Cocoa and Chanel

Chanel #1

by Donna Joy Usher

The New South Wales Police Force Just Got More Fashionable!

Cocoa and Chanel is the acclaimed first novel in an exciting new Cozy Mystery Series By The Multi-Award-Winning Author, Donna Joy Usher.

Winner of the 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Awards eBook Fiction Category.
Winner of the National Indie Excellence Awards Humor Category.

Faced with the unattractive options of an affair with her boss's husband or the unknown, Chanel Smith chooses the unknown and unwittingly traps herself into joining the New South Wales' Police Force.

More interested in fashion than felony, she staggers through training and finds herself posted to the forces most notorious crime hot spot, King's Cross. There, she becomes entangled in a case of the worst kind - a serial killer targeting young women.

As she is drawn further into the seedy underground in her attempt to unravel the truth, Chanel makes new friends, new enemies and attracts the attention of the killer. Can she solve the case in time, or will she become the killer's next victim?

This is a light-hearted cozy mystery with plenty of laughs suitable for fans of Janet Evanovich, Deborah Coonts, Jana Deleon and Stephanie Bond.

Genres: Mystery, Chick Lit, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Contemporary, Romance

268 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 17, 2013

About the author

Hi there, I’m Donna Joy Usher. I started writing my first novel when I was seven. With no idea about plot or character development (I mean I was only seven) my storyline quickly disintegrated into a muddled jumble of boring dialogue between two horses. Disillusioned, I gave up writing stories for quite a while after that. Instead, I concentrated on my studies, eventually graduating as a dentist.

After many years of ‘drilling and filling’ I turned to writing in an effort to escape the seriousness of my day job. During that time I created my first book, The Seven Steps to Closure, and discovered that I love nothing more than making other people laugh. Well that, and my husband and two miniature schnauzers, Chloe and Xena.

I currently live in beautiful Perth When I am not working or writing, I love to paddle board, walk on the beach and sip chai lattes at the local cafe.

You can connect with me on Twitter (@DonnaJoyUsher), Facebook, Goodreads, Linked In or my blog site, www.donnajoyusher.com.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chanel Smith found herself on the way to the Goulburn Police Academy when the strangest of reasons made it seem the only option. After her (almost unsuccessful) training, she was sent to the station at the notorious Kings Cross in Sydney as a Probationary Constable – Chanel wasn’t sure if she was ready, but she was on the spot.

But it was the serial killer who was murdering prostitutes which made Chanel sit up and take notice, especially as she was with a senior Detective when a body was found. Chanel suddenly had a purpose – she would find the killer. But the dangers far outweighed her courage, especially once the killer noticed her…

Cocoa & Chanel is the first in the Chanel series by Aussie author Donna Joy Usher and I enjoyed it immensely. Many laugh out loud moments, combined with “are you stupid?” moments (directed at Chanel) along with her adorable dog, Cocoa, made this an entertaining read. It’s classified as cozy, but does have some mild swearing, and also needs some editing. A light, fun read which I recommend.

[Kylie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some true laugh out loud moments in this book. It centres on Chanel who is growing bored as a hairdresser in a small country town, through a series of events, she finds herself at the NSW Police Academy training up for a new career.
This story mixes humour with a quite ugly crime, but they seem to balance each other out well. I did not expect much from this book (never judge a book by its cover) but I was pleasantly surprised and will consider reading more books in this series.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hairstylist Chanel Smith hadn't planned on joining the New South Wales police force. She just used it as an excuse to get away from her boss's husband who was coming onto her. But a shortage of female recruits gets her into a six-month police academy training school.

Chanel is not cut out for this kind of work. After barely getting through the training, Chanel is a Probationary Constable assigned to King's Cross. On her first day, Chanel accompanies a senior detective to the scene of a murder. A serial killer is murdering prostitutes and leaving their bodies in dark alleys. Wanting to prove herself, Chanel begins working on the case during her off-hours.

I've had this book on my kindle for a couple of years and thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did. This is a fast-paced cozy mystery with some laugh-out-loud scenes. Chanel is a young and somewhat naive fashionista who is thrown into a new world. She's a very likeable, caring character who grows throughout the story. She makes several new friends at King's Cross, including a group of drag queens.

This book is entertaining and funny. The mystery portion doesn't begin until the second half of the book. If you are a fan of Stephanie Plum, you will enjoy this one. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. My rating: 4 Stars.

[Evelina | AvalinahsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delicious cross between Legally Blonde (Reese Witherspoon, down to the gay dog!) and Private Benjamin (if you remember that, with Goldie Hawn). It was incredibly enjoyable and made me laugh so much. I'll definitely be following up with the series!

But let's get one thing straight. I've looked at the reviews, and they are either five stars, or one. The one star people seem a little lost as to what they've picked to read... They complain of Chanel being a little too 'blonde', a little too swoony around guys. Not deep enough. The culprit too predictable. People, this is chick lit. Adjust your expectations! It's meant to make you laugh! It's meant to feel good and be fun. If you want character development, go read literary - but don't complain at the chick lit. This chick lit in particular did what it was supposed to do PERFECTLY. It was incredibly amusing and even heart warming. And please don't be snobby with me - I'm currently also reading Dune by Frank Herbert and enjoying it immensely - and no, giving this book 4 stars will not detract from my ability to appreciate complicated or serious literature when it is due to be appreciated. But don't diss the fun in life!

Anyway, TL:DR; Cocoa and Chanel was a SUPER FUN read, and if you like Legally Blonde, you will adore this book as well! And also, if you want more reviews from me, chick lit or scifi, visit my blog here. Oh, and I read this as a freebie.

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[Ozma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute, clever, easy Chick Lit read. I have no idea how I obtained this book. Must have been on some Kindle binge when I was high on a pain medication from dental work or something, and the cover art was cute so I downloaded it. Anyway, glad I bought it. Was fun to read about this former hairdresser turned police officer on the case of a serial killer. Nothing life-changing and pretty predictable plot twist (which I guess makes it a plot bend and not a twist), but I still enjoyed it. I mean this as a compliment, but this book was helpful in falling asleep. Just the right amount of excitement to keep you engaged but not enough to keep you awake all night. I have a hard time finding books that fit in that sweet spot. They are either too boring, and my mind wanders and stays awake, or they are too exciting, and I'm up all night! So this was a good middle ground. I really do mean it as a compliment.

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this new (to me) cozy series. Set in Australia, Chanel lives in a small town and is a hairstylist. After her boss' husband corners her, she announces that she is going to become a policewoman. Little does she know that there is a shortage of women and they are accepting all women that want to join.

The book follows her through training and her first assignment in Kings Cross. She makes some new friends that, while it isn't said right off the bat, many of them are drag queens. It is quite a hoot and I wonder if Chanel is that naive or what. These women have quite the personality and are a hoot. What makes it even better is that her mom moves to this town and we learn more about her background that even Chanel didn't know.

The mystery is who is killing prostitutes. Chanel is a rookie but investigates when she can and even catches the eye of one of the detectives - let's just say some chemistry is at play. Anyway, it is crazy how things play out and who is the killer. I was very surprised as I usually have some idea who to suspect.

This book is funny and filled with a great cast of characters.

[Lance Carney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chanel is Chanel Smith, who unwittingly chooses to escape her disgusting, touchy-feely boss by joining the New South Wales’ Police Force. Cocoa is her little dog with a big personality. The story follows Chanel’s training, tribulations and infatuations, ultimately revolving around a serial killer targeting young women. There are lots of great characters from coworkers to the crossdressing crew from the Dazzle Club to Chanel’s ever-changing Mum.

I am always interested in reading and dissecting successful mystery series by independent authors in order to further my own writing and it’s always a plus when it is mixed with humor. There were plenty of laughs along the way with Chanel (and her little dog, too). Donna Joy Usher is a dentist by day and I found the “green whistle” mentioned in her story particularly interesting. As a pharmacist in the United States I naturally had to find out more about the “green whistle”. It is a green inhaler device from Australia that holds an anesthesia gas the patient can put to their lips and inhale and is used for everything from fractures, wounds, and burns to dental procedures. I momentarily thought of trying to bring it to the United States but changed my mind. I had visions of a meth-head standing on the corner with bath salts in one pocket, oxycodone tablets in the other, drinking a Mountain Dew mixed with racing fuel and sucking on a green whistle. But I digress; the book was fun, quirky and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Els · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love the cover. It's fun and playful and if I would see it in a shop, I would immediately be drawn to it and most certainly buy it as well.

I would not call it a cozy mystery because Chanel is not an amateur sleuth. She is the real thing or almost anyway.

It's difficult to put it in a category. It's a very tasty coctail of romance, suspense and humour that I enjoyed very much.

I loved all the characters and it's interesting to see how they change.

The story fluently written and I could hardly put it down. It captured my attention from the very beginning until the end where I was kept hanging and wanting more, much more.  5 stars.

Thank you, Donna Joy Usher.

https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

[Lacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Star rating: 1 Star

There are so many things wrong with this novel it's hard to find a place to begin. I guess first off is... Who decides to become a policeman overnight? I would think it's a decision that takes a while to come to terms with, not something you've decided in a matter of seconds. While the writing wasn't terrible, the plot overcame the writing with its terrible-ness. The main character Chanel wasn't irritating all the time, just when a 'hot' guy gave her some attention. Then she'd become a gibbering idiot, even though her love interest was basically sexually harassing her. What a sad beginning to a series that could have had promise.

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read filled with lots of humor as well as being a mystery set in Australia. It was highly entertaining, but a little over the top in places. There were a few grammatical and spelling errors in the Kindle version that I read.

The main character is naïve, caring, likeable and entertaining. Will she survive her probationary constable period? It will be interesting to see if or how her character develops in the series. I was able to determine the antagonist relatively early in the book.

Despite the plot line being hard to believe and part of the story being lightweight, the series has potential. All in all, it was an enjoyable and entertaining read.

[Donna Usher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it. But of course I do - I wrote it. And if I didn't love it I wouldn't have published it.
Cocoa and Chanel still fits in the chick lit genre but has a twist of mystery as our female sleuth tries to find the killer before he finds her. It's fast and funny and will leave you a little breathless. And the good news is that it's number one in a series, so there will be more of the kooky Chanel to come.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trying to recall how i heard about Donna Joy Usher ... i just noticed she would email you here 1st book so you could check it out and ... i did that and this read ...oh my goodness ...such a great read! these characters are fun and so creative! if you know anything about Beth, i love a great mystery ... one that makes you think and u see the in's and out's of how it will end??! so awesome!! love me some humor as well. put them together and there you go ... a great read!! loved it!! so, so, so much!! such a clever, easy Chick Lit kind of read. I appreciate the covers, but they don't give u any clue of how great these reads really are??! I really did enjoy it. no kidding!! I look forward to more from Donna very very soon!!

[Carolien · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Chanel joins the New South Wales police force almost by accident, manages to survive the training and gets posted to King's Cross, Sydney where a serial killer is on the loose. This is a light, easy read with a lovely cast of characters and good humour. The plot is a little predictable, but it is an entertaining read.

[Kimber]

Just Okay

not a bad read but not a great read either. Channel is an okay character, I don't feel like I know anymore about her at the end of the book than I did 20% in. The premise with her as a cop is quite ludicrous - she is apparently too naive to know even the most used slang for "weed"; after extensive 'police' training she is still never aware of her surroundings - even knowing a 'serial killer's is on the loose; is so squeamish she's 'fearful' of her gun!!!!! If I remember correctly she's 25 yrs old so most of the things she 'blanks' on are things an average twenty-something knows, is alert to, etc. But it works for the plot to have the main character dunderheaded. if only Chanel had received the character development her mum did! I liked mum and the drag crew. The next book in this series looks to involve/center around mum & crew so it might be better. I didn't dislike Chanel, just annoyed there was little to know about her & no growth. The 'mystery' was decent, not a lot of action or thrills, easy to figure out. I can imagine the Sydney police not being amused with this characterization! lol. As I said, save this book for a plane or beach - light reading with no concentration necessary. I *may* pick up the next installment when released if I'm in need of fluff light reads...and to see if the author develops the character, grows her up....gives her a functioning brain.

[Judi Easley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting certain things aside, this is absolutely fabulous! Chanel is a wonderful character going through a major change in her life; and I don't know if she's going from 'bad to worse' or 'worse to worst'. I'll have to work this out in a full review on my blog.

[Kimber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute

I guessed the ending, but it's still a cute, quick, beach read. the side characters are fabulous. wouldn't mind reading the next one.

[Chrystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kept me interested and turning pages. but left alot of questions unanswered and the ending was definitely not satisfactory for me. Loads of laughs though. Comedy Chick Lit Mystery, good alrounder.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cocoa and Chanel by Donna Joy Usher is a cute tale that shows a different side of the ultimate blonde hairstylist.

