There’s something fishy just below the surface of Scumble River…School psychologist Skye Denison-Boyd is getting ready to return to work from her maternity leave and hoping for a peaceful year in her job as a school psychologist. But when an elderly woman disappears on her first day back and a disgruntled parent threatens to sue the school, Skye realizes that her return will be anything but … return will be anything but quiet.
When the parent suing Skye’s school is found dead and with the missing woman’s case is still unsolved, Skye suspects the crimes are somehow linked. With her chief of police husband, Wally, at her side, Skye dives into the investigations. But as tensions rise and Skye and Wally’s suspect list lengthens, they start to wonder whether a member of their own tight-knit community could be behind it all…
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
We return to Scumble River as work is almost complete on Wally and Skye’s new home. They are both looking forward to moving out of the RV and having plenty of room to spread out. Skye is also nearing the end of her maternity leave which means they have to hire a new nanny soon. During her leave, she has been going into the school when her intern replacement needs help dealing with school staff or parents. Right now she is trying to explain to a mother than her child is not as gifted as she thinks. The meeting takes a huge left turn that results in the mother threatening to sue the school. Oh boy, does Skye really want to return to all this drama?
Later the woman threatening to sue is found dead and Skye learns she was her contractor’s wife. Skye gets nervous that someone from the school could be responsible. She also worries that the death will halt construction on her home.
Wally has also asked Skye to assist him in the case of a missing woman. Could the two cases be connected? Could the killer be someone they know? Skye and Wally are determined to find out.
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Denise Swanson is a remarkable storyteller. Her characters have become old friends and I couldn’t wait to get into the pages to see what they were up to this time.
I love the way Skye and Wally really compliment each other. They are excelling at parenting and working together too. Wally asks for Skye’s help and trusts her theories and opinions. They make a great team and I love that we get to see things from both Skye and Wally’s point of review. It is very refreshing to have a cozy mystery written in this way.
The main characters are surrounded by a great supporting cast as well. There is family to pitch in to help with the babies and to give their opinions on just about everything. Oh, May, you are such a treasure but there are times I want to reach in the book and tape your mouth shut
We have some quirky characters too. The Dooziers are doozies but always make me smile and sometimes laugh out loud. Friends, school staff and town residents round out the wonderful cast. The dialogues are crisp with a lot of humor. Very realistic for the midwest setting.
The main and subplots are very well-written and have a comfortable flow. The author packed the pages full of daily life and drama along with a nice bit of humor too. Twists, turns, red herrings, this story has them all. Ms. Swanson has given us quite an intriguing story. One of the mysteries wraps up in a delightful way. The other kept me guessing to the very end.
Come Homicide or High Water is a marvelous addition to this series. Entertaining characters wrapped in a delightful story that includes mysteries that are interesting and fun to try to solve. I can’t wait for my next trip to Scumble River.
This is the third book in the continuation of Denise Swanson’s Scumble Murder Mysteries. The change happened when the series was picked up by the new publisher. I had gotten behind on the series but was thrilled to jump back in with this new start. I love these characters and do plan to go back with the books I missed. Ms. Swanson has done an excellent job providing background so readers like me with a few books in arrears can pick up books in the continuation without feeling lost. I recommend new readers start with the first book in the continuation, Dead in the Water for maximum enjoyment. You will probably want to go back and read them all.
Come Homicide or High Water
Welcome Back To Scumble River, Book #3
Denise Swanson
5 Stars
Synopsis:
THE FIRST IN A NEW COZY MYSTERY SERIES
From New York Times bestselling author Denise Swanson comes Come Homicide or High Water, a cozy mystery full of twist and turns and small town charm! Because despite appearances, there’s something fishy just below the surface of Scumble River…
You’ll love getting to know this brand-new series from the author of the beloved Scumble River Mysteries. This book is:
A delightful small town cozy mysteryFull of quirky, lovable charactersPerfect for fans of Kate Carlisle and Miranda JamesWelcome back to Scumble River! Skye Denison-Boyd is getting ready to return to work from her maternity leave and hoping for a peaceful year in her job as a school psychologist. But when an elderly woman disappears on her first day back and a disgruntled parent threatens to sue the school, Skye realizes that her return will be anything but quiet.
When the parent suing Skye’s school is found dead and with the missing woman’s case still unsolved, Skye suspects the crimes are somehow linked. With her chief of police husband, Wally, at her side, Skye dives into the investigations. Now she and Wally barely have enough time for date night once the babies are asleep! But as tensions rise and Skye and Wally’s suspect list lengthens, they start to wonder whether they’ll be able to catch the guilty ones before tragedy strikes again. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. It would not matter to me if there was a mystery to solve or not, I just enjoy spending time with Skye and Wally. It is so refreshing to read about them working together, whether they are trying to figure out their family situation or trying to solve a mystery. It is great that Wally cares about her input and insights and really listens to Skye.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The descriptions held my interest and the action just kept coming. The mystery was well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. The mystery was challenging and not easily solved, which is a plus in my book.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am waiting patiently for the next book to be written.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Skye Denison-Boyd is trying to enjoy the last 6 weeks of her maternity leave, but something always seems to get in the way. The intern that is filling in as school psychologist needs to be supervised and the threat of a lawsuit has administration looking to Skye for help. Then, her part-time job as a consultant for the police department needs her when an elderly woman with dementia goes missing.
When work isn’t keeping her busy Skye is worried about the completion of their new home and finding a nanny for her twins. The contractor they’ve hired seems to be missing much of the time despite promising them the house would be ready before Christmas. The nanny issue is the only thing that seems to be solved easily. And then, there is a murder.
This is the 3rd book in the Welcome Back to Scrumble River series, a continuation of the Scrumble River series. This is one of the series that I struggle with to wait patiently for the next book. The characters are well written and the protagonist has a job with which I can relate to. The setting is a small town in Illinois, and I picture it much like a town near me. This is a book that once you start reading you don’t want to set it down. The plot moves quickly and is engaging. I recommend this book and all of the books in both series. I am looking forward to the next book.
A fun addition to the Welcome Back to Scumble River series. Skye Denison-Boyd is the school psychologist for the district and when needed assists the Scumble River police department. Her husband, Wally Boyd, is the police chief in this small town and relies on Skye’s insight in to various cases. On maternity leave following the birth of their twins, Skye becomes involved in two investigations for the department. A woman, who may have dementia is missing and another woman is murdered at her home. I recommend this fast-paced story with a host of quirky characters and the original Scumble River series as well. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
Come Homicide or High Water by Denise Swanson in another of the Welcome Back to Scumble River series and brings us home to Skye and Wally and their adorable twins, who at three months of age are still living in the RV Wally’s dad provided after a tornado leveled their house. Work is progressing on the new house and if their general contractor would arrive a little more consistently, life would be better. Wally continues as police chief and Skye, although she is still on maternity leave, usually goes in to work a time or two a week for a few hours, just to supervise the intern that had been left in charge. Life was good, only the disappearance of an older woman on the horizon until one day when the silence in the RV is broken by a call from Earl Dozier, pleading for assistance. Skye calls her father-in-law for last minute babysitting and takes off for the address Earl had given her. At first she sees nothing so she gets out of her car to investigate and comes upon Earl…in a turkey costume. He tells her there is a dead body but he did no killing and she discovers he’s right! She immediately calls Wally at which point Earl takes off, only to be immediately escorted back by the security guys who had followed her at her father-in-law’s behest. So the investigation begins. It is typical Scumble River.
Denise Swanson is the grand dame of the cozy mystery. This series has been running since 2000 and just gets better as our characters lives grow and change. Skye is still insecure although she is coming around, mainly thanks to Wally and his love for her. She has her family, something she though would never happen and she has Wally and will soon have a new house. Life has never been better. The fabulous thing about Scumble River is the peripheral characters that we have come to know and love, foremost the Doziers but Skye’s mother, May, high school principal, Home Knapik, even mayor, Dante. All are unique and lovable in their own ways. The plot is interesting but not incredibly different than usual. Fun to read. Fun to return to Scumble River. I recommend it to readers who have followed the series for years and to new readers. This is a great place to begin.
I received a free ARC of Come Homicide or High Water from Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein in are solely my own. #netgalley #homicideorhighwater
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Fantastic book! This book has got to be one of the absolute best Scumble River books. The shenanigans of Skye’s family and the Dooziers make these books. I want to visit Scumble River. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy!
