Book Review: Murder Out of Character
I received this galley in exchange for an honest review.
Author: Olivia Matthews
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Hallmark Publishing
Publish Date: September 13, 2022
Format: eBook
★★★☆☆
This book is perfect for those that like: Small Town Mysteries, Towns Coming Together to Protect Their Own, and Parents Who Know When You're Keeping Stuff from Them
You might not like this book if you aren’t into: Very Detailed Descriptions of Clothing and Furniture or the University of Florida
Favorite Line: "Our parents spent the first part of our lives trying not to worry us. We spent the second part of our lives trying not to worry them." ~ Marvella Harris
The Book
Marvey, still adjusting to life in Peach Coast, Georgia, is at a library fundraising event when she comes across a list of four names. One is the name of someone who recently died—and who may have been murdered. Another is Spencer Holt, the handsome newspaper owner who’s become one of Marvey’s best friends.
The four people appear to have nothing in common other than living in Peach Coast. Spencer dismisses the list at first, but before long, he has to admit he may be in danger. As Marvey prepares for a visit from her parents, can she, Spencer, and their intrepid librarian friends stop a killer bent on long overdue revenge?
The Review
I fell in love with Marvella Harris, aka Marvey, in the first installment of the Peach Coast Mystery Series, Murder By Page One, so I was thrilled to be back in the charming town of Peach Coast with the second in the series, Murder Out of Character.
This installment follows the events of the first book, with the story picking up only a few months after Marvey (and her crew of loyal librarians and friends) help not only solve the murder of Fiona Lyle-Hayes but also prove the innocence of one of their own. In this story though, Marvey and Crew aren’t sleuthing to keep someone from being falsely accused, they find themselves up against a potential serial killer and a deadline.
Y’all, the way this group of people, along with the rest of the town (and even at one point Marvey’s own parents), come together to protect each other and find the killer is what makes this series one of my favorites from Hallmark Publishing. Most of the residents have been in Peach Coast their whole lives, but the way they welcome Marvey, and in turn, she fights for them as well, shows just how much they all love each other already.
And the town itself? Listen, one of the reasons I enjoy cozy mysteries so much is because of the world-building involved. Each town featured in a cozy is basically a character themselves and that is no different for this series. Some of my favorite scenes are when Marvey is just observing the day-to-day life of the townsfolk. As a librarian, she’s a natural observer, which yes, makes her a great sleuth, but it also gives us as the reader such detail of Peach Coast and I absolutely adore this town and its residents. Their Southernisms, their food, their loyalty - just delightful. Even Jed, lol.
Outside of the mystery, I’m also very much enjoying the potential romantic subplots unfolding for both Marvey and her BFF, Jo. I can only hope that the series expands to include more of their budding romances, aka Get it Together Already Marvey and Spence. ::insert impatient emoji here::
Overall, while the writing style itself isn’t my favorite, the pacing was great and the story kept me guessing until the very end. It’s a great read to kick off your Spooky Reading Season.
The Author
Patricia Sargeant is a national best-selling, award-winning author. She writes romance as Patricia Sargeant and mysteries as Olivia Matthews. Her work has been featured in national publications such as Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Kirkus Reviews, Suspense Magazine, Mystery Scene Magazine, Library Journal and RT Book Reviews.
Patricia was drawn to write romance because she believes in the Power of Love as the greatest motivation. Her mysteries put ordinary people in extraordinary situations to have them find the Hero Inside.