Textbook Murder

Spencer University #2

by Laina Turner

Chloe gets more than she bargained for when she starts a teaching career at Spencer University. Can she find a killer before she’s the next victim?

Chloe is a law professor who has accepted a one-year teaching contract at Spencer University Law School. She was hoping it would be the start of her dream career. However, what should have been a quiet summer teaching was anything but that when she finds Bill, the professor she replaced, murdered in his office.

She’s curious to find out more because Bill had taken leave to defend alleged embezzler Randall Whittier. It is a high-profile case, and she assumes they are related.

After meeting Randall and chatting with him, she finds him to be a likable guy, and her gut tells her he’s innocent. But the question remains, who killed Bill? And who broke into Chloe's car and house? Someone is looking for something, but what?

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery

135 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 24, 2019

About the author

Laina Turner writes clean small town romance and cozy mysteries with heart, humor, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Her sweet romance novels feature mature, relatable characters finding love in charming small town settings. Her cozy mystery series stars quirky, lovable sleuths and their unforgettable pets.

A college professor by day and storyteller by night, Laina has been publishing feel-good fiction since 2009. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, three dogs, and one cat who believes she is in charge.

If you love sweet romance, cozy mysteries, or just books that make you smile, follow Laina to be the first to know about new releases and deals.

Reviews

[Srivalli Rekha]

A decent mystery and a fun story to read.

[JoAn]

An entertaining cozy mystery. I enjoyed getting to know Olivia and the other members of the university staff. The plot moved quickly with enough twists to keep me guessing until the reveal.

[Kathy]

Another quickie for the weekend readathon.

[Jamie Bee]

Chloe is a lawyer who doesn't like practicing the law! While working as an office manager at a law firm, she has been an adjunct professor of law on the side. Going to interview for a full-time position at Spencer University, she doesn't expect to get it. She does, and on her first day at the university, she discovers the man she has come to replace lying dead on his desk. He was planning to take a sabbatical from teaching to defend a man who is charged with embezzlement, Randall Whittier. Chloe decides to go to the dead professor’s home, where she runs into Randall. Rather quickly she determines that he is not directly involved in the professor's murder, and the two team up to help get to the bottom of what's going on.

Is Chloe correct in her assessment of Randall? Who would want the Professor dead?

I enjoyed the second book of this new series by Laina Turner. I was expecting to see the amateur sleuth from the previous book here again, but I was pleasantly surprised so discover that, while the university is going to stay the same in the series, the amateur sleuths will change. I enjoyed the interaction between Chloe and Randall, two strangers who don't know each other but want to figure out what has transpired.

I received a free copy of this book, which did not affect my review.

Read my other reviews at https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com.

[Janet Graham]

Another Murder at the University
This book is the second in the series. None of the cliffhangers from the first book were addressed in this episode. In fact, the only point in common is the background of the events happening at the same university. There is one plot similarity with the first book, too. This book's plot is pretty interesting, but not too believable. Our heroine is interesting while other characters from the university have no depth of character at all. It is as if it wants to be a movie, settles for an hour Tv show and becomes a novella instead. I have read both the first and second episode of this series and don't think I will read another. I received this ARC book for free from Booksprout and this is my honest review.

[Annette Sullivan]

poor

I read just a few pages and knew already this wouldn’t be something I’d read.
For example the detective arranged to meet with the main character next morning, then the conversation went on and he said to the main character ok, I’ll see you down at the station in an hour.
While arranging to meet her the next morning at the police station he said he wouldn’t know when he’d next be at the station as he was working the crime, so next morning would be the best time.
These and blatantly and very-obvious anomalies pointed out to me how this book was to be going forward.

Plus the ‘Chloe’ did this ‘Chloe’ did that made me think I was reading a book for a child.
I’d say this authour should further her skills a lot more before publishing again.

[Doug Ward]

Attorney Chloe Parsons takes up a one-year position at Spencer University, filling in for a law professor who is taking a leave in order to defend his friend Randall, who has been accused of embezzlement. When she arrives for her first day of work, she finds the man for whom she is to be filling in murdered in his office.

Chloe wonders if the murder is related to Randall's case. When she meets Randall, she soon becomes convinced that he is innocent and tries to help him clear his name. During an intense period of a few days, it's not entirely clear how she has time to prepare and teach her classes.

[Carlin]

Second book in the new for me Spencer University mystery series. While Prof of English Olivia was the main character in the first book, Prof Cleo was the MC in this one. Having left her high powered law practice in Chicago she accepted an adjuct proffessor position in the law school as temporary till her predecessor was finished with a major criminal law case. But she had scarcely begin when said predecessor is murdered. The accused claimed his innocence and Cleo believed him. So the two of them (plus Detective Benson) solve the mystery and apprehend the bad guy!

A great cozy mystery.

[G.Terenzio]

Cloe is replacing a law professor at Spencer university for one year - but Bill won't be coming back because she finds him murdered in his office.

That is not enough: Cleo's new office and her home are broken into - but why?

Bill was working and defending a friend who has been accused of embezzlement and after Cleo meet Randell also she is convinced that he is not guilty.

Are the death of Bill and the trial related?

[D Marie]

I liked this book because it dealt with lawyers and business owners. This was white collar crime at its best. It’s a shame that someone was killed for helping out a friend. Although this was a quick read, there aren’t any cliff hangers and everything comes together in the end.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ellen White]

Chole found a summer job,teaching law at the college. Only to find the person she replaced dead. His reason to be off, was defending someone of embellishment. Is this the cause of the murder, She wanted to meet this perso , and found him to be a likable guy. With her gut instinct felt he was innocent, it things were happening, what were people after.

[Lajuna]

I didn't like Chloe. She constantly thought about how guilty she felt because she had to lie, and not just by omitting. That was annoying, and besides, Why did she have to lie at all? In this case, I thought it was unnecessary and unsympathetic. Maybe I'll come back later, but certainly not as long as there are other books that interest me.

[Kim]

Another good read.

Another quick read with a murder to solve and to see who the killer is and who is behind it may surprise you. The characters in this story are good and Chole is very determined.

[Karin]

Who killed Bill Peterson and why??? Chloe will help figure things out though, won't she??? IAs a retired college professor I enjoyed this story, and glad that none of my students did this to me, and recommended the book.

[Susan]

I actually DNFed this book. Much as I would have liked to know who the murderer was, I could not make myself keep reading. The plot was so implausible that I had to stop. Sadly I bought the first three books. I'll try the third to see if it's better. My hopes are not high.

[Mabel Mcdonald]

Great

Enjoyed the story very much.It was moving and kept me interested . HAd to keep reading it couldn't put it down.

[Elizabeth F.]

I enjoyed this book. I liked the new character Chloe and her interactions with the other characters. It was a good story and mystery.

[Veena Soujanya]

My Rating: 2 1/2 Stars

[Beth Helm]

Wow

I loved this book. The twists kept me guessing through the whole book. I never saw the fast-paced end coming.

[Nadine]

Such a pleasant read!

I very much enjoy Ms. Turner’s books! This book is about Chloe. Yes, a different main character than book 1. But the setting is the same. This could be read as a standalone very easily. It was a great read, looking forward to more!

[Terri]

Good mystery!

I like that this series seems to be focused on a location, not a specific woman solving crimes (guess I'll see in the next book!). I gave it 4 stars because it seems to have ended a little abruptly. Otherwise a good cozy!