Dying for a Daiquiri

Laurel McKay Mysteries. Book 3

By: Cindy Sample

Narrated by: Pilar Uribe

Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's Summary

When Laurel McKay attends a Hawaiian wedding, her vacation soon becomes more deadly than the calorie count in her daiquiri. Her post-wedding holiday upends after a beautiful hula dancer is found dead on the rocks below the oceanfront restaurant owned by Laurel's brother and sister-in-law. When a family member is arrested for the murder, Laurel is plunged into a mystery where exotic Big Island locations - a coffee plantation, black sand beaches and a volcano - reveal their deadly side.

And where is her hunky on-again/off-again boyfriend detective when she needs him? Laurel zip-lines and four-wheels her way through the island paradise unearthing long hidden secrets. Will ingenuity and pluck be enough? Or will this hula be her last?

©2013 Cindy Sample (P)2014 Cindy Sample

A Fun Mystery Set in Hawaii!

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook! The main character, Laurel McKay, travels to Hawaii for a destination wedding. Laurel, friends, and family go on excursions, tour the colorful locale, and eat delicious food. They become embroiled in a murder investigation after family members become suspects. Laurel has quite a few hair-raising adventures. I love how funny it is! The story is upbeat and also has a touch of romance.

Cindy Sample has written a wonderful, original story. She weaves humor throughout the book. Narrator Pilar Uribe has a nice voice and gives a good performance. I wish that she would have placed more emphasis on the humorous parts or that I could have heard a smile in her voice when she was reading them. It would have made this audiobook even better.

This is a full-length audiobook. It is a stand alone story and has a great plot! I would highly recommend it to others.

Returning

I liked the first book in the series. The second one had issues, but I thought I would give this third one a try. I have just returned it.

Honestly, the characters are just weird. I understand jumping when someone startles you, but do you try to strangle that person in a public place? In broad daylight? This action was the last straw. Lots of other weird attempts at creating tension caused I a heroin who is to inapt to live, added to my dislike of this book. Example: she just happens to hit the speaker button on her cell phone as her sister-in-law makes him incriminating statement at a time the room is quiet, so the cops hear it. I just got tired of bumbling this and bumbling that for comedic or dramatic effect.

Move over Hawaii 5 0 there's a new detective

I loved this book. This is such a great series, that you just can't help but be entertained. The author does so much research into her chosen subjects and writes so colourful that you can't help but feel like you have been transported into the mystery, so hold on tight you might even get to lift a cocktail or two.This is book three in the series ( and I have already downloaded the next book) but you don't need to have read the previous books to join in the fun, as it works great as a standalone, unless of course you need something to smile about then I would recommend starting at the beginning. I love the characters, especially the flamboyant sidekick Stan. However it was the mystery that grabbed my attention and held on. With so many twists and suspects, I spent the whole book guessing who the killer was and why and in the lovely setting it Hawaii it was the perfect get away.
There is trouble in paradise. Despite being on the island to celebrate her friends wedding Laurel finds that she has more to worry about than which drink to have or why her boyfriend cancelled at the last moment. Especially when the hula dancer her brother could be having an affair with is found dead at the bottom of the cliff. Was it an accident or murder? Laurel's brother and sister-in-law both become the number one suspect when it turns out it was murder and Laurel can't sit back drinking cocktails waiting for one of them to be arrested, what would it do to her mother to see her baby boy lead away in handcuffs? Her best friend does his part and goes undercover with the Hula dancers, while Laurel looks into the dead dancers family life, ex boyfriends and friends. Surely they would have more of a motive to killer her than her brother or his wife? But can they discover it or will the party sink like a boat without its captain?
I liked the narrator. She made an entertaining story even more exciting by bringing the characters to life.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.