Book Review and Giveaway - Grave Words: A Deadly Deadlines Mystery by Gerri Lewis

My Review

Winter Snow is an obituary writer in a small town in Connecticut.  When the body of a local homeless man is found in a burning building, her best friend Scoop is a suspect.  Winter works to clear his name, even as she may be in danger herself.

I wanted to read this book because I love cozy mysteries.  The Halloween theme cover (and the adorable puppy) also really appealed to me!

This is the second book in the Deadly Deadlines series.  I had not read the first, and it took me a few chapters to get to know the characters, but then I enjoyed this mystery as a standalone.  There are a lot of characters and a "cast of characters" page would be helpful.

I enjoyed Grave Words.  It's well written, a fast paced read, with several plot twists, and smart dialogue that moves the mystery along.

I enjoyed Winter as an amateur detective;  I also liked her boyfriend Kip, friend Scoop, Uncle Richard, and of course her Great Pyrenees puppy Diva.  Her occupation is interesting and unique, and I like the details about her work as well.

I recommend Grave Words for other cozy mystery fans.  Fans of small town mysteries will especially enjoy this book.

Book Synopsis

Winter Snow has had it! With her business in a death drought, her best friend Scoop implicated in a string of arsons, and an obituary listing Winter herself as deceased, her life is heating up. But just as she’s trying to cool things down, she receives her newest assignment: an obituary for Chester, a homeless man found in a burning building.

Promising the local funeral home manager that she will have the obituary by the deadline, Winter is stonewalled at every turn, failing to discover Chester’s last name, or where he came from. When it is discovered that Chester was murdered and that the fire was set to cover it up, all fingers immediately point to Scoop. Not only is Scoop a person of interest in the arsons, he was also the last person to see Chester alive.

As more nails are pounded into Scoop’s coffin, Winter’s uncle Richard hopes to help by inviting the notorious town gossips, The Nosy Parkers, to a neighborhood food fest. Unfortunately, the breadcrumbs they toss set murder in motion.

More determined than ever, Winter must figure out the twists and turns of the case to clear Scoop’s name, putting her on a deadly deadline to solve the murder and avoid meeting the same grave consequences

Author Bio

GERRI LEWIS is the author of The Last Word (2024) and Grave Words (June 10, 2025), the first two books in her Deadly Deadlines Mystery series published by Crooked Lane Books.  Set in her Hallmark-worthy hometown of Ridgefield, Connecticut, this cozy mystery is about obituary writer Winter Snow, who solves murders along with a cast of lovable characters.  During her career as an award-winning reporter, columnist, and feature writer, Gerri has become a go-to person in her community for obituaries. When she is not helping her protagonist solve mysteries, she writes magazine features and is the Public Information Officer for the Ridgefield Office of Emergency Management.  She lives with her husband in Ridgefield, Connecticut, the picture-perfect setting for her books.

Author Links

Website:  https://gerrilewis.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/gerri.lewis.author/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/gerrilewisauthor/

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org – PenguinRandomHouse – Kobo – Apple – 

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