Detour in Death

Detour in Death 

Detour in Death is the latest short story to be checked off my to be read list. I had never heard of Alexi Slate prior to starting this book, and I was excited to find a new author to read. 

This is the prequel to her series called The Cora Chambers series. 

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Lately I’ve been crazy busy with home improvement projects, time spent with family, and a whole list of other things. Plus autumn always means football, soup, and hoodies. My time to read always seems to diminish when fall rolls around. 

Short stories are perfect for this time of year because I can still chase the feeling of accomplishment that comes from finishing a book, no matter the length. This prevents me from falling into a reading slump. I also find myself craving more cozy mysteries as well. 

I’ve been reading a ton of romance short stories, but there is something comforting about a cozy read in the fall. It reminds me of the way I crave comfort food during the colder weather. 

Have you read Detour in Death? Come on in and let me tell you about it! 

About Detour in Death 

When a storm traps guests at a secluded inn, murder makes an unwelcome reservation.

Former librarian Cora Chambers has traded dusty books for cozy antiques. But her fresh start is derailed when a fierce storm forces her to shelter at Red Oak Inn.

Chaos erupts when innkeeper Bradley Thornton collapses, poisoned, gasping her name with his dying breath.

Branding Cora his murderer.

Determined to clear her name, Cora teams up with Biscuit, an inquisitive terrier, whose talent for sniffing out clues rivals his knack for stealing biscuits.

Cora’s comedic mishaps and Biscuit’s trusty nose prove invaluable in uncovering hidden truths.

Every guest invited by the victim, except Cora, has a motive to kill.

Could the killer be flamboyant Margaret, entangled in Bradley’s shady deals? Or charming Julian, desperate to conceal secrets Bradley threatened to expose?

As her investigation deepens, her room is trashed, threats are delivered, fabricated evidence mounts against her and an attack nearly silences Cora for good.

Can Cora unmask the murderer before she becomes the next victim?

 Author Note  

Please Note: Detour in Death is a novella length book, a prequel to the Cora Chambers Series. (The prequel is approximately 70 paperback pages..) All other books in the series are full-length novels.

Thoughts on Detour in Death 

Detour in Death is an introduction to the Cora Chambers series that will be coming soon from author Alexi Slate. I’m looking forward to the series and there being full novels in the future. Because I think this series deserves full novels to really bring out the characters and have them be developed much farther. 

I enjoyed this introduction, but my biggest complaint is that for the length of the story, there were too many characters. It was really hard to keep track of anyone because they were not memorable enough. Which is a direct result of this being a short story. If they had been developed more, it would have become a full novel. 

I would have liked to see it become a full novel, to be perfectly honest. It would have been a definite benefit. Short stories should feel complete, yet be able to be expanded. This one didn’t feel as complete as I wanted it to. It felt like many things were just sort of glossed over when they should have been expanded on. It was a good introduction, but it still needed more love. 

For this being the first published story from author Alexi Slate, I can see a lot of potential in her future as an author. I am looking forward to reading more from her in the future, following this series, and being able to watch her grow as an author. Practice really does make perfect, and after reading this, I can’t dismiss her potential. 

Keep an eye out here in my blog, because I will be reviewing more from her in the future, from this series. 

Final Thoughts on Detour in Death 

I am calling Detour in Death a three star read. Which annoys me slightly. I wanted to love it more than I did. Don’t get me wrong, there was nothing egregiously wrong with the story. I read it and I can easily see the potential that Alexi Slate has. I just wanted great, and this didn’t quite make it there. 

I still recommend it though, because I fully intend on reading the Cora Chambers series and find out where it takes me in her adventures. 

I went to check out other reviews once I was done and had made up my mind on a rating, and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Which is another reason I recommend you give reading it a try and form your own opinions. Me not loving it is simply subjective. I could be the one random weirdo that just couldn’t connect with the story. It has certainly happened before, and I am sure it will again in the future. 

I have watched Tiffany Bloom absolutely blossom as an author from when I first read The Mountain Man’s Hidden Flame, and I absolutely expect the same thing from Alexi Slate, to continue to blossom and grow as an author.

Discussion 

Have you read Detour in Death from author Alexi Slate? Are you a fan? Do you enjoy short stories? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

About the Author 

Alexi Slate is my pen name. I am part of a very fun book mystery club. So much fun I decided to write cozy mystery novels. When I am not writing, you can find me reading, reading and reading! with my furry sidekick at my side. 

Purchasing Detour in Death 

• If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Detour in Death, click here.
• Click here for the Kindle version.
• Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

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