Review by Booklist Review
Obituary writer Winter Snow is puzzled when Mrs. Arlington hires her to write her obituary, and she needs it completed in a matter of days. Concerned when Mrs. Arlington doesn't answer her door the day after their meeting, and hearing frantic barking from inside the house, Winter breaks in and finds Mrs. Arlington at the base of the stairs, barely alive, her assistant missing. Not trusting the police, Winter surreptitiously retains the house key and hides Mrs. Arlington's iPad, and further solo snooping at the house almost leads to her death. Not deterred by this close call, or even by a second death, Winter ultimately teams up with police officer Kip Michaels, and the two conduct interviews, uncovering the motive for the attack on Mrs. Arlington. Although Winter has no qualms about concealing evidence from the police--mostly overlooked by Kip--numerous plot twists, the sympathetic Winter's backstory, well-drawn secondary characters, a precocious puppy, a budding romance, details of obituary writing, and the lovingly described Ridgefield, Connecticut, setting add up to a satisfying cozy.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
DEBUT Obituary writer Winter Snow receives a call from local philanthropist Leocadia Arlington, who has a strange request: she wants her obituary written by Friday. It's not unusual for an octogenarian to ask for a draft of their obituary, but there's rarely a deadline. Winter meets Leocadia (and her puppy Diva) at her home, and Leocadia won't explain why her obit is so urgent; she doesn't seem to be expecting an imminent death. When Winter returns to Leocadia's house discuss the draft, Diva's agitated barking prompts Winter to break in. She finds blood on Diva, and Leocadia on the stairs, barely breathing. Before the police arrive, Winter impulsively hides Leocadia's iPad and pockets a key to the house. Then she makes a dangerous mistake: she follows a caller's instructions to go to a house alone and is locked inside when it goes up in flames. She is rescued in time, but after Leocadia dies and the man who locked her in the burning house also dies, Winter becomes the prime suspect. VERDICT This cozy debut features an unusual job for an amateur sleuth and a likable cast of characters to rival those of Jenn McKinlay's cozies.--Lesa Holstine
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A freelance obituary writer's newest client isn't dead…yet. Winter Snow's job as a chronicler of the recently deceased of Ridgefield, Connecticut, often puts her in touch with fond memories of lives well lived. But she's truly shocked when she's hired to write an obit by a woman who's still alive. Leocadia Arlington is on a deadline that Winter doesn't understand. Though she isn't even sick, Mrs. Arlington wants her obituary written by the end of the week. It's Winter's job to memorialize her subjects by capturing all the important details of their lives, so despite her bewilderment, she dedicates herself to learning more about the wealthy philanthropist. She meets with Mrs. Arlington at her great estate, even getting to know her recently rescued dog, Diva, a puppy version of a Great Pyrenees. Not only does the meeting yield little information, but it marks the beginning of the end for Mrs. Arlington, who's killed not long after, right on schedule. Now Winter knows that she really does need to learn more about Mrs. Arlington's life, especially once she learns that the woman was about to release a tell-all book that might have told a little too much for some people. Along with her best friend, Kevin "Scoop" Blake, Winter starts to do what she must to learn the truth, arousing the suspicions of actual police officer Kip Michaels and Tom Bellini, his difficult partner. Will Winter find the real killer or be framed for the murder? More likely to get readers to sleep like the dead than take an interest in them. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
