Til Death
by Annette Dashofy
If all mysteries were as good as Til Death, readers would be glued to their easy chairs and no work would get done. Annette Dashofy continues her series with main character Zoe Chambers being promoted to Chief Deputy Coroner and giving up her job as an EMT. This is a huge change with lots of responsibilities, a big learning curve, and people and events that challenge her.
The story opens with County Coroner Franklin Marshall collapsing in the autopsy suite—and not out of a squeamish response to the procedure. The action takes off from there and doesn’t stop until the last period. There are several deaths, a cold case, attacks on law enforcement, and berserk ex-wives. Among all the cases could there be more than one criminal? There are three modes of murder, so maybe? Or do they all somehow tie together?
Philandering Dustin Landis is released from prison when a judge overturns his conviction. The D.A. is going to try him again. Dustin has always insisted on his innocence. Now pieces are coming to light that indicate a serial killer was operating in the area at the time. When Franklin’s most recent ex-wife explodes on the scene, chaos follows her. She tears Franklin’s office apart, apparently in search of a document, and summarily kicks out Zoe and the Coroner’s Office with her.
Zoe’s attention is divided as she and Police Chief Pete Adams are getting married in two weeks, an event that brings seemingly inevitable family drama to the forefront. A staff romance in the Vance Township Police force causes a crisis of a different sort. Meanwhile Zoe and Pete have to work together and independently to fit all of the puzzle pieces together with the goal of solving all those mysteries simultaneously.
I would like to extend my thanks to Edelweiss and Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #10 in the Zoe Chambers Mystery Series, but holds up well as a standalone.
Publication: June 16, 2020—Henery Press
Memorable Lines:
If Loretta Marshall’s dark hair had been half white, Zoe would’ve warned her friends who owned Dalmatians.
“Good old Dr. Davis. Politician first. Forensic expert second. Human being? Somewhere way lower on the list.”
Zoe collapsed onto her stacked boxes, staring out the dirt-streaked window, thoughts and emotions racing inside her skull like deranged bumper cars.
education pathways 
Sounds like a good excuse to not paint this last wall! Don’t I wish…lol Sounds like a good mystery. Thanks for your honest review!!!
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Yes, it would definitely get you out of a paint job. On the other hand, if you get the wall out of the way now, when it gets warmer you can take your book outside! That sounds very nice after all the cold weather and lockdown.
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Yes in my new huge cabana! I only had about a month to enjoy it last year and this year I will be there a lot!
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Oh, yes! That will be a great place to read!
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This series is a good that I read. Nice review!
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Thank you, Betty. I believe I learned about this series from you. It never disappoints.
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This sounds good! I’m adding it to my list. I gave up on mysteries a while back because the last few I read were too cheesy. But this sounds a lot better.
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Of course, everyone has different tastes, but I think this series is a good one.
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Thanks for the review Linda, I will put this series on my list!
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It’s different from so many cozy mysteries. Perhaps a little less cozy and a little more mystery. I think what makes a big difference though is Zoe’s job as an EMT and part time assistant in the coroner’s office.
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I always called this series “smart cozies” because she is a professional who has a reason to do some investigating, but they are gentler mysteries. You picked the best memorable lines for this one, Linda. I loved this one as well. Great review.
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Thank you, Carla. I love the name and the reasoning behind “smart cozy.” Good one! I agree that there is just a little more to a cozy when the main character doesn’t just happen upon a murder–again! But, I admit to being very fond of some of those too.
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I like them both as well, they have their place in my field of enjoyment.
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