Broadcast 4 Murder
Phee’s mother, Harriet, is going to be a star! At least, that’s how the Sun City West retiree describes her chance to host a live radio program of her book club’s Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour on Arizona’s KSCW. But instead of chatting about charming cozies, Harriet ends up screaming bloody murder over the airwaves after discovering the body of Howard Buell, the station’s programming director, in a closet–with a pair of sewing shears shoved into his chest.
The number one suspect is Howard’s ex-girlfriend Sylvia Strattlemeyer who believed she was going to host a sewing talk show before Harriet was offered the spot. But not only do the fingerprints found on the scissors not match Sylvia’s, they belong to a woman who passed away twenty years ago at the age of ninety-seven. Now, with the whole town on pins and needles, it’s up to Phee to stitch together enough clues from the past to uncover the identity of a killer in the present.
Series: Sophie Kimball Mystery – Book #7
Author: J.C. Eaton
Genre: Cozy Mystery/PI/Crafts
Publisher: Kensington Books
Page Count: 352
Rating: 
I adore Phee and her mother and this series. I try never to miss a new book, and I am always delighted when I see the announcement that a new installment is coming. I am happy to recommend this series to readers who love cozies of any type. Even though Phee isn’t a PI, and we certainly hope she never becomes one because she is wrong more often than not, she’s a character who finds out more information than her boyfriend, boss, and the police combined but misinterprets it all the time. The craft and reading group is always a romp and an adventure that gives Phee’s mother, who is more a PI than Phee is, an ongoing role vital to the series. Broadcast 4 Murder is no exception in that Phee finds out info that is useful in a murder investigation with the help of her mother, Augusta, and the incredible Streetman. But… I couldn’t get behind this story as easily or as much as I wanted.
Oddly enough, I felt that this book was not as well planned or executed as previous books. The investigation by the police, and even the PI firm, was almost non-existent other than what Phee and Augusta came up with doing internet searches. Phee’s mother and her dog, Streetman, as usual, sticking their noses where they don’t belong. There were some laughs throughout the story; a few humorous scenes seemed a bit too forced. I liked the idea of live radio shows on various crafts, such as sewing and so forth, and even the fishing show. But the idea of combining a murder talk show with a fishing show just does not work for more than a single laugh.
There are suspects, more out of the story than in. The motive for any one of the suspects is not strong, and some are downright flimsy at best. Phee jumps from one conclusion to another almost with the turn of the page and never really lands on the truth until the very end. Evidence is also lacking. However, all of this said, I still enjoy this series and recommend it to readers. Broadcast 4 Murder has a great ending that combines humor and relationships that cements Phee’s future. Even though I did not enjoy this book in general, the PI and craft aspects are fun, entertaining, and make readers smile. I do still look forward to the next book in the series.
Excellent cozy PI or craft-related series that readers may enjoy include Kate Young’s new series “A Jane Doe Book Club Mystery” or Sally Goldenbaum’s wonderful quilting series “Queen Bees Quilt Shop”.
About the Author:
J.C. Eaton is the pen name for the collaborative writing team of Ann I. Goldfarb and James E. Clapp. Together they created a cast of quirky characters. While Ann is a seasoned author in her own right, having eight published YA time travel mysteries to her credit, James, a former winery tasting room manager, has focused on non-fiction with informative blurbs on the wine industry. This unlikely author duo found common ground when they moved to Arizona and realized that the community they were living in was the perfect background for murder mysteries.
Ann admits that she’s definitely “the detail person,” while James is more comfortable with the plotline and the big ideas. Running the dialogue is their favorite pastime in this venture.
J.C. Eaton is represented by Blue Ridge Literary Agency
Contact JC: 
Find JC on Social Media
Contact The Cozy Review
Leave a Reply