Your Killin' Heart

March 20, 2017
Because Nashville travel agent Campbell Hale, the narrator of Peden’s middling debut, is a fan of deceased country star Jake Miller (whose life and work resemble that of Hank Williams), she jumps at the chance to accompany her sometime boyfriend, lawyer Doug Elliott, as he retrieves some paintings from the home of Jake’s widow, Hazel, for his art dealer brother. The curious Campbell stumbles on a too-still Hazel in bed and realizes later that the woman may have been murdered. Campbell sifts the circumstances of Hazel and Jake’s lives, discovering an illegitimate child, a resentful grandson, a former mistress, an opportunistic assistant, and a well-connected attorney who wants to keep the Miller secrets off the front page. Warnings from handsome detective Sam Davis fail to deter Campbell, who encounters threats and attempts on her life. An insufficient array of suspects and detection a step removed from the action undermine the delivery of the promising premise.

March 1, 2017
A Nashville travel agent's nosiness may be the death of her.When Campbell Hale learns that her boyfriend, lawyer Doug Elliott, is repossessing some paintings from the wife of country music legend Jake Miller, she begs to go along. Doug's brother, Ken, owns an art gallery, and Jake's widow, Hazel Miller, has not paid for pictures she bought and is willing to return them. At the mansion, Campbell, enthralled by all the memorabilia, wanders off while Doug is loading paintings and accidentally opens the door to Hazel's bedroom. As they depart, Hazel's personal assistant, George Lewis, is refusing entry to a very angry young man. When Hazel is found dead in bed that evening, gossip suggests pills and booze as the cause. When police detective Sam Davis, who's investigating Hazel's death as a possible murder, comes to interview Campbell, she admits to opening the bedroom door and seeing a huddled figure in the bed. Although she's not a suspect, Campbell just can't keep herself from nosing around for clues despite dire warnings from Doug, who becomes more and more distant as she continues to investigate. The angry young man turns out to be Jake's grandson, whose mother, adopted by the couple, is actually Jake's natural daughter by a country music star who was just starting her career when her daughter was born and was forced to give her up. As Doug continues to sulk over her sleuthing, Campbell develops a more than professional interest in Davis. After George Lewis becomes the next victim, Campbell gets threats warning her to mind her business. But she keeps turning up more information that poses a threat to the unknown killer. Peden's debut paints a matter-of-fact picture of the city that lives for music. Her heroine is a typical cozy sleuth, bright and gutsy but also rather foolhardy as she stumbles in and out of dangerous situations while solving a murder whose solution many readers will spot ahead of her.

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Starred review from April 1, 2017

When Nashville travel agent Campbell Hale learns a friend is heading to the home of a country music icon, she begs to go along. Jake Miller lived fast, loved hard, and died young. Although Campbell and her lawyer friend are only there to pick up some paintings from Jake's widow, Campbell sneaks off to explore the house and finds a woman resting in bed. It's only when Hazel Miller is reported dead that Campbell realizes she may have seen the victim. Of course, the police will investigate. But Campbell knows people in the music industry and had met a few of the suspects, so she decides to do a little sleuthing herself. Her interview techniques may leave something to be desired, but when she's threatened, she and Det. Sam Davis realize the killer knows Campbell. Winner of the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition, Peden's debut vividly captures the Nashville music scene and the city's Southern atmosphere. Campbell is an charming amateur sleuth, loyal to a fault. VERDICT Fans of Tonya Kappes's books and readers who enjoy humorous whodunits with a strong sense of place will find this one delightful. [See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16.]--LH

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2017
Nashville travel agent Campbell Hale begs to tag along when her friend Doug Elliott retrieves some artwork from a country-music legend's widow. Later that day, when news breaks that the late Jake Miller's wife was just found dead, Campbell realizes that she may have been the last person to see the woman alive. Campbell is a plucky contemporary heroine of the oh, just one look inside this room isn't going to kill anyone vein. Though things never really worked out with Doug, the two have an undeniable chemistry. But, then, there's also the single-dad cop who keeps popping up to keep her safe. Fans of Diane Mott Davidson and Donna Andrews will enjoy this new series. Your Killin' Heart was the winner of the Malice Domestic Competition for Best First Traditional Mystery Novel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)