Seeing Red was such a great cozy mystery. Can't wait to read more from this author.

Here we find Alex having a very busy life with flirting and fun all bundled up that is until mayhem intrudes.

Can she find the missing man before it’s too late? Or will Alex be the next one to disappear?

Seeing Red is the second book in the Red Herring Mystery series. I did not read the first book unfortunately but that was ok. The book can be read as a stand alone.

Ex-reporter Alex Vlodnachek is a freelance writer has her hands full dealing with things that at first glance don’t seem connected: dead bodies that keep disappearing; a missing man who happens to be innkeeper Ian’s father; a bundle of joy found in her locked-up-tight house; and a fellow reporter who moves in with Alex because he may be in danger. When she finds newly painted ‘masterpieces’ in the missing man’s room, and she realizes Ian is keeping secrets and acting really strange, Alex knows she needs to investigate to try to make sense of it all. With the help of brother Nick and best bud Trip, Alex is determined to figure things out.

I really enjoyed the characters. I am looking forward to reading more of this series. I want to see how things go with Alex and Ian. Can they be friends? More than friends? Great storyline and great read.

Alex is a freelance writer who's freelance career is taking off. Living with her brother in a tiny bungalow life is anything but dull. From a mystery across the street to an unintended visitor this book is a fun read. I highly recommend it!!

Seeing Red

by Dana Dratch

Living right across the street from a four story Victorian turned into a B&B and run by a handsome, blue-eyed British gent could be a real plus for Alex who is currently single and a freelance writer. In Seeing Red by Dana Dratch, there are an abundance of interesting characters, lots of twists and turns, and an adorable pup named Lucy. Alex ends up with a full house of temporarily upended friends as she tries to discover the identity of a baby as well as several frozen bodies. Throw in some art fraud and a vengeful health inspector and you have an engaging plot with lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed the book but was a little let down at the end as things just got tidied up a little too quickly and easily with few apparent consequences. I do want to read the next in the series to follow the characters and look for improvement in the resolution of the next plot line in Red Hot.

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

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #2 in the Red Herring Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone

Publication: May 28, 2019—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

“She’s been looking at that poor innkeeper the way a hungry freshman looks at a vending machine.”

Baba, our dads mother, was ninety pounds of Russian dynamite. Not quite five feet tall and who knows how old, she was a strike force of one. Literally. She’d recently saved me from a psycho killer armed with nothing but common sense and a cast-iron frying pan.

“Mom can’t stay here,” Nick said, quietly. “Not with Baba here. Those two are like garlic and chocolate. You can have one or the other, but never both.”

I enjoyed it. It was a fun, quick read. Ideal for car trips or a beach read. I look forward to reading more by this author. I liked the writing style and characters.

Oh my goodness, I think this one was even better than the first one. There were several mysteries going on all at once, some disappearing bodies and a possible art theft. Not to mention that a baby had mysteriously appeared in Alex's house. Her brother took to the baby immediately which had her wondering if it was his. Then a guy she was working with at the newspaper claimed that his niece was out to kill him and like before, Alex ended up with a houseful of guests, including the one-of-a-kind Baba, her Russian grandmother, who was more than welcome this time, since the baby loved her and now he would actually stop crying.

This was a pretty exciting mystery and not everyone was who they seemed to be. Alex even got that impression about her own father who had gone on a business trip ten years ago and died of a heart attack. Now her charming British neighbor who owned the B&B across the street was giving her cause not to quite trust him. Her brother Nick's bakery business was booming though. These are definitely some unforgettable characters, and I'm so glad I found this series. The main mysteries were cleared up, but we were left with a couple of things to think about. Then after reading the preview included for the next book "Red Hot", that's making me seriously anxious for when it comes out.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Why are there dead bodies in the freezer?
Seeing Red by Dana Dratch is fast-paced, multiple mysteries, with quirky characters, lots of food and a lovable dog named Lucy. There didn’t seem to be an end to the mysteries, as soon as Alex figured one out there was another one.

Alex Vlodnachek
Alex is a feisty, red-headed, freelance reporter, and our sleuth. Alex collects strays; it seems as her brother is living with her, and he brought with him a puppy. Then someone leaves a baby on Alex’s kitchen table, and she has a colleague show up at her house in need of a room. Oh, she also has her grandmother staying there to take care of the baby.

The thing about Alex is she is a fighter and stubborn. She is also very curious. She may be having so financial problems now, but I am sure she will figure it all out, especially since she is applying Aunt Margie’s advice to her own life. That is another thing she is working on, but I will leave you to find out the details.

Mysteries
Our sleuth and her friends continue to find mysteries at the Bed & Breakfast across the street. There is:
• The disappearance of Cecil Harkins
• A ghost baby
• Someone sabotaging the Inn
• A health inspector up to no good
• A missing insurance man
• A guest who wears a scarf and large dark glasses over her face at all times
• An impressive art collection with multiples of the same painting
However, the cases don’t stop there.
• Alex also has the mysterious niece of Marty’s who took his laptop, wallet and such, and who refuses to return them.
• Then we have the adorable baby that was left on their kitchen table.
• Also, who sent the health inspector to shut down her brother’s new bakery business?

4 Stars for Seeing Red by Dana Dratch
My rating for Seeing Red by Dana Dratch is four stars. This book was amazing. I loved the pace and look forward to reading the book, Red Hot.
I recommend this book to all the cozy mystery readers out there.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Seeing Red by Dana Dratch

Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
Happy Reading

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

Seeing Red
by Dana Dratch
Published: May 28, 2019 by Kensington Books
Genre/Category: Mystery & Thrillers
Read For: NetGalley Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

4 1/2 stars
Book synopsis from Amazon: If it wasn't for art thieves, spies and killers, Alex Vlodnachek's life would be bliss.
Her freelance career is catching fire. Her relationship with B&B owner Ian Sterling is flirty and fun. She’s even attending a glittering cocktail party at his sprawling Victorian inn. But, to this ex-reporter, something seems “off.” And it’s not the canapés. When Ian’s father vanishes, the enigmatic innkeeper asks for her discretion. And her assistance.
Meanwhile, Alex is having the opposite problem at her tiny bungalow: People keep piling in uninvited. Including a mysterious intruder found sleeping in her kitchen. Her grandmother, Baba, who shows up “to help”—with Alex’s own mother hot on her heels.
When the intrepid redhead discovers a body in the B&B's basement and a “reproduction” Renoir in the library, she begins to suspect that Ian is more than just a simple hotel owner.
With editor pal Trip, brother Nick, and rescue-pup Lucy riding shotgun, Alex scrambles to stay one step ahead of disaster—and some very nasty characters.
Can she find the missing man before it’s too late? Or will Alex be the next one to disappear?
Review: This is the second novel in the Red Herring Mystery Series by Dana Dratch, but you are certainly able to read it as a stand-alone.
I love cozy mysteries. It doesn’t matter what genre you generally read, what you do for a living, or how “book smart” you are supposed to be, there is nothing like sitting back with a sweet cozy mystery to take your mind off the stresses of your day. Dana Dratch’s Seeing Red does just that.
Not only does this novel know how to pull you in from the beginning, but it is fast paced and fun to read. There is not just one mystery to be solved either but tons of twists and turns that keep you guessing with a mix of quirky humor. This is full of non-stop action. The characters are fun and lovable, and although some of the discoveries are a bit out of the ordinary for one person, you have to remember you are reading a crazy cozy mystery, and that anything could happen. This is one delightful story, and I expect that most people could finish it in one sitting. Plan on reading the first in the series if you haven’t yet because this is just that good. I will definitely continue on with the Red Herring Mystery Series if Dana Dratch keeps writing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the copy of this book and the opportunity to review this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Seeing Red by Dana Dratch is the second book in the cozy A Red Herring Mystery series. Each book of the series has it’s own self contained mystery to be solved so they can be read as a standalone. However, the best way to get to know the characters is reading from the beginning as there is some character building carrying over from book to book.

In this series Alex Vlodnachek had spent years as a reporter but left that industry to work in a PR firm and now has a blooming freelance career. With Alex doing well she offered her brother a place to stay while he tries to get his baking business up and going.

When returning to her locked home one morning Alex finds an intruder in her kitchen, a sleeping infant. Alex and her brother assume that someone meant for them to ca re for the baby and decide to investigate who it belongs to before calling the law. Meanwhile, Alex also thinks something is a bit off with her flirty neighbor and she needs to figure out what is going on.

This second installment of the Red Herring Mystery series really showed a bit of the quirkiness that I love in this genre. We have a close family with a cute baby, a adorable puppy and their granny overseeing it all with her wisdom. There was plenty going on to keep readers guessing as to how everything would turn out in the end and I’ll look forward to returning to this series in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

OMG, hold on to your funny bones! Dana Dratch has penned another fantastic mystery filled with humor that you will be unable to put down.

First, Ian’s father goes missing in the middle of a party. Then, unusual discovery is made in Alex’s kitchen, followed by an unusual discovery in the inn’s basement freezer, which quickly goes missing. Then while Alex is trying to find a clue about where the innkeeper’s father may have gone she makes yet another unusual discovery and it doesn’t stop there. She arrives home to find that her brother has brought Baba back to help with the kitchen discovery and it isn’t long before there another visitor camped out in her living room. As if her house is already bursting at the seams her mother arrives starting a rant as soon as she walks in the door.

Needing to get out of the house she calls her friend Trip and they along with her dog Lucy embark on a journey to get a whole list of answers. She hopes to find them all before finding any more bodies or someone finding hers.

These characters are fun and created with depth. Again Baba stole my heart. The woman still can’t cook but she whips Alex’s house and everyone in it into shape within minutes. The rest of the characters I came to love in the first book, Confessions of a Red Herring, all return making me love them even more. Alex is a strong protagonist with a huge heart. Nick, Alex’s brother is getting his new business off the ground and a big help to Alex. Ian is hiding something so Alex starts to waiver in her trust of him, especially with all the dead bodies. Trip is the perfect best friend for Alex especially because she truly has her hands full this time.

Ms. Dratch gives readers a perplexing mystery to try to solve. Twists on top of twists had me spinning. I figured out only one very minuscule part before everything was revealed. The pace is quick and the suspense and humor are blended together in a very entertaining way.

Great characters, laugh out loud moments, and a complex mystery make for a wonderful read. Another Perfect Escape from Dana Dratch.

If you haven’t read the first book in the series, don’t miss any of the fun. Read that one first.

It was a really pleasant and funny reading, full of humor.
Alex is a freelance journalist, her brother Nick is trying to open a bakery. She participates in the cocktail party of B & B which is located in front of her house, is now managed by the English Ian and his father. There are strange rumors about this inn, which increase as Alex finds two bodies in Ian's freezer. Also his father has mysteriously disappeared and Alex finds a child in her kitchen. While she , investigates, her home is filled with new guests.
The book is full of characters, some really bizarre and eccentric. Alex is a generous woman with a great ability to solve mysteries but doesn't remain indifferent to the charming Ian. And how not to love Baba, called to care for the child.
This is the second book in this series although I haven't read book 1, it in no way disrupted my enjoyment of this book.
It's a really compelling story, the plot is well intertwined and complex, there are so many mysteries to solve and so many unexpected events and plot twists that make it difficult to solve them before the end.

Recommended

Seeing Red
By Dana Dratch
Kensington Books
June 2019

Once a reporter and then disastrously – and briefly – a P.R. agent, new freelance writer, Alex Vlodnachek is pressured by her brother and her best friend to drum up business by attending a cocktail party of movers and shakers at her neighbor’s Bed and Breakfast. Although Alex does meet a few intriguing guests and even some surprising old friends, it’s the following morning that a groggy Alex encounters her own unexpected visitor. Sitting in the middle of her kitchen is an absolutely adorable baby, one whom her roommate brother claims to have neither produced nor invited. Deciding that someone had trusted the siblings to care for the newly named James Bond and unwilling to turn the obviously loved infant over to social services, Alex and Nick make rushed trips to a Mega Baby store for diapering and food supplies until they can find J.B.’s true parents. A puppy-chewed note left with the car seat gives Alex just enough information to lead her next door, where the Cotswolds Inn is experiencing its own share of nefarious activities. A supposedly unplugged basement freezer is being filled with a rotating cast of corpses, and Ian is doing his best to gloss over Alex’s fears with the policy of no-body-no-crime.

An unethical health inspector ensures that Nick is unable to use Alex’s kitchen for his budding bakery business, but since he already supplies the Inn’s many pastries Nick is able to use Ian’s professional kitchen for baking. It also means that Alex is determined to find out the truth of just what’s going on next door, although she is somewhat distracted with the actual paying job to fill in as the Washington Sentinel’s Aunt Margie advice columnist. It looks as though Alex is going to have a lot of up-close and personal mentorship from “Aunt Margie,” as the actual writer Marty Crunk has escaped from both the hospital and the questionable care of his niece to recover from knee surgery on Alex’s couch. At least this means that when her Baba and very offended mother land on their doorstep to provide baby assistance, Alex is able to justifiably send her very demanding mother next door to the Cotswolds Inn.

A surprise baby, missing butler, art forgery, and multitude of bodies all complicate Alex’s life while ensuring for an exhilarating romp of a mystery. The cozy mystery veers delightedly into thriller territory, with a plot appropriate enough for the character who inspired J.B.’s name. Characters from the previous entry in this series pop in just enough to have readers wanting more, and the future installment will not doubt further expand on the array of hilarious Washington D.C. residents. No one is whom he or she first appears to be, and Alex must use both her reporter and her new advice columnist skills to uncover the truth of everyone’s identities. Alex’s family members are as different as they are entertaining, especially when they battle over Alex’s future. Diverging plots tie together for a completely unexpected conclusion, along with a perfectly delivered perfect coup d’état. Laughter and thrills are at peak levels in this uniquely satisfying mystery.

