Death in Disguise by Emma Davies (Book Beginnings & Friday 56)

Title: Death in Disguise

Author: Emma Davies

Publication: 9 February 2022

Format: Kindle eArc via NetGalley

Amazon Description

Ramble-y Teaserish Stuff

Sometimes murder is exactly what I need to make life feel not quite so craptastic. So it began in the wee small hours of Wednesday morning when everything in real life felt like it was falling apart ... and I began reading the upcoming Death in Disguise by Emma Davies.

This is the first in the new Adam and Eve Mystery Series -- with "Adam" being 23-year-old socially awkward tech whiz Adam Smith, and "Eve" being 40-year-old wife, mother, and caterer Francesca Eve (who may or may not be having a mid-life crisis. I feel ya, girl. I totally feel ya.). They meet in a kitchen cupboard and their bond is almost instant. You really had to be there. Well, it's a kitchen cupboard so it would probably be a bit cramped if you were ... but you know what I mean. If you don't, what I mean is : BUY THE BOOK.

So ... anyway ... three week go by and, feeling that they're kindred spirits, Adam approaches Fran for help. The cupboard of their meeting was in the kitchen at Adam's house where Fran was catering a murder mystery birthday party for his mother, Sara. When one of the guests ends up dead for real, he thinks it was murder and is afraid that it was somehow connected to the party and, therefore, his mother. Fran agrees to at least talk to Sara, gets invited to the funeral, and is starting to question if the whole thing is just a big mistake since the dead woman was well-liked, seemingly, by all ... until she finds out that the woman was, indeed, poisoned.

Fran and Adam hope that they can get to the truth of the matter before the police get too involved. What follows is some of the best amateur detective work I've seen in a cozy mystery for a long time -- with one of the most delightful and relatable pairings yet. Adam and Fran never shy away from the facts that they're both awkward and don't quite know what they're doing. It doesn't help that there are so many twists and turns one could get dizzy trying to get it all figured out.

I couldn't bring myself to put it down for more than a couple of hours and finished within 24 hours of picking it up. It's that good and then some, if that's even possible.

BUY THE BOOK. BUY THE BOOK. BUY THE BOOK.

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As always, Friday 56 (share a blurb from the 56th page or 56% mark) is hosted at Freda's Voice 

& Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader