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Cold Creek #2
Murder in the Arboretum
Another murder in small town Cold Creek has tensions rising. Clive Johnson, the groundskeeper at Cold Creek College, is a convenient scapegoat for a police chief who seeks an easy solution. Convinced Chief Pfeiffe has it all wrong, professor and psychologist Sheridan Hendley sets out to help prove Clive's innocence. But not everyone is pleased by her enthusiastic search for the truth. Just as her life is looking up personally, it looks like she might be the next victim.
245 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
88 people are currently reading
250 people want to read
About the author
Christa Nardi
66 books312 followersFrom childhood, as a fan of Nancy Drew, Dana Girls, Perry Mason, and the Hardy Boys, it was inevitable that Christa Nardi would continue her love of books and particularly mysteries. With a career in technical/nonfiction writing (under real name), it is not surprising that her love of mystery transformed into not only reading but writing mysteries. Christa combines her love for reading and writing on her blog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
January 8, 2015
Sheridan is a professor (and psychiatrist) at a small private college in Cold Creek. Her best friend is a fellow professor (the two of them are two of three psychiatrists that work for the college) and her boyfriend is a state trooper. The story follows their lives after a body is found in the arboretum in the school. She doesn't believe that Clive is the murderer and, with the help of her friends, tries to figure out what actually did happen.
I have not read the first book in the series, but this looked like a really cute book. I have found that most series that fall under the Cozy Mystery genre can be read as stand-alone novels, and this one is no different. I quickly figured out the relationships between the characters and a little backstory as well. (The murder in the first book is mentioned in passing several times throughout the book, but I never felt like I was missing anything.)
This is a good mystery and a good story, one that I found both fun and interesting. Following along with the mystery was enjoyable and I liked quite a few of the characters. I definitely plan to go back and read the first book (I'm curious about some things now, like wanting to know more about how Sheridan and her boyfriend met, which happened in the first one).
I enjoyed the author's writing style, and even liked the fact that it was written in first person (from Sheridan's point of view), but this book (or at least the copy I received for the blog tour, which I assume is the finished copy) definitely needs an editor. There was at least one conversation in particular that was mentioned (not written out) that happened more than one time and a lot of things that could have been left out of the book, things that slowed the story down instead of kept it flowing, things that made me wonder why they were mentioned because they weren't of any importance. And Sheridan and her coffee obsession and constant email checking really became tedious. But despite all that, like I said before, I still plan to read more of this author because the mystery itself kept my attention.
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
I have not read the first book in the series, but this looked like a really cute book. I have found that most series that fall under the Cozy Mystery genre can be read as stand-alone novels, and this one is no different. I quickly figured out the relationships between the characters and a little backstory as well. (The murder in the first book is mentioned in passing several times throughout the book, but I never felt like I was missing anything.)
This is a good mystery and a good story, one that I found both fun and interesting. Following along with the mystery was enjoyable and I liked quite a few of the characters. I definitely plan to go back and read the first book (I'm curious about some things now, like wanting to know more about how Sheridan and her boyfriend met, which happened in the first one).
I enjoyed the author's writing style, and even liked the fact that it was written in first person (from Sheridan's point of view), but this book (or at least the copy I received for the blog tour, which I assume is the finished copy) definitely needs an editor. There was at least one conversation in particular that was mentioned (not written out) that happened more than one time and a lot of things that could have been left out of the book, things that slowed the story down instead of kept it flowing, things that made me wonder why they were mentioned because they weren't of any importance. And Sheridan and her coffee obsession and constant email checking really became tedious. But despite all that, like I said before, I still plan to read more of this author because the mystery itself kept my attention.
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
December 8, 2025
Really enjoyed this one
January 15, 2015
Professor Sheridan Hendley begins to build a relationship with Brett, a detective from Virginia, who she met during a murder investigation. Imagine their surprise when yet another murder occurs at Cold Creek College. Brett warns her to stay out of the investigation, but Sheridan can’t help herself. She’s convinced the wrong man has been arrested.
Cold Creek College’s groundskeeper Clive Johnson is immediately accused of the crime, even before a complete investigation is performed. He’s in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Chief Pfeiffe opts to take the easy way out and arrest him. No way is Sheridan going to stand quietly by and let that happen. As she delves further and further into the murder, she becomes the murderer’s target herself. She doesn’t want to be the next victim, but she’s not about to see the wrong man go to jail.
This is the second book in the series. I honestly think this one stands alone, but it’s always nice to read series books from the beginning to get a good feel for each character. It’s not necessary with this one, but I think it makes it even more enjoyable. I thought the first book was good, but this one gave me even more insight to the characters.
It took me a little bit of time to really get used to the author’s writing style as it’s told in the first person and it’s mostly narrative. I like more dialogue, but this technique works for this book. The author goes into great detail and it gives the reader a good visual of where and what is happening. It’s almost as if you are right in the middle of the scene.
I always love to re-visit characters and this book is no exception. We get to see Sheridan and Brett's relationship grow and even see what Sheridan's friends and co-workers have been up to.
The mystery had me flip flopping back and forth as to who is the killer. Just when I thought I figured it out, another curve is thrown in. I was completely off the mark. It's fun to be kept in the dark until the end. I’m looking forward to book #3.
FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
Cold Creek College’s groundskeeper Clive Johnson is immediately accused of the crime, even before a complete investigation is performed. He’s in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Chief Pfeiffe opts to take the easy way out and arrest him. No way is Sheridan going to stand quietly by and let that happen. As she delves further and further into the murder, she becomes the murderer’s target herself. She doesn’t want to be the next victim, but she’s not about to see the wrong man go to jail.
This is the second book in the series. I honestly think this one stands alone, but it’s always nice to read series books from the beginning to get a good feel for each character. It’s not necessary with this one, but I think it makes it even more enjoyable. I thought the first book was good, but this one gave me even more insight to the characters.
It took me a little bit of time to really get used to the author’s writing style as it’s told in the first person and it’s mostly narrative. I like more dialogue, but this technique works for this book. The author goes into great detail and it gives the reader a good visual of where and what is happening. It’s almost as if you are right in the middle of the scene.
I always love to re-visit characters and this book is no exception. We get to see Sheridan and Brett's relationship grow and even see what Sheridan's friends and co-workers have been up to.
The mystery had me flip flopping back and forth as to who is the killer. Just when I thought I figured it out, another curve is thrown in. I was completely off the mark. It's fun to be kept in the dark until the end. I’m looking forward to book #3.
FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
November 22, 2015
In this second book in the Cold Creek series, there has been another murder on campus, but the chief of police is more concerned with naming a murderer than solving the crime. As psychology professor Sheridan Hendley discovers information that proves the wrong person is behind bars, it becomes clear that there are people who want to keep Sheridan quiet -- no matter what it takes. With a familiar cast of returning characters and some new ones as well, Sheridan unwittingly finds herself at the center of a dangerous mystery where some will kill to keep it unsolved.
Author Christa Nardi does a great job casting lots of shadows and presenting plenty of twists for readers to enjoy. Also enjoyable is the relationship between Sheridan and Brett McCann, the detective she met in book one. Their relationship has progressed to a more serious commitment, but is not the focus of the story, which works well. The romantic element is clean with plenty of blushing and innuendo to carry it along. This is not a rapid-paced page turner, but it's an enjoyable cozy mystery with a great glimpse into academia. Full review on Hall Ways http://kristinehallways.blogspot.com/...
Author Christa Nardi does a great job casting lots of shadows and presenting plenty of twists for readers to enjoy. Also enjoyable is the relationship between Sheridan and Brett McCann, the detective she met in book one. Their relationship has progressed to a more serious commitment, but is not the focus of the story, which works well. The romantic element is clean with plenty of blushing and innuendo to carry it along. This is not a rapid-paced page turner, but it's an enjoyable cozy mystery with a great glimpse into academia. Full review on Hall Ways http://kristinehallways.blogspot.com/...
August 27, 2014
Murder In The Arboretum is the 2nd book in Christa's Cold Creek series. Professor Sheridan Hendley has been a teacher at Cold Creek College for 4 years. Sheridan finds herself involved, and not in a good way, with Chief of Police Barney Pfeiffe when a murder occurs on college property. Chief Pfeiffe is annoyed at having to work with Sheridan, and it only gets worse when Sheridan's boy friend,a detective with the Virginia state police is assigned to the case. What was once a murder of an unknown man turns into the buying and selling of drugs. Sheridan and Brett soon have a handle on the murder, along with Kim, Sheridan's bff. I was surprised when I found out who the murderer is, in fact that person was last on my list of suspects. Christa does a great job of keeping up guessing. I hope to be able to read and review more books from Christa.
December 3, 2015
Murder in the Arboretum is a great follow up to murder at Cold Creek College. This cozy has that laid back, small town, college community feel to it. The lead character Sheridan Hendley, is a psych professor at the college and is pulled into a murder investigation once again. A body is found in the arboretum on campus and the police immediately suspect Clive Johnson, a groundskeeper. Sheridan isn't quite so sure and goes to work trying to solve the mystery. There are plenty of clues, suspects, and a plot that unfolds at a reasonable pace. Romance runs through this story too, as Sheridan pursues her relationship with Brett, a police investigator she met while investigating a murder in the first book in the series. All in all, this is a well-written mystery that blends suspense with a homey kind of small-town civility that makes this appealing for fans of cozy mysteries.
September 14, 2014
I liked this book a lot. It was nice to see Sheridan back in this second book set in a small college town. This book has some of the same characters as the first one, but you could easily read them out of order. Sheridan is a college professor who wants to make sure that the police chief doesn't cut corners and arrest the wrong man. The story took a few twists and turns leaving me unsure who the culprit was until almost very end. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
December 4, 2015
Christa Nardi gives us another fabulous installment in the Cold Creek Series. The characters will pull you into the story and make you apart of it.
May 13, 2023
Murder in the Arboretum
Cold Creek Mysteries, Book 2
By: Christa Nardi
Narrated by: Alyssa Baumann
Fantastic, Engrossing, and Engaging Mystery
Overall: 5 of 5 stars Performance: 5 of 5 stars Story: 5 of 5 stars
Reviewed: 05-12-23
If you find the body, it goes without saying, you’re the guilty party, right? I mean everybody knows that, just ask Chief Pfeiffe! Unless Sheridan Hendley can sift though the lack of evidence, AND dodge the real culprits and their shifty, shady pals, landscaper Clive Johnson will be on a one way train to railroaded! Fast moving, filled with delightful, fully developed characters, and a plot that had me, and HELD me, from beginning to end, “Murder in the Arboretum” is a brilliantly written, and beautifully narrated cozy delight! I loved the smooth flow of the story, and I loved the way the plot developed, how it drew me in and had me wondering how the heck Sheridan was going to resolve this one! All of the characters, both beloved series regulars, and the nefarious making a guest appearance for this story, are extremely well developed, and the surprising twist with one (no spoilers - you’re jaw will drop just like mine did when you get there) really got me! It was so unexpected and … it … was … brilliant! The dialogue is extremely realistic - I feel like an eavesdropper as I listen, like I am overhearing REAL conversations! I also love how after the reveal everything is so nicely wrapped up and explained, with nothing left unanswered! The narration is clear, concise, and consistent, brilliantly bringing the story and characters to life! All of these elements combine to make “Murder in the Arboretum” a five star listen across the board! I loved it!
Cold Creek Mysteries, Book 2
By: Christa Nardi
Narrated by: Alyssa Baumann
Fantastic, Engrossing, and Engaging Mystery
Overall: 5 of 5 stars Performance: 5 of 5 stars Story: 5 of 5 stars
Reviewed: 05-12-23
If you find the body, it goes without saying, you’re the guilty party, right? I mean everybody knows that, just ask Chief Pfeiffe! Unless Sheridan Hendley can sift though the lack of evidence, AND dodge the real culprits and their shifty, shady pals, landscaper Clive Johnson will be on a one way train to railroaded! Fast moving, filled with delightful, fully developed characters, and a plot that had me, and HELD me, from beginning to end, “Murder in the Arboretum” is a brilliantly written, and beautifully narrated cozy delight! I loved the smooth flow of the story, and I loved the way the plot developed, how it drew me in and had me wondering how the heck Sheridan was going to resolve this one! All of the characters, both beloved series regulars, and the nefarious making a guest appearance for this story, are extremely well developed, and the surprising twist with one (no spoilers - you’re jaw will drop just like mine did when you get there) really got me! It was so unexpected and … it … was … brilliant! The dialogue is extremely realistic - I feel like an eavesdropper as I listen, like I am overhearing REAL conversations! I also love how after the reveal everything is so nicely wrapped up and explained, with nothing left unanswered! The narration is clear, concise, and consistent, brilliantly bringing the story and characters to life! All of these elements combine to make “Murder in the Arboretum” a five star listen across the board! I loved it!
