Book 2 in the funeral home murder mysteries with Desiree. Good series overall. Quick and easy read. Would recommend.

This is a really interesting story - I could not put it down! I had no problem reading this book as a standalone story even though it's the second book in the series. The story was really a great mystery with lots of moving parts.

The story is about Desiree Turner, a part time journalist and part time funeral home employee at her family's business. During a funeral planning session, Desiree overhears a concerning conversation between two sisters when they think they are alone.. As Desiree looks into the death of the father of these women, another questionable death occurs in town, a woman named Violet Daughtery.. This relatively healthy young woman passed out behind the wheel of her car and crashed. The medical examiner finds some questionable clues in the death leading him to believe it was not an accident.

Desiree is on the case, and has taken temporary custody of Violet's dog, Orion, who seems like such a loveable guy. I laughed out loud at times and I really had a hard time putting this down! I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a great cozy mystery.

Thanks to the publishers and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

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

I love this series. It is quite different than the cozy mysteries that I am used to reading. The plot kept me on the esge of my seat from the first page to the very last.

I really enjoyed this second book in Lillian Bell's Funeral Parlor Mystery series. There are several different aspects that I enjoyed about the book.
The first aspect is the characters. I found the main character, Desiree Turner, to be a very determined, hardworking woman. At the first sign that a death could be suspicious, she starts doing her own investigations. Even when no one in Verbena believes there could be a killer in their own neighborhood, she does not stop until she finds the culprit.
I also really enjoyed the snippets of the newspaper articles that are included at the beginning of the chapters. I feel like they give a respite from the serious atmosphere. They also lead into the storyline and give the reader better ideas about what is happening.

I am definitely interested in reading more from this author and more in the series!

This is a cute series, I really like Desiree and the setting of the town and funeral parlor. Her ME boyfriend and background as a reporter sure help her nose around various issues when she isn't sure if the deceased died naturally.

Princess Fuzzypants here: It’s always good when an author writes a first book that you like and then when the second book in the series comes out, you realize you have a winner here. The Funeral Parlour series is good example. Desiree who has returned home in ignominy thanks to a viral boo boo with a live mike that torpedoed her journalism career. Luckily she has a family business onto she can fall back even if she is not sure at all if she is suited for it. She still can keep her hand in journalism thanks to a friend who hires her to write articles for her local newspaper but perhaps this combination of investigative reporter and funeral parlour employee might be deadly.
It seems she is getting a bad rep of finding killers and now business is not booming. It seems no one wants to be accused of murder. It is really unfair to Desiree, After all she was right the first time and now, all she was doing was asking if there might be something less than obvious going on with the death of an old man in hospice and the single car accident of a local woman with an unsavoury pastime. Despite the pleas of her family to cease and desist, she is like the dog with the proverbial bone.
She just cannot help herself. And neither can I. I truly enjoy this series because the characters are full blooded, intelligent and interesting. The stories are solid and there is just the right touch of suspense and romance. Plus there are some awesome fur balls.
Five purrs and two paws up.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught.

What a great follow up to the first Funeral Parlor mystery! Desiree is a tenacious gal on a mission! She is a fun and intantly likable character. Now the wait for book 3 begins...

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

Desiree Turner of Turner Family Funeral Home makes a living dealing with the affairs of the dead, pun intended Usually that means tying up loose ends with their last wishes in the way of a funeral or a cremation, but lately it is because she stumbles into a mystery of how the deceased came to be. In this installment we find Desiree making the arrangements for a client that appeared to have died innocently, but an estranged family member asks Desiree to step in to take care of some loose ends on their behalf, due to distance and Desiree ends up fostering (keeping) the departed's pet due to no one stepping up and that she bonded immediately with the dog. As she uncovers some details that dont make the death look like natural causes, there are situations that are trying to dissuade her from looking into this not so innocent accident and she finds out that the deceased was blackmailing others. Desiree is looking all over for the whodunit, meanwhile the mystery surrounding her own father's disappearance appears to be tied in somehow. This series is unputdownable'.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Love!

If the Coffin Fits is the second installment in the A Funeral Parlor Mystery series set in Verbena, CA and featuring funeral parlor assistant, Desiree Turner. Still not completely over losing her reporting job over a viral misstep and having to move back home, Desiree is making the best of working part time for the local newspaper and helping out in her family's funeral home.

With her sister Donna on bed rest due to a difficult pregnancy, Desiree finds herself having to work more in the funeral home. During the services for Frank Fiore, she overhears a suspicious conversation between his two daughters, Daisy and Iris. The sisters take offense when Desiree questions them and soon begin telling everyone that Desiree had accused them of killing their father resulting in a rash of cancellations at Turner's.

Determined to ease her family concerns regarding her rash behavior, Desiree is tasked with handling the arrangements for Violet Dougherty, a local woman killed in a single car accident. Having been on scene of the accident for her newspaper job, Desiree thinks something is not quite right about the woman's death. She begs boyfriend Nate Johar, the M.E. to look closely at Violet's body and he quickly confirms her suspicions that Violet's death was no accident.

With Violet's only living relative on the other side of the country, Desiree is asked to handle all the arrangements including finding a home for Violet's dog Orion and putting her house on the market. While going through the woman's belongings Desiree discovers a cache of pictures that indicate Violet is blackmailing and holding secrets over a lot of people's heads. Her investigative reporting instincts kicking in, she sets out to find a killer and save the Turner reputation.

A fast paced plot with plenty of suspects. A quirky cast of characters and an adorable pup that will have you chuckling out loud. A secondary plot that continues from book one in the series intertwines with the death of Violet and the author ends with another cliffhanger regarding the disappearance of Desiree's father.

I received an advanced copy of If the Coffin Fits from NetGalley via Crooked Lane Books. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this second book of the Funeral Parlor Mystery series. Though the connection between Desiree and the murder victim was a bit tenuous, the author really sold me on Desiree's need to find out what happened to her and I found it easy to suspend my disbelief. I also really appreciated the way the author made Desiree's desire to solve crime - and her resulting nosiness into things that are not her business - a part of the story, showing how the people in the community begin to consider taking their business elsewhere for fear Desiree will accuse them of murder. Every cozy mystery has the same challenge of making it seem plausible that one amateur sleuth would uncover so many crimes, and my favorites tend to be the ones that address that problem head-on. I also continue to be totally intrigued by the clues we've been given about the fate of Desiree's dad, who is presumed dead, but may well be alive. I can't wait for the next book to provide more hints as to his true whereabouts.

Lillian Bell's IF THE COFFIN FITS is a strong addition to A Funeral Parlour Mystery series that will keep readers engaged and guessing until the bitter end.

Desiree is still working at her family's funeral home after her hot mic incident as a reporter...growing up and working in a funeral home, she is no stranger to dead bodies, but when she senses that a dead body seems suspicious and an "accident" victim also appears suspicious she sets out to learn the truth, much to the dismay of her sister and the police.

This was well-written and a quick read. I was completely captivated by the possibility that Desiree's dad may be alive after all! There was a great cliffhanger at the end of the book and I cannot wait for book #3! 4 stars

