Death & the Brewmaster's Widow (Auction Block Mystery, #2)

by Loretta Ross

When firefighter Randy Bogart perishes in the arson fire at an abandoned brewery known as the Brewmaster's Widow, Death Bogart and his girlfriend Wren Morgan travel to St. Louis, Missouri, to find closure. They discover that Randy left his badge behind at the firehouse before going to the brewery. But the coroner finds another badge on Randy's body, leaving Death and Wren with more questions than answers.

Desperate to know what really happened, Death and Wren begin to investigate. Their digging leads to a connection between Randy's death and the mysterious Cherokee Caves once used by nineteenth-century beer barons. But the Brewmaster's Widow is jealous of her secrets. Prying them loose could cost Death and Wren their lives.

Praise:

"There are fewer auctions in this second series entry, but readers won't mind as the twisty, Hitchock-style plot unfolds...Ross is an author to watch."--Booklist

"The second case for Death and Wren uses an intriguing premise to flesh out the charming detective duo."--Kirkus Reviews

"Lively."--Publishers Weekly

• ISBN10: 073874705X
• ISBN13: 9780738747057
• Publish Date: 8 February 2016
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 7 July 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Llewellyn Publications,U.S.
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 264
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

Death (pronounced Deeth) heads home to St. Louis to settle his brother's estate. He is also looking for answers as to what happened at the Einstadt Brewery where firefighter Randy Bogart lost his life. Wren Morgan Death's girlfriend decides to travel to St. Louis to help Death deal with everything. The two soon find themselves investigating when questions about Randy's badge emerge.

In the first novel Death really showed off his investigative skills, but in book two, Wren really gets to shine. I enjoyed gathering clues and explore the Cherokee Caves. Ross made the listener privy to things the characters themselves did not know and it added excitement. It was a clever whodunit that pushed the borders of reality while still feeling believable.

What I really love about this series is that it offers more than your typical cozy. The characters are complex and even the secondary characters hold their own. Death is fascinating. He is new to the PI business after his career as a Marine ended when he was injured in Afganistan. He has lung issues and suffers from PTSD. Both are hard for Death to handle. Ross does a wonderful job of sharing his fears and the reality of living with them. I adore Wren our auctioneer. She is smart, funny and good for Death. She makes me smile and at times had me laughing out loud. We get to meet Death's ex and you will love to hate her. New characters are introduced and we learn more about Wren's family.

Amanda Ronconi continues to narrate the series and does a fantastic job portraying the characters and capturing the tone of the story. Characters are easily recognizable and sound genuine.

Audio provided by the publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer