Fiction Can Be Murder

by Becky Clark

What does a pickle jar have in common with an unpublished manuscript used as the blueprint for murder? Take a trip to beautiful, sunny, snowy Denver to meet mystery author Charlee Russo and her writing support group who suddenly find themselves under suspicion of murder along with about ten other people in Becky Clark’s Fiction Can Be Murder.

This book follows the fairly standard expectations for a cozy mystery. The main character tries to solve the crime to clear herself and her friends. She has romantic entanglements to work through. Her brother, who plays a very small role, is a cop, but Carlee mainly deals with two detectives in an antagonistic role. The characters range from interesting to quirky.

While Fiction Can Be Murder will not go down as one of the greats in mysteries, it provides an enjoyable read that will keep you guessing at “whodunnit.” I particularly enjoyed Clark’s humorous turn of phrase in descriptions and dialogue, and I will be looking for the next book in the series.

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

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #1 in the Mystery Writer’s Mystery Series

Publication:   April 8, 2018—Midnight Ink

Memorable Lines:

The closest I came to having servants was watching Downton Abbey.

This was one of the few times I longed for a sturdy landline I could slam down. Hanging up with attitude was simply not satisfactory on cellphones.

I will admit to getting sucked into the Grocery Store Apocalyptic Group-Think Drama once, the day before a blizzard. I saw there were only two pounds of butter on the shelf and I grabbed them both. I didn’t need butter, and certainly not eight sticks of it, but I felt the pull of that panic. What if I did need it? What if I ran out? How would I survive for two whole days with only the single stick of butter I’ve had in my refrigerator for the last three months?