I chose to read One For The Money as a proud member of Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team and I received a copy from the author. This does not alter my review in anyway.
Cat Caliban is looking for a change after her husband dies. She is a mother to three and a granny, and that’s one of the things I liked about this book. An older main character. How refreshing. Anyway, after her 38 years of marriage to Fred comes to an end Cat wants a new career and she decides on becoming a private investigator. She sells up her home in Wyoming and buys an apartment complex in Northside, Cincinnati, a rougher neighbourhood than her grown up kids would like her to be in. This story is also set in the 1980’s, that glorious time before mobile phones became a thing and you could walk out of your front door and no one would know where you were.
Cat, who also has cats, already has one tenant in her apartments, Kevin, as he came with the property. Another couple soon come to move in, Melanie and Alice, but when Cat shows them the apartment they find the body of a woman lying in it. The woman turns out to be a bag lady, well known on the streets as Betty Bags. Soon after this death there is another, that of Betty’s best friend. And so the investigating begins.
I thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery, watching Cat get to know her neighbourhood and the people in it, as well as learning her craft. I also liked seeing her clashes with the police and the way her tenants soon joined in to help out as if forming a posse in her crime fighting.
This is a strong start to a series. One thing to note is that the language is often colourful. It doesn’t bother me but if you don’t want profanity in your reading don’t get this book. Other than that I think those that enjoy murder mystery’s will like this, and no doubt the rest of the series.
Thank you Georgia.
You’re welcome, Rosie.