in Doctors & Medicine Humor
Book Blurb:
In Sorenson, Wisconsin, a local bigshot is found with a pool cue through the heart—and Mattie Winston must untangle a web of lies to sink a killer . . .
In her previous career as a nurse, Mattie Winston’s job was to keep death at bay. Now, as a medicolegal investigator, she’s required to study death intimately—to figure out causes and timing, and help deduce whether it was natural or suspicious.
In the case of Montgomery “Monty” Dixon, a well-to-do Realtor, there can be little doubt: Broken pool cues do not embed themselves. Monty’s body is found in the game room of his lavish house, the walls adorned with photos of Monty and various celebrities. But as Mattie and husband Steve Hurley, a homicide detective, both know, money and connections can’t protect anyone from a killer.
The first suspect is Monty’s wife, Summer, who claims to have been at a cooking class at the time. When that alibi is served up as a fake, Summer moves to the top of the suspects list, but is soon joined by Monty’s ne’er-do-well son, Sawyer, who has racked up gambling debts he hoped his dad would pay off. Monty’s twin brother is engaging in shady financial deals. An affair, a Ponzi scheme, a disputed inheritance . . . there are as many motives as suspects, and soon Mattie and Hurley have turned up other, possibly related deaths.
Balancing a high-profile case with the demands of their increasingly stressful household isn’t easy. It’ll take all of Mattie’s skill—along with a lucky break or two—to stop a killer from racking up another victim . . .
My Review:
This Wisconsin nurse has turned her medical knowledge into the position of a medicolegal investigator with the coroner’s office. As her husband, police detective Steve Hurley, is in law enforcement, they find themselves being called out from time to time to the same scene. And that’s what happens in this episode of the series.
The victim in this case is a local successful real estate agent, found with a broken pool cue through his chest. His family dynamic is a strained one, blended, and as the investigation proceeds, opens into a complex and well-plotted narrative.
Mattie Winston has sustained a lot of changes in her life including the son they share, his daughter, and their new house. Their disparate schedules and the strain of the household has put a strain on Mattie, separate and in addition to their jobs. It’s a familiar strain—shared by most mothers dealing with multiple responsibilities—let alone a high powered job and apparently it’s time to make another change.
In the meantime, Mattie and Steve are interviewing possible candidates to help clean the house (a big load off), while dealing with three-year old Matthew and his unique personality as well as the household animals.
I enjoy Mattie’s close circle of family and friends, many of whom pitch in for the care of Matthew. Most of the support characters are well developed and lend to the vision of a real collage of persons intricately involved. Steve is a great character and Mattie is learning how to better handle her own volatile reactions to their interpersonal relationship.
Sprinkled liberally throughout are some of the more humorous aspects of dealing with her family and business associates in a realistic life situation. It’s a well paced novel, the characters engaging and thoroughly entertaining.
I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley and these are my unbiased opinions.
Rosepoint Rating: 
Book Details:
Genre: Doctors & Medicine Humor, Lawyers & Criminals Humor, #Amateur Sleuth Mysteries
Publisher: Kensington Books
- ASIN : B08CBMX13V
Print Length: 308 pages
Publication Date: To be released March 30, 2021
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s):
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
The Author: Annelise Ryan is the USA Today bestselling author of the popular Mattie Winston mystery series and a pseudonym for Beth Amos, who also writes the Mack’s Bar Mystery series under the pseudonym Allyson K. Abbott. Beth is a real life emergency room RN living in Wisconsin. She believes laughter is the best medicine, and with the Mattie Winston series she is hoping to “medicate” the masses.
For more Mattie Winston fun and to keep up with the latest news, visit http://www.mattiewinston.com
©2021 V Williams 
Rosepoint Publishing 
Great review Virginia. I really need to catch up on this series.
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