I must admit that the Abby Cooper Psychic Eye Mysteries are one of my favorite series ever. So, while this series is not as fantastic as them, it is still highly, highly enjoyable. I love the fact that Victoria Laurie's Life Coach mysteries combine characters from two of her other series -- It is so fun to read about Gilley and Cat in their own unique setting (not to mention the various updates from Heath & MJ's lives thrown in from time to time). The book is fast paced and action packed. It reminded me of an episode of Killing Eve.

I was given this book by the publisher because I reviewed the first book in this series. I liked the first one but it did have elements I didn’t care for, so I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to read this one. I started To Coach A Killer but curses aren’t my cup of tea, so it’s not one I am going to choose to finish.

To Coach a Killer by Victoria Laurie is the second book in the cozy The Life Coach Mysteries series. While this is the beginning of a new series the characters involved seem to have ties to the author’s two previous cozy series. Cat Cooper is the sister of the lead in the Psychic Eye Mysteries and Cat’s best friend was in the Ghost Hunter Mysteries. Not having read either series myself I can’t say how big a part these characters had or how much is a spin off into this new series. The books in this series though are like most cozy mysteries and can be read in any order or as a standalone with them containing their own mystery with character development carrying over from book to book for those that follow from the beginning.

Cat Cooper has just started her life over again in the Hampton’s after having gone through a divorce. She had sold her marketing firm which had given her enough to live comfortably while building a new home with a guest house for her friend and starting a new career as a life coach. With this now being the down season in town Cat hasn’t exactly been pulling in a ton of clients so when a new one arrives she’s determined to help him out despite his insistence that his troubles are due to a curse. Meanwhile, Cat’s friend, Maks Grinkov, admits to being involved in some shady business which lands him on the suspect list of a local murder leaving Cat to try to find the real killer.

When I finished reading the first book of this series I had some up and down feelings and thought I would go ahead and try the next book or two. With the characters being from other series I felt a bit like I was missing some backstory but I did really like them regardless and I still really do like Cat and Gilley. However, that being said my other thought on the first was some of the content seemed a bit too heavy for a cozy and this book seemed to dive into that side even further which I really wasn’t a fan of but the life coaching client side is hilarious and fun so I’m disappointed that wasn’t more the focus. I’ve already got book three to read but after this one only rated two and a half stars I’m not sure it will pick back up for me or not.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

A Winner!

Victoria Laurie has done it again in her book - To Coach a Killer.

Her book is a fun read that keeps you turning page after page until you reach the very end. Loveable characters and easy to follow the storyline.

Highly recommend any book by this author. Have never been disappointed.

Victoria Laurie gives a sequal to Coached to Death in To Coach a Killer. Cat Cooper takes Willem as a client in her life coach job. Willem is cursed with a cloud of catastrophe around him and Cat tries to free him from the curse. At the same time, Cat is involved with a law officer and a man with ties to the mob; she keeps getting pulled in to murders and is trying to solve the murders and sort out her love life. Read this cozy and enjoy.

I love this series! I've read a few from both the Ghost Hunter series and the Psychic Eye series, but I think I like this one the best. Cat and Gilly are great characters on their own, have great relationships - business and pleasure - and the mysteries they untangle are complex and terrifically done. This was another solid entry into what is turning out to be another strong series.

The dialogue is fun, funny, natural and always striving to move the story forward and build the characters, all of whom are well drawn and distinct from one another. This book continues the thread of the Chechen mob, hit-men (or women, as the case may be), money laundering, murders, life coach clients, and the potential romance(s) with one or two very eligible and interested men. There is a satisfying resolution. Or is there...?

There was only one thread that wasn't a surprise to me because I felt it was obvious what had happened, when it happened, and it was just a matter of 'why'.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, and it's a series firmly on my TBR pile. Really looking forward to the next installment already!

TO Coach A Killer
Victoria Laurie

What a fantastic read I enjoyed a lot! This is a cozy mystery series that read well as a stand alone, but I am definitely hooked and will be reading the first book ASAP!

I had fun reading this and the characters were all a joy to read about! Nothing like murders in the East Hampton to immerse myself in for a fun summer read!

I cannot wait to read more of Ms Laurie’s amazing books

I will start with saying that this book was so good and unexpected in so many ways.
It's great written and the characters are so well fleshed that i want to be her friend in real life. As for the villain in the story, the author managed to trick me into liking him a lot, without even knowing because his way of doing things and the psychological level games he played are really great and challenging on all levels that made it hard not to fall for it.
What i didn't like? The cover! I just can't stand the cartoonish ones and more so because i know that many readers like me will judge a book by its cover and it's a shame it this story goes not chosen because of that small but decisive element.

All my opinions are my own. Arc provided by the publisher through Netgalley

To Coach A Killer by Victoria Laurie

Cat Cooper plans on emerging as the premier life coach in East Hampton by summertime, All she has to do is survive the empty beaches, slow business, and murder.

This was a fast-moving cozy thriller. Good characters, but hard to keep up with them. Good plot with a twist at the end. I love Victoria Laurie’s books. I recommend this book.

Thank you Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for review.

After her divorce, Cat Cooper is recreating herself as the premier life coach in East Hampton. She has one client. He has been housebound for decades and claims to be the victim of a devasting curse.

Detective Shepherd is obsessed with his ex-wife's murder and Maks Grinkov makes an offer that Cat can't refuse.

Then there's the string of murders that rock the coastal community, Cat and her bff/assistant Gilley go from life coaching to sleuthing for the truth.

This was a great read. I can't wait to read more by this author

To Coach a Killer
By Victoria Laurie
Kensington
September 2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

While the former owner of a successful New York marketing never shared the same psychic intuitive powers of her FBI-consulting sister, that doesn’t mean that Cat Cooper’s life has been without it’s inexplicable drama. After shifting gears and becoming a professional life coach, Cat’s newest client comes to her seeking help with his cursed life. Literally cursed, as Willem Entwistle believes that a vengeful gypsy doomed his then-pregnant mother to having a son whose future would be filled with shame and calamities. Even though Cat doesn’t believe in curses, a toaster fire and near-death by hot air balloon definitely has her questioning the fates. Gilley Gillespie - Cat’s bestie, business partner, and tenant in her Chez Kitty guesthouse – is a former ghostbuster himself who convinces Cat seek out paranormal consultation herself before risking another attack that may lead to a completely housebound and terrified Willem.

With her professional duties at least moderately under control, Cat’s own personal life has her all aflutter and emotionally torn. The nearly successful attack by a lethal assassin placed Cat in the path of Maks Grinkov, whose appeal is undeniable but whose connections to the criminal underground have her questioning his trustworthiness. Cat’s sister Abby may unquestionably vouch for him, but Detective Steve Shepherd has more than a few reasons for wanting Maks off the board and out of Cat’s reach. Not only was Maks seen in the company of the assassin who murdered Shepherd’s ex-wife, Steve is jealously expressing his own interest in the divorced life coach. That will make Maks’s request to go undercover and assist him in passing information to a handler rather uncomfortable for Cat, especially when it involves going out dates with the man with too many Chechen mafia ties. Feeling guilty about her lies and how Shepherd suffers from his ex’s unresolved murder, Cat hurtles herself into the investigation that involves million-dollar real estate, shady art dealers, and international espionage. That she is also motivated the thrill of another adventure is something Cat will admit only to Gilley, a willing and surprisingly effective accomplice in their escapades.

While fans of Victoria Laurie’s Psychic Eye and Ghost Hunter mystery series may be surprised that this is a mostly grounded and practical detecting thriller, they will enjoy a cameo and the catch-ups on the lives of their favorite characters. Away from the spooks and ectoplasmic ghouls that terrify Gilley, his antics are toned down and he proves to be a perceptive investigative partner. Gilley’s knowledge of the celebrity art world, not to mention his deftness with social media, assist Cat as she struggles to choose between two very different but equally moral men. That they hate one another will be problematic as they seem to be at other sides of the law and unable to share information. An unexpected twist will surprise readers who may have thought they had the real killer’s identity pinned down, and the action-packed ending is genuinely thrilling. The supportive friendship between Cat and Gilley is a joy to behold, and their clever banter belies their relatively new close friendship. While not all readers may see Cat’s romantic choice coming, it is her bond with Gilley that shines through and makes this second in the series such a pleasure for Victoria Laurie’s new and loyal fans.

Another entertaining and fun read in this series.
Happy to catchup with the fleshed out characters and trying to guess the culprit.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns.
I enjoyed it, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I love this series! I like Cat! I like the writing style. It kept me interested and was a quick, light read. Perfect beach read or to snuggle up on the couch with. I highly recommend it.

To Coach a Killer is the second book in Victoria Laurie's The Life Coach Mystery series. Cat Cooper is trying her best to make her life coach business a success and her best friend and assistant, Gilley Gilespie, is there to help her every step of the way. Cat has a lot going on in her life right now. She has a new client who claims to be cursed and helping him turns out to be more complicated than she thought, and she's also having a hard time deciding who to choose between her two love interests, Detective Shepherd and handsome bad boy, Maks Grinkov. When Maks becomes the main suspect in the murder of a local businessman, she decides to do some digging and once again, finds herself caught up in a dark mystery, involving spies, a mob boss, and an assassin. As bodies continue to pile up, Cat realizes that she can't trust anyone, not even her two suitors.

This is an entertaining and fast-paced cozy mystery, with plenty of humor, twists and turns, and romance. It had me on the edge of my seat and like Cat, I didn't know who to trust or believe. Cat and Gilley are fun, lovable characters, and I look forward to many more adventures with them. This series is a lot darker than the average cozy mystery, so keep that in mind if you're interested in reading it.

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

This is the second book in the Life Coach Mysteries series by cozy author Victoria Laurie. This is a fun series I always enjoy returning to. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. Review delayed due to fire evacuation .

Cate is a life coach in East Hampton who is in a slump with her business. She only has one current client who is a agoraphobic with a fear of a curse she will not stop talking about. Cate is fielding a unusual offer from a handsome bad boy Maks much to the chagrin of her favorite detective who has his sights on Cate. Soon Maks is the prime suspect in a series of murders and Cate suspects foul play. As she investigates she finds many red herrings and much jealously between Maks and the detective which complicate the cases.

I love the charcters in this series who all add richly to the plot. Cate is a likable protagonist who is a savvy investigator. This was a well crafted sleuth that kept me guessing to conclusion. I look forward to the next in series.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery quite a bit. I like Cat and I think Gilley makes a great side kick. I really enjoyed the mystery and I like the slight paranormal aspect to the tale which was worked in really well. The only reason I knocked the rating half a star was because I really don't enjoy a love triangle but I was glad to see the author didn't use that as a ploy to get readers for the next book. Overall I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the next one!

I really enjoyed this book - it was a quick read for me.

Probably my favorite part was the dueling love interests of Detective Shepherd and Maks Grinkov..

I liked the characters and the mystery so much I want to go back and read the first in the series - Coached to Death.

I love this cozy mystery!!!! I’m going to go back and read the first one since I jumped into the series at book two! I absolutely loved Cat a striving life coach in east Hampton as well as Gilly her bff as well as assistant and roommate. The characters and settings in this one definitely pull you In!

To Coach a Killer is the second installment in Victoria Laurie's The Life Coach Mystery series.

Another thrilling and highly entertaining read, especially the end. It is incredibly intense and heart pumping. We get to meet and learn even more about our protagonists and see them in another adventure.
I like how with every book Cat has an interesting case for her agency where she is able to show her expertise and her creativity.
I also enjoy the fact that there is the second mystery going on in her private life.
This book has it all, mystery, espionage, mobsters, professional killers, romance, paranormal aspect. Everything. It is really well blended into a compelling and enjoyable read.

Cat and Gilly have a new client, a guy who believes he has been cursed because calamities follow him everywhere.
On the personal front, Cat hasn't heard from Maks nor Shepard in months but all of a sudden they are both there. Maks with a scary and dangerous proposal and Shepard with even more drama.
As Cat and Gilly try to solve the mystery behind the murder of Shepard's wife they will inadvertently set a chain of events in motion that will bring havoc and put their lives in danger.
As more and more things are revealed our sleuths are running out of time to save lives and resolve the mystery.