Brenda H. (booksinvt) - , reviewed on 7/29/2016 + 465 more book reviews

A Likely Story is the first in the Cat Latimer Mystery series. Catherine "Cat" Latimer has moved back to her hometown of Aspen Hills, Colorado after her ex-husband Michael left her the Victorian mansion they had once shared. Cat is a retired English Professor who has now found her way as a successful author. She and her best friend Shauna Clodagh have turned the home into a Bed and Breakfast that hosts a monthly writer's retreat.

The ladies are looking forward to their first group of writers which include Best selling mystery writer Tom Cook, local grad student Sara, romance writing sisters Rose and Daisy, and aspiring author Billy Williams. The retreat gets off to a rocky start when the group visits Covington College, where Tom Cook was once an attendee. He engages in a somewhat nasty conversation with presiding Dean Larry Vargas and it soon becomes apparent the two have history. When Tom is later found murdered in his guest room at the B & B, Cat is determined to find the killer and save her fledgling business.

With the help of Shauna, her Uncle Pete Edmond who also happens to be the local Chief of Police and high school boyfriend now turned handyman Seth Howard, Cat soon uncovers a secret in Tom's past. Tom's widow Linda has arrived to claim her husband's body and reveals that the couple was once best friends with Dean Vargas and his girlfriend Gloria Jenson. One summer month Gloria mysteriously disappeared and was never found. Linda believes that her husband was writing his newest novel about the cold case and fears this has led to his death.

As a sideline to the main mystery, Cat also begins to realize that her philandering husband, well known for his escapes with his female undergrad students, might have been hiding a secret of his own. Suspicions soon surface that perhaps Michael hadn't died from a heart attack as originally thought, but was also murdered. This mystery is not solved at the conclusion of the book and definitely will feature in upcoming installments.

A fast paced storyline that had me hooked from page one. A great cast of characters, a cozy setting in a small town and just the right touch of romance.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

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