Murder Pays a Call by Nancy J. Cohen

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Murder Pays a Call: A Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery by Nancy J Cohen

Murder Pays a Call: A Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery
by Nancy J Cohen

About Murder Pays A Call

Murder Pays a Call: A Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Florida
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orange Grove Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 9, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 290 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1952886376
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1952886379
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F8NNP8NN

Personal concierge Keri Armstrong will accept almost any job, but solving murders wasn’t on her to-do list—until now.

When personal concierge Keri Armstrong swings by her favorite client’s mansion to drop off groceries, she expects a heartfelt chat along with a cup of tea—not Fiona Sullivan dead in bed and her room ransacked. Though police chalk it up to a botched robbery, Keri isn’t so sure. Whispers around town suggest Fiona wasn’t as adored as Keri had believed, and many of the philanthropist’s so-called friends in affluent Sunny Grove, Florida seem glad she’s gone.

Keri refuses to let Fiona’s memory be reduced to malicious gossip. Armed with a keen eye, insider access, and a fully charged tablet, she sets out to uncover the truth. Soon her file of suspects grows faster than her to-do list. Between sneaky neighbors, resentful relatives, and tight-lipped charity board members, Fiona left behind a trail of frenemies who’d happily skip her memorial brunch.

As Keri digs deeper, she discovers her late mentor had a gift for extracting people’s secrets and using them like fine china—carefully storing them until they could serve a purpose. But Fiona also kept a few skeletons in her own walk-in closet. Now, with danger creeping closer, Keri must race to crack the case before her number comes up next… and Murder Pays a Call.

About Nancy J. Cohen

Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail and the Keri Armstrong cozy mysteries. Her books have won numerous awards including her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook. Active in the writing community, Nancy is a past president of Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter. When not busy writing, she enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World.

Author Links

Website:  https://nancyjcohen.com

Blog: https://nancyjcohen.com/blog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyJCohenAuthor

X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/nancyjcohen

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@nancyjcohen

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyjcohen

Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancyjcohen

Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/njcohen/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nancy-j-cohen

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@NancyJCohen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/nancyjcohen

My Thoughts

Murder Pays a Call by Nancy Cohen is a lighthearted cozy mystery set in sunny (scorching hot) Florida.  Keri Armstrong is a wonderful concierge, but she needs to grow a backbone.  Keri is a bit of a pushover, so she who needs to set boundaries (or people will walk all over her).  She can, though, be determined as we see when she investigates Fiona’s murder.  You can tell how much Keri cared for Fiona Sullivan, the victim.  Keri sets out to find out who killed Fiona, because she is not one to sit on the sidelines and wait.  

The suspect list ends up being quite lengthy, much to Keri’s astonishment.  I joined Keri as she questioned people and collected clues.  I wrote down who I thought was the killer and then waited for the reveal to see if I was right (I love solving whodunits).  There are a variety of characters in the series that include Keri’s friends, Lora and Pam.  Those who enjoyed Nancy Cohen’s Bad Hair Day Mysteries will be delighted with Murder Pays a Call.  Romance is knocking on Keri’s door. It will be interesting to see who she picks.  Murder Pays a Call is a cute cozy with a sudden death, surprising secrets, a surplus of suspects, catering to clients, curious clues, a chance at romance, and a killer reveal.

Excerpt

Since Lora was out, she had the place to herself. Grateful for the privacy, she put her meal in the oven and entered her bedroom to get changed. A legal-sized manila envelope lay on top of her bedspread, along with a note from Lora.

I picked this up at the front desk the other day and left it in your home office, but you may not have seen it. I’d forgotten about it until I went in there for some paper clips. Sorry; I hope it’s not too important.

Her heart lurched when she noticed the return address came from a lawyer. Hopefully, none of her clients were suing her. She tore open the seal with shaky fingers, and a leather-bound book slid out along with a scribbled note from the attorney.

Fiona Sullivan requested this item be mailed to you in the event of her death.

Her eyes widened as she recognized Fiona’s ledger. Fiona must have given it to the lawyer for safekeeping. But why had she made him wait until after her death to send it out?

Sinking onto the bed, Keri smoothed her hands over the worn cover. With bated breath, she opened the book and thumbed through its pages.

She scanned the entries, noting the sources that said Dad. Perhaps Fiona hadn’t wanted Keri to learn about her past. This would make it a lot easier to separate out the goods Crogher had given his daughter. Those needed further research into their provenance.

Another question begged an answer. How come Fiona had sent this to her instead of Diane? Fiona couldn’t have known Diane would hire Keri to help dispose of things.

Unless … Fiona had sent it to Keri because she didn’t trust Diane.

Murder Pays a Call is available from Amazon Kindle, Amazon Print, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble Nook, Barnes & Noble Print, Google Play, Kobo, Bookshop.org or Indiebound, and Books A Million.  You can find Nancy J. Cohen's other novels here.  Would you like to win a signed copy of Murder Pays a Call along with a daily planner and a set of ballpoint pens?  You can click here to enter or use the form below.  Leave a comment for an extra entry.  Good Luck! Thank you for popping by today.  I will return on Monday, September 15 with The Girl Who Trusted Ghosts by K.C. Tansley.  It is the long awaited fourth book in The Unbelievables series.  I hope that you have a relaxing weekend.  I have the washer repairman coming over on Saturday, and I am hoping that it will be a simple fix (fingers crossed). Don't forget to enter the giveaway before you depart! Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

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Tour Participants

September 11 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

September 11 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

September 12 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

September 12 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 13 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

September 13 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 14 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY

September 14 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

September 14 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 15 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 15 – Angel’s Book Nook – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 16 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

September 16 – @bibliophile_foodie – REVIEW

September 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

September 17 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY

September 18 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

September 18 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

September 19 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – SPOTLIGHT 

September 19 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

September 20 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

September 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 21 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

*This post contains affiliate links. 

A Killer Motive by Hannah Mary McKinnon

 

A Killer Motive by Hannah Mary McKinnon

Book Summary

In this thriller for fans of Ashley Elston and Jeneva Rose, a manipulative kidnapper gives a true crime podcaster one week to locate her brother’s best friend. If she succeeds, she’ll learn the truth about her brother’s disappearance six years ago, but if she fails, his friend will die.

You never know who’s listening.

To Stella Dixon, sneaking her teenage brother out of their parents’ house for a beach party was harmless fun—until Max disappeared without a trace.

Six years later, Stella’s family is still broken, and she can’t let go of her guilt. The only thing that keeps her going is helping other families find closure through A Killer Motive, her true crime podcast.

In a bid to find new sponsors and keep making episodes, Stella goes on a local radio show. But when she says on air that if she had just one clue, she’d find Max and bring whoever hurt him to justice, someone takes it as a challenge.

A mysterious invitation to play a game arrives, with the promise that if Stella wins, she’ll get information about what happened to Max. Stella thinks it’s a sick joke…until Max’s best friend vanishes. And she’s given new instructions: tell nobody or people will die.

Desperate and unable to trust anyone, Stella agrees. But beating a twisted, invisible enemy seems impossible when they make all the rules…

About the Author

Internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 2010. Her eight suspense novels include THE REVENGE LIST, ONLY ONE SURVIVES, and A KILLER MOTIVE, and her work has been optioned for the screen. She also writes holiday romantic comedies as Holly Cassidy. Hannah Mary lives near Toronto, Canada with her husband and three sons. You’ll find her on socials as @hannahmarymckinnon, and please visit www.hannahmarymckinnon.com for more.

Author Social Media Links

Website: www.HannahMaryMcKinnon.com

Facebook:   www.facebook.com/HannahMaryMcKinnon (@hannahmarymckinnon)

Instagram:  www.instagram.com/HannahMaryMcKinnon/ (@hannahmarymckinnon)

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/HannahMMcKinnon (@hannahmmckinnon)

Goodreads:  www.goodreads.com/author/show/15144570.Hannah_Mary_McKinnon

BookBub:  www.bookbub.com/authors/hannah-mary-mckinnon

LinkTree:  https://linktr.ee/hannahmarymckinnon

Author Q & A

  Tell us about the inspiration for A KILLER MOTIVE?

Typically, I can pinpoint where the idea for a book came from, but with this one it’s a little more elusive. I remember wondering what a person might do if someone they deeply cared about vanished, and how that might affect those left behind. What if I pushed it further and the main character of my story blamed herself for the disappearance? How far would she go to find her missing loved one if she was given a clue? The story grew legs from there.

    How did you develop your main characters, Stella and her antagonist?

Stella’s psyche was relatively clear from the start, and I knew she’d feel responsible for Max’s situation. I had no clue she was a true crime podcast host—that brilliant suggestion came from my agent, Carolyn Forde. However, my antagonist’s identity eluded me for some time as I noodled around the concept. Like Stella, there was a change in the villain’s profession. This switch was thanks to my editor, Dina Davis, and I’m so glad because it works far better than my original idea.

What was the most difficult part of writing A KILLER MOTIVE?

There are a lot of twists and turns and red herrings, so keeping track of those (and the timelines), plus making sure they were sufficiently tied up at the end was quite a challenge. There are also a couple of fight scenes I asked my husband Rob to act out with me, so I could get the description of the movements right. He’s always game for a laugh!

What did you know about podcasting before writing A KILLER MOTIVE?

Other than listening to them…nothing! However, I researched them quite heavily, and I had the pleasure of meeting Laurah Norton, host of the One Strange Thing and The Fall Line podcasts. Her pertinent questions really helped deepen Stella’s motivations for A Killer Motive. As a side note, if you have the opportunity to hear Laurah speak at a conference, grab it with both hands because she’s incredible. Check out her podcasts, too.

 What’s your dream job other than being a novelist?

As a kid I wanted to be a lawyer or a police officer but at this point in my life it would be working in TV or film albeit writing or directing, not in front of the camera. Maybe I’ll attempt writing a screenplay one day. I have ideas…

 What are some things you enjoy when not writing?

I read a lot (not really surprising!), I work out frequently (recently took up self-defense and loving it), and I started drumming as I was writing Only One Survives. Along with my family and work, that all keeps me well out of trouble!

 What are you working on now?

To be honest, it’s a little too early to divulge much, but I’m working on a deeply personal thriller based on something that happened in my life many years ago. It was a daunting project to tackle, but now I’ve started, I don’t want to stop. I’m excited to continue working on the story and share details about it when I’m ready.

My Thoughts

I was drawn into A Killer Motive by Hannah Mary McKinnon with the mysterious disappearance of Stella’s brother, Max.  I wanted to know what happened to him and who was behind the disappearance.  I enjoy following the case, picking up clues, and piecing them together.  There was quite a bit going on in the middle of the book (it is a little chaotic).  There are twists, red herrings, and multiple suspects.  I liked the cat and mouse game between Stella and the guilty party. I had narrowed in on one person and I was eager to see if I had guessed correctly (I love solving whodunits).  I have a feeling the reveal will take many readers by surprise.  I had not read a book with a true crime podcast before, and I found it interesting (as you can guess, I sought out some to listen to).  A Killer Motive is a psychological thriller that will take you on a roller coaster ride.  

Excerpt

Tonight, my solemn promise meant busting his grounded a** out of his minimum-security prison, aka our parents’ house, so he could join Jeff and me at what would be the coolest party of the weekend. Lighthouse Beach was a twenty-five-minute drive from Deering, the Portland neighborhood where Max and I had grown up, and now I couldn’t wait to get going.

Max slid into the back seat of Jeff’s old red pickup truck. I turned around, laughing at my brother’s beaming face and the perpetual impish twinkle in his green eyes, which looked so much like mine.

“We were about to leave,” I deadpanned. “Thought you’d chickened out.”

Max snorted. “As if.”

“Are we picking up Kenji?”

“He’s at his girlfriend’s so he’ll meet us at the beach,” Max said, before jokingly adding, “He’d better, considering he’s taking off next week. Some best friend he is, leaving me behind.”

“Hey,” I shot back with mock indignation. “I thought I was your best friend.”

“Are you two sure about this aiding and abetting?” Jeff cut in before Max could throw a good-natured sibling zinger my way. “Your mom will go ballistic if she finds out.”

Max shrugged. “I don’t care. She’s way overprotective.”

“You know her reasons,” Jeff said.

We all did. Mom’s older brother died when she was nine and he was seventeen. It was terrible how some a**hole truck driver had run over our uncle, killing him instantly. Still, Max’s rebellion tonight was fueled by the fact Mom had banned him from going to California with Kenji, saying it was too far away, and Max was too young. They’d had a massive argument about it, which led to my brother being grounded for the weekend, hence tonight’s great escape.

“I told them I was heading to bed,” Max said. “They never check, but I stacked my pillows under the duvet just in case. Nobody will notice.”

“If they do, I’ll take the full blame.” I patted Jeff’s hand. “Max, we’ll drive you home. No after-parties with Kenji, got it? What Mom and Dad don’t know can’t hurt them.”

“Sir, yes, sir.” Max gave me a salute. “Anyway, I’ll need some sleep. I’m volunteering at the clinic tomorrow. Woolly had a mass removed and I want to be there for him.”

“Woolly?” Jeff said. “Dog or sheep?”

My brother grinned. “Giant Angora rabbit. He’s awesome.”

“You’re such a softie,” I said before letting out a whoop. “All right, let’s go. Lighthouse Beach, here we come.”

A Killer Motive is available from Amazon*, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org.  You can find Hannah Mary McKinnon's other novels here.  If you follow Hannah Mary McKinnon on Amazon, they will email you when she has a new book release. Thank you for dropping by today.  I am a stop on the Celebrate Lit Tour for Fire Mountain by Dana Mentink on Wednesday, September 10.  It is the first book in the Elements of Danger series.  I am off to figure out from where my washer is leaking (there is a leak, but I have not narrowed down the source yet).  Wish me luck!  I hope that you have joyful day.  We all need more joy in our lives.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

*This post contains affiliate links.