Book Review: Death at Rock Bottom (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery, #2) by Kris Bock

Death at Rock Bottom by Kris Bock
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The museum crew is back in action, investigating the death of an old friend.

Death at Rock Bottom is the second book in author Kris Bock’s clever and unique Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery series featuring geologist and rock collection curator Petra Cloch and her new friends and colleagues at the quirky Banditt Museum in small Bonneville, New Mexico. When Petra’s colleague, Liberty, suspects the death of her old friend, petroleum engineer Frank Underwood, is no accident, the two enlist the help of their coworker, Haven, and the women of their monthly book club to investigate the circumstances.

Petra Clock is a likable and unique protagonist with her unusual gift and the struggles it has caused her to engage socially with others. She gets visions or impressions of a person from touching their belongings or things they’ve handled. Complications from her past have Petra in a perpetual state of anxiety, and interactions with others literally exhaust her. She’d previously discovered that the man she’d replaced at the Banditt Museum had been murdered when she’d inadvertently picked up the mineral formation that had been used to kill him. In this latest adventure, Petra uses her gift to help Liberty get to the truth behind the death of her friend, fellow rockhound and veteran desert hiker Frank Underwood.

The story moves at a fast clip as the two enlist the aid and skills of the women in their monthly book club. The investigation becomes an interesting and well-coordinated ensemble performance as each woman brings their special skills to the table. With a number of people set to benefit from Frank’s death, there is plenty of work to divvy up to eliminate suspects. While I had my eye on a particular individual, it wasn’t until the unusual final reveal that I knew for sure who the murderer was. As in the previous book, the dialogue and narrative are clever. However, there were incidents where details were repeated again and again. Readers new to the series should be able to pick up the story in this latest volume, but the first book is really an entertaining ‘must-read’ as well.

I recommend DEATH AT ROCK BOTTOM to cozy mystery readers.

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: A Stone Cold Murder (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery, #1) by Kris Bock

A Stone Cold Murder by Kris Bock
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Her uncomfortable psychic ability puts her on the trail of a killer.

A Stone Cold Murder is the first book in author Kris Bock's cozy new Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery series featuring a young woman with a touchy ability. When Petra Cloch relocates to Bonneville, New Mexico, to take a job as the curator of the rock and mineral section of the Banditt Museum, she expected it to be a fun but out-of-the-way spot to put her interest in geological specimens to use and make a living. But on her very first day, she discovers her predecessor may have been murdered right there in her new office and not from the reported car accident following an unexpected heart attack.

Petra is a nice young woman with a burdensome secret; she can feel someone's past emotions when touching their belongings. While this particular psychic ability is not unheard of, this is the first book that really considers how this would actually affect its bearer's practical daily life, both positively and negatively. I swiftly became sympathetic to Petra's uneasy adaptations and her sad and lonely past.

The plot is well-paced, and Petra's reaction to her first handling of potential evidence of murder reveals her startling ability very effectively. Her new coworkers were quite a quirky group of individuals, and I was progressively more hopeful she would find an ally and friend among the bunch. I enjoyed her menagerie of cats, ferrets, and rats, and my mind immediately jumped to where in the world she would find a landlord who would tolerate so many pets without bankrupting her. Her reason for keeping her ability to herself was reasonable, and I understood her reason for personally investigating Reggie Heap's death on her own. The author includes fun bits about the mineral samples and the museum as well. The author's writing is easy to read, and I was so engaged with the story that I read it from start to finish one evening.

I recommend A STONE COLD MURDER to cozy mystery readers, especially those interested in psychic elements, museum settings, rocks, and minerals.

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

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