BEARLY EVIDENT
by Lois Schmitt
September 9 - October 4, 2024 Virtual Book Tour
Book Synopsis
A Kristy Farrell Mystery
When a body is found in the Happy Place Animal Sanctuary, wildlife reporter Kristy Farrell is on the case. She soon discovers this was no accident. It was MURDER!
Five people were present at the sanctuary when the death occurred. As Kristy digs deeply into the victim's past, she uncovers dark secrets affecting each of these five suspects--powerful motives for murder.
Meanwhile, life is anything but calm on the home front. The best friend of Kristy's widowed mother is a victim of a pyramid scam. Kristy, assisted by her veterinarian daughter, is determined to expose the fraud although it may be at great personal risk.
Back at the sanctuary, things are spiraling downhill. Wolves escape and another body is found. With the bad publicity, the sanctuary may be forced to close. And a killer is still on the loose!
Despite being thwarted at every move by her nemesis, the blustery Detective Wolfe, Kristy uncovers a major hole in the alibi of a key suspect. But as she gets nearer to closing in on this killer, it looks a if she might become the third victim.
Book Details
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Published by: Encircle Publications
Publication Date: September 4, 2024
Number of Pages: 280
ISBN: 9781645995609 (ISBN10: 1645995607)
Series: A Kristy Farrell Cozy Mystery, 4
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Encircle Publications
****I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, NetGalley, book tours, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.****
BEARLY EVIDENT
I started back for my appointment with the sanctuary’s business manager when I heard voices coming from behind a desk. I recognized one of the vices. I snuck behind to look and listen.
“I know you want her job, and to tell the truth, I’d much prefer you,” Nick Lamonica said.
“Why can’t you fire her?” asked the other man. I couldn’t see his face, but he wore orange leather boots.
“Be patient,” Nick answered, “She may be gone sooner than you realize.”
A woman’s scream pierced the air.
Nick and the man in orange boots sped off in the direction of the scream. I raced after them.
The screams had come from Gina Garone, the sanctuary director. She pointed to one of the animal habitats. Spread across the grass was a body.
Hovering over the body was a mountain of fur with fangs.
Bella the bear.
***
Excerpt from Bearly Evident by Lois Schmitt. Copyright 2024 by Lois Schmitt. Reproduced with permission from Lois Schmitt. All rights reserved.
My Review
As an animal enthusiast and advocate for rescues and conservation efforts, this book appealed to me immediately. Bearly Evident is not just a foul-play mystery; surprisingly, it also has a good dose of humor.
The story features Kristy Farrell, a reporter for Animal Advocate Magazine, who is at the Happy Place Animal Sanctuary to write an article when a body is discovered. Kristy switches into detective mode to uncover who is behind the crime. Her approach to questioning people is quite amusing. At one point, she has five or six suspects on her list. Chaos ensues at the sanctuary with animals escaping and shady characters lurking around. Kristy gathered so much information about each suspect that I was left completely confused about who was causing all the trouble. There's also a subplot involving a pyramid scheme tied to Kristy's mom's friend, and I loved how that storyline wrapped up.
I admired Kristy's bravery and determination as she tackled both mysteries. This is the fourth book in the series, but I’m definitely going to read the first three because I truly enjoyed the author's creative storytelling. Lois Schmitt crafts fantastic characters who have unique voices and relatable flaws.
Bearly Evident works well as a standalone novel. If you’re a fan of intriguing mysteries, interesting characters, and a book that's hard to put down, you’ll really enjoy this one.
****Meet Author Lois Schmitt****
She is a member of several wildlife and humane organizations as well as Mystery Writers of America and the Long Island Author's Guild. Lois worked for many years as a freelance writer and is the author of Smart Spending, a consumer education book for young adults. She previously served as media spokesperson for a local consumer affairs agency and often incorporates consumer scams into her books. She also taught at Nassau Community College.
Lois lives in Massapequa, New York with her family which includes a 120 pound Bernese Mountain dog. This dog bears a striking resemblance to Archie, a huge dog of many breeds, featured in her mystery series.
For latest news on Lois visit :
LoisSchmitt.com
Goodreads
Instagram - @LoisSchmittMysteries
Facebook - @LoisSchmittAuthor
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