Title: Dial Om for Murder
Author: Diana Killian
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
ISBN: 978-0-425-22705-3
Pages: 271
Series: Mantra for Murder Mystery #2
Type: Adult Cozy Mystery
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
A.J. only two A-list students in her yoga studio, but they are more than enough
to handle. Leading actress Nicole Manning and reality-show star Barbie Siragusa
aren't just divas, they are viscious rivals too. A.J. tries to keep the peace
but when she discovers Nicole's dead body, all fingers point to Barbie. Pushed
into investigating by her mother, A.J. soon learns that Nicole's life was more
complicated than she ever dreamed.
This is the second book in the Mantra
for Murder Mysteries (after Corpse Pose). After really enjoying the first book I was eager to get stuck into
this and I must say I wasn't disappointed. As with the first installment the
mystery element is tightly plotted and cleverly written with just the right
amount of red herrings. There were also a few twists and turns that caught me
completely by surprise.
While the yoga angle ensures that this is unique
amongst other cozies, it doesn't overpower the mystery. A.J. is still running
the Sacred Balance studio and her love of yoga shines through. The book even
concludes with a guide to sun salutations and a recipe for salmon salad. The
other unique aspect of this is the secondary mystery which is a minor plot that
links in to the main case. In this installment AJ's ex-husband turns up bruised
and unwell on her doorstep after leaving his partner but won't explain what's
wrong.
The romance subplot between AJ and Detective Jake Oberlin. Unlike
in other cozy mysteries though, Jake absolutely objects to A.J. having any part
in the police investigation and her determination to investigate puts their
relationship in jeopardy. Most cozies seem to have a clueless cop grateful for
the amateur's assistance, but this seems far more realistic.
I found the
ending was a little disappointing because it came together very quickly and
without much explanation. As with the first book the ending was quite tense and
action-packed but while I didn't predict the killer's identity, there wasn't
much reasoning behind it. It seemed very much a case of "voila, here's your
murderer".
All in all this was a great read and I'm looking forward to Murder on the Eightfold Path.
Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending:
8/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Overall: 46/50
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I haven't read this one. OMG, I love these cheese ball books and you have given this one such a high rating that I am definitely going to try this series. I have a ton of these cozy series started. Thanks for the great review.
ReplyDeleteI'm exactly the same. I love curling up with a cozy and giving my brain a break from big issues :)
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