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Two Sisters and a Journalist #1
Murder Under Construction
Jo Ravens is thirty-two, divorced, and stuck in a rut. She wants two things in life - a new career as a private investigator, and to lose the sixty pounds she packed on after her divorce.
When she crashes her bike in a construction site, she lands on a girl with a large knife in her chest. Jo enlists her sister, Pepper, and their journalist friend, Jackie, to help solve the dead girl's murder. Things become creepy for Jo when the murdered girl appears in her dreams to offer unusual clues to her death.
Murder Under Construction is a humorous mystery with Jo's family adding to the antics of the three women. Mama caterwauls, Jackie's two children offer sleuthing assistance, and her brother, Hank, laughs at all of them from the sidelines. Murder Under Construction is light, easy-breezy reading from Maddie Cochere.
When she crashes her bike in a construction site, she lands on a girl with a large knife in her chest. Jo enlists her sister, Pepper, and their journalist friend, Jackie, to help solve the dead girl's murder. Things become creepy for Jo when the murdered girl appears in her dreams to offer unusual clues to her death.
Murder Under Construction is a humorous mystery with Jo's family adding to the antics of the three women. Mama caterwauls, Jackie's two children offer sleuthing assistance, and her brother, Hank, laughs at all of them from the sidelines. Murder Under Construction is light, easy-breezy reading from Maddie Cochere.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
December 8, 2020
Dream state
When Jo discovers her fifth dead body she begins thinking of a career change. When her dreams begin to lead her to information about the crime she, her sister and best friend begin to investigate.
When Jo discovers her fifth dead body she begins thinking of a career change. When her dreams begin to lead her to information about the crime she, her sister and best friend begin to investigate.
November 16, 2018
When Jo Ravens finds a corpse in a Buxley, Ohio construction site, she investigates.
Cochere gives us a laugh-out-loud mystery. Her protagonist is witty, real and relatable. Secondary characters are colorful. The mystery storyline is intriguing with plenty of twists. And there's abundant humor.
An amusing, thoroughly entertaining read.
Cochere gives us a laugh-out-loud mystery. Her protagonist is witty, real and relatable. Secondary characters are colorful. The mystery storyline is intriguing with plenty of twists. And there's abundant humor.
An amusing, thoroughly entertaining read.
March 15, 2014
Two Sisters and a Journalist - a great catchy title. I read this chick-lit mystery fast because it was fun. The main characters were three dimensional characters that I could identify with and the plot kept me in suspense, wanting to know who did it. Plus, what would chick-lit be without romance and there was enough to satisfy me and keep me curious. The relationship between the two sisters and their attempts to keep fit was amusing and the dialogue was natural and smooth. If you're looking for a fun mystery pick up this book. It's the first I've read by this author but surely not the last.
January 26, 2014
A fast great read. Ms. Cochere writes with a sense of humor firmly intact. Her character, two sisters and their journalist friend, are believable and likeable. This book has murder, mayhem, and lots of laughter. Read this book! You won't regret it.
February 21, 2015
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries with some humour thrown in, you'll really enjoy this book. It is well written, has a number of twists and turns and the last line was an absolute cracker. Sadly, though, for the majority of the time, I couldn't get into it.
I don't think this is a fault of the book, more with me. The further I read, the more I realised this particular style of story isn't for me. I think the problem is that I like my thrillers to be a little grittier, a little more realistic. This book was a little too gentle, a little too 'murder she wrote' for my liking and it needed a lot of suspension of disbelief for me to become fully involved. If a body is found with a knife in it (this is in the first paragraph so it's not a spoiler), I struggle when the discoverer's first thought is along the lines of 'ooh, what a great mystery' and not revulsion at the horrible crime. It also took until two-thirds into the book before the lead saw the victim as anything other than an enigma to solve. Again, I know this fits with the humorous detective caper style, but I wasn't ever able to get past the lack of empathy. Add to this the way the main character discovered new leads and it became too much for me to overcome.
That said, I did finish the book and there was enough in it to keep an old cynic like me turning the pages, so I'm sure for the right audience the book will go down ver well. Just not me.
I don't think this is a fault of the book, more with me. The further I read, the more I realised this particular style of story isn't for me. I think the problem is that I like my thrillers to be a little grittier, a little more realistic. This book was a little too gentle, a little too 'murder she wrote' for my liking and it needed a lot of suspension of disbelief for me to become fully involved. If a body is found with a knife in it (this is in the first paragraph so it's not a spoiler), I struggle when the discoverer's first thought is along the lines of 'ooh, what a great mystery' and not revulsion at the horrible crime. It also took until two-thirds into the book before the lead saw the victim as anything other than an enigma to solve. Again, I know this fits with the humorous detective caper style, but I wasn't ever able to get past the lack of empathy. Add to this the way the main character discovered new leads and it became too much for me to overcome.
That said, I did finish the book and there was enough in it to keep an old cynic like me turning the pages, so I'm sure for the right audience the book will go down ver well. Just not me.
July 18, 2015
I fell in love with this book from the first sentence. "I swear that body was hard as a rock when my butt bounced off it." With an opening line like that, you know you're in for a fun ride. Jo is a thirty-ish woman with an interest in sleuthing. She has no qualms about putting her nose where it might not belong. I loved her self-confidence in her PI skills while at the same time felt her vulnerability as an overweight woman longing to return to the shape she used to be. The other characters in the book are just as colorful. There is mystery, humor, and fun subplots (a sister determined to home school her less-than-enthusiastic kids, a mother with a penchant for potty humor, humorous weight-loss attempts). I have only read one Janet Evanovich novel, but I think Murder Under Construction is in a similar vein to the Plum series, only I enjoyed this book more. The writing is sharp, fast-paced, and breezy. The perfect book for when you want a simple, entertaining escape. I can't wait to read the next in the series.
February 15, 2019
Jo Raven works at a loan office but she desires to be a private investigator. Three murders have occurred in and around the town of Buxley. Jo has been instrumental in helping to solve the murders. Her uncanny ability to find information that leads the police to the culprits makes her intrusion into the murder cases welcome by the local police. The story opens when she is bicycling with her nephew near a construction site. As she flies over the third mound of dirt, she lands on the body of a young woman with a knife stuck in her chest. In her house she has a murder room in which she lays out details she discovers. Some of these details she gleans from her dreams, others she, her sister and a Journalist friend uncover by sleuthing. They call themselves "Two Sisters and a Journalist." A gregarious heroine, Raven is overweight, loves to eat and drink beer, and tries to take off the weight by going to the gym with her sister. A fast-paced mystery ala Janet Evanovich, it's a fun read.
April 13, 2020
This was the book I chose based on AuthorName = C. It is the first book in the Two Sisters and a Journalist series and still seems to be free on Amazon.
This cozy mystery was an enjoyable romp. The book does allude to previous murders that Jo has solved, but unlike some books, the author does go on and explain what happened, so you feel confident that this is the first of the series. As well as the dead girl appearing in Jo's dreams (which doesn't get explained, so I don't know if that'll be a recurrence in future books?), there are romantic interests for Jo and comical situations she finds herself in.
I did enjoy this book. If I wasn't trying to read all the books I currently have, I would buy the next one in the series, however I have opted for adding the next book on to my wishlist.
This cozy mystery was an enjoyable romp. The book does allude to previous murders that Jo has solved, but unlike some books, the author does go on and explain what happened, so you feel confident that this is the first of the series. As well as the dead girl appearing in Jo's dreams (which doesn't get explained, so I don't know if that'll be a recurrence in future books?), there are romantic interests for Jo and comical situations she finds herself in.
I did enjoy this book. If I wasn't trying to read all the books I currently have, I would buy the next one in the series, however I have opted for adding the next book on to my wishlist.
December 1, 2016
Jo Ravens has a knack for finding dead people. The latest is a woman who's been stabbed to death and left naked at a construction site near Jo's home. Jo, her sister Pepper and her journalist friend, Jackie, decide to solve the girl's murder, as the local police have deemed her a prostitute who's been murdered by her pimp. The story follows the three women, most Jo, as their investigation places them in often funny situations - and, of course, Jo solves the crime.
The story refers to the previous murders and it seemed as if the reader should have known about those, yet this is the first book in the series. That was mildly distracting, but I still thought the book was cute and fun and an easy read.
The story refers to the previous murders and it seemed as if the reader should have known about those, yet this is the first book in the series. That was mildly distracting, but I still thought the book was cute and fun and an easy read.
June 19, 2018
This is the first of a series with Jo Ravens, overweight 32-year-old divorcee as its protagonist. Jo needs a new career, being perfectly bored as a glorified receptionist at a mortgage brokerage. The book starts out with her crashing a bicycle and landing on a young woman's stabbed body in a construction site in sight of her house. Since she's decided that she would be a great private detective and since the local police seem to be ignoring the case because they assume the murder victim was a prostitute, she decides to enlist her sister and a journalist friend to solve the murder.
This is a very quick read but complete in the story line. It could be the plot of an hour long mystery show on TV. Perhaps the characters will become more rounded in further books.
This is a very quick read but complete in the story line. It could be the plot of an hour long mystery show on TV. Perhaps the characters will become more rounded in further books.
October 25, 2019
This was an okay story but I won't be reading more of the series. I found it hard to believe the police didn't investigate the murder. They spent a few hours one day and came up with a high school student? I mean... really? I found the actions of Jo, Pepper, and Jackie to be a tad ridiculous. Using the bathroom during a B&E? Not normal behavior, IMO. The recurring toilet humor got tedious. So did all the food Jo ate. I get so sick of overweight people being portrayed as if all they do is eat. Since there weren't any twists or turns or red herrings, the book didn't hold my interest. I was sure who the murderer was from early on. I didn't care about any of the characters because they weren't well-developed. Don't bother when there are so many great cozies out there.
July 7, 2018
Slightly silly but fun
Although I enjoyed the light hearted fun of this story, I can only give it 4 stars. The ridiculous childish manner in which the main characters avoid swearing, I found pathetic. Real people swear, and they don't consider saying "hell" to be swearing. I was beginning to wonder if this book was actually aimed at a younger audience. Most books I have read do not have the characters swearing in them, the author's make no big deal about it and no one notices. By emphasizing the fact that Jo and Pepper were actively trying to avoid swearing, the book came across as rather preachy. This spoiled what was otherwise a very enjoyable read.
Although I enjoyed the light hearted fun of this story, I can only give it 4 stars. The ridiculous childish manner in which the main characters avoid swearing, I found pathetic. Real people swear, and they don't consider saying "hell" to be swearing. I was beginning to wonder if this book was actually aimed at a younger audience. Most books I have read do not have the characters swearing in them, the author's make no big deal about it and no one notices. By emphasizing the fact that Jo and Pepper were actively trying to avoid swearing, the book came across as rather preachy. This spoiled what was otherwise a very enjoyable read.
July 7, 2025
Jo Ravens recently developed an affinity for locating bodies. This time, one breaks her fall during bicycle tricks with her niece and nephew. To combat the dullness of her life, she decides to figure out who killed to woman. She gets help from some unexpected arenas. Though one of them hints at danger to herself, she keeps seeking answers. But will she succeed where the police have decided answers aren't important?
Definitely delivers the cozy mystery requirements of amateur sleuth, a bit of silliness, and a hint of romance. A good palate cleanser between more horrifying tales and diving into classics.
Definitely delivers the cozy mystery requirements of amateur sleuth, a bit of silliness, and a hint of romance. A good palate cleanser between more horrifying tales and diving into classics.
February 14, 2019
A quirky read
A quirky read.
A body is unceremoniously found by an amateur sleuth Jo ravens. She sets out to find the killer with her sister and journalist friend.
Extremely likeable characters, that weren't 1 dimensional. Jo and her sister were funnyvanx relatable. At times I laughed out loud at things that went on in this book.
The plot line was believable and I like how the mystery slowly unravelled revealing the true killer.
This was a fun quick read and I enjoyed the book.
A quirky read.
A body is unceremoniously found by an amateur sleuth Jo ravens. She sets out to find the killer with her sister and journalist friend.
Extremely likeable characters, that weren't 1 dimensional. Jo and her sister were funnyvanx relatable. At times I laughed out loud at things that went on in this book.
The plot line was believable and I like how the mystery slowly unravelled revealing the true killer.
This was a fun quick read and I enjoyed the book.
June 5, 2018
Funniest murder mystery I've ever read.
This author knows how to write a dialog that sounds just like women talk. No one is movie star beautiful and thin. Makes you feel like you are out with your friends. The story has enough clues and red herrings to keep you guessing. I laughed throughout the book causing my family to ask what I was laughing about. I'm pretty sure several will be reading the story. Enjoy!!!
This author knows how to write a dialog that sounds just like women talk. No one is movie star beautiful and thin. Makes you feel like you are out with your friends. The story has enough clues and red herrings to keep you guessing. I laughed throughout the book causing my family to ask what I was laughing about. I'm pretty sure several will be reading the story. Enjoy!!!
July 12, 2018
Jo Ravens is thinking about becoming a private investigator - after all, the body that she fell on is the fifth body that she has found. She doesn't leave the investigation to the cops. The three female leads are likeable characters with personalities that are believable. The males in the story are good counterpoints. The investigation is followed logically - and I liked the idea of information coming in her dreams.
August 22, 2018
This was a very easy breezy book to read. It has some humor in it which work in this book. (it wasn't the bust your gut laughing but it worked)
The family dynamic is funny. Jo and Pepper are sisters. And like family Jackie is a journalist. Jo seems to be a magnet for the dead. Pepper, Jackie and the rest of the crew (their mother, niece, nephew and husbands) help with what's going on.
This is not a bad book to read. I enjoyed it.
The family dynamic is funny. Jo and Pepper are sisters. And like family Jackie is a journalist. Jo seems to be a magnet for the dead. Pepper, Jackie and the rest of the crew (their mother, niece, nephew and husbands) help with what's going on.
This is not a bad book to read. I enjoyed it.
May 16, 2022
Entertaining Enough
I'm a fan of the "woman who wants to lose weight and has a messy personal life finds a dead body" genre of mysteries. The junk food of mysteries, as it were. This is a respectable entry. The writing could be better. The author replaced the "stumbles constantly into danger" trope with "dreams sent by the victim," which wasn't an improvement. Still, it was fun to read and I'll probably look into the rest of the series.
I'm a fan of the "woman who wants to lose weight and has a messy personal life finds a dead body" genre of mysteries. The junk food of mysteries, as it were. This is a respectable entry. The writing could be better. The author replaced the "stumbles constantly into danger" trope with "dreams sent by the victim," which wasn't an improvement. Still, it was fun to read and I'll probably look into the rest of the series.
July 30, 2018
I admit at first when I started reading this book I like it but I wasn't sure it was a book I loved. Guess what I do love it! The storyline grabbed me, the characters were someone you wish you knew in person and so enjoyed the laugh out loud unpredictable humor scenes. It is a great book and I already put the second book on my list as one to buy.
October 18, 2018
This is chick lit, cozy mystery, humor all wrapped up in one book. Jo is an overweight thirty something divorcee, looking for a career change, but keeps finding dead bodies, much to the dismay of the city police. Both her sister and best friend are married, but have plenty of time of help her in her escapades Subtracted one star for too many bathroom jokes.
August 26, 2019
This cozy mystery absolutely hit the spot for me. I read it in one sitting and really enjoyed the heroine, her friends, the witty/realistic dialogue and the plot. I'm not usually a fan of anything "mystic" like the paranormal or psychic but I actually liked the pieces that came to her in dreams. It made for a really fun book for me to read.
September 1, 2023
This is a rather silly cozy mystery about two sisters and their friend, a journalist. Jo is playing with her niece and nephew when she falls of the bike onto a dead body in a construction site close to her house. She has dreams about the woman and gets clues to her murder from the dreams. I bought this book many years ago and decided to read my oldest purchase. Silly story.
May 25, 2018
Great story!
I loved the characters and story line! I live in southeast ohio and know Marietta very well, so that made the story more personal and interesting!! Can't wait till next month when I can get the next book in the series!!
I loved the characters and story line! I live in southeast ohio and know Marietta very well, so that made the story more personal and interesting!! Can't wait till next month when I can get the next book in the series!!
June 18, 2018
Just couldn't develop a positive relationship or care about the main character, much less her sister and family. While billed as funny and a quick fun trea...I would agree with a quick read but no fun about it. The good news is that it is short...but writing not Impressive and the people annoying.
June 19, 2018
Good beach read
Definitely a breezy read. Able to read it in one sitting. An enjoyable book with interesting characters. Nice to have a few character who isn't thin. The mystery was a no-brainer, making it a good beach read.
Definitely a breezy read. Able to read it in one sitting. An enjoyable book with interesting characters. Nice to have a few character who isn't thin. The mystery was a no-brainer, making it a good beach read.
June 19, 2018
Funny from the very beginning
Two Sisters & a Journalist was very lighthearted and funny. I enjoyed the round about way that Jo solved the mystery of a young ladies death. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series!
Two Sisters & a Journalist was very lighthearted and funny. I enjoyed the round about way that Jo solved the mystery of a young ladies death. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series!
June 23, 2018
Hilarious
Reminiscent of Stefanie Plum,Joe antics never fail to bring one to tears...... From laughter! Her dream clues add to the drama and bring humor to this loveable character and her friends and crazy family!
Reminiscent of Stefanie Plum,Joe antics never fail to bring one to tears...... From laughter! Her dream clues add to the drama and bring humor to this loveable character and her friends and crazy family!
July 16, 2018
Clues and dreams
She wanted to become a PI. She did find dead bodies! Her friends and niece and nephew always encouraged her. But could she really do it? She yet had 4 yrs of college that she needed Did she have the time??
She wanted to become a PI. She did find dead bodies! Her friends and niece and nephew always encouraged her. But could she really do it? She yet had 4 yrs of college that she needed Did she have the time??
July 27, 2018
Humorous and easy to read
A fun read for those who like a light hearted murder mystery. Easy to get to grips with Jo and her friends and family while trying to work out (who done it).
A fun read for those who like a light hearted murder mystery. Easy to get to grips with Jo and her friends and family while trying to work out (who done it).
August 8, 2018
Loved this book so much!
If you love laughing, don't mind the struggle of being over weight and just a hint of romance this book is awesome! Laughed so hard I had tears! Must get the rest of the series!
If you love laughing, don't mind the struggle of being over weight and just a hint of romance this book is awesome! Laughed so hard I had tears! Must get the rest of the series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews