Death by Intermission by Alexis Morgan is the fourth book in the cozy Abby McCree Mystery series. As with most cozy series each book in the Abby McCree Mystery series has it’s own mystery that is solved within the book so each can be read in any order or as a standalone if choosing to do so. However, those that follow along from the beginning of the series will have some character development that carries over from book to book.

This series introduces readers to Abby McCree who had just gotten divorced and had to sell her half of the business she shared with her husband over to him when she found out what her Aunt Sybil left her in her will. Needing a fresh start Abby decided to move into her Aunts former home and make it her own in small town Snowberry Creek, Washington. After arriving in the small town Abby found herself surrounded by her aunt’s old friends who are turning to her to fill the hole that her aunt had also left in their lives and trying to get Abby to volunteer for project after project.

Now Abby has yet again been asked to join yet another committee with this time being asked by the mayor. Abby’s task has been to keep up with the box office receipts at the town’s movies in the park event but now she finds herself organizing the last movie but just as Abby thinks the night is a total success she ends up with yet another dead body on her hands. This time Abby really can’t sit back and wait for the murderer to be caught with the suspect being none other than her own mother’s date for the evening.

I have been following the Abby McCree Mystery series from the very beginning and I think Death by Intermission has been my favorite so far of the series. This is a series that has all of the elements of cozy mysteries that I enjoy with the small town setting, wonderful side characters, a bit of romance and an engaging mystery to be solved with each new book. Definitely a series I will continue to return to in the future!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Abby McCree having been coerced into running another committee, this time movie night in the park, discovers a dead body alongside her mother who was visiting. When her moms new beau becomes the prime suspect Abby decides she must investigate if only to get her mother to return home to save their relationship.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. This was an interesting mystery that have great characters I can't wait to read more.

Death by Intermission was a very enjoyable read. I'm so glad that the relationship between Abby and her tenant, Tripp, is starting to heat up. This is the 4th book in the series so it's taken a bit to get there. It was interesting seeing Abby interact with her mother as well. The murder mystery itself wasn't that easy to figure out until the last couple of chapters. I thought I'd had it figured out much sooner, but I was wrong. I love it when the author stumps me like that. I'm definitely reading the next one in this series.

Death by Intermission

by Alexis Morgan

I had been looking forward to reading another book in the Abby McCree Mystery Series and was not disappointed in Alexis Morgan’s Death by Intermission. Abby, a relative newcomer to Snowberry Creek, already has a reputation as a “murder magnet.” She doesn’t go looking for trouble when she and her tenant/boyfriend Tripp attend the local movie-in-the-park event, but she discovers more than trash during the clean up session after the movie.

There are new interesting characters involved in the excitement in this plot. Abby’s mother, Phoebe, is staying with her for an extended visit, and the two clash in ways they never had before as they find a need to establish boundaries with each other. After all, when is flashing the porch light on a couple saying goodnight appropriate when everyone involved is an adult over age thirty?

Owen is another newcomer to town. He has opened a barbecue restaurant. Owen is dating Phoebe, and she explodes in his defense when Gage, the local police chief, holds him for suspicion of murder. A knife from his restaurant was the murder weapon.

We are also introduced to Jada, a college student working for Owen. Jada finds herself in the middle of the murder investigation. Has she lied to the police? Why is her godfather taking a sudden interest in her? Why was she fired from her former job at the insurance agency that had been managed by her father, and why did the new agent refuse to give her father’s personal possessions to her?

I must mention Abby’s mastiff mix Zeke. Weighing in at almost one hundred pounds, he is her companion and protector, and he is a good judge of character. He adds much fun and interest to the book.

There are so many tangled threads in this plot. Abby, Phoebe, and Jada find themselves in physical danger, and Tripp, Owen, and Gage, who share a common military background, are called upon to defend them. The complications don’t unravel themselves; it takes action from the group to discover and overwhelm the criminal.

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

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #4 in the Abby McCree Mystery Series, but excellent as a standalone.

Publication: January 26, 2021—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

“So bottom line, you’re willing to put up with two testy women and a slobbery dog because you’re hungry and haven’t made it to the store recently.” “Pretty much.”

“Come on, everyone, let’s head inside.” With his uncanny sense of who needed him the most, Zeke remained right by Jada’s side all the way into the kitchen and then parked himself right at her feet with his big head taking up most of her lap.

On the surface, it seemed simple. Nothing could go wrong. Right?

Fairly predictable cozy mystery but I think that that is because it is the fourth one in the series that I have read by this author. But it was still an enjoyable read.

A modern day Agatha Christie and I was so pleased to learn it is one of many by this talented author. Plenty to enjoy here - great characters and relationships form an integral part of a mystery which genuinely kept me guessing.

