Writing a friend’s obit might be the death of a quirky young librarian in this “fresh and funny, romantic and sunny” mystery (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Riley Ellison, a young library assistant, has become known in her hometown of Tuttle Corner, Virginia, as Riley Bless-Her-Heart. Ever since her beloved granddaddy died and her longtime boyfriend broke up with her, Riley has withdrawn from … her, Riley has withdrawn from life. In an effort to rejoin the living, she signs up for an online dating service and tries to reconnect with her childhood best friend, Jordan James, now a reporter at the Tuttle Times. But when she learns that Jordan committed suicide, Riley is shaken to the core.
Riley agrees to write Jordan’s obituary hoping to find out why a young woman with so much to live for would suddenly opt out. But Jordan’s co-worker, a paranoid reporter with a penchant for conspiracy theories, convinces Riley that Jordan’s death was no suicide. He leads her down a dangerous path toward organized crime, secret lovers, and suspicious taco trucks.
When Riley’s hunt for the truth intersects with her emerging love life, she will discover a secret that puts everything she holds dear—her job, the people she loves, and even her life—in danger.
“Orr’s book checked three genre boxes for me: a smart cozy series, a Southern small town setting, and, my favorite, a newspaper mystery.” —Carole Barrowman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“The perfect mix of mystery, humor, and romance, anchored by an endearing heroine.” —Laura McHugh, award-winning author of The Weight of Blood
“Recommended for admirers of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum capers.” —Library Journal
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Loved the scene Jill Orr created with this one–great characters and great dialogue. Grab this one and the next book in the series 🙂
This was a fun read. A hilarious heroine with and interesting plot that kept me guessing. The author wrote such interesting towns people and the h got into some crazy situations but I just fell in love with her and was rooting for her the whole time. This is my first time reading Jill Orr and I will be reading more by this author for sure.
I could put it down, but couldn’t get it out of my mind until I finished. Very creative characters (Obit Girl) and storyline. Kept me guessing until the end. Must read her only other book and keep watch for what she writes next. Love this writer.
As a girl, I loved mysteries — Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew in particular. But it’s been a long time since I’ve read a “girl sleuth” book — and this was my first Jill Orr book. I loved the protagonist, Riley, and the mystery was fun, with lots of humor and a little romance thrown in. A fun, quick light and very enjoyable read!
I found this book ,about a mystery solving obituary journalist, entertaining, and a quick read. I enjoyed the clever way the author bookends each chapter with a quote from a real obituary writer and the email from the “dating service” offering more advice/dance lessons/counseling/ etc for an additional monthly fee. I look forward to more by this author and recommend this series to readers who enjoy books like the Stephanie Plum detective series.
I was surprised at how much I liked this book. Had a bit of everything: murder mystery, suspense, danger, twists and turns, light romance, humor, fast-moving plot and a bit part for a dog. Good writing, no errors and an interesting story. You’d never guess this was the author’s first novel it was so well done. I would have read future books by this author but noticed the followup book in this series (due out in April) will be priced at $9.99, which in my opinion, is way too expensive for any digital book.
I fell in love with Jills story telling. The characters might not be realistic but they are very interesting and entertaining. The plot made it hard to put this down and get to other business. I’m hooked on Jill’s story telling.
fun book to read
Fun, fast-paced and absolutely hilarious, Jill Orr has created a wonderfully endearing character you can’t help but cheer for. Everybody needs a little Riley Ellison sparkle in their life!
I really enjoyed the style and the main character. I cannot recommend this book because I was 84% into the thing when the “f-word” showed up. Really? You could write such a good story with enjoyable characters and still felt you had to go for the shock value of the “f-word”?? Where in the cozy mystery (where I used to feel safe from vulgar language) is there space for this? Not ion my world. Shame, because I’d like to read more of Jill Orr’s work, but I cannot trust her now.
Funny and fun read…
I really liked the characters. Never thought about a Mom who is vegan, but that was a quirky perspective. It did make me laugh out loud a few times. Enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more from Jill Orr.
A well written, humorous, page turner of a mystery…
It took a few chapters for me to get past Riley’s self doubt in the beginning but once she takes back ownership of her life the plot takes off. A true mystery with humor, keeping you guessing until the end, but yet thought provoking all mixed together made this a delight to read.
I enjoyed the book, an easy read.
another good read
I truly enjoyed this book. The main character’s self-talk and the online dating concierge’s “helpful” feedback literally made me laugh out loud. I would not normally expect humor and murder to go so well together, but this author makes it work and gives us a believable happy ending as well.
enjoyed author’s style=====cute story
Once you get going on this book, it is such a quick read. I didn’t want it to end. Please write more.
Funny
Excellent series