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A DIY Diva Mystery #1
Death by Association: A DIY Diva Mystery
From an award-winning author, this cozy mystery will "keep you guessing until the end." (Amazon reviewer)In Death by Association, DIY Diva Laurel McMillan learns that the high walls and guarded gates of Hawkeye Haven can't protect her community. When Laurel takes her pampered chocolate Labrador retriever, Bear, for an early morning walk, she finds her friend, security guard Bessie, bleeding and unconscious at her guardhouse post. If the attack on Bessie isn't enough to set the residents' nerves on edge, the murder of Victor Eberhart, the unpopular president of the powerful homeowners' association, certainly does the trick. Despite teaching DIY classes and writing project instructions for her latest book, DIY for Dog Lovers, Laurel manages to squeeze in time for some DIY detective work. But as she gets closer to the truth, Victor's killer would like nothing better than for the DIY Diva to take a dive.
Includes recipes for dog treats and project instructions for a reversible, two-tone, fringed dog scarf and a no-sew foam bed for pampered pooches.
The DIY Diva Mystery Series includes
Death by Association (Book 1)
Death by Design (Book 2)
Death by Proxy (Book 3)
Author Paula Darnell is the winner of two book awards in 2020: second for Death by Association in the at-large communications contest for a novel, more than 40,000 words, from the National Federation of Press Women and second place for a published fiction book in the Public Safety Writers Association Writing Competition, awarded July 12, 2020, for her historical mystery, The Six-Week Solution.
Includes recipes for dog treats and project instructions for a reversible, two-tone, fringed dog scarf and a no-sew foam bed for pampered pooches.
The DIY Diva Mystery Series includes
Death by Association (Book 1)
Death by Design (Book 2)
Death by Proxy (Book 3)
Author Paula Darnell is the winner of two book awards in 2020: second for Death by Association in the at-large communications contest for a novel, more than 40,000 words, from the National Federation of Press Women and second place for a published fiction book in the Public Safety Writers Association Writing Competition, awarded July 12, 2020, for her historical mystery, The Six-Week Solution.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2021
123 people are currently reading
442 people want to read
About the author
Paula Darnell
11 books326 followers An instructor at five colleges over the years, Paula Darnell most often taught the dreaded first-year English composition classes, but she's also been happy to teach some fun classes, such as fashion design, sewing, and jewelry making. Paula has a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and a Master's degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Like Laurel, the main character in Death by Association, Paula enjoys all kinds of arts and crafts. Some of her memorable projects include making a hat and a cape to wear to Royal Ascot, sewing wedding gowns for both her daughters, exhibiting her textile and mixed-media artwork in juried art shows, and having one of her jewelry projects accepted for inclusion in Leather Jewelry, published by Lark Books. She sells some of her jewelry and hair accessories in her Etsy shop.
Paula's interest in DIY craft projects and fashion led to her writing hundreds of articles for print and online national publications.
Paula lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband Gary and their 110-pound dog Rocky, whose favorite pastime is lurking in the kitchen, hoping for a handout.
Like Laurel, the main character in Death by Association, Paula enjoys all kinds of arts and crafts. Some of her memorable projects include making a hat and a cape to wear to Royal Ascot, sewing wedding gowns for both her daughters, exhibiting her textile and mixed-media artwork in juried art shows, and having one of her jewelry projects accepted for inclusion in Leather Jewelry, published by Lark Books. She sells some of her jewelry and hair accessories in her Etsy shop.
Paula's interest in DIY craft projects and fashion led to her writing hundreds of articles for print and online national publications.
Paula lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband Gary and their 110-pound dog Rocky, whose favorite pastime is lurking in the kitchen, hoping for a handout.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 15, 2019
Author Paula Darnell’s debut book, DEATH BY ASSOCIATION is a great start to her DIY Diva Mystery series.
I truly enjoyed DEATH BY ASSOCIATION. I knew on page one that I was going to enjoy getting to know series protagonist, Laurel McMillan and her chocolate Lab, Bear. They were both a delight to read.
The mystery in this whodunit was well plotted by author Darnell. There were just enough clues to lead the me on the right path to the killer, but enough twists and turns to have me second and third guessing myself. In the end, I was sure I was close to solving it, but fell short. Once I read the reveal, I had that ah-ha-I-should-have-known-that moment that had me smacking my forehead.
Fun and interesting characters, an original setting in a gated community (Oh, the trials of an HOA), Bear the dog, and great writing all make DEATH BY ASSOCIATION a story worth reading, and a great debut for Darnell.
I truly enjoyed DEATH BY ASSOCIATION. I knew on page one that I was going to enjoy getting to know series protagonist, Laurel McMillan and her chocolate Lab, Bear. They were both a delight to read.
The mystery in this whodunit was well plotted by author Darnell. There were just enough clues to lead the me on the right path to the killer, but enough twists and turns to have me second and third guessing myself. In the end, I was sure I was close to solving it, but fell short. Once I read the reveal, I had that ah-ha-I-should-have-known-that moment that had me smacking my forehead.
Fun and interesting characters, an original setting in a gated community (Oh, the trials of an HOA), Bear the dog, and great writing all make DEATH BY ASSOCIATION a story worth reading, and a great debut for Darnell.
March 19, 2019
Death by Association by Paula Darnell is an interesting beginning to a new cozy series. I enjoyed meeting Laurel McMillan and her chocolate Labrador, Bear. They are well developed characters by the end of the book. Laurel's DIY profession is unique and this is a refreshing change in cozy mysteries.I also enjoyed meeting other residents in Hawkeye Haven. There is a diverse cast of characters and Ms. Darnell has begun developing each of them in this book that I thought they might be great neighbors to have in my own community.
The plot moved smoothly with plenty of suspects and enough twists to keep me guessing until the reveal. I confess the reveal made me a little apprehensive for Laurel but it all turned out well. An enjoyable afternoon read and I look forward to more books in this series.
As a member of The Review Crew, I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All of the above opinions are my own.
The plot moved smoothly with plenty of suspects and enough twists to keep me guessing until the reveal. I confess the reveal made me a little apprehensive for Laurel but it all turned out well. An enjoyable afternoon read and I look forward to more books in this series.
As a member of The Review Crew, I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All of the above opinions are my own.
April 12, 2019
Death by Association takes place at the
Hawkeye Haven Community located in the
the central Iowa town of Center City.
Laurel McMillian moved there after the death
of her husband to be near her cousin who
lives in the community. Laurel has a chocolate
Labrador retriever named Bear who makes the
story more enjoyable. Laurel is titled the DIY
Diva. She makes jewelry, crafts plus writes DIY
books on the various activities. She teaches
an earring class at the Hawkeye Haven Center.
On a morning walk, Laurel and Bear discover a
security guard at the gate has been attacked
plus the guard’s gun was stolen.
The gun is then used to kill the arrogant head
of. the Home Owner’s Association. He is very
unpopular with all his atrocious demands. So
many suspects to weed through but Laurel is
determined to find the killer. Even though she is
warned to leave it to the police, she starts her
investigation.
Characters are very well defined and colorful
with a variety of interesting and intriguing
backgrounds.
There is plenty of tension, thrills, chills and turns.
There is humor and a touch of romance.
You will get to attend a Greek festival with dishes
such as : Spanakopita, Dolmades, Saganaki,
Honey Puffs, Pastitsio, Baklava and Ouzo.
After the conclusion of the story, you find recipes
for Laurel’s Peanut Butter Dog Treats, Lynn’s
Pumpkin Dog Treats, Bessie’s Dog-Bone Treats,
Tracey’s Yum-Yum Yam Chips plus several crafts
for dogs.
A Highly Recommended Read!!!
I volunteered to read Death by Association. Thanks to
the Review Crew for the opportunity. My opinion is
my own.
Hawkeye Haven Community located in the
the central Iowa town of Center City.
Laurel McMillian moved there after the death
of her husband to be near her cousin who
lives in the community. Laurel has a chocolate
Labrador retriever named Bear who makes the
story more enjoyable. Laurel is titled the DIY
Diva. She makes jewelry, crafts plus writes DIY
books on the various activities. She teaches
an earring class at the Hawkeye Haven Center.
On a morning walk, Laurel and Bear discover a
security guard at the gate has been attacked
plus the guard’s gun was stolen.
The gun is then used to kill the arrogant head
of. the Home Owner’s Association. He is very
unpopular with all his atrocious demands. So
many suspects to weed through but Laurel is
determined to find the killer. Even though she is
warned to leave it to the police, she starts her
investigation.
Characters are very well defined and colorful
with a variety of interesting and intriguing
backgrounds.
There is plenty of tension, thrills, chills and turns.
There is humor and a touch of romance.
You will get to attend a Greek festival with dishes
such as : Spanakopita, Dolmades, Saganaki,
Honey Puffs, Pastitsio, Baklava and Ouzo.
After the conclusion of the story, you find recipes
for Laurel’s Peanut Butter Dog Treats, Lynn’s
Pumpkin Dog Treats, Bessie’s Dog-Bone Treats,
Tracey’s Yum-Yum Yam Chips plus several crafts
for dogs.
A Highly Recommended Read!!!
I volunteered to read Death by Association. Thanks to
the Review Crew for the opportunity. My opinion is
my own.
March 20, 2019
I really do hope this isn't a one off book as I loved the small town vibe of the gated community and our Protagonist Laurel is a great addition to the Cozy Family.
Laurel has left Seattle and settled down in Hawkeye Haven with a chocolate Labrador she calls Bear, one morning during their walk they stop at one of the gates where Bessie (one of the Guards) normally has a home made dog treat for Bear, only to find Bessie unconcious and injured on the floor, and as if that isn't worrying enough her gun has gone missing. A few days later they have a run in with a Mountain Lion and an ex-serviceman comes to their aid by firing a gun at it! This causes problems when the head of the Homeowner's Association is shot dead! The problem the police have is that there seems to be more people that would want him dead that didn't and Laurel is determined to find out the truth so that people can stop being scared.
Laurel has left Seattle and settled down in Hawkeye Haven with a chocolate Labrador she calls Bear, one morning during their walk they stop at one of the gates where Bessie (one of the Guards) normally has a home made dog treat for Bear, only to find Bessie unconcious and injured on the floor, and as if that isn't worrying enough her gun has gone missing. A few days later they have a run in with a Mountain Lion and an ex-serviceman comes to their aid by firing a gun at it! This causes problems when the head of the Homeowner's Association is shot dead! The problem the police have is that there seems to be more people that would want him dead that didn't and Laurel is determined to find out the truth so that people can stop being scared.
March 20, 2019
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. Can Laurel find the killer and bring peace back to her neighborhood?
Death by Association Paula Darnell is a different cozy, and it's excellent. This story takes place in Center City, Iowa in a subdivision formed around a golf course which their own HOA. The main character, Laurel McMillian, is a thirty-eight-year-old widower who moved here with her cousin Tracey away from Seattle. Her love interest is, Lieutenant Wesson is a forty-four-year-old divorcee with one kid in medical school that is there investigating the murderer of the HOA president.
Sleuth
Our sleuth is a still young woman who is doing quite well for herself after losing her husband. Laurel has made a great living off of doing DIY projects online and then writing books about them as well. She is currently living in the HOA subdivision and is teaching classes with her DIY projects while thinking of her next book that she wants to write for her DIY Diva Brand.
What I like about her is that she didn't set out initially to look into this death; it just happened as the story progressed. Another thing that I liked about her is that she is very close to her family and wants to do them proud. The last thing that I like about her is that yes she is crafty, but she can't cook or bake. She also can't tell when a man is interested in her. That right there kind of reminds me of me.
Love Interest
Our love interest is our cop of course. He is Lieutenant Wesson, who likes to go by Wes, is a pretty interesting character, and he is partnered with another detective by the name of Smith. Except she is grouchy and not very pleasant while Wes is nice. Wes is a great guy, and he is bringing Laurel out of her dating funk. He also likes dogs especially Laurel's dog named, Bear.
Five Stars
Death by Association by Paula Darnell is a great book. These characters are all great, and I can't wait to read more about them in the next book. Laurel though is going to be testing Wes's patience a lot I have a feeling. I am giving this book a five-star rating and recommending it to all cozy mystery lovers. There are also the DIY projects she mentions throughout the book at the end along with some recipes.
Tour Schedule
March 11 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
March 12 – CelticLady’s Reviews – RECIPE POST
March 13 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 13 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
March 14 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST
March 15 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
March 16 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
March 17 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW
March 18 – Books Direct – GUEST POST
March 19 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 20 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
March 21 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW
March 22 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
March 23 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 24 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 24 – Laura’s Interests – GUEST POST
March 24 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT
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Prize: (1) Paperback Copy - Death by Association: A DIY Diva Mystery by Paula Darnell - (U.S. Only)
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Death by Association Paula Darnell is a different cozy, and it's excellent. This story takes place in Center City, Iowa in a subdivision formed around a golf course which their own HOA. The main character, Laurel McMillian, is a thirty-eight-year-old widower who moved here with her cousin Tracey away from Seattle. Her love interest is, Lieutenant Wesson is a forty-four-year-old divorcee with one kid in medical school that is there investigating the murderer of the HOA president.
Sleuth
Our sleuth is a still young woman who is doing quite well for herself after losing her husband. Laurel has made a great living off of doing DIY projects online and then writing books about them as well. She is currently living in the HOA subdivision and is teaching classes with her DIY projects while thinking of her next book that she wants to write for her DIY Diva Brand.
What I like about her is that she didn't set out initially to look into this death; it just happened as the story progressed. Another thing that I liked about her is that she is very close to her family and wants to do them proud. The last thing that I like about her is that yes she is crafty, but she can't cook or bake. She also can't tell when a man is interested in her. That right there kind of reminds me of me.
Love Interest
Our love interest is our cop of course. He is Lieutenant Wesson, who likes to go by Wes, is a pretty interesting character, and he is partnered with another detective by the name of Smith. Except she is grouchy and not very pleasant while Wes is nice. Wes is a great guy, and he is bringing Laurel out of her dating funk. He also likes dogs especially Laurel's dog named, Bear.
Five Stars
Death by Association by Paula Darnell is a great book. These characters are all great, and I can't wait to read more about them in the next book. Laurel though is going to be testing Wes's patience a lot I have a feeling. I am giving this book a five-star rating and recommending it to all cozy mystery lovers. There are also the DIY projects she mentions throughout the book at the end along with some recipes.
Tour Schedule
March 11 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
March 12 – CelticLady’s Reviews – RECIPE POST
March 13 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 13 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
March 14 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST
March 15 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
March 16 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
March 17 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW
March 18 – Books Direct – GUEST POST
March 19 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 20 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
March 21 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW
March 22 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
March 23 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 24 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 24 – Laura’s Interests – GUEST POST
March 24 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT
Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Tour Giveaway
Prize: (1) Paperback Copy - Death by Association: A DIY Diva Mystery by Paula Darnell - (U.S. Only)
Tour Organized by:
To find all the tour information click the banner at the top of the page.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of (1) Paperback Copy - Death by Association: A DIY Diva Mystery by Paula Darnell - (U.S. Only).
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
January 3, 2024
Fun cozy in this new series about a DIY diva living in a gated community with a troubled HOA board. My only complaint is the Kindle version of the book is not indexed ... just one big file which makes it difficult to use Alexa’s assisted reader function.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2019
Death by Association is a story of Laurel McMillan, who is deemed the DIY Diva and her trying to continue her life after the death of her husband.
One day she is walking her dog around her gated community and finds one of the guards knocked unconscious and her gun missing. What ensues afterwards is her trying to figure out whodunnit as more mysterious events happens in her community.
One of the first things that drew me in was the description of Laurel: she is called DIY Diva and has already made a pretty good career of writing a DIY book. As someone who loves to watch DIY videos, I knew I had to read this and it did not disappoint.
I enjoyed reading Laurel and her interactions with the other characters and I am always a sucker for a cozy mystery with a pet.
I was entertained the whole time while reading. I had my suspects on who was the culprit but there were times where I had to stop and rethink what I thought was true. In the end, the person who did it was someone that I had suspected but I wasn’t one hundred percent sure that they did it.
This was the debut novel of Paula Darnell and I really enjoyed it. There were some parts that I didn’t like as much, like all the HOA mentions, but that’s just me trying to avoid any and all topics on adulthood. I would definitely pick up another book by Darnell in the future.
I received a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
One day she is walking her dog around her gated community and finds one of the guards knocked unconscious and her gun missing. What ensues afterwards is her trying to figure out whodunnit as more mysterious events happens in her community.
One of the first things that drew me in was the description of Laurel: she is called DIY Diva and has already made a pretty good career of writing a DIY book. As someone who loves to watch DIY videos, I knew I had to read this and it did not disappoint.
I enjoyed reading Laurel and her interactions with the other characters and I am always a sucker for a cozy mystery with a pet.
I was entertained the whole time while reading. I had my suspects on who was the culprit but there were times where I had to stop and rethink what I thought was true. In the end, the person who did it was someone that I had suspected but I wasn’t one hundred percent sure that they did it.
This was the debut novel of Paula Darnell and I really enjoyed it. There were some parts that I didn’t like as much, like all the HOA mentions, but that’s just me trying to avoid any and all topics on adulthood. I would definitely pick up another book by Darnell in the future.
I received a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 21, 2019
Super happy with Death By Association by Paula Darnell! As the first installment in the DIY Diva Mystery Series, I am happy to report that this book was a delight. The characters are all quite likeable, well, except for Victor, Patty, and Sargeant Smith, and the subdivision that they share is charming. It is a guarded-gated community and everything seems to be perfect in their little Haven, Hawkeye Haven to be precise. It was quite well written and flowed nicely, such a quick read, with beautifully constructed sentences and no typos or editing issues to be noted! I look forward to this being a long lasting series. Laurel and her pup Bear are avid walkers and go out at the break of day, good thing too, because they find one of their great friends, Bessie the back gate guard, knocked out on the floor of the guard shack, barely alive. Someone has stollen her gun and nearly killed Bessie, putting the whole community on edge. Beyond that the President and manager of their home owner's association seem hell bent on causing as much trouble for residents as possible, imposing ridiculous rule changes and fining the people they don't like. After being their usual rude and vindictive selves at a HOA Board meeting, Victor is found dead in his doorway by his daughter the next morning. If it had been of natural causes, this would have been the end of it, however, the hole in his chest and the gun on the ground meant this was only the beginning. With so many enemies in the community, the suspect list is as long as the list of residents. Sargeant Smith and Lieutenant Wesson are making their rounds, getting statements, and finding that no one was all that upset about Victor's demise, when they meet Laurel and Bear, Smith is unimpressed by the pair and treats them both poorly, Wesson though, seems charming and kind, and is good looking to Laurel, turns out the feeling is mutual. Despite the detectives being fuly capable of handling the investigation, it just wouldn't be a good cozy mystery if our unlikely heroine, Laurel, didn't stick her nose into the case. Mix in a little danger, a hint of romance and a large collection of dirty little secrets and you have this wonderful cozy read!
I was sent this book for free by the Author/Publisher and given the opportunity to read and review it. That fact has in no way swayed my review and all opinions of this book stated above are my own.
I was sent this book for free by the Author/Publisher and given the opportunity to read and review it. That fact has in no way swayed my review and all opinions of this book stated above are my own.
March 31, 2019
Death by Association by Paula Darnell is apparently a first novel, based on my Amazon search. It is a good beginning. Our heroine, Laurel, is not a twenty-something, earns a living through her own business, and has a rewarding life on her own. She lives in a gated community with her dog, Bear, and runs regular crafting classes for her homeowner's association. She has written multiple DIY books and is working on a new one for dog owners. It is only when the elderly security guard is attacked and the president of the association is murdered that she feels she needs to have a handle on what is going on. In the process she meets police lieutenant Wesson and begins dating him.
The first third of Death by Association was very wordy and redundant. She had trouble getting going. A she got into the meat of the story, it picked up and the repetition lessened. There were a variety of characters that will wear well as the series continues; well done, interesting characters with plenty of space to round out as she goes. The setting is good, although as with many cozies, there is about to be a crime spree. The depiction of the homeowner's association hits the bulls-eye in too many cases, sad but true. This was a fun and interesting story. I recommend it.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The first third of Death by Association was very wordy and redundant. She had trouble getting going. A she got into the meat of the story, it picked up and the repetition lessened. There were a variety of characters that will wear well as the series continues; well done, interesting characters with plenty of space to round out as she goes. The setting is good, although as with many cozies, there is about to be a crime spree. The depiction of the homeowner's association hits the bulls-eye in too many cases, sad but true. This was a fun and interesting story. I recommend it.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 30, 2019
I liked the setting of this book, a guard-gated community, where all of the residents feel safe because of the security. Laurel and her adorable chocolate lab, Bear, are out for their daily morning walk and find Bessie, the security guard, unconscious. She immediately calls for help and Bessie is taken away by ambulance. After this happens the residents wonder just how safe it is in their residential community. This is followed by the murder of the HOA president at his home. Now everyone is really on edge. Laurel is questioned by the police because she found Bessie and also happened to be out on her walk when she saw the ambulance headed into the community and followed it to see what had happened. Laurel is inadvertently draw into the investigation as she talks to the other residents in her DIY classes and those that she knows and comes into contact with. I like the way that she conducted her investigation while going about her normal activities and enjoyed the interaction between the characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from The Review Crew. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from The Review Crew. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 17, 2019
I enjoyed Death by Association. When I saw DIY I was thinking that Laurel was going to be doing home improvement, not jewelry classes but it was nice to have a main character with an unusual career. It was also refreshing to read a book where the characters spanned an age of ranges from a teenager to seniors. And even the secondary characters were well developed enough to be interesting. The story flowed well and the plot had enough twists and suspects that I wasn’t able to guess who the killer was.
April 20, 2019
While Death by Association does begin a bit slow, and the character development isn’t as smooth as I wanted, the cozy mystery has plenty of twists and turns among the way. Avoiding writing the entire plot for you, I will tell you that this story does have romance, intrigue, and a lovable dog that you won’t want to miss. The entire plot is focused on solving a mystery while also developing hopefully characters in the future as the DIY detective continues her work, both on and off the crime scene.
I know the initial bit may feel tedious, but I highly recommend pushing through and reading this book. If you are cozy mystery lover like me, you will enjoy the ending and be left guessing ride up to the reveal.
I know the initial bit may feel tedious, but I highly recommend pushing through and reading this book. If you are cozy mystery lover like me, you will enjoy the ending and be left guessing ride up to the reveal.
November 14, 2019
This was a good read. Laurel is out walking her dog and she comes across her friend lying there. Luckily she is alive and recovers but it puts the town on edge. To make matters worse shortly after there is a murder. Laurel of course spends the book trying to figure out who is behind it. The person that dies is a real jerk and pretty much everyone wanted to see him gone. So of course it makes it hard to figure out who did it. I did enjoy most of the characters and look forward to reading the next one.
April 10, 2019
Laurel and her dog Bear live in Hawkeye Haven, a gated community with an active Home Owner’s Association. Her husband was killed in a car accident years ago and now she writes DIY crafting books and teaches classes at the community’s center. On Bear’s morning walk one day, Laurel finds her security guard friend Bessie lying wounded in the guard house. This launches an informal investigation by Laurel into who hurt her friend. The president of the HOA, Victor, and Patty from the management company are making everyone’s life difficult and causing problems with all the residents of the community. When Victor is found dead, Laurel’s investigation intensifies, during which she discovers bribery, greed, and a handsome new love interest.
At first it was difficult to get into this book. There seemed to be too many commas and I don’t like when too many characters have names that start with the same letter (Amy, Amber, and Alice.) However, as the story progressed, I started to overlook those things and was more interested. The character development could be better but the murderer wasn’t obvious early on in the book. She also provides fun DIY doggie ideas and recipes at the end. I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 and would read more in the series. I received an ARC of this book. The opinions are my own.
At first it was difficult to get into this book. There seemed to be too many commas and I don’t like when too many characters have names that start with the same letter (Amy, Amber, and Alice.) However, as the story progressed, I started to overlook those things and was more interested. The character development could be better but the murderer wasn’t obvious early on in the book. She also provides fun DIY doggie ideas and recipes at the end. I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 and would read more in the series. I received an ARC of this book. The opinions are my own.
April 15, 2019
There were several aspects of this cozy mystery novel that I really enjoyed.
I love to read cozy mysteries with a theme that I do not know much about. This series starter is one that I could read and learn new things. This is the first book in the DIY series. I liked that the main character was a do it yourself-er and she seemed very creative and intuitive.
The culprit in this cozy started out hitting a personal nerve for Laurel, when they target a close friend. I feel as if Laurel was determined to find the killer because of this. Even though the next victim was no so like-able, she didn’t try to stop searching for the culprit.
I really enjoyed the setting and story line of the novel. It was easy to follow and made me want to read more of Laurel’s story.
I definitely want to read more of this series.
I love to read cozy mysteries with a theme that I do not know much about. This series starter is one that I could read and learn new things. This is the first book in the DIY series. I liked that the main character was a do it yourself-er and she seemed very creative and intuitive.
The culprit in this cozy started out hitting a personal nerve for Laurel, when they target a close friend. I feel as if Laurel was determined to find the killer because of this. Even though the next victim was no so like-able, she didn’t try to stop searching for the culprit.
I really enjoyed the setting and story line of the novel. It was easy to follow and made me want to read more of Laurel’s story.
I definitely want to read more of this series.
August 5, 2024
The main character is Laurel who lives in a gated community. First it has a guard at the gate attacked and then there is a murder. She and everyone else realized that being gated community doesn't mean free from harm. Now she is trying to figure out who did it but it might be to late. Can she figure it out and save herself as well?
April 14, 2019
I enjoyed the DIY diva mystery very much. Laurel McMillan is a DIY expert that stumbles upon two mysteries in this book. She and her dog are out walking and find the guard of her her gated community unconscious. She tries to solve who attacked the beloved guard. Next she tries to solve the case of the murder of the unpleasant Victor the president of the Hawkeye Haven Homeowners’ Association. There are plenty of suspects who hated Victor and she tries to narrow the list. There is also a nice backstory with her friend Liz and her newfound grandson Luke. I enjoyed the pace of this book and the background of the many characters from her cousin Tracy to her friends Amy and Cynthia. The mystery was exciting up until the very end. I would highly recommend.
April 15, 2019
Was a good book! The book starts off a little slow, but that is because she is giving the reader back ground on all the key characters. After you get into the feel for the main character and area it is set in, you will really enjoy the book. I am not ashamed to say that I did not guess correctly who done it (which does not happen that often)! I also was happy that she included recipes and instructions for some the DIY projects she talked about in the book. I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
April 17, 2019
This book is about a DIY instructor who teaches classes at her HOA. The story itself started a little slow for me, but it picked up towards the middle. Anyone who has lived under a HOA can relate to the politics that Laurel finds herself embroiled in. Laurel and her dog Bear set off to find the killer in this cute mystery with a bunch of interesting characters.
April 22, 2019
Death by Association is my first foray into the writing of Paula Darnell as well as the author’s first cozy mystery. I must say, right from the beginning I had a connection to the main protagonist, Laurel McMillan. I became entrenched in her life at Hawkeye Haven. The relatability to Laurel was easy and natural. And I must say, any book with pets is okay by me…. I enjoyed getting to know Bear, Laurel’s chocolate Labrador retriever.
Laurel moved to Hawkeye Haven to be closer to Tracey (her bestie who just happens to be her cousin) after Laurel’s husband died in an auto accident. One thing you should know about Laurel - she is a DIY queen - she makes many types of homemade dog treats, pampered pooch foam beds, dog scarves, jewellery making (earrings). In fact, Laurel offers classes at the recreation centre within the gates of Hawkeye Haven.
One morning Laurel is walking Bear when they are following one of their usual paths, around to the back entrance guarded entrance to the community when they stumble across the security guard Bessy hurt -bleeding and unconscious at her guardhouse post. Being the inquisitive type, Laurel is compelled to find out who and why this happened. A while later, the unpopular homeowners’ association president, Victor Eberhart is murdered. Needless to say, Laurel must find the answers to who would commit these crimes and why.
Unfortunately for Laurel’s sleuthing…. There are many residents who would have wanted Victor gone. While Laurel (and of course the local constabulary) try to figure out “whodunit” for both crimes, the reader is taken on an adventure. You get to meet many colourful community members, witness the beginning of a budding romance and experience the sleuthing path of Laurel’s mind.
One thing that did catch my eye was the sheer volume of references to the HOA regulations - I stopped counting at fourteen!
Death by Association had many of the qualities that I value in a cozy mystery including the most important quality of all ... enough twists and turns so that I did not figure out “whodunit” until the very end.
The DIY projects at the end of the book intrigue me and I may just have to try some of them. I found this a delightful beginning to a new series by a new author. I look forward to the next installment.
Laurel moved to Hawkeye Haven to be closer to Tracey (her bestie who just happens to be her cousin) after Laurel’s husband died in an auto accident. One thing you should know about Laurel - she is a DIY queen - she makes many types of homemade dog treats, pampered pooch foam beds, dog scarves, jewellery making (earrings). In fact, Laurel offers classes at the recreation centre within the gates of Hawkeye Haven.
One morning Laurel is walking Bear when they are following one of their usual paths, around to the back entrance guarded entrance to the community when they stumble across the security guard Bessy hurt -bleeding and unconscious at her guardhouse post. Being the inquisitive type, Laurel is compelled to find out who and why this happened. A while later, the unpopular homeowners’ association president, Victor Eberhart is murdered. Needless to say, Laurel must find the answers to who would commit these crimes and why.
Unfortunately for Laurel’s sleuthing…. There are many residents who would have wanted Victor gone. While Laurel (and of course the local constabulary) try to figure out “whodunit” for both crimes, the reader is taken on an adventure. You get to meet many colourful community members, witness the beginning of a budding romance and experience the sleuthing path of Laurel’s mind.
One thing that did catch my eye was the sheer volume of references to the HOA regulations - I stopped counting at fourteen!
Death by Association had many of the qualities that I value in a cozy mystery including the most important quality of all ... enough twists and turns so that I did not figure out “whodunit” until the very end.
The DIY projects at the end of the book intrigue me and I may just have to try some of them. I found this a delightful beginning to a new series by a new author. I look forward to the next installment.
April 12, 2019
In reading this book I could totally picture the scenes, people, HOA struggles, the "gossip train," and all that goes along with living in a community governed by an HOA. The characters were believable and likeable, well, not all of them, and the way the community pulls together in support of one another is exactly what you want in a neighborhood. The storyline is interesting and takes you on a ride to find out whodunnit, but I found it odd that Laurel took matters into her own hands instead of letting the authorities handle it. The conversations between the characters are a little hokey and not natural.
Overall, the book was an enjoyable read, very interesting, and a great debut story from Paula Darnell.
Overall, the book was an enjoyable read, very interesting, and a great debut story from Paula Darnell.
December 10, 2024
Laurel McMillan has been living in her guard-gated community for a few years now ever since the death of her husband. The HOA is both a blessing and a curse: while the perks include improved safety, the board president is a stickler for rules and fines violators for the most minor offences. Suddenly the perceived sanctity of the residential enclave is shattered when a guard is attacked and her gun is used in a murder. Laurel fears that she and the other residents are in danger and begins an investigation independent of the official police inquiry.
It was a pleasure getting to know Laurel and her small DIY instruction business. She turned out to be a savvy sleuth who put the pieces of the puzzle together. Unfortunately, Laurel was quite straightforward in her technique, which outraged (understandably) some of her suspects. I fear this will have repercussions in future stories, but that's speculation!
I look forward to more of Laurel's adventures.
It was a pleasure getting to know Laurel and her small DIY instruction business. She turned out to be a savvy sleuth who put the pieces of the puzzle together. Unfortunately, Laurel was quite straightforward in her technique, which outraged (understandably) some of her suspects. I fear this will have repercussions in future stories, but that's speculation!
I look forward to more of Laurel's adventures.
January 27, 2020
Laurel McMillan is a DIY author and instructor at her neighborhood community center. The HOA rules that the author Paula Darnell comes up with are hilarious, but also very true in some communities. Laurel comes across Bessie who is one of the guards for the community and was injured by an unknown assailant. Bessie’s gun is stolen and is eventually used to kill the HOA president Victor Eberhart which of course no one liked. There were many suspects to choose from and Laurel was trying to investigate to determine the real murderer. Laurel was not a very subtle investigator which eventually lands her in some hot water. There are some colorful and interesting characters living in the neighborhood which are probably in most neighborhoods which makes the story more real. There are a few underlying stories and romances going on. Laurel have an energetic chocolate Labrador retriever named Bear which was fun to read about especially if you like animals or have had a dog. The author kept me guessing as to who the murderer was until the end. I am waiting to dee what happens next in the community of Hawkeye Haven in Center City Iowa. I received an ARC and I voluntarily reviewed this book.
March 17, 2024
Hawkeye Haven is a gated golf course community. Lauren has moved her to join her cousin and escape from Seattle where her husband was killed in a car accident. Lauren is a DIY Diva, writing books and teaching classes. While walking her dog past the back entry, she discovers the guard has been attacked. Lauren is puzzled as to why. She knows the new head of the HOA is not popular and the professional manager seems to be a disaster, but how would this tie to the guard? As the days go by, Victor the HOA head is found shot by his front door. As Lauren tries to piece this puzzle together, she has become friends with one of the investigating police. Although they have begun to date, he doesn’t share any details with Lauren.
This was a great series starter and I really enjoyed it. I look forward to more.
This was a great series starter and I really enjoyed it. I look forward to more.
December 21, 2024
Cute murder mystery
The main character is a crafter with a dog, who faces a lot of danger for living in a quiet little neighborhood. She ends up helping to solve a murder. Typical, cute, murder mystery story.
The main character is a crafter with a dog, who faces a lot of danger for living in a quiet little neighborhood. She ends up helping to solve a murder. Typical, cute, murder mystery story.
January 23, 2025
Absolutely fantastic. DIY writer Laurel gets mixed up in trying to solve a mystery and crime in her gated community. It turns dangerous when she gets closer to figuring out who committed the crime. The characters keep you wanting more. Well written as always.
June 9, 2020
This was one of the best 'cozy' mysteries I have ever read. The characters were people who would fit well into my world and the mysteries were more realistic. I am very much a fan of Paula Darnell.
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