It was pretty easy to figure out who the killer was, but I prefer that to a book in which the reader isn't given all the information and therefore has no way to figure it out for herself. ( )

I read this book as part of a group read this month. Josie Belle was the featured author of the month, as she has written not only this series but several others under other names. While this wasn't the worst cozy mystery I've read, I just didn't like this one as well as I did her other series, Library Lovers. The Library Lover's series is found under the name Jenn McKinlay.

The characters were much too similar, in personality and in circumstances, to the characters in her other books. There is the romantically unattached main character, the sweet, but slightly ditsy best friend, the handsome male character that the reader assumes will become the love interest for the main character, and then there is the group of female friends who help solve the mystery. Even the scenarios are eerily similar...the best friend is accused of the crime of murdering an ex-lover.

I will say that the mystery portion of the story is quite good. Other than the murderer being a little cagey in conversations and slightly unfriendly, it's not extremely easy to pick out the culprit, which make for an enjoyable, light read.

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From the book jacket: Everyone loves a good deal, especially the Good Buy Girls, a group of coupon-clipping discount divas who scour the circulars and pan their attacks on stores as if they were generals plotting their war strategies. Maggie Gerber – one of the founding members of the GBG – loves her life in Saint Stanley, Virginia, but things are about to get complicated. First, Sam Collins, her old flame, moves back to town as the new sheriff. Then, Claire Freemont, a librarian and member of the GBG, shows up late to a meeting acting strange. When Maggie goes to visit Claire the next day at the library, they find a body in the basement – and the knife plunged into his chest is Claire’s missing cake knife.

My reactions
A typical cozy mystery where the lead amateur sleuth just cannot keep her nose out of police business, despite specific warnings to steer clear. There are plenty of suspects, including Maggie’s old high-school nemesis, Summer Phillips. The cast is completed with a boy genius, who happens to have a law degree at the tender age of 20, though he prefers scooping ice cream at the Frosty Freeze, Maggie’s niece and grand nephew (who are living with her), and the rest of the Good Guy Girls: Joanne (an accountant by training), and Ginger (mother of four growing boys).

I thought this was a bit formulaic, but maybe I’ve been reading too many cozies lately. The old rivalry with Summer Phillips irritated me no end; they’re 40 years old for heaven’s sake and they are STILL hashing out high school drama?! I figured out the culprit long before Maggie or Sheriff Sam Collins caught on.

I’m not big on shopping – with or without coupons and discounts – so the basic premise is kinda lost on me. But I’ll probably read another in the series if it fits a challenge (or three). ( )

Great start to what should be an exciting series! ( )