A Killer Read

 This is another first in a series titled the Ashton Corners Book Club by Erika Chase.  I found this book while looking for cozies set in Alabama and I was pleasantly surprised by the book.  The Southern manners and culture is definitely represented in the storyline and the dialogue.  No escaping the M'am and Sir references especially when speaking with ones elder or a person of authority.  There was plenty of other regionality on display as well with the appearance of Sweet Tea and baked goods.  

The characters, Lizzie, Molly and the other book clubs members seem like good characters but we don't get a ton of depth in this first book.   There is some background and intrigue with Stephanie but even that feels like a big set up for future books.   I guess I would have preferred more resolution and background into the main cast of characters instead of feeling as though it is all about stringing you on for future books in the series.  It is a fine line between continuity and a feeling of non resolution.

The mystery itself is a different take on intertwining seemingly different plots.   It did take quite a while to get the mystery moving but the guilty party was quite a surprise.  One aspect I struggled with was the idea that literacy group members would also belong to a book club with avid readers.  While I did like Lizzie's professional emphasis on helping struggling readers this felt to be a bit of a stretch to me.   

I will try the next book in the series to see if the pace of the cozy picks up or if it is still a bit too slow and I will move along.  

A Killer Read by Erika Chase
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Good Southern mystery

This was an enjoyable cozy set in Ashton Corners, AL. Its filled With Southern customs and culture. Lizzie is an intriguing character with lots of depth. MS Chase blends the mystery loving personality with a reading lover and educator. The mystery itself is a good one with lots of suspects. The reason I only gave it 3 stars was at times the story felt a bit crowded with a few too many side plots. It was wrapped up well in the end though and there are developing relationships to continue growing in the series. I look forward to seeing if that's the case

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  AL
2. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2021  Book #12
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #72
4. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  free choice 35
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #59
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #51
8. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 2
• Lawn
• Weapons
• Row 2 
• Hand gun
• Detectives- Lizzie/Molly/Bob/Jacob
• Victims- Frank Telford
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #64  Shot #1