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Postmistress Mystery #1
Death Takes Priority
Introducing a murder mystery that really delivers!
After caring for her dying aunt and being dumped by her fiance, Cassie Miller decides to return to her small hometown in the Berkshires to lick her wounds and live in the house where she was raised. Leaving behind her managerial position in the Boston main postal office, Cassie trades in her tailored suits and high heels for the comfortable blue shirt and red, white, and blue striped scarf of the Postmaster for North Ashcot, Massachusetts.
Everything is business as usual until Cassie arrives at work one day to find that someone has broken into the post office building. The only items stolen: stacks of telephone books. Who steals phone books? Two days later, the body of an unidentified man is found in the woods. And when the handsome antiques dealer she just had lunch with is taken into custody, Cassie is suddenly drawn into the case. With a crime enveloped in mystery, she needs to track the killer--before another victim's fate is sealed in the dead letter office...
After caring for her dying aunt and being dumped by her fiance, Cassie Miller decides to return to her small hometown in the Berkshires to lick her wounds and live in the house where she was raised. Leaving behind her managerial position in the Boston main postal office, Cassie trades in her tailored suits and high heels for the comfortable blue shirt and red, white, and blue striped scarf of the Postmaster for North Ashcot, Massachusetts.
Everything is business as usual until Cassie arrives at work one day to find that someone has broken into the post office building. The only items stolen: stacks of telephone books. Who steals phone books? Two days later, the body of an unidentified man is found in the woods. And when the handsome antiques dealer she just had lunch with is taken into custody, Cassie is suddenly drawn into the case. With a crime enveloped in mystery, she needs to track the killer--before another victim's fate is sealed in the dead letter office...
292 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 3, 2015
65 people are currently reading
1028 people want to read
About the author
Jean Flowers
4 books73 followersA pseudonym used by Camille Minichino
Jean Flowers is also known as Margaret Grace, Elizabeth Logan, Ada Madison, and Camille Minichino.
Camille Minichino writes the Periodic Table mysteries under her own name, the Sophie Knowles mysteries under the pseudonym Ada Madison, the Miniature Mystery series under the pseudonym Margaret Grace, the Alaska Diner Mystery series under the pseudonym Elizabeth Logan, and the Postmistress Mystery series under the pseudonym Jean Flowers.
Jean Flowers is also known as Margaret Grace, Elizabeth Logan, Ada Madison, and Camille Minichino.
Camille Minichino writes the Periodic Table mysteries under her own name, the Sophie Knowles mysteries under the pseudonym Ada Madison, the Miniature Mystery series under the pseudonym Margaret Grace, the Alaska Diner Mystery series under the pseudonym Elizabeth Logan, and the Postmistress Mystery series under the pseudonym Jean Flowers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
September 9, 2016
Author Jean Flowers has made a wonderful start to her Postmistress Mystery series. DEATH TAKES A PRIORITY should be a priority on everyone’s reading list.
Congratulations to author Flowers for creating a fresh subject for this cozy mystery. A lead character who is a postmistress is a nice change of pace as far as occupations go for a series protagonist. And Cassie Miller is quite a character. She’s intelligent, kind hearted, and a joy to read. All of the residents of Ashcot, Massachusetts are fun and/or quirky. I loved getting to know all of them and look forward to spending time learning even more about them in future installments.
DEATH TAKES PRIORITY is a well written, fast moving story that had me captivated. A solid mystery with plenty of situations and suspects to keep the reader guessing. I couldn’t wait to turn each page in this book to see what would happen next, and I was never disappointed. The reveal was surprising and action filled. The ending of the book made me wish there was already a second in the series to read right away.
This series has been long overdue. DEATH TAKES PRIORITY has me stuck to the Postmistress Mystery series like a stamp is stuck to a letter!
Make sure to check out the back of the book for some fun tidbits about the post office.
Congratulations to author Flowers for creating a fresh subject for this cozy mystery. A lead character who is a postmistress is a nice change of pace as far as occupations go for a series protagonist. And Cassie Miller is quite a character. She’s intelligent, kind hearted, and a joy to read. All of the residents of Ashcot, Massachusetts are fun and/or quirky. I loved getting to know all of them and look forward to spending time learning even more about them in future installments.
DEATH TAKES PRIORITY is a well written, fast moving story that had me captivated. A solid mystery with plenty of situations and suspects to keep the reader guessing. I couldn’t wait to turn each page in this book to see what would happen next, and I was never disappointed. The reveal was surprising and action filled. The ending of the book made me wish there was already a second in the series to read right away.
This series has been long overdue. DEATH TAKES PRIORITY has me stuck to the Postmistress Mystery series like a stamp is stuck to a letter!
Make sure to check out the back of the book for some fun tidbits about the post office.
June 2, 2018
this book is a fresh take and new debut to a cozy mystery series. Cassie Miller takes the job is postmistress to run the one-man shop of a post office in the small town of North Ascot, Massachusetts. partially to short out the estate of her mother, more or less is a change of career. not long after she gets the job there is a theft of phone books from the locked backroom at the post office. which she hopes to get to the bottom of that mystery. while sitting up a date with Scott James, an employee at the local antique shop who helped her sort through her mother's belongings. they only make it to the table before he's halled off in handcuffs, and the prime suspect in the murder of another Resident, a real piece of work. not only juggling her duties as postmistress. Cassie now has to mysteries on her hand. it really brings a two for one aspect to the to the book and adds a lot of mystery. I think this is a good start to a new cozy series. it also covers all the aspects of a cozy mystery: small town, great characters, and a clean wholesome read. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
November 3, 2015
Death Takes Priority is the first book in the A Postmistress Mystery series. Jean Flowers is the pen name for Camille Minichino.
Cassie Miller had returned to her childhood home on North Ashcot, MA to take care of her dying aunt. She has traded in her managerial job at Boston's Main Post Office and has taken over as Postmistress at North Ashcot. The previous postmaster has retired, but has agreed to work part time for Cassie.
The first mystery that Cassie encounter is the case of the missing phone directories. Walking through the delivery room at the post office, Cassie noticed that the 200 or so of new phone books were missing, but got busy before she could give it her full attention. One of the customers that came in was Scott James, assistant manager at an antique store. Scott had come in to mail some items and let Cassie know that they had sold two pieces of her aunt's furniture. He asks Cassie to lunch and as she is trying to fasten her seat belt, she finds a piece of plastic that matches what was wrapped around the missing phone books. As they are leaving after lunch Sunni Smargon, the police chief, arrives and takes Scott into custody. Shortly after arriving back at the post office Cassie learns that a body has been discovered. The body is that of Wendell Graham, who was Cassie's boyfriend in high school, and who worked for the phone company. Cassie soon learns that Scott is also known as Quinn Martindale. Cassie feels that the stolen phone books and the murder are loosely tied together and when Wendell's sister, Wanda asks for help in finding the person responsible for her brother's death, she feels compelled to do some sleuthing.
See needs to find how Scott might be involved and why he has an alias. She also has her suspicions about Derek Hathaway. Derek was a bit of a nerd in high school, but has turned into a rich individual and his actions make her wary of him. Also she wants to learn more about Tim Cousins, an architect, who is restoring an old church and is trying to hard to be her friend and always seems to be turning up where ever she is. Hopefully, Cassie will get the answers she needs without losing anymore residents.
Looking forward to the next book in the series and another visit to North Ashcot.
Cassie Miller had returned to her childhood home on North Ashcot, MA to take care of her dying aunt. She has traded in her managerial job at Boston's Main Post Office and has taken over as Postmistress at North Ashcot. The previous postmaster has retired, but has agreed to work part time for Cassie.
The first mystery that Cassie encounter is the case of the missing phone directories. Walking through the delivery room at the post office, Cassie noticed that the 200 or so of new phone books were missing, but got busy before she could give it her full attention. One of the customers that came in was Scott James, assistant manager at an antique store. Scott had come in to mail some items and let Cassie know that they had sold two pieces of her aunt's furniture. He asks Cassie to lunch and as she is trying to fasten her seat belt, she finds a piece of plastic that matches what was wrapped around the missing phone books. As they are leaving after lunch Sunni Smargon, the police chief, arrives and takes Scott into custody. Shortly after arriving back at the post office Cassie learns that a body has been discovered. The body is that of Wendell Graham, who was Cassie's boyfriend in high school, and who worked for the phone company. Cassie soon learns that Scott is also known as Quinn Martindale. Cassie feels that the stolen phone books and the murder are loosely tied together and when Wendell's sister, Wanda asks for help in finding the person responsible for her brother's death, she feels compelled to do some sleuthing.
See needs to find how Scott might be involved and why he has an alias. She also has her suspicions about Derek Hathaway. Derek was a bit of a nerd in high school, but has turned into a rich individual and his actions make her wary of him. Also she wants to learn more about Tim Cousins, an architect, who is restoring an old church and is trying to hard to be her friend and always seems to be turning up where ever she is. Hopefully, Cassie will get the answers she needs without losing anymore residents.
Looking forward to the next book in the series and another visit to North Ashcot.
November 9, 2015
2.5 stars
Reviewed by Kim
There’s a saying, “Not every book is for every reader.” That statement is so true of Death Takes Priority and myself. I picked up the book expecting to like it. The cover is beautiful, the blurb grabbed my attention, and it’s the first book in the series. All things that are great. Sadly, the book is nowhere close to one of my favorite reads. There wasn't anything about it to make me want to read more of this series. I forced myself to continue reading, because not knowing what happened would drive me crazy.
Cassie Miller is in her mid-thirties and has recently moved back to her small hometown of North Ashcot, Massachusetts to become the postmaster of the one man post office. She desperately wants to make friends. Just when she thinks she’s about to make a new friend and start a new relationship with Scott James, he gets hauled in by the police for the murder of a town resident. It seems Scott has his own secrets, but those are just the tip of the iceberg. North Ashcot with its three thousand residents appears to be a hot spot for unknown crimes. Cassie gets recruited to look into the murder by the victim’s sister, thinking the police have no idea how to run a murder investigation.
Usually for me, the characters and the mystery are what draws me into a cozy mystery. I like that the characters are usually fun, entertaining, and likeable, making me invested in the story. Cassie Miller just rubbed me the wrong way. I didn’t find her to be fun, entertaining, or likeable. She spent a lot of the book talking about her ex-fiance who dumped her via a text message, her need to find a hobby and make friends, and how much she missed living in Boston. The secondary characters also didn’t seem to offer a whole lot, except for Ben, the semi-retired former postmaster. I had issues with elements of the storyline pertaining to Scott. Cassie did a lot of things that had me wanting to throw my book.
As for the mystery and the investigation into the murder, the story turned out pretty much as I thought it would. There wasn’t any big surprises or red herrings. Death Takes Priority just wasn’t the book for me.
**Received a copy from Berkley in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**
Reviewed by Kim
There’s a saying, “Not every book is for every reader.” That statement is so true of Death Takes Priority and myself. I picked up the book expecting to like it. The cover is beautiful, the blurb grabbed my attention, and it’s the first book in the series. All things that are great. Sadly, the book is nowhere close to one of my favorite reads. There wasn't anything about it to make me want to read more of this series. I forced myself to continue reading, because not knowing what happened would drive me crazy.
Cassie Miller is in her mid-thirties and has recently moved back to her small hometown of North Ashcot, Massachusetts to become the postmaster of the one man post office. She desperately wants to make friends. Just when she thinks she’s about to make a new friend and start a new relationship with Scott James, he gets hauled in by the police for the murder of a town resident. It seems Scott has his own secrets, but those are just the tip of the iceberg. North Ashcot with its three thousand residents appears to be a hot spot for unknown crimes. Cassie gets recruited to look into the murder by the victim’s sister, thinking the police have no idea how to run a murder investigation.
Usually for me, the characters and the mystery are what draws me into a cozy mystery. I like that the characters are usually fun, entertaining, and likeable, making me invested in the story. Cassie Miller just rubbed me the wrong way. I didn’t find her to be fun, entertaining, or likeable. She spent a lot of the book talking about her ex-fiance who dumped her via a text message, her need to find a hobby and make friends, and how much she missed living in Boston. The secondary characters also didn’t seem to offer a whole lot, except for Ben, the semi-retired former postmaster. I had issues with elements of the storyline pertaining to Scott. Cassie did a lot of things that had me wanting to throw my book.
As for the mystery and the investigation into the murder, the story turned out pretty much as I thought it would. There wasn’t any big surprises or red herrings. Death Takes Priority just wasn’t the book for me.
**Received a copy from Berkley in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**
February 4, 2020
The illness of a family member and a failed relationship bring Cassie Miller back to her hometown, a small town in the Berkshires. She leaves her managerial position in Boston to become the postmaster at her local post office. After a break-in at the post office and the murder of a local man, Cassie finds herself right in the middle of the investigation when her date becomes a suspect in both crimes.
This is a very well-written and solid story that keeps you guessing right up until the end. It is action-packed and filled with many surprises. You never knew what was going to happen next!
The main character is strong and likable, although I found her a bit whiny at times. The supporting characters are sound and have their own quirkiness about them. Each one had a very different personality that complimented the story and other characters.
Overall this was a great read. It offered a fresh take of having a postmaster as a main character and having more than one mystery that tied-in well together. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble the characters find themselves in next!
This is a very well-written and solid story that keeps you guessing right up until the end. It is action-packed and filled with many surprises. You never knew what was going to happen next!
The main character is strong and likable, although I found her a bit whiny at times. The supporting characters are sound and have their own quirkiness about them. Each one had a very different personality that complimented the story and other characters.
Overall this was a great read. It offered a fresh take of having a postmaster as a main character and having more than one mystery that tied-in well together. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble the characters find themselves in next!
November 3, 2015
This was a good start to a new series. I really enjoyed it. The story revolves around Cassie, who decides to move back to her small hometown of North Ashcot from Boston after her fiancee breaks things off and her aunt is dying. Cassie has taken over management of the post office but she still misses the big city life and her friends there.
One morning she discovers all the new phone books missing. She is puzzled as to why anyone would want to steal all of the phone books. While she is debating what to do about it and who she should report the theft to. She goes to lunch with a new friend. In the middle of their meal he is arrested for murder. Now there are two mysteries on her mind and she wonders if they could be connected or not.
I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review.
One morning she discovers all the new phone books missing. She is puzzled as to why anyone would want to steal all of the phone books. While she is debating what to do about it and who she should report the theft to. She goes to lunch with a new friend. In the middle of their meal he is arrested for murder. Now there are two mysteries on her mind and she wonders if they could be connected or not.
I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2016
Death Takes Priority This book started out a little slow (which was necessary to set up a few plot points) but turned into a really good read. Pretty good plot; although I found it easy to unravel most of it well before the end of the book, it was worth the read to see how it all played out.
Overall, an enjoyable start to what looks like a promising series and I enjoyed the postal anecdotes at the end of the book.
Overall, an enjoyable start to what looks like a promising series and I enjoyed the postal anecdotes at the end of the book.
September 4, 2018
Fun enough read, but definitely written for a 60+ age range.
September 17, 2022
Death Takes Priority by Jean Flowers is the first in the "Postmistress" cozy mystery series, featuring main character (and Postmistress!) Cassie Miller.
Cassie left her managerial job in a Boston post office to return to North Ashcot to care for her dying aunt. When her aunt passed and her fiance dumped her, Cassie decided to stay and take on the position as Postmistress in her small hometown. Life is slower, and things are going smoothly, until the day Cassie opens the post office and discovers that someone has broken in and stolen the phone books that were slated to be delivered to local residents. When someone is murdered shortly thereafter, Cassie thinks the crimes may be related. She has no plans to get involved, but the man she'd just agreed to go to lunch with is taken into custody in regards to the murder, and the victim's sister is asking Cassie to look into things. While she doesn't consider herself a sleuth, Cassie does begin asking questions, and when someone slashes her Jeep's tires, she realizes she may be getting close to the killer, and that the killer may be closing in on her.
This was an enjoyable story. I liked the setting, the characterizations, the pacing, and all the plot twists. Cassie is genuine and affable--someone you'd like as a friend.
Very good, four stars.
Cassie left her managerial job in a Boston post office to return to North Ashcot to care for her dying aunt. When her aunt passed and her fiance dumped her, Cassie decided to stay and take on the position as Postmistress in her small hometown. Life is slower, and things are going smoothly, until the day Cassie opens the post office and discovers that someone has broken in and stolen the phone books that were slated to be delivered to local residents. When someone is murdered shortly thereafter, Cassie thinks the crimes may be related. She has no plans to get involved, but the man she'd just agreed to go to lunch with is taken into custody in regards to the murder, and the victim's sister is asking Cassie to look into things. While she doesn't consider herself a sleuth, Cassie does begin asking questions, and when someone slashes her Jeep's tires, she realizes she may be getting close to the killer, and that the killer may be closing in on her.
This was an enjoyable story. I liked the setting, the characterizations, the pacing, and all the plot twists. Cassie is genuine and affable--someone you'd like as a friend.
Very good, four stars.
July 10, 2018
I am feeling back in a cozy-ish mood and picked up this one when I was out at Barnes and Noble. I love the idea of the theme, the postmistress in a small town. I have a small town near me that had a town post office and it was the hub of the town. There was quite a protest when it was moved outside and people could no longer stop by there on their walk through town. Needless to say I was eager to read about this.
So, I liked the theme and the main character, Cassie. I read other reviews and some people didn’t seem to find her likable, but I didn’t have a problem with that. The mystery was well paced with some red herrings to keep you guessing about who the killer actually is. Those were the positives for me. On the other hand, I found some aspects of it too unbelievable. Cozies can often stretch your ability to suspend your disbelief, but some of this went beyond my ability. Still there is enough here to like to say that I would read another.
So, I liked the theme and the main character, Cassie. I read other reviews and some people didn’t seem to find her likable, but I didn’t have a problem with that. The mystery was well paced with some red herrings to keep you guessing about who the killer actually is. Those were the positives for me. On the other hand, I found some aspects of it too unbelievable. Cozies can often stretch your ability to suspend your disbelief, but some of this went beyond my ability. Still there is enough here to like to say that I would read another.
October 13, 2017
Death Takes Priority by Jean Flowers was an easy read with a smoothly paced plot as it introduces the characters for this new cozy series. I liked Cassie and enjoyed reading about her patrons at the post office. However, I could have easily done without her constant thinking about her ex-fiance and the life she left behind in Boston. I also liked the supporting characters, Ben, Sunni and Quinn as they added a much needed boost to keep the plot moving.
May 17, 2020
Good first book in the series!
I really enjoyed this book. The story was good and kept me guessing. The characters were like able and I really liked Cassie. The post office setting was different and I liked it. I’m glad this happened to be the only book I could get from the library for the author of the month.
I really enjoyed this book. The story was good and kept me guessing. The characters were like able and I really liked Cassie. The post office setting was different and I liked it. I’m glad this happened to be the only book I could get from the library for the author of the month.
June 10, 2017
I read this simply because it had a street on the cover. It was okay though I found it a little boring and didn't really like the main character. The only character I really liked was the chief of police, Sunni Smargon. Not a series I'd continue.
October 4, 2016
What a fun new series that I hope to see many more novels from! This is the first cozy that I've read by this author, and I'm looking forward to reading more.
Cassie, who has worked her way up the postal service ladder in Boston, returned to her hometown to care for her aunt who had taken her in when she was orphaned. There happened to be a position in North Ashcot, MA for a postmistress of a one-man shop. Qualified for it, she was given the position and moved in with her aunt for the final months of her life. She now is deciding whether to stay there, or sell the gorgeous home she inherited and return to Boston.
Where Cassie goes, interesting events follow...including the phone books for the whole town were stolen from her locked back room, and when she accepts a lunch date with one of the employees of the local antique dealer, she gets a ride back in a police department car...as the man she had lunch with was picked up for questioning in a murder.
The characters are very likable, from Cassie to the now-retired postmaster, Ben, who helps her when needed, to the police chief, Sunni, her Boston best friend Linda, and the antique dealer, Scott.
The story drew me in from the beginning (as a stamp collector from waaaay back) and kept my attention as it raced to an end. It was intriguing and held more than one mystery. The novel is very well-written and it is not easy to determine who the bad guy(s) might be.
At the end of the story are some postal stories collected by Cassie, fun facts, well-know folks who had been postal employees, and definitions for some of the terms.
I highly recommend this delightful hometown USA cozy mystery; the suspense is compelling and the characters a blast.
Cassie, who has worked her way up the postal service ladder in Boston, returned to her hometown to care for her aunt who had taken her in when she was orphaned. There happened to be a position in North Ashcot, MA for a postmistress of a one-man shop. Qualified for it, she was given the position and moved in with her aunt for the final months of her life. She now is deciding whether to stay there, or sell the gorgeous home she inherited and return to Boston.
Where Cassie goes, interesting events follow...including the phone books for the whole town were stolen from her locked back room, and when she accepts a lunch date with one of the employees of the local antique dealer, she gets a ride back in a police department car...as the man she had lunch with was picked up for questioning in a murder.
The characters are very likable, from Cassie to the now-retired postmaster, Ben, who helps her when needed, to the police chief, Sunni, her Boston best friend Linda, and the antique dealer, Scott.
The story drew me in from the beginning (as a stamp collector from waaaay back) and kept my attention as it raced to an end. It was intriguing and held more than one mystery. The novel is very well-written and it is not easy to determine who the bad guy(s) might be.
At the end of the story are some postal stories collected by Cassie, fun facts, well-know folks who had been postal employees, and definitions for some of the terms.
I highly recommend this delightful hometown USA cozy mystery; the suspense is compelling and the characters a blast.
March 16, 2017
This book was nonstop fun and adventure, with a whole lot of post office insider info to make it interesting and different. Not to mention the likable characters and good mystery! Couldn't putting it down!!
September 11, 2016
More of a 1.5, barely rounded up because rating it a 1 seems harsh.
It was okay. I finished it, so that's one thing. But I had no problems putting it down to pick it up again the next day, or even a few days later. The story didn't keep me gripped.
The author tried to juggle a lot of things with the main character: a "fish out of water" in her childhood hometown after leaving it for a while, while holding a job that theoretically keeps her in the center of town gossip, and a recalcitrant detective thrust in the middle of an investigation by friends and foes alike, despite her having only what the most generous soul would call detective experience.
The only real motivation given to and by the MC to get involved in the investigation is the fact that the guy she thinks is cute is a suspect. It seemed to me that she spent 50% of the book thinking about her love/social life woes, 25% thinking about her job, and the last 25% thinking about the actual mystery. Not the best perceived ration.
There was also that thing about tension-building moments ending in non-sequitur phrases, usually related to the aforementioned love/social life woes.
However, I did like the tone of the writing, and I hope that now that the love/social life woes are settled, as they seem to be by the end, the second volume can be a proper cozy mystery.
Oh, and btw, publishers? If there isn't a cat in the book, and there wasn't, please don't put a cat on the cover? It raises expectations.
It was okay. I finished it, so that's one thing. But I had no problems putting it down to pick it up again the next day, or even a few days later. The story didn't keep me gripped.
The author tried to juggle a lot of things with the main character: a "fish out of water" in her childhood hometown after leaving it for a while, while holding a job that theoretically keeps her in the center of town gossip, and a recalcitrant detective thrust in the middle of an investigation by friends and foes alike, despite her having only what the most generous soul would call detective experience.
The only real motivation given to and by the MC to get involved in the investigation is the fact that the guy she thinks is cute is a suspect. It seemed to me that she spent 50% of the book thinking about her love/social life woes, 25% thinking about her job, and the last 25% thinking about the actual mystery. Not the best perceived ration.
There was also that thing about tension-building moments ending in non-sequitur phrases, usually related to the aforementioned love/social life woes.
However, I did like the tone of the writing, and I hope that now that the love/social life woes are settled, as they seem to be by the end, the second volume can be a proper cozy mystery.
Oh, and btw, publishers? If there isn't a cat in the book, and there wasn't, please don't put a cat on the cover? It raises expectations.
January 2, 2016
Strong characters with a twisted murder plot really make this a great read. Cassie Miller takes the job of post master in the home town that she left 20 years ago. Family issues brought her home and lead to her leaving her managerial job in the main Boston post office. While trying to renew old friendships and make new ones, she is caught up in a murder involving phone books stolen from her post office. This story involves theft, murder, gambling, politics and the juicy gossip that goes on in small town life. I highly recommend this first book in a new series and can't wait to see where the author takes us next. This book will suck you in before you know and the characters become people you know!
November 30, 2015
Jean Flowers (aka Camille Minichino) has done it again. She's written a light-hearted mystery featuring likable characters in a charming New England village. Cassie Miller, on the rebound from romance and urban living, takes a job as post mistress in the small town where she grew up. Things have changed. People have changed. Some for the better and some for the worst. Make a pot of tea or coffee, curl up in your favorite reading chair, and enjoy a cozy romp. You'll never complain about service in the post office again.
December 9, 2015
I've become interested in the "cozy mystery" genre and was pleased to receive a copy of Death Takes Priority through the First Reads program.
I thought this novel was strong on plot, the characters interesting, and I think the series has potential. I rated this book three stars, because the reason behind the murder in this mystery felt weak and implausible.
I would read more books by the author, Jean Flowers. I think she has created a memorable character in the small-town postmistress, Cassie.
I thought this novel was strong on plot, the characters interesting, and I think the series has potential. I rated this book three stars, because the reason behind the murder in this mystery felt weak and implausible.
I would read more books by the author, Jean Flowers. I think she has created a memorable character in the small-town postmistress, Cassie.
November 12, 2015
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.. I enjoyed it and the characters.. Cassie returns to her hometown after a breakup in Boston. She gets herself in involved in a murder case involving her old boyfriend Wendell. She is quite the sleuth trying to figure out her broke into the post office and who killed Wendell. Cassie is a great character.
June 13, 2017
To be honest, I wasn't able to get past Chapter 3 of this book. It's getting off to a very slow, stereotypical start. The last straw for me is a character named Sunni. I keep expecting Shia militants to jump out of the impeccably trimmed shrubbery to attack her. If the author had spelled it "Sunny", I might have had the patience to finish the book.
November 10, 2015
Fun new cozy series
This was an enjoyable mystery with a small town post mistress as main character. I'll definitely buy the next book.
This was an enjoyable mystery with a small town post mistress as main character. I'll definitely buy the next book.
May 9, 2018
I really wanted to like this book but I just could not get into it.
December 6, 2017
Cassie Miller used to work for the postal service in Boston, but when her aunt got sick and her boyfriend dumped her, she ran home to North Ashcot, Massachusetts. She took over the office of Postmaster and has been home for three months, trying to find her way again with people she's known and some she hasn't.
