Kristina A. reviewed on 8/31/2016 + 1528 more book reviews

A Story to Kill by Lynn Cahoon is the first book in A Cat Latimer Mystery series. Cat Latimer is a former English Professor at Covington College. She has decided to start the Warm Springs Writer's Retreat in Aspen Hills, Colorado (near the college). Writers can get away from the normal environment, meet fellow writers, and have some quiet time to write. It is all thanks to her ex-husband (Michael) who recently passed away and left her this house. This is Cat's first retreat and one of the guests is Tom Cook, a bestselling writer (something Cat was not expecting). Things are going well until Cat notices that she has not seen Tom in a while. Cat finds Tom dead in his room. Cat immediately calls Chief Pete Edmond, her uncle. Who wanted Tom dead? Cat needs to get to the bottom of this mystery (it did happen in her house).

Seth Howard, her boyfriend from high school, has been fixing up the house for her and will be doing a remodel to add additional space to the house. Seth discovers a secret room in the attic but is unable to open it. When Cat finds Michael's journal, it references the room, and he even left her a key. Did any of this have something to do with his death? Then someone leaves a white carnation outside her study. Only Michael knew she loved them. This is only the beginning. Cat is in for a busy time with her writing (she writes paranormal novels), her writing retreat business, a possible romance, solving Tom's murder, and now this! Join Cat on her adventures in A Story to Kill.

I thought that there was too much romance in A Story to Kill. I do not feel that romance should not be the dominate part of a cozy mystery. The book had Cat admiring Seth's rear end in his jeans and watching "his muscles ripple". It was too much (these were just two examples). I enjoy a little romance in a cozy mystery (it needs to be subtle and play out slowly), but the lust fest was over the top (and I am not exaggerating). The mystery (main one) was so very simple and easy to solve (I knew who the murderer was when they found the body). The secondary one leaves us with a cliffhanger (it will probably take place over a series of novels). I thought the secondary mystery (about Michael) was more captivating (it definitely captured my interest). A Story to Kill as a satisfactory first novel. I think it needs some work (like less romance and lusting). I felt bad for the retreaters. Cat spent more time writing (working on her second novel) and with Seth, than with the people who paid for the retreat. I give A Story to Kill 3 out of stars. The book is nicely written and has a good pace. I will read the next book in the series to see if there is improvement.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel in exchange for an honest and forthright review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

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