Deacon of the Dead
A Second Chance Inn Cozy Mystery
by
M.J. O'Neill
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - Georgia
Publisher: Sweet Devotions
Publication Date: October 10, 2023
Print length: 274 pages
Digital ASIN: B0CK6LN21S
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SYNOPSIS:
Come Sit a Spell in Clinton, Georgia. Home to Southern Sass, Romance, Murder, and (Fake) Zombie Fun - a charming cozy mystery book series from award-winning author MJ O'Neill
Who Knew Fake Zombies Could Stir Up Such Real Trouble? When Harmony Holt’s daddy lands in the hospital putting their family inn on the brink of foreclosure, she’s dragged back to her quirky hometown, Clinton, Georgia, with an unconventional rescue plan: zombies. Well, zombie tours to be precise. As autumn unveils its colors, she concocts a daring plan to intertwine the town's newfound fame as film site for the hit TV show Walker, Zombie Ranger with it's upcoming fall festival, all to save her family’s legacy—and ideally, while dodging any awkward encounters with her ex, Seth.
But when Deacon Miller, a vocal opponent of her undead tourism idea, is found murdered in the middle of her zombie-fueled grand opening, shot with her inn’s gun, no less, she’s in a heap of trouble on both fronts. Now, with her tour permit hanging by a thread, land snatchers are clamoring for a piece of her property, and the local businesses that banked on her venture are in the lurch. To top it off, she’s prime suspect in the Deacon’s murder. Her sole beacon of hope? Sheriff Seth Johnson, her ex.
Is it a Second Chance at Love or a Second Chance for Murder? Dive into this fall treat by award-winning author MJ O'Neill, a unique blend of cozy mystery and romance, sprinkled with Southern sass and autumn charm. Can Harmony save her family legacy and find where her heart truly belongs, or are some secrets better kept whispered in regrets?
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REVIEW:
5 stars!
Small-town secrets bring murder and threaten Harmony Holt’s
family home.
Deacon of the Dead is the excellent first book in
author M. J. O’Neill’s new cozy mystery series featuring the Second Chance Inn
in Clinton, Georgia. When hometown girl Harmony Anne Holt returns home to keep
the Second Chance Inn open after her father takes a tumble while repairing the
roof, secrets in the small town result in murder and threaten her family’s home
with foreclosure.
While the murder mystery and subsequent investigation,
amateur and professional, are intriguing and tightly plotted, the story is as
much about coming back to one’s roots and second chances. Harmony thought she’d
escaped the small town and deliberately stayed away for years, but she clearly
has unresolved issues, including her strong feelings for Seth Johnson.
The premise of capitalizing on the locally filmed hit TV
series Walker, Zombie Ranger to bring tourists in, revitalize the fading
town, and save her family’s historic home was fun and unique. I enjoyed the zombie-themed
activities and puns that seemed to crop up throughout. The author also has a clear
talent for clever, laugh-out-loud dialogue, and the chemistry between Harmony
and Seth fairly sizzles.
I recommend DEACON OF THE DEAD to cozy mystery readers who
enjoy sparkling dialogue and a romance-forward story.
MJ O’Neill is an award-winning author, entrepreneur, and literacy advocate.
Her love of mysteries started as a dyslexic child who relied on Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden to get through the dreaded book report. Now, she is a fierce advocate for literacy and stands firm against literary censorship.
Her professional writing adventure began when she owned a chocolate factory where writing mysteries was a safer bet than “murdering customers”. Currently, you might spot MJ rambling around the Pacific Northwest in her jeep, with her teenager and fierce Yorkie, on the hunt for bigfoot and her next captivating tale.
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2 comments:
Thank you so much for hosting me and reading! I'm so glad you enjoyed the book. The 1.5 book in the series, Walker Wonderland Holiday Heist, a Christmas novella, is out this week and the next book (my favorite in the series) is out Jan. 2nd.
I'll have to check this out, it sounds really good
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