Book Title:  Maxed Out (The Owl’s Nest Mysteries) 
Author:  C.S. McDonald
​Category:  Adult Fiction, 184 pages
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  McWriter Books
Release date:  April 2021
Content Rating:  G. C.S. McDonald’s books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults–no bad language or sexual content.

Book Description:

The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe is a huge success! Business is booming and Alexa Owl’s love life is heating up. Yet much to the seamstress’s dismay, Detective Bobby Starr is suddenly back again! Bobby isn’t your everyday gumshoe. Rather, he’s an angel who’s trying to earn a place in Saint Peter’s Guardian Angel Squad. He’s required to solve murders he had left unsettled from when he walked the earth in order to be accepted into this prestigious group. Of course, they will need to return to the time period in which the murder took place, and again, Alexa is a reluctant time traveler. Oh, and there’s one more little problem—this time, Bobby’s brought along a friend, Maxi Krogen, and she’s no angel!

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My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Maxed Out is the second book in the Owl’s Nest Mysteries. I didn’t read the first book, but there was enough back story throughout this book that it does stand on its own.

I like the main character, Alexa. She’s an independent and brave woman who owns her own business. Detective Bobby Starr is an interesting character, particularly since he’s dead. He wants to be part of an elite group of angels but in order to be in it, St. Peter wants him to prove he’s worthy by resolving some cases that he didn’t have a chance to finish when he was alive.

Alexa agrees to help Bobby again, but Maxi, the ghost they’re helping, doesn’t seem to be innocent by any means, and she has no desire to help them solve the case. Her dog doesn’t like her and neither did I.

Things get a little tense here and there, and I began to wonder if Bobby was going to fail and if Alexa was going to come out of this case unscathed.

This is a short but fun (and funny) murder mystery that I enjoyed. I may have to go back and read the first book.

About the Author

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries has nine books.

Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh. The Owl’s Next Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy!

Cindy resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Giveaway

Autographed copy of MAXED OUT, plus other gifts (USA only) (ends Jul 23)

https://gleam.io/L7Y1A/maxed-out-book-tour-giveaway

Follow the Tour

June 21 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 21 – Working Mommy Journal – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 21 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 22 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 22 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 22 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 22 – Rajiv’s Reviews – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 23 – Splashes of Joy – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 23 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 23 – Working Mommy Journal – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 23 – Rajiv’s Reviews – book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
June 24 – Buried Under Books – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 24 – Rajiv’s Reviews – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 24 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
June 24 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
June 24 – Working Mommy Journal – book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
June 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 25 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 25 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 28 – Books for Books – book review of Maxed Out
June 28 – Blooming with Books – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 28 – Cover Lover Book Review – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 29 – Literary Flits – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 29 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
June 29 – Westveil Publishing – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 30 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 30 – Blooming with Books – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 1 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of Maxed Out
July 1 – I Read What You Write – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 1 – Literary Flits – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 2 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 2 – Westveil Publishing – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 2 – I Read What You Write – book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 5 – Cover Lover Book Review – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 5 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder
July 6 – Blooming with Books – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 6 – Buried Under Books – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 6 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 6 – Literary Flits – book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 7 – I Read What You Write – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 7 – Cheryl’s Book Nook – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 7 – @twilight_reader – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder
July 7 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 8 – Bigreadersite – book review of Maxed Out
July 8 – Laura’s Interests – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 8 – Books for Books – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder
July 8 – @twilight_reader – book review of Taking Notes on Murder
July 9 – Hall Ways Blog – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 9 – Westveil Publishing – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 9 – @twilight_reader – book review of Maxed Out
July 9 – Books for Books – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder
July 12 – Chit Chat with Charity – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 12 – Bigreadersite – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder
July 12 – Buried Under Books – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 12 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of Taking Notes on Murder
July 13 – The Momma Spot – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 13 – Cheryl’s Book Nook – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 13 – Bigreadersite – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder
July 14 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 14 – Laura’s Interests – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 14 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 15 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 15 – Chit Chat with Charity – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 15 – Laura’s Interests – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 15 – Cheryl’s Book Nook – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 16 – Lisa’s Reading – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 16 – Hall Ways Blog – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 16 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway