A good book. Well written with great characters and a good plot. The storyline flows and the mystery is enjoyable. I highly recommend.,

Cute read with an inept sleuth but shouldn't the lay person be inept? Maybe?
This was a fast read with a good plot twist. I can't wait for more!

I once read somewhere that there’s such a thing as a „women sleuthing” sub-genre of thrillers/mystery novels. Well, even if the sub-genre doesn’t exist (it probably does), I’d say „The Sleeping Lady” definitely belongs in this category.

The story wastes no time taking off. Our main character is Rae Sullivan and together with her best friend Thalia Holcombe she owns a thriving home decor shop specializing in antiques in San Francisco Bay area. (I’ve never been but my mind kept going back to all the movies I saw that were set there. The book’s cover helped too because it was lovely and instilled a sense of coziness in me, even though murder doesn’t strike me as cozy.) One day Thalia comes back home from yet another trip to France and reveals to Rae that she’s been having an affair, her lover is paying a visit in a few days and oh, yes, she’s being blackmailed and she’s pretty sure she knows who the culprit is. Fast forward some and we have Thalia lying face-down in a park, in a pool of her own blood, her cellphone missing. Did the blackmailer do it? Or was it a crime of passion?

Rae wants her best friend’s killer brought to justice and disencouraged by the police’s pace with the investigations or the assumptions they make she is determined to take the matters in her own hands. That takes her all the way to France where she might become an all too convenient target…

Full transparency I literally read 85% of this book in one sitting. I just couldn’t put it down. It was one of those easy breeze reads that allow for a reader to devour pages in no time. I was on fire and I desperately wanted to know who did it so naturally, I stayed up till 3am reading it.

I don’t read much thriller fiction but the setting of this drew me in and I’m definitely glad I stepped out of my immediate comfort zone and reached for this book. It was a solid mystery. It didn’t change my life in any way and odds are I’ll forget about it for the most part soon but while I was reading it, I was definitely very engrossed. I would say that Rae as our main character was tad too naive for my liking but after all we shouldn’t expect a home decor owner to all of a sudden become some expert detective who gets everything right. Detectives don’t, either!

My main issue with „The Sleeping Lady” was the writing style. At times it just felt too efficient and not carrying enough emotion. There were some parts that read like the ingredient box at the back of your canned tomato soup. It was too matter-of-fact for me but maybe it’s just me. I do like the writing style to be more poetic and passionate and this wasn’t that, unfortunately. I’m also not a fan of cheating storylines, unless they are carried out in a believable way. I saw absolutely no reason to condone the cheating that took place in this book and I was often like: ‘so that’s the excuse? Wow’.

I would recommend it to everyone who likes low-key thrillers and just wants to spend an enjoyable couple of hours reading something rather light. It wasn’t bad at all but it also wasn’t memorable enough to give it a higher rating.

**massive thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Home decor business owner Rae becomes enmeshed in a murder investigation when her business partner ends up murdered after going to confront a blackmailer. Great story line, great characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book,it was a well written cozy mystery that was very entertaining.
I hope that the author decides to make this a series.
I highly recommend this book.

Quick mystery story. It was an interesting read that kept my attention. The main character was a horrible detective and that was a bit frustrating but it made for a good quick read.

Rae Sullivan's business partner Thalia has herself a world of trouble--a lover in France, a husband at home, and someone trying to blackmail her. When Thalia goes to San Francisco to confront the blackmailer, she is killed. Even though Rae is married, she's attracted to Thalia's brother, as they try to solve the mystery locally and back in France. The characters are quite interesting and the story keeps your attention right up until the end! I also liked the settings in northern California and France.

Longtime friends Rae Sullivan and Thalia Holcombe were business partners in Le Jardin, a home and garden decor shop located near San Francisco. Many items for sale, both new and vintage, were purchased on shopping trips to France, items catering to the mostly hippie and yuppie clientele. Thalia was currently in Paris betraying her husband under the cover of a buying trip. Although married to successful attorney Garrett, she had embarked upon an affair with Etienne Duchamp, a successful importer/exporter. Thalia decided to share her distress with her bestie, Rae. Before leaving Paris, Thalia found a typewritten note in her hotel room. "I know about your affair. Prepare to pay". The affair must be kept secret from Garrett at all costs. He is about to be made partner in his law firm. Partners must be upstanding family men.

Thalia had planned a 40th Birthday Party for Garrett. Why did she invite her lover, Etienne and his family to help celebrate? Why include Etienne's office manager, Jerome and Etienne's assistant, Marcel? Most puzzling! The morning after Garrett's party, Thalia found an anonymous note under the windshield wiper of her car. This handwritten note stated the blackmailer's demands and instructions. The demand called for $20,000 to be left under a bench at Golden Gate Park at 6:30 P.M. on Monday. Thalia was convinced that Etienne's assistant, Marcel was behind the demands. She intended to confront Marcel at the drop off point. Confiding in Rae, Thalia tried to enlist her help. Rae decided that there was "no way" she would help bring Marcel down in the darkness of night. When Thalia did not return home, Rae made a grisly discovery. Calling the police from the crime scene, Rae explained that Marcel must have killed Thalia. Police spokesman Ryken informed the public that security would be beefed up at the park but that Thalia's death seemed like an isolated incident, a robbery with no sexual assault. It was incumbent upon Rae Sullivan to do her own investigation into the death of her friend, Thalia.

The police investigation was expedited because Garrett Holcombe had friends in high places. Some issues remained unresolved. Garrett had a registered gun. The gun was missing. Rae and Thalia had life insurance policies on each other. Rae had no knowledge of the policies although her signature was affixed on the insurance paperwork.

"The Sleeping Lady: A Mystery" by Bonnie C. Monte is a murder mystery replete with deception and betrayal. Do we really know the ones we love? The unmasked killer was unexpected!

Thank you She Writes Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Sleeping Lady".

I read the Sleeping Lady and was intrigued by both the setting and the mystery. The main character, Rae Sullivan, didn't really leave a lasting impression, but if you are looking for a contemporary mystery with some romance, then I would suggest grabbing a copy.

I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Cute, fun read. I didn’t see the twist coming. I enjoyed the book, but it probably won’t leave a lasting impression on me.

A excellent mystery debut! This is a wonderful story and a great sleuth. I enjoyed the location Of both San Francisco and France. The authors descriptions of locations are charming. The charcters are strong and all add depth to the story. The mystery was well crafted with many twist and turns to the reveal. It was fast paced reading which I enjoy in a mystery. This book kept me captivated until the last page.
Rae, the main character, is a business owner in Marin county near San Francisco of a successful decor shop. When her business partner is murdered after a sordid affair in France with a married man. Rae is determined to find the person responsible as well as the circumstances that led to her death. The sleuth takes Rae back to France to the married man and she begins to retrace her friends steps and learn more about her suspected murderer. Its a excellent sleuth that I enjoyed and great writing with the charcters and locations. Well done !
A 5 star read !

I requested this book on Net Galley and thank She Writes Press and the author for providing me an advance copy.

The Sleeping Lady is a great mystery. I loved the plot, it was fast moving and really kept me glued to the book. I anticipate reading many more books by this author.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I enjoyed this nice easy cosy mystery based in San Francisco and particularly liked the characters

*3.5 stars rounded up.

I was attracted to this debut mystery because it is set near San Francisco, one of my favorite cities. And much to my surprise and delight, we also traveled to France in the course of the story!

Rae and her partner Thalia own Le Jardin, a home and garden decor business with a touch of vintage/French chic in San Anselmo, CA. Thalia has been in France on a 'buying' trip but confesses to Rae that she has fallen in love with a wealthy French importer. Now Thalia is being blackmailed! When she is instructed to leave $20,000 in cash under a bench in SF late at night, she comes up with a plan to catch the SOB...but ends up being killed instead.

The 'Nancy Drew' persona awakens in Rae and she is determined to figure out who killed her best friend. She has zeroed in on one man and travels to France to prove it.

The story is smart and well-paced, dishing out hot clues as needed. The settings, as I've said, are among my favorites and well described; the characters are believable and interesting; the mystery keeps one guessing right up to the end. I am hoping this is the beginning of a new series.

An ARC was provided by the publisher She Writes Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity!

Rae and her husband, Paul seem to have and ideal life together. Rae and her partner, Thalia, own a home decor business that focuses on French items. Everything changes when Thalia is murdered after confessing an adulterous affair with a married man from France that she got together with during her buying trips. Everyone is a suspect including Rae. She gets involved investigating, even traveling to France to follow up leads. I like Rae, she is a sensible character who really appears care about the people around her. The descriptions of locations, gardens, hiking trails, farm and France add to the appeal. I would read more from this author. I read an Arc of this book from Netgalley.

Rae and her partner Thalia operate an upscale home decor store in San Francisco, but Thalia has a secret and someone else knows. She has been having an affair with a man she met in France on buying trips, but someone is blackmailing her. When she attends to confront the blackmailer, she is murdered. Rae is driven to find the truth.

Loved it! A clever and intriguing mystery full of surprises. Lots of suspects. Mt. Tam is a beautiful area. Haven't been to France, but enjoyed reading about it during that portion of the book.

This was a very enjoyable little mystery. The plot was inventive, the characters were well-written (if not always entirely likeable), and the setting was charming. In addition, he mystery itself wasn't completely obvious. It would make for a fun vacation read.

I really enjoyed this! Mysteries like this are a guilty pleasure of mine: This story follows Thalia and her best friend. They have a store together which was opened up after the company she was working for closed down. That right there could be a story all by itself! Can we make this happen? Thalia started to receive threatening letters demanding money or they would expose her secret to her husband. She decided to trap the person doing this by agreeing. She ends up dead. Now, who is it? So many suspects and definitely one that crosses your mind only briefly. Shocking ending. Can we also get another book on the romance at the end? Please 🤗 Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this digital ARC for a review. Loved it!

An entertaining light mystery. It had some serious elements in it but was more of a cozy than a thriller. Very readable but didn't require a ton of thought--perfect for a beach read.