Dead-End Detective

by Amanda Flower

Romy is a large Maine Coon cat with a propensity for climbing ninety-year-old Mrs. Berger’s tree on her forty beautiful acres of lakefront property in Herrington on the shores of Seneca Lake. Darby, a P.I., is frequently enlisted, as she passes by on her morning runs, to perform a voluntary rescue operation. Darby’s real job as 40% owner of Two Girls Detective Agency involves helping her business partner Samantha with normal investigations—pilfering, marital affairs, etc. Never major violent crimes. Until Samantha’s car is forced off the road. Was it an accident or caused by malicious intent?

The plot involves lots of threads. Business owner Matt Billows wants to buy Mrs. Berger’s land to restore his Lake Waters Retreat. Samantha’s nephew Tate suddenly returns to town and stands to inherit 60% of Two Girls. Samantha has been negotiating with Billows over a job as his head of security. Billows’ ex-wife is full of stories, and jealousy rules the day in their relationship. The green-eyed monster also rears its head as sparks fly between Darby and Tate as her on again, off again former boyfriend investigates the crime and tries to keep Darby from being charged with murder.

Dead-End Detective is a fun and fast read. I enjoyed meeting the characters in this new series and look forward to seeing them again. If you think you know Amanda Flower as an author, you’ll want to try her new series which is a departure from her previous books, but every bit as satisfying and engaging.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Hallmark Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. A Piper and Porter Mystery

2. Recipe for Berry Trifle included.

Publication:   August 25, 2020—Hallmark Publishing

Memorable Lines:

She blamed Austin for everything that went wrong in our relationship. Maybe that wasn’t fair, but it was girl code. The guy was always wrong in girl code.

“I took the liberty of pulling a number of books for you that will help. We have a nice section in the library about grief and dealing with adversity.”  I nodded. I should have expected this. There was nothing that my mother didn’t believe was fixable with the right book.

My father had liked Austin just fine when we were dating, but every time we’d broken up. he’d hated him again. He was a good dad the way.