When she accepts a lunch date from a local antiques dealer, Scott James, she doesn't know that it's going to end abruptly, with Scott taken in for questioning - it seems someone from Cassie's past has been found murdered, and he had two names in his possession - Scott's and Quinn Martindale's. It also comes as a surprise that Scott and Quinn turn out to be the same person.
When she discovers the identity of the dead man - someone she went to prom with - his sister Wanda asks her to investigate, because Wanda thinks the police are blowing her off about possible reasons why her brother was murdered. While Cassie tries to stay out of the investigation, it appears people think she already is in. She's questioned by people who visit the post office, and and once she discovers her tires have been slashed - all four of them - it's apparent someone who knows what's going on thinks so, too...
I liked this book up to a point. I liked the fact that our protagonist is a postmaster, but I really didn't care to hear about all her duties; it was beginning to get old. We all know that postal employees have to sort mail, deliver it, fill the various bins, etc. I'm pretty sure no one believes it's done by elves in the middle of the night. Anyhow...I found it distracting as much as I would have if I'd been reading about a florist who continually told us how she orders flowers, cuts them, arranges them, etc.
The plot itself was decent enough, but never really seemed to come together for me. There just didn't seem to be any real reason why the person who was actually "organizing everything" would think Cassie could be a serious threat. She knew very little, and honestly didn't know how to ask questions without people catching on. It just seemed off to me.
While I understand this is the first in a new series, I also understand that it takes time to hone the same, so I hope that the next book brings a little more polish, and I plan to give this author another chance to do so.
When she accepts a lunch date from a local antiques dealer, Scott James, she doesn't know that it's going to end abruptly, with Scott taken in for questioning - it seems someone from Cassie's past has been found murdered, and he had two names in his possession - Scott's and Quinn Martindale's. It also comes as a surprise that Scott and Quinn turn out to be the same person.
When she discovers the identity of the dead man - someone she went to prom with - his sister Wanda asks her to investigate, because Wanda thinks the police are blowing her off about possible reasons why her brother was murdered. While Cassie tries to stay out of the investigation, it appears people think she already is in. She's questioned by people who visit the post office, and and once she discovers her tires have been slashed - all four of them - it's apparent someone who knows what's going on thinks so, too...
I liked this book up to a point. I liked the fact that our protagonist is a postmaster, but I really didn't care to hear about all her duties; it was beginning to get old. We all know that postal employees have to sort mail, deliver it, fill the various bins, etc. I'm pretty sure no one believes it's done by elves in the middle of the night. Anyhow...I found it distracting as much as I would have if I'd been reading about a florist who continually told us how she orders flowers, cuts them, arranges them, etc.
The plot itself was decent enough, but never really seemed to come together for me. There just didn't seem to be any real reason why the person who was actually "organizing everything" would think Cassie could be a serious threat. She knew very little, and honestly didn't know how to ask questions without people catching on. It just seemed off to me.
While I understand this is the first in a new series, I also understand that it takes time to hone the same, so I hope that the next book brings a little more polish, and I plan to give this author another chance to do so.
December 5, 2016
Cassie Miller has moved back to her hometown of North Ashcot, Massachusetts to care for her beloved aunt during her final days. She worked in the hectic Boston post office so jumped at the chance to become the new postmistress when the position became available. Who knew that a small town could hold just as much drama as the major metropolis. Cassie quickly finds herself involved in a few mysteries when she notices that the town's phone books are missing. She then stumbles across a new love interest who strangely has two identities, a dead body, and quite a few suspicions about the local phone company.
Always nice to find a new cozy where the protagonist has a unique job. My mom was a mail carrier for many years. I have several memories of sitting in the back of the post office and watching her sort mail. The moment I heard about this series, I immediately added it to my wishlist. I enjoyed Cassie and really loved the idea that she is becoming good friends with the chief of police. You can tell that she has a few issues to work out from a past heartbreak, but that will make for perfect character development as the series progresses. I laughed evertime she used the postal equipment to weigh animals for the exotic animal trainers. The mysteries were really well written and presented. I was stumped a few times and there were plenty of believable suspects to keep me second guessing my hunches. Great start to a new series. I look forward to reading the sequel, Cancelled By Murder.
