Brenda H. (booksinvt) - , reviewed on 8/8/2021 + 458 more book reviews

Live, Local and Dead is the debut of the Vermont Radio Mystery series set in small town Southern Vermont and featuring radio DJ Jaye Jordan. Recently divorced from husband David, Jaye has taken over a small radio station in VT just across the river from where her cancer survivor ex lives in NH. She is settling in to her new home which also houses the radio station, splitting custody of her young daughter Ryan, and beginning to blend into the community.

The book starts off with a bang - literally! Jaye is fed up with the protestors who keep appearing outside the station, upset that their favorite talk show, the Edwin Anger show has been taken off the air and they are blaming Jaye. Jaye picks up a muzzleloader, heads outside and blows a hole in a nearby snowman in order to scare the protestors off. I should have put the book down and deleted it from my library within those first few pages, but I chose to soldier on.

As a resident of a small town in Vermont and a responsible gun owner (and hunter), how the author could even include the description of the town square with folks ambling around or sitting in their cars, mention that Jaye had no idea if the gun was even loaded or not and then have her march outside and fire off the weapon is beyond me. Completely irresponsible writing.

While the plot surrounding a body stuffed inside a snowman had potential, there was just something off putting to me about the entire book. I couldn't relate to the main character (or her musical selections) at all, and don't get me started on the idea of hand feeding candy to a wild moose. I know, I know - it's a fictional cozy mystery. Sadly, I won't be "tuning" in to this particular series again, but that's just me.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details