Dying to Read

Cate Kinkaid Files #1

by Lorena McCourtney

From Book 1: Cate Kinkaid is just dipping her toe into the world of private investigating until one of the many résumés she has floating around lands her a real job. All she has to do is determine that a particular woman lives at a particular address. Simple, right? When the big and brooding house happens to contain a dead body, this routine PI job turns out to be anything but simple. Is Cate in over her head?

Readers will be hooked from the very first chapter of this fast-paced and witty romantic mystery from bestselling and award-winning author Lorena McCourtney.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Cozy, Contemporary

313 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2012

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing’s going right for Cate Kinkaid: Her erstwhile fiancé has find himself a new love, she’s between jobs and filling in as an assistant to her private detective uncle, and, at 29 years of age, she has no idea what to do with the rest of her life. But the snobby widow Amelia Robinson is much worse off: She’s dead, fallen off the back steps that she rarely used. Was it murder? Cate suspects as much.

The vain and overbearing Amelia wasn’t much beloved by the catty elderly members of the Whodunit Book Club or by her own money-grubbing niece. But the police are satisfied that Amelia, befuddled by her habit of taking too many sleeping pills, met with an unfortunate accident; if only Cate could feel more sure….

I checked this book out of the library without really knowing what it was, intrigued by the premise and by the pet cat. (Hey, I love cats! What of it?)

Lorena McCourtney’s Dying to Read is a Christian-laced light-hearted cozy, cute but not predictable. You can tell immediately whether this is the kind of thing you’ll like. The “God message” doesn’t pop up at all until several chapters in and is slight enough not to offend most non-believers. However, while Dying to Read doesn’t descend to the sappiness or formulaic writing that besets most Christian literature, anyone who’s put off by prayer, habitual church-going, and unnatural cheerfulness, or who’s looking for sexy romance or edginess should definitely look elsewhere. Although no one will confuse Dying to Read with The Time Traveler's Wife, The Cuckoo's Calling, or Stately Pursuits, readers looking for an undemanding but amusing read could definitely do worse than the generous and frequently comical Cate Kincaid to while away a few hours.

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was pretty damn dreadful! Thankfully I didn’t spend any money on this book or I’d be kicking myself at the waste of money. I thought the idea sounded interesting but it ended up being boring ass drivel. The characters couldn’t make up their minds to save their lives and they drove me absolutely bonkers. I’m quite surprised I even managed to finish this one honestly.

[Iryna *Book and Sword* · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars (rounded up for Goodreads)

I picked it up at a library because the name caught my eye and I was in a mood for a quick book.

This turned out to be a clean and cozy little mystery novel. Nothing new or spectacular, but very pleasant and easy. With a few laugh-out-loud moments. I did figure out the twist with the first hint though.

The main character, Cate, had few of very relatable qualities, so I liked that. I can see this book being a staple in a mystery-book-club of sorts, as it had that cozy feel that older ladies would enjoy a lot.

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[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a quirky, cozy mystery with a heroine that has just the funniest sense of dry humor she brings into her brand-new PI profession.

From the first chapter I knew Cate would be a blast to spend the next three hundred pages with. She brings a personality to the page that kept me reading just for the sake of hearing some quip she would come up with next.

I wish there had been more dialogue. Much of the novel was through the thought process of Cate, and her humor kept moving it forward, but a bit more dialogue I think would have given the book “pop” that it needed.

“Quirky” is definitely a word to describe this novel! Quirky cast of characters, quirky plot, even a quirky pet. The novel isn’t one for the fans of Die Hard, who like their murders grisly and dark, but for me, this cozy mystery had enough mystery combined with “cozy” main characters to make the story worth the read.

I loved the chemistry between Mark and Cate. Oo, wonder what is coming up next for these two. The ending certainly went out with a bang and I was given enough suspects, I actually didn’t figure out who “did it”.

It’s cute, quirky weekend mystery read, with enough elements to keep you wondering what will come around next.

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review.

**Available August 2012 from Revell, a division of Baker Publishers**

[Allison Kohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read

This mystery was so much fun. I laughed a lot and held my breath a lot and was grateful for a crime solving female in a book who is a lot more like the real people I have met in this life than the spoiled unreasonable female sleuths from some books I've read.

[Kirsti · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I generally enjoy a mystery, this introduction felt a little off for me. Cate just stumbles around, calling Mitch any time she gets into trouble and actually saying she doesn't mind having a strong man to help her out. Gag. Then there was the unexpected (for me at least) notion that this was actually Christian fiction, and the chapters where Cate decides what God wants her to do with her life kind of topped off a bad book for me. I have absolutely nothing against religion of any kind, I just have zero belief in any cosmic powers and had I known this was Christian instead of straight cozy I wouldn't have read it. Just a personal preference, so most people would probably be fine with this aspect.

The cat was cute and good and I liked that ending, it wasn't what I thought everyone wanted Octavia for. The actual writing was quite good, it flows well until the middle, gets bogged down and then picks up for an exciting finish. The actual mystery aspect was fine too, although the bad guys scream their intentions off the page from their first introduction.

Good but not great. Two stars.

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 4 out of 5]

About this book:

“All she wanted was a paycheck. What she got was a murder.
Cate Kinkaid's life is . . . well, frankly it's floundering. Her social life, her career, her haircut--they're all a mess. Unemployed, she jumps at the chance to work for her PI uncle, even though she has no experience and no instincts. After all, she is just dabbling in the world of private investigating until she can find a "real" job.
All she has to do for her first assignment is determine that a particular woman lives at a particular address. Simple, right? But when she reaches the dark Victorian house, she runs into a hungry horde of gray-haired mystery readers and a dead body. This routine PI job is turning out to be anything but simple. Is Cate in over her head?”


Series: Book #1 in the “Cate Kinkaid Files” series.


Spiritual Content- Many prayers & thanking God; Talks about God, God’s will, mysterious ways, praying, church going & bad things that happen; ‘H’s are not capital when referring to God; Many mentions of God, His plan, His creation & God-things; Mentions of prayers, a prayer list & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, services & church activities; Mentions of Christians & faiths; A few mentions of those in the Bible; A couple mentions of missionary work; A couple mentions of saying Scriptures;
*Note: Mentions of Feng Shui & proper alignment; Mentions of karma, fortunes & fortune tellers; A few mentions of Murphy’s Law & luck.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘darn’, an ‘idiot’, a ‘stupid’, a ‘sucker’, a ‘what in tarnation’, two ‘crummy’s, two forms of ‘shut up’, six ‘dumb’s; Mentions of sarcasm & eye rolling; Gunshots, a goose egg & seeing stars (up to semi-detailed); Being put in a car’s trunk [kidnapped], held at gun point, a fire, smoke, blood & an explosion (up to semi-detailed); Dead bodies, deaths, possible murder, murderer & blood (semi-detailed); Many mentions of deaths, bodies, murders, how they died (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fires & bodies; Mentions of thieves & stealing; Mentions of drinking, a drunk & liquor; Mentions of physical abuse from a relationship & the abuser (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of threats of killing & choking; Mentions of gambling & poker; Mentions of lotteries; Mentions of smoking; Mentions of blackmail & scams; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip; Mentions of divorces; A few mentions of a car that blew up & hostage situations; A few mentions of sleazy bars, barroom brawl, slapping & a stalker; A couple mentions of a book with a corpse on the cover; A couple mentions of serial killers; A couple mentions of burglars; A couple mentions of parties; A couple mentions of tattoos; A mention of the Mafia;
*Note: Mentions of a tree huger (not the spiritual side of it is mentioned); A few mentions of brands (Jimmy Choos and Gap jeans); A few mentions of a place looking like it needs a vampire or a witch; A couple mentions of Boy Scouts; A mention of aliens; A mention of acting like a zombie in the morning.


Sexual Content- a cheek kiss, a not-detailed kiss & two barely-above-not-detailed kisses; Touches & Handing holding (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing; eight ‘babe’s; Many mentions of a younger man (called a sleazy) dating a much older woman; Mentions of & talks about kissing; Mentions of good-looking men & fluttering eyelashes; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of an aunt & her niece being with & liking younger men; Mentions of a couple who lived together but weren’t married; A couple mentions of a man’s roving eye; A tiny bit of love, falling in love & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of butting out of a conversation; A mention of skimpy shorts; A mention of a buxom woman; A couple mentions of a woman’s figure; A few mentions of a woman’s cleavage & a man being too interesting in it.

-Cate Kinkaid, age 29
P.O.V. of Cate
313 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
This was a fun read. When reading this book I was dealing with allergies, so I wanted some that would distract me from my painful throat & stuffy nose—it worked! I really liked Cate and look forward to reading the rest of the series. The romance was very clean as well, so that was a plus and I hope the rest of them are like that as well.


Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like with some authors humor...good humor...comes naturally, with others as in this case it's a bit worked. Kinda over worked in my opinion. It...the whole book seemed like a super cheesy tween detective story. I'm not sure it was necessarily meant to be a tween book, I don't know maybe even younger than tween...eh but that's just me.

Cate Kincaid works as an assistant P.I. to her uncle that is laid up in the hospital. A routine address check turns into a found dead body and the bumbling and cheese just gets worse and worse from there, throw in a Christian Detective Novel and there you have it. I didn't necessarily mind the religious references and talk but I wasn't expecting it and I'm not sure how well it flowed.

Not the world's worst book ever but I will NOT be reading anymore in the series and I'll be re-thinking the author if I ever stumble across another of her books in the future. Just kind of reminded me of an older person trying to be young and hip, in "the know" with the writing and trying to be modern and it just didn't work for me.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

There should be a warning on books that mention god a LOT if it's not readily available in the description on the back of the book. Cate was such an annoying character and all the christian references just brought the plot to a screeching halt. Then again, its MARC Record does say "Christian Fiction", but it's not anywhere on the cover of the book. I picked it up because the premise of a book club murder mystery seemed interesting, but the book club barely made an appearance. It went from book club murder mystery to childlike 29 year old fumbles around and waits for god to tell her what to do in two chapters. Laura Childs has religion in some of her series, but it's not used as a crutch to prevent anything interesting from happening.

[Nitzan Schwarz · Rating 3 out of 5]

2015 tbr challenge

It's was an okay story, but it wasn't anything outstanding.

Also why the heck did Scott and Cheryl hire Willow again? She didn't have anything against them before she was re-hired, so there was no leverage... I just can't understand it.

[Gane]

This is not a mystery novel. There was a murder and a painfully naive, curious, immature, and stupidly stubborn girl got herself into dangerous situations. Was I supposed to understand that acting before thinking proves you're self-assertive ? Cate Kincaid was supposed to be 29 years old but I felt like I was reading about a 14 year-old all along.
There was only one legitimate investigating part : she interviewed people and they told her things.
So, this was probably a romance novel. Well, there was a girl and a boy. Cate's love interest was a generic alpha male. When she first met him he was painting a house (love conquers all, even the class divide!) but it soon turned out he was really a computer whizz with a good-sized company (love conquers all, even the class divide but only if the man is actually higher on the scale than the woman).
Two other men were given some room in the book. Both were good-looking according to Cate Kincaid but they did not cause even a flutter in her heart (or other parts of her body). They simply were not the type of man to whom she is naturally attracted because Cate Kincaid determines people's worth or trustworthiness by using the church scale.
Cate was attracted to Mr Alpha Male because he helped an old lady in a wheelchair but she was in love as soon as said old lady bullied him into going to church with her (he's already painting your house for free, I think that's enough volunteering for one week!). The other two men did not go to church ergo they had no chance. Cate's ex fiancé calls at some point. She turns him down when he lets slip they did not work as a couple (yay!) but she stops wondering after he implies he's fallen off the wagon and doesn't go to church anymore.
Apparently in Cate Kincaid's PI guide you are no longer a suspect if you have a conversation about god. What do you do when you feel down/are in a tight spot/need to find an idea about anything at all? If the answer is "pray", then you are automatically a good person (who may have lost their way for a while) and definitely not a murderer.

I did not give a rating for this book because it's not a mystery novel (0 stars on that level), it is a sort of romance novel but too patriarchal for my taste (0.5 stars), it is probably just a christian sort of book and if I had known that before I started I would never have read it.
It is the second time in a row I'm very disappointed by some sort of allegedly mystery novel but this time I have learnt my lesson and will never again forget to research all books and authors before I start reading.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cate Kincaid's life is not turning out as she had hoped. Her career, her social life, even her haircut is a mess. After several dead end jobs she is again unemployed. She decides to go to work as an assistant for her private investigator uncle. How hard can it be? It will at least tide her over until she finds a "real job".

Her first assignment is a simple one, find a current address for a woman. Instead when she reaches the most current address on record she finds a "hungry horde" of mystery readers and a dead body. This is definitely not a dead end job but for Cate's sake hopefully the last dead body.

Dollycas's Thoughts

This was a fun and entertaining cozy filled with major amounts of humor.

Cate is a total klutz that sometimes leans on her faith to get out of the tight situations she gets herself into. Answers to prayer sometimes made these tight situations conclude to quickly and too neatly but the story was well paced. The mystery was great and the suspects were many. It seemed everyone Cate ran into ended up on her suspect list but it did add to the laughs in many cases.

My favorite character of this story was frisky feline. Octavia, a fat white cat whose is deaf and she has lost "her person". Amelia is found dead at the bottom of the stairs and the cat is clearly distressed. She also is a cat that Cate ends up taking home because Amelia's niece wants nothing to do that "spoiled rotten mongrel" "who leaves cat hair on everything". Octavia is one intuitive cat and needs the perfect someone to be her new "person".

The ladies of the Whodunit Book Club are all very unique as well. I hope they return in future installments.

Mystery, quirky characters, small town setting, with a hint of romance, all the elements of a great cozy mystery.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dying to Read is one of those books that you simply don't want to put down because the character is so utterly likable, as human as you or I, and you have to find out how they are going to get out of the mess they find themselves in! Cate Kinkaid is a fun character, one who refuses to give up on her life despite one disappointment or dead end after the other, and who as a result ends up discovering her real passion in life. This mystery isn't one of those suspense books where you don't want to turn off the lights or you find yourself holding your breathe as you watch a scene unfold. In fact, I had to suspend my belief quite a bit at the end as Cate finds herself in some life threatening circumstances that resolve themselves a bit too neatly. But I had such fun reading this book, and it's one of those mysteries where I turned the last page satisfied by the story and yet wanting to return to the world of Cate Kinkaid to see what other mischief she finds herself in. The plot definitely has some twists and turns that held my interest, and I absolutely loved how the situation with the cat turned out! (I won't say more for fear of ruining the book for you).

So, if you are looking for a fun mystery with stellar characters, and even a bit of romance to keep things interesting, then this is the book for you. I award this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