Always nice to find a new cozy where the protagonist has a unique job. My mom was a mail carrier for many years. I have several memories of sitting in the back of the post office and watching her sort mail. The moment I heard about this series, I immediately added it to my wishlist. I enjoyed Cassie and really loved the idea that she is becoming good friends with the chief of police. You can tell that she has a few issues to work out from a past heartbreak, but that will make for perfect character development as the series progresses. I laughed evertime she used the postal equipment to weigh animals for the exotic animal trainers. The mysteries were really well written and presented. I was stumped a few times and there were plenty of believable suspects to keep me second guessing my hunches. Great start to a new series. I look forward to reading the sequel, Cancelled By Murder.
January 23, 2021
This is definitely a cozy, with a postmaster of a small town as the narrator.
She has returned to her hometown after love gone wrong and sees people she knows and takes excellent care of her territory.
When she has her lunch date interrupted by the local police who escort her date off for interrogation, she finds she does not have a lot of really great friends in town who can come get her and drive her back to town.
She misses her life back in Boston at times. She is a busy body and wants to know more about Scott and why he is of interest to the local police.
As she unofficially investigates, she is indirectly attacked (car tires slashed) and eventually she is confronted by the killer/s. All is resolved at the end, as it should be.
Along the way we see many very nice people who care for her and we see several suspects. This is a very well written murder mystery and I have bought the next in the series to see what is next for Cassie.
She has returned to her hometown after love gone wrong and sees people she knows and takes excellent care of her territory.
When she has her lunch date interrupted by the local police who escort her date off for interrogation, she finds she does not have a lot of really great friends in town who can come get her and drive her back to town.
She misses her life back in Boston at times. She is a busy body and wants to know more about Scott and why he is of interest to the local police.
As she unofficially investigates, she is indirectly attacked (car tires slashed) and eventually she is confronted by the killer/s. All is resolved at the end, as it should be.
Along the way we see many very nice people who care for her and we see several suspects. This is a very well written murder mystery and I have bought the next in the series to see what is next for Cassie.
October 23, 2018
As a member of the Letter Writers Alliance Book Club (https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...), I was excited by its latest selection, Death Takes Priority (Postmistress Mystery #1), because I haven't read a cozy mystery in some time, and as a Postcrosser and sometimes stamp collector, the main character's occupation as a postmaster piqued my interest. I liked the series' setting, but I was not particularly captivated by its plot. I stalled several times while reading the story, but when it comes to reading, I am a completionist and it took me several weeks to finish it.
December 22, 2018
Yeah, this was okay. Honestly, I finished it last night and I literally just finished another book a few minutes ago and now I've mostly forgotten what was in Death Takes Priority. I didn't get the agonizing over whether to deliver the letter in the beginning...or who it goes to. Why didn't she just put it in the mail box for the guy? Especially when she was so lazy about the phone book distribution...it just seemed like she picked and chose what was important and what could be skimmed over with no real reason. I did like the female friendships here. I didn't love the "romance." I probably won't read more of these.
January 26, 2018
This was a pretty solid start to a series.
I liked that Cassie was so interested in her job and honestly reluctant to look into things further, even when it was obvious she had some personal suspicions.
It didn’t really track that she was so annoyed about Quinn not sharing the contents of the letter she returned to him when she otherwise stuck carefully to the rules of being a post master.
Also some of the supporting characters were so indistinct it was hard to keep them straight.
Those things aside, I found this to be a fun read. 3.5 stars.
I liked that Cassie was so interested in her job and honestly reluctant to look into things further, even when it was obvious she had some personal suspicions.
It didn’t really track that she was so annoyed about Quinn not sharing the contents of the letter she returned to him when she otherwise stuck carefully to the rules of being a post master.
Also some of the supporting characters were so indistinct it was hard to keep them straight.
Those things aside, I found this to be a fun read. 3.5 stars.
July 29, 2022
Perfect cozy, camping read!!
Post master, Cassie, returns to her hometown in order to care for her failing aunt. Now that her aunt is no longer there to make her stay, should she return back to Boston, with memories of a lost engagement?
Then one day a handsome man she's seen around town asks her to lunch. Her date is picked up by the police before they can drive home and then reports of a murder in town become grist for the rumor mill.
Always one to solve puzzles, Cassie find herself in the middle of the investigation, much to the chagrin of her new friend, the chief of police.
Post master, Cassie, returns to her hometown in order to care for her failing aunt. Now that her aunt is no longer there to make her stay, should she return back to Boston, with memories of a lost engagement?
Then one day a handsome man she's seen around town asks her to lunch. Her date is picked up by the police before they can drive home and then reports of a murder in town become grist for the rumor mill.
Always one to solve puzzles, Cassie find herself in the middle of the investigation, much to the chagrin of her new friend, the chief of police.
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