Title: Framed for Murder
Author: Marla A. White
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Book Blurb:
Old enemies become allies to unravel a deadly mystery.
Mel O'Rourke used to be a cop before a life-changing injury forced her to turn in her badge. Now she leads a relatively peaceful life running a B & B in the quirky mountain town of Pine Cove. That is, until her old frenemy, the charismatic cat burglar Poppy Phillips, shows up, claiming she's been framed for murder. While she’s no saint, Mel knows she’d never kill anyone and sets out to prove Poppy's innocence.
The situation gets complicated, however, when the ruggedly handsome Deputy Sheriff Gregg Marks flirts with Mel, bringing him dangerously close to the criminal she’s hiding. And just when her friendship with café owner Jackson Thibodeaux blossoms into something more, he’s offered the opportunity of a lifetime in New Orleans. Should she encourage him to go, or ask him to stay? Who knew romance could be just as hard to solve as murder?
My Review:
Mel loves the life she’s carved for herself in Pine Cove but when frenemy/thief extraordinaire Poppy shows up saying she’s accused of murder, Mel knows she’ll have to clear Poppy’s name. Is Poppy wrongly framed for murder or has Mel been duped? Framed for Murder is a delightful cozy mystery with more twists and curves than a mountain road. The mystery itself is well-written with emotional narration, complex plot, characters that leap from the page, and an unexpected love triangle. Trust me, you’re going to love Framed for Murder.
Let’s start with the characters. Now, I’d normally talk about the heroine Mel but this time I want to talk about Poppy. Poppy’s a professional thief. She’s good at her job, really good. But things get sticky when she stumbles upon a body while on the job. The cops think she did it. She goes to the only person who can help her, Mel. I loved Poppy. She’s such a vibrant, intriguing character with an aura of mystery. She had me whipping through the pages.
The dialogue is witty and fast-moving. The humor is quite plentiful, and I found myself chuckling as I was reading. Marla A. White is a masterful writer when it comes to dialogue. She immerses humor, drama, tension, suspense, and romance into her dialogue. This is one of the hallmarks of all Marla A. White’s books.
The narration is both descriptive and emotional. Each scene is well-detailed and has just the right amount of tension. I closed my eyes and could picture everything that was going on.
The writing is flawless, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading Framed for Murder. If you enjoy small-town mysteries with a cozy appeal and dashes of comedy and romance, this is your next binge-read.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Buy it Now:
Amazon - https://bit.ly/43Uwj96
Barnes and Noble – https://bit.ly/3TKdPDu
Books2Read - books2read.com/u/4Djgor
Author Biography:
Marla White is an award-winning novelist who prefers killing people who annoy her on paper rather than in real life. Her first full-length mystery novel, “Cause for Elimination,” placed in several contests including Killer Nashville, The RONE Awards, The Reader’s Favorite, and finishing second in the Orange County Romance Writers for Romantic Suspense. Originally from Oklahoma, she lived in a lot of other states before settling down in Los Angeles to work in the television industry. She currently teaches at UCLA Extension and gives seminars about the art of script coverage. When she’s not working on the next book, she’s hiking, cheering on the LA Kings, or discovering new craft cocktails (to, you know, drown her sorrows over the Kings).
Social Media Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marlawriteswords/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MHIzkB
Reviewed by: Nancy