Casting suspicion . . . Sophie “Phee” Kimball wants to get some work done at her private investigation company in Arizona—and she’s distracted already by her old crush, who’s arriving from Minnesota to join the staff. The last thing she needs is constant updates from her mom on the local production of Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.” Practically everyone from Mom’s book club and retirement … book club and retirement community, with the possible exception of her chiweenie, Streetman, wants to join the cast and crew. But someone’s playing the role of the killer for real.
After a much-despised cast member is found dead on a catwalk in the theater, Phee has no choice but to be drawn into all the backstabbing and backstage gossip. Especially if her drama-queen mother is right about the vaguely threatening note left on her windshield, which could mean curtains for another victim . . .
“Sophie ‘Phee’ Kimball has a lot on her plate in this captivating whodunit, but this feisty, take-charge heroine is definitely up for the challenge. Fun characters, a touch of humor, and a great mystery, the perfect combination for a cozy.”
—Lena Gregory, author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries
“An eclectic cast of entertaining characters that will keep you wondering whodunit!”
—Nicole Leiren USA Today bestselling author of the Danger Cove Mysteries
more
Sophie ‘Phee’ Kimball has a lot on her plate in this captivating whodunit, but this feisty, take-charge heroine is definitely up for the challenge. Fun characters, a touch of humor, and a great mystery, the perfect combination for a cozy.
The book club girls are always dramatic BUT you put them on a stage and look out! Laugh until you cry and be happy you don’t live anywhere near these ladies.
Was ok but not great.
Humorous characters, and a not too easy mystery. fun to read
Love the quirky characters! Loved the interaction between mother and daughter. The friendships make you think of your group of friends. You will absolutely want to follow Phee in this series Will definitely be getting the next in the series.
i will buy the rest of the series
Quick relaxing read
An eclectic cast of entertaining characters that will keep you wondering whodunit!
Another great entry into the Sophie Kimball Mystery series! This cozy mystery moved fast and had a well thought out, well put together murder plot. While Sophie’s mother and friends are staring in a local Agatha Christie play, murder takes the stage. It’s up to Sophie and friends to unravel the goings-on in the local theatre before anyone else loses their life! The romance between Sophie and Marshall is well hinted at and Sophie’s mother is wound up as always! Be sure to add this entertaining story on your to be read list, you don’t want to miss it!
Hilarious!! Kept me laughing out loud. Loved the conversations Phee was having in her head about Marshall, the newcomer at the agency. Phee’s mom and book club ladies and all the gentlemen friends are too funny. Great mystery with a surprise twist. Absolutely love this series.
Sophie “Phee” Kimball is settling into life in Arizona. In this third book, her mother’s book club auditions for a murder mystery play. When the lead actress is killed and strange things start happening, Phee’s mom begs her to help figure out the killer. With the help of her boss, Nate, and new investigator, Marshall (a former colleague from Minnesota and Phee’s crush), she investigates. This book was so much fun to read. Phee’s mother and her book club friends are a riot. If you ever need a good laugh, this is a good series for that. And of course there is also Streetman, Phee’s mother’s dog. I look forward to more laughs from this series and seeing if a relationship develops between Phee and Marshall.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Sun City West is launching a production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and because all the members of Phee’s mom’s book club love mysteries they all just have to be part of the play. Sophie “Phee” Kimball has other things on her mind, like the new private investigator joining the firm where she works. Someone from her past and she just doesn’t know how she can see him every day without telling him how she feels.
But of course, her mother has to interrupt her at work several times a day with all the happenings at the theater. When Phee receives a call saying a cast member was dead she rushes to the theater to find her mother and her friends uninjured but the star of the play dead up on the catwalk. Phee finds herself in the middle of another investigation along with the new P.I., Marshall Gregory because the Booked 4 Murder Book Club doesn’t think the police have a clue so they have hired the firm to solve the case. Curtain up, light the lights. there is a murder mystery to solve if Phee survives both her mother and the killer.
Thankfully Phee’s Aunt Ina is out of town, so she only needs to be at her mother’s beck and call. Harriet is a real force, says what she thinks, interrupts in the most inopportune moments, and demands her daughter do what she tells her to do, right now! If Harriet was my mother I would either be in jail or live far, far, away. Sophie has the patience of a saint and so does Marshall Gregory. Phee had warned him about her mother and her friends, who aren’t as demanding as Harriet but are pretty manipulative in their own right. Marshall doesn’t back off but takes them all with a grain of salt. He does have feelings for Phee, I just hope whatever relationship they try to have can survive one of the pushiest women on the planet.
After you get used to Harriet’s boldness we are treated to an exceptionable mystery. Twists, threats, “ghosts”, secrets, trapdoors, spotlights, and murder all collide to keep readers glued to the pages. The police really dropped the ball at the beginning of the investigation. It took some digging for the real suspects to come into focus. As all the clues start to fall into place and the mouse is almost trapped the suspense ramps up. I did think after learning all about the mechanisms around and under the stage that Phee would surprise the killer in a different way with to set up the ending. The approach used by the authors did bring the story to a satisfactory conclusion with some chilling moments too.
The Booked 4 Murder ladies do bring a lot of humor to the story. I do have hope for the budding romance between Marcus and Phee, but with Aunt Ina back in town, heaven only knows what the next book will bring.
A fast-paced entertaining read. I should be recovered from Harriet by the time the next book is released. All three books in this series have been pleasures to read. I am looking forward to my next visit with Sophie “Phee” Kimball!
Sophie “Phee” Kimball is trying to do some work at her private investigation company in Arizona. Unfortunately, she’s distracted by her old crush arriving from Minnesota to join the staff. The last thing she needs is constant updates from her mom on the local production of Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.” Practically everyone from her mom’s book club and retirement community wants to join the cast and crew. But someone’s playing the role of the killer for real.
After a much-despised cast member is found dead on a catwalk in the theater, Phee has no choice but to be drawn into the investigation. Especially if her drama-queen mother is right about the vaguely threatening note left on her windshield, which could mean curtains for another victim.
Series: Sophie Kimball Mystery Book 3
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Author: J. C Eaton
Publisher: Kensington
In Staged 4 Murder Sophie has her hands full, between her job and her mother she doesn’t have much time to relax. When her mother’s book club jumps into the mix life goes crazy. Then add the new private detective she has had a crush on for years, Marshall Gregory, and her life is chaotic at best.
Sophie “Phee” is a divorced older lady who has recently moved to Arizona to be near her mother and to heal her broken heart. She is excited about her new job and a bit anxious about the new detective the company has added. At times she feels like a young school girl but reminds herself that she is a long way away from being a teenager. At times, however, when her mother interferes with her plans, she wants to rebel like a kid, but she gives in every time.
When her mother gets a part in a local production of the Agatha Christie novel, “The Mousetrap,” she hopes her mother is too busy to meddle in her life. Unfortunately, murder gets in the way. Sophie finds herself playing detective again with her mother and the book club as her sidekicks.
The characters in this story are wonderfully odd but lovable. They live for excitement and have few worries about what anyone thinks people their age should be doing. They do what they want when they want to do it. They love a good who-done-it and relish the opportunity to be involved in a real mystery.
The location of Arizona is not your standard setting, but in many ways is perfect for this series. It allows the characters year-round access to everything they want to see and do with little to no concerns.
Marshall adds a bit of spice to the mix and keeps Phee on her toes. When he gets involved in helping to solve the mystery, she is pleased and anxious at the same time. Her unrest adds to the flavor of the story which allows the reader to see a middle-aged woman as more than just middle aged. Phee is still a vibrant, desirable woman who is intelligent and charismatic.
Staged 4 Murder is a well-written, fast-paced and funny mystery. The characters are well-developed and likable with just enough weirdness to entertain and at times make the reader laugh. The twists and turns and clues flow smoothly throughout the story and keep the reader guessing. I highly recommend this book and series to lovers of older heroines, original characters, and a wonderful plot.
This story has a great group of characters including an quirky cast of retirees and main character Phee Kimball with her humorous sarcastic wit.
The retirees of Sun City’s Booked 4 Murder book club are excited to be involved in a local production of the Mousetrap until an actress turns up dead, But panic really sets in when the victims ghost seems to be in the theatre and people start getting threats. Phee gets volunteered by her mother to help find out what is going on and soon finds out the danger to everyone is real.
It is book #3 in the Sophie Kimball Mystery series but I have not read the first two and had no trouble following the story. Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair review.
Staged 4 Murder is the third book in Sophie Kimball Mystery series.
Sophie(Phee) is settling in nicely to her move to the Sun City West area. Business at the Williams Investigations is booming and her boss, Nate Williams, had decided to take on another PI. He has brought Marshall Gregory on board. Gregory had worked with both Nate and Phee at the Mankato, MN police department and Phee had a crush on him. She is vacillating between hoping for a possible relationship or continuing to listen to her mother, Harriet, ask her about her love life.
Speaking of Mother, she tells Phee that she and her book club friends are going to try out for roles in the Agatha Christie play Mouse Trap that will be produced by the Sun City West Footlighters. Early in the tryouts, Harriet and her friend Myrna are getting their nail done and when they go to get in the car there is a sign on the car that says: AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, another work by Agatha Christie. Not being new to solving murders, they consider this a threat. Soon thereafter, the director of the play comes down with a case of food poisoning. But when Miranda Lee, the star of the show, is found dead on the stage lighting catwalk. In addition, there were also a couple pranks at the theater, one of which one of the actors could have been seriously injured.
Phee has been sitting in on some of the rehearsals, doing a little of investigation and soon Marshall joins her, to help find out who wanted Miranda dead.
I quite enjoy this series. Phee, Nate and Marshall are all enjoyable, but for me, Harriet and the other members of the book club, are the ones that enjoy the most. Even though I may shake my head at some of their action or comments, I can’t help but give a chuckle throughout the book.
I will be watching for the next book in this funny series.