I love the entire Scumble River series – you get invested in the characters!
Didn’t see the ending coming !
It is nice to be back in Scumble River. I am a long time Denise Swanson reader and what hit me the most about this story is even after two decades with Skye Denison (now Denison-Boyd) is that the stories continue to be entertaining, intriguing and each with its own distinct story. The characters continue to develop and change enough to make it interesting and Earl Doozier is always good for a chuckle.
This is the third in the Welcome Back to Scumble River series and there are over twenty books featuring Skye Denison in Scumble River. Even if you have never read a Skye Denison-Boyd book Come Homicide or High Water could easily be read and enjoyed as a stand alone.
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
In this third book of the series Skye is looking forward to having her new home finished, living in an RV has its challenges especially with two babies to care for. She is also getting prepared to return to work and isn’t sure how she feels about leaving her babies, finding the right person to care for them hasn’t been ideal. During her first trip back to the school she is met with an angry parent who is ready to sue and Wally ends up needing her help with a missing persons case. The next day Skye gets a panicked phone call and rushed to help but ends up finding a dead body instead. It looks like someone wasn’t happy with the disgruntled parent and killed her. Skye can’t help but get involved in looking for the killer, she wants to make sure the right person is caught. Follow along and see if she can gather up the proper clues that will help her come to the right conclusion. Will she be able to find a killer and will Wally ever figure out what happened to the missing woman?
Series: Welcome Back to Scumble River – Book 3
Author: Denise Swanson
Genre: Cozy Mystery/ Amateur Sleuth
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Page Count: 352
Publishing Date: December 31, 2019
From Poisoned Pen Press comes the newest cozy book in the “Welcome Back to Scumble River” series by Denise Swanson comes the highly anticipated third book, Come Homicide or High Water.
In this new cozy book, Skye is happy with her life as a new mom of twins, a husband she adores, a job she is looking forward to getting back too but with a hint of regret about leaving the babies for most of the day. The occasional murder or missing person is troublesome, but she loves living in the town, and most of the residents are lovely, with a few exceptions. Her life is a far cry from when she first returned to Scumble River unhappy, broke, and out of options.
When a woman goes missing, and shortly after another woman is murdered. Skye helps her husband track down anyone who may have seen the missing woman, along with questioning the suspects to find the killer. It doesn’t take long for Skye and Wally to realize that people are lying and hiding information. This cozy book comes to an unexpected conclusion and will leave readers delighted with the outcome.
As with any cozy book, the killer is found, but may not be who readers have at the top of their suspect list. Clues are peppered throughout the story, and the characters lead readers on an adventure in family, friends, and co-worker’s lives while piecing together the crime, the motive, and the outcome.
I found this cozy book to be entertaining, detailed enough to keep my interest and a fast-paced read. The writing is flawless; the plot easy to understand, and the characters delightful. I am happy to recommend Come Homicide or High Water.
Tense Small Town Illinois Mystery
This is a very good story. There is a lot of background from prior episodes, but the author weaves it into the story so that the new reader is up-to-date and the long-time reader is not bored. The story line is pretty tense at times and could cause me a nightmare or two. Beyond that, the story is just great, especially the inter-family pick-pick. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
Skye is still living in the trailer along with her husband and the 2 growing twins. Her maternity leave is coming to an end and she still is looking for a nanny. Now Wally has called her to help on a missing elderly woman plus she’s trying to help the intern at school with an unhappy parent. When the parent turns up dead things really heat up.
Join Skye in solving the multiple mysteries while juggling the twins. Great book!!
Another enjoyable entry in the Scumble River series. One of the things I appreciate about this series is that life moves on. The characters mature and there’s personal growth unlike some other long running series I used to read and finally got tired of (NJ bounty hunter and a cookie baker are two). This keeps this series fresh as well as the large group of background characters.
Some of the background characters get “thrown under the bus” in this book and I have to say a part of me was cheering. I was also glad to see Skye is no longer the doormat she once was (part of that personal growth mentioned previously).
This story takes place much more outside of the school since Skye is on maternity leave, though, of course, she still pops in. Because less is set there, we get more Wally time which was great after all these books. There’s even section featuring him without Skye.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.