A TIME TRAVEL COZY MYSTERYTwo Crimes, Two Times… gunfight played out between two centuries.
With the body count rising, and no one willing to believe Dee’s time travel theory, she’s forced to team up with a man who’s either a bona fide fruit cake or a police officer from the year 1919. Using her expert knowledge of the Irish War of Independence, Dee sets out to solve a century-old crime, plus a modern-day murder.
more
Deadline With Death is the first book of Time-Slip Mysteries by Zara Keane, and what a fantastic start it is. I found Dee Flanagan to be a very down to earth and a loveable character, with a degree in Irish History and a newspaper reporter with the 150 year old Dunleagh Chronicle, whose office just so happens to be in the old Dunleagh Castle.
And off we go…Dee unfortunately gets sucked up in a strange and vast weather change…and of all things a shootout, wow! Now she has two, yes two mysteries on her plate to investigate. Where will her investigating skills take her?
I jumped at the chance to read this mysterious and humorous cozy mystery, and I know this series is going to be a hit with all the cozy mystery readers out there. Comedy, murder, mystery and time travel all wrapped up in this fantastic new beginning. I received an ARC from the author, this review is my own opinion of the book.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
What a wondrously hilarious start to a new series! Dee is quite the eclectic character as she juggles all her part time jobs along with the needs of her extremely quirky family. Each member seems to have their special power in some way though Dee they are joking because she has none. Witnessing an extremely strange murder along with a few surprises along the way just may change her mind. I have to say the family is such a hoot to follow and combined with the mystery makes for a fantastically fun read. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
Deadline with Death is a fast-paced humorous time travel cozy mystery. The book contains a cast of quirky, off-beat characters who inhabit Dunleagh, Ireland. Dee left university to take care of her grandmother, Eda who has a heart condition. However, Eda has no intention of letting her health slow her down. She zips about town on a mobility scooter that has been altered to whiz along at fast speeds. Dee’s scarlet scooter, Mavis could benefit from a tweak or two. Dee works a variety of jobs to support the household including the Dunleagh Chronicle which has been in operation for one hundred and fifty years. However, if Mayor Henry Hyland has is way, the newspaper, museum, library and other arts programs will be decimated. He has plans to gut the castle for high end apartments. The two mysteries were intriguing. I enjoyed learning about Irish history as Dee tried to unravel what happened in the castle courtyard. The murder of Mayor Hyland has a variety of suspects (almost every adult in town wanted him dead). Dee has her hands full as she digs for the truth and make sure Bliss does not do time for a crime she did not commit. I liked the supernatural elements and how they were incorporated into the story. Deadline with Death is a lighthearted comedic tale with multiple murders, a madcap nana, mystical mayhem, a scarlet scooter, and one resolute reporter.
Deadline with Death is the first book in a new cozy mystery series from Zara Keane. I absolutely adored Keane’s Movie Club Mysteries series, which had the right amount of everything. I was excited for this new series, especially with the hint of paranormal elements to it.
In Deadline with Death, Dee Flanagan gets mixed up with a shooting, stolen evidence, multiple dips in the mud, and so many other situations that my head was spinning a bit. I found there to be a lot going on in this story and sometimes it was just a little too much and it took me out of the story. It seemed to take forever to get to the good stuff. I think almost everyone in the town was introduced, and I liked the characters — but it all seemed a little much and not enough at the same time.
That being said, I will say that I was left with wanting more information on the time-travel aspect of the world that Zara Keane is creating here. The idea of it all gets dumped on the reader fairly quickly and late in the book, so I felt I was left hanging a bit there. I’m hoping that the second book in this series explains a bit more.
Overall, I’m looking forward to more in the series.
Zara Keane starts a new Irish-set cozy mystery series with Deadline With Death, throwing in a touch of the paranormal with a bit of time travel. Dee Flanagan performs a daily balancing act, juggling her ill-paying job as a reporter for the Dunleagh Chronicle, her non-paying work on her history blog, and her irrepressible grandmother. When she finds herself caught in the middle of some very odd happenings at Dunleagh Castle, her knowledge of Irish history makes her wonder about the man, dressed in a century-old Royal Irish Constabulary uniform, who falls at her feet, wounded by gunfire. Is he a stray from some sort of historical reenactment? Why didn’t anyone else hear the gunfire, and who shot the clown? Dee tries hard to separate herself from her family’s reputation for eccentricity (all that woo-woo stuff), but with both her grandmother and her mother drawn into the mayhem surrounding the castle, Dee doesn’t know what to think.
As in her Movie Club Mystery series, Keane fills her tale with the inhabitants and circumstances of life in a small Irish town. Her Time-Slip Mystery series promises to be just as full of humor, eccentric characters, and, of course, mystery. Thoroughly entertaining.
Dee is a reporter and history buff who witnesses a most unusual murder – a local character who does clown performances is shot, but another, unknown man is also shot who is wearing a military uniform dating from Irish War of Independence times – ca. 1919! Nobody else with a gun is around. She is suspected first, then her grandmother (a pleasantly batty and no-nonsense character), and her investigations and experiences take her into all sorts of different directions – old Irish history and some family secrets as well. Twists and turns in events keep you on your toes, and there’s a nice surprise ending too! A great read, well written and proofread (one of my pet peeves when it’s not), I recommend it!
Who is using antique guns to murder people now?
Deadline with Death by Zara Keane is a stellar story, with fabulous characters, a marvelous mystery or two, and a setting that I adored. It also has the element of paranormal with a touch of time traveling and maybe a little witchcraft. If you believe in those sort of things or if you don’t this is a fabulous book.
Dee Flanagan
Our main character and sleuth is Dee Flanagan, who is also a reporter and what an excellent excuse for snooping. Dee also is a historian and likes to help out at the museum cataloging items, the library with displays and getting the old newspapers ready for digitation. She left her academic job in Dublin to return home and take care of her Grandmother.
There are so many things that I liked about Dee. She is tall and blond; she wears mostly black and white with red lipstick. Dee drives a Vespa scooter that she affectionately calls Mavis, which makes it easy to park, but rainy weather is another thing. She loves history, cares about people, and wants to be a normal person, which contradicts her family history of women that are into the supernatural. Dee is stubborn, noisy, and isn’t afraid to stand her ground. The perfect combination for a journalist/sleuth.
Mystery
There are a couple of murders, and one question is if they are connected. Who would want Mr. Chuckles and the mayor dead? Then comes the question of who is the mysterious stranger who was wounded when the clown was shot.
Purple skies, disappearing evidence, antique guns, and murder of a clown and the mayor. What does it all have in common? There lies the mystery, and now you have to read the book to find out.
Things about the book that I liked:
• The setting is amazing. Seriously an Irish castle is where Dee’s newspaper office is.
• Grandma Ada’s taste in clothing is fabulous.
• Grandma Eda’s hysterical distractions and the way she gets what she wants.
• The townspeople are all such great characters. They gossip and know everything about everyone. Well, maybe some people can keep their secrets.
• The archives where Dee hangs out are so cool. I’d love to spend some time down there. Although I would be lost for hours.
5 Stars for Deadline with Death by Zara Keane
My rating for Deadline with Death by Zara Keane is five stars. It was such a brilliant book that I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters and how they were going to get out of this predicament. The paranormal part is one of my favorites, but the history and how it impacted to townsfolk was the best part to me.
I highly recommend this book. It is a masterful start to a new series that I am thoroughly looking forward to reading. The next book in the series is due out this fall.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Deadline with Death by Zara Keane.
Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
Happy Reading
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
The descriptions and character building
I really enjoyed this first book in the Deadline With Death series. The story is enticing, the characters are fun and interesting, and I am looking forward to the next book. I am adding this series to Zara Keane’s Movie Club Mysteries as books that I love to read. I highly recommend
I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
This was a great book !
Dee finds herself in a middle of a mystery.
There was a shoot outs on the courtyard, but the players were from another century.
Were they really from the past ?or is this shoot out part of a play ?
Loved the characters + the storytelling !
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!
I can’t wait for the next book in this series.
Dee works for the local paper located in Dunleagh Castle. She lives with her grandmother, Nana, to help her ant try to keep an eye on her. It’s pretty tough when Nana is so determined to get into all kinds of hilarious mischief. There’s lots going on around the castle and town in general. When two men are shot and Dee is a witness, she uses her journalism skills to try and figure out what happened. I love the way this book is written and the characters whether they are fantastic people or bad guys. The plot is rich and I thoroughly enjoyed it with the added bonus of laughs along with the mystery. I definitely recommend it!
Deadline with Death is the first book in Zara Keane’s newest series. I liked Dee, loved her favorite mode of transportation and Eda, her Nana, is a hoot. This is a nice convoluted mystery where I did not guess the murderer. There are plenty of suspects, many possible motives and a visitor from 1919. Don’t miss this epic start to the Time-Slip mysteries!
I received an ARC and the opinions and views are my own. I love the quirky characters, some will make you laugh and some you will dislike. So far my favourite is Nana/Eda, she is so much fun and made me laugh. Loved it when Dee states she needs mine bleach for something Nana said. Dee herself is a good character as well, she has a quirky family and feels she is not like them, she is a historian and a journalist and not into mystical things. This was a good read and I would recommend this book to all who love a good murder mystery with a twist. I only gave it four stars because I thought it ended to quickly, would have liked more! Cannot wait for the next book. Also I thought I knew who the murderer was but the Author tricked me again, I had the wrong one!