Pierced Peony Motts Cold Case Mystery #2
Cozy Mystery, LGBT, Asexual, Autism
Tangled Tree Publishing
May 1, 2021
Kindle
199
amazon
On a casual walk along the Cornish Coast, Pineapple “Motts” Mottley stumbles upon a body and a perilous new murder case in the second novel in the Motts Cold Case Mystery series.
As spring rolls into summer, Motts settles into her cottage. She’s enjoying a daily stroll when a body in the sea destroys her peace and quiet. It brings yet another mystery for her to solve.
How does a woman who vanished from Polperro three years prior wind up battered by waves?
Motts is drawn into the investigation despite her best attempts. She finds a family in turmoil and loads of suspects. With no easy answers, she tumbles further into chaos and ever closer to danger.
Can Motts find the killer before she’s the one put on ice?
Will she survive a bone-chilling brush with death?
Review by Xanthe
Reviewer for The Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
Pierced Peony is the second book in this Cosy Mystery Series. In book #1 Motts was unlucky enough to dig up a body in the back garden of her new bungalow. This time she spots a dead body floating along the coast when out for a walk near her home in a village in Cornwall, England. Just like before, she can’t help but do at least a little bit of investigating to date her curiosity.
Motts is such a lovely character. I love how comfortable she is in being herself, an asexual autistic lady, which I’m guessing comes from years of practice, living in a place that is good for her mental health and being surrounded by such loving family and friends. She’s quirky in how she treats her pets, Cactus the Sphynx cat and Moss the turtle, properly having conversations with them but as someone who shares a word or two with their dog, I can’t say much. Overall, she’s an entertaining character to read, interesting in how she deals with daily life and relationships when it comes to her autism and asexuality. Two things not often included in books so it’s a wonderful thing to have both here.
The mystery is good, as it’s a constant guess who with pieces of information randomly being found out, mostly by Motts, as well as the odd red herring to keep everyone on their toes. With the mystery being three years old and the family not being the nicest one in the village, it takes the work of the local police, the cold case detective who just happens to be dating Motts, as well as Motts and her group of just as most friends to crack the case.
There’s a bit of danger for her along the way but she has Vina, Nash, River, Marnie, her aunt and uncle along with several other who love and care for her, knowing when to be there for her but also when she needs her space. It’s really endearing to read and one of my favourite things about this series, is the community around Motts.
This has a really good story that’s entertaining as well and interesting, keeping you engaged with the mystery and Motts herself as we get closer to the reveal. I’m looking forward to where we go next in the series with Pickled Petunia.