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A Whiskey Mattimoe Mystery #1
Whiskey on the Rocks
Still reeling from her husband's death, thirty-three-year-old realtor Whiskey Mattimoe is adjusting to a new life, which includes the embarrassing purse-snatching antics of her mischievious Afghan hound. That's bad for business, but not as bad as having clients die on the premises. When one of her properties turns into a murder scene, Whiskey becomes hopelessly tangled in a devious scheme involving identity fraud and priceless art.
Dodging a house fire, break-ins, and attempts on her life, Whiskey manages to keep her sense of humor throughout the chaos with help from a part-time police force, her eight-year-old neighbor, and other eccentric characters in the Lake Michigan resort town of Magnet Springs.
This fast-paced, darkly comic tale is the first in a series of mysteries featuring the amateur sleuthing of Whiskey Mattimoe.
Click here to download Book Club Questions for Whiskey on the Rocks , prepared by author Nina Wright!
Dodging a house fire, break-ins, and attempts on her life, Whiskey manages to keep her sense of humor throughout the chaos with help from a part-time police force, her eight-year-old neighbor, and other eccentric characters in the Lake Michigan resort town of Magnet Springs.
This fast-paced, darkly comic tale is the first in a series of mysteries featuring the amateur sleuthing of Whiskey Mattimoe.
Click here to download Book Club Questions for Whiskey on the Rocks , prepared by author Nina Wright!
264 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2005
About the author
Nina Wright
303 books27 followersAn actor turned playwright and novelist, Nina Wright is a member of the Authors Guild and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She writes the humorous Whiskey Mattimoe mystery series for adults as well as books for younger readers. Nina holds master's degrees in English literature and applied linguistics. She has taught creative writing, speech, drama, English lit, and English as a Second Language to adults and teens.
Nina's first love is story-telling . . . on both the page and the stage. She's also passionate about teaching others to find their own voices so that they can tell their stories.
Nina's first love is story-telling . . . on both the page and the stage. She's also passionate about teaching others to find their own voices so that they can tell their stories.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 16, 2018
A fairly good cozy set in the upper midwest.
A widowed realtor with a misbehaving dog starts poking around. There's the usual murder, and someone is trying to kill her. Her dog seems to be in heat, and there's all kinds of secrets.
Not bad as these things go.
A widowed realtor with a misbehaving dog starts poking around. There's the usual murder, and someone is trying to kill her. Her dog seems to be in heat, and there's all kinds of secrets.
Not bad as these things go.
November 25, 2017
Whiskey Mattimoe is an up-and-coming realtor busy running the business her late husband Leo started. She has her hands full right now with leaf peepers wanting to move to scenic western Michigan and with her crazy Afghan Hound Abracadabra. Abra was devoted to Leo and hasn't gotten over his death yet. She is determined to test Whiskey's devotion at every turn from jumping in the nearly frigid lake to snatching purses, this dog is more clever than her human. Luckily, eight-year-old neighbor Chester knows just what to do. When Whiskey's New Age friend Noonan discovers one of her massage clients is lying dead on her table, she is shocked! She's curious why his license didn't match the name he gave her but Whiskey doesn't think much of it, after all, Whiskey is NOT her given name. When the grieving, high maintenance widow and her brother turn up to rent one of Whiskey's more lucrative properties before bringing the body home to their native Canada, Whiskey ends up with more trouble heaped on her. First, the alarm system fails to deter burglars and a valuable painting is nearly stolen. Then a client is found dead on the property and the painting missing. Finally, Whiskey's dog suddenly rediscovers her talent for purse snatching and a finger is discovered inside the purse which leads to Abra's disappearance. What else could possibly go wrong? Whiskey is determined to get her dog back and figure out the mystery of the missing finger.
This book did not appeal to me very much. The mystery was more complicated than it had to be and a lot darker than I expected. The villains are truly awful people and the subject matter is not so cozy. I had no idea how to connect the dots to solve the mystery and neither did Whiskey. She simply stumbles on the truth and accidentally saves the day. Her dog's antics were amusing but not charming. Abra is a very naughty dog and not in a cute way. The characters in this book sometimes use crude and insensitive language. I was very turned off by a derogatory term on the first page. The characters make fun of the Fundamentalist Christians who pray for lost souls including liberals and lesbians. The characters also make fun of New Age types. There were some moments that made me smile and chuckle a little but the humor isn't that funny.
None of the human characters are remotely appealing. Whiskey faints at the drop of a hat whenever she's stressed and she's always distracted. I understand she's still healing physically and emotionally from Leo's death, but that doesn't excuse her immaturity and stupidity. She can't control her dog, she feels a petty hatred towards her step-daughter and is devoted to the memory of the husband who loved her though I'm not sure he was such a paragon. Her friend Odette is a better realtor but her phone psychic thing is strange and unnecessary. Whiskey's other friend Noonan is a New Age spiritualist who claims some kind of psychic ability. Noonan comes across as kind hearted, well meaning but ditzy. Whiskey's step-daughter Avery is bratty but she is still young. I think she is a troubled young woman in need of structure and guidance-not attitude.
I did like the Deputy Sheriff Jenx who is no nonsense and good at her job. My favorite character is Mooney, the Rott Hound. Even with all his drool and his bark, he sounds like a sweet dog when he's not on duty. I also liked Officer Roscoe, the German Shepherd with fondness for Abra. His human officer is a nice young man. Chester is a bit too precocious for my liking but he did make me smile. He is so earnest and eager for attention and unrequited love.
The secondary characters who are not local are all unappealing. Each one has been or is involved in something shady and one plot is left with a bit of loose ends.
This is not a series I wish to revisit. I didn't even read the preview of the second book.
This book did not appeal to me very much. The mystery was more complicated than it had to be and a lot darker than I expected. The villains are truly awful people and the subject matter is not so cozy. I had no idea how to connect the dots to solve the mystery and neither did Whiskey. She simply stumbles on the truth and accidentally saves the day. Her dog's antics were amusing but not charming. Abra is a very naughty dog and not in a cute way. The characters in this book sometimes use crude and insensitive language. I was very turned off by a derogatory term on the first page. The characters make fun of the Fundamentalist Christians who pray for lost souls including liberals and lesbians. The characters also make fun of New Age types. There were some moments that made me smile and chuckle a little but the humor isn't that funny.
None of the human characters are remotely appealing. Whiskey faints at the drop of a hat whenever she's stressed and she's always distracted. I understand she's still healing physically and emotionally from Leo's death, but that doesn't excuse her immaturity and stupidity. She can't control her dog, she feels a petty hatred towards her step-daughter and is devoted to the memory of the husband who loved her though I'm not sure he was such a paragon. Her friend Odette is a better realtor but her phone psychic thing is strange and unnecessary. Whiskey's other friend Noonan is a New Age spiritualist who claims some kind of psychic ability. Noonan comes across as kind hearted, well meaning but ditzy. Whiskey's step-daughter Avery is bratty but she is still young. I think she is a troubled young woman in need of structure and guidance-not attitude.
I did like the Deputy Sheriff Jenx who is no nonsense and good at her job. My favorite character is Mooney, the Rott Hound. Even with all his drool and his bark, he sounds like a sweet dog when he's not on duty. I also liked Officer Roscoe, the German Shepherd with fondness for Abra. His human officer is a nice young man. Chester is a bit too precocious for my liking but he did make me smile. He is so earnest and eager for attention and unrequited love.
The secondary characters who are not local are all unappealing. Each one has been or is involved in something shady and one plot is left with a bit of loose ends.
This is not a series I wish to revisit. I didn't even read the preview of the second book.
February 22, 2026
“I thought it was bad karma to use psychic gifts for prophet.”
“It’s good karma to get rich, Whiskey. Killing clients is bad karma.”
Title: Whiskey on the Rocks
Author: Nina Wright
Genre: Mystery
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Whiskey is a realtor who is still struggling after the death of her husband. She has a dog who is constantly causing trouble. When one of the places she owns/manages has a client die. It becomes a scene of a murder investigation. And somehow she’s tangled up in the whole thing. Will the mystery be solved?
This was an average read for me. Not super great. Just OK. I have the first two books in the series and after I finish the second book I won’t move on.
“It’s good karma to get rich, Whiskey. Killing clients is bad karma.”
