Review & Giveaway: PLATEFUL OF MURDER by Carole Fowkes

As part of a Blog Tour organized by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours,  I am happy to introduce you to a new cozy mystery – Plateful of Murder,  by Carole Fowkes.  This book is the first installment in  the Terrified Detective series.

Synopsis

Private Detective Claire DeNardo is afraid of everything. Simple things like balloons, roller coasters, and hairpieces make her knees knock loud enough to be a band’s rhythm section. Unfortunately, the only job Claire can find is working for her Uncle Gino in his seedy detective agency. Until now, her cases have all been middle-aged men with trophy wives who needed watching. But Claire gets swept up in a murder case despite being afraid of conflict, bodily harm, and hurting anyone’s feelings. She enlists a jaded security guard, Ed, to help her. But when Ed is attacked and left comatose, Claire must stumble along by herself. Both the client who hired her and the handsome police detective want her off the case. When the wrong person is charged, it’s up to the terrified detective, to summon all the courage she can to find the true killer.

My Review

I liked this mystery.  A not-so savvy, very likable private detective with limited experience, Claire takes on a case that challenges her to go beyond her comfort zone on many levels.  The story is told by Claire in a light conversational tone; she pokes fun at herself, her fears, and her economic situation. It’s easy to relate to Claire as a person – her interactions with her family  and others were humorous, yet believable. And there was even a hint of romance in the works. The suspense built nicely, with surprises along the way,  keeping me turning pages till way past my bedtime.

FTC Disclosure:   I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of this blog tour.  This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

About the Author

Carole Fowkes is the author of the cozy mystery series, “The Terrified Detective.” She has also had stories in a number of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books and other similar anthologies. She’s a registered nurse and lives with her husband in Dallas, Texas.

Author Links

• www.carolefowkes.com
• https://www.facebook.com/carolefowkes
• https://twitter.com/CaroleFowkes
• https://www.goodreads.com/carolefowkes

Purchase Links
Amazon

Giveaway
Click here to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a  print or e-book set of all three Terrified Detective Mysteries.