Another great adventure for Cat and Gilley! Gilley is heart broken about his failing marriage, so he and Cat take a relaxing vacation to east Hampton. But of course it's anything but relaxing. I love The psychic eye series, but I'm really enjoying this series as well. Please keep them coming! I find the Life Coach series much lighter than the psychic eye series. I strongly recommend.

I love a good cozy mystery! One that incorporates all of my favorite topics (i.e. bookstores, libraries, cooking, painting, inn keeping, animals, etc.), throwing in some action-suspense, a who-done-it, interesting characters, and a plot that keeps me guessing, then you’ve got me hooked. I will say, I am one of those people who like to read a series from the beginning, but I often find you don’t have to… either way I highly recommend reading Coached Red-Handed by Victoria Laurie.

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.*

I absolutely adore this series and cannot wait for the next installment. All four books are equally interesting and well-plotted. I love Cat and Gilley - and even grumpy Shepherd. I would recommend this to anyone who likes an atmospheric, amusing cozy mystery with a wealthy main character and her luxurious surroundings - her “butler” Sebastian is a fun touch and I can picture Chez Cat and Chez Kitty perfectly. I also giggled a lot at this, because Cat has some very funny lines.

It's a fun and enjoyable mystery. I love how realistic the characters are. The mystery kept me guessing until the unexpected ending, and now I'm ready to find out what's in store for them in the next book.

Thank you, NetGalley, publisher, and author, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

*** Book appears fourth in the review and it will appear in a printed column in the paper the Collinwood Observer, the Euclid Observer and several other versions (local material changes, my column remains the same in all). A longer, online review will be available closer to the end of the month of November. Also, the picture for the column is of Coached Red-Handed, the only book featured with a picture, with the column as I can only give that honor to one book in the review.

Tea Time With A Good Book
Only in December We Substitute With Hot Chocolate ;)


With so many great recommendations to close out the year, I wanted to keep them short and plentiful, for under the tree as a gift or a read for yourself on those silent, chilly nights wrapped in a blanket under the twinkling lights.

The Circus Train is a coming of age tale in a mystical, rich, circus, during World War II. It is a tale of strength, courage, love but most of all, endurance, perseverance and overcoming insurmountable, seemingly unwinnable odds. Next, for science fiction/ fantasy fans we turn to the writings of Nathan Traverse in A Fractured Infinity. Hayes Figueiredo, an unsuccessful movie maker, brought to the envisioner, a machine that can't be explained; not where it came from, how it works, even what it does. A complex, metaverse tale that wraps around your mind, not once, or twice but over and over and back to wrap again!

For fans of historical fiction, Philipia Gregory wraps up her series with the long awaited finale to the Fairmire Series with Dawnland. Livia is well, Livia, up to her old schemes. This time, however, her plans may well include royalty, up to, and including, the heir to the English throne. You won't want to miss this masterpiece. And those who want a writer with a strong pen when it comes to looking toward the Lord for strength, there is The Finding of Miss. Fairfield by Grace Hitchcock. Finally, for mystery lovers there is Coached Red Handed by Victoria Laurie. When Cat's client is murdered after a session in which she provided coaching advice she can't help but feel devastated, intent to catch who done it. An instant, new, favorite of mine!

For the Christmas book every reader must have this season, The Naughty or Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan. When Llyas dead father's toy factory is saved from bankruptcy, to appease her co-CEO Mr. Mason Klaus, she must travel to his family's magical wonderland for twelve days. A romance that will knock your stockings off their chimney hooks! Just don't let Santa catch you with this book, you may end up on his naughty list!

To all my readers, Please go to the online version of this article for a longer review, it's provided with more books for yourself and gifts for the holiday reader of all types and genres! Also, my Goodreads page, Jeneane Vanderhoof.

Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!

I have to admit, Victoria Laurie’s books are one of my guilty pleasures, so when I saw that I might be able to read one early, I was absolutely thrilled! I have read this series for years and have enjoyed every single one of them. This one was no exception. It does help if you’ve read the series from the beginning to stay up with the characters and what’s going on, but the mystery is never dull.

Victoria Laurie is one of my MUST read authors every time one of her books comes out. I have never been one for paranormal/psychic eye type stories but for some reason her books are a fun, easy read and there’s always a part that makes me laugh out loud.

Thank you to #netgalley and #kensingtonbooks for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

This continues to be one of my favourite series. Cat and Gilley are great together, the dialogue moves the story forward well, and Cat and Steve continue to build a very realistic relationship. There are always such great questions and although I did guess the murderer in this one (and kind of the motivation), I would never have guessed *how* the murders were done.

Recommended for fun, clever and well-plotted mysteries and great characters.

I suggest starting from the beginning of the series to truly get a feeling for these characters and their backgrounds. This author always has me laughing, but I really feel for the characters in this one and what they are going through.

Cat and Gilles plan to escape to Europe only to get sidetracked by a murder of an author after a family confrontation. ARC from NetGalley

Cat and Gilley are back for another round of compelling missteps and murder-solving. If you've made it this far in the series, you already know what you're in for — and it's why you've come this far. There are some moments where Cat comes across as too strident, and it drives me a little crazy when authors rely on unspoken/ miscommunication for a central conflict that one solid conversation could solve. But of course, it's all in good fun, and we eventually get there. Here you get to see Gilley embody a lawyer, and we follow Cat down some crazy rabbit holes.

I love escaping real life with their banter and friendship. It's a great cozy series that keeps things interesting. I'm hoping the next one is set in Europe once Gilley and Cat finally get to take off on their overseas adventure!

Big thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

Princess Fuzzypants here: Cat and Gilly are looking forward to a European tour when she is asked to coach a very rich author who wants to free herself from her money-grubbing family. All the disenfranchised members are perturbed when she informs them of her decision and makes them each sign a contract whereby she gifts them with the houses that she owned. One of them it seems is more upset than all the others. This person murders the woman but if the killer thought things would return to the way it was after her death they are sadly mistaken when the will is read.

Jack is the cop who is investigating and he wants Cat to stay out of it but Cat and Gilly stubbornly refuse. They need a solution so they can make their flights but they also have a fondness for the victim and for her employees who are now in danger. They want to be sure the right person is arrested and that there is justice for the deceased. They are going to deep-dive into a highly dysfunctional family. I must confess I twigged to the killer almost immediately. But there are so many other notables suspects, it would be easy to be fooled. None of them deserved the largesse she bestowed on them before she was murdered.

Sometimes I do want to shake Cat but I was delighted when she was called to task by Gilly. She can be very smart but she can also be very unaware. She does get better as the story evolves. I did enjoy the book though and will give it four purrs and two paws up.

Coached Red-Handed: A Cat & Gilley Life Coach Mystery
By Victoria Laurie
Kensington
August 2022

Review by Cynthia Chow

As a professional Life Coach and East Hampton divorcee, Cat Cooper knows just how devastating the end of a marriage can feel. So she’s prepared to do what she can to comfort her bestie Gilley Gillespie on the day he receives his own divorce papers in the mail from his husband. Seeing Gilley so distraught and dreading the day his ex comes to officially move out inspires Cat to offer Gilley a spur-of-the-moment trip to Paris, as what can be more distracting than French food and shopping? Before they leave though, Cat just has to do a favor for Sunny Shepherd, the first friend Cat made in East Hampton and the sister of Cat’s boyfriend. One of Sunny’s friends has a mentor who needs life advice, and Cat just happens to have an afternoon opening. Gilley doesn’t even mind the interruption of his own personal drama when he discovers that the woman needing their help is Scarlet Rubi, a bestselling romance author who is both famous and absurdly rich. It’s that last quality that has garnered her an endless amount of stress in her life, as Scarlet is financially supporting three generations of her family. Cat advises that Scarlet should give her tangled web of a family tree the deeds to all of the homes they live in but she pays for, with the catch being that is the last cent she will ever give them. While none of Scarlet’s relatives take the news all that gracefully, they do all eventually sign off on the contracts that award them all free homes. It’s too bad that Scarlet won’t have the time to enjoy her family-free responsibilities though, as the next day Detective Steven Shepherd gives Cat the news that Scarlet was executed by gunshot in her home.

For once neither she nor Gilley are suspects, but Scarlet’s will reveals that no one else is going to go unscathed. Scarlet’s ex-husband is to be the recipient of most of her wealth, but it comes with the caveat that he never marries her sister Siobhan, who at this moment happens to be wearing his engagement ring. A hefty life insurance policy that expired just hours after her death has the suspect list including Scarlet’s nearest and dearest, especially when another good portion of the romance writer’s estate goes to her live-in servants. The threat of the new District Attorney to keep them in town until an arrest is made jeopardizes their therapeutic vacation getaway to Paris, so Cat and Gilley are going to go full-stop on being investigators themselves if they want to save their trip to Paris. Delivering justice is just the bonus.

This second entry in what is essentially a spin-off from the author’s other two mysteries surprises by being as good as, if not better, than the originals. Gilley is a toned-down version of the scaredy-cat, Scooby-Doo-ish reluctant assistant we meet in the Ghost Hunter Mysteries, while Cat is far more competent and confident now that she’s moved away from her sister and the Psychic Eye Mysteries. Cat and Gilley are actually able to provide support to one another as they talk down the other’s drama-attracting tendencies, especially when they hit bumps in their respective romantic relationships. It’s Gilley who is able to point out that Cat has a habit of taking over and trying to fix things with money, as it often comes at the expense of her boyfriend’s dignity and self-respect. The dialogue is fast and barbed as Gilley and Cat navigate through the spurious members of Scarlet’s family, who even at their worst are at times seen as vulnerable and wounded by Scarlet’s wealth. This is another very funny and fun novel that pokes at the rich elite while also tantalizing readers with the luxuries that can be accompanied by hidden costs.

I love Cat and Gilley. I love the very real, sometimes strained relationship between Cat and Shep. I was heartbroken when Gilley and Michael got divorced, but hopefully a better relationship is on the horizon for Gilley. I would love for Cat and Gilley and Shep to become a fearsome foursome! As always, a great mystery with lots of little side stories. A fantastic read!

I really liked this book! It’s part of an excellent series, and the characters are really fun and quirky. Cat is a life coach and her best friend Gilley is recovering from his divorce to his partner. Cat wants to take him on vacation, but she gets a call from a famous woman who is later found murdered. Cat and Gilley need to solve the crime before they can leave on vacation. This is a fun read, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

Cat's friend Gilley grief-stricken over the end of his marriage, he had no idea there was even a problem. Cat wants to help him take his mind off of things and what better way to do that than a long trip to Italy. The two are ready to head out but before they can leave a client needs there help. Scarlet Rubi is a romance author who has trouble saying no her family. She asks Cat to help her make an announcement to her family letting them know she is cutting them all off, no more handouts. The night of the get together everyone is upset but Cat helps Scarlet let the family know she will no longer be their meal ticket. The next day Scarlet is found dead, the whole family was upset when they left the previous evening but who was mad enough to murder. Being one of the last people to see the woman alive, Cat can't leave for her trip until the murder is solved. Cat and Gilley begin their own investigation but soon learn this is going to be harder than they thought, everyone had a reason to want her dead. Will the dynamic duo be able to find a killer quickly or will their trip be postponed forever?

Murder, Mayhem, Multiple LOLs

The newest installment of the LIfe Coach Mystery series is a smash hit! I just finished reading Coached Red-Handed by Victoria Laurie and couldn’t put it down. Ms. Laurie is one of my favorite authors, and she definitely delivered on this book.

Cat Cooper decides what her BFF Gilley needs is a dream vacation to Europe to take his mind off his heartbreaking divorce. But before they can pack their bags, Cat takes on a new client Scarlet Rubi, a famous septuagenarian Romance Author. Scarlet needs Cat’s help to finally cut off her mooching, money-grubbing family members. Mere hours after Scarlet puts the kibosh on her family’s freeloading, she is murdered. As the last two people to see Scarlet before she died, Cat’s police detective boyfriend tells her she and Gilley can’t leave town before the case is solved. So with that ticking time bomb counting down the seconds till their plane departs for Europe, they are on the case to find out whodunnit.

The author has always done a great job of crafting her books. She is one of the best authors to write with humor, intrigue, and drama. There’s a scene between Cat and Gilley in which a conversation takes place at Howler monkey decibels that is so funny I laughed till I cried. I couldn’t open my eyes for several minutes because I was laughing so hard! Even now, writing this review, I’m laughing.

Anywho, Ms. Laurie’s characters are relatable, realistic, and well-rounded. In this installment, the suspects abound as motives for the murder are brought to light with every turn of the page. There are some excellent red herrings added to the mix, and the ending was a complete shock.

I love Victoria Laurie’s books, and was thrilled to read an advanced copy through NetGalley. I’m happy to share my views and enthusiasm for this book!

What a thrilling ride! Cat and Gilley always make me laugh but there was also so much empathy in this one: for each other, for loved ones, for clients, and new friends. They’ve both grown so much in the last few books and while the mystery was front and center in this, you can’t help but admire Cat for her big heart. The mystery kept me guessing with an interesting list of suspects. Can’t wait to see what they get up to next (although I’m a little disappointed we didn’t get to go to Europe with them – maybe in the next one?)

In Coached Red-Handed, coach Cat has a new client.

Scarlet Rubi is a fabulously rich romance author who is sick of supporting her extended family. Her sister, nephew, two grown children, and two granddaughters have never done anything in their lives but suck money away from her. Cat and Scarlet decide on a solution. Scarlet will give them the million dollar houses that Scarlet allows them to live in rent free. But only if they agree to never to ask Scarlet for another dime. It doesn’t go well, and Scarlet is murdered that same night.

Gilley is Cat’s best friend. Gilley has recently broken up with his longtime love. To cheer him up, Cat is taking Gilley to Europe. Unfortunately, as the last people to see Scarlet alive, Cat’s detective boyfriend, Shepherd, tells them they can’t leave the country. That forces the bffs to investigate the crime themselves so their trip isn’t delayed.

I’ve followed the hilarious Gilley from the author’s Ghost Hunter cozy mystery series to this series. Now, both he and I are beginning to settle into his new lifestyle. In addition to Gilley romantic heartbreak, Cat and Shepherd’s romance takes central stage in Coached Red-Handed. If you want a funny, cozy mystery with realistic romantic subplots, look no further, this book is great! 5 stars!

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Gilley’s divorce is final and Cat has the perfect solution for when Michel comes to collect the last of his belongings…a trip to Europe! Before they can head out they take on a new client and the woman is murdered not long after they met with her and her family. While not the prime suspects, they are on the list and Cat really wants to solve this before she and Gilly leave the country.

With a family of financial vultures, Cat and Gilley have a slew of suspects to work their way through. When their suspects start getting picked off one by one, Cat and Gilley have to keep shifting their focus until they can find the right family member with opportunity and means, because they all have motive. Even better would be doing it shoutout putting themselves in jeopardy, but can Cat and Gilley solve the case before their trip, or will the only place they travel to be the hereafter?

I adore this series! Gilley and Cat are pure BFF goals. They have each others backs and they are always there for each other, be it business, sleuthing or just another bump in the road of life. Having worked with AI for years now, I’m a huge fan of the butler…Me thinks I could use Sebastian in my own home.

I love a mystery book that has complicated characters and interesting dynamics between the main characters. This book has it all. The story moves quickly and the mystery is not solved easily. It’s also fascinating to see how some characters relationships are getting better while others are falling apart. It’s a wonderful World and I can’t wait until the next book.