Murder Pays a Call
Nancy J. Cohen
Orange Grove Press (2025)
ISBN: 978-1952886379
Reviewed by Kassia Scotti for Reader Views (11/2025)
Nancy J. Cohen’s Murder Pays a Call follows the murder of Keri Armstrong’s beloved client, Fiona Sullivan. Keri, a private concierge, shows up to Fiona’s house one day ready to deliver groceries in return for some morning small talk. Instead, Keri finds Fiona dead in her bed. The room is a mess, which the police think is the product of a robbery. Keri isn’t convinced, and she makes it her mission to get to the bottom of things. Keri talks to and works alongside many different people while trying her best to solve Fiona’s murder. From investigating suspicious neighbors to family drama, Keri learns that secrets may come with a price, and that some people aren’t who they say they are.
The intricacies of murder mysteries are always something that will catch my attention. It is a true challenge to make sure that everything lines up in a believable way while keeping the reader on their toes. It almost felt like I was Keri’s confidant, always ready for the next twist or discovery of new information. It was immersive and made for a fun game of “Who Done It.” The writing captures the glamour of Keri’s profession while highlighting all the ways her new mystery-solving duties have thrown a wrench in her everyday life.
I enjoyed the circle of characters Keri had around her. I was constantly questioning who I could trust, as well as who Keri could trust. At first, I was worried that Keri might be too fast to reveal information to people, but in the end all the clues fell into place in a satisfying way.
A bond that stayed strong was that between Keri and Fiona. While Keri uncovers some secrets about Fiona she might not have expected, she never loses her affection for her friend, and her sadness at her loss never wavers.
Murder Pays a Call: A Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery by Nancy J. Cohen is a great novel for anyone looking to read a lighthearted mystery with a well-rounded list of suspects. I’d definitely love to see what other kinds of trouble Keri gets herself into, and I’m eager to know more about the secrets of Sunny Grove.