An amateur quilter turns amateur sleuth when her late aunt is suspected of murder in this cozy mystery by the USA Today bestselling author. After a rough divorce, Abby McCree only wants to stitch up her life and move on. But other loose ends appear after her elderly Aunt Sybil passes away, leaving Abby to tend to a rundown estate, complete with a slobbery Mastiff and a sexy tenant who growls more … sexy tenant who growls more than the dog. As Abby learns the local gossip from her aunt’s tight-knit quilting guild—not to mention the contentious Committee on Senior Affairs—she makes a twisted discovery: Aunt Sybil’s biggest rival is buried in her backyard!
Abby refuses to accept that her beloved aunt had anything to do with the murder. Between her busy social calendar and rediscovering the art of quilting, she tries to clear her aunt’s name by uncovering the true culprit. As the incriminating clues mount, Abby starts to wonder—can she survive her new responsibilities in Snowberry Creek and still manage to patch together a killer’s deadly pattern without becoming the next victim?
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*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Solid start to this new cozy mystery series that introduces us to Abby as she adjusts to newly divorced life following the natural death of her Aunt. She inherited her Aunt’s house and has undertaken the huge task of cleaning things out and getting things into shape. This includes the yard which has become overgrown. When some growth is stubborn she hires goats to help clean it out only they find a whole lot more then she bargained for when a body pops up during day one. Well of course being her Aunt’s yard makes her the prime suspect which bothers Abby enough to start asking questions. Add in a handsome renter and a tough dog to get a murder mystery that will make you laugh while keeping you guessing. Well written with lots of little details to really pull the reader in. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
A fun book to read!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Abby McCree hasn’t spent much time in Snowberry Creek, Washington of late but she remembers all the good times she had with her Aunt Sybil as a child. She especially remembers a quilt they were working on. Aunt Sybil finished it by herself as Abby’s visits became shorter and less frequent. Now her aunt has passed away and left her home to Abby and her aunt’s friends have already volunteered her to take over some of the committees Sybil was leading including the quilting guild.
Her aunt also left her a couple of other surprises. a bull mastiff named Zeke and a cantankerous but very easy on the eyes tenant named Tripp Blackston. Abby also uncovers another surprise among the blueberries, Dolly Cayhill’s body. Dolly was a snowbird who usually takes flight during the winter months, so sadly no one even knew the woman was unaccounted for. Dolly and Sybil were rivals in almost everything they did. Finding her body in Sybil’s yard wrapped in one of Sybil’s quilts lands Sybil square at the top of the suspect list. Abby believes there is no way her aunt could have committed such a heinous crime but the rumors are flying and evidence is stacking up. Is there any way to clear her aunt’s good name? There may be if she can live long enough to stitch all the clues together.
I like Abby McCree, but she needs to learn to say no! Those elderly ladies really ran roughshod over her. By the end of the story, she was getting her bearings and getting stronger, which I was very happy to see. Those ladies reminded me so much of some of the older ladies I have known in my life. A little pushy, but with huge hearts and kind souls. Tripp Blackstone, on the other hand, was a tough nut to crack, ex-military tough, and a little closed off. He starts to soften as he finds himself in the role of protector to Abby as digs into Dolly’s death and right into the line of fire. Tripp and Abby grow a lot for this being the first book in the series. I liked the way the author has started them on their journey. My favorite character of all was Zeke. A big dog who is a gentle giant, at least most of the time. The only time he leaves Abby’s side is when he is with Tripp. He is truly my kind of canine, even with all the drool
The plot was complex with two real mysteries. The first, the murder, had its share of suspects, but one after another are eliminated and Abby becomes a target. The second deals with 13 missing quilts the quilt had hoped to use for a calendar fundraiser. Given to a new member to photograph who then abruptly leaves town without returning the quilts or the pictures to the guild. As the new president of the guild, Abby tries her best to locate them. I used to love to quilt so this subplot really interested me. The two mysteries mesh together so well. The story had some really exciting events and I was on the edge of my seat for the nail-biting ending.
Ms. Morgan has taken the time to fully describe each person and place so clearly that I could picture every element of the story. The people came alive. Abby’s home, the yard, the garage, and all the places around town were easily pictured in my mind. I was in each moment right along with Abby.
