Title: Let’s Fake a Deal (A Sarah W Garage Sale Mystery Book 7 by Sherry Harris
Genre: Amateur Sleuth, Cozy Craft and Hobby, Cozy Animal Mysteries
Publisher: Kensington
- ISBN-10:1496716981
- ISBN-13:978-1496716989
- ASIN: B07K5ZMBZB
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: To be released July 30, 2019
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: Let’s Fake a Deal
Book Blurb:
SHE’S GOT THE GOODS . . .
As a former military spouse, Sarah Winston’s learned a little about organizing, packing, and moving. Her latest project sounds promising: a couple of tech-industry hipsters, newly arrived in her Massachusetts town, who need to downsize. Unfortunately, when Sarah tries to sell their stuff, she discovers it’s all stolen—and she’s the unwitting fence.
BUT SARAH’S PROBLEMS ARE JUST BEGINNING
Michelle, an old friend of Sarah’s from the Air Force base, is in line for a promotion—but not everyone is happy about it, and she’s been hit with an anonymous discrimination complaint. When one of the men she suspects is behind the accusations turns up dead in Michelle’s car, Sarah needs to clear Michelle’s name—as well as her own for selling hot merchandise. And she’ll have to do it while also organizing a cat lady’s gigantic collection of feline memorabilia, or they’ll be making room for Sarah in a jail cell . . .
My Review:
Yes, Book 7 of the series and I read Book 6! Has to be a record, huh? Our favorite garage sale guru protagonist, Sarah Winston is back. Her friends and acquaintances from the local air force base stemming from her marriage to military man CJ, now an ex, are also featured, including Seth, who has already uttered the “L” word. Once again, I appreciated the short explanation of military acronyms (it’s been a long time since my man was in the Navy) and general description of the military community as well.
Sarah really seems to know her business and can identify a valuable piece when she sees it. She is busy working a garage sale when the police show up, shut it down, and arrest her for receiving and selling stolen goods. About the same time, her enlisted friend, Michelle from the base is front and center person of interest when a body is found in her trunk. She has a complaint lodged against her and suspects it was the deceased.
Sarah begins wrestling with both issues as she takes on a new client, one that will take a great deal of time sifting through boxes of old treasures in the basement, finding and separating the more valuable and setting prices for all of the cat-related items from jewelry to paintings. The cat lady herself is pretty eccentric, making for a fun interlude between her running down leads and interviewing persons who might help with either her own arrest or the pending arrest of Michelle.
Dialogue is exchanged easily and believably between her friends, Seth, and her brother Luke, often punctuated with her own comical comebacks in self-talk. I like the way she thinks and it adds a humorous hue to the well-plotted, easy-going storyline. Since she’s been on her own, created and managed a business, Sarah has definitely gained in her ability to handle people. I particularly enjoyed her retort after a veiled threat from a ranking officer, “You may outrank him,” I tipped my head toward James, “but you hold no sway over me.” Bravo! And with that said, I believe you’d get a good idea about her character, whether the others are all well-fleshed in this series entry or not. Most receive sufficient general description to visualize the individual. I think each book could function well as a standalone within the series.
My problem was with the usual bull-headed police officer arresting or immediately jumping to conclusions regarding guilt with little regard to investigating the crime and leaving the leg work to an amateur sleuth. Still, the novel was engaging and easily invested in reading through to conclusion, solving both issues, neatly buttoned up.
I received this ebook download from the publisher and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. I really enjoy the Sarah Winston character and look forward to the next in the series. Recommended for those who enjoy a cozy mystery out of the food loop.
Rosepoint Publishing: Four of Five Stars
The Author: Agatha award-nominated author, Sherry Harris, started bargain hunting in second grade at her best friend’s yard sale. She honed her bartering skills as she moved around the country while her husband served in the Air Force. Sherry uses her love of garage sales, her life as a military spouse, and her time living in Massachusetts as inspiration for the Sarah Winston Garage Sale series.
©2019 V Williams
I won book 1 in a Goodreads Giveaway a few years ago and this is one of the series that hooked me on cozies. I love the characters and the whole garage sale angle. I agree with you about the police. I hate the pig headedness that is sometimes in cozies where they don’t investigate and it is up to the protagonist to solve the crime. Wonderful review Virginia.
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Thank you Carla. Yeah, that and to think they would share their investigation with a civilian. Not.
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The book sounds good. I am off cozy unless it is cozy with ghost.. That I like. Read and reviewed a cute one yesterday.
And book 7 eh? Where you had read book 6 sounds good. What about 1-5?
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It was fun, Shalini, and I’m always attracted to themes involving a military spouse. Think I forgot the link to book 6 but enjoyed it too. 1-5? I don’t usually go back. Onward and upward shalini!😉
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I don’t usually get the previous books 😂😂🤷♀️🤷♀️
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I don’t either. too many books out there. Always something new to be discovered. Right, babe? 😏
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True that. I discovered horror
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Then those thrillers and legal dramas! 😲😲
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I like them too.. But horror is getting a special place… And shapeshifters too
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Paranormal and ghosts for me.
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So are we reading shapeshifters together soon? 🤔🤔🤪🤪
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um, no. shapeshifters not my thing. but there is so much out there for paranormal and ghost stories that perpetuate–lending an eery possibility. shapeshifting? not unless it’s a transformer (toy).
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Oooh I love bumblebee from the first transformer movie
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oh, dear. sorry, i don’t remember that. my generation was mickey mouse and roadrunner.
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Mine too… 😂 I loved mickey mouse and transformer movie came a decade or so ago
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