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Sparks & Joy #3

Suspects & Sorting

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Aurora & Joy are back in their 3rd whodunnit…and this one is a doozy!

Recently sober after decades spent numbing his emotions stemming from the premature death of his one true love, Joy’s uncle, Beppe, finally seemed to be in a good place. But life has a way of throwing you a curveball when you least expect it. And Beppe certainly wasn’t expecting to be murdered.

The news is difficult for everyone to hear, especially Joy, who is immediately suspected of committing the crime simply because she was the last person known to be with Beppe. Of course, Joy’s family means everything to her and everyone knows what a ridiculous supposition that is. Everyone, that is, other than the new chief of police.

To Aurora, it is unclear whether Chief Finley truly believes this theory or if he is simply trying to stir up the case and those involved. But, either way, one thing is for certain: his harshness and lack of empathy will not be tolerated. Her best friend should be mourning the loss of her beloved uncle in peace, not having to defend herself against a ridiculous accusation.

So, it looks like Aurora is going to have to step in and get to the bottom of things…again!

142 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2020

70 people are currently reading
57 people want to read

About the author

Nancy McGovern

83 books174 followers
I'm a mother, wife, homemaker, pet lover, teacher, student, reader, writer, drinker of tea & wine (depending on the time of day) and sleep-deprived dreamer. I live in Syracuse, NY, with my husband, Doug (also a writer with books available on Amazon), our three children and too many furred & feathered friends to list!

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5 stars
89 (59%)
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43 (28%)
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15 (10%)
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Siobhan.
5,050 reviews599 followers
January 18, 2021
Suspects & Sorting is the third book in Nancy McGovern’s Sparks & Joy series, and it’s another addictive quick read. Fans of the two prior books in the series are sure to be hooked on this one, especially with what happens to a beloved character from the first two books.

Once again, Nancy McGovern packs plenty into a short story, ensuring the reader is happy to devour it in a single sitting. Once you start reading, you’re left desperate to see how all the pieces come together. I feel as though I should have worked out where this one was going, but it was a nice surprise to see the reason behind the killing. Although I enjoyed the surprise behind what happened, the thing I most enjoyed with this one was getting to see our characters grow. We got to find out a bit more about them, and I enjoyed the bigger picture of their lives.

Without a doubt, this third book in the Sparks & Joy series is perfect for fans of cosy mysteries.
525 reviews9 followers
December 4, 2020
I read the third book in Nancy McGovern's Spark & Joy books. I read this in one sitting as it was a good story. Joy's Uncle Beppe is murdered. Everyone believed him to be an alcoholic except for the last year when he was sober. He lived on an old farm and had many birds including an ostrich which helped him when he fell down. When Aurora discovers that she and Joy are his heirs, she tries to find out how he got enough money to buy the farm and the exotic birds that he sold. I hope that if you decide to read it, you will also be unable to put it down.
Profile Image for Cindi Knowles.
102 reviews19 followers
December 10, 2020
Suspects & Sorting is the 3rd book of Nancy McGovern's Spark & Joy Series. I admit that I have yet to read the 1st two books in the series but it was not hard to follow along at all, I was able to jump right in and follow along. The storyline is easy to follow and I wanted to get to know all the main character's right away. This is how it is with all of Ms. McGovern's character's in her series, because she is great at world building. I loved the book and I'll definitely be going back to read the other 2 books to catch up so that I will be ready to read the 4th book when it comes out.
7,784 reviews50 followers
February 24, 2021
Aurora birthday, which would be the last if she ate the dish her aunt made
Deathly allergic to eggplant and if she didn’t that would be a deadly insult. The joys of the family coming to celebrate. Beepe came with non alcoholic drinks after years of using. The plot is of him leaving the farm, exotic birds to Aurora and Joy. To figuring out where the money came for him to buy. They are short, packed with a good story.
Profile Image for Angela Griffin.
1,733 reviews5 followers
June 13, 2022
Bittersweet

Such a bittersweet tale! Just when he'd found sobriety and freedom from guilt...Poor Beppe! I just love how seamlessly Aurora has integrated into the Russo family and how her relationship with Joy has become so close. Beppe's secrets are quite imaginative (that Philbert!), and the mystery does hold the reader's attention. I hope there's more to follow in this series.
Profile Image for Eirlys.
1,763 reviews16 followers
March 21, 2021
Enjoyable experience

Joy and Aurora love having the family around, especially Uncle Beppe. His ostrich, Philbert is a character and Beppe decided to nominate him for Mayor of the town. The girls get involved with a murder, yet again. A n enthralling story with a great climax.
36 reviews
October 29, 2025
Suspects and Sorting

This was book 3, to continue with Aurora and Joy. They began their friendship negatively, but in the end, they were friends. One could almost say that family is not always blood related.
Profile Image for Tashia Jennings.
160 reviews10 followers
December 5, 2020
Delightful read. Wonderful addition to the series. Enjoy cozy mysteries greatly and this one did not disappoint.
68 reviews
June 1, 2021
This whole series has been enjoyable. Once I start I can't stop reading. Thank you Nancy for these delightful characters.
Profile Image for Lynne Reglein.
39 reviews
March 29, 2023
I found this series most delightful. The characters are warm and funny and are so clever in their approach to solving mysteries. Can't put down series
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

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