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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
3.0
A Genuine Fix by J.C. Kenney is the second An Allie Cobb Mystery. Allie Cobb along with her tortoiseshell cat, Ursula (Ursi for short) is out walking on Friday morning. It is the day she checks out the progress of the Winchester-Cobb Memorial Park of which she is the head of the steering committee. Allie notices a dump truck has unloaded mulch where the gazebo is to be erected and then Ursi uncovers a hand. Georgie Alonso, the boy who stood Allie up for the senior prom, is found dead under the mulch and Allie is Police Chief Matt Roberson’s prime suspect. Allie Cobb, the Kickboxing Crusader, sets out to clear her name by finding the killer. A Genuine Fix can be read as a standalone if you have not had the opportunity to finish A Literal Mess. The story progresses at a steady rate making for a quick, easy to read cozy mystery. J.C. Kenney’s vivid descriptions brought the town and characters to life for me. I especially enjoyed the details of Allie’s charming abode above the bookshop. A Genuine Fix is told from Allie’s perspective (first person narrative) which allowed me to understand how she was feeling and her perspective on matters. Allie Cobb is settling into her new apartment and busy obtaining new clients for the Cobb Literary Agency. Allie is a woman who will not let herself be set up for a crime she did not commit. She is strong and determined which I like in a main character. Allie also has a “dogged desire for the truth.” The mystery is straightforward with a couple of suspects and pointed clues. Allie’s method of investigation is direct. Everyone in town knows what she is doing which aids Allie as well as the killer. It also results in some humorous situations. The way the villain was captured was unique and entertaining. A Genuine Fix is a lighthearted cozy mystery with a cunning cat, a disagreeable victim, a mound of mulch, a tolerant police chief, and one determined bicycle riding literary agent.
pensivepelican's review
4.0
Really enjoyed this book. Won it from a Goodreads giveaway. Love the protagonist and the little community she lives in. It’s the second in the series, but I was able to follow with no difficulty without reading the first, which I do intend to read.
dollycas's review
5.0
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Allie has found another body, with an assist by her cat Ursi . . . the guy who ditched her years ago on prom night . . . yup, dead under a pile of mulch in the park Allie is in charge of that will be a memorial to her dad and the author he championed. First on the scene, first on the suspect list. What Allie knows is that she wouldn’t give Georgie Alonso the time of day let alone kill him. She also knows he had a lot of skeletons in his closet and she is focused on shaking all of them to find the killer and throw the book at them.
Ellie a.k.a the Kickboxing Crusader is a fun character. She is getting comfortable back home in Indiana and taking over her father’s business. I love the traditions she has started when sells a book and when the books are published. It shows so much about how invested she is in her authors. In this installment, she is also in charge of keeping the construction of Winchester-Cobb Memorial Park and be sure is it ready for the grand opening. It was during her weekly progress checks that the body is discovered.
Mr. Kenney has written a complicated mystery. The police are having trouble solving it and so is Allie. She had a preliminary list of suspects but each clue she uncovers switches up that list and brings new suspects to light. With her ex-brother-in-law as the Chief of Police, he goes to great lengths to show she could have not committed the crime but that doesn’t stop her from poking and prodding to find the killer. As we moved toward the ending the pace of the story really ratchets up. The killer reveal was so entertaining and the takedown was something that I had never seen in a cozy mystery.
I love the literary agent theme and Allie carrying on in the family business. I really enjoy that the series is set in Indiana and that all the residents feel genuine. There is a real community feel. Kenney sets a scene very well and gives readers a great bird’s eye view. He mixes the real-life and the mystery plotlines nicely.
This story was a Perfect Escape for me and I highly recommend adding it to your summer reading lists. It can be read on its own but treat yourself and read both to learn the story of Allie coming back to Indiana.
Allie has found another body, with an assist by her cat Ursi . . . the guy who ditched her years ago on prom night . . . yup, dead under a pile of mulch in the park Allie is in charge of that will be a memorial to her dad and the author he championed. First on the scene, first on the suspect list. What Allie knows is that she wouldn’t give Georgie Alonso the time of day let alone kill him. She also knows he had a lot of skeletons in his closet and she is focused on shaking all of them to find the killer and throw the book at them.
Ellie a.k.a the Kickboxing Crusader is a fun character. She is getting comfortable back home in Indiana and taking over her father’s business. I love the traditions she has started when sells a book and when the books are published. It shows so much about how invested she is in her authors. In this installment, she is also in charge of keeping the construction of Winchester-Cobb Memorial Park and be sure is it ready for the grand opening. It was during her weekly progress checks that the body is discovered.
Mr. Kenney has written a complicated mystery. The police are having trouble solving it and so is Allie. She had a preliminary list of suspects but each clue she uncovers switches up that list and brings new suspects to light. With her ex-brother-in-law as the Chief of Police, he goes to great lengths to show she could have not committed the crime but that doesn’t stop her from poking and prodding to find the killer. As we moved toward the ending the pace of the story really ratchets up. The killer reveal was so entertaining and the takedown was something that I had never seen in a cozy mystery.
I love the literary agent theme and Allie carrying on in the family business. I really enjoy that the series is set in Indiana and that all the residents feel genuine. There is a real community feel. Kenney sets a scene very well and gives readers a great bird’s eye view. He mixes the real-life and the mystery plotlines nicely.
This story was a Perfect Escape for me and I highly recommend adding it to your summer reading lists. It can be read on its own but treat yourself and read both to learn the story of Allie coming back to Indiana.
anjana's review
4.0
We have here a small town with lovable characters and a protagonist with an interesting job that she does not make light of and gives us the whole picture. This is the second book in a cozy series and although it might have been a bonus if I read the first book, I felt like I had enough background with all the good-natured jabs that everyone gave each other. Allie Cobb is the local hero because she singlehandedly solved the case in the previous one and there seems to have been a lot of action involved! She has close friends and has a meaningful relationship with family. The quirky part is her cat who likes being walked like a dog and probably solves the case before her owner does. Straight off the bat, death makes its way into the tale and unfortunately, Allie is a suspect.
Now the reasoning behind the suspicions may seem a little far-fetched and the entire case seemed a little forced to me but I loved the narration. I liked the interaction between all the people we are introduced to, the chain of events that constantly circle back to our leading lady. The cat made colourful scenarios very interesting. I would recommend this book to people who are used to this genre because it does a good job of entertaining.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is completely based on my own reading experience.
Now the reasoning behind the suspicions may seem a little far-fetched and the entire case seemed a little forced to me but I loved the narration. I liked the interaction between all the people we are introduced to, the chain of events that constantly circle back to our leading lady. The cat made colourful scenarios very interesting. I would recommend this book to people who are used to this genre because it does a good job of entertaining.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is completely based on my own reading experience.
mrskatiefitz's review
3.0
I really loved the first book of this series because of its very down-to-earth writing style. This book seemed to veer a bit more into cliched writing, however, and I found myself wishing for fewer similes and metaphors, and for better ones that actually fit the situations they were used to describe. I do love the characters and it was fun to dig deeper into the politics of the town and into the dynamics of Allie's family. I also appreciate that there is some Catholic representation in the book, as Allie's mom attends Mass and objects to cohabitation before marriage, but I did wish for a bit more interesting nuance to her faith aside from just disapproving of sinful behaviors and going to church. I do plan to stick with the series in the hopes that the next book is more like the first.
annarella's review
4.0
I'm in two minds about this book: on side I loved the small town atmosphere and enjoyed the mystery, on the other side I found that Ally somehow turned into a sort of superhero and sometimes grated on my nerves.
I appreciated the description of the small town atmosphere with the fabulous shops and the gossips, I loved to meet again the characters even if I'd have preferred some more character development.
The mystery was ok even if the solution seemed a bit rushed.
I liked the description of Ally's work as it was a sort of behind the scene.
I look forward to reading the next instalment hoping that there will a woman and less the Kickboxing Hero.
As I can say I liked it I recommend it.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I appreciated the description of the small town atmosphere with the fabulous shops and the gossips, I loved to meet again the characters even if I'd have preferred some more character development.
The mystery was ok even if the solution seemed a bit rushed.
I liked the description of Ally's work as it was a sort of behind the scene.
I look forward to reading the next instalment hoping that there will a woman and less the Kickboxing Hero.
As I can say I liked it I recommend it.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
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