What I love most about this story was that it is written for the long haul of a series. The main characters evolved a great deal in this book but there is still so much to know about them. I am definitely invested in their lives and want to know more about them. The secondary characters are fun and entertaining too and have plenty of room to grow.
Ms. Morgan has sewn together a wonderful treat for her readers. Death by Committee was a perfect escape for me and I know fans of this genre will enjoy it too!
Death by Committee is a cute cozy mystery. I thought it was a quick and easy to read book. Abby McCree is newly divorced from a cheating husband and out of job since he bought out her share of the company. Moving to Snowberry Cree gives Abby a new start. She has inherited a large Victorian home along with the contents plus the oversized Zeke and a handsome tenant in the mother-in-law cottage. Abby is an appealing character who is helpful and friendly with the elderly ladies of the quilting guild. Louise Allen, Jean Benson and Glenda Unger are the three quilting guild members who rope Abby into various projects and enjoy watching Tripp work in the yard (frequently without his shirt on). Tripp Blackston is ex-military and a college freshman who is renting the mother-in-law cottage. There are frequent mentions of Tripp’s physique as the ladies ogle him. The author is setting him up to be Abby’s love interest, but I do not admire his bossy attitude and hair trigger temper. The mystery is straightforward with a small suspect list, a red herring and pointed clues. Abby talks with several people to gather information, but that is the extent of her investigating. Solving this whodunit is a piece of cake. I did like how the mystery was wrapped up at the end. I like Gage Logan, the chief of police. He is friendly, helpful and has a sense of humor. Death by Committee is a good start to An Abby McCree Mystery series. I hope the author takes the time to develop her characters in the next book and provide more details on the town. Death by Committee is a light hearted cozy mystery with a charming Victorian home, a cute mastiff mix, beautifully crafted quilts, three busy older ladies and killer on the loose.
What a fun beginning to a new cozy mystery series! Alexis Morgan has a hit! The lead character, Abby, has inherited her dear aunt Sybil’s home and property. When Abby decides to have some landscaping done, the body of Sybil’s arch rival is found in a shallow grave. Of course, Abby inadvertently gets involved in the investigation and is determined to clear her aunt’s name. This book made me laugh at loud at times, and it was a really enjoyable read. The identity of the murderer was not super obvious from the beginning, but when I figured it out, I was actually excited to get to the end to confirm my theory. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good cozy mystery. Thanks to #NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Even though the beginning seemed like we came in a few pages late, I LOVED IT! I figured out who the killer was as soon as they were introduced (just had a feeling) but the take down was EPIC! The ending left us hanging but it makes me eager to read the next book.
I had a lot of fun reading this one. Kept me going during a stressful release week!
Excellent mystery! I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery by Alexis Morgan, first in a new series of mysteries centering on Abby McCree. I have read Alexis Morgan’s Snowberry Creek series and enjoyed them. This book brings us back to the same small town, and there are a few characters that appear in both series (which I enjoy), but this is a whole new series independent of the previous books. This is a good mystery, filled with wonderful characters, and it kept me reading. I very much look forward to reading the next Abby McCree mystery!
Terrific new series! Loved the mix of the younger heroine with an older group of ladies in this new book. The mystery of who killed Dolly, who was buried in Abby’s backyard, as well as the missing quilts was fun to figure out. Lots of interesting things going on in this book. I can’t wait to read more of this series and see a relationship develop between Abby and Tripp! Love Zeke the dog as well!
Great story. It is thrilling, intense, fast paced and funny and sweet. Very good murder mystery. I love Zeke. I have a 219 pound English Mastiff and can relate to the fun of having a BIG dog.
Cute book. Quick read and a!so very enjoyable.
Easy to read cozy. Have hopefully found a new series to enjoy.
What’s not to like, puppies!!
A bit predictable, but fun, who-done-it.
Really enjoyed it
It had a good story, but it was written kind of simply.
Great, easy & funny read
Already bought the sequel.
Very well written. Good character development. One of the few times an author had me laughing out loud. Looking forward to the next book.
Great book, light reading