Flea Market Felony: A Cozy Mystery Novel (The Mattie and Mo Mysteries) by Tricia L. Sanders #Review @tricialsanders

Flea Market Felony: A Cozy Mystery Novel (The Mattie and Mo Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Missouri
Independently published (April 1, 2021)
Paperback: 190 pages
ISBN-13: 979-8729049523
Kindle ASIN: B08ZMBTQ8B

These new retirees have just hit the road. Will their first campsite’s shenanigans land them both in handcuffs?

Mattie Modesky’s been hankering to start retirement right. Even if it’s in an RV. The sassy senior believes there’s no time like the present after her policeman husband hangs up his badge and they hit the road.

When they reach their first RV park, the yoga instructor hitting on Mattie’s man turns her peaceful vacation sour. In an effort to stand her ground and confront the sneaky resident, Mattie finds a new friend, a stiff corpse, and her husband as the prime suspect.

She is shocked to her core when her man’s newly purchased pocketknife is the murder weapon. But when the real killer makes the fatal mistake of dognapping her beloved pooch, the silver-haired sleuth sets her sights on solving the crime herself and proving her lawman’s innocence.

Can Mattie clear her hubby’s name and reclaim their pup before the villain turns their golden years into iron bars? Or will the killer roll away in a motor home with Mattie’s dog in the passenger seat?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Mattie and Mo Modesky plan to spend their retirement traveling the United States in their new RV. Well, Mo more than Mattie but she is along for the ride, as is their dog Max. Their first stop in the Oldies but Goodies RV Park and Flea Market in Pine Grove, Missouri. It’s a little run-down but it has a nearby lake which is all Mo needs and Mattie does enjoy a good flea market.

As they are checking in permanent resident Calla Lily gets way too close to Mo for Mattie’s comfort. The woman sure knows how to press Mattie’s buttons. So when Calla is found dead Mattie isn’t that unhappy until she sees the murder weapon is a knife she bought for Mo the day before. Plus Max ran off during their walk the previous night and is still missing. So now Mattie needs to find the flea that murdered Calla to clear Mo of the crime and she needs to find her dog. She soon learns the two things are connected.

As soon as I saw the cover and synopsis for this book I knew I had to read it. Traveling the country at my leisure in an RV is high on my bucket list.

Mattie and Mo are your typical couple who have been married forever. They each have their own interests and have no trouble spending time apart. The close quarters of the RV can make for a little too much togetherness but she sure doesn’t want her husband behind bars. I love that she misses her BFF Liz but with the internet, they can still connect every day and catch up on the gossip from home and the campground happenings. Mo makes a new friend almost immediately. A friend with a boat who also loves to fish. Mattie makes a little effort to be friends with his wife but is afraid to trust anyone with a killer on the loose. All the characters including the supporting cast are cleverly created and believable in their roles.

Calla Lily had a reputation of going after men, married or single, it didn’t matter. She was also bossy, set in her ways, and a real pain. She tallied up quite a list of people that could want her dead. So while the knife might have belonged to Mo there are plenty of other suspects. Ms. Sanders plotted a fine mystery. Mo and Mattie knew nothing about these suspects and Mo was taking a hands-off approach, more fishing, and let the police do their job. Mattie resorted to eavesdropping and leading questions all while searching for her dog. I did enjoy the way the mystery was written. There were many secrets uncovered including one I never saw coming.

Ms. Sanders has set this series off to a fabulous start. Flea Market Felony was a fun and fast read. It was very easy to become invested in the Modesky’s lives. The RV theme is fantastic. I can only imagine what trouble Mo, Mattie, and Max will get into as they travel the country. They said they are headed to Wisconsin soon, so I am really looking forward to that story.

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About the Author

Also by Tricia L. Sanders

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.”