Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Crooked Lane Books for this audio ARC for an honest review. 

Sadly, this one did not work out for me. First, while many said you don't need to read the other books in this series before picking this one up - I think you should. I feel like there are so many characters that seemed to pop out of nowhere that I didn't know the background about and therefore, you should read the earlier installments. 

Also, while I'm new to cozy mysteries - I think I already know what I like and don't like in them. I like cozy locals, animals, and friend groups that solve mysteries. 

I don't like unlikeable narrator - Lucy is absolutely insufferable, I hate gossip (seems like everyone in gossipy southern woman), and I hate when the author makes characters look down on anyone for how they look or how they dress. Which this had all of that above. 

Also - if any of the men talked to me like they talked to Lucy - I'd punch them. Then again, I'm a midwestern woman who doesn't take that gaslighting. 

Anyways: pick up the rest of the series before diving into number nine.