The fourth book in the Abby McCree Mystery series by Alexis Morgan is Death by Intermission. Abby and Tripp are having date night at the town's Movies in the Park event, but Abby cannot keep her thoughts away from her mom and her mom's new boyfriend. Thoughts of everything are wiped out when Abby and her mom discover a body while cleaning up after the event. With her mom's boyfriend as the main suspect, Abby launches her own investigation. This could be my favorite book in the series. The only drawback for me is Abby's mom Phoebe. Phoebe is the very definition of a spoiled brat, and Abby is less likable with Phoebe around. Aside from that I enjoyed the book and look forward to the next.

Death by Intermission is an average story with a few issues. But none of the problems compare to the dynamics achieved in mother/daughter relationships. Or the damage the main character and her mother do to what equates to complex relationships, to begin with. As an amateur sleuth, Abby always finds herself in a murder investigation. She gets stuck in the middle of them and feels that she doesn’t have a choice but try to figure it out on her own.

This time we find that Abby’s mom has come for a visit; she managed to find a boyfriend and a dead body. She isn’t a suspect, but her new beau is, and Abby isn’t sure that he isn’t guilty. The amateur sleuth in her comes to the foreground. One way or another, she has to find out who killed a local insurance agent before her mother does something stupid. Other suspects are present but aren’t as easy to connect to the dead man until some secrets come to light.

The killer’s identity is revealed and doesn’t really come as a surprise. I thought it was evident from the beginning. Some of the secrets that seem so important turn out to be easy to figure out. The constant bickering between Abby and her mother gets old quickly, and it doesn’t help that they are acting like teenagers and have the attitude to go with it. This makes it difficult to get to know Abby’s mom, which would have made the story more interesting if the reader could know what type of person she is instead of who she is presented to be by her biased daughter. Kids have an odd idea of who their parents are to begin with, adding murder and a boyfriend into the mix makes it even more skewed. Abby isn’t a very good sleuth as she doesn’t figure out who the killer is; she sort of falls into the killer’s line of sight and almost becomes a victim.

I have enjoyed this series from the beginning. Even though I found Death by Intermission to have some issues and a few unanswered questions, it hasn’t changed my opinion or enjoyment of the series or the author. This is still one of the better amateur sleuth series on the market and one of the best writers. However, isn’t it time Abby gets some life goals, maybe a job, or starts a business, and she and Tripp need to stop pretending to be landlord and renter?

This is a well-crafted mystery with lots of twists and turns and well-placed red herrings. The characters are well-developed and relatable with complex relationships. I am looking forward to the next installment.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

Snowberry Creek always seems to have a lot going for it. Movies in the park are Abby McCree's latest committee job, and a successful one at that. When a body is found during clean up, Abby's mom's new beau is first on the suspect list. I liked the addition of some new characters, but Abby and her mom's regressive teen like relationship will hopefully even out if her mom decides to remain in town. This is turning out to be a favorite series and always a good diversion.

This series has become one of my most favorite cozy series! I love Abby, Tripp, Gage and the rest of their gang. This installment was a fun one with Abby’s mom visiting and her “friend” in the hot seat when the murder victim is discovered by Abby and her mom. The mystery was fantastic and I love the humor sprinkled throughout. Abby and her mom were a hoot with their bickering, although I have to say Abby’s mom and I would have had major words if I were in Abby’s shoes!! This was a prefect cozy for me and I loved reading it. Book #5 can’t come soon enough for me!

This is a new to me series and I really enjoyed it. I didn't have any trouble jumping into the series on book 4. I'm going to go back and read the previous books in the series. The book is well written and the characters and their relationships realistic. I will be going back to read the first 3 books in the series.

Death by Intermission by Alexis Morgan
Publisher: Kensington Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Release Date: January 26, 2021

Death by Intermission is the fourth book in An Abby McCree Mystery series by Alexis Morgan. I haven't read the other books in the series, but this cozy mystery was easily read as a standalone book.

This cozy mystery was fun to read! The characters were great. They were so relatable and likable! I loved the small town and all the people in it! Such neat personalities. The mystery was great and kept me on my toes!

I look forward to reading the other book in the series! Check this one out, it's free on Kindle Unlimited!

I'm so grateful to Alexis Morgan, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Death by Intermission is #4 in the Abby McCree mystery series. This series just gets better and better. Abby’s mother is dating again after her divorce and Abby is not sure how she feels about that. But when he is accused of murder, Abby must do whatever she has to so her mother will move back to her own house. I can relate. I know my mother would drive me crazy if she lived with me! I love both Abby and Tripp. They are both good people and deserve happiness together. Zeke, the mastiff, melts my heart. I also really like Gage. He is a good sheriff who is fair minded. While this book is part of a series, it is stand alone, and you wouldn’t be confused if you jumped right in. However, for more Abby, Zeke, and Tripp, I recommend reading the entire series! I can’t wait for the next book. Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Murder in the open? Surrounded by lots of people? Who would kill someone new to town, and why? Abby is busy dealing with her mom coming to town, and now this? She moved to Snowberry Creek to start a new life, and she keeps finding bodies. Can she help solve the mystery of the outdoor movie murder?

