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pugmomsbookblog's review against another edition
5.0
This is only the 2nd book in the Cat Latimer Mystery series and I feel like I already know the characters so well! I enjoyed the book retreat setting and also the town in which the characters live (and die)!! The author does a great job in creating an engaging whodunit with a secondary mystery surrounding Cat's late husband too which gives the book another layer of excitement that leaves the reader eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
ssejig's review against another edition
3.0
I wish I had read the first book in this series because there were a lot of call backs to the other story in this series. Otherwise, this was a perfectly fine book, though a bit convoluted in areas. A LOT of red herrings in this book.
This is the second writer's retreat that Cat Latimer is hosting in the house she lived in with her ex-husband, the house he surprisingly willed to her. During the last retreat, one of the writers (I'm guessing from the references) ended up dead. This retreat has its own share of problems, a famous Hemingway book being stolen from the library, one participant who has a stalker and is almost kidnapped, participants who don't seem fully invested in their writing, Cat finding out that her home town is a supposed "safe zone" for mob families to send their college-aged kids, a big mob guy hitting on her... There's a lot going on.
I would probably read the next book in this series if some of the "over-arching" stories start moving a little faster.
This is the second writer's retreat that Cat Latimer is hosting in the house she lived in with her ex-husband, the house he surprisingly willed to her. During the last retreat, one of the writers (I'm guessing from the references) ended up dead. This retreat has its own share of problems, a famous Hemingway book being stolen from the library, one participant who has a stalker and is almost kidnapped, participants who don't seem fully invested in their writing, Cat finding out that her home town is a supposed "safe zone" for mob families to send their college-aged kids, a big mob guy hitting on her... There's a lot going on.
I would probably read the next book in this series if some of the "over-arching" stories start moving a little faster.
dontmissythesereads's review against another edition
4.0
Book #7 read in 2018
I really enjoy the characters in this series. The story was engaging! Can't wait to read more.
I really enjoy the characters in this series. The story was engaging! Can't wait to read more.
pguynn64's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely love Cat Latimer and her mystery series is becoming one of my favorites. Fatality by Firelight is wonderfully written and continues into the mysterious death of Cat's ex-husband Michael. Cat, her boyfriend Seth, business partner Shauna and her Uncle Pete, Winter Spribg's Sheriff help solve another writer's retreat murder and mystery. A few well known secrets about Covington College are revealed. Delve into the latest Cat Latimer Mystery to learn all of Winter Springs and Covington College's secrets and to find out what exactly had Michael gotten himself involved in.
mystereity's review against another edition
4.0
Gliding down the slopes...blazing fires in the fireplace...the crunch of snow underfoot...steaming mugs of hot cocoa...the dead body in the hot tub - only Lynn Cahoon could make snowy Colorado a hot destination, even in the depths of winter! With several mysteries woven into one fast-paced plot, I was glued to the book until the very last page. I loved the action-packed plot - Stalkers! Murders! Kidnapping! Booknapping! *gasp* - all with so many twists and turns, it was like a cozy mystery slalom! The on-going mystery surrounding the death of Cat's ex-husband added a layer of intrigue and the mysterious stranger added a bit of spice to shake up Cat's comfortable life.
All in all, Fatality by Firelight is a thoroughly enjoyable and well-crafted mystery guaranteed to keep you guessing (and entertained!) While this book can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the first in the series to get the full backstory about Cat's ex-husband (and because it's a good book.)
Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book. This review is my honest, unsolicited opinion
All in all, Fatality by Firelight is a thoroughly enjoyable and well-crafted mystery guaranteed to keep you guessing (and entertained!) While this book can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the first in the series to get the full backstory about Cat's ex-husband (and because it's a good book.)
Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book. This review is my honest, unsolicited opinion
krisrid's review against another edition
4.0
I liked book two even more than book one in this series. I feel like the author has settled in to the rhythm and the world in this book and things moved along quickly and entertainingly.
