Newspaper editor and amateur sleuth Molly Owens takes center stage when it’s curtains for a theater director . . . Living in the beautiful coastal town of Britton Bay, Oregon, seems like the perfect fit for Molly. She enjoys her work as editor-in-chief of the Britton Bay Bulletin, loves her boyfriend Sam, and feels at home in the adorable cottage in the back of his mother’s bed and breakfast. … This spring Britton Bay is staging its first-ever community theater production. The show—featuring local residents—is the talk of the town, but tongues are really wagging over the director. It turns out former soap opera actress Magnolia Sweet is anything but; nothing’s worse than a has-been on a power trip, and steely Magnolia routinely chews out her amateur cast. Still, it’s a shock to all when she’s found murdered in the theater. Now it’s open call for suspects, as Molly steps in to shine a spotlight on a killer waiting in the wings. But will this be her final act? Praise for Deadly News “The news is all good for this cozy mystery! Deadly News will make you want to pack up and move to the seaside town of Britton Bay, Oregon. The characters are vividly brought to life, there’s a perfect touch of romance, and the mystery has enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Don’t miss out on a charming new series—grab this cozy while it’s hot off the press!”—Sarah Fox, USA Today bestselling author
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“Deadly Drama” the 4th installment in the Britton Bay Mystery series by Jody Holford is as enjoyable and entertaining as the previous 3 books.
I was happy to be transported back to Britton Bay on the Oregon coast, (which is also on my wishlist to visit once covid is over). Jody is very good at describing the setting etc. so I can picture it in my mind as the story unfolds. The main set of characters were just as fabulous as in the previous books Jill, Molly, Sam and Katherine and who can forget the bouncing dog Tigger. Plus local homeless man, Corky was part of the story and I was glad to see how he was fairing. All in all it was like visiting family and friends with an adventure thrown in.
I found that this instalment was more like an intrigue romance novel, but I didnt mind (being that Jody writes romance this can be expected) It was nice to delve deeper into the relationship between Sam and Molly and we got a clearer picture of where it is going.
The mystery was well written and had plenty of suspects who wanted the victim dead. I did not suspect the killer till the end when the final pieces fell into place.
I highly recommend this cozy mystery series to all my friends who love a cozy with romance thrown in.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Underground via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
A fun series that gets better with each book. All who follow me know I am not a huge fan of romance in my cozy mysteries but Holford does a great job at putting just enough but not overshadowing the story.
I missed the clues on the murderer and was shocked when revealed. That makes it a solid 4 stars for me.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
Another great story in Jody Holford’s Britton Bay Mystery Series, Deadly Drama focuses on the drama (of the murderous kind!) behind the local adaption of The Wizard of Oz. This fast-paced mystery finds heroine Molly’s romance with Sam heating up, and he’s the best boyfriend ever – even supporting her amateur sleuthing when she sets out to discover who really killed the Wicked Witch of the production. 5 stars to this cozy!
Local Theater Brings Drama and Death
This cozy mystery takes place in a small, Oregon coastal town. Our intrepid newspaper editor seems to collect mysteries to solve everywhere she goes. This time it is in the local theater. The mystery is very good with a surprise ending. The side stories are endearing and fun to read. While I have read the entire series, each episode can be read out of order with only a couple of romantic type issues. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
Who is Molly? What does she do for a living? Where do we find her and why? Who are Judd, Magnolia, Dean, Calliope, Sam, Chris, and Callie? What do we learn? What does each of these folks do for a living? How those jobs play into this story is rather fun to read. Why do Jeffrey and Vivien come to town? What shocking thing do we learn about Beau Harrison? I was floored! I did not see coming what came as to who was behind the murder. Talk about hitting me out of the blue! I look forward to seeing what else happens in this Britton Bay Mystery series. I need to read more!
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin’ With M. Brennan.
Molly is editor-in-chief of her local paper in the coastal town of Britton Bay, Oregon, but as they are short staffed she’s working as a reporter too. Britton Bay is putting on it’s first community theater production and Molly volunteers to help behind the scenes, while also attempting to get an interview with the director, former soap opera actress Magnolia Sweet. Magnolia is rude and belittling, and doesn’t seem to have any friends. Molly thinks she’s finally landed an interview with the director, but instead finds Magnolia dead in the theater.
Deadly Drama was well written and well paced, with an intriguing cast of characters. Sam and Molly are living together now, and their relationship is still going strong. I recommend that you read this series in order, but I think you can enjoy this book as a standalone if you choose.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #cozymystery
I have not read earlier books in this series and had no trouble following along so definitely could be read as a standalone. Quickly learned about the inhabitants of Britton Bay and they were wonderful characters who added much to the read.
The victim was not well liked so there were many possibilities of who the murderer could have been.
The author did a great job of leading you down various paths, so much so that I would never have guessed who the murderer was.
There was a time when the protagonist was a bit TSTL but it added drama to the denouement. And I enjoyed the romance between her and Sam. I plan to read the earlier installments to see how that grew. and to learn more about the characters.
I highly recommend this book.
My thanks to Kensington and Netgalley for providing an ARC. Any opinions expressed are my own.
Deadly Drama is such a fun cute read. I love that Molly, Sam and Tigger are all back. Molly and Sam just have this sweet romance and it is fun watching it grow more stronger with each book. Molly has this knack of stumbling into danger and knows the drill by now. You see Molly growing more and more with each book. She is finally feeling at home in Britton Bay and her friendships are growing stronger and stronger. I love Molly and Sam. Sam is so supportive of Molly in everything even the sleuthing she gets into accidently. Every mystery pulls you in from the start as Molly digs into why the theater director was killed. I really can’t wait to find out what the next mystery Molly is to solve next.
Deadly Drama is the fourth book in the Britton Bay Mystery series by author Jody Holford and I have been a fan since the beginning. This is a wonderful series that just draws the reader into each story with its charming small-town setting and terrific characters. Molly Owens is settling in nicely to the town of Britton Bay. Her only fault is that she seems to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time when a murder is committed. The author has done such a wonderful job with the characters in the series. They are all well developed and very likable. Her writing style allows the reader to really picture Britton Bay and all of its businesses and residents. Molly’s romance with Sam is progressing along. The romance is more prominent in this series than perhaps in other cozy mystery series but I find that I like the way the author has incorporated it into the story.
The mystery in this story was well done and will keep the reader guessing. The victim is a pseudo-Hollywood celebrity that has moved to Britton Bay and taken over directing the local play. She is not well-liked which allows the author to set up a number of viable suspects. As the editor of the town newspaper, it gives her a reason to investigate, despite repeated please by her boyfriend Sam’s best friend and police detective to let him do his job. This time around, it’s a bit different in that Chris actually needs Molly to be nosy and work behind the scenes when an innocent man is framed. I do wish Molly would be more cautious in her sleuthing. Sometimes, it seems as if she thinks people won’t know what she is up to if she used her cover as a journalist. I was surprised by the identity of the killer. I was not surprised by the motive once revealed because the author left that clue as one of the breadcrumbs to follow – I just didn’t pick up on it.
This is a terrific series and I enjoy returning to Britton Bay with each new book in the series. I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley. The thoughts and opinions are my own.
I absolutely love this series!! Spring is on the way in Britton Bay and Molly is attempting to interview former actress, Magnolia Sweet, who is directing the Wizard of Oz play. When Molly arrives at the theater, she finds Magnolia dead with the janitor standing over her body. After Magnolia’s death is declared murder, there are many suspects as the woman was not well-liked. When Judd, the janitor, is arrested, many town residents are stunned. Chris, acting sheriff and Molly’s boyfriend’s best friend, asks Molly to see if she can uncover anything that might prove Judd is innocent. Can Molly help Judd without putting herself in danger? This time the killer completely surprised me and I enjoyed trying to figure things out. I love the town of Britton Bay and the characters. I hope there are more books in this charming series. I would love to read more adventures with Molly and Sam!
Entertaining cozy mystery. I love how the relationships and characters have developed over the series. The characters are likable and realistic. The mystery was well crafted. There is no shortage of suspects or twists and turns. The small-town setting is lovely. I look forward to the next installment in this series.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.
Deadly Drama is the fourth book in Jody Holford’ A Britton Bay Mystery series. Each book is a standalone but the series follows the life and adventures of a former army brat turned small-town journalist, Molly Owens. Grab your coffee and let’s chat about Deady Drama by Jody Holford.
Molly Owen lives in the picturesque seaside town of Britton Bay on the Oregon Coast. Molly’s move to the small town in Oregon has proven to be just the change that she needed. She is the editor-in-chief of the Britton Bay Bulletin, she has a hunky boyfriend, and great friends but trouble seems to follow her. People are falling dead at her feet and Molly finds it very hard to ignore her investigative tendencies.
This is the first book of the series that I have read and I was very excited about this book but unfortunately, by the end of chapter one, I was ready to give up on it. The book reminded me of a modern-day Murder She Wrote with Molly being a young Angela Landsbury. Molly is a well-developed character and I enjoyed reading about her misadventures but found myself a little bored as the story just moved so slowly. I typically love a good mystery so once I started the book, I had to finish it. I wanted to LOVE this book but only found it to be average.
My rating of Deadly Drama by Jody Holford…3 out of 5 propellers.
A small and idyllic city that makes people want to know – or maybe – even want to live, where the residents know each other and the news is not kept secret for a long time.
Molly is an editor-in-chief and reporter, so when there is an opportunity to interview the director of a theatrical production, just like the great former soap opera actress Magnolia, Molly feels it would be wonderful.
Magnolia is a character you don’t like at first sight and when she appears dead… Well, you can’t feel sorry.
But hey! Let’s go to the mystery.
Who would have reason to kill Magnolia?
Mystery and romance for fun.
4 stars
Boy, this author really knows how to write a romantic mystery! Deadly Drama is book four in the Britton Bay Mystery series, and I think this one is my favorite. Sam and Molly are front and center in this fast paced who done it mystery, and I will tell you, I thought I had the killer pegged but was totally turned on my ear on who actually did it. Loved Chris and Sarah in this story, can’t wait to get The rest of their story in my hands, and gotta wonder how Gavin and Bella will turn out. Lots of twists and turns in this one, very well written and keeps you guessing throughout the entire book. Tigger is absolutely adorable and I’m looking forward to hearing about the new addition. If you loved the first three books you’re going to love this one, very well worth the read.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book
This entertaining cozy mystery is the first book I’ve read of this series, but I will definitely be going back and reading the first three books! The characters are delightful, the story is captivating, the mystery drew me in from the beginning, and I found it hard to put down. I hope there will be many more opportunities to return to Britton Bay!
Deadly Drama by Jody Holford brings readers back to Britton Bay, Oregon to enjoy another entertaining cozy mystery that pulled me into the story from the first page. Poor Molly is once again in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A well crafted plot that was quickly paced, characters that have evolved over the course of the series and become more like friends each time I visit, very few suspects and plenty of red herrings that kept me baffled until the reveal. There is romance with Molly and Sam and Chris and Sarah but it’s low key and doesn’t take over the mystery. Molly has grown throughout the series and this book shows that she still has more room for growth. I was turning the pages throughout the day because I had to know “who done it”.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Press via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.