Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane books for providing an advanced digital read copy of MURDER ONCE REMOVED by S. C. Perkins in exchange for an unbiased review. This is the first book in the proposed new Ancestor Detective series featuring Lucy Lancaster, a genealogist living in Austin, Texas.
Lucy, the protagonist is a barely thirty year old genealogist who has her own business researching people’s ancestry. In this first book, she has been researching for a prominent Texas family and uncovered documented proof that a over one hundred years ago, a family member was murdered. A news conference held by the Texas billionaire who commissioned Lucy to do the research results in his public accusation of a state rival as being a descendant of the murderer. In truth, there are two primary individuals who might be descendants of the murderer, and Lucy’s research is inconclusive in determining which of the two has the guilty forebear.
Genealogy research and historical research are both featured in this book along with an historical murder and how that has affected descendants in the present. There are more situations that occur for Lucy to evade than there are clues and red herrings for the reader to solve. Lucy is a thirty-something single woman who comes across as a bit immature in spite of her advanced academic credits.
Rounding out the likely on-going characters are two friends, both single and beautiful, a handsome FBI agent who provides a love-hate relationship for Lucy and a father figure taco restaurant owner, Big Flaco. Big Flaco is the most interesting of these characters with his oversized presence topped by his active moustache. Of all the characters in the book I found Big to have the most depth and unique personality.
As the first book in a proposed series, this may appeal to readers who have an interest in ancestry and genealogy research It also leans toward the romantic mystery in the budding relationship between Lucy and the FBI agent, which may appeal to a segment of the reading public. I found it difficult to develop an interest in Lucy and her friends as they seemed more two-dimensional than characters who typically appeal to me.

Not as expected. Interesting premise but heavy on the genealogy jargon and slow paced. A little more thriller than cozy.

a new mystery series featuring genealogist Lucy Lancaster the plot was easy to follow, and narrator Lucy was a genial and clear guide through the mysteries set both in the present day and in the past a good start to a the series

Murder Once Removed
Wow loved this first book with Lucy Lancaster as a Genealogist.
With a combination of a mystery murder and genealogy is my ideal of heaven.
Good strong characters and a brillent story line .
If I could give this book 10 stars I would. A perfect book for me
Many thanks to St Martin’s press and Nettgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this first book by SC Perkins.

I love the idea of a past family member mystery along with a current one. I look forward to the next book.

Murder Once Removed ⭐️⭐️⭐️S.C.Perkins

I enjoyed this book somewhat. The character of Lucy Lancaster was a tenacious genealogist on the hunt for families ancestry and proves a murder back from 1849.

That being said. The book was a mired with such technical terminology I found myself quite lost.

This was a smart, interesting read! I'm no genealogy fiend, and there were a couple of times where the narrator lost me with explanations. But in general, the plot was easy to follow, and narrator Lucy was a genial and clear guide through the mysteries--both present-day and in the past! I'll be looking for the next in the Ancestry Detective series.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

MURDER ONCE REMOVED is the delightful debut novel by S.C. Perkins and I was fascinated by the premise of this first book in the Ancestry Mystery series! Protagonist, Lucy Lancaster, uses genealogy (combing through websites, library archives and DNA) to solve a long ago murder mystery while tracking down a current day killer. Lucy is the epitome of southern sassiness with a big ol’ side helping of creative intelligence. I adore her interaction with her best friends, Serena and Josephine along with the purported former drug lord turn restaurant owner, Flaco of Big Flaco’s Tacos (whose food descriptions will have you drooling). Their repartee gives opportunities for some humorous one-liners and laugh out loud moments which kept me highly entertained. Ms. Perkins has created great character development and descriptive voice even for minor characters. She effectively uses the flavors of food, language, and the historical sites of Austin to bring the setting to life and make the reader feel like they’re right there.

The book grabbed my attention from the very first sentence and kept me glued to the pages. The murder plots from both 1849 and current day are well entwined. I was fascinated with the amount of research the author obviously has done to understand and explain the process of genealogy, without making it complicated for the reader. Ms. Perkins also interjects some interesting history about the State of Texas without detracting from the pace. As the threads of the story are woven together and suspects are considered and then abandoned, Lucy finds herself working with the FBI, particularly a handsome agent who is also a history professor. This is a fun twist to a potential romantic attraction. The exciting reveal was fast paced, keeping me on the edge of my seat, yet never felt rushed. I can’t wait to read the next installment in this well-written debut!

I thought this was a very interesting book. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it. It had a lot of historical information about Texas, which I didn’t exactly care about but it was interesting, and it had lots of information about genealogy which I really liked. I am not sure how I feel about the way the author presented information that Lucy learned during her investigation. Sometimes it seemed that she turned up with new information but there was no segue to lead you along as she gathered facts. The connection between the Ayers and Applewhites was a little hard to follow as they began to be intermingled. Ultimately the bad guy was just not that interesting and it was a stretch to believe that he carried a grudge that went back so many generations. Overall it was well written and the ongoing interaction between Lucy and Ben was fun. Not sure I would recommend this but if someone asked me I would tell them it was a quick read that doesn’t leave a big impression.

A strong start to a new series. I love it when an author can delve into something a bit different character and plot wise. This author definitely doesn't disappoint! With a strong, unique main character, a setting that makes you feel you are right in the thick of it, and a perfectly executed mystery, this is a book you will want to read again and again!

Really liked the combination of mystery and genealogy, after all genealogy tends to be a big mystery once you get into it, I know my family's is!. Well written story that kept me entertained. Looking forward to more.

This is a special type of mystery - a genealogical mystery that reminds us that what happened in the past continues to affect the present. Lucy Lancaster runs her own business, Ancestry Investigations, in which she researches family history. She is asked to undertake a major genealogical project for Gus Halloran, a member of one of the leading Texas families whose son is running for a U.S. Senate seat against a member of the Appelwhite family. The Hallorans had always believed that their great-great grandfather Seth Halloran was murdered and Lucy finds photographic and written proof that he was killed by someone with the initials C.A. , which could correspond to the Appelwhites. Lucy has given some of the historical documents to her friend Dr. Winnie Dell, a curator at the Hamilton Center and when Winnie is killed and her office ransacked, as well as break ins at Lucy's office, Lucy is determined to figure out just how the past is intruding into the present , despite the admonitions of a certain good looking FBI agent/history professor.
This is an entertaining and interesting book with a different slant on mysteries by combining it with history and genealogy. I was captivated from the very first page all the way through to the end and I hope that there are more of Lucy's adventures to follow.