As deputy medical examiner and homicide detective respectively, newlyweds Mattie Winston and Steve Hurley are dispatched to a grisly crime scene at the Grizzly Motel, a seedy joint for illicit liaisons on the outskirts of Sorenson, Wisconsin. A man and woman are found dead next to each other in bed in what initially appears to be a grim but straightforward murder-suicide. An affair gone sour? … sour?
But as the forensic evidence is gathered and autopsies are performed, Mattie and Hurley realize the scene has been staged. They have a double murder on their hands. The spurned spouses of both victims top the list of suspects, but as more is revealed, the case becomes increasingly complex. Dividing their time and resources between the crime and an ongoing investigation involving Mattie’s father, plus caring for their kids, the two are stretched to their limits. After another victim turns up dead, there’s no room for error as they stage a scene of their own to back the killer into a corner . . .
Praise for Annelise Ryan and her Mattie Winston series
“The forensic details will interest Patricia Cornwell readers . . . while the often slapstick humor and the blossoming romance between Mattie and Hurley will draw Evanovich fans.” —Booklist
“The funniest deputy coroner to cut up a corpse since, well, ever!”
—Laura Levine, author of Killer Cruise
“A puzzler of a mystery. Annelise Ryan has created a smart and saucy heroine in Mattie Winston . . . What a thrill ride!” —New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay
“Ryan smoothly blends humor, distinctive characters, and authentic forensic detail.”
—Publishers Weekly
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Dead Calm
Mattie Winston Mystery, Book #9
Annelise Ryan
5 Stars
Synopsis:
The honeymoon will have to wait for newlyweds Mattie Winston and Steve Hurley . . .
As deputy medical examiner and homicide detective respectively, the couple are dispatched to a grisly crime scene at the Grizzly Motel, a seedy joint for illicit liaisons on the outskirts of Sorenson, Wisconsin. A man and woman are found dead next to each other in bed in what initially appears to be a grim but straightforward murder-suicide. An affair gone sour?
But as the forensic evidence is gathered and autopsies are performed, Mattie and Steve realize the scene has been staged. They have a double murder on their hands. The spurned spouses of both victims top the list of suspects, but as more is revealed, the case becomes increasingly complex. Dividing their time and resources between the double homicide and an ongoing investigation involving Mattie’s father, as well as caring for their toddler Matthew and Steve’s teenaged daughter Emily, the two are stretched to their limits.
After another victim turns up dead, there’s no room for error as Mattie and Steve stage a scene of their own to back the killer into a corner . . . (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. I like that Mattie is a working mother with two children to raise. That made her seem more realistic to me and it was refreshing to see her struggling to juggle all of her responsibilities, just like everyone else. Her husband, Steve, loves Mattie and his family fiercely and will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. The two make a good pair, both at work and in the personal loves. I really like them both.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is fast paced. The book is action packed and I found myself having to stop and catch my breath while I was reading. There is more than one mystery to solve in this book (one is a recurring one that is not easily solved). Things are not always as they seem.
The author is very talented in creating tension and suspense with the written word. I stayed up much later than I should have reading this book, wanting to find out what was going to happen.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well plotted mystery. I think this series just keeps getting better and better. If you have not read any of this series yet, I would suggest you start at the beginning for the most enjoyment. What are you waiting for?
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley.
It has been a long time since I’ve read this book. I love all the books by this author.
This series was great! Different kind of mystery…..very entertaining.
Love this series!!
Another fantastic book in this series! Mattie and Hurley are called to the scene of an apparent murder-suicide. It seems that the deceased people were having an affair. The two quickly realize that not all is as it seems and the case turns into a murder investigation. Also, an odd looking body turns up at the site where Mattie and Hurley are building their new home and some think it’s an alien. Mattie and Hurley are also still looking into the details behind the deaths from the previous book when Mattie’s co-worker was murdered. Lots of intrigue and fun in this book. Can’t wait to see what’s next!!
Dead Calm by Annelise Ryan is the ninth installment in A Mattie Winston Mystery series. Mattie Winston, medicolegal death investigator for the medical examiner’s office, and her husband, Detective Steve Hurley are called out during the night to a crime scene at the Grizzly Motel. At first glance, it looks like a murder-suicide scenario with Craig Knowlton killing Meredith Lansing. But upon further examination, it is evident that the scene was staged. Now Steve and Mattie have a double murder on their hands. The more they dig, the more complex the case. At the site of Steve and Mattie’s new home, the builders dig up a set of unusual remains. The bones are deformed which causes speculation that the remains are those of an alien (media sensation). Steve is still digging into the Prince case which relates back to Mattie’s father. They are still missing some key details. Will Mattie’s father fill in the gaps? This pair have their hands full with three investigations, a teenager and a toddler to take care of, and the construction of their new home on hold. Then another victim turns up. It does not help that the medical examiner’s office is understaffed, and the only potential candidate has a malodourous medical condition. How will it all turn out? You will have to read Dead Calm to find out!
Dead Calm reminds me of the Energizer bunny—the story just keeps going and going at a fast clip. Dead Calm has three mysteries with varying levels of complexity. There is one odd, one simple, and the final one is convoluted. The main mystery can be solved before you are a quarter of the way through the story. The Prince case is more complex, and it started in a previous book in this series. It is a mystery that plays out since readers are not given all the facts necessary to solve it. This case dominates the book, and we are vast amounts of information relating to it (information overload). The odd case involving the deformed skeleton is interesting and provides some humorous moments (since people believe the skeleton belongs to an alien). I felt that the author crammed too much into this one book. Dead Calm is not a standalone book. While many details about the characters and cases from previous books is included (goes on for many pages), new readers will be lost. The characters are realistic and well-developed. The ending was anticlimactic regarding the Prince case, but the solution was clever. The crimes are counterbalanced with humor that will have many people laughing hilariously. There are a couple of items in the book that I could have done without. One of them being Matthew, Mattie’s young son, peeing on her leg. While I am sure most people will find it humorous and realistic, I did not feel it needed to be included (makes me glad I had a daughter). There is some repetition of information in Dead Calm. It makes me wonder if authors think readers forget the facts as we progress through the book. I am giving Dead Calm 4 out of 5 stars. There is a preview of Last Call (the next book in A Mack’s Bar Mystery series) at the end (both series written by same author).