[Ada Brownell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read every book in the Ivy Malone mystery series by Lorena McCourtney I could get my hands on so jumped at the chance to enjoy Dying to Read, a novel that revolves around the Whodunit Book Club and a murder.
Job hunting, Cate Kincaid was hired to help her private investigator uncle while he recovers from surgery. Cate’s assignment is to find a granddaughter so the she can collect her inheritance. At the first stop—a place where the granddaughter previously was employed, Cate stumbles on a body.
I seems logical to this young inexperienced PI that the rich woman died because someone pushed her down the stairs. But on the other hand, there were sleeping pills and evidence she walked in her sleep. So the police don’t list the death as a homicide.
But clues keep popping up that show a whole bunch of people had reason to want the woman dead and Cate finds herself getting involved in trying to solve the murder.
Contrary to the good sense God gave her and warnings from her new male friend, Mitch, Cate keeps snooping around because of the dead woman’s cat and the need to complete the job her uncle assigned her—find the young heiress.
In classic Lorena McCourtney style this evolves into a great mystery that especially at the end keeps the reader awake at night and eyes open a while after the book has ended.
The may be the best book the author has done yet. I recommend it.
I was provided a review copy by the author and Revell Publishing, but opinions here are my own.

[Betty]

Learning On The Job

My copy was a mass market print edition from my library ant I went add a review I found ebook edition free from Amazon. This first book in the series which I have enjoyed. Cate is unemployed and having problems finding work. Her Uncle Joe is a PI and gives her job to find a girl who has received a recent inheritance. Cate goes to the address and find the body of the elderly owner dead. The girl she is looking has left. Cate becomes interest in Amelia death and takes her cat Octavia as no one wanted her. Uncle Joe has a stroke and can't help. This crime appears to have many and angles and Cate is not sure how proceed. Cate needs to learn what is happening before she ends of a victim. There is no sex and violence.

[Krissy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just couldn't get into this so I gave up.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and exciting start to what seems to be a fun mystery series.

[Jenn M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first time reading this author Loren McCourtney. Although not my first choice in genre, I do enjoy contemporary cozy mysteries from time to time, because they are usually quick to read, quirky characters, and plausible plots. Unfortunately, for me, this was not a book that I could relate to and it did not keep my interest. The main character Cate, with her string of bad luck...loss of boyfriend, job loss, bad haircut...was stereotypical of the sometimes ditzy femme fatale main character starring in a certain sub-genre of contemporary cozies. While McCourtney's Cate reminded me of the Stephanie Plum character in Janet Evanovich's Plum mystery series, Evanovich writes the character-type better than McCourtney. McCortney's Cate, to me, comes across as pretty "meh" compared to the much more flamboyantly ridiculous Stephanie Plum. This is personal preference, of course, and the reason why there are books written for all kinds.

What annoyed me most about Cate was that she was aware of her inexperience and the possibilities of getting herself into trouble, but she pushed head-on into exactly what she didn't want to do. And, then she kept doing it--again, and again. And, the people she encountered were enablers, allowing her to continue her somewhat naive and foolish private investigating. Cate definitely was too personally involved in the case, and this influenced the outcomes. Probably this is exactly the type of plot that Ms. McCourtney planned...so in a way, she succeeded.

For me, characters with this type of self-knowledge and no resistance to the inevitable seem shallow and unbelievable. And, it's hard for me to stay engaged with someone so stubbornly stuck on what has been tried and failed in past. Do these characters believe that doing the same thing again will result in a different outcome? Yes, perhaps I expected too much depth from a quick-to-read for-fun piece, but even when I'm reading for pure entertainment and escapism, I do have my standards. The characters have to have some modicum of believability. And, McCourtney's Cate just wasn't that believable to me.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an excellent first book in this series. I enjoyed reading about Cate and hope to see her date Mitch. The mystery was interesting. I didn't have the killer figured out, but I did have some of the puzzle pieces figured out before Cate. She's not a very good investigator, but then again, this was her very first case and she isn't trained. ;) :) I just loved the cat, Octavia, too. :) She even helped Cate along the way, so I sure hope she helps in future cases, as well. :) Definitely want to read more. :)

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pop Sugar Challenge 2020: book with an upside down image on the cover
I’d lean more towards 3.5 stars but we still can’t do half stars on here...
This was a decent read but just not compelling enough for me. Obviously, it took me a while to finish it because there wasn’t anything that really said “I need to pick up my kindle and read.” If I could get the rest for free I’d consider finishing the series.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.35 stars - pg/mild pg13

I’m torn on how to rate this book. Sometimes it was very funny and quirky and worth 4.25 stars and sometimes it was frustrating and 2.50 stars. The beginning of the book kept me reading, but by the last half, the main character, Cate, was getting on my last nerve. Even so, it was still fairly good. Perhaps I’ll just list some of the notes I jotted down as I read:

~~ Almost to the halfway point. There’s been a purse whomping(!!) and some other very funny bits. A few little things that didn’t quite work, but I’m liking this, so far. There are times when I feel like the story and Cate are just slightly far-fetched or silly. It’s annoying when she does stupid things and yet two pages back she was, evidently, ever-so-clever.

~~ Cate is kind of dense and oblivious, yet also supposedly insightful and brilliant when it’s convenient for the plot (eye roll). I love Mitch, the budding love interest; he’s such a nice, normal, good guy and they have nice interactions. I like that he kind of goes along with her harebrained sleuthing schemes while at the same time teasing her about it.

~~ Ugh. Either the details in the story are “off” or the author made Cate purposely stupid. Mitch is a much better investigator than her, so far, he’s the one coming up with the sensible ideas. Why is Cate so completely clueless? And some of these characters are a bit over-the-top.

~~ Oh, for pity’s sake!! I seriously wonder about her mental capacities! I’m having a hard time warming up to her -- to me, she’s more annoying than cute or slightly quirky. Yet again, one page she’s a smart cookie and the next page she’s naïve and dense as a tree trunk. Thankfully, there are some funny bits included!

~~ Oh, how stupid! That’s just ridiculous! The author seems to conveniently remove Cate’s brain cells to fit a particular section of the story. Then, miraculously, she has “super” brain cells in the next section. Then she returns to idiot status. Then she’s a Rhodes Scholar. Then rinse, and repeat.

~~ Oh, please!! Cate’s more of a flake than Willow, the character who is written as a “flake”! On the plus side, I LOVE Mitch! And more funny bits!

So….. I own book two, Dolled Up to Die, but I’m not sure how much more of Cate’s “brilliance” I can handle. On the other hand, if Mitch is still around, it might be worth giving it a chance.

The faith part in this book was basically praying, church-going, and talk of trusting in God. It was very evident and nice, but I wouldn’t say it was necessarily Christ-centered.

[Paula-O · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lorena McCourtney's Mystery "Dying to Read"

This is my first Mystery by Lorena read because my sister loves her series of the Ivy Malone Mystery....

This is the story of Cate Kinkaid a young woman out of a job looking for work who stumbles into this job with her uncle "just to have a paycheck" while she still looks for something better.
She has a simple job-to verify wherabouts of one woman named "Willow"and she stumbles into mayhem and murder and meets a wonderful little group of older women called the Whodunit bookclub, they were all on the porch of a large victorian house sitting high on a hill looking just a little bedraggled, when Cate goes to check out last address for Willow. The women were little put out as it was their day to meet and luncheon was to be had also ..so where was Amelia,owner of the victorian..she was not answering the door. all are shocked to find her outside laying at the foot of steps ..dead.
was thia a murder or accident???


Now Willow and cat is missing also when Cate first goes to the rambling old house but..
she meets the cat later when visiting a second time to see if there are clues as to where Willow could have gone. outside all rumpled and hungry missing her mistress..
Cate is a cat-lover so when neice shows up and seems to ignore plight of the cat and sees Cate's interest she lets her take it home with her so she wont have to be bothered with it...

If you like to read mysteries you will like this one as so many characters show up and meander through Cate's life as she learns a little about being a P I ...This routine job is turning out to be anything but.

[Joleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian mystery/who-done-it with a lot of comedy.

Cate Kincade accepts a part time "P.I." position from her uncle because she cannot find work after college and her failure at teaching. The job was just to find someone (Willow) whose great uncle wants to let her know about an inheritance from a recent death in the family. What Cate doesn't realize, as she's checking out Willow's recent employer for her whereabouts, is that she's about to step right into the middle of said employer's murder.