First, as a sort of writer myself [I write for business not for books but I understand the challenges] I really enjoy the writers retreat setting for the book. It is fun to watch Cat help the aspiring writers who come to her retreat to find more and better time to actually write. Seeing inside a writer's process is interesting.
Second, I like the location. Although winter and I are definitely NOT friends, it is fun to visit cold but beautiful places - like this book which is set in Colorado - in the pages of a book, rather than having to deal with cold and snow in person. Hearing about other locations I will probably never visit is just one of the fun things about reading books.
I also really like the cast of characters in this series. Cat especially as the main character is not only interesting and likable, but she doesn't do *quite* as many TSTL things as the normal cozy heroines do, so I like her better for being written to at least KNOW when she is doing something really foolish. The people in Cat's world - Shauna, Seth and Uncle Pete - really round of the cast of characters nicely as the regulars, but the fact that the setting is a writer's retreat with new people visiting Cat's home each time leaves plenty of room for a variety of people and story lines to happen moving forward. Variety of the story book to book is always a challenge in a cozy series, and this author has created a situation that leaves things wide open for lots of future books that won't just be a complete repetition of the previous.
The plot itself made sense, moved along at a good pace, and was written in such a way that I had a hard time putting it down even at the end of a chapter because the story had lots of mini-cliffhangers throughout that made me itch to turn the page and keep going.
Overall, this is becoming a definite favourite cozy series. I will be looking forward to reading future books in this series and hope the author has lots more ideas to keep Cat and friends on their toes at the Warm Springs Writers Retreat, because I will certainly go along for the ride!
First, as a sort of writer myself [I write for business not for books but I understand the challenges] I really enjoy the writers retreat setting for the book. It is fun to watch Cat help the aspiring writers who come to her retreat to find more and better time to actually write. Seeing inside a writer's process is interesting.
Second, I like the location. Although winter and I are definitely NOT friends, it is fun to visit cold but beautiful places - like this book which is set in Colorado - in the pages of a book, rather than having to deal with cold and snow in person. Hearing about other locations I will probably never visit is just one of the fun things about reading books.
I also really like the cast of characters in this series. Cat especially as the main character is not only interesting and likable, but she doesn't do *quite* as many TSTL things as the normal cozy heroines do, so I like her better for being written to at least KNOW when she is doing something really foolish. The people in Cat's world - Shauna, Seth and Uncle Pete - really round of the cast of characters nicely as the regulars, but the fact that the setting is a writer's retreat with new people visiting Cat's home each time leaves plenty of room for a variety of people and story lines to happen moving forward. Variety of the story book to book is always a challenge in a cozy series, and this author has created a situation that leaves things wide open for lots of future books that won't just be a complete repetition of the previous.
The plot itself made sense, moved along at a good pace, and was written in such a way that I had a hard time putting it down even at the end of a chapter because the story had lots of mini-cliffhangers throughout that made me itch to turn the page and keep going.
Overall, this is becoming a definite favourite cozy series. I will be looking forward to reading future books in this series and hope the author has lots more ideas to keep Cat and friends on their toes at the Warm Springs Writers Retreat, because I will certainly go along for the ride!
dollycas's review against another edition
5.0
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Cat Latimer is excited for her 2nd writer’s retreat since she has returned to Colorado and turned the home she and her now deceased ex-husband used to share into a B&B. Her best friend Shauna is by her side as the chef for the retreats and as the person who keeps everything organized so Cat still has time to work on her own writing. Cat has also reunited with her high school boyfriend, Seth, handyman, and chauffeur extraordinaire for the B&B and the retreats. Her Uncle Pete just happens to be the sheriff which comes in handy because trouble seems to follow Cat on a regular basis.
This round of authors is an eclectic group. The romance author, Christina, seems to have forgotten what the retreat is about and hooks up with a local guy she met at the nearby ski resort. The problem, he is engaged to another woman and he is now dead. The evidence points right at Christina but she swears she didn’t do it. There’s also a new guy in town who would like to get to now Cat better but she thinks he knew her ex-husband and may know why he died. Her uncle is also hot on the case of a very valuable book stolen from the library. Things seem to be snowballing out of control in Aspen Hills, can Cat rein them in and solve all the mysteries with just a little help from her friends?
I am really kicking myself for getting behind on this series because I love these characters, I love the theme, and who wouldn’t love the Colorado setting.
Ms. Cahoon’s characters are so well developed, their dialogues flow so easily. They are realistic, engaging and funny at all right times. Cat, Shauna, and Seth make a fantastic team. Uncle Pete is positively priceless.
I like that Cat and Seth appear to be a perfect match but that Cat realizes she needs to work out a few things about her ex before she can truly move on. The subplot dealing with Micheal’s demise and what he was involved in prior to his death continues from one book to the next. More clues are revealed in this installment that makes it clear his death what not how it appeared. I enjoy that this string connecting each story.
The author does a terrific job of drawing the reader in. The mysteries are intricately woven together in an exciting way. I found the story to be complex and very hard to put down. Learning that “the mob” has a connection to the town that Cat didn’t realize gave the story a very different insight. The excitement ramped up at several places in the book and the ending was really intense. I loved it.
The only good thing about being behind on this series is that the next book, Of Murder and Men is already on my To-Be-Read shelf and I can’t wait to start reading it!
Cat Latimer is excited for her 2nd writer’s retreat since she has returned to Colorado and turned the home she and her now deceased ex-husband used to share into a B&B. Her best friend Shauna is by her side as the chef for the retreats and as the person who keeps everything organized so Cat still has time to work on her own writing. Cat has also reunited with her high school boyfriend, Seth, handyman, and chauffeur extraordinaire for the B&B and the retreats. Her Uncle Pete just happens to be the sheriff which comes in handy because trouble seems to follow Cat on a regular basis.
This round of authors is an eclectic group. The romance author, Christina, seems to have forgotten what the retreat is about and hooks up with a local guy she met at the nearby ski resort. The problem, he is engaged to another woman and he is now dead. The evidence points right at Christina but she swears she didn’t do it. There’s also a new guy in town who would like to get to now Cat better but she thinks he knew her ex-husband and may know why he died. Her uncle is also hot on the case of a very valuable book stolen from the library. Things seem to be snowballing out of control in Aspen Hills, can Cat rein them in and solve all the mysteries with just a little help from her friends?
I am really kicking myself for getting behind on this series because I love these characters, I love the theme, and who wouldn’t love the Colorado setting.
Ms. Cahoon’s characters are so well developed, their dialogues flow so easily. They are realistic, engaging and funny at all right times. Cat, Shauna, and Seth make a fantastic team. Uncle Pete is positively priceless.
I like that Cat and Seth appear to be a perfect match but that Cat realizes she needs to work out a few things about her ex before she can truly move on. The subplot dealing with Micheal’s demise and what he was involved in prior to his death continues from one book to the next. More clues are revealed in this installment that makes it clear his death what not how it appeared. I enjoy that this string connecting each story.
The author does a terrific job of drawing the reader in. The mysteries are intricately woven together in an exciting way. I found the story to be complex and very hard to put down. Learning that “the mob” has a connection to the town that Cat didn’t realize gave the story a very different insight. The excitement ramped up at several places in the book and the ending was really intense. I loved it.
The only good thing about being behind on this series is that the next book, Of Murder and Men is already on my To-Be-Read shelf and I can’t wait to start reading it!
mad94's review against another edition
3.0
It was weaker than the first book although the mystery surrounding Micheal was teased out a bit more but I kind of wish that we just knew what happened and moved on
amythebookbat's review
4.0
I liked this one a bit better after meeting the characters previously. I want to go to the writer's retreat, it sounds like a great time (minus the murders, of course). The food sounds amazing. I would love a cookbook based on the meals served in the book since they sound amazing. Definitely not a book to read when hungry!