Beaches in Paradise by Kathi Daley: This is a fabulous Cozy Mystery with lots of suspense. There’s so many suspects in this book and plot twists that it will keep you guessing and nail the very end. Recommended read.

Over the summer I had the pleasure of being sent Beaches in Paradise by Kathi Daley. She is one of the most amazing authors and this is such a great series. I love the new cover and the series is brilliant. I have no idea how Kathi keeps up with all her series and continues to amaze us all with her writing.

Coming into fall nothing screams the last note of summer like a Kathi Daley book. Beaches in Paradise, Tj Jensen is on her own. Not able to sleuth because of the new deputy this mystery was a bit more work for her. I really like that most of Tj’s mysteries are friend and loved one based, they always make me more eager to team up with Tj to help solve the crime.

This was a light-hearted and fun mystery. It was easy to enjoy and sparked the beach vibes for me (look at this cover!) and made the sun come out on the rainy day I was reading this book. It is one that will be a great read year around.

This is book 9 in the TJ Jensen series and it’s a good one. TJ’s friend is missing and police think she may have killed a developer who wants to change their small ski resort town. TJ and Kyle search for Gina and eventually find her in an abandoned cabin tied up and unconscious. TJ and Kyle are moving along in the Romance department and with school soon starting they want the murder solved. Good cozy mystery with a solution that is well written and exciting. I received a copy of this arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Beaches in Paradise

by Kathi Daley

When you read a book in the Tj Jensen Mystery Series, you can count on a solid cozy mystery with likable main characters, strong family ties, and a good plot. Beaches in Paradise is a no exception. Maggie’s Hideaway is a family owned resort on Paradise Lake where Maggie works part-time when she is not busy as the local P.E. teacher and soccer coach. Maggie is also raising her two half-sisters and slowly developing her relationship with Kyle. Both enjoy functioning as a team to help solve local mysteries. What Maggie doesn’t enjoy is her confrontational encounters with Paradise’s new deputy Kate who warns Maggie off of amateur sleuthing and displays subtle hints of interest in Kyle.

Maggie involves herself in a murder and disappearance when an unpopular businessman is found dead in a wrecked car and her friend Gina is nowhere to be found. I had to suspend belief a little in considering the lengths Maggie went to find Gina. The action would have been more convincing if more background on Gina and Maggie’s two year friendship had been provided. Gina teaches math and Maggie P.E. at the local high school.There are no further details to support the strong bond they are supposed to have.

Plot is one of the main strengths of Beaches in Paradise. Three-fourths of the way through the book, after many interviews and lots of twists and turns, a huge part of the mystery is solved and everyone breathes a sigh of relief. There is more suspense to come, however, and it extends quite engagingly all the way to the second surprise ending. This is a solid series and one you will enjoy.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery

Notes: #9 in the Tj Jensen Mystery Series, but is OK as a standalone.

Publication: July 17, 2018 — Henery Press

Memorable Lines:

Once we were ready, Kyle and I climbed into the van with our troupe of geriatric sleuths. I hated to put the men in danger, but I knew they were clearheaded adults able to make up their own minds.

“More than anyone I know, you always make sure the people you care for are all right.”

I’ve read and enjoyed this series from the beginning. With this new book, “Beaches in Paradise”, Kathi Daley has come up with an interesting and fun mystery (actually, two for the price of one, which kept me guessing pretty much until the end.)

While I enjoyed solving the mysteries along with TJ, I felt like her relationship to Gina (one of the victims) was stretched pretty far to justify her involvement in solving the crime. Also, something I have problems with in a mystery, is a sleuth who steps too far into an investigation to the point of removing clues one step ahead of the police arriving, and somehow justifying the hampering of a legal investigation. TJ does this more than once in this story. She’s actually called out on both of these issues but finds a way to deflect her friends and families concerns.

Not so much for me as a reader. However, these are two small issues but ones that I think the author might want to be aware of as she writes further stories in this series.

The story involves a murder and a missing person. TJ and her boyfriend Kyle are interrupted by both as they seek to spend their first weekend together and their personal plans get set aside.

There are a lot of clues and red-herrings. Old friends show up and new friends are made. It is a good story, even with its issues, and one that makes me happy to look forward to the next installment in the series.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

Kathi Daley's ninth book in the TJ Jensen Mystery series is Beaches in Paradise. This was a fast paced mystery that moved only quickly with only a small amount of side information. It can be read on its own, but I felt that I got more out of the story from having read previous books. TJ's friend Gina is missing and a dead man is found in her vehicle. TJ and her boyfriend, Kyle, are racing to find Gina and the murderer. This series deviates a bit from the typical cozy mystery. While it has many of the normal parts (family resort, animals, slight romance), the characters lean toward the methodical side when solving a mystery. It is a more serious but still fun cozy mystery.

“Beaches in Paradise” earns 5/5 Suspicious Secret Files…Clever!

Tj and boyfriend Kyle Donovan are enjoying a bonfire kicking off the Summer Festival. Their relationship has become more serious over the past few weeks and the idea of moving to a more intimate level has occupied their thoughts. However, seeing Deputy Kate Baldwin approaching them causes concern. “Do you know Gina Roberts?” led to questions of her whereabouts and connection to Striker Bristow, a developer who had earlier been a suspect in the death of a local judge. But, now he’s dead, bullet in his back, found in Gina’s car smashed up against a tree, and Gina? Nowhere to be found.

Kathi Daley has another “Hit in Paradise!” In my experience, cozy authors all have their own style to show the investigative method used by their lead character, but I've noticed some have the characters just go off willy-nilly seeking answers often ignoring official channels. I cringe sometimes when I feel it isn't want real people would do, even if it is a fictional world. However, Kathi Daley’s style has a more realistic approach. She has her characters, like Tj, using critical thinking strategies, mapping or recording clues, informally approaching witnesses and suspects, and working cooperatively with rather than circumventing law enforcement. Ok, Tj and Kyle did visit key scenes without permission, and is that evidence in her pocket? Daley’s settings are often small towns or small resort communities where residents are very familiar with each other. Therefore being family of or friends with local police, and in return, police recognizing a private citizen is helpful to their mission provides an engaging realism that I enjoy. Did I mention she always incorporates “fur” friends?

This is a fast paced story that reads very quickly. I'm a fan of this series and the stories are always well written and entertaining.
Tj is hoping for some quality time with her boyfriend, but when a friend disappears, she can't help but help look into things.
I volunteered to read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

wow, this book is full of wonderful characters. It is fast paced and full of interesting plot twist that will keep you interested. I flew through the pages . I highly recommend this book. Thanks netgalley for the arc. The opinion are my honest review.

Kathi Daley is one of the best cozy mystery writers there are. Beaches in Paradise is part of her TJ Jensen series and it doesn't disappoint.

Our delightful couple have not only a murder mystery to solve but also a kidnapping, maybe. A potential romantic weekend ends up with them trying to locate their missing friend. Fast moving and totally engaging story with a few twists, turns, and surprises, along with some sweet moments. The publisher provided a copy via NetGalley. Entertaining series.

I liked this, but it's not my favourite in the series, and I'm not loving the fractious relationship Tj has with the new female police officer - it pushes a bunch of my cozy crime buttons. It's always a bit of a balancing act for me with the amateur detectives about why they're getting themselves involved and what the authorities think about it and for me, having a character who's always telling Tj to stay out of the investigations and threatening her with (justifiable) consequences to meddling tips it over into the "why are you doing this" and "stop breaking the law" end of the spectrum. And Tj gets up to some dubious stuff in this. I actually feel sorry for the poor lady police officer who is constantly having her working relationship with her partner undermined by Tj's interference. They need to sort this out or I think I'll have to check out of this series.

Not your average cozy. Ms Daley has many twists, turns and misdirections to keep you hopping. This is a fast read. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. A kidnapping, a murder, and some romance. Are the kidnapping and murder related? Could be. Will the kidnap victim become the second victim? Or someone else?

What will happen? Will TJ be arrested for interfering in Kate’s investigation(s)? TJ won’t stop until they find Gina.

I recommend this book if you like to think through the puzzles and see if you can solve all the mysteries introduced.

Beaches in Paradise is a well written murder mystery. I enjoyed the plot and characters. I have not read previous books in this series but look for ward to reading them. Mystery fans will love this boo.

4 stars
TJ Jenson’s co-worker and friend, Gina, is missing after a serious accident where the local shady commercial developer, Striker Bristow, is found dead. TJ enlists the help of her boyfriend, Kyle, to track down Gina. TJ fears she has been kidnapped after investigating the scene of the accident and finding evidence that Gina fled into the woods.
TJ doesn’t have the immediate help of her cop friend Roy and instead has to avoid instigating the cop on duty who doesn’t appreciate the assistance of an amateur investigator.
With the help of Kyle, TJ learns that Gina was helping Striker with his bid to the local council for permission to develop a strip mall. The strip mall development has various opponents and at first this appears to be the likely motive behind Striker’s death and car accident. A couple other suspects, including Striker’s ex-wife are in abundance.
As Kyle and TJ investigate Gina, they find that a supposed long, lost half-brother is supposedly visiting her. The brother is suspicious in his absence after the accident and while investigating, TJ finds out that Gina had suspicions that the man visiting is not her half-brother but an imposter.
The story is faced paced and interesting. This is the first story I have read of this series. Didn’t immediately fall in love with TJ and that is the reason for just the 4 stars. Her character just didn’t have something I connected to. The mystery is great though, so definitely worth a read.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher, Henery Press, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Beaches in Paradise is Kathi Daley’s 9th book in her Tj Jensen Mystery series. As the story begins it is late July and just a few weeks before the new school year is set to begin. Tj and boyfriend Kyle Donovan are at a faculty party held on the beach by Paradise Lake held each year. Deputy Kate Baldwin arrives, first speaking with the principal, then seeking out Tj to ask some questions regarding her friend and colleague Gina Roberts.

It seems there has been an accident. Gina’s car has been found wrapped around a tree. The driver is missing although there is a lot of blood on the seat. The passenger, disreputable developer Slider Bristow, is dead in the passenger seat, but it was a bullet in his back rather than the accident that did the misdeed.
Gina, obviously injured, is missing and Tj and Kyle set out to find her even though Kate warns them not to interfere with her investigation.

With so many twists and turns you will feel the effects of a roller coaster ride, Ms. Daley once again spins a delightful cozy mystery that will have you reading as fast as you can to uncover what has happened to Gina, which of Striker’s dastardly deeds has led to his demise, and where Tj’s new relationship will lead her.

Ms. Daley’s characters are rich and multidimensional. The setting is the beautiful alpine area not far from Reno. The plot is as twisted as they get. This is the perfect series to feed the mystery lovers cravings. For all of these reasons, I do recommend this book!

Beaches In Paradise
Tj Jensen Mystery, Book #9
Kathi Daley
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Tj Jensen’s life is thrown into turmoil when a good friend turns up missing after a serious auto accident. Not only is the driver of the vehicle, Gina Roberts, nowhere to be found, but she’s the prime suspect in the murder of her passenger, Striker Bristow.

He didn’t die from injuries relating to the accident. He was shot in the back.

With Roy out of town and Kate running the show, Tj finds herself again excluded from the official investigation. She knows it would be wise not to anger the new deputy, who seems to be looking for a reason to have her arrested, but Tj knows that time is of the essence and the stakes are high.

She enlists the help of her friends to accomplish the impossible and find the woman who seems to have simply disappeared.

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BEACHES IN PARADISE by Kathi Daley | A Henery Press Mystery. If you love one, you’ll probably love them all. (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. I always look forward to spending time with this author’s characters, they are people I would like to be friends with. Tj and Kyle have a special relationship and they are growing closer. But before they can have a special romantic weekend, they have to solve two mysteries, a murder and a kidnapping. Hopefully they are up to the task and can still have some alone time together.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The author is very talented in both her descriptive writing and creating wonderful small towns. This combination draws the reader into the book and takes them along on a delightful journey.

As I said before, there are two mysteries to solve in this book, which happens often with this author. There were plenty of suspects to consider and clues to sift through. Throw in some twists and turns and they were not easy to solve, which is how I like my mysteries.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. With a great cast of characters, two mysteries to solve, adorable dogs and romance, you are sure to love this book.

TJ is looking forward to some alone time with boyfriend Kyle, her sisters are off on a camping trip with friends and her father has gone to get some physical therapy from the accident that he is still recovering from. While at a gathering for teachers TJ is questioned about a friend and learns that she is missing and a man was found shot in her car. With the help of Kyle she decides to investigate and figure out just what happened and hopes to find her friend along the way. Her favorite cop Roy is out of town so she knows that she has to be careful and can't let the newest member of the force know that she is looking into things. No one cared for the dead man, he was trying to build a strip mall in the area and most people weren't happy about it, but why kidnap her friend? As TJ gets further into the investigation she learns her friend was working with the man, she had a half brother TJ had never heard of, and that she had some hidden secrets on her laptop. Nothing makes sense to her and she begins to wonder how well she knows her friend. Follow along as TJ and Kyle sneak into a house, break into a computer store, and go to the scene of the crime in hopes of finding some much needed answers into what really happened and why. As always the author delivers a fun whodunit that will have you looking at everyone and jumping from suspect to suspect.

“Beaches In Paradise” moves quickly and has one surprise after another as far as plot twists! T.J. Jensen and her boyfriend, Kyle Donovan, work together closely to locate a missing woman plus figure out who she’s been secretly working for and what’s in the encrypted file on her computer that even software expert/hacker Kyle can’t even break into. Then, there’s the question of why a dead man was found in her car? This mystery is first rate with a lot of suspects roaming around Paradise Lake. I like T.J.’s family, and I like that she and Kyle are growing closer—they make a great couple. Pet lovers will enjoy the animals in the story.

I reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and Henery Press. Thank you.