A Perilous Pal is the second installment in Laura Bradford's charming cozy series filled with quirky and fun characters.
I was very excited for the chance to review this as an ARC, because I really liked the first book in this series. So happy to say, this installment is as strong as the first!
Emma Westlake's business is called A Friend for Hire, and she works as a paid companion. Once again, Emma finds herself wrapped up in an investigation as her newest client is suspected of murder. Encouraged by her cozy mystery-loving friend, Dottie, Emma turns reluctant sleuth to get to the truth.
I read this in an afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed it. The pacing was good, and there were enough red herrings to keep a reader guessing. There's also a sweet romance brewing and an adorable dog, everything you could want in a cozy mystery!
Bradford takes the unique concept of a paid companion and makes it work both in terms of the plot and as a commentary on loneliness in modern life. A charming aspect of this series is that while Emma might be a friend for hire, there are genuine connections between Emma and her clients and the group as a whole. And these characters are quirky and vivid. From the first page, it felt like I was back among friends. Fun little coincidences among the characters and easter eggs from Bradford's other mystery series are starting to spring up too. I am already looking forward to book three! Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC. I enjoyed it!
My steep was Yum Cookies by Call Me Sweetea, a small batch loose leaf tea company in Oregon. This blend of black teas, cacao, cinnamon, cassia chips, cocoa and caramel flavors genuinely tastes like cookies and tea! It is a perfect tea for any cozy mystery, or cozy reading session.
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