Princess Fuzzypants here: Abby’s mother is visiting and things are not going well. She is quick to criticize every move Abby makes and when the two of them find a murder victim and her mom’s new beau is arrested as the prime suspect, the tension goes everywhere but down. Her mom takes aim at all and sundry including Gage, Abby’s Police Chief friend. Instead of helping Owen, she only complicates an already complicated mess.

Enter Owen’s young employee, Jada. She has just lost her father and now, with Owen in jail, she might lose her job. Someone tried to break into her house in the middle of the night and she ends up staying with Abby. Things really get complicated. It seems Owen is not who he seems to be but then neither was her father, the murder victim or her godfather. Both Gage and Abby’s boyfriend/tenant, who served overseas together, know there are secrets that have created this situation stem from their military service. Just how it all comes together and whether it has anything to do with the murder will all be revealed before the end of the book. It is a good mystery with lots of twists and turns.

But this series is character driven and I have enjoyed the development of the relationships between Tripp, Gage and Abby. Adding in the contentious relationship between Abby and her mother and then Owen and Jada has continued to build the enjoyment. I look forward to see where it might go from here.

Five purrs and two paws up.

4.5 stars

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

I really enjoyed this installment of the Abby McCree mysteries. I thought Owen was quite a wild card. At first you think he is only her mother’s boyfriend, but there is so much more backstory there. I wish they had focused a bit more on that part since it wasn’t completely clear to me. But indeed good stuff.

The plot was nicely crafted and it makes you continually question your own list of suspects and who is currently at the top. Of course, for me, it can change from chapter to chapter. I like the whole community in this series and look forward to visiting whenever a new book pops up. Definitely a series I want to continue to follow.

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

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.

This is the first book in this series that I’ve read and, while I had no difficulty getting up to speed on the series, I found myself asking what I’d gotten myself into. With the exception of the constant bickering between Abby and her mother, this was an enjoyable cozy. The problem was the amount of tension between Abby and her mother. Quite honestly, it felt way over-the-top for a cozy and sadly realistic. This was truly a case where less would have been much better.

Overall, I liked the protagonist and her approach to the crime. Dialogue felt realistic. Her motivation for investigating was also believable. I did find the writing style to be a little too explanatory for my taste because it slowed the plot. Overall, I’d have enjoyed this one more with less angst in Abby’s personal life and a little more mystery in the plot, but for fans of the series, it’s a good read.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Abby McCree finds herself in charge of another Snowberry Creek event. This time it’s a family film in the park. Everyone seems to have enjoyed the movie, especially Abby who took in the movie with Tripp Blackston, and Abby’s mother, Phoebe who attended the show with her new boyfriend, restauranteur, and food truck owner, Owen Quinn but they didn’t watch most of the movie because they were making out like teenagers and making Abby cringe.

When the movie was over and the park cleared out Abby, Phoebe, Tripp, and Owen took on the tasks of putting equipment and tables away and picking up any litter left behind. They also found a man who appears to have had too many adult beverages and is sleeping it off. But as Abby gets closer she realizes the man isn’t sleeping, he’s dead. He is identified as Mitchell Anders, the new insurance agent in town, and we quickly learn that he has been stabbed. Stabbed with a chef knife belonging to Owen. Abby doesn’t know much about Owen but when her mother asks her to help clear his name she can’t say no. She also sees the tension between Phoebe and police chief Gage Logan so to keep the peace she needs to get involved. Hopefully, she isn’t making a huge mistake.

The characters I have come to love return, and they are joined by Abby’s mother Phoebe visiting from Seattle, Owen Quinn, who has come to town to open a restaurant and food truck, and his employee, Jada. Abby and Tripp’s relationship is moving along nicely. I love the two of them together but her mother doesn’t. In fact, her mother found issue with almost everything Abby did and all of her friends. She was a cantankerous woman throughout most of the story and Abby really did try to keep her cool but finally blew. I found Abby’s reactions to be very realistic. Her mother’s attitude and actions were a little over the top but the relationship challenges did add a unique slant to the book. Again the lovable mastiff Zeke stole my heart.

The mystery was very well constructed. Owen is holding something back and there are a wide variety of clues that open up the suspect pool. One glaring clue was found in an intriguing place and when discovered broke the case wide open. I really enjoyed this twist and the manner in which it was handled. The way all the subplots entwined with the main plot really kept those pages turning.

Death by Intermission is a superb addition to this series. Ms. Morgan knows how to give her readers a stellar mystery to solve laced with a nice amount of humor and the perfect amount of romance. She has placed her characters in an interesting small town that always has an event or two for them to get believably involved in.

I was smiling as the book drew to a close. I can’t wait to see what these characters are up to next.