First Degree Mudder
by Kate Dyer-Seeley

First Degree Mudder (A Pacific Northwest Mystery)

Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Kensington (November 29, 2016)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496705099
E-Book ASIN: B01CMGS41G

Synopsis

When a mud marathon champion bites the dust, Meg Reed has to go the distance to make sure a killer comes clean . . .

Back home in Portland, Oregon, Meg is ready to take her career as an outdoor writer for Extreme magazine to the next level. Lesser journalists sling mud—Meg plans to run through it. To train hard for Mud, Sweat & Beers, an extreme 5K mud run, she’s signed on with the Mind Over Mudder team, run by ten-time mud marathon champ—and former drill sergeant—Billy the Tank. But when Meg finds her tenacious trainer dead in the locker room, she has a sinking feeling someone may have been pushed too far. Digging through the hidden secrets at Mind Over Mudder is a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it. Meg will have to tread carefully, though—or she may soon be running for her life . . .

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About The Author

Kate Dyer-Seeley writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Publishing, featuring a young journalist, Meg Reed, who bills herself as an intrepid adventurer in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme. Only Meg’s idea of sport is climbing onto the couch without spilling her latte.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and son, where you can find her hitting the trail, at an artisan coffee shop, or at her favorite pub. Better yet—at all three.

Author Links

Web: http://www.katedyerseeley.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/katedyerseeley

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/katedyerseeleyauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katedyerseeley/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5370469.Kate_E_Dyer_Seeley

Purchase Links

Amazon  B&N  Target   IndieBound

I really liked the concept of this book. A journalist named Meg works for an online sports magazine. She is looking for a great story to help the magazine get better ratings. We find Meg joining a training race that lasts for three weeks. When she meets her trainer , she knew she was in for trouble. Billy is serious about getting people into shape. I found it very funny when Meg realizes she is going to have to participate in the training. I think she had this great idea that she could go and follow people around as they sweat and practically kill themselves doing the exercises. After all, she is there to get a story , not get in shape. The first time I heard Billy say"Drop and give me ten", I would have been out of there so fast I might have tripped over my shoes. 

There are several great characters in the story that I really enjoyed. Tim is there to lose weight or so he says. He is really there because his wife made him go to get healthy. He sure is not having fun and Billy seems to be tougher on him then anybody. When someone is found dead , suspects start turning up everywhere . I did like the intrigue in the book, and wait till you find out who the killer is. There are a few surprises in the story that keep the action going. Will the killer be found before someone else dies? Get ready for a fun read as you jump into this fun cozy mystery. At the end of the book the author has added some wonderful facts about Portland, Oregon which is very interesting to read. 

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

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KEEP THE FAITH, ELLEN MCGUIRE

As I write this review I am trying to keep my tears from flowing. This was such a timely book for me to read. It reached into my heart and helped old wounds heal . The author has done an amazing job of telling a story with such realism and compassion. The holidays are always very hard for me but this book really helped me see a little clearer . People struggle everyday from being a single parent, abusive and emotional abuse, homelessness , to just being lonely. After reading this touching book, I am thankful that the author wrote from her heart and left me with a message I won't forget.

Ellen is a single parent raising two children on her own. She struggles everyday trying to feed them and making sure they have a place to live. I really liked the children and loved how they were always reassuring their mom that things would get better. Ellen is hoping this year she can buy a few small things for her children to celebrate Christmas. She is devastated when she loses her job. All her hopes are gone and I could feel her despair. I liked thatcher author talked about  Ellen going to a food pantry to get much needed items. It reminded me of how sometimes we have to remove our pride  and let  others help us.

The characters are beautifully written with unexpected people who come  into Ellen's life. Throughout the book I kept reading "keep the faith." That is so hard to do when you feel like giving up. The book is a great lesson on believing ,  compassion and most of all faith.  I loved every word, every character and every emotion this book portrays. I could certainly relate to Ellen , but there are a few other characters that certainly bring hope and love to the story.  Thank you for writing a story that touched my heart and gave me a reason to have faith.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The review is my own opinion and I was not compensated for it.