I had no idea that Hallmark published mystery novels like this, and now I think I'm addicted! I didn't realize until the end of this book that this was the start of a Piper And Porter Mystery series. Book number two is scheduled to be published at the end of 2022, so I've got that on my calendar and am scouring NetGalley!

This book was so good! I loved that it was there was plenty of mystery without gore or overly graphic details. This is a good choice if you're in the a light, cozy whodunnit mystery that is engaging and keeps you on your toes. The writing style was perfect, and I really liked hearing Piper's inner monologue as she thought through the case. She is so precise in her thinking and so dedicated to her detective agency.

I really liked that the story was set in a small lakeside town where everybody knows everybody. In town, a murder is so unheard of that there's only been two cases in the past few decades.

The audiobook was really well done. The narration was perfect and not too quick at all. I was able to do chores around the house and still focus on the story without losing interest or missing any crucial details.

Between Tate, Darby, and all the townfolk, I just love how much depth the author chose to give each character. As you read more, the individual storylines reveal more about each person and you slowly gain more empathy towards the characters. It wasn't until the very end that we realized that Austin really did still have feelings for Piper, and I want to see how that evolves in the next book.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced listener's copy.

RATINGS: 2.5 STARS
2020; Dreamscape Media/Hallmark Publishing

Dead-End Detective was an okay mystery book, but would make a good Hallmark movie, depending on casting. Everything is a bit predictable in this story, but does have some endearing characters that made me invested to the end. I will not be continuing the series though. I am not sure I buy the chemistry between the hero and heroine in this one, and I don't want to read more books that have a "will-they-won't they".

***I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

The narration was wonderful, and I really loved this wonderful beginning to what I hope is along series. I love the Amish Candy Shop mysteries and knew this book would be great too, and I was not let down. I cannot wait to read or listen to Darby's next adventure.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the Dead-End Detective.

It's book 1 in a new series by the author, so there was a bit of setup. Still, I think the author has a nice cast of potential regulars that we meet as Darby investigates and interacts with the locals in the town.

Darby is the junior partner in Two Girl Detective Agency. Her partner, Sam, is acting strangely and was getting to dissolve the agency when she is killed. Darby's ex-boyfriend, Austin, is the cop who gives her the bad news at 4 am. Turns out, the killer is framing Darby as the murderer. To top it off, Sam didn't leave Darby the agency as agreed upon but left it to her nephew, Tate, instead. Darby must solve Sam's murder, handle the cases the agency was working on, determine what to think about Tate - her new partner/boss, occasionally rescue a main coon cat (weighing 25 pounds) from an old oak tree, and avoid being killed herself.

The secondary characters are great! Darby's mom is a librarian, who is portrayed as a knowledgeable researcher and a bit of a busy body. Mrs. Berger is a 90-year-old matriarch and owner of the main coon that likes to climb trees. She's commanding and a force to be reconded with! Darby's best friend is a delightful woman who runs the local coffee shop with her husband, who's an excellent baker. The health food store is operated by 2 fellows who are partners in business and life, but one is suspicious of the other and hires Sam to investigate. <spoiler> One partner thought the other was embezzling, but Darby and Tate help clear up the matter. This leads to a marriage proposal and the two men are engaged before the story ends.</spoiler> Plus, Darby has a cat named Gumshoe. As a cat-loving librarian, many of my catnip items were checked.

I listened to the whole book in less than 24 hours. It was fun and there were enough suspects to keep you guessing. The narrator did a great job! Easy to tell people apart.

I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series. While the primary story was wrapped up, there are a few lingering questions, like ... what is the grudge between Tate and Austin?

I was given access to the audiobook through Netgalley with the permission of Dreamscape Media.

Was so excited about a new series by Amanda Flower - one of my favorite authors and then when I was granted an audio version to "read" that's even better! The story surrounds Darby Piper who as a partner with Samantha Porter owns a detective agency. But when Samantha is found murdered, Darby is totally thrown for a loop. Not only is she the prime suspect but instead of inheriting Samantha's part of the agency she is saddled with Tate Porter - Samantha's nephew - who seems to be a unreliable world traveler with a past. Will they be able to get along and figure out who and why Samantha met her end?

I really enjoyed the story as well as the narration by Laura Faye Smith. I can foresee a future of unusual collaborations between the two principals and know that Ms. Flower's writing will bring them even more fully alive!

Wow! A Great Read.

Dead-End Detective was very well written and the narrator was quite enjoyable.

