A Good Man Gone by A. W. Hartoin -- Review and Giveaway

(Cozy Mystery)

This review is in conjunction with a Virtual Book Tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. A.W. will be awarding a backlist ebook on each stop, It Started with Whisper, to a randomly drawn commenter, and a $30.00 Gift Card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stop on the tour.



It’s summer in St. Louis and Mercy Watts is on vacation from her parents. The great detective and his nosy wife are on a cruise and Mercy thinks she’s off the hook for doing any investigating for them. But when a family friend has a fatal heart attack, Dad has one of his famous feelings and orders Mercy to look into it. Mercy tries not to get sucked in. She really does, but she’s her father’s daughter. Soon Gavin’s death leads to a more grisly one, the death of a bride on her wedding day. Can the two be connected? Was Gavin murdered? Now Mercy can’t stop. You do for family. That’s all there is to it.




Thoroughly enjoyable, this cozy mystery will keep you guessing and chuckling all the way to the end. Ms. Hartoin has a way with words that plunges you into the story and makes you feel as if you know each and every character, no matter how small.

Mercy, our heroine, is a nurse and the daughter of a detective. She also has friends and family in the police department, but really doesn't love investigating much of anything despite her father continually tossing cases her way.

When a family friend dies unexpectedly, Mercy pulls some strings and finds out it wasn't a heart attack as originally suspected, but murder. And thus begins our story, which ended up being far more complex that I would have imagined.

While I loved the quirky characters and interesting plot, the fact the Mercy was constantly being hit on by every character with the slightest bit of testosterone got a little old. A few times would have gotten the point across that she was gorgeous and sexy, but after I while I nearly stopped reading -- it irritated me that much. And it's the only reason this wasn't a five flower review with bells on.

Hopefully the author tones that down a bit in the next book, because otherwise this was a winner. If you like a light-hearted cozy mystery with fun, well-rounded characters and murder you won't solve until Mercy does, I recommend A Good Man Gone. It's a winner.

4.5 Flowers - This was a very good book! I'd recommend it to my friends.

A.W. Hartoin is the author of the Mercy Watts mystery series and the Away From Whipplethorn fantasy series. She lives in Colorado with her husband, two children, and six bad chickens.

https://www.facebook.com/anne.hartoin
www.awhartoin.com
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D1CPG5I
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/322959