Deadly News is the debut cozy novel by author Jody Holford, and is a nice blend of small town cozy mystery with just the right amount of romance on the side. Molly has left California for an editorial position in Britton Bay on the Oregon Coast, and is soon embroiled in a murder investigation after she finds her antagonistic employee dead, and believes she's responsible for the circumstances leading to his demise. Plenty of likable characters, and a mystery that kept this reader guessing until the very end - as well as a couple of red herrings thrown in to keep me on my toes. I absolutely recommend this book, and I'm eagerly anticipating the next release in the series. A+++

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

Of course I love this genre to bits (cozy mystery) and I read so much of it that I'd like to think I know when a series has potential or not. I really think this one is on to a winner, with only a few small things buggin me throughout and generally enjoying this book. It is the first in a new series, so we get plenty of introductions, but each of the characters had that special small town feel that really makes a great cozy.

The mystery was pretty good too, even if I guessed it waaaaay too early. I was a little thrown though by a late change, but in the end my hunch was correct! There is a cute romance shaping up, and thankfully no love triangle here. Woo!

A fun cozy with good potential. Four stars.

First of all, I love the adorable cover showing cute puppy, Tigger. This new series has potential with a likeable protagonist, Molly Owens, and an interesting supporting cast of characters. I found the starting pace peppy, then it slowed in the middle, and picked back up in the latter part of the story. The plot is centered around reporter, Molly, and the newsroom and employees she’s just started working with in the charming seaside town of Britton Bay, Oregon. When one of the staff starts researching a news story and is murdered, can newcomer Molly help police solve the mystery?

Being a very traditional cozy mystery reader, I was both surprised and shocked that Molly quickly established a romantic relationship with mechanic, Sam Alderich. I’m happier when the mystery stays centerstage and any romance develops slowly, along with trust. I also found the killer reveal quite abrupt, and the reasoning a scenario I’ve read many times before. I give this story 3-1/2 Stars which I graded up to a 4 Star Review because I did like Molly and many of the other characters, and I hope to see more originality in future books.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Lyrical Underground. Thank you.

Deadly News by Jody Holford was a very fun and enjoyable read. I really loved all of the main characters, especially Molly and Sam. While I tend to get tired of the "new girl in town finds romance immediately" plot device, I actually enjoyed it in this story. It gave the readers something else to focus on aside from the murder. It was also very relatable because most of us remember what it felt like to meet someone new and begin dating... all the butterflies and making a fool of yourself. I laughed out loud several times during the Molly and Sam interactions. By the time I was 3/4 the way into Deadly News, I knew who the killer was. But I was wrong about why they did it. I really liked how the author crafted the mystery, while also crafting a romance story as well. It almost felt like I was reading a book based off of a Hallmark movie, which isn't a bad thing. I'd definitely watch the movie if Hallmark ever made one based on this book. And I'll for sure be reading the next book in this series.

Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Deadly News by Jody Holford is story about Molly Owens who is an experienced Journalist and one who is working hard for her publication. A story is out there and she gets someone to investigate it more. While doing so, he ends up dead. Why? Would he find something out that someone did not want out there? This is a brilliantly written thriller with a lot of twists involved to make you wond who the actual killer is. The protagonist, Molly, is a very likeable character who you will ant o root for. I loved this murder mystery and thought the author did an excellent job at entertaining the reader and keeping them gripped throughout.

Thank you to the author as well netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.


5++ stars ⭐️ out of 5

What a great story! The reader immediately falls in love with the setting, it is perfect! I love that this is a new story with a fresh idea that hasn't been over used. The characters are fabulous, you either love them or hate them, depending. The author does a really great job of writing the mystery and setting the perfect tone for this story! I cannot wait for more!

Really enjoyed this book. Very easy, fun, quick read. Ending was a surprise. Great cast of characters that I hope develops more in future books. Highly recommend!

This new cozy is off to a good start!

At 28 Molly Owens leaves L.A. for a fresh start in Britton Bay, Oregon. Now editor of the small town weekly newspaper, Molly finds herself dealing with older, established employees, one who is a challenge from the start.

