Fiction, Cozy Mystery
4****
REVIEW: Oh. My. Word. Calamity Jayne is a disaster waiting to happen – a hilarious one! In this, the fourth in the series, she is attending classes in the nearby college in order to get some credits in journalism. While working on a class project in investigative reporting, she stumbles onto a story that could be big for her in both her grade and her part time job at the paper. Her cousin and his girlfriend are taking a class in criminal justice and someone seems to be using the class syllabus to commit crimes. At first they start out small – a little mischief, some theft, etc. but they escalate to sexual assault and murder. Jayne has multiple suspects, but when she finally figures out who it is, it’s almost too late for her and her brother’s girlfriend.
In addition, she’s juggling three men in her life – the cop, the ranger, and the bad boy. And her feisty grandmother. And a car that keeps breaking down.
Jayne is the perfectly imperfect character. Authors are supposed to build characters with flaws and Jayne has a ton of them. The biggest one is her impulsiveness as it gets her into a lot of trouble. The world building/scene setting is well done and the mystery keeps most people guessing. Okay, I knew who it was, early on, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the story. Definitely looking for more in this series.
Recommended.
BLURB: What does a blonde get on her intelligence test?
Drool.
Ace cub reporter Tressa Jayne Turner is carrying a full load–and we’re not talking post-holiday pounds. Back in college for the fourth time (but who’s counting!?), “Calamity Jayne” is looking to nab a raise from her stingy boss at the Gazette, Stan. So, what’s to stop her from making the grade? Well, for starters her grandmother turned roommate rekindling an old flame, maid of honor madness run amok, a botched betrothal that’s more than just schoolyard gossip, and a campus criminal who is out to teach the student body a lesson… one crime at a time. As Tressa navigates the halls of higher education, she finds herself torn not only between homework and investigating, but also between a man who likes her for herself and another man who wants to save her from herself. It’s a case of murder and mayhem by the books…and failure is so not an option.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18726221-calamity-jayne-and-the-campus-caper
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