This was a great second installment in this series and I loved being back with these characters. I find this series perfectly balances the quirky cozy mystery with more serious elements of a police procedural. I do wish we had a little bit more of the fun psychic elements in this book that I loved so much in the first installment. As far as the actual mystery in this story, I found it very well plotted and there were a good amount of twists.

Flight Risk is the second book in Cherie Priest's "Booking Agents" series of light fun mysteries that star widower detective Grady and amateur and weak psychic Leda (book 1 was Grave Reservations). Book 1 was a fun buddy cop-ish kind of mystery, except unlike the classic version of that genre there wasn't really any conflict between the leads as they wound up working together in book 1 to solve both a serial killing with ties to Leda's past. There also wasn't any real hint of romance between the leads, despite the obvious potential for that (one's a widower, the other's love was murdered). But the mystery was enjoyable and the book's humor and fun was really great at times, so it was an excellent light read and I was hoping the sequel would carry that over.

The good news is that Flight Risk remains the same sort of light mystery fun as its predecessor: the main characters remain excellent and the book is still very enjoyable, even if there really aren't any standout jokes this time. At the same time, there still remains a weird disconnect in chemistry between the two leads, and while the book is short enough to never drag, it never really manages to be more than lightly enjoyable entertainment (especialy as its mystery kind of peters out). I needed a fun light read when I read this and Flight Risk delivered, but at the same time it feels like there are a lot of books just like this out there, so it doesn't really stand out too much from the pack.

Plot Summary:
Grady Merritt is off duty and out of his jurisdiction with his daughter looking for his lost dog out on Mount Rainier when his dog comes back with a severed human leg. Soon it becomes clear that he has a murder mystery to solve, even if the man died out of his jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, Leda Foley's psychic travel agency and occasional psychic detective agency gets a surprise new client: a man searching for his disappeared sister, who absconded from a job site with $30K in cash and whose philandering professor husband couldn't care less that she's gone. And so Leda sets off on the hopeful task of finding the missing woman using her psychic and observational skills on the woman's personal effects.

Yet when Grady turns to Leda once again for help, it becomes clear that their two new cases are intertwined. It'll take both their talents to figure out what's really going on with the mystery, to find their missing person, and to track down a murderer.....

Flight Risk is a solid light mystery book, even if it's not one of those whodunits that's going to really leave you trying to figure out who's the guilty party (there are 5 suspects essentially all of whom have potential motives) and what really happened. A large part of that has to do with Priest's excellent prose, which is light and fun despite featuring a murder (discovered by a good boy doggy) and a cast in Grady, his fellow detectives* who are on the case, Leda and her best friend and a psychic ally, that are all highly enjoyable to read as they try to figure it all out. And the book is short enough that it never outstays its welcome, even if the mystery is resolved in a way that feels like it shouldn't have really needed the skills of either protagonist.

*Yeah all the cops in this one are good guys, so if you want to cry copaganda here I won't stop you. But that's how a light detective mystery in the modern day US goes more or less.

At the same time, like in the first book, there's sort of weird utter lack of chemistry between Grady and Leda, even if you accept that this book isn't taking the natural opportunity to swerve into romance between the older widower and the younger woman whose boyfriend was murdered (and whose murder they helped solve together last book). Grady at times feels like he wants to have Leda along to help him, but you never get the feeling it's because of any friendship or that Leda bugs him or amuses him or does much other than make him feel old. And Leda wants to help Grady but really that just feels more like it's cuz she's hooked on solving the mystery. There's a running subplot where Leda tries to find out Grady's birthday and it eventually culminates in a moment of friendship...but it just feels out of nowhere half the time rather than a natural thing that comes up. Buddy Cop setups usually thrive on conflict or friendship between the two protagonists of different backgrounds and styles, and it barely feels like these two characters really care at all about each other.

This isn't to be too negative about Flight Risk as both Grady and Leda are enjoyable characters on their own and Priest makes the story light and enjoyable, which is what I was looking for when I started it. But there's lots of books sort of like this, and I kinda feel like this one doesn't have that extra bit of chemistry or character connections to stand out like those I really love.

Enjoyed this one very much, another cozy suspense from author Cherie Priest. Never disappoints, highly recommend!

Flight Risk is the second book in the series. If you’ve read the first book, you will also enjoy this book. Many of the same characters are in this book and a few new ones. This book, though a mystery, is a lot of fun. It has silly moments thatmakethisbooknotonlyenjoyable, but an easy read. The main character, Leda is a psychic, and sing karaoke. Hers and herfriends are great characters and I hope there is a book three.

I was thinking about this series the other day and wondering if/when a third book would come out and realized that I hadn't actually read Flight Risk yet.

This was a fun and quirky read. There were canine hijinks in this novel which I always appreciate. Lena and Grady are both great characters as are the supporting cast. I wish we had a little more of the klairvoyant karaoke though.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you, Atria Books.

Thanks @netgalley for read number 57 of 2022. I have @lisanoble6236 to thank for introducing me to this author and this series. This book was funny and entertaining, and while I figured out part of what happened, I didn’t get it all. This was definitely a quick and binge-worthy read, although I wish that half of the mystery ended in a different way. I wasn’t completely feeling part of how things came together. That said, the characters, the humour, the heart, and the storyline, still made this a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me. If you read it, let me know what you think of the conclusion. I’m curious if I’m alone in my thinking. #avivaandfriendsrecos #bookstagram

This was an excellent read. Cherie Priest continues to develop the characters and world of her Grave Reservations series, with both the humor and depth I've come to expect from her. I am looking forward to the next one already.

Priest gives us a fun-filled with twists, turns, and a healthy dose of humor. Leda's quirky personality and Grady's determination make for a dynamic duo, and their banter is pure gold. Plus, who can resist a bit of Klairvoyant Karaoke to liven things up? What I loved most is how "Flight Risk" kept you guessing until the very end. Overall, "Flight Risk" is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and witty sleuthing. Cherie Priest delivers another winner with this engaging sequel, leaving me eagerly anticipating the next adventure with Leda and Grady!

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but I unfortunately just could not get through this one. I love these characters, but the plot was a bit redundant.

Leda and Grady are back! A couple has gone missing, and the wife’s brother has hired Leda to find her. Meanwhile on a hike, Grady’s dog disappears and shows up days later… holding a human leg in his mouth. Using Leda’s psychic intuition and Grady’s detective skills, they piece together the mystery of what happened. This was a fun light read and I’ll keep coming back to these characters!

A fun read - cozy and entertaining. I probably could have benefited from reading the first book in this series to know the characters a bit better but overall, an interesting and somewhat unique premise so I enjoyed reading.

Leda, a travel agent and part-time psychic, gets swept up in the case of a dual disappearance when a couple is reported missing in seemingly unrelated circumstances.

This is the second book in The Booking Agents series, which follows Leda and a skeptical police detective, Grady, as they solve confounding crimes. I read the first book a few years back and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to read Flight Risk, the sequel. However, it did not work as well for me as I had hoped.

I really liked the humor of the first book, and there is plenty of it in this one as well. Grady’s narration made me laugh a lot, particularly when it came to his daughter and his dog. The author managed to balance it with some eerie moments as well, particularly in the discovery of the bodies, and I liked how these two distinct undercurrents managed run sidelong each other throughout the book.

However, I was disappointed in the depiction of Leda and her friends. In the first book she is sometimes fumbling and often quirky, but in a way that was amusing and likable. Unfortunately, I felt the author was not able to recapture that quality accurately, and so Leda and her friends just became very irritating instead. Also, while the premise was interesting, the investigation of Robin and Paul’s disappearance felt like it meandered too long, and I ultimately couldn’t stay invested in the mystery. It’s a shame – I don’t think I will be continuing with this series.

This is the first book by Priest I have read in a while, and it looks like I missed the first of a series; fortunately, this second book doesn't do much to spoil that one.

It has one of the best openings for a murder mystery ever: Grady Merritt, a Seattle police detective, and his teenaged daughter Molly, are in Mt Ranier National Park, looking for their dog who got lost two days ago. Grady's hopes aren't too high; there are bear and wolves in the park. But lo and behold, they find him, carrying the leg of a human being.

Anyway, the other protagonist, Leda Foley, a travel agent and sometimes psychic, has been contacted by a client who wishes to have his missing sister found. All that is really known is that she left a building site where she was working, carrying a bank deposit pouch containing thirty thousand dollars, and has not been seen in weeks. Leda arranges for him to bring her some personal items of Robin's to "read," and the hunt, as they say, is on.

The plot thickens nicely, as the dead man, of course, turns out to be connected to the missing woman -- her philandering husband -- but are their deaths connected? (How can they _not_ be in a murder mystery, I hear you ask; you have a point there...)

Grady and Leda are amusing characters in their own right, and can be extremely so when together. Priest has given them a nice collection of secondary and tertiary support characters who seem to be series regulars. She keeps the tension going right to the final discovery, and the story ends with exactly one, well foreshadowed, twist which somehow manages not to go on too long.

Amazon says the series is called "Booking Agents." If so, it's a lovely double entendre.

Funny book and there is dog! And mystery?!

Yes, please! Murder? Maybe. Missing person? Definitely.

Leda and Grady are hilarious and definitely go in this journey and solve the case with them.

If you love Finley Donovan (I do!) you will love this series as well!

4 stars!

I liked the first book in this series and was excited for the sequel. I think that Leda is a fun protagonist to follow, I felt like similarly to the first book I was having a good time while reading while also enjoying the mystery of Leda trying to find her client's sister, and I liked how we weaved back into Grady. I'm also hoping that as the series goes on perhaps the chemistry and banter between Grady and Lena will transfer into some form of romance? But I guess we'll have to see.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Funny antics and a cozy mystery vibe! Some parts moved faster than others but overall this was an enjoyable read!

Flight Risk is the second book in this quirky mystery series but I feel it can be read as a standalone without any problem. This series is hard to pigeonhole into a particular genre. Is it a mystery/thriller, a police procedural, or a cozy mystery? Doesn’t matter - these are fun and interesting books, with great Seattle area atmosphere, engaging characters and complicated mysteries to unravel.

I called the first book in the series (Grave Reservations) “light-hearted and entertaining despite being a murder mystery.” The same holds true for Flight Risk. The two main characters are: Leda, the owner of a small travel agency and Grady, a police detective. Leda has psychic tendencies and performs at a local bar - her performance is billed as the “Psychic Psongtress.” She prefers “Klairvoyant Karaoke.” Leda holds someone’s personal item and decides on a song to sing based on whatever feeling she gets from that item.

Grady is a detective who is willing to blur the lines a bit between official police business and civilian involvement. Due to her help with a previous case, Leda now has an official consultant relationship with the Seattle PD, so she can do more without getting Grady into trouble. The mystery (or mysteries in this book) kept me guessing among possible suspects.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I’m rather late to it. I bounced between the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library, and the ebook for this title. The audiobook has two distinct narrators: Ulka Simone Mohanty and Timothy Andres Pavon, depending on whether the chapter is being told from Leda’s POV or Grady’s.

All opinions are my own.

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Flight Risk is the second Booking Agents paranormal cozy by Cherie Priest. Released 15th Nov 2022 by Simon & Schuster on their Atria imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out third quarter 2023 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats, it makes it so easy to find info with the search function.

This is such a well written, quirky, and genuinely funny series. The main protagonist is a travel agent working in her own agency who has an undependable unasked-for sixth-sense clairvoyant talent. She's approached by a man looking for his sister who disappeared under a cloud of embezzlement accusations and with a giant grudge against her cheating husband who didn't even report her missing. The case soon ties up with a case from homicide Detective Grady, whose golden retriever has entangled him a new case when he (the dog) fetches a disembodied leg, wearing a shoe.

I liked that Leda has a great relationship with her best friend Niki who also helps her uncover clues and isn't afraid to drag her off for a drink or three if she's getting too wrapped up in her own head (she has some unresolved trauma from the loss of a partner some years earlier). The disparate threads entwine more closely throughout the book into a clever and satisfying denouement and resolution. Her cooperative work with police detective Grady is very well written and it's a lot of fun to read their interactions. It's so nice that there wasn't any insta-romance or foreshadowed attraction between Grady & Leda - they're colleagues (at least for the present).

Four stars. The author is adept, the mystery is very well constructed, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what comes next for Leda, Niki, & Grady. The language is PG rated and there's no explicit content. Fans of Darynda Jones' Sunny Vicram and Cosimano's Finlay Donovan books are in for a treat.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

This whole plot was rather ridiculous, but I enjoy the characters of this series. In the vein of Stephanie Plum and Finlay Donovan, it’s a comedy-thriller series where a psychic teams up with a police detective to solve crimes. The actual crime here was pretty obvious from the beginning, but again, the fun of these books to me is more about the interaction of the characters than the murders themselves. If you need something to keep you entertained while you wait for the next Finlay Donovan installment, look no further.

I loved this book. I am a fan of Cherie and I am liking this new series. I enjoyed book 1 and really enjoyed this book as well. I hope this series continues as I look forward to more adventures from Leda and Grady.