I received this book for free from . This review is voluntary. My opinion is not influenced in any way.
Death Goes to the County Fair on October 15, 2015 Pages: 100
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Joni Harte knew her first job out of college would be tough, but she didn’t expect it to be murder.
With the ink mostly dry on her journalism degree, Joni accepts the position of news reporter and photographer for The Ogallala Gazette. She’s tasked with chronicling all of the goings-on of the quirky characters who inhabit this small Missouri town.
While investigating the identity of the first murder victim, Joni makes an enemy of the local sheriff. Worse, she catches the attention of a violent stalker who promises to cure Joni of her curiosity.
As the Ogallala County Fair comes to an end, Joni must uncover the truth before she comes to hers.
1) What does your writing area look like? I love envisioning authors in their natural habitat. 😉
It’s the spare bedroom, converted into my writing cave. I have two desks in a corner, lit by a variety of lamps and a SAD light. I also use two different computers so I don’t have to wait on one to load. The shelves hold pictures dear to me and all of the school supplies discarded by my children over the years. I’m pretty content working there.
2) What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I work a day job that pays the bills. I also spend time with my young son and my animals: a basset hound, a disgruntled cat and two rabbits. My horse is boarded on the other side of the state, so I don’t see her as often as I would like.
3) What is the best part about being an author?
Giving free rein to my imagination. For Death Goes to the County Fair, I created a new town, Ogallala, Missouri, and that meant planning the town’s layout, naming the streets and deciding which businesses should go where. I enjoyed that the most. It was like building a model railroad town. Fun!
4) If you could write from anywhere in the world, where would you write from and why?
I would love to spend a summer in Paris, writing from a small studio apartment that offers an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower. For now, I pull it up on a webcam and pretend I’m there.
5) What are you working on now?
I’m writing the screenplay adaptation of my novel, Bone Girl. I’m also writing the two sequels to my debut novel, Celebration House.
Lastly:
My hero/heroine always never quits!
Death Goes to the County Fair by Annette Drake is the beginning of a new cozy series and takes place in Ogallala, Missouri. Joni Harte is a fresh-out-of-college reporter with her first newspaper job, working for the Ogallala Gazette. Joni is a newcomer to Ogallala, which doesn’t help when she is trying to question people within the town regarding a murder at the county fair.
This was a novella length cozy, listed at 100 pages. There was a good cozy mystery plot, though I felt like the pacing in the story was a bit off. There would be something mentioned (like having dinner with someone) and it never happens within the pages, the story just skips to the next scene. It made the story feel like it jerks forward a bit at times. However, I still enjoyed the story. Joni is the perfect bumbling reporter. She has a reporter’s curiosity and when she hits on a story, she doesn’t want to let it go. Joni has no intention of letting the identity of the murder victim, or his killer, escape Ogallala.
Death Goes to the County Fair by Annette Drake is a promising start to a fun cozy series. The characters (including the town of Ogallala) are unique and colorful. For me to like a cozy, I have to feel like I can connect with the characters and the setting, and Drake has done that. I would seek out the next book in this series.
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The main character sounds like she’s surely between a rock and a hard place. I’m super interested to know what happens to her. Thanks for the fun review. 🙂
I agree. It is a fun review. I was delighted that Brooke liked the characters most.
This book sounds exciting, and I am looking forward to reading it.
Thank you, Jeanetta. I hope you enjoy it.
This sure sounds like an interesting book! Will it be available on Amazon?
Hi, Cindy. Thanks for your comment. Right now, the book is available only on Amazon and is discounted to $.99. (Pardon the plug)
This book sound like it be a great read
Hope so. I wanted most to entertain readers. That’s my mission!
I enjoyed the interview, I guess it would be fun to build your own little town from scratch, opportunities are endless. This sounds like it’s my kind of read and I love the cover, if that doesn’t grab people I don’t know what will.
I am very intrigued by your synopses, and will explore this author’s books. Thanks.
Death Comes To The County Fair looks like a good start to a new series. Looking forward to reading it.
this looks cute
I love the setting of this new mystery. I grew up in the Midwest and I went to county fairs every year!
This sounds like a fun read. I also enjoyed the interview.
What a creative book title and cover! I love it. Sounds like a fun book!
The title and the book summary is surely the kind that would arouse interest in anyone!. Seems like a great read. Thanks for the giveaway. Happy New Year!
I love that you confess to not camping 🙂 That makes me giggle. I guess when you live in Washington state, camping is not necessary. Such amazing landscape that you are always near the water/evergreens. Beautiful area. I have not read any of your books, yet, but excited too.