5+ stars for Death by Surfboard (Holly Swimsuit Mystery Book 3) by Susie Black #cozymystery #funny
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  • N. N. Light
    • May 16, 2023
    • 3 min read

5+ stars for Death by Surfboard (Holly Swimsuit Mystery Book 3) by Susie Black #cozymystery #funny



Title: Death by Surfboard (Holly Swimsuit Mystery Book 3)

Author: Susie Black

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Humorous Cozy Mystery


Book Blurb:


No one is more stunned than Mermaid Swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik when a fisherman hooks her unscrupulous colleague’s battered corpse attached to a surfboard and hauls it onto the Washington Street Pier. The coroner ruled that while Jack Tyne drowned, he “had help dying,” and Holly’s boss is wrongly arrested for the crime. To save the big cheese from a life behind bars, the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur detective dons her sleuthing hat to find Jack’s real killer. But the trail has more twists and turns than a pretzel, and nothing turns out the way Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent for revenge.


My Review:


Are you ready to catch a wave and ride the surf along with sassy, outspoken swimsuit exec Holly Schlivnik as she tries to save her boss from a murder rap? Wow, what a brilliant cozy mystery! Susie Black has outdone herself with a fresh, hilarious installment in her award-winning series. The plot moves at a fast pace. The dialogue is witty, sharp, and hilarious. The characters are so funny, especially Holly. The descriptive narration is intricate, and the writing is superb. Death by Surfboard is an unputdownable read and you'll lose sleep over it.


This book lives and dies on its dialogue. If you're like me and enjoy clutching your sides because you're laughing so hard cozy mysteries, you're going to love Holly and her co-workers. Holly is brash, opinionated and has a running stream of thoughts that'll have you chortling. The comedic one-liners are reason enough alone to buy this book.


The other reason is the cast of characters. Death by Surfboard features a large cast of characters, many of whom are suspects. Holly is one of my favorite cozy mystery heroines. She's so smart, her mind reminds me of one of my favorite literary sleuths. Her profession and age make her a true original.


Susie Black is a masterful writer, and her writing gets better with each book. I fell in love with her writing with book one and since this is book three, I'm a Holly fanatic. I want to start a fan club complete with shirts and banners. The plot is crisp, clean, and moves at a nice cozy pace. The conflict and tension are spot on. The mystery itself is well executed and I enjoyed trying to solve it before Holly does.


If you're a cozy mystery reader, you will want to read this book. If you're looking for a good laugh, pick up this book right now. Even though this is book three, it can be read out of order or as a standalone. I can't recommend this book enough. Brilliant from start to finish.


My Rating: 5+ stars


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Author Biography:


Born in the Big Apple, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she's telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries. She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn't be worth living, she's a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she's also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect. Looking for more? Visit her website: www.authorsusieblack.com Sign up for her reader list and receive a free swimwear fit guide. Or reach her at mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com


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Reviewed by: Nancy

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