A tale of homeowner association disputes gone awry; it's a rollercoaster ride through the shadows of deception and danger that lurk beneath the surface of a seemingly peaceful community that will leave readers perched at the edge of their seats.

Thank you to NetGalley, and Level Best Books, Independent Book Publishers Association and author Robin Mahle for the opportunity to review the advance copy of this book.

i loved this mystery. I know from experience that HOA’s can be riddled with tension and explosive. i enjoyed this plot and characters.
Many thanks to Level Best Books and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Neighbors To Die For

by Linda Lovely

This cozy mystery begins with an intimidating list of characters, but the author notes “No worries. You’ll meet them gradually.” That is in fact what happens. I had no trouble keeping up with the characters who are well-described and interesting. The protagonists are all associated with the Welch HOA Management Company. Most of them are older adults. Ted Welch owns the company, and Kylee Kane is his security consultant. Both are retired government employees. Grant, Ted’s son, is home from the Citadel for Thanksgiving vacation. Kylee’s mom Myrtle is a retired nurse who also works for the company. Many of the issues brought to the HOA’s are minor like the color of landscaping materials, but it doesn’t stay that way!

The story is narrated by these characters and by one other mysterious individual who is represented by the term “The Leader.” He has a nefarious plan, but to distance himself from criminal activities he hires three not very bright thugs. He calls himself Q. The plot moves along quickly with fairly short chapters that will keep you turning pages as the protagonists rescue a group abandoned overnight on an island and trace down others who have been kidnapped. Is the Leader really part of Neuter1, an environmental terrorist group, or is that camouflage to deceive his thugs and others? To what lengths will the Leader go to cover up his activities?

Neighbors To Die For is a fun cozy mystery with a South Carolina Lowcountry setting. If you are interested in yachts, there are descriptions of various types. The book has interesting characters and the perfect amount of adventure right up to the end. When the major threads are tied up, there are still a few surprises for the reader.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. #2 in the HOA Mystery Series, but I read it as a standalone with no problems.
2. It contains some profanity, more than is typical in a cozy mystery.

Publication: November 8, 2022—Level Best Books

Memorable Lines:

No one makes a sound. We barely dare to breathe. It is so quiet I imagine I could hear dust bunnies doing a dance routine.

“…your dad and I always preached that when you see wrongs, keeping silent, doing nothing is the same as giving your blessing.”

“How come I always have to chop onions?” “We’ve shed a lot more tears than you,” Mom replies. “Onions let you catch up without any of the heartache.”

Kylee and Ted were in way over their heads. They were in a quandary. Never have they been plagued with such a rash batch of kidnappings and murders in their community. When danger came knocking on their doors, it was time for them to fast-track their investigations before any more fatalities. It was exciting, filled with action scenes, captivating and intriguing.

Kyless Kane is a retired Coast Guard officer and consultant for a local security firm that specializes in working for Home Owners Associations.

She’s in a truly boring meeting about the proper color of mulch when shots are heard outside the building. She herds the board members into the bathroom for their protection, over their protests. Overhead a door crashes open and the sound of heavy boots running through the building add to the stressful situation. Luckily, it’s the police and the department’s SWAT team, not an active shooter. Unfortunately, Carrie was so frightened, she’s in the midst of a heart attack and is rushed to the hospital.
➡ switch to KingsRiverLife.com for more articles ⬅
Image Source Level Best Books
A couple of days later, she and Ted, her boss, and his son, Grant, are enjoying a day on the water when Grant spots a group of people stranded on an island. It seems they were on a tour and stopped to gather shells. The captain promised to return in half an hour and never showed, leaving them stranded overnight. In checking the island, Kylee and Ted find the tour boat, but no one is on board. There’s no sign of foul play but seven people are missing.

The acting sheriff is someone Kylee dated for a brief spell. He didn’t take it well when that ended. A right-wing group called Neuter1 takes credit for the kidnapping and demands a separate ransom for each couple to be paid by the Home Owner’s Association they belonged to. To solve the crime before the kidnapper’s deadline, Ted and Kylee will have to chase clues without the sheriff finding out. Will they be in time?

I like Kylee. She knows what she’s doing, is levelheaded in a crisis, and fun to be around when off duty. Her mother, Myrtle, is one of a kind. Since this takes place at Thanksgiving time, Myrtle is determined to feed everyone until they can’t walk—and then will offer pie. The premise is a fresh one, the mystery good, and there’s a satisfying ending. This is book two in the series, and I’m sorry I missed book one but at least it proves you can jump in anywhere and still enjoy the company without missing anything vital. I look forward to more of Kylee’s adventures.

Neighbors to Die For by LInda Lovely is the second book in the HOA Mystery series.

I really liked the characters and the inclusion of the Homeowners Association as a plot theme.

The mystery is well written and kept me guessing.

Looking forward to more books in this series.

Such a fun, cozy romp through a charming coastal community. Marinas, islands, water. An ideal place to retire. Except for the fact that HOA presidents are being targeted as victims by a terrorist group.

A SWAT team storms in during an HOA meeting. A boat ride leaves some of its HOA passengers stranded on an island. Others are kidnapped. What is the connection between these events?

Kylee Kane, retired coast guard, now in charge of HOA security, makes for a strong female sleuth, assisted by her feisty sidekick Mom. Add Kylee’s ‘boss’ boyfriend, Ted, along with his curious son, Grant, and the villain doesn’t stand a chance of getting away. Lots of action and twists provide for a suspenseful read. Although Kylee and her family find themselves in some near deadly situations, they outwit their opponent by working together.

The different POVs draw the reader into their world, especially Kylee with her sense of humor, and Grant, with his younger, but savvy, perspective. Kylee’s senior citizen Mom brings additional spark to the story, and Ted adds a touch of romance. There’s something here for everyone to enjoy.

Kaylee and Ted rescue stranded people off an island. All of them are members of the HOA and were dubbed in the boat ride only to be kidnapped. What a mess! Can Kaylee find out the why and the who behind this messed up kidnapping? I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Neighbors to Die For was given to me as an advanced reader copy for Review from NetGalley and Level Best Books.
It was a kind of different from my normal cozy mysteries, but it kept my interest. I had a little trouble following the storyline. I was a bit disappointed with the outcome but overall it was a good read!

Linda Lovely has done it again! The mystery is excellent. Linda never fails us. She always creates a thrilling and clever story.. I recommend this book.

I received this advance reader copy via Netgalley and Level Best Books, in return for an honest review. This is the second book in this series and easily read as a stand-alone. This book proves that HOAs are dangerous places to live and work. The protagonist works for her significant other as the Security Officer for a local HOA. When the board meeting is interrupted by a SWAT team, led by her nemesis in the local police department, things go sideways quickly. Add in several other strange events and there’s a great deal going on in this book. There are a lot of perspectives to follow and a large cast of characters.

Kylee Kane, retired from the Coast Guard, is now on HOA Support Team staff. Never did she think this would involve bomb threats and murder. On a casual sailing excursion, she finds a group of HOA presidents and spouses abandoned on an island. Next it turns out the rest of the group continued on the journey with the end being kidnapped. As Kylee and her team try to find the hostages, more misadventures occur. I enjoyed this second book in the series.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Level Best Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Retired Coast Guard Kylee Kane did not expect to play referee to homeowners’ disputes. Things get bad when shots are heard and SWAT arrives at the scene. It would drive anyone insane.

A few days later she discovered a ghost ship and the missing people are presidents of the HOA who she works for. Is the two situations related.

An engaging read about the antic of HOAs.

3 1/2 STARS

Neighbors to Die For by Linda Lovely is the second book in the HOA Mystery series. I'm not quite sure why I decided to pick up this book. The premise of a cozy mystery set up around a HOA association sounded a little strange to me, but but I decided to give it a try. The characters are well-developed and the storyline was interesting but at times I found it to be a little unrealistic. I will probably try the next book in the series to see if I can be convinced that a HOA is a cozy mystery topic I think will grow on me.

While this book has a lot of good stuff going on, it’s almost overwhelming. This makes the content confusing at times and means having to stop reading to go back and figure out what you just read and what it means. That said, a little better editing and guidance could help make this an amazing standout.

Although there are many perspectives, hang with the book because it's a fun quick read filled with intrigue and action! Good story plot. Love the setting of South Carolina's lowcountry. Dealing with HOA's can be murder!
Thanks#netgalley and #Levelbestbooks for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

Security Officer for Homeowner’s Associations (HOAs) is far more dangerous than Kylee Kane’s previous career in the Coast Guard. In days, she’s dealing with a staged “assault” at a community’s private clubhouse, residents marooned on an island and a boat found drifting without captain or passengers. The only thing these incidents have in common is that they involve the presidents of the Homeowner’s Associations managed by Kylee’s almost partner Ted’s firm. Kylee must discover who is responsible and why the presidents are targeted, especially after a member of her family is involved.

Neighbors to Die For is a quick, fun read. If you’ve ever dealt with an HOA, you’ll recognize several characters. Even if you haven’t, you’ll recognize the personalities. This mystery is well plotted with several interesting subplots and a gorgeous Low Country, SC location. I can’t wait to see what Kylee does next! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Level Best Books and Linda Lovely for this ARC.

Good book!! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, great investigative work and it was very funny! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I will definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Level Best Books and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Riddled with so many perspectives it becomes overwhelming and confusing.

I enjoyed this book. It was a little confusing with all the changes in perspective. I was a little frustrated by how slow the capture of the bad guy was. #NeighborstoDiefor #NetGalley