Whiskey on the Rocks

In the 1st book in the Whiskey Mattimoe Mystery series, we are introduced to Whiskey, a recently widowed real estate broker living in Western Michigan. She is still trying to cope with his death, and work with his temperamental, purse-stealing Afghan Hound, Abra. When a wealthy man shows up in the small town and then quickly ends up dead, Whiskey rents a home to his widow while she works with the police. Everything seems to go wrong at the rental that Whiskey is also trying to sell, and she finds herself jumping through hoops to keep her tenants and home owners happy with the arrangement. Amidst the chaos of finding that some priceless art has gone missing, dealing with art forgeries, and the apparent dognapping of Abra, Whiskey pieces together a mystery with the help from a very astute (and hilariously honest) 8-year-old neighbor boy. I enjoyed the first book in the series, and found it both interesting and amusing. Abra, the crime solving dog, was a huge character in the book, and I found myself laughing aloud at her antics. I look forward to many more books in this fresh, new series. The next book in the series is called "Whiskey Straight Up". Enjoy!

Nina Wright's Whiskey on the Rocks is my new favorite mystery. It's so funny but at the same time a very complex mystery. Whiskey, a realtor in Michigan, is still recovering from the tragic death of her husband and coping with the well meaning friend's attempts to help her. The antics of her Afghan Hound Abra to her young next door neighbor/dog trainer are so hilarious I had to read them twice (I laughed too much the first time). Rarely does a book make me laugh and investigate a mystery at the same time. I can't wait until the next book comes out.

Whiskey Mattimoe is a funny, complex heroine distracted by the recent death of her husband and the antics of her incorrigible dog. If you've ever had a bad dog--or a long series of bad days!--you'll love this fast-paced, laugh-out-loud mystery. The Lake Michigan resort setting is fun, too: dramatic dunes, deep forests, sandy beaches, big blue-green water. Having lived in that area, I can vouch for the writer's accuracy. She gets all the local color, including the mix of resident artists and other eccentrics, just right. I can't wait to read the second book in the series, "Whiskey Straight Up."

What a fun, fast paced, read! This book is hard to put down. The characters are, well, characters, but believable. I am sure we all know someone just like the majority of them. As for the setting, I am now inspired to go visit western Michigan!

I'll say it straight off--I'm not a "mystery" reader by nature. A few paragraphs in, however, Ms. Wright had me happily turning pages and guessing. Wright knows how to layer a story, and she creates quirkily believable characters I enjoyed and cared about. She also knows just what details are necessary to paint the pictures she wanted to hang in my mind. Another reviewer mentioned "chick lit." I just re-checked my chromesomes, and though I don't presume to speak for every man, I can heartily recommend Wright's first shot of Whiskey as breezy fun for anyone--even if you don't consider yourself a "mystery" reader.