This is a great addition the series and I enjoyed it just as much as the first two. I loved that this series is a cozy mystery without falling into the trappings of being cutesy or gimmicky. It's well written and fairly realistic. I love the characters and the mystery was an interesting one. I definitely recommend this series to cozy mystery fans!

Since the events of Death by Committee, Alexis Morgan’s first Abby McCree Mystery, Abby is ensconced in Snowberry Creek, Washington. She still struggles with the legacy she inherited from her beloved Aunt Sybil—a rundown mansion, a tenant who exchanges chores for a reduction in rent, a sizable storehouse of quilts and fabrics—and Sybil’s reputation for civic responsibility. Like Sybil, Abby is constantly asked to volunteer for every committee in town—and she’s expected to say yes.

Her latest venture is organizing an auction to help veterans. Her tenant, Tripp Blackstone (perhaps a little more than a tenant), is former Special Forces, so when he asks her to take it on, she can’t refuse. Turnabout is fair play, however. Abby asks Tripp to take part in the bachelor auction. She’s conflicted over whether she can bid on him herself, given her leadership role, so his biggest danger is Jean, a sweet old biddy who bestows inedible tuna casseroles on him.

The auction gets off to a worrisome start when Bryce Cadigan, Abby’s celebrity auctioneer, doesn’t show up on time.

Bryce was a Seattle radio personality, but he’d grown up right here in Snowberry Creek. She’d checked his references, and he’d come highly recommended.

Abby isn’t feeling too confident about her choice, but Bryce finally appears, and they have a cordial conversation. Before he starts off the evening’s festivities, Bryce briefly pauses, draws a breath, and closes his eyes.

When he opened them, it was as if he’d slipped on a totally different persona, and the overly polished slick charm was back in full force.



Bryce was undeniably handsome, but for some reason he left her completely cold. Crossing her fingers the audience didn’t react that way, she walked out to center stage and picked up the microphone.



“If I can have everyone’s attention, I’d like to introduce Snowberry Creek’s very own Bryce Cadigan!”

Tripp is the last gentleman to be auctioned. He works the crowd like a pro, smiling and strutting while “the ladies went crazy.” The bidding goes up and up, into four-digit territory, when a ringer enters the fray, saying, “I bid five thousand dollars for Tripp Blackston.” A “stunning blonde” strongly embraces Tripp, and Abby asks who she is.

His reply was only two simple words, but they turned their whole relationship inside out and upside down.



There was a lot of guilt in his dark eyes as he answered, “My wife.”

Valerie Brunn is his ex-wife, as Tripp tries to explain, but Abby’s not having it. The evening disintegrates further as she tries and fails to give an elusive Bryce Cardigan his final check. Then, she sees him and Valerie getting into a loud argument before Bryce goes out the door, heading for his car. When Abby finally gets out to the parking lot, she’s surprised to see “the driver’s door was still open even though the beeping noise had finally stopped.” How very odd.

But as she rounded the end of the car, she realized it wasn’t only the battery that was dead.



The owner was, too….

Again? Abby hasn’t lived in Snowberry Creek long, but this is her third dead body—and she knows the drill. She asks Gage Logan, the town police chief, to leave the hall and join her at the scene. Who, if anyone, “went outside with Bryce,” Gage asks.

Crossing her fingers that Tripp would forgive her for dragging the barnacle into a murder investigation, she sighed and said, “Valerie Brunn, Tripp’s ex-wife.”



Gage’s muttered response was brief but obscene. She knew just how he felt.

The theme of Death by Auction is the power and pervasiveness of the past and how unresolved issues and conflicts weave their tendrils into day-to-day life. The auction emcee was a smarmy guy—examples abound of his nasty nature as far back as high school—but did he deserve to die? Tripp’s ex is the prime suspect (although she loudly proclaims her innocence), and Abby doesn’t want the “barnacle” (as she dubs her) to muscle in on Tripp. To put some space between Val and Tripp, Abby graciously agrees to have Val stay with her.

What are Abby’s coping strategies? Baking, for sure (and doesn’t that feel familiar to many these days?); her kitchen table is the scene of many informal debriefing sessions. Her friends and acquaintances usually leave with cookies or squares.

“Give me a second to grab you a container of them. I always have a supply in the freezer. I like to bake when things are bothering me, and that seems to happen all too often lately.”

She also quilts, ruminates, organizes, and her favorite, investigates! The sooner the real killer is unmasked, the sooner Val will leave town. Abby uses her dog, Zeke, as an excuse to wander about, stop, and ask questions. She’s at somewhat of a crossroads in her life. Is she morphing into her great-aunt? How serious is her budding relationship with Tripp? Is the police chief interested in her? That’s a hallmark of many books in the cozy mystery vein: humor + two guys interested in the heroine (one almost always law enforcement) + a town with secrets that are gradually revealed.

Death by Auction is an enjoyable foray into small-town mysteries, past and present. Abby McCree is a standup heroine with a flair for seeing beyond the obvious.

Death by Auction is the third book in Alexis Morgan's Abby McCree cozy mystery series. Abby hosts a Bachelor Auction to raise money for the town's veterans group. Abby is hoping to bid on her friend Tripp, but fate has other plans when Tripp's ex-wife wins the bid instead. To make matters worse, the emcee of the auction is murdered outside in the parking lot during the event and the police suspect Tripp's ex-wife is the culprit.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Death by Auction. I never read the first two books in the series, but it is easy to figure out who's who and get caught up. I liked the focus on veterans throughout the book. I was also a big fan of Abby's dog, Zeke and loved how he was incorporated so much into the book. I like how Abby and Tripp have a slow build relationship that seems like it will be worth the wait in the end!

One of my only pet peeves is that Abby is too nice when Tripp's ex-wife comes to stay with her. It felt like Abby needed to grow a stronger backbone when dealing with Valerie. I would not have put up with Valerie's behavior as well as Abby did.

I did end up figuring out the murder long before the end, but that only makes me feel validated when I get to the conclusion.

I loved being introduced to Alexis Morgan's writing and would definitely read more of Abby McCree and the town of Snowberry Creek.

I received this book as an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

This is third book in the Abby McCree Mystery series by Alexis Morgan, set in Snowberry Creek, Washington featuring Abby McCree and Tripp Blackstone. I have read and enjoyed the previous in series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own. I do recommend this series.

Abby is one of my favorite protagonists. She is a smart savvy likable charcter. She inherited a house from her family and lives there with her handsome tenant Tripp Blackstone who she cannot seem to resist. He ask her to help with a veterans fundraiser and she is happy to help. When she finds out this fund raiser is a Bachelor auction she volunteers Tripp to take part in it with the intention that she will bid on him and they will finally have a real date. She is shocked when Tripp's wife appears and had no idea he was married. When a murder occurs after the auction and the wife is the prime suspect Abby decides to help Tripp clear her name much to her chagrin.

This was a fun addition to this series. i like the charcters and the sleuth was well crafted to keep me guessing to conclusion. Abby is humorous and relatable. I look forward to the next in series. This was a fun read .

Enjoyable and engaging cozy mystery. I liked the characters. This was my first experience with this series. I would like to read the previous ones and those that follow.

