Dying to Go / Nothing to Gush About

Tucson Valley Retirement Community Mystery, #1

by

Marcy Blesy

Fun start to this new cozy mystery series.

Dying to Go / Nothing to Gush About is the first book in author Marcy Blesy’s new cozy Tucson Valley Retirement Community Mystery series and features former Springfield, Illinois, journalist Rosi Laruee in town to help her parents after her father undergoes a knee replacement. With Rosi only nudging 40, she’s a bit of a fish out of water and not looking forward to spending time in the community designed for older people, but with her life back in Illinois in tatters, it might be the respite she needs. However, when she discovers the body of the local bookstore owner lying in a back aisle of her shop, rest may be the last thing she gets. 

Rosi, whose given name, Rosisophia Doroche Laruee, is a mash-up of the names of characters from the 80s sitcom, The Golden Girls, is at a crossroads in her life, especially after a really tough year. Her only child, Zak, is off to his first year of college. Her husband of 20 years was caught cheating and, consequently, is now her ex-husband. She’s lost her job as a reporter for the local paper. She’s come to Arizona to lend a hand after her father’s recent surgery, but she really doesn’t want to be there. Rosi and her mother, Renee, have an uneasy relationship, but things improve as secrets unfold. 

The over-55 community in Tucson Valley is much like any small town, with its gossip, rivalries, and cliques; however, these residents take some of these aspects to a new level, as they all benefit from years of life experience that have refined their abilities. The rumor mill is a well-oiled machine. I firmly agree with Rosi’s initial impressions of Renee’s group of friends, who are, at best, an interesting mix of “ladies who lunch.” Rounding out the passel of secondary characters are several dogs, one of whom gets a new home during the story. 

The murder mystery is good, with the thoroughly unlikable victim meeting their fate early in the book. Rosi decides to investigate the murder because she feels the lead retirement community officer is inept, and she’s a former reporter and basically nosy. With so many people having a bone to pick with the victim, there are quite a few possible suspects to rule out. While Rosi asks questions and dodges getting fixed up with one of Renee’s friends’ nephews, there is still some romance for her in the works. 

I recommend DYING TO GO / NOTHING TO GUSH ABOUT to cozy mystery readers who would enjoy a retirement community setting for their story.

 I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.