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Ashley Crane Mystery #1
The Long Paw of the Law
Welcome to Comfortville, a quaint little town nestled inland from the Pacific coast.
Ashley Crane is busy nursing a broken heart, working tirelessly as a cook, and hanging out with her family and best friends when her boss at the restaurant is murdered.
At first the investigation is left to Nathaniel Thompson, the local handsome police detective. But when Thompson arrests the wrong suspect, Ashley takes the investigation into her own hands.
Solving the case won't be easy. She'll need help from her parents April and Burt, her best friends Sean and Lara, and her cute and clever cat Charlie.
It's up to Ashley Crane to find the real murderer in Comfortville before they strike again.
Ashley Crane is busy nursing a broken heart, working tirelessly as a cook, and hanging out with her family and best friends when her boss at the restaurant is murdered.
At first the investigation is left to Nathaniel Thompson, the local handsome police detective. But when Thompson arrests the wrong suspect, Ashley takes the investigation into her own hands.
Solving the case won't be easy. She'll need help from her parents April and Burt, her best friends Sean and Lara, and her cute and clever cat Charlie.
It's up to Ashley Crane to find the real murderer in Comfortville before they strike again.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 18, 2015
291 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
August 24, 2015
I read this book in one read. It kept me interested and intrigued. It’s a good mystery and I needed to know ‘who done it’ so I couldn’t put it down. I do recommend this book to other readers who enjoy cozy mysteries.
Ashley is a fun lead for this book. She is a cook with a sweet tooth and a figure that reflects the consequences of that sweet tooth. There is a lot about food in this book; the kind, the taste and the smell. Her friend Sean owns a bakery and he too enjoys his food adding another source of food conversation. Her parents are funny and endearing with a Mom that loves cooking comfort food (yes another opportunity for food conversation) and a Dad who is protective and vulnerable.
Best of all in this book was the mystery. I was kept guessing through the entire book. The mystery comes about with the death of the owner of the restaurant at which Ashley is a cook. The handsome cop jails a person Ashley believes is innocent and she decides to find the actual murderer.
I enjoyed the characters and the pets but based on the title I expected more from the pets. That let me down a little but I hope there will be more in future books. My pet peeve is poor editing but this book was quite well edited. Only a couple of small errors (ravished instead of famished) that were easy to overlook. Some of the interactions between characters were stilted or didn’t flow well but that isn’t unexpected in a first book. Ashley has a penchant for quoting Shakespeare which the author fit in here and there but seemed awkward and didn’t add to the story or the humour. There is lots of good humour in this book along with challenges in the relationships adding to the character depth and the story.
I found it an easy read which is what I expect from a cozy mystery. I enjoyed this book and look forward to more by this author.
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ashley is a fun lead for this book. She is a cook with a sweet tooth and a figure that reflects the consequences of that sweet tooth. There is a lot about food in this book; the kind, the taste and the smell. Her friend Sean owns a bakery and he too enjoys his food adding another source of food conversation. Her parents are funny and endearing with a Mom that loves cooking comfort food (yes another opportunity for food conversation) and a Dad who is protective and vulnerable.
Best of all in this book was the mystery. I was kept guessing through the entire book. The mystery comes about with the death of the owner of the restaurant at which Ashley is a cook. The handsome cop jails a person Ashley believes is innocent and she decides to find the actual murderer.
I enjoyed the characters and the pets but based on the title I expected more from the pets. That let me down a little but I hope there will be more in future books. My pet peeve is poor editing but this book was quite well edited. Only a couple of small errors (ravished instead of famished) that were easy to overlook. Some of the interactions between characters were stilted or didn’t flow well but that isn’t unexpected in a first book. Ashley has a penchant for quoting Shakespeare which the author fit in here and there but seemed awkward and didn’t add to the story or the humour. There is lots of good humour in this book along with challenges in the relationships adding to the character depth and the story.
I found it an easy read which is what I expect from a cozy mystery. I enjoyed this book and look forward to more by this author.
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2015
The Long Paw of the Law was an ok read especially if you're looking for a clean (no sex, bad language, gore) read.
I thought the writing could be more sophisticated and better developed with more detail (other than about food and cooking smells). I also thought the cat(s) would play a larger role in the story/mystery given the title, but aside from some brief assistance, they are just background. Not a negative, just surprising given the title.
Ashley, the main character, isn't my preferred type, she's sort of weak and wishy washy when it comes to her personal and professional relationships and is obsessed with food and her weight. Food and her weight play a big part in the book especially at the beginning. It does drop off a bit as the mystery begins (but then her mother's meals and cooking smells kick in).
As a former restaurant employee, I also quibble about how Ashley and her work environment in the restaurant is portrayed. Perhaps the author worked in a restaurant and actually experienced staff taking food for personal consumption (off property no less) without paying and wait staff washing dishes then going back to serving (they'd be wet and smelly), but such details didn't ring true to me. Most readers may not notice or care.
Nate's, the detective, actions were inconsistent and his constant winking thing bugged me.
I believe this was self published, and if so, it was fairly well proof read. I did find a few errors, but they weren't intrusive.
I am a cozy fan and accepted the offer by a friend of the author to review the book and give my honest review in exchange for a copy.
I thought the writing could be more sophisticated and better developed with more detail (other than about food and cooking smells). I also thought the cat(s) would play a larger role in the story/mystery given the title, but aside from some brief assistance, they are just background. Not a negative, just surprising given the title.
Ashley, the main character, isn't my preferred type, she's sort of weak and wishy washy when it comes to her personal and professional relationships and is obsessed with food and her weight. Food and her weight play a big part in the book especially at the beginning. It does drop off a bit as the mystery begins (but then her mother's meals and cooking smells kick in).
As a former restaurant employee, I also quibble about how Ashley and her work environment in the restaurant is portrayed. Perhaps the author worked in a restaurant and actually experienced staff taking food for personal consumption (off property no less) without paying and wait staff washing dishes then going back to serving (they'd be wet and smelly), but such details didn't ring true to me. Most readers may not notice or care.
Nate's, the detective, actions were inconsistent and his constant winking thing bugged me.
I believe this was self published, and if so, it was fairly well proof read. I did find a few errors, but they weren't intrusive.
I am a cozy fan and accepted the offer by a friend of the author to review the book and give my honest review in exchange for a copy.
February 27, 2020
I honestly was happy to get to the end of the book. I didn't like the main character Ashley, or the detective (kinda creepy with all the winking). Just seemed overall wishy washy.
September 4, 2020
Fun read
Being a cat owner, actually two, I enjoyed how the main character involved her cats, especially Charlie. Also I liked all the twists in the storyline.
Being a cat owner, actually two, I enjoyed how the main character involved her cats, especially Charlie. Also I liked all the twists in the storyline.
September 25, 2015
Complimentary copy received in exchange for review.
I wanted to love it, the reviews and storyline sounded decent and I love a good mystery, but I just couldn't get into the story. The beginning few pages I was right there with the author....maybe because I had just got through something similar. I was really looking forward to the relationship aspect of the book....but then it got cliche murder-mystery. Most of the time during the "investigation" the main character wasn't believable to me. There needed to be a bit more description in regards to people or (the cat). For example: father watching TV-- all I could get was the sport involved a "ball". Was it baseball? Basketball? Football? Soccer? The cat, Charlie.... he was sort of thrown in the book in chapter one with no description-- was he a tabby? Long hair? tuxedo?
All in all, I think with some tweaking...the future looks good for other books in the series.
I wanted to love it, the reviews and storyline sounded decent and I love a good mystery, but I just couldn't get into the story. The beginning few pages I was right there with the author....maybe because I had just got through something similar. I was really looking forward to the relationship aspect of the book....but then it got cliche murder-mystery. Most of the time during the "investigation" the main character wasn't believable to me. There needed to be a bit more description in regards to people or (the cat). For example: father watching TV-- all I could get was the sport involved a "ball". Was it baseball? Basketball? Football? Soccer? The cat, Charlie.... he was sort of thrown in the book in chapter one with no description-- was he a tabby? Long hair? tuxedo?
All in all, I think with some tweaking...the future looks good for other books in the series.
August 17, 2015
This book is the first in the series and also the first I have read by this author.
I have to say the author is a great writer. The book had good flow to it and was a very interesting cozy mystery featuring animals.
Ashley Crane is a cook at a popular restaurant when her not so nice boss is murdered. Darren has made more enemies than friends so there is a list a mile long of suspects.
When Ashley begins to get threatening phone calls warning her not to talk about what she has heard in the restaurant between employees, she begins to wonder just what everyone around her is caught up in.
Ashley decides to help out the hunky detective to solve this murder.
This book has many twists until the very end when you finally find out who there murderer is. It combines: mystery, humor, cute pets, and possibly a love interest.
Looking forward to reading more of what this author writes.
I have to say the author is a great writer. The book had good flow to it and was a very interesting cozy mystery featuring animals.
Ashley Crane is a cook at a popular restaurant when her not so nice boss is murdered. Darren has made more enemies than friends so there is a list a mile long of suspects.
When Ashley begins to get threatening phone calls warning her not to talk about what she has heard in the restaurant between employees, she begins to wonder just what everyone around her is caught up in.
Ashley decides to help out the hunky detective to solve this murder.
This book has many twists until the very end when you finally find out who there murderer is. It combines: mystery, humor, cute pets, and possibly a love interest.
Looking forward to reading more of what this author writes.
May 28, 2015
Excellent read. This first in a series was well written and had many twists and turns right up to the end. I am looking forward to the next in this series.
I was given a free copy for an honest review.
I was given a free copy for an honest review.
August 24, 2020
Easy read and light-hearted mystery. First time reading this author.
March 16, 2020
Ashley Crane was a 31-year-old cook at the Gratitude Café in the small West Coast town of Comfortville. We met her as her boyfriend is in the process of walking out on her, complaining that she has gotten too fat. The real story was that he had gotten involved with one of the servers at the café. Her friends attempted to cheer her up by going to a bar where she proceeded to get hammered.
The next day was her day off and she spent it nursing her hangover. In the afternoon when she checked her telephone, she discovered several messages from Darren, the café manager, telling her they were short on help and she had to come in and immediately. She called the café but he had already left.
The café was very popular because of the good food and good service. But things were going downhill because Darren refused to hire adequate help and everyone was stressed. Ashley was tired of getting called to come in on her days off, splitting duties between cooking and serving tables, and being yelled at. When she saw Darren, she told him that he needed to hire more people. Although he became very angry, the rest of the staff congratulated her for speaking up.
As she left work, she heard Darren and Chris Durtz, the other head, cook, having major argument outside. Later that evening, Darren was killed. The dishwasher was arrested but Ashley was sure he was not the killer. The police seemed to be going for him so she decided she had to help prove his innocence.
I found a lot of problems with this book.
The title of the book implied that a cat would be involved in solving the crime. It doesn’t happen. Charlie provided comfort to Ashley mostly by placing his paw on her arm when she was upset.
She talked a lot about gaining too much weight and being stressed but overindulges on rich pastries and coffee.
The book claimed “She had created a great menu with the other head cook, Chris Durtz.” But we never learn what they are. The two recipes in the back are for chocolate chip cookies and mac and cheese and are credited to the author.
She moved in with her parents and her mother’s decoupage group decided they have read a lot of mystery stories and should help with the investigation. There is no way their craft skills have any bearing on the story. Her mother’s dinner menu is very repetitious.
At one point she saw two of the servers away from the restaurant and wondered if they still worked there and if they had the same day off. She had been at the restaurant and should have known the answers.
The was a new, extremely good looking detective at the Police Department who was in charge of the case. She reacted to him as if she was an adolescent especially after he winked at her.
And, possibly most importantly, the plot was unrealistic. I don’t see how she could have worked there for so long and been unaware of everything that was going on.