Definitely recommend.

This is the first book in a new series by Amanda flower. The series is A Piper & Porter Mystery. This is a simple whodunit with a mystery I enjoy. It had a well-developed plot that moves at a nice pace. The author did a good job of tying all of the characters together. I wish that the set up for the second protagonist would have been a bit more developed, but I suppose there will be time for that as the series continues. Thank you to Net Galley and Hallmark Publishing for the ALC in exchange for my review.

Darby and Samantha are a crime fighting duo, and when Samantha dies under mysterious circumstances, Darby is the first on the case. I loved this audiobook, and the narrator was a perfect choice to tell this story. Very quick read for me, and I enjoyed every minute! Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and Hallmark Publishing for a copy of this book for an honest review.

A new series, featuring private detective Darby and a mystery surrounding the death of her business partner. I listened to the audiobook version, which was well done. The characters are interesting, and the plot has enough twists to make the solution less than obvious. And, the story is enhanced by two charming cats, each with their own personality. Put a cat on the cover of the next book! Looking forward to seeing what's to come with this series!

Darby and Samantha are partners at the Two Girl Detective Agency when Samantha is killed in a car crash that does not look like an accident and Darby is considered a possible suspect. This was a very good, fast paced mystery and the audiobook narration kept my attention throughout.

A delightful audiobook! I increased the play speed so I could finish it quickly. The narrator is the perfect voice to bring this story to life. Darby is a loveable character and pulls the reader right into the mystery. Tate has the right qualities to draw out and balance Darby. Together, they make a great team and I hope that there are more stories with these two. Hallmark does such a great job of making clean, enjoyable stories. I received a complimentary copy from the author and NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

One reason I found the premise of this book interesting is because we also have a huge, haunted looking, old hospital building near me, that was, once upon a time, used to house patients with mental and emotional disorders. Now that it is long abandoned, rumors of haunting run even more rampant. I wish someone would give it a make over and bring new, more positive life to the complex.
Our heroine, Shannon, has a wonderful relationship with a man who has his own celebrity. I like that they are comfortable and not feeling pressured to rush into a permanent, legal attachment.
Shannon has a non traditional job, being the contractor and head of her team. I appreciated the details about the building and project. It really helps set the scene and tone. She is not afraid to work alongside her team. Sometimes her curiosity does endanger her.
The book deals with past and present crimes, things that are now considered cruel were once thought cutting edge treatments. Others, were ahead of their time.
The protesters are an interesting bunch. I will admit there are two that still puzzle me.
The action kept me turning pages and eager to know what would happen next.

Amanda Flower is one of my favourite Cozy Mystery Authors. I was quite excited to see that she was writing a new series, and was ready to read or listen to this one. Darby Piper and Samantha Porter are the owners of Two Girls Detective Agency. Darby is upset that Samantha has decided to sell the company as being the 60% partner, she has the right to do so. She is still stewing when she gets the call that Samantha has been killed in a car accident. It is quickly determined that it wasn't an accident but she was run off the road, and all evidence points to it being done by Darby's car. When Darby checks her garage, her car is missing. She last drove it three weeks earlier, but will the police believe her. She needs to find out who wanted Samantha dead and why. As she is grieving, she visits Samantha's lawyer only to find out that her estate, including her share of the agency has been left to her nephew Tate Porter.

Dead-End Detective is an easy and enjoyable read. The story was well-written with an interesting mystery. There were just enough red herrings and suspects to keep you guessing. I enjoyed the small-town setting and characters, with Darby and Tate developing a friendship and partnership that has some chemistry. This was a great first book in a new series and I will definitely be watching for the next Piper and Porter Mystery. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Laura Faye Smith. She is a new narrator to me and I was pleased with her performance. She had good expression, voices and tone. I hope she continues to narrate this series.

Oh how much, I did enjoy this entertaining cozy murder mystery written by Amanda Flower! I have much more to say about Dead-End Detective, so my full book review will be posted on my book review website soon. In the meantime, I can tell you Dead-End Detective is an enjoyable and wholesome read.

I listened to the audio version of Dead-End Detective. Kudos for the narration which is awesome! I understand that this is a new book series. I can’t wait to read the next installment of Dead-End Detective.

Many thanks to Hallmark Publishing for the audio copy of Dead-End Detective!

I really like this book.
A good cozy mystery suspense with great characters.
Darby is co owner of Two girls Detective agency with Sam who is killed and Darby is number one suspect,
She sets out to find the killer which put her head to head with Tate Sam nephew.
Good characters, drama intrigue, mystery and beginning romance.
Would like to see more of Darby and Tate.
Good narrative of the different characters.
Voluntarily reviewed.

Dead-End Detective is the first book in a new cozy mystery series set in upstate New York, featuring Darby Piper, a private investigator for Two Girls Detective Agency. The story starts off with a bang when Darby discovers that her friend and partner, Samantha, is planning on shutting down their joint business of ten years. A confrontation ensues and Darby is sure that Samantha is hiding something. The next thing we know, Samantha is killed in an auto accident, and Darby is the main suspect.

As is expected, Darby decides to investigate the crime alongside Samantha‘s long-lost nephew Tate, whom she has given over her portion of the business to. Darby’s ex-boyfriend is the lead detective on the case. What could possibly go wrong?

I’m a fan of well-done cozy mysteries and Dead-End Detective had promise, but unfortunately, I did not enjoy this one as much as I’d hoped, despite the cute cover. My main problem is that I didn’t care for any of the characters, nor did I understand their many irrational and immature behaviors. Samantha is supposedly such a good, long-time friend, but suddenly sells their business and only tells Darby that she wouldn’t understand rather than explaining? Darby, throughout the story is gullible and really not very insightful for a sleuth. I also didn’t buy into the romance between she and Tate and found his erratic behavior odd. The characters repeatedly jumped to conclusions that were often implausible. Though the culprit was a surprise, it was also a bit too far-fetched to take seriously.

There is also a lot happening in this story, which does keep the plot moving along, but it also makes the story feel disjointed. All-in-all I found the story unbelievable and the characters pretty insufferable. The narration also wasn’t what I anticipated. Darby’s voice and rather whiny and Tate’s voice was somewhat creepy. I know that many have loved this story, and Amanda Flowers is a highly respected author; it just wasn’t a good fit for me.

I really enjoyed listening to this new series. Darby is trying to decide what to do next as her detective business is on hold due to her partner dying. She soon finds a new partner in the form of her former partner's nephew. She wants to continue working and living in her home, but has to find out exactly what happened before she can continue to what is next.
I liked the narrator and look forward to the next one.

This was a new author for me. It's always great to find an author who writes mysteries without resorting to vulgarity. The narrator did pretty well in distinguishing between characters as well as pronunciation (it's amazing sometimes that narrators don't bother to check how to pronounce even moderately well known place names and other words). I found the characters mildly engaging and it seems, as with so many cozy mysteries, that there is a developing romance or possibly a love triangle developing. Not really my thing, but I guess it sells. The author did a good job of showing instead of telling what was happening. The final "clue" that leads to the solution to the mystery was very unbelievable however. But, this was a relaxing read to listen to while knitting and cleaning, so for me it was a worthwhile, if not riveting, read. I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion from Net Galley.

I liked this story so much I read the book and listened to the audio. This new series is sure to be headed down a one way road, the road to success. Darby Piper is the first wage earning professional PI that I have encountered yet. Be sure to buckle up because this is going to be a wild ride as Darby has to not only solve the crime of who killed her partner/mentor but to also discover who is trying to frame her for that very crime. It seems that partner Samantha had left her portion of the agency to her globe trotting nephew, who happens to be very close to Darby's age. Tate, the nephew, was in town the night before Samantha is found dead in a ditch, could he have something to do with it. Of course Tate could be wondering the same thing about Piper (as he likes to call her). There is more to this story than meets the eye as Darby learns that Samantha wasn't just driven to do her job well but to use those skills to determine who had killed her father all those years ago, There are twists and turns plus a few red herring detours before you get to the conclusion. Did I mention that there was a recipe? OH YES, a yummy trifle that pairs wonderfully with this story not to mention lasagna like in the story.

I enjoyed this book. It played very standard for a cozy mystery. As the first installment, the main character (in this case Piper) is loosely accused of murder. It all gets rectified with the assistance of a cop with whom she has a romantic history and a new man who swoops in to spice things up. It's formulaic, but it's a formula that works and why cozy mysteries are what they are.

My one big grip was that as part of the mystery, Piper's car was stolen. There seems to be very limited concern with a stolen car that was involved in a possible murder. I also thought that the chapters in the 20s dragged and were somewhat irrelevant, but it stared strong and I enjoyed the ending and how things wrapped up. I'd definitely pick up a next installment to see how things develop.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.