Darby Piper and her business partner and friend, Samantha Porter, are at odds over the future of their investigation business, Two Girls Detective, when Samantha is killed. Worse yet, the detectives suspect murder and Darby is the prime suspect. Darby will have to team up with Tate Porter, Samantha’s nephew, and her new business partner, if she hopes to have any chance of finding the real killer, saving her business, and staying out of jail. Can Darby save her own self as well as she rescues Mrs. Berger’s cat, Romy, from the tree he’s always getting stuck in?

I fell in love with DEAD-END DETECTIVE from the very first scene! Who can’t help but love a book that starts off with a private investigator rescuing an ornery cat from a tree? The story quickly develops in complexity, however, as we begin to see the relationships grow and change. I’m still mad at Samantha for all the things she did without Darby’s knowledge as it feels like that friendship was taken advantage of in so many ways. However, I love Darby’s approach to things and how she is willing to overlook and still love and cherish the memory of a friendship even after the revelations are exposed.

Oh, what a fun start to a new series! Amanda Flower is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors and DEAD-END DETECTIVE is yet another fun and engaging hit from her. The characters are superb, the mystery is intriguing, and there’s even a budding romance in the making. More importantly, there’s an ornery cat who quickly jumps in and grabs our hearts and makes the small town of Herrington come alive with personality. I look forward to each and every book I read by Amanda Flower! If you haven’t read anything by Amanda Flower, DEAD-END DETECTIVE is the perfect place to start!