August 24, 2020
Another murder that affects the Cold Creek College but not on campus. It is near the town’s end of the entrance to the arboretum. A young man is discovered by horticultural workers tending to the gardens. There appears no motive to the killing nor any clues.
The Chief of Police, going with the premise that the finder of the body, did the deed, arrests the gardener. No clues, no motive and no weapon make no difference to to the Chief and what evidenice they have is weak and very circumstantial.
It is interesting to see how staff, the State Police, college students and towns citizens band together to provide character references to the lawyer of the person charged. Then too, Sheridan again gets involved and with her now boyfriend the State Police Inspector helps in gathering information.
A thoroughly enjoyable book with lots of action.
The Chief of Police, going with the premise that the finder of the body, did the deed, arrests the gardener. No clues, no motive and no weapon make no difference to to the Chief and what evidenice they have is weak and very circumstantial.
It is interesting to see how staff, the State Police, college students and towns citizens band together to provide character references to the lawyer of the person charged. Then too, Sheridan again gets involved and with her now boyfriend the State Police Inspector helps in gathering information.
A thoroughly enjoyable book with lots of action.
July 29, 2020
Very Enjoyable!
Really enjoying these cozy mysteries. Very much like the main characters. Also having a fun time with the play on names. I don't know if it's intentional but Chief Barney Pfeiffe? Maybe Barney Fife of Andy Griffith fame? And then there's Hamilton Bergner. Perhaps Hamilton Berger of Perry Mason fame. A sly little peripheral character named Mr. Drake. Paul Drake again from Perry Mason. I'm having a lot of fun trying to figure out names. I've got quite a few more, but to continue the review , the stories are a great way to spend some time away from the crazy time we are in right now. Will be reading #3 as soon as I'm finished with this! Can't wait on the names in the next story.
Really enjoying these cozy mysteries. Very much like the main characters. Also having a fun time with the play on names. I don't know if it's intentional but Chief Barney Pfeiffe? Maybe Barney Fife of Andy Griffith fame? And then there's Hamilton Bergner. Perhaps Hamilton Berger of Perry Mason fame. A sly little peripheral character named Mr. Drake. Paul Drake again from Perry Mason. I'm having a lot of fun trying to figure out names. I've got quite a few more, but to continue the review , the stories are a great way to spend some time away from the crazy time we are in right now. Will be reading #3 as soon as I'm finished with this! Can't wait on the names in the next story.
July 13, 2017
Everything at Cold Creek Collage has settled down for the term as Summer approaches. Suddenly Dr. Sheridan Hendley is summoned to the Arboretum to aid a student and staff member...she doesn't know what has happened. Arriving amidst emergency vehicles and police/paramedics, Sheridan finds chaos in the normally calm setting...a body, not from Cold Creek, has been found.
And the story takes off.
This is a great series. I do enjoy the characters and the down to Earth, method of looking at the crime.
Give it a read and I think you will like this series as well.
And the story takes off.
This is a great series. I do enjoy the characters and the down to Earth, method of looking at the crime.
Give it a read and I think you will like this series as well.
May 13, 2023
This is the second book in the Cold Creek mystery series. I found it engaging. Sheridan is involved in trying to figure out why a murder victim was found in the arboretum. She and her best friend are employed by the college and her boyfriend Brett is a detective.
There are people not liking that Professor H. is involved in the investigation even though she’s not part of the police team.
Great twists and turns. The narrator, Alyssa Baumann did a wonderful job with the story. I enjoy listening to this series. The various narrators enhance the story line for me.
There are people not liking that Professor H. is involved in the investigation even though she’s not part of the police team.
Great twists and turns. The narrator, Alyssa Baumann did a wonderful job with the story. I enjoy listening to this series. The various narrators enhance the story line for me.
May 14, 2023
Audiobook: I enjoyed book 2 of the "Cold Creek Mysteries" as much as the first one. Sheridan Hendley was drawn into a murder investigation because her students convinced her that the man who found the murdered body could not be the culprit, even though the local sheriff had arrested him. I was entertained by Sheridan and her friends. I liked trying to figure out the mystery by the clues dropped throughout the text. Alyssa Baumann's narration was fine, and she kept my attention. I was given a free copy of the audiobook and I have voluntarily posted this review.
May 23, 2023
It is nice to see the earlier career of Sheridan and her detective. When a body is found in the college arboretum and the groundskeeper arrested. Sheridan is convinced of his innocence. Her involvement leads to danger, mystery, conspiracy and college politics. The story is well written, involving and excellent, the characters are good and I really enjoyed listening to Alyssa Baumann's narration. I look forward to the next one. I received a complimentary copy from the author and am leaving a honest voluntary review.
May 8, 2023
This was a nice easy listen. It is the second in the series but I really don't think you need to read/listen to the first one although you would miss out on the dentist chapters. I was reminded of them when I was listening to this one.
The relationships continue to develop, and it is such an interesting area to learn about. I also liked learning about the college.
I liked the narration it really suited the story
The relationships continue to develop, and it is such an interesting area to learn about. I also liked learning about the college.
I liked the narration it really suited the story
January 16, 2024
Christa Nardi delivers another amazing book in the Cold Creek Series. The story is full of surprises and the characters are so engaging that you will feel like you are part of it.
I received this audiobook for free and I wanted to leave an honest review.
I feel the narrator brings this story to life and has a lovely clear voice.
I received this audiobook for free and I wanted to leave an honest review.
I feel the narrator brings this story to life and has a lovely clear voice.
April 13, 2025
Binge reading
After reading another of the Sheridan mysteries, I realized that I had missed several, so I am binge reading them. Sheridan is a psychology professor at a small college, and her boyfriend is a detective with the state police. A body is found in the arboretum and thus begins an investigation and an inept police chief's arrest of an innocent man.
After reading another of the Sheridan mysteries, I realized that I had missed several, so I am binge reading them. Sheridan is a psychology professor at a small college, and her boyfriend is a detective with the state police. A body is found in the arboretum and thus begins an investigation and an inept police chief's arrest of an innocent man.
Read
January 21, 2021I found a great new bunch of friends to hang with during Covid! This series of cozy mysteries is an enjoyable read. Being a part of the characters' developing relationships, leads one to become a part of the group. The writer uses just the write amount of words to set the scene. Enjoyable!
May 26, 2023
I love listening to Ms. Nardi's mysteries. They keep me guessing right up til the end. The storyline is interesting and gripping. I like amateur sleuth Sheridan Henley. Narrator Alyssa Baumann did a great job.
May 24, 2023
If you love the episodes of the television series Endeavour, Morse and Inspector Lewis when the murder happens on campus and faculty are involved, this is the series and book for you! Recently produced as an audiobook with excellent narration, author Nardi accurately describes the life of a 40 something professor on a small undergrad college campus as she gets involved in her second campus murder investigation in an academic year. (And I say that as someone who was a 40 something female professor who taught at a small college.) Mystery with a small dash of romance. The plot moves quickly and while there are many characters, Nardi's writing somehow makes it crystal clear who each is. Great book!
September 25, 2023
Loved this book. Christa Nardi is a great writer.
November 7, 2025
very good
January 4, 2025
I recently discovered this new author and I love her books! 5 star read. A great mystery and sweet romance.
March 6, 2017
They just keep getting better
I chose the full five star rating because this book really shows off the author's talent for developing not only her characters but her plotting as well. Definitely not sorry I included this adventure in my weekend's reading!
I chose the full five star rating because this book really shows off the author's talent for developing not only her characters but her plotting as well. Definitely not sorry I included this adventure in my weekend's reading!
January 15, 2015
4 stars
Dr. Sheridan Hendley and friends are back for the second book in the Cold Creek series. I enjoy this set of mysteries. I like that Sheridan did not find the body. So many stories all have the main character find it time after time. I like all the characters relationships with each other. We got to see another side of Max which was nice.
another death occurred on Cold Creek campus in the Arboretum. The police send for Sheridan and Kim to help calm things down. Police Chief Barney Pfeiffe rushes to arrest someone right off the bat. Sheridan does not agree with him. So comes up with an idea to help.
State Police detective Brett was called to stand by and see if he was needed. The police Chief Pfeiffe thought he was in town anyhow. Brett did not mind spending more time with Sheridan. While the Police Chief comes off looking stupid the rest of the cops don't. I like that Brett does not talk about his cases that he is working on unless it affects that person.
I am still not clear why the one suspect kept threatening Dr. Sheridan. But I guess in real life we don't get every question answered either.
The setting for this book is Cold Creek Collage in Virginia. It is a small college in a small town.
Their is a lot of mysteries to who the dead person was and why was he in town? Some suspects. Brett and Sheridan are getting closer together. This is a clean read.
I would like to see more of Dr. Sheridan and Brett and their friends back for another book.
I was given this ebook to read so I could give Murder in the Arboretum a honest review and be part of its blog tour.
Dr. Sheridan Hendley and friends are back for the second book in the Cold Creek series. I enjoy this set of mysteries. I like that Sheridan did not find the body. So many stories all have the main character find it time after time. I like all the characters relationships with each other. We got to see another side of Max which was nice.
another death occurred on Cold Creek campus in the Arboretum. The police send for Sheridan and Kim to help calm things down. Police Chief Barney Pfeiffe rushes to arrest someone right off the bat. Sheridan does not agree with him. So comes up with an idea to help.
State Police detective Brett was called to stand by and see if he was needed. The police Chief Pfeiffe thought he was in town anyhow. Brett did not mind spending more time with Sheridan. While the Police Chief comes off looking stupid the rest of the cops don't. I like that Brett does not talk about his cases that he is working on unless it affects that person.
I am still not clear why the one suspect kept threatening Dr. Sheridan. But I guess in real life we don't get every question answered either.
The setting for this book is Cold Creek Collage in Virginia. It is a small college in a small town.
Their is a lot of mysteries to who the dead person was and why was he in town? Some suspects. Brett and Sheridan are getting closer together. This is a clean read.
I would like to see more of Dr. Sheridan and Brett and their friends back for another book.
I was given this ebook to read so I could give Murder in the Arboretum a honest review and be part of its blog tour.
November 23, 2015
A body is found in the Arboretum of Cold Creek College and Faculty Sleuth Dr Sheridan Hendley swings into action. The victim died of bullet wounds to the head and the local police charge a college gardener with murder. Sheridan is horrified. The evidence is circumstantial and the accused man is not the sort who goes around killing people. To make matters worse, this is the second murder the college has experienced in recent years. Its reputation as a safe place for respectable, middle-class Americans to send their children is at stake. Sheridan mounts an investigation and discovers that nothing is what it appears to be. There is an element of sleaze in the ostentatious show of respectability that permeates Cold Creek and its posh suburbs. She is determined to expose it and clear the gardener’s name.
Murder in the Arboretum is a cosy mystery. The violence is subdued and never graphic. You can sit back and relax as Sheridan goes about her work. Clues slowly accumulate like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Fitting them together to form a coherent picture requires judgement and good luck. Vital pieces of information are missing. Fortunately, Sheridan has a nose for sniffing them out. British enthusiasts for TV-series such as Rosemary and Thyme and Midsummer Murders will recognise similarities with the plot and selection of characters. If you are one, I recommend that you take a look at Christa Nardi’s Murder in the Arboretum and see what an American author can do with this genre.
This review was undertaken for ReadersFavorite (https://readersfavorite.com).
Murder in the Arboretum is a cosy mystery. The violence is subdued and never graphic. You can sit back and relax as Sheridan goes about her work. Clues slowly accumulate like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Fitting them together to form a coherent picture requires judgement and good luck. Vital pieces of information are missing. Fortunately, Sheridan has a nose for sniffing them out. British enthusiasts for TV-series such as Rosemary and Thyme and Midsummer Murders will recognise similarities with the plot and selection of characters. If you are one, I recommend that you take a look at Christa Nardi’s Murder in the Arboretum and see what an American author can do with this genre.
This review was undertaken for ReadersFavorite (https://readersfavorite.com).
October 5, 2014
Dr. Sheridan Hendley is a psychologist that teaches at Cold Creek, a small private college. She is also on the team that helped design the crisis plan for campus emergencies. This is why she is summoned to the scene where a dead body is found. Her main concern was to help the upset folks that discovered the body. But I was very surprised that none of the characters asked “Who is dead?” A shirt sleeve is mentioned, but they don’t even convey if the body is male or female. Usually ‘who’ and ‘how,’ are the first questions people want to know about a death.
Dr. Hendley uses her observations of human behavior to notice those around her and their relationships to each other. She does show concern for her students and friends. She is smart and brave and you like spending time with her in her scholarly world.
This is the second book in the Cold Creek series. It is a standalone, meaning you can enjoy this one without having read the first one. It mentions that in the first book she met Detective Brett McMann, her current love interest. I liked the subtle story line of how she handles letting others know they are in a relationship and how he lets someone close to him know about it also. This is a clean read. You can let your daughters and mothers read this without embarrassment (no explicit sex or violence).
I look forward to more works by this writer.
I was given a copy of the book to enable me to write an honest review.
Dr. Hendley uses her observations of human behavior to notice those around her and their relationships to each other. She does show concern for her students and friends. She is smart and brave and you like spending time with her in her scholarly world.
This is the second book in the Cold Creek series. It is a standalone, meaning you can enjoy this one without having read the first one. It mentions that in the first book she met Detective Brett McMann, her current love interest. I liked the subtle story line of how she handles letting others know they are in a relationship and how he lets someone close to him know about it also. This is a clean read. You can let your daughters and mothers read this without embarrassment (no explicit sex or violence).
I look forward to more works by this writer.
I was given a copy of the book to enable me to write an honest review.
April 11, 2015
Murder is the focus of attention on the campus of the Cold Creek College and Sheridan Hendley finds herself once again in the middle of the investigation. As one of the psychology professors at the small college, she is called upon to deal with the emotional reactions of those involved and to be available to the student body as well. However, she finds herself being pulled further into the investigation as those who know the man accused of the murder by the inept police chief come and ask her to do something to help the man. Since she is involved with a State Police Officer, who is also involved in the case, she finds she can't but try to solve the mystery.
Murder in the Arboretum is a light, clean murder mystery with a bevy of characters, some of whom I'm sure I've met where I work. Being quite the murder mystery buff, I was pretty sure I knew who did it about halfway through, but the author did a good job of throwing red herrings out there for the reader to follow and the developing story of the characters held the story to the end. The story is written in first person, which was probably not the best choice for this particular type of book, but it was in keeping with the first, so that the style between the books of the series remained the same. Overall, it was a fun, light mystery that is appropriate for all ages.
Murder in the Arboretum is a light, clean murder mystery with a bevy of characters, some of whom I'm sure I've met where I work. Being quite the murder mystery buff, I was pretty sure I knew who did it about halfway through, but the author did a good job of throwing red herrings out there for the reader to follow and the developing story of the characters held the story to the end. The story is written in first person, which was probably not the best choice for this particular type of book, but it was in keeping with the first, so that the style between the books of the series remained the same. Overall, it was a fun, light mystery that is appropriate for all ages.
April 10, 2015
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Murder in the Arboretum by Christa Nardi is a cozy mystery set on a small college campus in a small college town. Although Murder in the Arboretum is the second book in a series, it can be read as a stand-alone novel.
Main character, Dr. Sheridan Hendley, and her best friend Kim, are psychologists and teachers at a small private college. Dr. Hendley’s boyfriend, Brett, is a state trooper who she met in book one. After the campus maintenance man, Clive, is accused of murder, the three of them, they relentlessly plod through the clues in the search for the true murderer.
The characters are well developed and intelligently presented, and the plot is well paced. The mystery is played out well with sufficient clues that readers can come up with a short list of likely suspects. There are no wild red herrings intentionally inserted to mislead readers. Murder in the Arboretum is a very enjoyable read that will be appreciated by fans of cozy mysteries and small town mysteries.
*Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng *
Murder in the Arboretum by Christa Nardi is a cozy mystery set on a small college campus in a small college town. Although Murder in the Arboretum is the second book in a series, it can be read as a stand-alone novel.
Main character, Dr. Sheridan Hendley, and her best friend Kim, are psychologists and teachers at a small private college. Dr. Hendley’s boyfriend, Brett, is a state trooper who she met in book one. After the campus maintenance man, Clive, is accused of murder, the three of them, they relentlessly plod through the clues in the search for the true murderer.
The characters are well developed and intelligently presented, and the plot is well paced. The mystery is played out well with sufficient clues that readers can come up with a short list of likely suspects. There are no wild red herrings intentionally inserted to mislead readers. Murder in the Arboretum is a very enjoyable read that will be appreciated by fans of cozy mysteries and small town mysteries.
*Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng *
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