Book Review ~ HOMECOMING AND HOMICIDE by Jody Holford

Homecoming and Homicide (A Wannabe Sleuth, #2)
by: Jody Holford
Series: A Wannabe Sleuth
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Date: January 10, 2023
Publisher: Tule Publishing

She doesn’t remember high school being so complicated…or as deadly.

Rainbow Falls newcomer Annie Abbott is finally feeling settled in town with her veterinarian boyfriend and their two curious kittens. The local high school is raising money for their drama program and, eager to help, Annie volunteers for the carnival’s photo booth, using her graphic design skills to create fun backdrops and mentor a group of students. The only dark cloud is a run in with an unpleasant teacher who’s critical of her teenage neighbor, Tate, and his girlfriend.

On the night of the carnival, Annie discovers the not-so-nice teacher dead. She and her motley crew of murder club sleuths leap into action to help clear her own name along with Tate’s. Luckily for both of them, there are plenty of suspects who had it out for the victim. Complicating Annie’s illicit investigation further? A mystery stalker with a vendetta against her.

As Annie and her friends chase clues, it’s becoming increasingly clear that not everyone is happy with her decision to make Rainbow Falls her home.

Annie Abbott is finally settling in nicely in her parent's home in the small coastal touristy town of Rainbow Falls, Oregon. Things are going really well with her new boyfriend and town heartthrob, Ben MacIntyre. The kittens they adopted together are growing fast and are as mischievous as ever. She’s even getting more involved in the community and volunteering.

The Rainbow Falls High School is putting on a carnival, with the proceeds benefiting the drama program, run by Sasha Dayman, who is also the school’s career counselor. Sasha is the most hated person at the school and she seems to love to get under people’s skin. Annie and Sasha have a run-in when Annie goes to the school to volunteer and intervenes when she catches Sasha and her teenage neighbor Tate having a heated argument. At the carnival, Annie is the one to find Sasha dead in her tent. While Annie knows she didn’t kill Sasaha she isn’t so sure about Tate. And the Trenton PD detectives investigating the murder aren’t sure about either of them.

Homecoming and Homicide was an enjoyable cozy mystery. One of the biggest reasons I love reading Jody Holford’s cozy mysteries is that she adds a little closed-door romance to her stories. She also writes characters and towns I wish I knew and could visit. The mystery of Homecoming and Homicide was pretty straightforward. Jody put in red herrings and misdirects that had me guessing until the big reveal. I am definitely looking forward to reading more books in this series.

~ Favorite Quotes ~

“You can’t fix everyone’s life.”

“Some friends are meant to be called family."

**Received a copy of the book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.**

Rating: 4

Purchase Homecoming and Homicide from:

Amazon | Paperback | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Google Books | Goodreads

Jody introduces us to some of the main characters of Home Is Where the Body Is here.

The A Wannabe Slueth Series:

Home Is Where the Body Is ~ Review

Spring Break Slaying releases May 23, 2023

Jody Holford writes sweet romance and cozy mysteries with sweet romance in them. She’s published several books including the cozies in The Britton Bay Series. She’s unintentionally funny and rarely on time for anything. If she’s not writing, she’s reading, hanging out with her family, or doodling. She also writes romcoms under the pen name, Sophie Sullivan.

Places to find Jody Holford:

Website | Facebook | Reader Group | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram | Amazon Author Page

Subscribe to Read Your Writes Book Reviews: