Radio talk show host Dr. Maggie Walsh finds herself in the middle of a murder—again! An invitation to a glitzy fundraiser at a south Florida mansion sounds like the perfect evening. Maggie and her pals are digging up clues for a scavenger hunt when a real mystery lands in their laps. Suddenly the party’s over, and the killer is playing for keeps. Will Maggie and her team be able to crack the case … case and solve the crime?
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A Deadly Fundraiser by Mary Kennedy was another great adventure with Maggie and Vera Mae as they find themselves caught up in the murder after discovering the body while on a scavenger hunt at a fundraising event.
Vera Mae and Lola are two of the most engaging secondary characters that I have ever read. They are quirky and fun and add so much to each book. Maggie’s character has grown so much since the first book. I want to move to Florida and hang out with her, Vera Mae and Lola. The plot is fast paced with red herrings and twists that kept me guessing until the reveal. Oh, and that little romance cliff-hanger at the end has me completely hooked. Ms. Kennedy, please write faster, so I can find out what happens next.
A Deadly Fundraiser is Mary Kennedy’s fourth offering in the Talk Radio Mystery series, and it is a delight. The author’s vivid descriptions allow readers to feel one is in Cypress Grove. This can easily be read as a standalone.
Dr. Maggie has a daily call-in radio show. Her producer and close friend, Vera Mae, is a true Southern gal, whose sweet turn of phrase opens this novella. She, Maggie, Maggie’s mother Lola, and reporter pal Nick are attending a glamorous fundraiser for renovations at the elegant 1800’s Mayfair House.
Christopher Morgan willed the home to the Preservation Committee to be a Center for the Arts. Molly, head of the Preservation Committee, is working with architect Greg Towner to restore the mansion based on Mr. Morgan’s specifications. Greg is there with his girlfriend, Shari, who managed to take Greg away from his wife and three children.
Maggie, Vera Mae, and Nick admire the beautiful construction of the home as they follow the clues of a scavenger hunt. The clues led them to what most guests would never see, a gorgeously appointed speakeasy. As they oohed over the fine woodwork, Nick accidentally opened a secret door to a hidden room, where they found the body of the murdered architect.
Detective Rafe Martino, Maggie’s off and on boyfriend, arrives and makes sure that he interviews Maggie, Lola, and Vera May. At first it seems there could only be one suspect, but the more Maggie learns about Towner, the more enemies he might have. Maggie, Nick, Vera Mae and Lola spend hours discussing the murder and who the bad guy might be.
Characters are defined primarily with snappy dialog and behaviors. I like Maggie and Vera Mae, as well as Nick, and enjoy seeing Pugsley, Maggie’s adorable rescue pug. Mary Kennedy has the necessary skill to bring out well-rounded personalities within the confines of a novella.
The author shares the elegance and charm of the South even amid murder and mayhem. It is easy to see how Maggie, Nick, and Vera Mae have worked together to solve crimes. Maggie is more active than simply discussing; she gets “into the trenches” to follow hunches and ferret out clues. I thoroughly enjoyed being the armchair sleuth, delighting in seeing the theories and reasoning. The added layers are doubly challenging. I was surprised by and satisfied with the outcome. I highly recommend A Deadly Fundraiser to cozy mystery lovers who enjoy other novels of Ms. Kennedy’s as well as novellas with the best of both worlds – a complete mystery captured in a shorter read.
From a grateful heart: I received this eBook from the author with no expectation of a review. This is my honest review.
A Deadly Fundraiser Talk Radio Mystery Series #4 by Mary Kennedy.
Talk Show Radio Host Dr. Maggie Walsh is attending a fundraiser gala at a mansion in Cypress Grove, FL, which is soon to be the new Center for the Arts. During the scavenger hunt Dr. Maggie and her friends Vera Mae and Nick stumble over a dead body in a secret room in the basement. Can Dr. Maggie and her friends help Police Detective Rafe Martino solve the murder or will they end up in danger themselves?
This is my first book to read in this series I would please with the storyline as it is a well written mystery. I really enjoyed camaraderie between Dr. Maggie and her friends, Vera Mae, Nick, and Detective Rafe. I really liked Dr. Maggie’s mother as she is a quirky character, she is determined to better her acting career but sometime confuses information she is given like thinking CBS instead of CVS. This was a fairly quick read but had enough twist and turns to keep you guessing who is the real murderer until the end.
I would recommend this book to fans of the Talk Radio Mystery Series and cozy mystery lovers alike. This is a great example of a cozy mystery as there is no graphic language, sex, or language. I will definitely read the previous books in the series.