The rest of the book is a very amusing series of situations and contacts, that at every corner causes you to suspect nearly everyone in the story of the murder. No one clears the innocent-radar.

I believe I've only read another book like this, a funny murder/mystery, but this one was a lot better.

Very clean with a simple Christian theme added.

[Cara Putman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book of this author that I've read. I was in the mood for a light detective novel, and this fit the bill. Cate Kincaid is a young woman who hasn't quite found her place in life. While she's trying, she takes a part-time P.I. job with her uncle. In what should be a simple matter of confirming whether someone lives at a home, she instead stumbles on a dead body. The police may believe it was an accident, but she doesn't. Where most people would walk away, Cate keeps finding people who need her help and questions she has to answer.

Cate's way of looking at things is simplistic and she doesn't seem to have any of the skills a PI needs. Yet in her search for answers she learns how to begin to follow her instincts. She also learns how to walk away from the shadows of her past that keep her isolated. She also forms alliances with an interesting assortment of characters. In the process she just might find herself.

This book was an enjoyable read. It made for an entertaining whodunit. And I have to admit that I didn't anticipate the full solution to the mystery until it was revealed. That made the story that much more enjoyable to me. It's perfect for those who enjoy a whodunit that stands alone but gives you the hope of meeting the characters again.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a horrible habit of waiting for months or - in this case - over a year to write a review, which makes it very hard to remember everything I felt/thought while reading a book. So please bear with me as I write this review to the best of my ability!

To start off, even a year and a half later, I remember being very entertained by this book! There were so many parts that had me giggling, especially involving the cat. Now, it did take me 86 pages to realize this was a Christian mystery, but that's just because I don't usually look too closely into what I'm about to read, and regardless I'm never opposed to some good Christian fiction!

There were parts where Cate frustrated me greatly, but what main character doesn't frustrate the reader at one point or another?

All in all, this book was a good Christian mystery with a dash of romance thrown in! I definitely plan on reading the sequel and I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good, not too intense mystery!

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a light hearted murder mystery which will have you shaking your head in wonder! How can one girl stumble onto some much murder and mayhem when all she is trying to do is help her uncle who is a P.I.? The case he gave her should have been simple--get someone's address--------well she gets a whole lot more then that, including a guy who has to keep running to her rescue and a domineering cat! And then there is the woman who could be her twin and has a slight problem with the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

This is the first in this series (yeah I got the first first this time!!!!) and I will be reading the rest as they come out to see what other trouble this budding P.I can get into.
Dying to Read

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cate Kinkaid isn't particularly great at anything, although she has tried a great many things. Currently between jobs (again) she agrees to help her Uncle Joe - a private investigator - with a simple verify-this-address job. Only it turns out to be much more complicated than they realize.

I think Lorena McCourtney may one of the best kept secrets around. I have read all the books in her Ivy Malone series, and now this first of the Cate Kinkaid series. Her writing is good, stories are solid (even if the mysteries are little easy-to-solve) and she adds humor in all the right places. She works faith and religion into her books without it feeling heavy-handed. Her characters are real people with actual flaws, although a few seem a little stereotyped.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good cozy mystery with just a hint of Christianity. The plot was very twisty and kept me guessing right to the end. Plenty of subplots and red herrings. The mc was interesting, though I didn't feel completely invested in her throughout. Dying to Read contained all the elements of a good mystery without being overly-wordy or obvious. I would definitely try another of this author's books, but maybe a different series.

[C.J. Darlington · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful cozy mystery. If you enjoyed McCourtney's Ivy Malone series, this one is up to par and offers its own unique flavor. Full of funny quips and eccentric characters (including a deaf cat), this one's for fans of cozies everywhere.

[Diane Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute! Fun! Great mystery

A perfect cozy mystery. After reading several intense novels, I needed this lighthearted story. A great mix of humor and mystery with interesting characters.