Aloe and Goodbye by Janice Peacock

  

Aloe and Goodbye

A Southwestern Small Town Cozy Mystery (Ruby Shaw Mysteries) 

by Janice Peacock

About Aloe & Goodbye

 

Aloe and Goodbye: A Southwestern Small Town Cozy Mystery (Ruby Shaw Mysteries) 

New Yorker Ruby Shaw arrives in a hillside town in Arizona with a brand-new name, a duffel bag on her shoulder, and her daughter, Allie, at her side. Before arriving, Ruby witnesses a murder that lands her in the witness protection program. That decision means she’s gone from being a successful artist to being a nobody in a postage-stamp-sized town called Paradise—a name that doesn’t fit the former ghost town. Even though their new digs are a little shabby, and there may be ghosts haunting the town, they are optimistic about their new lives, that is, until a neighbor turns up dead.

Having just arrived in town, living next door to the victim, and without an alibi, the community members are suspicious of Ruby. A local deputy befriends her, but the deputy still points to her as the culprit each time they find a new clue. If matters weren’t bad enough, Allie is having trouble fitting in at her new school, and Ruby can’t seem to hold down a job.

As they settle in, they meet the quirky inhabitants of Paradise: Bette—the chatterbox café owner, Flora—Allie’s eccentric babysitter, and Derek—who runs local history tours, which he jazzes up with ghost stories of questionable veracity.

Ruby’s life improves when she meets a handsome cook at the local café who is passionate about succulents and cacti, and may feel equally passionate about her. Even though Ruby and Allie want to stay in Paradise, a US marshal has other ideas, as he threatens to move them to a new town after Ruby gets mixed up in the murder investigation. Ruby must find the killer before she and Allie lose their new home or even worse—their lives.

About Janice Peacock

 

Janice Peacock is a cozy mystery author who specializes in craft and hobby mysteries. She loves to write about artists who find new ways to live their lives and perhaps catch a criminal or two in the process. While working in a glass studio with several colorful and quirky artists, she was inspired to write the Glass Bead Mystery Series. The Ruby Shaw Mysteries, which are set in a small hillside mining town, were inspired by her trips to Jerome, Arizona, and Jacksonville, Oregon. When Janice isn’t writing about amateur detectives, she wields a 2,500-degree torch to melt glass and create one-of-kind beads and jewelry. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and an undisclosed number of cats. Visit Janice online at janicepeacock.com. 

 My Thoughts

Aloe and Goodbye by Janice Peacock has Ruby Shaw and her daughter, Allie relocating to Paradise, Arizona.  They have been relocated to this small town by WITSEC after Ruby (not her real name) witnessed a murder in Las Vegas.  The first night, Ruby notices a ghost tour visit the home next door.  The next morning, Ruby notices the police outside the home.  She soon learns that the owner had been murdered.  Ruby finds herself being questioned by Deputy Sheriff Darla Cotton who eyes her suspiciously.  She seems to know that Ruby is hiding something (which she is).  Ruby finds herself a person of interest on her first day in the new town.  Ruby finds herself stumbling upon clues which do little to prove her innocence.  Her attempts to stay under the radar are not successful.   Ruby and Allie could find themselves relocated before they can say cactus.  Aloe and Goodbye is the first novel in the Ruby Shaw Mysteriess.  This is an easy-to-read story that moves along at a good pace.  I like the concept of the main character being in WITSEC.  It is unique for a cozy mystery.  Paradise is a former ghost town that is full of gossips.  Rumors seem to travel at the speed of light.  Paradise has some quirky residents with my favorite being a local artist who watches Allie after school.  The mystery was straightforward with a small suspect pool.  There is misdirection to distract reads from the true culprit.  I laughed at the one-of-kind weapon used in the story.  I like Deputy Sheriff Darla Cotton and Ruby’s handler (US Marshall), Victor Wilson.  Ruby meets the local diner cook, Luke who makes her heart beat faster.  I did feel the romance was misplaced in this book.  It was a little too much too soon considering Ruby and Allie have uprooted their lives and someone could kill them at any moment.  Just to let you know there are a couple of curse words in the story.  There is humor scattered throughout the story that had me laughing.  I like how Aloe and Goodbye ended.  I am curious to see what happens next with Ruby Shaw and her daughter, Allie.  Aloe and Goodbye is a cute cozy with a darling dog, an accommodating marshal, a job journey, school struggles, a local letch, and an incommodious murder.

Aloe and Goodbye is available from Amazon.   The book is on Kindle Unlimited.  You can find Janice Peacock's other novels here.  As part of the tour, Janice is giving away a paperback copy of Aloe & Goodbye along with cactus-themed products (Sorry, but the contest is only open to those who reside in the U.S.) such as pens, pins, and notepads.  Click here to enter or use the Rafflecopter form below.  Do not forget to leave a comment for an extra entry.  Good Luck!  Thank you for dropping by today.  I am a stop on the Celebrate Lit Tour for Maryann's Hope by Molly Jebber tomorrow.  It is the 4th novel in The Amish Charm Bakery series.  I hope that you have a rewarding day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!  

Kris

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Tour Participants

January 27 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT 

January 27 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW 

January 27 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 

January 28 – I Read What You Write – GUEST POST 

January 28 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT 

January 29 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author Blog – SPOTLIGHT 

January 29 – Christy's Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

January 29 – MJB Reviewers -SPOTLIGHT 

January 30 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST 

January 30 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT 

January 30 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW 

January 31 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT J

January 31 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

February 1 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT 

February 2 – Here's How it Happened – REVIEW 

February 2 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW 

February 2 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

February 3 – Literary Gold – REVIEW 

February 3 – Celticlady's Reviews - SPOTLIGHT

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