Dying to Go (Nothing to Gush About):
A Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery
by Marcy Blesy
I am delighted to welcome Marcy Blesy
to Escape With Dollycas today!
Hello! My name is Marcy Blesy, and I am the author of the new Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery Series. Books 1-5 are out now with Book 6 coming by the end of April. Rosisophia Doroche Laruee—the daughter of a mom who was a Golden Girls nut and named her daughter by smushing 
together the main characters’ names—comes to Arizona to help her snowbird parents after her dad’s knee replacement surgery. At 39, Rosi’s ready for a change, and not just from the snowy weather in Illinois. Her marriage has recently ended; she’s an empty nester; and a poor unfortunate life decision has cost her the journalist job that she loved. Then she stumbled upon the dead body of the local bookstore owner whom no one liked and became enmeshed in finding her killer while trying to dodge her mom’s attempt at hooking her up with her obnoxious friend’s visiting nephew. Fun and giggles follow Rosi as she starts to rebuild her life.
I started my writing career over ten years ago focusing on early chapter book series for children. I am a former teacher and school librarian and was inspired by my students to create books that would make them laugh and entertain them. My best-selling children’s series is called Be the Vet and was co-written with my veterinarian husband for kids who want to know more about the veterinary profession.
As a recent empty-nester, I was searching for the next challenge in life, like Rosi, and have fallen in love with writing cozy mysteries. I lost my mom when I was a young adult, and I grew up watching The Golden Girls and Murder She Wrote. I believe that she’s smiling down at me and thrilled with my choices to bring the giggles of a great GG episode and the mystery of a great MSW episode into each of my books. I hope you will enjoy Rosi and her adventures as much as I have enjoyed writing them.
When not writing, I can be found walking on a disc golf course as my husband and young adult sons play. I am quite adept at climbing into the weeds to find an errant disc (like a frisbee). I also enjoy searching for beach glass along the shore of Lake Michigan when there is no snow on the ground! One of my favorite places to write is at a picnic table at the beach house in my local community. And reading a good book with my toes in the sand is a spring and summer must!
Thank you, Marcy, for visiting today.
Keep reading for my thoughts about Dying to Go (Nothing to Gush About).
About Dying To Go
Dying to Go (Nothing to Gush About): A Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Arizona
Publisher : Independently Published (November 9, 2023)
Paperback : 281 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8865863427
Digital ASIN : B0CLL1LHK6
Thirty-nine-year-old Rosi Laruee—named Rosisophia Doroche after her mother’s beloved Golden Girls—decides that the end of her twenty-year marriage and her dad’s impending knee replacement surgery are all the excuses she needs to visit Tucson Valley Retirement Community. But the drama follows Rosi when she finds the body of local tart and business owner, Salem Mansfield. The information she discovers using her newspaper reporter sleuthing skills coupled with the clues she picks up from lackluster Police Officer Dan Daniel lead to a surprise discovery when the murderer is revealed. Along the way, she meets a cast of characters in her parents’ social circle who leave her questioning her parents’ choices in friends while simultaneously befriending many of the residents, including a handsome landscaper and a brand-new Golden Retriever puppy she names Barley. Rosi’s visit to Tucson Valley proves more than she’d bargained for, but maybe, she realizes, it’s just the kind of change she needs.
Laugh out loud with Rosi, and be prepared to get the happy feels along the way!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Rosisophia Doroche, (Rosi) was named for her mother’s favorites, The Golden Girls. She is 39 years old, the mother of a son, Zak in college, a newspaper reporter, and in the final stages of dissolving her 20-year marriage and needs to get away. Her father’s upcoming knee surgery seems like a great reason to visit her parents at their Tucson Valley Retirement Community. Upon arrival, she is quickly introduced to her mother’s friends, one with a nephew who would be perfect for Rosi. Now, she needs a break from her mother.
On a walk around the neighborhood, she meets an older gentleman, Bob, walking his golden retriever and learns Suzi recently gave birth to a litter of 5 “rambunctious puppies” and he offers one to Rosi. Since she is just visiting she had a good excuse for declining. Later she meets Keaton, a handsome landscaper, Bob’s grandson, Devin, and bookstore owner, Salem, who happens to be Bob’s ex and part-time babysitter of the five puppies.
The next day Rosi again visits the bookstore to pick up a book and visit the pups. The puppies are happy to see her but she is shocked to find their caretaker dead in the mystery section of the store, and soon the police want her fingerprints! So Rosi is using her skills learned as a reporter to track down a killer while taking care of her dad, attending all the activities her mother ropes her into, dealing with her cheating ex, and yes, taking care of her new puppy.
This series is off to a delightful start.
The core group of characters Ms. Blesy introduced are fun, engaging, and full of life. Rosi’s parents have busy lives in the Tucson Valley Retirement Community, from golf to pickleball, and karaoke nights. They have a great group of friends and are thrilled to introduce Rosi to all of them. Rosi’s relationship with her dad reminded me of my relationship with mine. I love the blooming relationship between Keaton and Rosi too. And the puppies, you just can’t go wrong with puppies.
The victim wasn’t well-liked, but who had she driven to murder? Rosi didn’t know any of the suspects but was nosy and a top-notch interviewer who didn’t give up. I liked that the mystery had unique twists and how Rosi followed the clues. She is a very capable amateur sleuth. I had fun tagging along with her each step of the way.
Tucson Valley Retirement Community has everything you find in a typical small town filled with a quirky group of residents. Everybody knows or wants to know everybody’s business. Gossip runs rampant and at times people act like high schoolers when it comes to competitiveness. That competitiveness and other events bring a lot of humor to this story.
Dying to Go was a cute and enjoyable read. I was entertained by great characters who made me giggle often and a puzzling mystery. I am interested to see what Ms. Blesy has planned for her characters next because the final lines left me with a smile on my face and a happy heart.
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
About Marcy Blesy
Marcy Blesy is the author of over thirty books including the popular cozy mystery series: The Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery Series. Her adult romance mystery series includes The Secret of Blue Lake and The Secret of Silver Beach, set in Michigan. Her children’s books include the best-selling Be the Vet series along with the following early chapter book series: Evie and the Volunteers, Niles and Bradford, Third Grade Outsider, and Hazel, the Clinic Cat. Her picture book, Am I Like My Daddy?, helps children who experienced the loss of a parent when they were young.
Marcy enjoys searching for treasures along the shores of Lake Michigan. She’s still waiting for the day when she finds a piece of red beach glass. By day she teaches creative writing virtually to amazing students around the world.
Marcy is a believer in love and enjoys nothing more than making her readers feel a book more than simply reading it.
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Purchase Links
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Book 2
Dying For Wine (Seeing Red)
Book 3
Dying For Dirt (All Soaped Up)
Book 4
Dying to Build (Nailed It)
Book 5
Book 6
Dying to Dink (Your Fault) – Release Date – April 27, 2024
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. 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.”