Will Chanel figure out the serial killer before someone she knows is hurt?
Chanel Smith

Chanel lives in a small town in Australia. She is a hairstylist who changes her hair color a lot, and she likes shopping and fashion. Some might say she is an airhead. Yet, Chanel has a dream (a recent one) to be a police officer. After rigorous training, she graduates from the academy and gets her first assignment in King's Crossing. Even with all the training, Chanel isn't the best at procedures but is curious and courageous. She decides to find the culprit when she stumbles upon a serial killer taking out ladies of the night.

Chanel is a girly girl with all the designer shoes, bags, clothes, and accessories. She looks pretty shallow, but her moral compass is strong. Although, she doesn't always see what's right in front of her. Yet, she sees things that others don't see. I like Chanel. She's a great character. I loved that she wasn't judgmental. Chanel is like Lucy Ricardo in some ways. There is seriously always drama around her.

The Mystery

The first half is about getting to know Chanel and seeing her make it through the Police Academy. The mystery occurs in the book's last half; once she is assigned a station. It's not so much that she is a fantastic investigator, as she is tenacious and decides she will figure this out. Some of the clues she missed are crazy, and her naivete is first class.

Supporting Characters

There are so many characters that Chanel is friends with, and that helps her along the way.

Susie

The chubby girl at the police academy wants to be an officer but likes to eat and not exercise. Chanel and Susie team up to help each other get through the academy.

She is sweet. It was nice that they had each other to vent and laugh together through the hard times at the academy.

Nastacia

The perfect girl at the academy who has been planning and working towards being on the force her entire life. It's in her blood, and most of her family are part of the police. Nastcia is mean to Chanel and Susan. However, she has a secret that Chanel keeps for her. In the end, the two become good friends.

At first, I hated 'Nasty,' but she redeemed herself after she and Chanel had it out.

Rick

He's a member of the Riot Squad. Rick assists Chanel with her Cocoa issue and trains Susie and Chanel so they can pass their physical test. I thought these two would make a cut couple, but that didn't happen. Chanel has a thing for bad boys. Too bad she and Rick were sent to different stations.

Bruce

The first friend that Chanel makes in King's Crossing is Bruce. Bruce, his dog, Lancelot, Chanel, and Cocoa meet at the dog park. They become good friends. Cocoa and Lancelot are even best buddies. Bruce is a good guy. Hopefully, he will find someone in one of the following books.

Martine

Martine and Chanel hit it off. The two of them discuss fashion, and Martine helps her with clues to find the serial killer. Martine has a secret identity that Chanel doesn't know how to deal with. It's funny.

Mom, Lorraine

In the beginning, Chanel's mom, Lorraine, is a no-cussing or drinking housewife who sits at home and cares for Chanel. She has no life of her own. However, when she changes, Chanel faces a mom she doesn't know and is having difficulty dealing with. I think there are many things that Chanel doesn't know about her mom. Hopefully, she will ask her before they all show up.

Four Stars

I read this book before but couldn't remember it. So, when Karen suggested it, I was like...sure, why know? I am glad that I did. It resonated more with me this time than it did the last time. My rating for Cocoa and Chanel by Donna Joy Usher is four stars. I hope to get to the rest of the series at some point. Seriously, the next installment has them off to Las Vegas.

Until the next time,

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

[Margaret Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not Australian, so I cannot fully appreciate this story. As an American, some of the references are beyond my understanding. That said, this is not a bad way to spend an afternoon. Chanel is the flighty young lady pictured on the cover; Cocoa is the little dog on her leash. Chanel's life has been going nowhere and she needs something meaningful to do with her time, so she fibs and tells her friends she is joining the police force. The word spreads instantly, and she is contacted by the police and told where to go to join up. The writing of the character pictures Chanel as not terribly serious about anything at all, except Cocoa. She manages to bring Cocoa with her, first boarding her at the Police Academy dog kennels, and this means she can refer to Cocoa as "police trained." I had the whodunit portion figured out a few chapters early, and I think you could do it too. Enjoy reading this book!

[Tamara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like many, I agree that this is a fluff read requiring zero thought. I couldn't get into the main character Chanel because as a main character, she was all fluff and no real substance. Maybe if we catch up to her after a few years on the force, when she's had time to have a real life and real decisions to write about she might be more interesting. Some character decisions and plot devices I just found unrealistic and unbelievable. I think she does a disservice to women on the force, because she seems to go moon-eyed at nearly every male character she sees. And while I loved her inclusion of M--- as a trans man, I think the author missed a really good opportunity to give insight into an alternate lifestyle.

