4 Fun Stars with a Mystery Machine on the side 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was a very well-done cozy mystery.... this is the third book in the series and admittedly I did miss out on a bit of character development not having read the previous two books.... so while you could read this as a standalone I would encourage you to read the previous books 1st, just for a little more background on these characters....

Charley was a great female protagonist.... Charley is a shop owner and it was a good thing her shop was going under renovation so she had time to drive around in her Mystery Machine and solve murders.... as in all good cozy mystery series people seem to get murdered around Charley... this time it is her next-door neighbors adult daughter who just returned home, Sarah... of course not only is Charlie the person who finds the body, she is also dating a police officer, and the medical examiner seems pretty keen to have her help with the case.... unfortunately not everybody feels this way....

It was fun trying to solve the crime along with Charley, her father, his caretaker, her BFF, along with many others.... this was a much more complex mystery then you find in a lot of cozy mysteries..... there were quite a few twists and turns and unexpected reveals......... and the book definitely had an ending I did not see coming!

This book checked off all the boxes for what I love in a cozy mystery... fabulous characters... quaint setting... great who done it... plenty of suspects... and a touch of humor.... this book also had the bonus of some romance.....

Strongly recommend to fans of cozy mysteries and fabulous whodunits!

*** thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***

Charley Carpenter is a unique character. She's smart and intuitive when it comes to following clues. Her ability to connect with people from all walks of life make her the perfect amateur detective. Leslie Nagel has created one of the most likeable casts of fictional characters that inhabit the real town of Oakwood. This series is well written and the mysteries are built layer by layer until you come to the unexpected reveal. Strongly recommended.

The main character of this book was surprisingly likable. She is the kind of character that everyone in the book enjoys (except, of course, detectives she is better than). Her love interest is a hunk who would do anything for her, literally anything. How dreamy. While I found this book to be a little reaching, I liked it. I liked that there were several possibilities in who the murderer is and that it's not clear until well into the book who it is. It's a very light read that doesn't require a lot of rereading or a lot of focus. Great for those moments where you are often interrupted while trying to squeeze in some reading time.

Dear Fellow Reader,

Those of you who frequently read this blog know that I am a sucker for mystery series. I love to find a new one – especially one that has several books in the series before I find it. That gives me a lot to catch up on and that is a good thing. Authors that come to mind are Donna Leon, Louise Penny, Nancy Atherton, Rhys Bowen and Patricia Wentworth to name just a few.

So, when I was on Net Galley a few weeks ago, I was interested to see a new mystery by Leslie Nagle available. I was not familiar with the author but it looked interesting. The only cloud in the sky was that it is the third book in the series. I like to start at the beginning of a series because I think it does make a difference. Despite the misgivings, I thought I would read this book. The most that could happen is that I would be sorry that I didn’t read the books in order. (I was given a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.)

Charlie Carpenter lives in Oakwood, OH. She lives with her father Bobby, who was the beloved football coach but is now confined to a wheelchair. Oakwood is a very friendly town where most residents know one another. When Charlie’s next door neighbor moves out, he decides to rent his house rather than sell it. The new tenants are not friendly and have resisted the overtures of friendship from Charlie and Charlie’s father’s caretaker, Lawrence. The husband is a doctor with the Air Force and seems to have a penchant for yelling at his family at volumes loud enough to be heard easily in Charlie’s house. It seems that the neighbors, Paxton and Judith Sharp and their 4-year-old twins have Paxton’s son from a previous marriage and Judith’s daughter from a previous relationship staying at the house also. One evening, Sarah Weller, Judith’s daughter, approaches Charlie and asks if she “only helps the police or if she helps other people”. The conversation is ended abruptly when Judith calls Sarah back into the house. Several days later, Charlie hears screaming coming from the house next door and finds Judith bending over Sarah’s dead body.

The inevitable questions of who killed Sarah and why haunt Charlie as she decides to do a little sleuthing. It is not the first time (since it is book three in the series) but this time, Charlie will not be working with her boyfriend, Detective Marcus Trenault. Seems the Detective is not getting along with his boss and the case is assigned to Sergeant George Drummond, who is with the Sheriff’s Department. He and Charlie’s beau have a long-standing feud and Drummond is antagonistic toward Charlie.

I think that perhaps it was an error not the read the books in order. Yes, this book does stand on its own but there are so many characters introduced that I finally gave up on some of them. Just could not remember how they fit into the story. While I was frustrated by this, it was still a good read.

I do not worry about trying to solve a mystery when I read it. Yes, probably in my mind I think about who might have done it but I don’t sit and try and figure it out. I just want to be entertained and I want it to make sense. The end of the book ties the plot up nicely but WOW what a convoluted motive. I understand who and why but it would take pages to explain the connections and why there were two murders. (Yes, not one but two…)

This is the third book in the Oakwood series, I loved the first two, so I was really excited to read #3. I adore how well written this series in, from the creative and twisty plots to the lovable characters, and this one was no exception! Very nicely plotted, with two murders that occur just steps from Charley’s front door. After a new family moves in next door, Judith’s adult daughter, Sarah, is found murdered. Later, Judith is found murdered in the street, the blame falls on a carpenter with ties to the family. Charley smells a setup and investigates into the family’s past and uncovers several secrets. With a few mini mysteries to solve along the way (I loved the revelation of who was behind the advice column and I don’t think they should stop!) to the person responsible for the vandalism delaying the expansion at Charley’s vintage shop, Old Hat (which was puzzling, not puzzling as in whodunit but puzzling as in *scratches head* whaat?) and there were many surprise twists that kept things interesting right up to the exciting ending. Wholly enjoyable and entertaining, The Advice Column Murders is another great addition to this excellent cozy series.

Charley Carpenter has a vintage fashion shop which she decides to expand and enlarge. After the construction site is vandalized, a murder occurs next door to where Charley lives. Charley has been known in the past to be an amateur sleuth working along with her detective boyfriend Marc. Lots of things happen during the solving of this very complicated mystery with lots of twists, turns and surprises. This was a very good cozy mystery but I did find it kind of confusing at times with all the various characters.

Interesting addition to an entertaining series. Enjoyable main characters. Peculiar, but sadly believable, family back stories and issues of the secondary characters. Some obvious suspects, and a few not so obvious. Good to see truths revealed. I look forward to reading the next one in this series.

This is a fun cozy mystery read. The dialog is sassy and the relationships interesting. The author also examines some serious family issues.

This is book #3 in the Oakwood Mystery series by Leslie Nagel. This book was as exciting as the previous two in the series! If you like exciting and intriguing mysteries, romance, and interesting likeable characters this is the book for you. Charley owns a vintage clothing store. Her shop is undergoing renovations for an expansion but "accidents" keep happening to slow progress. Her boyfriend, Marc, is a detective on the local police force but he is in Chicago on a week long training course.so a little less romance but still sigh-worthy. Charley has new next door neighbors who fight and yell a lot. Then one of the members of the family screams and Charley goes running in to find a dead body. Who did it and why? There is a new advice column in the local paper which adds to the mystery. Charley begins to investigate but luckily Marc returns to help. There are quite a few suspects and several twists in the story to keep you guessing! It is very exciting and hard to put down! I received a copy of this book for an honest review from NetGalley.

My first introduction to this series, I found the novel on the more serious side of a cozy mystery. As the third in the series, the protagonist is Charley Carpenter who is the owner of a vintage shop she calls Old Hat Vintage Fashions. This could function as a standalone, though characters are brought forward, including the situation with her shop which is now undergoing a major renovation.

The new tenants next door to the suburban home she shares with her wheelchair-bound father keep to themselves, except that the husband tends to yell at night waking neighbors. Fighting delays with her shop refurbishing as well as a lack of sleep, she has turned to a new column in the local paper called "Ask Jackie." The last column sounded serious, setting she and her cohorts on edge followed shortly by a scream next door and the discovery of the body of Judith's adult daughter. Charley had just met her in a brief introduction the day before.

The dialogue is down-to-earth and interaction between her dad, his caregiver, and her friends ring naturally. Twists and turns, red herrings abound and muddle the main plot as it creates a couple subplots. The protagonist is well developed in previous installments, so not as thoroughly here, while peripheral characters fair a little better. I liked that Charley came off as intelligent and intuitive.

I must admit that I didn't figure out the culprit, though at some point not wholly invested in the whodunit. The conclusion was satisfying, however, and also resolved a couple issues outside the murder mystery. Now, the question of the epilogue--what was that all about? Perhaps setting up the scene for #4? If, then, too long and largely unnecessary.

I was given this ARC download by the publisher and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Recommended for fans of intelligent cozy mysteries.

This is book number three in the Oakwood Mystery Series. I didn't read the first two and this could be a stand alone, but I am going to go back and read the first two just to more of a background.

This book takes place in a small town in Ohio. Like any cozy mystery the town is small, everybody know everybody and it's wholesome. Charley Carpenter is an amateur detective and the owner of a small business that in the previous book has burned and she is in thew process of reopening. She lives at home with her father, who is confined to a wheelchair after a series of strokes and his caregiver. Charley does have a love interest, Marcus who works for the local police department.
Late one night she has an encounter with the daughter of her strange neighbors and a few days later she ends up dead. Charley is also having vandalism problems which is delaying her reopening of her store. Charley takes it upon herself to help out in the investigation which makes some of the people unhappy in the investigation. This was a well done cozy mystery. So often they are to fluffy and sweet to enjoy. This was really good. I will go back and read the previous two and look forward to more in the future.

Thank You NetGalley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Charlie Carpenter Investigates a Murder Next Door

In this third book in the Oakwood Mystery series, Charley Carpenter is suffering form insomnia. The renovation of her shop, Old Hat, keeps experiencing unexplained delays; Marcus Trenault, her detective lover, is out of town; and to make matters worse, the new neighbors scream at each other at all hours of the night.

Missing Marcus, Charlie is finding distraction in a new feature in the local paper, Ask Jackie. Most of the letters are interesting because of the sassy advice offered in the column, but one letter asks for help because a young child is in danger. That afternoon, Charlie hears noises emanating from the house next door. She tries to ignore the commotion, but finally goes to investigate because the sounds are of someone in distress. She finds her new neighbor, Judith, kneeling beside the body of her older daughter.

Charlie tries to stay out of the case, but when she believes the sheriff’s office is going down the wrong path, she can’t help but step in. Having spoken to Judith before her murder, she believes the letter in Ask Jackie is somehow tied into the murder.

This book lives up to the promise of the first two in the series. Charley Carpenter and her friends are intelligent women. They take it on themselves to solve the murder when the detective assigned seems to be belligerently following the wrong trail. The clues are presented throughout the story making it possible to try to guess who the murderer is. However, the twist at the end makes it difficult.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a strong female character, this is a good book. It can be read as a standalone even though it’s part of a series.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Charley Carpenter, Oakwood's resident vintage shop proprietress/part-time sleuth, is at it again when murder rocks too close to home - specifically the house next door. Soon after she's approached for help by her new neighbor's visiting daughter, Charley finds the woman brutally murdered in the basement, and discovers all is not what it seems behind closed doors as she begins her investigation. Hidden secrets abound in this very well-written cozy in Leslie Nagel's Oakwood Mystery series. This third installment is, in my opinion, the best yet. I was absolutely floored at the end, as I'd pegged someone else for the murderer, and even had to go back and look at all the clues the author had cleverly woven into the story. Well done! A+

The Advice Column Murders by Leslie Nagel is the third book in the cozy Oakwood Mystery series. Each book in the series is a new case to be solved so while the characters have carried over from book to book it would be possible to read any as a standalone if choosing to do so. There would however be a bit of character building left out as their lives have progressed from book to book.

In this third installment of the series Charley Carpenter is in the middle of dealing with several setbacks with the expansions in her shop, Old Hat Vintage Fashions. Things seem to keep happening and she needs to figure out who seems to want to slow the work down. However, before Charley has a chance to figure out just what is going on she hears screams coming from the neighbor’s house and upon investigation Charley comes across her standoffish neighbor Judith Sharpe kneeling over her eldest daughter’s body.

With Judith seemingly in shock and her husband not there Charley ushers Judith’s younger twins to her own home to take care of them as long as needed. With a new detective one this case Charley doesn’t see herself getting involved until she gets a little nudge from her friends to look into the case.

The Oakwood Mystery series is again a fun one to come back to with this latest addition. With a strong female lead with ties to law enforcement the sleuthing is always fun to follow. With this particular book the author has taken a cozy story and mixed it with a whole lot of family drama to wade through to find a killer so I found it that much more compelling to wade through the secrets and lies until the end. Once again I’ll be looking forward to returning to this small town if the series continues.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Charley Carpenter feels like she might never sleep again. Between the insomnia-induced headaches and the constant yelling by her unfriendly next door neighbors, she struggles to sleep at all. In The Advice Column Murders by Leslie Nagel Charley hears Dr. Paxton Sharpe berating his wife about cold dinner and toys scattered around the house. She feels sorriest for the twins being raised in the house. When Charley finds a body at the house, she investigates.

I had trouble getting into this book, and after four or five attempts to get past the first chapter, I finally decided to give up and move on to something else. I think part of the problem is that this is the third book of a series. It probably could have stood on its own, but references to past books in the first chapter made me feel disconnected from the main character. I also felt that the tone was more serious in the first chapter than is typical of the cozy mysteries I enjoy. I was waiting for the protagonist's sense of humor to come through, and it didn't happen. I didn't feel like I could get into her voice. So while the subject matter was definitely appealing, the writing style just didn't grab me strongly enough for me to want to keep reading.

Review: THE ADVICE COLUMN MURDERS by Leslie Hagel

I raced through this cozy mystery at practicality the speed of light. I love to read a cunning puzzle requiring me to think and think hard, one in which the number of clearly possible suspects is multiple, and one that wrings my emotions as well. This second in the Oakwood Mystery Series is set in real-life Oakwood, Ohio, a peaceful community near Dayton. Hard-charging heroine and amateur sleuths Charley is a delight, and far from the only empowered woman here. The male characters are pretty exciting, too, and the author knows how to paint with broad brushstrokes as well as how to pencil in the fine lines. Quite an enjoyable and fascinating mystery.

The Advice Column Murders is the third book in Leslie Nagel’s Oakwood Mystery Series. The characters are well developed and relatable and because the author provides great background information, this book can be read as a standalone. The storyline is strong and well plotted, with lots of twists and turns. Ms. Nagel’s writing style flows smoothly and she provides enough suspects, twists and turns, and red herrings to keep the reader engaged and guessing. This book is a little edgier than most cozies and I was disappointed by the amount of strong adult language. That being said, I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more books in this series.

Charlotte (Charley) Carpenter lives in the quiet little town of Oakwood, Ohio with her widowed father, Bobby, who has suffered multiple strokes, and his caretaker, Lawrence Whittman. Charley’s the owner of Old Hat Vintage Fashions and has decided to expand her shop to include upscale wedding and baby gifts and apparel and change the name to Old Hat New Beginnings, but odd things keep happening to delay the renovations and she’s beginning to suspect someone is sabotaging her project. Charley’s suffering from insomnia and missing her boyfriend, Detective Marcus (Marc) Trenault, who’s in Chicago attending a law enforcement seminar and visiting his father, Warren. Just before Christmas, Dr. Paxton Sharpe, who is a thoracic surgeon, his wife, Judith, and their four-year-old twins, Henry and Phillip, moved into the house next door. Judith’s daughter, Sarah Weller, and Paxton’s son, Brandon, who attends a military academy but is on spring break, are both visiting. The new neighbors keep to themselves and are unfriendly, and Dr. Sharpe’s yelling is quite disturbing. When Charley hears screams, she and Lawrence rush to the Sharpe’s house and find Judith kneeling over Sarah’s body. Marc’s boss, Chief Dwight Zehring, assigns the case to Sgt. George Drummond of the Sheriff’s Homicide Division and Marc is warned that his job is on the line if he does anything on the case without a direct request from Sgt. Drummond. Several people are persons of interest, but when Sgt. Drummond narrows it down to one person, Charley is convinced he’s focusing on the wrong suspect. Charley believes the death might have something to do with a new advice column, Ask Jackie, in the Oakwood Register newspaper. No one knows who answers the questions submitted to the advice column, but Charley suspects Sarah may have written one of the letters seeking advice. As she investigates, Charley uncovers numerous lies and secrets

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

The Advice Column Murders: The Oakwood Mystery Series
By Leslie Nagel
Alibi
April 3, 2018

Review by Cynthia Chow

The momentous decision to temporarily shutter her vintage clothing business in order to rebuild and expand into the wedding and baby retail market isn’t what’s keeping Charley Carpenter awake all night. That dubious honor goes to her new neighbors, whose loud and acrimonious arguments are led by its patriarch, thoracic surgeon Lieutenant Colonel Paxton Sharpe. The household of twins and step-children even return an unwashed plate of welcome cookies, in strict violation of Oakwood, Ohio’s policies of politeness and community. That’s not to say that the massive renovations on the future site of Old Hat New Beginnings are going that smoothly, since accidents and perhaps not-so-accidental disasters are slowing progress and increasing costs. Even with those troubles on Charley’s mind, she’s a bit bored with no crimes to solve and her boyfriend Marc Trenault off in Chicago for a week of law enforcement seminars. That may explain why she and her staff find the Oakwood Register’s new “Ask Jackie” column so enjoyable, as its wicked and biting wit pokes fun at the ignorant while still offering practical advice. One letter does prove to be alarmingly serious in its query and response, especially in light of the body discovered by Charley’s neighbors.

Having been involved in helping to solve two previous murders, Charley’s not about to sit on the sidelines when there’s another literally on her doorstep. While investigating nearly ended her relationship with the man she’d had a crush on for nearly fifteen years, Marc has since learned to accept her inclinations and gives her far more leeway than one would expect in a detective. His gift of a repainted Scooby Mystery Machine van is only one of the signs that he has relaxed his attitude as he watches Charley question her neighbors and those associated with the abrasive Sharpe family. Unfortunately, the investigating officer on the case takes a far less complacent approach, with one interaction between himself and Charley crossing the line into a nearly violent assault. It’s fortunate then that Charley has the support of her father, his live-in caretaker, and her enthusiastic employees. A completely unpredictable twist leads Charley and her friends in new directions, and the resulting emotional impact is compelling. There are enough red herrings woven into the plot that few will solve the mystery before Charley, who never relents in her pursuit of the truth. Her intensity is matched only by her compassion, and readers will look forward to joining her on a path of promising new adventures.

The Advice Columns Murders is the third book in The Oakwood Mystery Series. Having been approved previously to review the second book, I was very happy to get the opportunity to review the third.

Our main character, Charley, is currently renovating and expanding her shop, to be called Old Hat New Beginnings. (Yes, there should be a comma. I agree, but there isn't the several times it is in print.) Unfortunately, there has been a series of "accidents" at the store. There have been no injuries and only minor damage, but it has become a major annoyance. As a result, she's been spending most of her time at home. Next door to her house, a new family has moved in. The father, Paxton, a Lt. Col. in the Air Force, works lots of hours and spends his free time yelling at his family. The mother, Judith, is rather odd, not letting her twins, Henry and Phillip, go to preschool or play with other kids. And the step-daughter and step-son each have their own problems. Then Charley hears a scream and runs into the neighbors' house to find Judith kneeling over her daughter, Sarah's body.

Like the previous story, there are multiple mysteries - one murder followed by another, sabotage to Charley's shop, and the secret identity of the Ask Jackie columnist. Lots of different angles going on at once to add more plots, that all eventually coincide. Very entertaining.

I also should mention, since I did in my review of the previous book, that I like Marc a LOT more in this one. He has dropped his crappy condescending attitude towards Charley and her detecting. He even says at one point: "You're an asset, no the goddamned enemy!" So much better!