I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review as a part of a book tour. A cozy mystery filled with colorful characters, a touch of comedy and a handful of dangerous criminals, Diner Knock Out by Terri L. Austin is a great addition to her Rose Strickland Mystery series. Set in the fictional town of Huntingford, Missouri, the fourth installment finds Rose working as a part-time waitress and a part-time private investigator. Trying to solve a missing person’s case without her bosses’ knowledge, Rose deals with a touch of the green monster and her currently stalled love life. Proving that getting what you wish for isn’t always what you really want, she finds herself up to her armpits in danger making me wonder if Rose would make it through this case in one piece. If you like cozy mysteries this is a series you really should check out.One of the best things about this series is Ms. Austin’s character development. I have to admit that I’m heavily invested in what happens to Rose, her crazy friends Ax and Roxie, Ma and Ray at the diner and even her boyfriend Thomas Sullivan, who’s still involved in a criminal lifestyle. Each character brings depth and color to Rose’s life and a smile to this reader’s face. They also back her up as she runs a clandestine investigation without the approval of Andre Thomas, former cop and the owner of the private investigation firm she works for part time. What begins as a simple missing person’s case soon turns into something much darker as Rose and company investigate an illegal MMA fight circuit involving steroids, illegal pain medications and murder. Determined to discover who runs everything behind the scenes, Rose uncovers evidence leading to prominent and successful businessmen, society leaders and associates of her boyfriend. Ms. Austin does a good job developing the mystery; there are plenty of twists and turns, a touch of physical action and the looming threat of danger, which kept me turning the pages to discover what Rose would discover next. Like Rose, I also worried about how deeply Sullivan was involved and what this would do to their already fragile relationship. Especially since Rose really loves Sullivan and it doesn’t look like he’s getting out of the criminal lifestyle anytime soon. Will Rose uncover who killed the missing fighter? Will Rose, Roxie and their new friends make it through this investigation in one piece? And will Rose and Sullivan’s relationship progress to dinner at her parent’s house? You’ll have to read Diner Knock Out to find out. I loved it and hope we don’t have to wait too long to read Rose’s next adventure.
Rose Strickland Mystery is definitely one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I'm glad to find that there's a new Rose Strickland's book. And this time, she was working part-time for Andre Thomas, a PI, who was having doubts at Rose's investigation skills. When her boss was out, and a new client walked in with a new job, Rose accepted the case, even though she won't be making money out of it. Unfortunately, this job led her to her boyfriend, Sullivan's, business. Sullivan and his associates weren't happy with Rose poking at their business.I was hoping to see a lot more of Roxy's BFF, Roxy and Ax, but was happy with the some new characters too. My favorite in this book was Andre. He sounded tough with Rose, but he cared for her. He made the story much more interesting. Although Rose's relationship with Sullivan didn't go quite well, what with their trusting issues, I absolutely love watching how their relationship grew. I can't wait to see more of them soon! Diner Knock Out definitely did not disappoint. There are moments that made me laughed and moments that excited me. The new mystery was interesting up to the end. The story may be a bit slow paced at the beginning, but once the story picked up the pace, I just couldn't put the book down. There were a few surprises and twist that I didn't expect to see. If you loved the previous book from the 'Rose Strickland Mystery', or any cozy mystery, you wouldn't want to miss this one. I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher/Netgalley in exchange for my review.
What do You think about Diner Knock Out (2015)?
This is my first foray into the Rose Strickland series, but I don't think that it will be my last. Not only Rose, but also the supporting characters who surround her as this story plays out, are so much fun to get to know. Roxy and Sugar are hilarious, as is Ma Ferguson. The mystery is very well developed, leaving the reader guessing at the identity of the murderer throughout the book. The characters are realistically written and believable. When Rose gets jealous of Roxy's budding friendship with Sugar, which is cutting into the time Roxy and Rose spend together, the reader can feel her pain.I would definitely recommend this book, and the series, for anyone looking for a quick, enjoyable read.**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**
—Teresa Kander
This is,the fourth book of the series and new author for me. I was at disadvantage of not having read the earlier books. The book was well written and the plot original. The characters were difficult for me to place and Rose came across to me as a spoiled rich girl. When she did not get her way she had a tantrum. Who was Sullivan? I felt she didn't understand her Mother's actions. As I began to understand the book I found myself turning pages fast to see what occurred next. Rose takes a detective inquiry without telling her boss and has problems. We go into the boxing world involving a death of a fighter. Rose encounters her boyfriend as one of the owners of fight club and tempers flare. I feel this series needs to be read in order.Disclosure: I received a free copy from HENERY PRESS through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own.
—Betty
Rose Strickland works in a diner in the morning and for a PI, Andre Thomas, in the afternoons. She's learning the trade, per se, but is usually relegated to background checks and filing. Occasionally, her boss will allow her to come along on a stakeout, but that's about the extent of it.She also works as a waitress, but her best friend Roxy seems to be pulling away from her. Roxy has been hanging out with Sugar, a burlesque artist, and Rose feels left out. Her boyfriend, Sullivan, he of the not-
—JoAnne
