Murder, She Edited by Kaitlyn Dunnett

 Murder, She Edited

Book Summary

As the hesitant new owner of a rundown property outside of sleepy Lenape Hollow, New York, freelance editor Mikki Lincoln must get her facts straight about an old murder on the premises--before the killer returns to meet the next deadline!

When Mikki inherits a nearby farm from a woman she hasn't seen in two decades, the unexpected arrangement comes with a big catch: forgotten diaries hidden in the neglected house must be recovered, edited, and published across the internet within one month. The lonely locale is like an untouched time capsule from the 1950s, and it was left behind for good reason

While searching for the mysterious memoirs and clues about the former owners, Mikki discovers that the once peaceful place was punctuated by an unsolved homicide and other rumored crimes. Worse, suspicious activity in the creepy, dilapidated barn suggests it really hasn't been abandoned at all...

In a remote farmhouse with only her observant calico cat, Calpurnia, keeping her company, Mikki must swiftly crack an eerie cold case from the past and stop a clever culprit from leaving red markups on anything other than pages of revised copy..

 My Thoughts

Murder, She Edited by Kaitlyn Dunnett is the 4^th A Deadly Edits Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series.  Mikki Lincoln is surprised when she learns she has inherited a house and some land from an old friend of her deceased mother.  Of course, there is a catch to the bequest.  She must locate and publish diaries hidden in the old farmhouse within a specified time period or the inheritance will pass on to another individual.  Mikki has a feeling there is something the lawyer is not disclosing.  Entering the old farmhouse is like stepping back in time.  Nothing has been changed since the 1950s.  As Mikki expected, the lawyer failed to tell her about the murder that occurred in the house.  When Mikki learns the case was never solved, she sets out to unravel the case.  

I like that Mikki Lincoln is a mature protagonist.  She is a retired schoolteacher who now does freelance editing.  Mikki is a friendly, relatable character.  She is smart, meticulous, and cautious.  Mikki pays close attention to details and does her research (well, her friend Darlene does the heavy lifting in that area).  She is not afraid to ask for help when she needs it plus Mikki does not put herself into dangerous situation without taking precautions.  I like how she talks to her cat, Calpurnia.  There are some great, developed characters in the series that includes Mikki’s best friend, Darlene.  I enjoy the humor sprinkled throughout the story.  Mikki’s anecdotes about grammar missteps had me chuckling.  The mystery was interesting and well-plotted.  I like that it was a cold case.  In addition to the 1950s murder, Mikki wonders who made some recent modifications to the barn.  I like how everything tied together with a complete resolution.  There was action toward the end that spiced things up.  This is not an action-packed cozy series (just to let you know).  This series focuses on Mikki (her life, job, family, and friends) who stumbles upon the occasional mystery. There is a secondary storyline involving a fan of author who blames Mikki for typos in her latest book.  The woman is relentless.  It will take a special solution to resolve this problem.  The ending left me smiling.  If you like Jessica Fletcher cozy mysteries, then check out Murder, She Edited.  Murder, She Edited is a charm filled cozy mystery with grammar gaffes, a faithful feline, hidden diaries, a fanatical fan, and a bizarre bequest.  

Murder, She Edited is available from Amazon*.  The other A Deadly Edits Mysteries are Crime & Punctuation, Clause & Effect, and A Fatal Fiction.  Kaitlyn Dunnett also writes A Liss MacCrimmon Mystery series.   You can follow Kaitlyn Dunnett on Amazon to get emails when she releases a new book.  Thank you for reading my review today.  Tomorrow I am a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Much Ado about Nauticaling by Gabby Allan.  It is the debut of A Whit and Whiskers Mystery series.   I hope that you have grammatically correct day (or Mikki Lincoln might pay you a visit).  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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