The next day was her day off and she spent it nursing her hangover. In the afternoon when she checked her telephone, she discovered several messages from Darren, the café manager, telling her they were short on help and she had to come in and immediately. She called the café but he had already left.
The café was very popular because of the good food and good service. But things were going downhill because Darren refused to hire adequate help and everyone was stressed. Ashley was tired of getting called to come in on her days off, splitting duties between cooking and serving tables, and being yelled at. When she saw Darren, she told him that he needed to hire more people. Although he became very angry, the rest of the staff congratulated her for speaking up.
As she left work, she heard Darren and Chris Durtz, the other head, cook, having major argument outside. Later that evening, Darren was killed. The dishwasher was arrested but Ashley was sure he was not the killer. The police seemed to be going for him so she decided she had to help prove his innocence.
I found a lot of problems with this book.
The title of the book implied that a cat would be involved in solving the crime. It doesn’t happen. Charlie provided comfort to Ashley mostly by placing his paw on her arm when she was upset.
She talked a lot about gaining too much weight and being stressed but overindulges on rich pastries and coffee.
The book claimed “She had created a great menu with the other head cook, Chris Durtz.” But we never learn what they are. The two recipes in the back are for chocolate chip cookies and mac and cheese and are credited to the author.
She moved in with her parents and her mother’s decoupage group decided they have read a lot of mystery stories and should help with the investigation. There is no way their craft skills have any bearing on the story. Her mother’s dinner menu is very repetitious.
At one point she saw two of the servers away from the restaurant and wondered if they still worked there and if they had the same day off. She had been at the restaurant and should have known the answers.
The was a new, extremely good looking detective at the Police Department who was in charge of the case. She reacted to him as if she was an adolescent especially after he winked at her.
And, possibly most importantly, the plot was unrealistic. I don’t see how she could have worked there for so long and been unaware of everything that was going on.
March 17, 2020
Her boss--one of the real nasty kinds--will make you glad you don't have him as a boss! Ashley is too busy with her life to really notice-except to stay away from him as much as possible! Then one day she can't help but notice that two of the women servers are flirting with him--he is married. Then she overhears her boss and his wife arguing. Then she notices that none of the other employees actually like him either---As she leaves work that day--she over hears something--next thing you know--her boss is dead--murdered!!
Her apartment gets ransacked--she moves back with her parents--a rock is thrown through their window.
She loves to eat sweets at a bakery owned by a long time friend----
The police think they know who the murderer is--but Ashley thinks differently and goes about trying to prove it-much to the aggravation of the really cute policeman.
This is a really cute cozy and I enjoyed every minute of it--there are even a couple of yummy recipes at the end--I'm partial to sweets also!!
Her apartment gets ransacked--she moves back with her parents--a rock is thrown through their window.
She loves to eat sweets at a bakery owned by a long time friend----
The police think they know who the murderer is--but Ashley thinks differently and goes about trying to prove it-much to the aggravation of the really cute policeman.
This is a really cute cozy and I enjoyed every minute of it--there are even a couple of yummy recipes at the end--I'm partial to sweets also!!
January 15, 2020
Comfortville is a small town and usually a quiet small town, that Ashley Crane loves living in.
But her heart is broken when Ray her live-in boyfriend leaves her high and dry and goes with one of the servers in the Cafe where Ashley is the head cook.
The cafe is not a great place to work, because of the manager Darren. He does not treat the employees very well. Everyone is not very surprised when Darren turned up dead in the parking lot behind the dumpster.
Ashley has mixed feelings because of the murder! She tries to help the police find out who did it. She gets in trouble with the employees and the new manager, Nash.
The book is well written and has many twists and turns that keep you reading into the late night.
Right now I am stuck in the second book of this series. I have to find out who Ashley ends up with.
But her heart is broken when Ray her live-in boyfriend leaves her high and dry and goes with one of the servers in the Cafe where Ashley is the head cook.
