Think Murder
Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth Book 1
By Cassidy Salem
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Good friends, wine and conversation… Great fun – until somebody turns up dead.
Adina Donati came to Washington D.C. to find excitement, not a dead body. When a friend is murdered, Adina is drawn into the middle of the police investigation. Tensions rise as the suspect list expands to include Adina, her friends, and colleagues at the prestigious think tank where she works. But every cloud has a silver lining. Between the nice detective, the hot new volunteer at the dog rescue center, and the newly available preppy ex-boyfriend, Adina’s dating dry spell appears near its end. That is, if she doesn’t become the next victim.
Dying For Data
Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth Book 2
A rival suitor and a deadly attack are enough to put a damper on any date.
A romantic evening with a hot guy goes downhill fast when dinner is interrupted by the scream of sirens and the arrival of Adina's favorite police detective. Afraid her bartender boyfriend might be accused of murder, Adina's neighbor enlists her assistance, and in the process exposes her to the seamier side of illegal immigration and crime in the city. Hard as she tries to limit her involvement, the more Adina learns, the more she needs to know - until a case of mistaken identity lands her in hot water. Will she uncover the truth before it's too late?
Killer Reputation
Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth Book 3
Adina can’t resist snooping when someone she knows turns up dead. Again.
When a colleague at a prestigious think tank meets a violent death, Adina’s not convinced any of the obvious suspects disliked him enough to want him dead. Can the young research assistant, her quirky neighbor, and a lovable rescue pup help the police put together the pieces of the puzzle?
Killer Reputation is the third mystery in the Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth Series by Cassidy Salem. The books are standalone reads and can be read in any order.
Adina is living a normal life in D.C. when she finds her friend and co-worker murdered. Somehow, despite not a lot of effort on her part, Adina becomes involved in the investigation. Adina has a knack for finding out information, and she’s more than willing to share it with the detective investigating the murder. She also finds herself taking over the report her friend was working on, and finding herself getting the wrong kind of attention.
I loved this story and how the author built the mystery. It felt very natural that Adina was involved in solving the mystery of her friend’s death, as she really was just doing her job and talking to people. There was never a point that Adina was trying to take over the case, and I really liked that. Also, Adina who hasn’t been dating, suddenly finds herself attracted to two different men who are also interested in her.
Many times the first book in a series can be a lot as the author is building the world, but not this one. There wasn’t a lot of forced information in the story, it gradually built through the book and series which just allowed me to read and enjoy. I’d definitely recommend this book and series! It was an easy, quick read that kept my attention the entire time. The mystery was very well done and we had a chance of following along with Adina as she discovered more information. And, as I’ve mentioned many times, I’m not a fan of romance in my mysteries because it can overwhelm the story. Not so with this one. It was a mystery with a small dash of romance, so don’t go into this series thinking there’s a love story with a HEA!
Rating: 5 stars!
The second book in the series is Dying for Data. Again, from the first page, my attention was focused on this story. In the first book, Adina was attracted to two different men and I definitely had my favorite. I was a little disappointed to find Adina was dating the other man. Really? Ha, how’s that for not liking romance in my mysteries. ;) Adina’s date with said man is interrupted by a murder and Adina is pulled into it when her neighbor is peripherally involved. Again, Adina isn’t forcing herself into the investigation but it happens naturally because of her personality. She is smart and personable and able to figure out information to help the investigation but she gets more than she bargained for when she’s mistakenly kidnapped.
The author has done a fantastic job with this series and the characters in it. It’s easy to sit down and fall into the pages of this story. We learned a lot about Adina’s place of employment in the first book and the author continues to build that part of her life, even though she could have ignored it. I loved the continuing build of Adina’s world, acquaintances and friends. The mystery in this book was just as good as the first one, and just as complicated to unravel. If you enjoy mysteries, you should definitely check out this series!
Rating: 5 stars!
The third book in the series is Killer Reputation. I was happy to find Adina still dating the guy I liked. Adina again found herself drawn into a murder case when her neighbor and co-worker is killed. But, this time, Adina has another neighbor to help her natural nosiness in finding information out about the case.
I loved this book just as much as I loved the previous two! Again, the mystery is well done and complicated and Adina is a natural at finding clues without even trying. This was the first book in the series in which I had figured out the culprit, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the story from beginning to end. Something I didn’t mention, is the topics this author takes on in her books. She has some touchy subjects, such as immigration or abortion, but does a great job of not entangling the story in one side or another.
The author says it’s possible to read these books in any order, but, take my advice, read them in the appropriate order! And, you really do need to read this fantastic series. I love the writing style of the author, who has really created a character that I’d love to be friends with. Well, maybe not friends with based on what happens to those people, but someone I know, from a distance ;) I highly recommend this series and can’t wait to read the next one!
Rating: 5 stars!
**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.**
Cassidy Salem has always been an avid reader. She is especially fond of mysteries (both cozy and traditional) and police procedurals. Over the years, her favorite mystery authors have included Agatha Christie, Kathy Reichs, Mary Higgins Clark, and John Grisham. When she's not reading, she enjoys music and spending time with family and friends, and travels with her husband and son whenever possible. Her travels have taken her to destinations throughout the United States, Europe, and Scandinavia.
Cassidy is the author of the Adina Donati Mystery Series, which includes Think Murder, Dying for Data, and Killer Reputation. Cassidy co-authors, together with Christa Nardi, a YA mystery series, which includes The Mysterious Package, Mrs. Tedesco's Missing Cookbook, The Misplaced Dog, and Malicious Mischief.
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!
Heather,I am so glad you enjoyed Adina's adventures. Thank you for your kind words and for featuring the series on your blog.
ReplyDeleteI like the first cover best. I can only assume that dogs play a significant role in the stories.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the reviews. All the covers look nice =)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this great review and Congratulations Cassidy Salem! This sounds like an awesome series.
ReplyDelete