Having read and enjoyed book 1, I was more than happy to be return to Woodson Falls. This time, Gaby is busier than ever, her business has really taken off since her success with the infamous Jorgensen case put her firmly on the map.

Now she is asked to represent the estate of a famous author – Phillip Mitchell – who appears to have died of a heart attack. What should be a straightforward job soon rouses suspicion when Mitchell’s pregnant girlfriend cannot be located.

Gaby goes about her business, methodically getting jobs done but the missing girlfriend niggles her, and since said girlfriend is also a beneficiary in the deceased’s will, not finding her leaves a lot of loose ends.

The residents of Woodson Falls help Gaby identify when the girlfriend, Danielle, was last seen, as well as filling her in on others whose visits to the area have recently become more frequent. It begs the question why, and what were they doing there?

As Gaby draws her conclusions, it’s interesting to see other aspects of her workload. The details given by the author bring both the town, its inhabitants and Gaby’s job to life. However, it starts to look as though the missing girlfriend might never be found … and it’s only when out walking with her dog that they come upon Danielle’s car. Has something happened to her too? And if so, can they believe that Mitchell’s death was the result of a heart attack and nothing more?

I thoroughly enjoyed how Gaby got to the bottom of this, as well as seeing her contribution to Woodson Falls increase and make her a valued member of the town. Of course, the ending thrilled me as it hinted at what was to come next for Gaby, and this time it would get very personal. Bring on book three!

I do like Gaby. She is friendly, caring and smart. She is the lawyer representing the estate of a well known author. But the author's girlfriend is missing. As Gaby sorts the estate she keeps an eye out for anything leading to where the girlfriend could be. I like the small town feel to the location of the story. The level of detail makes the story more interesting. I like this style of writing.

This is book 2 in the Gaby Quinn series and can be read as a stand alone. I will be reading book 1, 16 Lake View Terrace soon. Gaby is an attorney in small town Woodson Falls and she wrote and is handling the estate of local author Phillip Mitchell. It appears he died of a heart attack. When they find is girlfriend dead in the woods Gaby starts to investigate and someone is trying to stop her. When his ex-wife shows up things rapidly accelerate with the will and family. I enjoyed this book, not much violence and intrigue and twists that keep me turning the pages. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Mountain Lakeside Mystery
This is an excellent missing-person mystery that takes place in a lakeside community in Connecticut. All of the characters in the novel have great backstories. Although I have read book 1, I do think that you can read book 2 alone and get the full impact. The plot is well thought out and executed to perfection. The prose created the perfect movie in the reader's mind to get the author's entire picture. While this is a short novel, it provides a complete story with an open door to the next episode. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

As a second in the series, this book remains faithful to the formula of the first. Gaby Quinn - local lawyer and frequent restaurant enthusiast, is given a brand new case to handle. This time as well, the case begins with a man found dead of natural causes but there seem to be many unanswered questions about his life. We see her work her way methodically through her client's documents and piece together her understanding of his life and the people he associated with.
It is (once again) a straightforward narrative with only hints being dropped for future books about her late husband and the reasons for the attack that left her widowed. This case was more obvious in its conclusion than in the first one, but it does not take away from the fact that Gaby is an industrious and likeable lead protagonist and being a short read, it works well as a package.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Great mystery. I’m looking forward to and hoping more to come in the series now that I’ve come to know these characters. I loved learning more about Gaby and the town of Woodson Falls. I can’t wait for Gaby’s next case!"

Great little murder mystery. I’m looking forward to and hoping that the series continues as I am now very much bought into these characters. This is my voluntary review of a free copy of the book.

"A cozy mystery for readers who think they don’t like cozy mysteries! I enjoyed the first book in the series and patiently waited for this second installment. "Woodson Falls: 9 Donovan’s Way" does not disappoint. I loved learning more about Gaby and the town of Woodson Falls. I’m invested in Gaby’s backstory and impressed with her character. I think the legal angle is brilliantly done. Who knew that estate law mysteries could be so compelling! I can’t wait for Gaby’s next case!"

Another visit to Woodson Falls and Gabrielle "Gaby" Quinn. I liked this film read even better than the first. Well developed plot with genuine characters. Thanks #netgalley and EmeraldLakeBooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

180 Pages

5 stars

When famous author and resident of Woodson Falls Phillip Mitchell passes away from a heart attack, estate attorney Gabriella “Gaby” Quinn receives a phone call from his ex-wife Eleanora. She is asking Gaby to take over the probate and estate dispersal.

As expected, Phillip leaves the house and a sizable estate to his only son, Tim. Tim is a student at Harvard. Phillip also bequeaths a portion of money to his girlfriend Danielle St. Clair who was approximately seven or eight months pregnant with their child. Tim has no problem with this, he really likes Danielle.

The problem arises when no one can locate Danielle.

This is a very well written and plotted little novella. The chapters are short, so the book just flies by. It was over all too soon. I really like the Gaby character and Officer Matt is a winner, too. I had a very strong suspect when I first heard about Danielle's disappearance, but I was just a little off. Very well done, Ms. O'Connor.

I want to thank NetGalley and Emerald Lake Books/IBPA Member's Titles for forwarding to me a copy of this delicious book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

An intriguing new case for Attorney Gabrielle “Gaby” Quinn. Phillip Mitchell, a respected author living in Woodson Falls, dies from a heart attack and Gaby is asked to probate his will. She is meticulous in her research to ensure that Tim, his college age son, understands his father’s estate. Ms. O’Connor’s information is both interesting and pertinent to the mystery. There is an ex-wife (Tim’s mother), Phillip’s literary agent, and Phillip’s new love interest who is pregnant. Gaby becomes suspicious when Phillip’s journals are missing as is his new love interest. Gaby contacts Matthew Thompson, a state trooper, who she became acquainted with during her last case…a possible love interest for Gaby? As she unearths more details, the reader follows along through the twists and turns of this absorbing mystery. While handling probate, Gaby takes time to handle a land development issue for another client. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

It’s not often you find a series where your empath emotions take over and you can relate to the protagonist who cares about and takes care of people. This cozy series did just that for me!

A solid whodunit and characters that make you want to come back for more. It doesn’t happen often, but glad it did with this one. Looking forward to more time reading about Woodson Falls from an attorney’s perspective.

A fantastic follow up - better perhaps than the last book. These are characters who will suck you in and make you genuinely care about them and what happens to them. I love how descriptive the language is and I think it is clever how the author has made this a strong stand alone book as well as part of a well fleshed out series.

The second in the Woodson Falls series and the second that I’ve read. Another good mystery told from the point of view of Gaby Quinn, the local attorney. The character development and clues are spot on - and it’s good to see Gaby’s relationships - particularly with Matt and Nell - developing; and her own character building and becoming stronger and more confident. This story focuses on the mysterious death of an author and the disappearance of his girlfriend, but there are side issues dealt with as well along the way; all of which add to the rounding out of the town, its residents and its issues. The end of the book gives us a tantalising glimpse into the focus of the next story. I’m looking forward to it and hoping that the series continues as I am now very much bought into these characters. This is my voluntary review of a free copy of the book.