When Molly finds Vernon's dead body she feels guilty for forcing him to do an interview with the elderly town patriarch whose family's stories don't line up with Vernon's notes.

This is a town with a great variety of characters including Molly's landlady, Katherine, eatery owner & waitress Calliope Jacobs and milkshake specialist Callan Blair.

I can see many more cozy adventures as Molly crosses paths with Det. Chris Beaton and mechanic Sam Alderich.

Can you imagine moving to a new town and quickly finding yourself in the middle of work drama plus a murder? What a good book. I like the pace of the book. It doesn't feel rushed and yet the book keeps moving forward at a good pace. Sam and his mom are delightful. I like our main character. She has spunk! Overall a good read!

Enjoyed this book and as it is the first in the series, I look forward to more. The characters and the setting are interesting and I can't wait to see how everything with Molly works out.

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Deadly News by Jody Holford was a cute and engaging read.

Molly Owens is an experienced journalist and has accepted the position of editor for a struggling small town newspaper. She is smart and funny and is looking forward to making a new home for herself in Britton Bay, OR. I liked Molly immediately and the other characters are equally likable. The plot was smooth and quickly paced with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. The reveal was quite a surprise as I never guessed the identity of the murderer. There were also a few quirky characters in this small town that I would love to get to know more about, so I hope there will be more books in this series.

Yes!!! I am so thrilled to have found a new cozy mystery series to read! Jody Holford is a pro at these books and it is shown through her writing style, characters, and mystery. I adored this book. I read it in one sitting and I couldn't put it down! It held my interest, made me excited to pick it back up when I had to stop reading, and then made me sad when the book was through because I knew I had to wait until the next book is released.

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, I recommend this one!

I’ve been curious about cozy mysteries since I started watching Courtney’s videos and following her reviews. She’s so passionate about them, and makes them sound like so much fun that I thought I should really give them a shot, which is what prompted me to request Deadly News from Netgalley.

Molly Owens is an experienced editor who packs up her things and moves from the city to the town of Britton Bay for a sea change. She’s eager to move on from some decisions that have left her feeling less than herself, and the welcome townsfolk help her settle in pretty quickly… until she finds one of the reporters she works with dead after pushing him to investigate a prominent local family.

First up, I have to say that this was just a delightfully easy read, full of wonderful characters who jumped off the page. Molly is clearly a strong, independent woman who is determined to carve out a new home for herself. She sees herself as responsible for the death of the reporter and seeks to uncover the truth behind it – even if it gets her into trouble.

Then you have Sam, the local mechanic who takes an immediate liking to Molly, and is honestly just so adorable that you have to wonder how he finds himself getting caught up in Molly’s investigation. The rest of the characters and the local hot spots of Britton Bay drew me in to the town – I wish I had some of the awesome local eateries near me (although my bank account is probably grateful that I don’t!) – and made me want to keep reading.

I can truly see the appeal of cozy mysteries, even from this first dip into the genre. Deadly News was the perfect read to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea with. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

This is a great start to an entertaining new mystery series featuring interesting characters, a plot to keep you guessing all the way through and a wonderful small town setting filled with good friends, good food and just the right amount of romance. When Molly Owens finds her boyfriend in their bed with another woman, she quickly realized that it was time for a changed and relocated from California to Britton Bay, Oregon when she takes the job of editor of the Britton Bay Bulletin. When she arrives at work she finds more than she bargained for with a less than friendly co-worker in Vernon. When Vernon fails to arrive at work the day after she sends him out on an interview assignment, Molly goes to his home to find out what happened to him. What happened was that someone had murdered Vernon and Molly, worried that her assignment may have led to his death, is determined to see justice done. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing Molly's next adventure.

I enjoyed this first in a new series. Molly is new to Britton Falls, working as the new copy editor for the newspaper.
While most of her coworkers accept Molly, one cantankerous co-worker is not too pleased.
When Molly discovers his body, she uses her investigative instincts to dig into his death.
This is a well written story, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.
I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.