This is book 2 in the Funeral Parlor Mystery Series and is easily a stand alone. I did not read book one but I will. Desiree is helping out her sister and family at the family funeral home while she looks for work as a journalist. When she overhears a suspicious conversation by two sisters planning their Dad's funeral she files it in the back of her head. When a young woman is killed several days later some thing hags at Desiree and before long the mystery comes to a head. A good read that has a good cozy and some great characters. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It’s always a treat to hang out with Desiree Turner and friends again. While reading this series you find yourself forgetting that the setting is a funeral home. Somehow Desiree’s knack for bringing scandal to the Turner Family Funeral Home makes you forget about that.
This book finds Desiree up to her neck in trouble. She’s still working as an assistant funeral director while her sister, Donna is slowly getting off bed rest due to her troubled pregnancy. Desiree has promised she would stay out of trouble so Donna could rest peacefully. Well, that’s not going to happen. Desiree finds herself overhearing two sisters squabbling over the finalization of their father’s funeral; a few days before a young woman who was healthy by all accounts has a car accident that raises Nate’s suspicions, he’s concerned by several factors of this woman’s death. He’s brought it to Luke’s attention, the detective for VPD and it’s fallen on deaf ears. But Nate is convinced of foul play.
Desiree contacts the deceased woman’s next kin and she's clueless, not only is she across the country but she’s never met Violet, Desiree feels sorry for the cousin and agrees to help take care Violet’s estate for her. She finds more than she bargains when she agrees to help Nate investigate Violet’s death and deal with her scattered brained cousin.
The only plus so far happens to be Violet’s puppy which at first leaves Desiree in a full panic. What on earth will she do with this lovable puppy? She’s promised her family she’ll get rid of it but as time goes on, it’s harder and harder.
Several odd things happen while they are investigating Violet’s death.
Again Desiree has brought trouble to the family business, they are getting cancellations and talk is going around about Desiree’s crazy accusations. She’s finding out a lot about certain members of the town. Violet wasn’t a very likable person and Desiree is caught between a rock and hard place with all the information she’s gathered. She’s also discovers something that will change her families lives forever.
This is such a fun cozy, I’ve read the first one but it reads well as a stand-alone. The characters are so engaging and I love the way the writer left it open. I would love to see another book in this series.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a copy of this galley from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. The opinion I expressed above are my own.

If the Coffin Fits by Lillian Bell is the second book in the Funeral Parlor Mystery series. Desiree works at her family's funeral home and should be used to people dying. Instead she is finding every death suspicious, and it is starting to cause problems for her family's business. She also discovers that some people have no problem speaking ill of the dead. That is the case of Violet who died in a car accident, and the source of Desiree's latest investigation. Despite the funeral parlor theme, this is not a morbid series. Desiree and her family as well as the other characters are charming. This book easily stands on it own and is a strong second installment. I look forward to many more in the series.

I really enjoyed this fast-paced cozy. I found the characters enjoyable and the mystery had plenty of twists for me. I will definitely read more by this author. I recieved a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Desiree Turner has returned home to Verbena, California after her on-air reporting career implodes after a hot mic incident goes viral. She now works as an assistant funeral director at her family's funeral home and also does a part-time gig at the local newspaper. An odd remark by the late Frank Fiore’s daughters raises some alarm bells for Desiree about his death. When Violet Daugherty dies after crashing her car, Desiree is suspicious about her death too. Violet's cousin asks Desiree for help beyond her normal duties by getting Violet's house ready for sale. Desiree reluctantly agrees and ends up adopting Violet's adorable puppy Orion. Desiree also finds a hidden key that opens a safe containing incriminating photos. Was Violet blackmailing these people? Desiree's snooping unexpectedly leads to rumors that she is accusing her clients of murder. This leads to several sudden cancellations at the funeral home and the family is afraid of going out of business. But Desiree is determined to find the truth behind Violet's death at any cost.

This was a fun read. I received an eARC via Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

From investigative reporter to assistant manager of the family funeral parlor isn’t exactly how Desiree Turner saw her life going. It certainly makes things interesting and she has the side job working for the local paper. So of course she can’t help but want to investigate when she over hears a couple of bereaved sisters talking in hushed tones about something that shouldn’t have happened. Did the caregiver sister Iris end her father’s life a little sooner than nature would have? And why did her latest “customer” Violet have bruises on the tops of her hands if she supposedly fell asleep at the wheel and fatally crashed into an embankment. Not that Desiree needs any encouragement to snoop around but when her former high school boyfriend and current interest ME Nate says that something is “hinky” about the death. To top it off Desiree is the only person who believes that her Dad did not die when he went surfing 6 months ago, after all there was no body recovered and the odd trinkets and notes that were left shortly after the incident that pointed to her Dad still being in the land of the living. Desiree is the girl next door, even though that door leads to a mortuary. She is outgoing and jovial with a great group of friends. While we don’t usually think of a funeral home being a true home, the Turner family, sister Donna and Uncle Joey make it feel just like that. Great story line can’t wait to read the next, especially with the cliff hanger ending.