Search This Blog

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

what-fresh-smell-large-banner640

What Fresh Smell
by Jeffrey Marks

The story line is interesting, has multiple twists, and no clear suspect other than Pamela.
~Christa Reads and Writes
Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00061]
What Fresh Smell (Marissa Scott Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Self-Published (August 9, 2016)
Paperback: 164 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1535456913
E-Book ASIN: B01IYX5V3A
goodreads-badge-add-plus

Synopsis

There’s Murder in River City – Daycare that is.
When Marissa learns that a teacher at the daycare center has been murdered, she comes to the realization that she really didn’t know much about the people who worked there, especially the murdered woman. She’ll now have to manage her son, her mother, her mother’s Scottish terrier, and an ex-boyfriend as she tries to hunt down the people behind a robbery ring and the person who killed a daycare teacher. If she’s not careful, she might meet the same fate.
jeff_new
Jeffrey Marks is a long-time mystery fan and freelancer.  After numerous mystery author profiles, he chose to chronicle the short but full life of mystery writer Craig Rice.
That biography (Who Was That Lady?) encouraged him to write mystery fiction. His works include Atomic Renaissance: Women Mystery Writers of the 1940s/1950s, and a biography of mystery author and critic Anthony Boucher entitled Anthony Boucher. It was nominated for an Agatha and fittingly, won an Anthony. He won a Malice Domestic Grant for The Scent of Murder, which has spurred the Marissa Scott series. What Fresh Smell is the third novel in the series.
His work has won a number of awards including the Barnes and Noble Prize and he was nominated for a Maxwell award (DWAA), an Edgar (MWA), three Agathas (Malice Domestic), two Macavity awards, and three Anthony awards (Bouchercon). Today, he writes from his home in Cincinnati, which he shares with his spouse and three dogs.
Website: jeffreymarks.com (blog is a link from the site),
Purchase Links
Amazon
Review.jpg

The story is very well written and I enjoyed the selection of a daycare for the focus of the story. It was a different location than the normal quaint little shop which made the story a bit more serious. Parents drop their children off everyday at day care thinking they will be safe. The staff is nice and the atmosphere seems happy. What if one day you get a call that a  shooting  has happened at the day care you use?

For Marissa Scott dropping  her child off at daycare is a routine she does everyday, Her job is working at the cosmetics department in a store. She seemed to enjoy her job and I loved how the author made her character very  strong. She is very responsible and funny at times. The unthinkable happens one day when someone is shot and killed at her child's daycare . I know if I had gotten a call like that, I would be in panic mode.

Gavin is Marissa's ex boyfriend who is a police officer. He seemed kinda moody and not really wanting to share much information with Marissa. Does Gavin  know the person who was killed?  The author does a great job of giving subtle hints about the killer, but I was totally shocked at the end of the story. There is a lot going on with break -ins  around town that leave Marissa suspicious of several people. I  enjoyed the twists in the story and the determination of the main character to solve the crime. The ending is good and left room for hopefully another book about Marissa and Gavin . I would love to read more about their relationship and also to resolve the friction between Marissa and her mom.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Great Escapes Book Tour. The review is my own opinion and I was not compensated for 


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Tour Participants
December 7 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
December 8 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
December 8 – Readsalot – SPOTLIGHT
December 9 – T’s Stuff – GUEST POST
December 9 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT
December 10 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST
December 11 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
December 12 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf -INTERVIEW
December 12 – Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my! – SPOTLIGHT
December 13 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
December 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – GUEST POST
December 14 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 15 – Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes – GUEST POST
December 16 – The Power of Words – SPOTLIGHT
December 17 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
December 18 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

No comments:

Post a Comment