A Season for Killing Blondes
Cozy Mystery
Setting – Ontario, Canada
Print Length: 216 pages
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc (June 12, 2015)
ASIN: B00XCZ5EE2
Hours before the opening of her career counseling practice, Gilda Greco discovers the body of golden girl, Carrie Ann Godfrey, neatly arranged in the dumpster outside Gilda’s office. Gilda’s life and budding career are stalled as Detective Carlo Fantin, her former high school crush, conducts the investigation. When three more dead blondes turn up, all brutally strangled and deposited near Gilda’s favorite haunts, she is pegged as a prime suspect for the murders.
Frustrated by Carlo’s chilly detective persona and the mean girl antics of Carrie Ann’s meddling relatives, Gilda decides to launch her own investigation. She discovers a gaggle of suspects, among them a yoga instructor in need of anger management training, a lecherous photographer, and fourteen ex-boyfriends.
As the puzzle pieces fall into place, shocking revelations emerge, forcing Gilda to confront the envy and deceit she has long overlooked.
This is an exceptional debut!
Winning the lottery has changed Gilda’s life and she has helped quite a few people too. Gilda has decided to open a career counseling office to help others desiring to make a job change or find the first job in their field. A big open house is planned with a huge Italian theme, Gilda has a big Italian family. It is almost time for the doors to open when someone starts screaming in the back alley. Everyone rushes out and sees a beautiful blonde woman lying in the dumpster and it is not hard to tell she is no longer breathing. Gilda recognizes the woman immediately. They attended high school together and she stopped to visit Gilda at the office the day before. Gilda could have been the last one to see her alive. She knows this doesn’t look good and knows she is going to have to find the real killer to save herself.
I dove right into this book and couldn’t put it down. Joanne Guidoccio tells one heck of a story. More than one blonde ends up dead and there is a surplus of suspects.
We also meet Detective Carlo Fantin, who Gilda wouldn’t mind getting to know better. Her family fully supports this and they could have a wedding planned before the killer is caught 🙂 Gilda begs them to please let them at least have a date or two first.
I love Gilda and her family. They are tightly knit and always come bearing food and advice whether needed or not. Gilda’s cousin Sofia handles the elders better than Gilda but she is learning how to handle them.
I have not read many books set in Canada. Guidoccio describes the area beautifully and Gilda’s trip to a cabin had me wishing for my own quiet place to escape to. I hope we get to visit there again soon.
This was a very quick read for me with just the right level of suspense, humor, and romance. There is also yummy Italian food and the author has included recipes!
About the Author
In high school, Joanne dabbled in poetry, but it would be over three decades before she entertained the idea of writing as a career. She listened to her practical Italian side and earned degrees in mathematics and education. She experienced many fulfilling moments as she watched her students develop an appreciation (and sometimes, love) of mathematics. Later, she obtained a post-graduate diploma as a career development practitioner and put that skill set to use in the co-operative education classroom. She welcomed this opportunity to help her students experience personal growth and acquire career direction through their placements.
In 2008, she took advantage of early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into her creative side and utilize her well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Canada, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes paranormal romance, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.
Social Media Links
Website: http://joanneguidoccio.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjoanneguidoccio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jguidoccio/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QURgFbybQVw
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Check out the rest of the tour!
Tour Participants
June 17 – Babs Book Bistro – Guest Post
June 18 – Tea and A Book – Interview
June 19 – Chloe Gets A Clue – Interview
June 20- Back Porchervations – Review
June 21 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview
June 22 – Jane Reads – Review, Guest Post
June 23 – A Blue Million Books – Interview
June 24 – Frankie Bow – Guest Post
June 25 – I Wish I Lived in a Library – Review
June 26 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – Spotlight
June 27 – Brooke Blogs – Guest Post
June 28 – StoreyBook Reviews – Spotlight
June 29 – deal sharing aunt – Interview
June 30 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Review
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I have read several books by writers from Canada in the last couple years. Being half-Italian, I am a little biased about the characters. The last book I read had a murderer of 25 women, so I think I can handle this one although I usually read cozies. Thanks for the giveaway. Judy D.
Hi Judy, I also have trouble reading books filled with violence. For that reason, I gravitate toward cozies. Good luck with the giveaway. Joanne 🙂
Sounds like a thrilling mystery. Thank you for the giveaway.
Hi Jen, Thanks for dropping by. Good luck with the giveaway. Joanne 🙂
Sounds very good thank you.
You’re very welcome, Joseph. Hope you entered the giveaway. Joanne 🙂
Another interesting one to add to the TBR list.
Hi Susan, Thanks for dropping by. Joanne 🙂
Read the book reviee. Ready to read.
Hi Betty Jo, Happy reading! Joanne 🙂
Dollycas, thanks for the lovely review. Joanne 🙂
Looks like a great read. I look forward to reading it.
Thanks, Julie! Hope you entered the giveaway. 🙂
Sounds like a really good cozy mystery! Already added to my TBR list 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
You’re very welcome, Vivian. Good luck with the giveaway. Joanne 🙂