[Jim B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is fun. I usually read action and adventure books with some other genres mixed in. One of those genres is cozy mysteries. Since Chanel is actually a police officer I place this book somewhere between the two genres mentioned above. The reason I like "Cozy Mysteries" is they are a pressure release from more hard core books - am retired and read four hours or so per day and have nearly two thousand books in my iBooks library. This book does that for me and more. It is more real, but more fun. Looking forward to the next book. Oh, at the end of the book Trent said to Chanel's Mum, "“So Tess, long time no see.” Hmm!

[Leanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately for this book, I read it after one of the best Rom coms I've read, probably ever!
I know it's not fair and I should judge this book on its own merits. Which is what I would do normally.
This book is eye rollingly predictable. Maybe I've missed the point. Maybe it's supposed to be obvious to just prove how inept all of these characters are at their actual job.
And as for Chanel...bloody hell, she's a wet lettuce! There's no substance to her. All just gas and air.

The most redeeming part of this book is Dazzle. I adore Bruce and his girls and Chanel's mum.

Its a cute, fluffy, easy free read. Nothing special to write home about but not bad enough to warrant writing home about!

[William Stanger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this one free and thought that since it was by an Australian author I'd read it towards one of my reading challenges for the year. It had an interesting enough premise and had quite a few laughs, along with some fun characters, but it didn't fully live up to its promise. Also, I had worked out the murderer a few chapters from the end. Having said that, Chanel was a likeable character and I never felt that I was being bored by the story. It's something fun to read when you don't want to have to think too much or are tired. I haven't decided whether or not I'll read any more of the books in the series, but I wouldn't rule it out as the ending left me wondering.

[doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Donna joy usher/no I of cocoa and chanel

Just from reading series #1on Chantal a diff kind of character and her dog cocoa very well written abt a girl whose job was a hairdresser ending up going to police camp that finds herself liking being a policewoman but unknowingly finds herself involve with serial killer investigating and the out come of who the serial killer is very surprising do not want to give the story away but I enjoyed this author writing abilities with a twist to the story in getting ready to read series #2

[Anitajt · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a joy to read a fast paced laugh out loud book. If you liked Private Benjamin/Legally Blond and Stephanie Plum you are going to love this hilarious and cleverly written story about Chanel Smith. A hairdresser turned policewoman who makes plenty of wonderful friends throughout her journey in catching a serial killer. There is one point in the book that made me cry real tears, I laughed so much I couldn’t read for about 10mins. Let’s just say Martine is up there with Lola as favourite sidekicks. Looking forward to next in series

[Julie Hillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Female copper with a sense of humour

Channel is a tough cookie looking for something different in her life. Attending the Police Academy she gets her wish. A laugh out loud story with sinister undertones. Will Chanel and her faithful dog Cocoa get their man? A well written tale with believable characters and an unfortunately believable plot line. Totally worth reading. Roll on the rest of the series.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m sorry. I really wanted to love this book but I just couldn’t. I’m a big fan of the cozy mystery and so it was a very sad moment for me to give this three stars. I was obsessed with Donna’s Faery series and literally stayed up through the night reading them and throwing my money at the ebooks. I took me a really long time to read this short book. I think part of it is that I find Chanel shallow despite her personal growth and the other part is that story also seemed a bit clunky in places.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good lightweight mystery book. If you like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series or Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen series then I think you enjoy this book. The main character is an unlikely candidate for the police academy but due to a shortage in female recruits, she is able to get accepted. Cute, amusing, fun, fast read. She has a cast of supporting characters that bring a lively and humorous addition to the book. I've already downloaded the next book in the series.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funnnnnnny!

I laughed through the first half of this book. Then, I turned the page and laughed even harder through the second half. I finished it and immediately started reading Book 2. I have all 5 books in the main series and the sixth book which is supposed to be read between Books 3 and 4. I can't wait to see what trouble these ladies can get into throughout the series.

[Stacey Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book! I enjoyed getting to see Chanel grow from her time in the Academy to becoming a full fledged cop. And I really enjoyed the relationships she had with the other characters as well as the mystery of the book. I did not see the end coming! I would definitely read the others in the series. A few spelling errors (or maybe a difference in spelling since the author is Australian?) but it didn't detract from my interest in the story. 4.25 stars!