Thank you for stopping by and checking out my latest book evaluation. I hope everyone has had a good day so far (the weekend is almost here). The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen will be out on December 6. Julie Klassen writes lovely Christian, historical novels.
First Degree Mudder by Katie Dyer-Seeley is the fourth book in A Pacific Northwest Mystery series. Mary Margaret “Meg” Reed has just returned to
Portland from New York where she turned down a job with ESPN and got a new
pixie haircut. She needs to have a new
story pitch ready for Greg (her boss) and comes up with Mud, Sweat and Beers—their
inaugural mud run. In order to prepare
for the race, Meg signs up with Mind over Mudder. Mind over Mudder is a marathon training
course. Meg will document her training for
Northwest Extreme’s (the magazine she works for) online readers and for her
article. The course is run by partners, Billy
the Tank (the trainer) and Dylan (a naturopath). They even have their own line of supplements
that they recommend for the people taking this intense course. Greg approves her article idea, but he has
some news of his own. Greg does not feel
he can take Northwest Extreme to the next level (online) and his selling out
(after Meg just turned down the job at ESPN).
There are more changes coming Meg’s way.
Her best friend, Jill has received a scholarship to an art institute in
Italy and will be gone for a year. Matt,
friend and could-be-more, is also moving away.
He has gotten a new job about three hours from Portland. Meg starts Mind over Mudder and finds that
Billy is very much the drill sergeant (with a terrible attitude). One day Meg sneaks away from training and
heads for the locker room. Someone
nearly knocks her over when she enters.
There is steam rolling out of the steam room open doors. Meg finds Billy dead in the steam room with a
Mind over Mudder bandana wrapped around his throat. Meg cannot believe this is happening to her
again. Detective Bridger is assigned the case (a new
guy) along with Kenny, a police officer from Vancouver, Washington (who flirts
with Meg). Meg, of course, cannot help
but doing a little investigating on her own.
First Degree Mudder is an easy to
read cozy mystery. The mystery, though,
is not at the forefront of this novel. We
get more information on the craft beer scene, mocha lattes, pubs, Jill’s new
opportunity in Italy, Meg’s new haircut (which she mentions several times
throughout the story), Greg selling the magazine, Meg’s attraction to Matt and
then Kenny, and the food truck scene. We
also get details on how strenuous and filthy Mind over Mudder is for Meg. I give First Degree Mudder 3 out of 5
stars. The killer is easy to figure out
(it is really no puzzle). I was
disappointed that the case of Pop’s (Charlie, Meg’s father) killer is still
unresolved. It has been referenced in
every book since the beginning, and it is past time to wrap it up. I did not mention everything that happened in
the book (Gam and her beau, Sheriff Daniels for instance). I just wish the author would put a little
more effort into the main mystery in each book and less into the outdoor
activities (and the secondary mystery). I
did enjoy the reference to Grimm in the novel (which filmed in Portland). The other books in A Pacific Northwest Mystery series are Scene of the Climb, Slayed on the Slopes, and Silenced in the Surf.
I am off to relax and get ready to watch DC's Legends of Tomorrow (the fourth night of the four night cross-over event). I will return tomorrow to review Shades of Wrath by Karen Rose Smith. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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