across an author whose heroine is not dating and/or in direct conflict and/or competition with the local police force to solve a mystery. I find this extremely refreshing. Kudos to CeeCee James! This story even had quite a few laugh out loud moments. I’m not sure which was funnier, the interactions with her BFF’s all-too-smart six-year-old daughter or her menagerie of farm animal pets. The things a single city girl will do, or endure for that matter, for her single-mother farm-loving BFF. Besides the murder mystery, there are a few other hidden mysteries to uncover in this story. What a gem of a book!
This is an entertaining, clean, fun, and easy read. The murder mystery is solved, but those other hidden mysteries I alluded to earlier are a bit of a cliffhanger as they are not fully revealed. Not that the story is left incomplete, but just entice you to want to know more about the characters and their backstory.
Cozy mysteries are my favorite genre. It is not often that I run across an author whose heroine is not dating and/or in direct conflict and/or competition with the local police force to solve a mystery. I find this extremely refreshing. Kudos to CeeCee James! This story even had quite a few laugh out loud moments. I’m not sure which was funnier, the interactions with her BFF’s all-too-smart six-year-old daughter or her menagerie of farm animal pets. The things a single city girl will do, or endure for that matter, for her single-mother farm-loving BFF. Besides the murder mystery, there are a few other hidden mysteries to uncover in this story. What a gem of a book!
This is an entertaining, clean, fun, and easy read. The murder mystery is solved, but those other hidden mysteries I alluded to earlier are a bit of a cliffhanger as they are not fully revealed. Not that the story is left incomplete, but just entice you to want to know more about the characters and their backstory.
January 13, 2020
Chelsea Lawson returns from living in
Charlotte, NC to Cedar Falls, NC. She
has been requested by her life long
friend(Tilly) to look after her farm,
farm animals and her daughter.
This is a city person going to become
a country girl. Chelsea finds herself
babysitting Tilly’s cow named Rosy,
two goats, two rabbits, a cat and a dog
named Jasper plus Emma, Tilly’s very
active, mischievous daughter. Also
Emma’s imaginary friend, Freckles (the
ghost).
Add in a dead body in the barn, a rusty
abandoned car with weather worn money
in it, blue hair, baby goats, a person who
call Chelsea another name and the town
acting like she not welcome for a puzzling,
well plotted murder mystery and the
solution to cold case bank robbery and
killing.
Well created characters and entertaining
farm animals antics.
Charlotte, NC to Cedar Falls, NC. She
has been requested by her life long
friend(Tilly) to look after her farm,
farm animals and her daughter.
This is a city person going to become
a country girl. Chelsea finds herself
babysitting Tilly’s cow named Rosy,
two goats, two rabbits, a cat and a dog
named Jasper plus Emma, Tilly’s very
active, mischievous daughter. Also
Emma’s imaginary friend, Freckles (the
ghost).
Add in a dead body in the barn, a rusty
abandoned car with weather worn money
in it, blue hair, baby goats, a person who
call Chelsea another name and the town
acting like she not welcome for a puzzling,
well plotted murder mystery and the
solution to cold case bank robbery and
killing.
Well created characters and entertaining
farm animals antics.
January 21, 2020
This enjoyable new series by author, CeeCee James is a off to a spectacular start! Chelsea Lawson agrees to help out her best friend by staying at her home, watching her little girl, Emma, and taking care of a few pets. What can go wrong? Chelsea soon finds out that caring for a very busy six-year-old, as well as farm animals, could be more than she bargained for! When Emma finds a dead body in the barn first thing in morning, Chelsea’s day goes from bad to worse.
I found this story engaging, the characters likeable, and Emma’s antics comical. Chelsea is up for the challenge and I couldn’t help but cheer her on. Chelsea has some secrets to uncover, not only within the town but within her own life as well. This is a quick easy read that will have you laughing and holding your breath at the end.
I found this story engaging, the characters likeable, and Emma’s antics comical. Chelsea is up for the challenge and I couldn’t help but cheer her on. Chelsea has some secrets to uncover, not only within the town but within her own life as well. This is a quick easy read that will have you laughing and holding your breath at the end.
January 31, 2020
If you like your mystery well mixed with moments of humor you shouldn’t miss this book! Fun characters and a well developed plot make this book difficult to put down.
Chelsea is being a good friend when she agrees to watch her besties little girl for a week while her friend is out of town doing a photo shoot. So why is everything going wrong? From blue dyed hair to a dead body and a stubborn cow to a snarky cop nothing is going smoothly. If that’s not enough, the towns citizens are giving her the cold shoulder when their not mistaking her for someone else. She just wants to keep her friends daughter safe and make it through the week. She’s just not sure she will.
I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.
Chelsea is being a good friend when she agrees to watch her besties little girl for a week while her friend is out of town doing a photo shoot. So why is everything going wrong? From blue dyed hair to a dead body and a stubborn cow to a snarky cop nothing is going smoothly. If that’s not enough, the towns citizens are giving her the cold shoulder when their not mistaking her for someone else. She just wants to keep her friends daughter safe and make it through the week. She’s just not sure she will.
I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.
August 18, 2020
Chelsea Lawson is in town to babysit her best friends 6 year old while Tilly is in Australia for a photoshoot job.
Chelsea finds her job is not nearly as easy as she thought it would be. Emma is the precocious 6 year old that is too smart for Chelsa's good. Then there's the cow, two goats, bunny's, and a dog that refuses to listen to her.
With all of this going on, Chelsea finds a body in the barn, and the entire town seems intent on blaming her for his death, and seems to want her out of their town.
A fun story with developed characters, some humor, and mysteries from 20 years ago that have decided now is the time to be revisited.
She also learns her mom has some secrets that are about to come out.
Chelsea finds her job is not nearly as easy as she thought it would be. Emma is the precocious 6 year old that is too smart for Chelsa's good. Then there's the cow, two goats, bunny's, and a dog that refuses to listen to her.
With all of this going on, Chelsea finds a body in the barn, and the entire town seems intent on blaming her for his death, and seems to want her out of their town.
A fun story with developed characters, some humor, and mysteries from 20 years ago that have decided now is the time to be revisited.
She also learns her mom has some secrets that are about to come out.
January 7, 2020
How does a city girl cope with farm life, not very well in Chelsea’s case. She thought she would have a vacation in the country. Surprise, instead she found an ornery cow, goats, rabbits and a high strung puppy. Oh and don’t forget Emma, Chelsea’s friend Tilly’s little girl. Emma is a force of nature. This story is fun and grabs you at the beginning. Cannot wait for the next book in this series. Highly recommend this book and all of CeeCee James’s books. Love being able to read her books through the Kindle Unlimited program.
April 6, 2020
Okay
The plot in this book was a good one, the future personal mystery set up for the next book looks intriguing. The characters are well described and although it’s a shorter story we’re written so well as to be believable, have depth and humour and hook you into wanting to read more of them.
The downfall of why I’ve given the book only three stars is to do with the bad proof reading and editing, honestly if a bit of time and expertise had been given in this area the book would have been so much better to read. As it was this area ruined the flow and pace of the story.
The plot in this book was a good one, the future personal mystery set up for the next book looks intriguing. The characters are well described and although it’s a shorter story we’re written so well as to be believable, have depth and humour and hook you into wanting to read more of them.
The downfall of why I’ve given the book only three stars is to do with the bad proof reading and editing, honestly if a bit of time and expertise had been given in this area the book would have been so much better to read. As it was this area ruined the flow and pace of the story.
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