The fact that Katrina Pomeroy had been murdered was in and of itself a newsworthy event. The fact that she had been murdered on Friday October 13th exactly eleven years after she’d been one of five teenagers to survive the Friday The 13th Massacre, made her passing worthy of notice by the national news agencies Jillian Hanford used to work for. When an old editor of Jillian’s offered her the … chance to write a human interest piece about Katrina’s life and subsequent death, she jumped at the chance to re-launch her currently defunct career. Of course in order to make the sort of impact she was after, she’d not only need to write about Katrina’s unusual life, but she’d need to answer the question of who was responsible for her death. She knew she’d need help so she decided to enlist the help of the five writers currently living at the writer’s retreat on Gull Island. Jillian would soon discover a decade old secret covering a shocking truth that was better left unrevealed.
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This book hooked me from the start. Jill is trying to find answers to a ten-year-old mystery, a mystery that continues with a new death. The story was really interesting, and I found it hard to put down. I definitely recommend this book!
First Case is the first book in Kathi Daley Writers Retreat Southern Seashore Mysteries. I have read several books in two of Kathi’s other series (Zoe Donovan and Whales and Tails) and have really loved her storytelling abilities. This series is a little bit different than the previous mentioned series but is still well written with a strong female lead.
Journalist Jillian Hanford is used to the face paced life of New York and working for a newspaper. Jillian has recently moved to Gull Island, SC to take over a run down resort for her brother after he suffered a stroke and is unable to return to work. Jillian however can not turn her back on journalism, when she is offered to write a freelance article on the death of Katrina Pomeroy she jumps at the chance. Katrina death is suspicious not only how it happens but when it happens. Katrina was one of the survivors of the Friday Thirteen Massacre that happened 11 years earlier; when 3 teenagers were found killed after they sought shelter on a seemly deserted island during a storm. Katrina is found death at bottom of the pier on the anniversary of the massacre. Can Jillian find out what really happened to Katrina… did she commit suicide or was it murder? Can Jillian help to solve the 11 year old cold case?
This is a great start to a new series. I will definitely read more in this series. As I said before it is a well written cozy mystery with a strong female lead. I love how Jillian is a determine to get to the truth but has learned from past mistakes. She is not just about getting the article but she keeps in mind how what she writes will affect others.
I would recommend this book to all cozy lover and/or Kathi Daley fans.
Loved! Counting down the days until the next release!
What an exciting new series Kathi has brought us. Jill Hanford has moved to Gull Island to help her half-brother Garrett restore and run his resort, which she turns into a retreat for writers. When a murder occurs Jill (A freelance writer) asks her new writer friends for help and they all jump right in to help. Throw in a newspaper owner named Jack, a parrot named Blackbeard and you have a gang with their own unique talents. The murder may be connected to a massacre that happened 11 years before which makes for a complex mystery filled with quite a few unanswered questions. I love the twists and turns that Kathi spread throughout the book and went back and forth on who I thought the killer was and was surprised in the end. This new series is filled with a diverse cast of characters and a beautiful setting, I can’t wait to read about their next case.