Title: Body Conscious
Author: Ana Diamond
Genre: Romantic Cozy Mystery
Book Blurb:
Mortician, Lily Reynolds is used to seeing bodies, but not the type murdered in her own funeral home. As Detective James Rivers zeroes in on her as the town’s number one suspect she must rise above the accusations and rumors to solve the case herself while keeping her attraction to the troubled detective at bay.
James has a past. The last time he let someone into his life she wound up dead. Vowing never to let that happen again he has sworn off dating for good. Until he meets Lily. In his gut he knows she’s not the murderer but pressure to solve the case puts him on the wrong trail while he struggles to keep Lily off the case.
Can she solve the case on her own or will their scandalous romance get in the way of proving her innocence?
My Review:
You'd think a mortician would be used to dead bodies but when Lily finds a murdered man in her family's funeral home, she's the #1 suspect. Lily Reynolds loves her work as a mortician, but it can make others squeamish, especially boyfriends. When she finds a murdered man, the police assume she's got the motive, means, and opportunity. She quickly becomes their number 1 suspect. In a vain effort to clear her name, Lily starts her own investigation. What she unravels is an old enemy, a woman crazy enough to hire a hitman to kill her, and a rival funeral home owner. Which one did it and who’s trying to frame her? Teaming up with handsome detective James Rivers, they try to solve the murder while trying 'not' to fall for each other. Lily swore to never date a cop and James vowed to never let someone he loves to wind up dead because of his job. Love's a funny thing. Can Lily let down her guard and let love in, all while bringing a murderer to justice?
Body Conscious is an addictive cozy mystery I couldn't put down. A small town, quirky characters, rival funeral homes, a murder to solve, and an unexpected romance all make Body Conscious a delightful read. From the beginning, I connected with Lily and the Reynolds family. Their honest reactions to the body, to the rumors flying, to the fallout of the murder investigation added depth and authenticity to the story. The plot moved at a terrific pace with a full cast of suspects, errrr… characters, to interact with. The romance between Lily and James caught me by surprise but I enjoyed it. There were even a few twists I didn't see coming. Ana Diamond is a gifted writer who knows innately what makes a good cozy mystery. I look forward to reading more from Ana Diamond. Fans of mortician mysteries and other fiction will love Body Conscious. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
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Author Biography:
When Ana Diamond isn't writing about tough gals finding love in unexpected places, she’s at work by day in the medical field. She writes romantic cozy mystery novels with feisty strong women and alluring men who can’t resist them. Her books are fast paced, entertaining and heartfelt all at once.
Ana is a 2020 Tara Contest Finalist for Body Conscious and 2015 Melody of Love contest finalist. She lives in New York with her husband, two children and two needy but wildly entertaining kitty cats.
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Reviewed by: Mrs. N