Seeing Red by Dana Dratch is the 2nd book in A Red Herring Mystery series, and another fun addition. Alex Vlodnachek agrees to attend her neighbor's, Ian Sterling, party at his Victorian bed and breakfast. The next day, Ian's father goes missing, and he asks Alex to help. On top of that someone leaves a baby on Alex's kitchen table, in the house she shares with her brother. This book is a perfect blend of mystery and humor. Not only is this book really funny, I often found myself laughing out loud, the mystery kept me guessing. I found this book to be a quick read, I read it in one day, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you like quirky, humorous cozy mysteries, I recommend this book and series.

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

This is the second book in the Red Herring Mystery series. I recommend reading the first book first, not only for continuity but also so you can laugh yourself silly.

I often wonder at how, with so many books written, an author can find an unusual take on cozy mysteries and to do so with a crazy sense of humor. I still don’t understand it but Dana Dratch has the method down pat.

In this book our sleuth, Alex Vlodnachek (aka Red because of her red hair), has started to settle down into a routine. Her brother, Nick, has moved in to save money while he jump starts his new bakery business. His dog, Lucy, has settled in, too, though she still raises a lot of havoc.

Alex works hard to keep the mortgage paid and food and other necessities of life up to date. She uses her PR skills to find writing gigs. She also finds time to visit with her new boyfriend, Ian, who owns the B&B across the street.

Alex wakes up one fine morning, to find a mysterious guest has appeared over night. As she lacks the special skills needed to keep this guest right as rain, granny Baba appears on the scene to restore a sense of tranquility to Chez Red.

Across the street mayhem is breaking out with mysterious disappearances, deaths, paintings and more. Alex gets pulled into helping solve the mysteries and, once again, walks a fine line to keep from becoming a victim as well.

I will be waiting impatiently for the next book in this series. I can hardly wait to find out where Red and crew go from here.

In Seeing Red, the second book in the Red Herring mystery series, Alex has her hands full dealing with the strange events occurring at The Cotswolds Inn, the bed and breakfast run by her neighbor, Ian Sterling. Acts of sabotage threaten the viability of the inn, mysterious visitors appear and disappear, and as if that isn’t concerning enough, a corpse or two are found, and Ian’s father Harkins, the inn’s co-owner, goes missing. Alex is determined to get to the bottom of it all, and also identify and care for the baby she unexpectedly finds in her kitchen.

These unusual developments draw the Voldnachek clan back to Alex’s doorstep to provide assistance—whether she wants it or not. As the story unfolds, readers become fully immersed in the larger-than-life, amusing personalities and quirks of Alex’s mother, brother Nick, and grandmother Baba. Family friends and eccentric neighbors add additional flavor to the antics.

Will Alex unravel the puzzling activities at The Cotswolds Inn, find Ian's dad, juggle her new career and possible love interest, and keep her sanity and family intact? One thing is for sure, readers will have an enjoyable time finding out. Filled with high jinx and hilarity, this series is an entertaining escape into a fictional Virginia suburb.

If you are looking for humor in your cozy then this is the book to check out.  Alex Vlodnachek is back solving crimes and writing freelance articles while managing her brother, mother, grandmother, a mystery baby, and Ian - the hunky B&B owner across the street.  It is safe to say that Alex has her hands full in this book in multiple ways.  Plus she keeps finding dead bodies in Ian's freezer.  Pretty sure that isn't where they are supposed to be found.

This book kept me on my toes with the various mysteries/storylines that were going on in the book.  Where is Ian's dad, Hawkins?  Where did this baby come from and better yet, how did it get into a locked house?  Who is the advice columnist that Alex is covering for and why?  Will Nick's bakery business take off?  Where are all the dead bodies disappearing to and who is killing these people?

I was glad to see Baba again in this book and she surprisingly has a way with the baby.  But when you have had several of your own children and grandchildren, she probably learned a few tricks along the way.  She still can't cook but that is ok because there is a mystery guest that ends up staying with Alex for a while that can cook.  I'm keeping this character under wraps because it would spoil part of the book plus there is a minor mystery tied to this character that also had me scratching my head...but I had my suspicions!

I have to admit when it comes to the dead bodies I was stumped and had no idea why they ended up dead or who killed them.  The answer was quite surprising and one I never would have guessed.  There are some rough patches for Alex and Ian so I'll be curious to see how that storyline continues in the next books.  There are actually a couple of mysteries tied to the murders so don't think you have it figured out because you will probably be incorrect.

This book made me laugh throughout and these are some of my favorite lines:

"So we're gonna have to take the Slutmobile.  We can't take the Slutmobile to the baby store.  They'll think J.B. is a slut-baby."

"Ian, we have to call the cops!"  "And report what?  That our freezer is missing a dead body?"

"So you're inviting me for an evening of casing the neighborhood, trespassing, and a little light stalking, followed by dessert and coffee?"  "Yup."  "What the heck. Count me in."

We give this book 5 paws up and can't wait for the next book, Red Hot.

Somehow I missed reading the first in this entertaining series. As soon as I finished this one I couldn't wait to get my hands on the first one. I don't think reading them out of order lessened my reading pleasure. There is a lot going on in this outing for Alex, freelance journalist. She has a short term gig as an advice columnist while still writing various exposes. She is also very interested in her hunky Brit neighbor who runs a B&B. Boy, does he have secrets. While at a party at the B&B, he confesses that his father has gone missing.....and that isn't all that goes missing. When she goes down to the B&B's basement she discovers a body in the freezer and then its not in the freezer. If that wasn't enough to unravel, she has to deal with her brother who is trying to start his bakery business using her kitchen, not to mention the unexpected baby she finds in her kitchen. Seriously, who would leave a baby in somebody's kitchen? As she and her brother try to figure out how to deal with baby issues, Alex calls on her Baba (grandmother) to rescue them.
There is much going on in this mystery and I found it to be a fast and very entertaining read. This is the sort of cozy series that I dearly hope will have a long run. I'm eager to read more about Alex, Nick, Ian and Baba.

Seeing Red is the 2nd installment in the Red Herring Mystery series. I really enjoyed the first book in the series but it was very hectic and so much going on. This book continues several months after the ending of the first book and Alex Vlodnachek is doing freelance journalist work and her brother Nick is still living with her and working on starting his bakery business. Alex attends a cocktail party across the street at her handsome neighbor Ian Sterling's B&B. While there she meets some very interesting guests and it appears there has been some accidents happening at the B&B recently. The next day Alex wakes up to find a baby in her kitchen. How the heck did a baby end up in her kitchen? Alex and Nick do their best to try and take care of the baby which can prove to be very humorous. Alex also is about to get a solid 6 week job at the Sentinel working as advice columnist who is written by a man..this was an entertaining side story. Ian's Father disappears after the party and he asks Alex to do some investigating. His Father is here on a visa and he is working to get permanent residency but back in England he served time in prison and Ian is afraid that if the authorities are involved it might jeopardize his chance to stay in the US. Alex begins investigating and remembers a freezer in the basement so she double checks it and finds a dead body. She tells Ian and they go back downstairs and no body. What happened. Alex is even more determined to find out what is going on at Ian's B&B as NIck is now working in his kitchen for the bakery. Entertaining read and good fast paced mystery. Love Alex's friends like her ex-editor Trip who always helps her out and her family of Nick and Baba who comes to help Alex with the baby. I highly recommend this mystery and will automatically buy the next in the series especially the comment at the end about Alex's Father. This series just keeps getting better.

Great entertainment. A murder mystery filled with a variety of characters, including a baby and a dog. The story moves along quickly and with lots of humor. A delightful way to spend a few hours. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. I look forward to reading the next Red Herring Mystery. Eager for more laughs.

Alex Vlodnachek is an investigative reporter. At present she is freelancing but fortunately has friends and resources with two major newspapers.
The only "flaw" I found in this story was a bit dated reference to putting one's subscription on hold when going on vacation. It is necessary to the story, but do people still do this?

Alex has a thing for the devilishly handsome Englishman across the road who happens to run a B&B type Inn. At the moment, Alex's own house is feeling more and more like an inn every day.
Her brother has moved in while attempting to start up a bakery business. As the book unravels, any available space to sleep at Alex's house gets taken. One very cute (yet difficult) resident is a young baby, requiring round the clock care. Care neither Alex nor her brother Nick is proficient in supplying. There is a second cute resident in the form of a dog who also has her moments.

With the grand opening of the B&B across the road, and the disappearance of the main employee, who happens to be the owner's father, things begin to get tense. Strange things are happening faster than Alex can blink. As if she doesn't have troubles of her own. A baby discovered on her kitchen table, despite a quality security system, trying to figure out her new assignment as an advice columnist, and family moving in, or trying to, are just the tip of this iceberg. There is much more happening but I don't want to spoil your fun as each complication piles on.

Fast paced and entertaining, with wonderful characters, this book has more mysteries than expected. As one gets solved, another two come into view!