June 2025
ISBN: 9781529939071
Review:
Thank you to Kelly for gifting me a copy of her book.
This is a very clever plot and would make a great TV Series.
Author Kelly Mullen is a renowned produced and market executive. Her creative work as won over fifty awards and her credits as an executive producer include academy nominated films.
Addie is a popular online murder mystery game creator who was at loggerheads with the producer over the side quests she wanted to include. Has her ex partner takes control removing Addie’s name and her rights to ownership of the game, she is left in a headspace of confusion.
At the home of Jane Ireland a group of seemingly unconnected people are invited to Jane’s mansion on Mackinac Island (think Hamptons) for a charity auction. Rosemary (Mimi) Addie’s gran and a local on Mackinac, has been begrudging persuaded into attending Jane’s event.
Mimi loves nothing more than a Gibson (a Martini but with a pickled onion instead of an olive) and a crossword. A quirky, endearing but loveable character with a large bag and a penchant for speaking her mind.
When Jane is found dead Addie finds herself in the midst of a real life murder, trapped in a house with a moat and the drawbridge is up. The only person who knows where the switches are to lower it is dead. It is winter and a blizzard is raging making the roads un-passable for any help to reach them.
Has bodies mount up Addie unwittingly finds herself and her sidekick (well not really ) Mimi becoming amateur detectives. Using Addie’s knowledge for cracking clues from the side quests she implement into her game they set about rattling a few cages to find a killer.
But with so many rooms to cover Addie questions if the clues are really there or did the rooms in this mansion really look like this all along.
The authors humour plays out so well and brings a smile to this cosy murder mystery. With everyone suspecting each other but wondering if the killer is still in their midst Woody (the pianist) an odd character, difficult to figure out, comes across chilled but with an edge of panic, declares ” the killer pole-vaulted over the moat!”.
Mimi with her wicked sense of humour finds herself locked in a pantry with Addie. Looking for a way out, Addie spots an air vent and attempts to open ” I could try to get it open but I’ll need a screwdriver first” she announces, Mimi who loves her cocktails quips “there is some vodka and oranges in here”.
Kelly has injected some wonderful humour into what could have been a dry predictable story. Jim Towels, referred to as Towels and a wine called Growing Concern. Mimi with her cute and curious names for objects which at times can be a bit confusing if you forget that they are actually objects and not characters.
Addie and Mimi play good cop bad cop and despite the age gap think alike, one usually getting to the same conclusion as the other within seconds of each other. Addie is like Sherlock Holmes to Mimi’s Miss Marple, a double act everyone needs to meet.
A cosy mystery that is easy to read with funny antidotes and some childhood throwbacks that will bring back memories you thought you’d forgot.