The cafe is not a great place to work, because of the manager Darren. He does not treat the employees very well. Everyone is not very surprised when Darren turned up dead in the parking lot behind the dumpster.
Ashley has mixed feelings because of the murder! She tries to help the police find out who did it. She gets in trouble with the employees and the new manager, Nash.
The book is well written and has many twists and turns that keep you reading into the late night.
Right now I am stuck in the second book of this series. I have to find out who Ashley ends up with.
February 26, 2017
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
September 9, 2020
Perhaps I might have enjoyed the book more if every other paragraph (it seemed) did not have people constantly stuffing good (mostly goodies) into their mouths. And, of course, a man with a weak heart, having been advised to take it easy on the carbs, being fed an overabundance of them by his wife. The thought of serving mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese at the same time is mind numbing. Ashley states that she does not eat to live, she lives to eat. And her constant eating is a testament to that.
I am afraid this series is not my cup of tea. And I really don't need recipes. If I want recipes, I will buy a cook book and when I want a mystery I will buy what I ASSUME will be a mystery and not an ode to overeating.
I am afraid this series is not my cup of tea. And I really don't need recipes. If I want recipes, I will buy a cook book and when I want a mystery I will buy what I ASSUME will be a mystery and not an ode to overeating.
October 10, 2024
The Long Paw of the Law is a quaint mystery about a restaurant cook who finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery, trying to help the police find who killed her boss. It’s a clean cozy mystery with humorous characters and a handsome but slightly clueless police detective.
I listened to the Audible audiobook version and it was a fun book to listen to. The story is entertaining and most of the characters were amusing. The narration was clear if a little mechanical. Overall, it was a fun and interesting audiobook.
I received a free code for copy of this book from the author with no demands should I listen to it. I thank her for her generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
I listened to the Audible audiobook version and it was a fun book to listen to. The story is entertaining and most of the characters were amusing. The narration was clear if a little mechanical. Overall, it was a fun and interesting audiobook.
I received a free code for copy of this book from the author with no demands should I listen to it. I thank her for her generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
December 21, 2021
Murder is on the menu…
As a head cook in a busy restaurant, Ashley Crane just wants to do her job and forget about her disastrous love life. When her contentious boss is murdered there are plenty of suspects but Ashley is convinced the person arrested by the police is not guilty and she is determined to find the real killer. When she decided to solve the case she did not realize she would be placing everyone she loves in danger – including her beloved cat!
This is a fun cozy read with some tasty recipes included at the back which I can’t wait to try. I liked the characters and it was a good mystery. I finished the book in one day.
As a head cook in a busy restaurant, Ashley Crane just wants to do her job and forget about her disastrous love life. When her contentious boss is murdered there are plenty of suspects but Ashley is convinced the person arrested by the police is not guilty and she is determined to find the real killer. When she decided to solve the case she did not realize she would be placing everyone she loves in danger – including her beloved cat!
This is a fun cozy read with some tasty recipes included at the back which I can’t wait to try. I liked the characters and it was a good mystery. I finished the book in one day.
June 9, 2024
This was a fun listen. The story began by introducing all the possible suspects, connections, and the victim. There were many fingers pointing in different directions with all of the different personalities. I enjoyed how Ashley stepped up to prove the police had the wrong suspect. She was observant, intelligent, loyal, and fun. Her fledgling infatuation with the police detective added a personal note to her growth. The narration by Meghan McConnell enhanced the story and was interesting to listen to.
This is my unsolicited review.
This is my unsolicited review.
December 10, 2024
The Long Paw of the Law (Ashley Crane Mystery #1) was a great read by Laurie Anne Marie. Comfortville is a quaint little town nested in the Pacific Coast. Ashley Crane works tirelessly as a cook while nursing a broken heart. Then her boss at the restaurant is murdered. Nathaniel Thompson is the police detective that is investigating the murder. He ends up arresting the wrong suspect and Ashley takes the investigation into her own hands. She gets help from her parents, her best friends and their clever cat Charlie. I enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.
