Survival Can Be Deadly

A Discount Detective Mystery #1

by Charlotte Stuart

Foreward INDIES Book Award finalist An unemployed single mom reinvents herself by taking a job as an investigator at a discount detective agency located in a shopping mall - "Vigilance You Can Afford."   "This is a unique story filled with mystery, a touch of romance, adventure and quite a bit of humor. The author introduces a quirky cast of characters and their dialogue fits the story perfectly."  -- Socrates' Book Reviews                                    
Cameron Chandler's first assignment at Penny-wise Investigations is to locate a runaway girl. The trail leads to a survivalist camp on a remote island in northern Puget Sound. Armed with only a Swiss Army Knife and her quirky on-the-job training as a suburban sleuth, Cameron uncovers more than she bargained for. She soon finds herself in a fight for her own survival in this lighthearted mystery set in Seattle and the San Juan Islands to the north.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery

308 pages, Paperback

Published September 10, 2019

About the author

Charlotte Stuart PhD is an award-winning mystery writer who got her start in academia, left a tenured faculty position to go commercial fishing in Alaska, spent a frustrating year as a political speech writer, and enjoyed time as a management consultant and as a VP of HR and Training.

Her current passion is for writing character driven mysteries with twisty plots. She has published twelve mysteries since 2019, including a legal thriller co-authored with writer husband Don Stuart.

Her discount Detective Mysteries received a 1st Place Series Award in the Chanticleer International Mystery & Mayhem competition. Other awards include a Global Ebook Gold, a Reader Views Silver, a Global Book Award Bronze, and making finals in Foreword Indies, Killer Nashville's Silver Falchion and the Eric Hoffer Awards.

She lives and writes on Vashon Island, is the past president of the Puget Sound Sisters in Crime and a member of the Mystery Writers of America.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a lighthearted mystery, I came upon this novel by Charlotte Stuart and thought that I would give it a try. Spinning a unique mystery with a cast of characters best labelled ‘off the wall’, Stuart is able to deliver a solid mystery without getting too bogged down in complex plot twists. Cameron Chandler is a recent widow who has been out of work. This is enough to make anyone go stir-crazy, but her two children and insistent mom make the need to get out of the house all the more important. When Cameron stumbles upon a Help Wanted sign in the local mall, she is intrigued. This is not some normal shop seeking assistance, but the Penny-Wise Investigation Firm, where sleuthing can be done for a discount and there’s no coupon needed. On a whim, Cameron enters and is pulled in. She’s given the chance to prove herself as an investigator, something her family certainly feels she is not qualified to do. After meeting many of her colleagues and going through some rigorous training, Cameron is licensed and ready to be a full-fledged member of the team. Her first solo case is to locate Melissa Rogers, a teen who’s run away from home. Cameron follows a few leads within Seattle and soon finds herself at what might be a dead end. She enlists the help of her colleague, Yuri Webster, who is as carefree as they come. They work together and surmise that Melissa may have left to attend a survivalists’ camp on the San Juan Islands, just off the coast of Washington State. Posing as tourists, Cameron and Yuri learn a little more about what’s going on without locating Melissa. They will have to take the next step and attend one of the weekend seminars, which will provide Cameron with all that she needs to know about survivalist techniques and perhaps lead her to Melissa. Things do not go as smoothly as Cameron would like and she soon discovers there is more to this group than meets the eye. Melissa is somewhere, but it will surely take more than a tap on the shoulder and a friendly smile to lure her back to Seattle. A great story that kept me turning pages as I made my way through with ease. Recommended to those who need some lighter fare on their reading calendar, as well as the reader who enjoys mysteries told from a unique angle.

When I stumbled upon this piece by Charlotte Stuart, I was not entirely sure what to expect. I had been handed an ARC for Stuart’s latest book, but wanted to start at the beginning. I tossed myself into this piece in hopes of learning a little more about Penny-Wise and the entire backstory of the characters. This novel did its job and then some, opening my mind and eyes to a great deal of interesting interactions. Cameron Chandler is a wonderful character with little to lose. A single parent, something her mother reminds her will not change if she does not find someone, Cameron is forced to juggle the moods of her children while also needing to put some bread on the table. Her gamble with this investigator job seems to be on a whim, but she fits in perfectly and is soon excelling like no other. The reader learns a little about her backstory, but also a great deal of development. Gritty, but not to the point of being cocky, Cameron steals the show in this piece. The handful of supporting characters are wonderful and fit in wonderfully. Complementing one another and the protagonist in particular, there is always something going on that will entertain the reader. In a story that keeps the reader’s attention throughout, Stuart is able to craft a wonderful tale that is both educational and entertaining. Her vast array of characters bring much to the experience while also providing the reader with something light that they can enjoy with ease. A mix of chapter lengths propel the story forward while also getting deep enough into things that no one is left feeling shortchanged. I feel that I have a great handle on things and am ready to tackle the follow-up book (that aforementioned ARC) to see what other trouble Cameron Chandler can find.

Kudos, Madam Stuart, for a great introduction to your work. I hope others stumble upon it and find some of the same conclusions that I did with this piece.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[John Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Survival Can Be Deadly is a great cozy with developed characters and a series of twists and turns that always keep you guessing. With a riveting plot, enough humor to keep you smiling, and plenty of action, you won’t want to put it down. Set in Washington’s beautiful San Juan Islands, the location shares the stage with characters and plot—just another facet of this polished gem.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cameron Chandler is a widow with a PhD but no job to go with it. She has two children that she is trying to raise, with her mother living upstairs that is constantly interfering with her life. Cameron needs to find a job, not a husband, which is what her mother thinks she needs to do. While at the mall, she stumbles upon a help wanted sign. The mall detective agency is looking for a new investigator. She has not experience, but she is smart and needs a job. P.W. the head of Penny Wise Detective Agency hires her and within days she has her first case. With the help of Yuri, another investigator, she is out to find a missing teen and perhaps find their missing agent in the process.

I really enjoyed this story. Cameron was a bold, smart, sassy, brassy woman who would do anything to make a living to support her children. Looking for the runaway puts her in danger, but she manages to escape with the help of Yuri and another man. Her mother was a hoot. She had a one track mind, to get her daughter married, and she was not subtle. I hope to see more of Charlotte's children in future books, as we didn't get to know much about them in this book. The mystery itself was quite interesting. They went from a teenage runaway, to a survivalist camp to some scamming of innocent victims who just want to be safe in case of the end of the world. I thought I had a lot figured out, but the ending threw in a twist that was a bit surprising. There was also quite a bit of tongue in cheek humour that I also enjoyed. The only thing I was a bit unprepared for was the quick interactions between Cameron and some of the male characters. It was nothing over the top, but still a bit surprising to this reader. Even with this one complaint, I will definitely watch for more by this author. A great debut to this cozy mystery series. I received a copy of this book from Great Escapes Book Tours upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Widow Cameron Chandler needs a job and she needs one now. She’s a single mom with two children and a mother who keeps pushing her to remarry instead of going to work. When she sees a detective agency in a local mall advertising for help, she figures she has nothing to lose even if she has no detective experience. Not a problem because they are willing to train and she’s hired right away.

Her first case is a runaway teenager. This case was originally being handled by Cameron’s predecessor but he disappeared and it’s now in Cameron’s hands. The investigation lands Cameron on an island which houses a survivalist camp. Cameron sets out to find the young woman and see what she got herself involved in. It doesn’t take long for Cameron to realize the camp isn’t what she thought at all. Now it’s a race to escape without losing her own life.

This is a unique story filled with mystery, a touch of romance, adventure and quite a bit of humor. The author introduces a quirky cast of characters and their dialogue fits the story perfectly.

The author did a great job of keeping me at the edge-of-my-seat. It’s well written and fast-paced. It had me laughing, gasping in horror, and guessing what was going on until the end. I hope there will be another book soon. This is a nice start to a series and reminded me quite a bit of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.




FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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

Take one widowed mother and a discount detective service located in a mall and you have this series that is bound to charm the reader.

There was so much to like about this series so I will start with some of my favorite characters. Cameron is a widow with a PhD yet no job to go with it trying to manage two children and a busybody mother who thinks that Cameron just needs to find a new husband. All Cameron knows is that she needs to find a job. You have P.W., the head of the discount detective business that is a bit of a mystery herself. Many of the people working for her have tried to unearth who she really is but to no avail. Yuri is Cameron's main teacher at the PI agency, showing her the ropes and assisting with her first case. Yuri is a crazy driver and I was very glad that I wasn't physically in a car with him. Will is like Q in the Bond movies - all sorts of gadgets that might help out on any case. He can be something of a trickster.

I have to credit Cameron for taking on a career field that requires observation and deductive reasoning. Sure I've read mysteries for years but that doesn't mean I should be a PI. I chucked on her first day on the job and her choice to wear heels. Everyone forewarns her that P.W. isn't going to like the shoe choice. Thankfully it is only her first day so she won't have to chase after suspects quite yet.

Cameron's first case is a missing person's case but it evolves into so much more including some radical Survivalists on one of the San Juan Islands in Washington. This is where the action really heats up and some interesting twists and turns occur. I was spellbound throughout the book and stayed up a little too late the first night because I had to know what happened next.

If you like witty, quirky, and a little crazy then this might be a mystery you will want to read.

[Shelle Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The term ‘private investigator’ evokes images of trench coats, smoky bars, and a dingy office in a low rent building with a caricature for a receptionist. That is not quite what Cameron Chandler encounters when she decides to apply for a job opening at her local mall in “Survival Can Be Deadly” the debut book in Charlotte Stuart’s Discount Detective series. Stuck in the all too common area of ‘having a degree but being either too qualified or too inexperienced for any given job, Cameron takes a chance and follows a help wanted sign into Penny Wise Discount Investigations. She finds the job fun and challenging and she is soon working her first solo case, a missing teen. The information she hunts down leads her undercover at a survivalist camp.

I love a great ensemble piece. Cameron is our heroine but she is backed by a wonderful group of sleuths working for Penny Wise. Led by the enigmatic P.W. Griffith, each investigator brings something fun and important to the mix. They arm Cameron with tips of the trade and necessary gadgets to get her job done. They also add more than a fair share of humor to the story, while providing a great contrast to Cameron’s homelife dominated by her busy body mother and her kids. Cameron comes across as truly genuine and relatable. She is torn between needing to be there for her children as they deal with all the new circumstances in their lives and forging a solid place for herself.

I really enjoyed the gumshoe aspect of the story. Cameron has a talent for chasing down information and pulling together clues. She keeps a cool head in a crisis and she is learning to be a bit sneaky. If she survives her partner’s driving, I surmise that she is going to be great at this job.

I received a complimentary evaluation copy of this book. All opinions and insights are my own.

[Mary Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis:

When single mom and recent widow Cameron Chandler takes a much-needed job at Penny-wise Investigations, a detective agency conveniently located in a suburban shopping mall, she grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Her first case is to locate a runaway girl, something her predecessor had been pursuing before he disappeared. Following in his footsteps, the trail leads to a survivalist camp on a remote island in northern Puget Sound. Armed with only a Swiss Army Knife and her quirky on-the-job training as a suburban sleuth, Cameron uncovers more than she bargained for. She soon finds herself in a fight for her own survival in this lighthearted mystery set in Seattle and the San Juan Islands to the north. (Goodreads)

Review:

The theme of this book was unique and I really enjoyed that. A discount detective agency at a mall, that grabbed my attention right away.

The characters are well written and well developed. The cast of characters are quirky and unusual and they all have their own special area of expertise. Combined as a whole, they make a great detective team. Cameron is smart and gutsy and she will do whatever it takes to provide for her kids. I enjoyed the fact that she was older and has a family, that was refreshing.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me in from the very beginning of the book. There was enough mystery and suspense and, even though I thought I had it figured out a couple of times, I was wrong, and that was okay.

I would recommend this book to anyone enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. This book contained a full price mystery at a discount price.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book and provided my honest review.

[Elizabeth Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, lighthearted mystery (albeit with some rather serious moments) with a unique plot among amateur sleuth stories. Certainly not Agatha Christie, but it was entertaining and hard to put down. It did have a few typos, some odd story jumps, and minor romance scenes that were a bit cliché... but as a debut novel, that's mostly forgiveable. I enjoyed it enough to try the next book in the series!

[Susan Stronach · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun mystery! Can't wait to read more in the series!

[Meredith Rankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Charlotte Stuart pitched the premise of her novel to me, I knew I needed to read it. A discount detective agency? An inexperienced private investigator? A survivalist camp? Count me in!

This was a charming mystery. Here’s a few reasons why:

Cameron
There’s Cameron, of course. A widow with a useless doctorate in the liberal arts, she’s been unemployed for a while. On top of that, she and her two tweens live with her mother, Stella, who keeps dropping not-so-subtle hints that Cameron should get remarried. (These hints include clipping news articles with titles like “Mid-life Crisis and the Single Mother” and posting them on the refrigerator.)

Cameron’s struggles are relatable. Wanting to strangle her well-meaning but meddling mother; wanting to strangle her tweens for being, well, tweens. Trying (and sometimes failing) to balance home and work. Bumbling and stumbling and finally finding her way through a new job. Being overqualified and still underqualified for other jobs. Wanting a fresh start.

She’s not a superhero or genius. She’s Everywoman (rather than Everyman), if only every woman had the same witty, honest voice and quick comebacks. I loved being in her head.

Quirky, likable characters
The staff at Pennywise Investigations was a terrific ensemble cast. They are odd without being too odd. Stuart makes them interesting, quirky, and memorable but doesn’t resort to caricatures or weird-for-the-sake-of-being-weird characterizations. They feel like slightly amplified versions of people we all might know.

There’s Yuri, her investigative partner, who has a flirtatious streak, tells jokes, and owns a jar of pickled fingers. He’s also a horrible, terrifying driver who’s never had a car accident. Will, the trench-coat wearer of the bunch, trains Cameron on karate moves and gives her a Swiss pocket knife. Blaine, Grant, Norm, Jenny, Adele, and Megan are all unique and likable characters.

Then there’s the mysterious P.W. Griffin, the owner of Penny-wise Investigations. Her sense of fashion is . . . interesting and absolutely no one knows what P or W stand for. Or where she lives. Or whether she actually smokes that cigarette in the clean ashtray on her office desk.

Witty and light-hearted
Although there are moments of physical peril, they never overpower the narrative’s humorous tone. Even when she doesn’t see a way out of her circumstances, Cameron never loses her wittiness. And there are plenty of funny observations when she arrives at the survivalists’ camp.

The survivalists are doomsday fearers who want to survive the coming Apocalypse. Certain that the world as we know it will soon end, they come to the camp to learn the necessary survival skills. Of course, there’s one man who comes to meet single ladies, too!

Good-hearted
It’s a bit hard to quantify this. But the story is warm and good-hearted. In this way, it felt a bit like an Alexander McCall-Smith novel. (Here, though, the mystery was more prominent.) The characters have dark sides, to be sure, but they aren’t haunted or overwhelmed by them. They feel capable of caring about other people and finding joy in life.

And while they might roll their eyes at “Mrs. Cosmic Rays” (a not-quite-sane but harmless repeat customer), they pity her rather than disdain her. I cheered for Cameron and the others as they untangled the knotty problems at the center of Melissa’s disappearance, and rooted for them to survive and live another day.

Highly recommended
Survival Can Be Deadly is charming. Fun. Quirky. And best of all, it’s the first book in a new series, so we can rest assured that our heroine Cameron’s fresh start hasn’t ended. Will she find romance? A new husband? Where will her next investigation take her? Will Yuri ever learn to drive safely? And will the investigators ever learn P.W.’s real name?

Only time will tell. Let’s just hope the wait isn’t too long!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 3 out of 5]

""Don't you always say the improbable isn't necessarily the impossible? 'Do I say that?' He frowned in concentration as if trying to figure out what he meant by it."

In a kind of jumbled up story-line incorporating troubled teenagers, a missing PI and the survivalist movement, Charlotte Stuart introduces Cameron Chandler, a widowed mother of 2 kids who lives below her mother in a small apartment complex in Washington State. Cameron may have a PhD but her skill set is pretty limited, so when she does find a job, it's with a discount private investigation firm in the Mall. Penny-Wise Investigations hires her and gives her on-the-job training as she meets the others at the firm and then, throws her into a case that could be trouble.

This story goes all over the place. As much as I like Cameron, her kids aren't really part of the story; her mother is a poorly drawn character, and some of the extra investigators make you wonder just how lax the state PI licensing actually is. It's an unbelievable story-line and nothing these days wraps up "happily every after". However, Charlotte Stuart writes very well and I'll cut the her a break because this is a new series, but I'd be hard pressed to seek out any other of her works. 3/5

[disclaimer: I won this book in a giveaway]

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is primarily a character-driven mystery featuring some rather quirky investigators. The romance, especially the kissing scenes, seem out of place and gratuitous, but the story is suspenseful enough to keep the listener engaged. I would have liked to see even more development and involvement of Chandler's family, especially her children.

Nikki Zakocs performs satisfactorily. She makes an effort to give distinctive voices to the characters and I only caught a couple of minor mispronunciations.

NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Cecilia Aragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the premise of this book — a discount detective agency located in a mall! The light-hearted, witty tone continues throughout the story as Cameron Chandler, out-of-work single mom, takes a job at Penny-wise Investigations because she really has no other choice (and her own mother, who lives with her, keeps leaving her passive-aggressive notes on the refrigerator). Lots of humorous banter and a large cast of quirky characters round out the story.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Survival Can Be Deadly by Charlotte Stuart is a fantastic start to a new series. 
Will Cameron find Melissa before its too late, or will Cameron risk her life for nothing?
Cameron Chandler
Cameron is recently widowed, with a BA and no job prospects. Then she finds a job as a private investigator, and her whole life changed again. Cameron finds herself learning about things that she isn't sure of, and she is learning about herself, which she isn't sure that she likes. Either way, Cameron has been tasked with finding a runaway teenager. She is planning to do that. 

I like Cameron's spunk and her ability to live in the moment. Her character is growing with each chapter. It is fun to see Cameron dealing with the trials of everyday life at home and then life-or-death at work. I did find her mother funny. Cameron's Mom leaves articles on the refrigerator door for Cameron. Things about midlife crisis and single parents, like scaring her daughter into marriage is a good thing.
The Mystery
There are two mysteries. One is the runaway girl, Melissa, who has fallen for the wrong boy and ended up trapped with his buddies. Then we have the investigator Wilson, who went missing and whose job Cameron took. Cameron, with the assistance of Yuri (another investigator), Gary, and Bandit are able to find Melissa, but can they get her to safety and right some wrongs. But what happened to Wilson?
Four Stars 
I am giving Survival Can Be Deadly four stars. I enjoyed Cameron's transformation and her first case.

You can bet that I am looking forward to her next adventure. If you like private investigator mysteries, then I recommend this one.


Giveaway
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This Guest Review is for Baroness' Book Trove. 

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. This is the first book by this author that I have read or listened to but I will definitely be looking out for the next book in the series, I enjoyed it that much that I was checking if there was a book two before I had finished the first. I liked the whole idea of having a private investigation agency in the shopping mall and using the shops around them to help solve there cases and the cast of characters that made up the agency were so much fun and a real treat, not sure Cameron would have gotten the job just for turning up but glad she did. The mystery was interesting and I think it is the first cozy mystery I have listened to on the subject of survivalist, so that was interesting too. So hats off to the author for coming up with something original and weaving it into a entertaining and sometimes humorous adventure.
Cameron is a newly widowed mother of two and is under pressure from her mother to get back out in the world and make something of herself but not to forget to be there for her children's even needs. Which is way she steps through the door when she spots a help wanted sign in a detective agency's window, she can make her own hours, it's different everyday and In no way dangerous just running background checks. She gets the job and begins her training from the wide and diverse detectives in the agency, from finger print takings to questioning cheating spouse's. Soon she is ready for her first case. The reason the job was available was because one of the detectives in the agency had disappeared and Cameron is given one of his unsolved cases. To track down a missing teenager, she was in trouble with the law for stealing from her job. Could she just be a runaway or has something happened to her? The clues lead to a survivalist camp on an island and joined by a fellow detective they go under cover to find out if the trail of the missing girl has gone cold and with fingers crossed they might even pick up a clue on what happened to there colleague. The survivalist teach how to live of the land and things like technology (and even proper food) is a dirty work to them so Cameron will have to go back to basics to solve this mystery. Can she reunite a grandmother with her granddaughter?
I liked the narrator as she used her voice well to express the story and bring the characters to life.

[T K Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Main character, Cameron, is an unemployed widow raising two kids who has her mother living with her.

We never learn what happened to Cameron’s husband. We do know that Mother doesn’t think Cameron needs a job as much as she needs a new husband. Daughters will generally give their mother a pass when they butt into our lives and, oh brother, this mother plays that card. But she is free babysitting.

Despite having a PhD, no job offers are coming Cameron’s way. On a whim, she answers a “help wanted” sign at Penny-wise Investigations, a detective office at the local mall.

A previous employee had disappeared so Cameron’s first job is putting his assignments in order. Until the grandmother of a missing teenager comes in and hires the agency to find her granddaughter.

In a storyline a bit grittier and more intense than the average cozy, the search for the missing teen leads Cameron and fellow detective, Yuri, to a survivalist’s camp located off the grid in the San Juan islands.

It’s probably more an issue with my memory that I wasn’t able to keep Penny-wise’s agents straight. Adequate description of each is provided. With just enough detail of the beauty of the islands and a believable depiction of a survivalist camp, this book reads well and fast.

[Angie Boyter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some promising ingredients for a fun mystery series with a quirky troupe of detectives and an interesting setting investigating a survivalist camp in the San Juan Islands. I reallyappreciated the Cast of Characters given at the beginning.
It has a few too many rough edges, though, the first of which, trite obligatory romance scenes, is easily solved: Leave them out.
The other is more serious. The ending in not credible, and there are too many unanswered questions and loose ends. SPOILER: There are two completely unrelated unsolved cases inherited from Wilson, the former employee who disappeared. The probability that both would come together in a survivalist camp in the San Juans is too improbable. Also the teen is returned to her family but there is no follow-up as to whether her part in some crimes would be pursued or how she came to run away. And what is the background of the mysterious Gary Miles, who rescues her and then disappears? And why does every man in the book seem to know how to pick locks, etc.?
This was a debut, and I hope those ought edges will have worn down a bit in #2.

[Patrina Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Delightfully Quirky Mystery Adventure

Surviving Can Be Deadly is a fun and entertaining mystery told from the first-person perspective of Cameron, a widowed single mother who somehow lands a job at a detective agency—despite having zero investigative experience. Her first case, tracking down a runaway teen named Melissa, quickly turns into a wild adventure, leading her (along with her flirty coworker, Yuri) to a survivalist camp on an island.

The cast of characters is engaging, but my personal favorite was Bandit, Gary’s so-called “attack dog,” who added a great dose of humor to the story. The mystery unfolds with a relatively lighthearted tone, keeping things amusing while still delivering an intriguing plot.

This is the first book in a series starring Cameron as a private detective, and I’m definitely interested in following more of her cases. A great pick for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a fun protagonist and a touch of adventure!

[Debra Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this “humorous mystery”, was intrigued to read about a discount detective agency located in a shopping mall. The main character, Cameron Chandler, is in desperate need of a job (even though she has a “useless” PhD), sees the help wanted sign, applies and is hired. She is both believable and likable as she gets on-the-job training with all the quirky employees at Penny-wise Investigations. This is a light read, but so very well written and plotted. The author does a great job bringing the reader right into the survivalist camp with Cameron as she is working a case. We are given a group of colorful characters and wonderful descriptions of the remote island off Seattle in picturesque Puget Sound. I look forward to reading the next Cameron Chandler investigation.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the description of this book I was intrigued. A single mother and widow reinventing herself as a private detective with no background in this field. I was entertained by this book and liked the quirky cast of characters that work with Cameron and are helping to train her to become a detective. I enjoyed the subtle humor, especially the articles that her mother leaves on the refrigerator for her. There were many surprises in this book especially since I had never really thought about a survivalist camp and what that would entail. I loved the action in the book and am looking forward to seeing Cameron again soon.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Charlotte Stuart through Escape with Dolly Cas. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

So what is an unemployed widow with a PhD in literature to do when she needs money? Find a job at Pennywise Investigations, a mall detective agency where experience is not required. However, when her first case takes her to a survivalist encampment, Cameron realizes that Survival Can Be Deadly.

This book is so funny, it reminds me of the early Stephanie Plum mysteries, but not as wacky. The mystery was well-paced. The characters had engaging backstories and acted genuine. Overall, a great humorous cozy mystery that I highly recommend. 4 stars!

Thanks to the author and Great Escapes Book Tours for a copy in return for my honest review

[Jeannine · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a 3.5 star rating. Set in the Seattle area, the main character is Cameron, widow with two children, a PhD and no employment who takes a job with a discount detective agency with an office in the local mall. As a trainee detective, she is given the case of a missing young woman that takes her to a survivalist camp on the San Juan islands. Humorous with interesting characters and plot. Look forward to reading another in this series.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. Cameron Chandler is a likable new sleuth and the idea of Penny-wise Investigations (a detective agency set in a mall) is fun. The supporting cast from the agency, who all contribute to helping Cameron solve her first case in different ways, offers a contrast to the more typical "loner sleuth" scenario.

[Lynn Guttmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written murder mystery. The locations are vivid; the dialogue sharp and funny. The characters blossom into individuals with distinct, appealing personalities. I want to meet Cameron, her colleagues, kids - but not her nemesis. The convincing plot builds then peaks to a very satisfying finale.

[Jo Ben Whittenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the cover of this book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it! I liked it so much that I am now listening the audiobook. Who ever heard of a discount detective agency? This is a very good mystery with adventure and lots of humor. I hope that all of Charlotte Stuart’s books are published in audio format and that there will be many more Cameron Chandler books in the future.

[Maggie Weidinger]

Very funny and entertaining

[Don Paske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe even 4 1/2 stars, but I won't round up. Good yarn. Good character development except one (Gary-where the heck did he come from??).

[Morgan Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read

As a newbie to detective mysteries, I found the characters relatable, the setting interesting and an entertaining mix of personal drama and intrigue.

[Fee (Ebook Addicts) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cameron Chandler needs a job, she will take anything but she didn’t expect to get a job with Penny-wise Investigations, a detective agency with no experience! She does the training gets her license then her first case – to locate a runaway girl that a fellow PI was working on before he disappeared.

The story was engaging and flowed easily, I was hooked from the get go and I loved the banter and camaraderie between Cameron and her PI partner Yuri, I hope there is a little bit of a love interest between then both in future books in the series. The case itself was quite interesting how a runaway ended up at a survivalist camp and how Cameron and Yuri pieced it all together.

Survival Can Be Deadly is the first in this new series and I honestly cant wait for the next instalment.

5 stars

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Survival Can Be Deadly cracked me up! When I first started reading, I was like, eh, am I going to like this book? I mean, Cameron is looking for a job at the MALL! Who goes to the mall anymore? Okay, okay. I’m kidding. But, she is looking for a job at the mall, and it’s fitting that what she finds at the mall is a help wanted sign at a small detective agency! Even though she’s got no experience as a detective, getting a job there is much better than at a clothing store since they keep getting shut down….how I miss the old days when you could go hang out at the mall and not see a bunch of empty stores…but I digress.

Anyway, enough about the mall! When Cameron gets a job at Penny-wise Investigations, she’s thrilled. Her co-workers teach her the ins and outs of the job. And I love her co-workers. They are a bunch of quirky characters with distinct personalities. You will love Yuri. He is a lovable goof, but there’s more to him than meets the eye. I’ve got a feeling that Cameron’s son is going to be one of my favorites too. You’ll see why when you read this. He’s obsessed with something most 11 year old kids would find boring. I’m really looking forward to seeing all of these characters develop even more throughout the series.

The mystery in Survival Can Be Deadly is also crazy since it takes place at a survivalist camp on an island. There are some pretty crazy characters at the camp too. The whole book is filled with so much humor that you won’t be able to put this down. It’s a madcap mystery, and I highly recommend it! Hurry up and get book two done please!!