Abby gets caught up in yet another committee, this time involving a bachelor auction to raise money for her tenant's veterans group. How can she say no to Tripp? Not to worry, Abby has a plan - to place her own winning bid for Tripp. Well, best laid plans as they say....that plan blows up when a very lovely woman shows up and places a huge winning bid for him. If that wasn't enough, it turns out that the woman in question is his ex-wife. What the heck is she doing in town and how come Tripp never mentioned her to Abby? Soon another, really major question appears on the scene when Abby finds the emcee dead in his car and the last person seen with him was having a heated exchange with him? (The witness was Abby).Yes, Tripp's ex. Valeria lands at the top of the suspect list and needs help avoiding prison time. Of course, Abby, with her good nature, is going to help track down the killer. She also finds a way to keep an eye on Valerie by offering her a place to stay. As for the puzzle, I did guess who dunnit a fraction ahead of Abby and I'm fine with that.
I have enjoyed every book in this series and each time I say this is my favorite - the best compliment I can give a series. If you are new to the series, this works fine as a stand alone but, if you like it as much as I did, make time to sit down and play catch up.
My thanks to the publisher, Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Death by Auction by Alexis Morgan is the third in the series. I have read all of them and if you haven't read the first two you will not be lost. A little hint though, you will want to read them.
Abby is in charge of a bachelor auction for a fund raiser for the local veterans group and planning on bidding on her friend, Tripp. She is outbid by a beautiful stranger who turns out to be Tripp's ex wife, Valerie! She has hired an emcee, Bryce, who grew up in Snowberry Creek. but has moved on to be a celebrity radio personality. While trying to pay Bryce, Abby spots him and Val in a heated conversation headed out the door. The next time she sees Bryce is in the parking lot, dead. Abby is again on the hunt to find the guilty party.
This easy to read cozy has plenty of twists and turns that will have you guessing to the very end. There is also, great characters, humor, friendship, and a hint of romance.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Kensington Books for an honest review.

Veteran's Benefit Ends Poorly
This book is part of a series. It stands alone well, but the reader will enjoy it more if the books are read in order. This episode is based around a Veteran's fundraiser. Abby gets a lot more than she bargained for. The crime plot is excellent, the romantic sub-story is at least half of the fun in the book. The story also features a big, slobbery dog to enjoy. I have read on other of this series and just love it to pieces. Our heroine is a truly nice person with a touch of sarcasm. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

This is third book in the Abby McCree Mystery series by Alexis Morgan, set in Snowberry Creek, Washington featuring Abby McCree and Tripp Blackstone.

Divorcée Abby McCree helps organisations to raise money, as well as making quilts and generally keeping herself busy. She is in a good place, her tenant, Tripp Blackston is a great friend, and she is currently lending a hand with a fundraiser to aid veterans like Tripp and his friends. The former Special Forces soldier is discomfited when Abby enlists him to be one of the prizes, but she has a covert plan to bid on him herself. However, she's foiled by a generous bid from a gorgeous stranger, who turns out to be Tripp's ex-wife, Valerie. Abby goes to pay the auction's compère, radio personality Bryce Cadigan, but instead finds him in the parking lot, dead in his car. Valerie, who was seen arguing with him, becomes the prime suspect and Tripp, determined to prove Valerie's innocence, enlists Abby to help him investigate.

I liked Abby right away with her smart and sassy attitude, though she is also a bit of a soft touch when it comes to her fundraising. Alexis Morgan has surrounded Abby with a great supporting cast. I found myself warming to Tripp Blackston and the connection and chemistry between him and Abby was evident. Abby also has a true friendship and understanding with Police Chief Gage Logan and of course Zeke, Abby's lovable Mastiff mix, deserves a mention. Tripp's ex-wife, Valerie added plenty of drama and entertainment to the story.

The author has written a very strong here mystery too. With its great plot, the pacing is comfortable and even though I was able to figure out the identity of the killer, there were enough red herrings to keep me guessing awhile. Alexis Morgan's abundant humorous touches and side-splitting moments helped to make Death by Auction a really compelling, fun read. A marvellous addition to this series, I was totally entertained from beginning to end. Bring on Book #4!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Death by Auction was my first book by Alexis Morgan. The storyline was appealing, and the reviews for the two previous books in the series were good. The mystery was well built, and the story was moving at a nice pace. There were some funny parts, such as Abby referring to Tripp's ex as "the barnacle". I could relate to that specific aspect, and the choice of word was perfect. The character ending up dead had it coming and as the story progressed, I thought the culprit must have had a sad or unfortunate background story to explain what was done. A very enjoyable book, and I hope the barnacle will not show up again!

Death by Auction by Alexis Morgan is the 3rd book in the Abby McCree Mystery series, and a great addition. I really loved this book/series and can't wait for the next book. Abby McCree moved to Snowberry Creek, after inheriting her Aunt Sybil home. Abby also inherited a tenant Tripp, who helps her around the property. Abby is running a bachelor's auction to raise money for Tripp's veteran group. Abby plans on bidding on Tripp herself, until his ex-wife, Valarie, outbid her. Abby had no idea he even had an ex wife. When Valarie is a suspect in a murder, can Abby find the truth? This book is very well written full of great characters, and a well thought out plot. When I started this book, it kept me reading page after page. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I strongly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this story as it's a well written whodunit that kept me hooked till the end.
It's a bit darker than the average cozy mystery but it's also more gripping and entertaining.
The cast of characters are well thought and interesting even if not all of them are likeable.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
Can't wait to read the next instalment in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Tripp was married? To Valerie? That's a surprise to Abby, who is his landlord and friend. She finds out when she organizes an auction to benefit Tripp's veteran's group and Valerie makes a huge bid on him. That's one surprise and the next comes when Bryce, the radio guy who served as emcee (and who Abby won at the auction), is found dead in his car and Valerie is the prime suspect. Abby, at Tripp's behest, lets Valerie stay with them AND agrees to investigate. You know that Bryce had more than one enemy in his hometown but Abby has to sort them out. She's a great character, as is Zeke the dog, Gage the Police chief, and, of course, Tripp. Abby and Tripp have a loose back and forth- but they aren't there yet. This might be the third in the series but it's fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fast fun cozy read.

In this third installment in Alexis Morgan's Abby McCree Mystery series, Abby has found herself on yet another committee, organizing a bachelor's auction for Tripp's veteran group. Tripp, who is Abby's tenant and friend, is mortified to be one of the prizes, but what he doesn't know is that Abby plans to win the bid for him. However, her plans are foiled when a gorgeous woman wins the auction with a five thousand dollars bid. It turns out that the woman is Tripp's ex-wife, Valerie, who Abby didn't know existed. Later in the evening, Abby finds her emcee dead in his car and Valerie, who was seen arguing with him, becomes the main suspect. Tripp is determined to prove Valerie's innocence and enlists Abby to help him investigate.

This is definitely my favorite book of the series so far. It was delightful, humorous, and I enjoyed it immensely. Abby is a wonderful character. She's smart, sassy, caring, independent, and has a knack for organizing events and solving mysteries. Her relationship with Tripp is progressing nicely. They have great chemistry together, and I always enjoy their flirty banter and inside jokes about Jean's tuna casseroles. Tripp's ex-wife, Valerie, added plenty of drama and entertainment to the story. I thought it was hilarious that Abby called her "the barnacle". She was so obviously jealous but being the kind-hearted person that she was, she never let it stopped her from helping Valerie. My only small complaint is that it was way too easy to figure out the culprit's identity, which is a lot coming from me because I'm usually terrible at solving mysteries.
Overall, I absolutely love this series and look forward to the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really enjoyable cozy that focuses almost primarily on the murder mystery at hand (the town takes a backseat in this one). When a dead body is found in the parking lot at a military fundraiser, Abby finds herself in the middle of yet another murder investigation.

The worst part? She ends up playing host to the prime suspect (who also happens to be her tenant's ex-wife). This is a classic whodunit style story - with a fun cast of suspects and a "you're the investigator!" feel.

Thank you Kensington Books for the NetGalley copy of this book!

I enjoyed this book. I like the characters, especially Zeke and Tripp. The story is a bit tensioner than normal due to the presence of Valerie the ex-wife's appearance in it. She's a character I didn't like so much but she added a lot to the story line. The pacing moves along well and the story is interesting. The reveal was interesting since I had not suspected the killer or her motives. I hope to see the romance between Abby and Tripp progress. #DeathbyAuction #NetGalley

AbbyMcCree can’t say no…not when it’s for a good cause. So when she’s asked to head up a fundraiser for local veterans, she agrees. Part of the fundraiser includes a bachelor/bachelorette auction and Abby plans to win the bid for Tripp. Her plans are foiled when a strange woman sweeps in and offers a large sum to win the auction. It turns out the woman is Tripp’s ex-wife, Valerie, who Abby didn’t know existed.

At the end of the evening Abby finds their MC dead in his car and Valerie becomes a prime suspect for murder. When Tripp asks Abby to let Valerie stay with her and to help him clear her name, she can’t say no to him. It takes every ounce of patience for her to help Valerie, even though she’s really doing it for Tripp. Now Abby has to figure out how to identify the killer, even if it is Valerie, without getting caught in the crosshairs.

This is the third book in this series and they keep getting better and better. This one was a page turner and I could not wait to find whodunit almost as much as I was eager to find out how things turned out between Abby, Tripp and Valerie. Can’t wait for book four to come out.

Description
Not only did Abby McCree inherit her aunt's house in Snowberry Creek, Washington, she inherited a handsome tenant and a whole lot of trouble . . . It's hard to say no to Tripp Blackston. That's how Abby found herself on yet another committee, organizing a bachelors' auction to raise money for Tripp's veterans group. The former Special Forces soldier is mortified when Abby enlists him to be one of the prizes, but she has a covert plan to bid on him herself. Before she can, she's foiled by a sniper bid from a gorgeous stranger, who turns out to be Tripp's ex-wife, Valerie. . . Still reeling from the shock that Tripp was married and wondering what his ex is suddenly doing in town, Abby goes looking to pay the auction's emcee, radio personality Bryce Cadigan. She finds him in the parking lot, dead in his car. Valerie appears to be the last one to have seen Bryce alive, so she's the cops' best bid for suspect. When she asks Tripp for help—and lodgings—it's Abby's turn to block by inviting Val to stay with her. But did she just open her home to a murderer?

My Review
An amazing cozy mystery, a must read!

Death by Auction has all of the ingredients necessary to make this the perfect cozy mystery. The characters are well written and the story-line is quite enjoyable.

Highly recommend this for anyone looking to ready a great cozy mystery.

You really have to love a small town cozy murder mystery and Alexis Morgan delivers. The Author has a way of making the main characters very likable as well as making the villain someone you love to hate. This is a great easy read in a series that I hope goes on for a long time. You won’t regret picking up this book.

4 Stars

This is the third book in the Abby McCree mystery series by Alexis Morgan.

Basic premise: Abby sets up a Bachelor Auction at the request of her friend, Tripp. The master of ceremonies is not such s nice guy and he ends up dead in the parking lot right after the event and Abby finds his body.

Abby McCree is a complex character. She has taken over a large house after the death of her Aunt Sybil who was pretty notorious in her day. Her Aunt had a tenant named Tripp and a large Mastiff named Zeke. These two were pretty much forced upon her in the beginning (book one). Now Abby is starting to have feelings for Tripp and wants to bid for him at the Bachelor Auction. But Tripp’s ex-wife, Val, shows up and offers a whopping $5,000 bid for the luxury of dancing with him at the event. When Abby is looking later to give Brandon, the master of ceremonies, his check, she sees Valerie and the MC have heated words and go outside to talk. Not long later Brandon is found dead by Abby still in his car from a fast acting poison.

This book is easy to follow and the mystery whodunit part was well done. But I don’t completely understand the dynamic between Abby and Tripp. I can’t decide if they like each other or just tolerate each other. It would be nice to have a second male love interest available in town to shake things up a bit. I wonder how old Chief Gage is Tripp is still in college and taking classes but that does not necessarily mean he is young. So it is difficult to ferret out an age here. Maybe a secondary character romance would be nice. Abby seems like a singular person who doesn’t really have a lot of interaction with people. Even though she organized this bachelor event, the sense of real community is missing. I wonder why Abby’s quilt guild isn’t mentioned more. I think they were more of a presence in book one.

The ex wife was brought in as a foil to Abby and her true intention and details about her were left till the bitter end and it made it harder to guess who was and wasn’t a suspect. I wish Abby had been a bit more nosey. I think we need something added to shake up this series. It is a good read. I enjoyed it but it felt a little on the bland side. I do, however, look forward to reading the other books in this series.

If you are looking for a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.