Book Tour & Giveaway: A Camping Conundrum (Liz Adams Mystery, #5) by Stacy Wilder

A camping trip to South Carolina’s Poinsett Park turns deadly when PI Liz Adams’ husband discovers a body in the lake. Amid camping calamities, Liz and her lie-detecting Lab, Duke, rush to identify the killer—leading to a shocking twist of karma.

A Camping Conundrum

A Liz Adams Mystery #5

by

Stacy Wilder

Genre: Cozy Mystery

A heart-pounding cozy mystery filled with twists, turns, and canine charm. Perfect for fans of page-turning whodunits and outdoor adventures!

Private Investigator Liz Adams isn’t thrilled when her husband, Brad, suggests a camping getaway to South Carolina’s picturesque Poinsett Park. The mention of camping brings back a haunting memory of a childhood Girl Scout trip that went terribly wrong. But for Brad, the park is a refuge—a chance to relive happy moments from his past.

The long weekend escape takes a dark turn when Brad discovers a woman’s lifeless body in the park’s peaceful lake. The victim, the landlady of a strip center in the neighboring town of Sumter, was notorious for making enemies among her tenants. With no shortage of motives but no clear suspects, Liz and her truth-sniffing Labrador, Duke, embark on a quest to identify the culprit.

As Liz races to uncover the truth and put the killer in jail, the couple experiences one camping disaster after another. Will justice be served? Or will an unexpected twist of karma change everything?

 

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Stacy Wilder is the author of the Liz Adams Mystery series. In addition to cozy mysteries, Stacy writes children’s stories, short stories, and poetry. Her mission is to deliver a delightful story to readers of all ages while benefiting a larger community. She donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of her books to causes that help the homeless, both people and pets.

 

Beyond writing, Stacy is deeply devoted to her faith, family, and her beloved Labradors. She is also enthusiastic about the causes she supports, the beauty of art, the serenity of the beach, the adventure of travel, and the joy of reading.

She and her husband live in Houston, TX with a totally spoiled Labrador named Eve.

 

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Book Review: A Camping Conundrum (Liz Adams Mystery, #5) by Stacy Wilder

A Camping Conundrum: A Liz Adams Mystery by Stacy Wilder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A camping trip turns deadly!

A Camping Conundrum is the fifth book in author Stacy Wilder’s excellent Liz Adams Mystery series, which features the private investigator and her husband, Brad, attempting to enjoy a weekend camping trip to one of his much-loved childhood destinations. Brad, the last living member of his nuclear family, wanted to recapture some of the highlights of his childhood by visiting a campground that was the scene of many happy memories with his parents and younger sister, now all gone. But unbeknownst to Brad, Liz was traumatized as a child on her only camping experience, but she agrees to attend without divulging her past. While at the campground, they discover that guests have been plagued by thefts from their campsites, a factor that reminds Liz of her traumatic childhood trip, making her all the more anxious about their plans. But nature and the otherwise tranquil setting work their magic on Liz until Brad discovers the body of a local woman in the lake, and her death is no accident.

Liz and Brad are a lovely couple, and each is super responsive to the other’s emotional needs, as is their perceptive canine companion, Duke. Both husband and wife are willing to bend to accommodate the special circumstances they encounter during their trip, such as Brad’s need to re-live happier times versus Liz’s unfortunate memories from her one and only attempt at camping when she was a young Girl Scout. I enjoyed all of Liz’s shopping throughout the story, and even Brad gets some new gear; this inevitably led to her crossing paths with the unpleasant commercial landlord in Sumter.

The plot is well-paced, with the discovery of the victim occurring early in the story and unfortunately mirroring the death of Brad’s younger sister, deeply affecting him in the process. The victim was a real piece of work, so it was easy to see the writing on the wall that she was not long for this world. Her nasty attitude and interactions with her business tenants during her life created a wide pool of suspects for her murderer. Liz searches for answers in a methodical and practical manner, and even with some surprising twists, the final resolution is quickly at hand.

I recommend A CAMPING CONUNDRUM to cozy mystery readers, especially those with an interest in camping and shopping while on vacation.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

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Book Review: Murder at Meadows Lake Clubhouse (Soup the Supernatural Kitten Mysteries, #1) by Debbie De Louise

Murder at Meadows Lake Clubhouse by Debbie De Louise
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun start to this new cozy mystery series with an unusual premise and engaging main characters.

Murder at Meadows Lake Clubhouse is the first book in the new paranormal cozy Soup the Supernatural Kitten Mysteries by veteran (and one of my all-time favorites) author Debbie De Louise. The plot features a recent widow who relocates to an over-55 community in South Carolina and the unusually gifted kitten she discovers in her brand-new home. Convinced to sell the home she shared for more than 30 years with her husband Harvey, Rose Fairchild decides to make a fresh start in a new setting and moves to Meadows Lake, South Carolina. But on her first full day in her new home, she is greeted by the news that there has been a murder in the community’s clubhouse: the victim being the head cook at the restaurant there. She is equally surprised when her new acquaintance, the local sheriff, asks her to accompany him on his rounds to question potential suspects. However, neither of those surprises tops the moment when she discovers her new kitten, Soup, has supernatural abilities and is able to talk!

Rose Fairchild is a sweet woman in her sixties, and while still deeply grieving her recently departed spouse, she is otherwise quite unflappable in the face of numerous shocking revelations. She is a kind and thoughtful person and quickly attracts the attention of two of Meadows Lake’s most eligible bachelors, real estate agent Grant Davis and Sheriff Blake Conor. Both are gentlemanly but have pleasant plans to spend time getting to know Rose. It’s going to be a tough choice for her in the future.

I liked the paranormal aspects of the story, as well as Soup’s fun personality, focus on meals, her ability to talk to Rose as well as animals, and her telepathic ability. Not only do they find comfort with one another, but they also make a pretty good team when it comes to getting answers.

The plot hits the ground running, with the murder occurring early in the story. Because the victim was universally disliked, there are several good suspects to cross off the investigative list. I enjoyed the story but thought the premise of the sheriff inviting Rose and Grant into the crime scene to view the body of the victim and for her to join the investigation shockingly implausible. But with one of the main characters being a resurrected, talking cat, how can one even start to draw a line for what’s plausible or not? Readers should be prepared to suspend their belief in reality, trust the process, and have fun.

I recommend MURDER AT MEADOWS LAKE CLUBHOUSE to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy more mature main characters, amateur sleuths, and cat-centered stories.

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