Title: Whiskey on the Rocks
Author: Nina Wright
Genre: Mystery
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Whiskey is a realtor who is still struggling after the death of her husband. She has a dog who is constantly causing trouble. When one of the places she owns/manages has a client die. It becomes a scene of a murder investigation. And somehow she’s tangled up in the whole thing. Will the mystery be solved?
This was an average read for me. Not super great. Just OK. I have the first two books in the series and after I finish the second book I won’t move on.
September 4, 2017
Eins muss von vorne herein klar sein: Auch wenn es hier - wie der Klappentext verrät - einen Mord gibt, handelt es sich um einen Cosy-Krimi. Also darf man nicht zu viel ernstes in der Handlung erwarten, es darf sogar geschmunzelt werden.
Leider, leider konnte mich aber weder die Handlung noch der Humor überzeugen. Und erst recht nicht die Protagonistin Whiskey. Auf der einen Seite wird immer auf ihr Schicksal, ihren viel zu früh verstorbenen zweiten Ehemann, aufmerksam gemacht, auf der anderen Seite scheint sie aber auch eine ziemlich große Egoistin zu sein.
Mich hat sehr gestört, wie sie in den einzelnen Situationen gehandelt hat. Der Sohn einer Freundin, auf den sie aufpassen soll, ist verschwunden? Kein Problem, ich gehe erstmal in die Bar und hoffe, dass ich dort den Ex-Geliebten meiner Stieftochter treffen, weil ich ihn sehr interessant finde... Für mich war einfach nie nachvollziehbar, warum sie sich verhält, wie sie sich verhält. Und witzig fand ich das ganze auch nicht.
Dann wurde meines Erachtens nach zu viel in die Geschichte hinein konstruiert. Zig verschiedene Charaktere, die alle sehr oberflächlich bleiben und für die Geschichte an sich überflüssig waren, haben meinen Lesegenuss doch erheblich vermindert. Es ist okay, dass auch etwas über die Lebensläufe der einzelnen Personen erzählt wird und man kann dem Buch auch zu gute halten, dass es nicht das erste Whiskey-Buch ist und deswegen Dinge wieder aufgegriffen werden, um den Leser nicht mit zu vielen Fragezeichen zurückzulassen - dennoch war hier kein roter Faden zu erkennen.
Für mich war auch der Schluss sehr unbefriedigend: Es geht auf einmal alles ganz schnell und löst sich ruckzuck auf. Achtung, SPOILER: Whiskey hat dabei kaum eine Rolle gespielt, obwohl sie die Protagonistin ist.
Einzig und allein der lockere Schreibstil hat mir gefallen, ansonsten kann ich das Buch nicht empfehlen. Es hat mich nicht abgeholt, der Humor war nicht meins und die Protagonistin einfach nicht mein Fall. 1,5 Sterne!
Leider, leider konnte mich aber weder die Handlung noch der Humor überzeugen. Und erst recht nicht die Protagonistin Whiskey. Auf der einen Seite wird immer auf ihr Schicksal, ihren viel zu früh verstorbenen zweiten Ehemann, aufmerksam gemacht, auf der anderen Seite scheint sie aber auch eine ziemlich große Egoistin zu sein.
Mich hat sehr gestört, wie sie in den einzelnen Situationen gehandelt hat. Der Sohn einer Freundin, auf den sie aufpassen soll, ist verschwunden? Kein Problem, ich gehe erstmal in die Bar und hoffe, dass ich dort den Ex-Geliebten meiner Stieftochter treffen, weil ich ihn sehr interessant finde... Für mich war einfach nie nachvollziehbar, warum sie sich verhält, wie sie sich verhält. Und witzig fand ich das ganze auch nicht.
Dann wurde meines Erachtens nach zu viel in die Geschichte hinein konstruiert. Zig verschiedene Charaktere, die alle sehr oberflächlich bleiben und für die Geschichte an sich überflüssig waren, haben meinen Lesegenuss doch erheblich vermindert. Es ist okay, dass auch etwas über die Lebensläufe der einzelnen Personen erzählt wird und man kann dem Buch auch zu gute halten, dass es nicht das erste Whiskey-Buch ist und deswegen Dinge wieder aufgegriffen werden, um den Leser nicht mit zu vielen Fragezeichen zurückzulassen - dennoch war hier kein roter Faden zu erkennen.
Für mich war auch der Schluss sehr unbefriedigend: Es geht auf einmal alles ganz schnell und löst sich ruckzuck auf. Achtung, SPOILER: Whiskey hat dabei kaum eine Rolle gespielt, obwohl sie die Protagonistin ist.
Einzig und allein der lockere Schreibstil hat mir gefallen, ansonsten kann ich das Buch nicht empfehlen. Es hat mich nicht abgeholt, der Humor war nicht meins und die Protagonistin einfach nicht mein Fall. 1,5 Sterne!
February 22, 2018
This cozy made me laugh out loud. Too many twists, turns and suspects to be taken very seriously
April 4, 2026
Fun, easy read.
November 21, 2011
First Line: "He was lying there like you are now. Only he was dead."
33-year-old realtor Whiskey Mattimoe is still trying to adjust to the unexpected death of her husband and to make sure her Afghan hound, Abra, is cured of purse snatching. The very last thing she needs is to have one of her properties turn into a murder scene. Unfortunately that is exactly what happens, and Whiskey finds herself trying to figure out schemes involving fraud and priceless art. Moreover, Whiskey has to multi-task because while she's trying to figure things out, her house tries to burn down, there are break-ins, and attempts on her life. She'd better multi-task faster while she still can!
I found the plot easy to second guess and a bit too dependent upon coincidence, but-- frankly my dear-- I didn't give a fiddle-dee-dee. Whiskey on the Rocks is all about characterization, voice, and humor. Wright is adept at creating memorable characters, and Whiskey is front and center as a wise-cracking, smart, vulnerable heroine. The only thing about her that grated on my nerves was the fact that she tends to scream at the drop of a hat.
Among the other characters, one stands tall above the rest: the Afghan hound, Abra (short for... Abracadabra). There are a lot of mystery series that have cats and dogs as characters, but Abra is different. No, she doesn't talk, or spell h-e-l-p in the mashed potatoes, or bite, or think aloud. Abra is the Bad Dog of Crime Fiction. She escapes and wreaks havoc on the neighbors. She steals purses and has court appearances. She drives Whiskey nuts. Despite all this, I still wanted to give Abra a big hug. You see... Abra isn't Whiskey's dog. Abra loved and belonged to Whiskey's husband, and no one's been able to make Abra understand that her master isn't coming back. Sorry. I should've given my fellow animal lovers boxes of tissues at the door, shouldn't I?
Whiskey, Abra, and their eight-year-old neighbor make this book a winner. I can't wait to see what happens in future books in this series!
33-year-old realtor Whiskey Mattimoe is still trying to adjust to the unexpected death of her husband and to make sure her Afghan hound, Abra, is cured of purse snatching. The very last thing she needs is to have one of her properties turn into a murder scene. Unfortunately that is exactly what happens, and Whiskey finds herself trying to figure out schemes involving fraud and priceless art. Moreover, Whiskey has to multi-task because while she's trying to figure things out, her house tries to burn down, there are break-ins, and attempts on her life. She'd better multi-task faster while she still can!
I found the plot easy to second guess and a bit too dependent upon coincidence, but-- frankly my dear-- I didn't give a fiddle-dee-dee. Whiskey on the Rocks is all about characterization, voice, and humor. Wright is adept at creating memorable characters, and Whiskey is front and center as a wise-cracking, smart, vulnerable heroine. The only thing about her that grated on my nerves was the fact that she tends to scream at the drop of a hat.
Among the other characters, one stands tall above the rest: the Afghan hound, Abra (short for... Abracadabra). There are a lot of mystery series that have cats and dogs as characters, but Abra is different. No, she doesn't talk, or spell h-e-l-p in the mashed potatoes, or bite, or think aloud. Abra is the Bad Dog of Crime Fiction. She escapes and wreaks havoc on the neighbors. She steals purses and has court appearances. She drives Whiskey nuts. Despite all this, I still wanted to give Abra a big hug. You see... Abra isn't Whiskey's dog. Abra loved and belonged to Whiskey's husband, and no one's been able to make Abra understand that her master isn't coming back. Sorry. I should've given my fellow animal lovers boxes of tissues at the door, shouldn't I?
Whiskey, Abra, and their eight-year-old neighbor make this book a winner. I can't wait to see what happens in future books in this series!
March 21, 2015
This was a Valentine's Day invitation called "Date With a Book" presented by our library during February. You choose a brown paper wrapped book with very short description on the outside.
The words mystery/humor helped me choose this book.
Even though this genre isn't usually to my liking, mostly because there were too many quirky characters and circumstances, there were two things that kept my interest enough to keep me reading:
1. The strange circumstances regarding the mystery and the many "missing" things that are revealed as the crime is being solved.
2. I especially liked Chester, a loveable character, who lives next door to the main character, Whiskey Mattimoe a owner of a successful real estate business.
Chester is a precocious eight year old boy whose mom is absent due to her schedule as a touring superstar harpist!!! (yes, I know "the willing suspension of disbelief" is needed here, too)
Anyway, Whiskey becomes a reluctant care giver to Chester. Chester loving cares for and trains Abra, Whiskey's late husband's Afghan hound, who has a diva attitude along with a drive to "steal" client's purses. Together, they have a positive affect on Whiskey's life.
The words mystery/humor helped me choose this book.
Even though this genre isn't usually to my liking, mostly because there were too many quirky characters and circumstances, there were two things that kept my interest enough to keep me reading:
1. The strange circumstances regarding the mystery and the many "missing" things that are revealed as the crime is being solved.
2. I especially liked Chester, a loveable character, who lives next door to the main character, Whiskey Mattimoe a owner of a successful real estate business.
Chester is a precocious eight year old boy whose mom is absent due to her schedule as a touring superstar harpist!!! (yes, I know "the willing suspension of disbelief" is needed here, too)
Anyway, Whiskey becomes a reluctant care giver to Chester. Chester loving cares for and trains Abra, Whiskey's late husband's Afghan hound, who has a diva attitude along with a drive to "steal" client's purses. Together, they have a positive affect on Whiskey's life.
June 6, 2013
This was a cute book. I don't think the SW Michigan in this book is anywhere close to the real SW Michigan though. I've read other books set along the lakeshore that really capture the essence of the towns near where they are located, even though the book towns are definitely fictional. This town seems more like Vermont than the west coast of Michigan. If they had set it nearer to Detroit than Grand Rapids, it would have been more believable.
The idea of a purse snatching dog was interesting. There were also a lot of characters with different identities that made it a little confusing there for awhile, but I managed to get it all figured out.
I had originally checked out the second book of this series along with this one but ran out of time on my library loan. Next time I check out a handful of books, I will probably add another few books in the series.
There was some profanity in this book that I could have done without, but not yet enough to make me never read another. If the next book or two in the series has a lot, I will probably stop reading them.
The idea of a purse snatching dog was interesting. There were also a lot of characters with different identities that made it a little confusing there for awhile, but I managed to get it all figured out.
I had originally checked out the second book of this series along with this one but ran out of time on my library loan. Next time I check out a handful of books, I will probably add another few books in the series.
There was some profanity in this book that I could have done without, but not yet enough to make me never read another. If the next book or two in the series has a lot, I will probably stop reading them.
July 12, 2011
I must admit that this book came to my attention from the title. Then, I read the back cover and thought it sounded like a fun murder mystery. I was right.
The town of Magnet Springs, Michigan is a small resort town and is flavored with characters that you know are going to be fun just from their names. Whiskey Mattimoe is a widow trying to come to grips living alone with her felon dog, Abra...(fill it in.) She goes for a massage and is tossed into a murder mystery involving stolen identities, art forgers, vandals, and murderers. Along the way, she gains an 8-yr old to watch, her daughter-in-law (whom hates her,) and twins to be, and new suitors.
Many town members are around to add spice to the story and give moral and funny support to Whiskey when she needs it.
I'm off to read the next installment, which, is such a joy when you discover an older series as new to you.
The town of Magnet Springs, Michigan is a small resort town and is flavored with characters that you know are going to be fun just from their names. Whiskey Mattimoe is a widow trying to come to grips living alone with her felon dog, Abra...(fill it in.) She goes for a massage and is tossed into a murder mystery involving stolen identities, art forgers, vandals, and murderers. Along the way, she gains an 8-yr old to watch, her daughter-in-law (whom hates her,) and twins to be, and new suitors.
Many town members are around to add spice to the story and give moral and funny support to Whiskey when she needs it.
I'm off to read the next installment, which, is such a joy when you discover an older series as new to you.
April 23, 2011
This is one screwy mystery. We have Whiskey Mattimoe, a wealthy widowed realtor with a a crazy, purse stealing, diva Afghan hound. We have an 8 year old boy who is more often than not abandoned by his famous musician mother who also happens to love said crazy hound. We have Noonan, a nutty new-age massage therapist who massages a dead man without realizing it. We have a lesbian police chief named Jenx and a homosexual couple running the best eatery in town. And let's not forget about the dead painter who's missing a finger, his niece and nephew and a few crazy murderous criminals. All in all a rollicking good time was had by all...except, of course, for the dead people. They had a slightly less exciting time.
October 31, 2007
Whiskey Mattimoe is a real estate agent who is a recent widow and is trying to keep her life together, a life complicated by a crazy afghan hound and a twisty murder. I really enjoyed Whiskey and all the other quirky characters in the book, especially Chester, the neighbor's son who loves Abra, the hound who steals pocketbooks and is an escape artist. Poor Whiskey has no clue about how to handle the dog, the boy, or most of the other things going on. It's really quite amusing.
February 14, 2008
Book 1 in the Whiskey Mattimoe Mysteries. Whiskey is a realtor in Magnet Springs. She is also recently widowed and trying to get over the unexpected loss of her husband Leo. A distraction occurs when a murder takes place in a client's home. Did I mention that she is also watching after the kid next door, her rambunctious dog Abra and Leo's pregnant daughter? It's a fun mystery full of quirky characters and many laugh out loud moments!
July 29, 2010
Was at a play reading in Elgin, "On My Boyfriends' Bicycles" about a woman bicyclist getting in an accident, and the playwright, Nina Wright, was selling these books.
It was a good beach read. Quirky, fun characters, snappy dialogue, bizarre situations, and brisk pacing. It reminded me of her play, which makes sense, as far dialogue. Very reminiscent of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich - if you like her wacky entourage, you will like this one.
It was a good beach read. Quirky, fun characters, snappy dialogue, bizarre situations, and brisk pacing. It reminded me of her play, which makes sense, as far dialogue. Very reminiscent of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich - if you like her wacky entourage, you will like this one.
July 14, 2012
Mystery series featuring Whiskey Mattimoe, a recently widowed real estate agent in a small Michigan town. The eccentric residents of the area and the evolution of Whiskey's life after her soulmate's death are more the focus than the actual whodunit, but given I'm not a typically a big mystery fan, I think that added to the book's appeal for me. Will seek out the next in the series.
April 19, 2015
A thoroughly enjoyable mystery, Whiskey on the Rocks introduces us to a handful of delightfully unexpected characters and a truly complicated mystery. The fact that Whiskey is still working on recovering from the lost of her dearly loved husband adds an emotional impact to the humor and and mystery the surrounds her.
October 8, 2009
This cozy mystery was just ok for me (hence the 2 stars). There were too many characters for me to keep track of and I kept having to try to remember who was who, which is one of my pet peeves. Anyway, it was readable, just not one of my favorites.
Read
November 16, 2008another fun series
January 27, 2009
Book #1 in the series. Really liked this one. Can't wait to read the others! Read this one in a day!
February 9, 2009
Read twice, once in October 2007 and once in April 2008. I read it a second time because the third book came out in April and I wanted to read them all at once...I also really like this series.
September 4, 2009
I liked this book. Particularly the characters. There is someone for everyone in this book. And they all are quirky just like I like them. A very entertaining read.
September 25, 2009
Mystery
April 14, 2010
A 1 star rating is too generous for this crap.. wow what a terrible book.. I almost never say that, but this was bad bad bad.
April 27, 2013
Not my cup of tea
June 25, 2014
PG-13.
Murder Mystery.
Potential.
Murder Mystery.
Potential.
Read
June 7, 2016Like this series entertaining writer story moves along like characters
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2008
Fun book with lots of personality
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews