Book Description:
Murder, dimples that should be illegal, and a cockatoo with no filter. What could possibly go wrong?
Ruth Smythe is still getting used to small-town life when she stumbles on a body at Pelican Bay’s annual Easter egg hunt.
Two bodies in just a few weeks is bad enough—but it gets worse when Dan Rivers is arrested for murder.
Sure, Dan’s a little guarded and hard to read sometimes. But a killer?
No way. He’s kind. Loyal. Brave.
And possibly her almost-boyfriend.
(Not that she’s admitting it.)
As the case against him builds—and her reputation as Ruthless-the-Killer roars back to life—Ruth throws herself into the investigation.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading Mostly Dead, the second book in Susan J Bruce’s Ruthless-The-Killer romcom animal cozy mystery series set in a small coastal town in South Australia. The story opens a few weeks after book 1, Dead Ahead, finishes with Ruth and half the town heading to church for a christening. Easter is a few weeks away and the town is planning a big Easter Egg Hunt event.
Ruth and Dan’s relationship status is the talk of the town. When Ruth is involved in the discovery of a dead body, her undeserved reputation as a jinx resurfaces. Dan becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation and Ruth is convinced he’s innocent.
A wild ride ensues for Ruth and Dan as they work to solve the mystery and clear his name. A series mystery deepens and leaves Ruth with more questions than answers. Doug the cockatoo is LOL funny in how he mimics various characters and he epitomises the irreverent Aussie larrikin sense of humour.
Ruth and Dan’s cute and hilarious romance heats up and fits the category two ‘fade to black’ romance spice level.
I recommend Mostly Dead to readers who like animal cozy mystery romcoms with an amateur sleuth, a murder to solve, a charming ensemble cast of quirky characters, Easter themes, and a mouthy cockatoo.
Many thanks to the author for the advanced reader copy.