February 21, 2020
2 star
Okayish but several things together brought the rating down for me. First, the opening is slow. Not uncommon with first in series, bt the writing style made it feel slower than it probably actually was. Writing could benefit from a lot of work on craft. Tendency towards repetition that gets old fast. Timeline has some oddities that don't quite make sense. So when you add all this up, yeah, it's a two star overall.
Okayish but several things together brought the rating down for me. First, the opening is slow. Not uncommon with first in series, bt the writing style made it feel slower than it probably actually was. Writing could benefit from a lot of work on craft. Tendency towards repetition that gets old fast. Timeline has some oddities that don't quite make sense. So when you add all this up, yeah, it's a two star overall.
March 26, 2023
This was pretty cute. Obviously, in a cozy mystery the main character does some stupid shit and this book was no exception but I liked how she went about it overall. I also thought it was pretty cool that her cat helped her solve the mystery. I’m glad I gave this book a shot and would be interested in reading more from this author in the future.
July 12, 2024
Ashley Crane's boss at the restaurant she works for is killed. A coworker Ashley believes is innocent becomes the main suspect. She proceeds to investigate.
I enjoyed the characters. The mystery was interesting, and I did not guess the killer right away. There was a touch of romance which I like being included in the stories I read.
I enjoyed the characters. The mystery was interesting, and I did not guess the killer right away. There was a touch of romance which I like being included in the stories I read.
February 23, 2019
Just another good book
What a relaxing read. Good characters with good clues and plot. An excellent cozy mystery. I have downloaded book 2 and will cut this short to start reading. It is a good thing that I am retired and have the time to read more.
What a relaxing read. Good characters with good clues and plot. An excellent cozy mystery. I have downloaded book 2 and will cut this short to start reading. It is a good thing that I am retired and have the time to read more.
January 12, 2020
Pretty fun read
I liked this book well enough. Cats, food, and murder mysteries are fun. My only suggestion is that having to read in third person for the main character is a little strange.
I liked this book well enough. Cats, food, and murder mysteries are fun. My only suggestion is that having to read in third person for the main character is a little strange.
April 15, 2020
The Long Paw Of The Law
Awesome read. Characters and storyline are great! Murder, drugs, bakers, chefs and detectives makes a spectacular group for a great mystery. Definite must read
Awesome read. Characters and storyline are great! Murder, drugs, bakers, chefs and detectives makes a spectacular group for a great mystery. Definite must read
May 10, 2020
To thy own self be true
You work along side of someone and never truly know them. Drugs, murder and affairs are included in this murder mystery. Also friendship and the beginning of love.
You work along side of someone and never truly know them. Drugs, murder and affairs are included in this murder mystery. Also friendship and the beginning of love.
November 3, 2021
Fairly sensible female protagonist. Enjoyable, lighthearted, simply written, thus easy to read. Didn't have enough of the cats though, considering the title. Received as a complimentary copy from the author in return for an honest review.
March 7, 2025
3/5 STARS! A fun & engaging cozy mystery. I enjoyed this a lot & had a good time listening to the audiobook. The characters are well written, the plot is fast paced, & I loved the Shakespeare mentions. Definitely recommend this to anyone in a book slump or wanting something light & easy to read.
April 1, 2018
Interesting but quite shallow
December 21, 2019
Very well written
Wow I thought I had it figured out, but in the end I didn't. Thank you for writing such a great mystery.
Wow I thought I had it figured out, but in the end I didn't. Thank you for writing such a great mystery.
March 14, 2020
Ashley Cooks Up A Mystery
Ashley was head cook at the restaurant when all the excitement began. A murder, drugs, and police all come into play.
Ashley was head cook at the restaurant when all the excitement began. A murder, drugs, and police all come into play.
March 21, 2020
Wow,wow,wow.
This was one of those books that I thought about it I had to put it down. I love them. I was shocked by the ending. You will be too. Enjoy
This was one of those books that I thought about it I had to put it down. I love them. I was shocked by the ending. You will be too. Enjoy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews