Book 92, 2021

Flip-Flops and Murder by H.Y. Hanna

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I finished reading Flip-Flops and Murder last night. It's the first book in HY Hanna's "Barefoot Sleuth" cozy mystery series.

Ellie is in a rut, and when she receives an invitation from her Aunt Olive to join her in sunny Florida, Ellie packs her bags, leaves the UK, and flies to the beach resort where Olive is attending a writers' convention. However, once Ellie arrives, Olive is nowhere to be found. As if that weren't distressing enough, Ellie discovers Lillian Fox, a snooty convention attendee, floating in the pool. The police seem to think Olive may have had something to do with Lillian's murder. Ellie is certain her aunt is no killer, and she starts asking around to find out who else may have wanted Lillian dead. Ellie is aided in her investigation by Hemingway, a scarlet macaw that has free run of the resort, as well as the resort's resident cat, Mojito. Ellie uncovers several suspects, but when one of them discovers what she's doing, Ellie's life may be in danger.

This was a charming cozy, but nothing really popped out to set it apart from any other run-of-the-mill cozy. At least Ellie's romantic interest was not someone involved in law enforcement. I did find it annoying that Ellie discovered a clue between Lillian's bungalow and Olive's, but rather than give it to the police, she kept it. Why? Just knowing what she found and where should have been enough for her, and had she turned it over to the police, they probably could have wrapped the case up in a day.

Favorite line: "I didn't realize there was so much drama in the writing community."
Hah!

Average read, average score.