Taking Notes on Murder ~ Review with Giveaway

Taking Notes on Murder

A Fiona Quinn Mystery #9

By C.S. McDonald

Narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg

Fiona Quinn has a secret she's been secretly married to Nathan Landry since they took a cruise that was anything but relaxing. But keeping her marriage a secret from her mother is starting to be a problem. Nancy Quinn is determined to see Fiona happily and blissfully wed sooner than later and she has just the solution - a wedding planner!

But Fiona has even bigger concerns - someone is leaving notes on her desk at school. And these anonymous notes hint at a suicide that may have been murder. There's just one little problem the notes offer no proof, no clues, nothing to go on. What's a kindergarten teacher to do? Well, first off find out the who and go from there.

And then there is grandma - she's starting to get a little more active and she is most definitely letting Fiona and Nathan know her opinion on the blending aspects of their home. Especially an heirloom lamp that comes with all the bells and whistles (literally all the bells and whistles).

Fiona is still totally Fiona and she has her work cut out for as she tries to find out just what happened in September 2005 and get Nathan involved as Detective Landry. But this cold case has more questions than answers and even more suspects, including,, once upon a time Fiona's mother Nancy. Was the death of this high school teacher suicide or murder? Only time will tell and the persistence of everybody's favorite sleuthing kindergarten teacher. 

The narration by Maren Swenson Waxenberg is well presented. Each character has a unique voice so one can easily follow shifts in character voice. The pacing is good and at 5 hours a perfect length for commuting or a day of cleaning. I think Maren perfectly presents this book.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Book Title:  Taking Notes on Murder:  A Fiona Quinn Mystery #9
Author:  C.S. McDonald
​Category:  YA Fiction, 184 pages
Run Time: 5 hours
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  McWriter Books
Release date:  May 19, 2020
Tour dates:  Jun 21 to Jul 16, 2021
Content Rating:  G (The Fiona Quinn Mysteries are for everyone--adults love the books and they are appropriate for teens and tweens too!)

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Book Description:

Mysterious notes are showing up in Fiona’s kindergarten classroom, claiming a suicide from 2005 was actually a homicide. Detective Landry maintains the messages are too vague, possess no integrity, and do not warrant a review of the old case.

Fiona’s not convinced. She’s determined to find the author of the enigmatic notes and uncover the truth about a man who had many secrets and countless enemies, including Fiona’s mother and former suspect Nancy Quinn!

Can Fiona crack this cold case, and what will it take to get Detective Landry involved? Don’t miss taking notes on this murder! 

BUY THE BOOK:
Audible ~ Amazon

Meet the Author: 

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries has nine books.

Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh. The Owl’s Next Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy!

Cindy resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Tour Schedule:
June 21 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 21 -Working Mommy Journal – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 21 - Locks, Hooks and Books - book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 22 – Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
June 22 -Bound 4 Escape – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 22 -Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 22 - Rajiv's Reviews – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 23 – Splashes of Joy – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 23 - Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 23 - Working Mommy Journal – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 23 - Rajiv's Reviews – book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
June 24 - Buried Under Books - book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 24 - Rajiv's Reviews – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 24 - Locks, Hooks and Books - book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
June 24 - Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
June 24 – Working Mommy Journal – book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
June 25 - StoreyBook Reviews – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 25 - Olio by Marilyn - book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 25 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 28 - Books for Books - book review of Maxed Out
June 28 - Blooming with Books – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 28 - Cover Lover Book Review – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 29 - Literary Flits - book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
June 29 – Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 29 – Westveil Publishing – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 30 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
June 30 - Blooming with Books – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 1 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of Maxed Out
July 1 - I Read What You Write – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 1 - Literary Flits - book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 2 - Olio by Marilyn - book review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 2 – Westveil Publishing – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 2 - I Read What You Write – book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 5 - Cover Lover Book Review – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 5 - Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder
July 6 - Blooming with Books – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 6 - Buried Under Books - audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 6 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 6 - Literary Flits - book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 7 - I Read What You Write – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 7 - Cheryl's Book Nook – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 7 - @twilight_reader – book review of Bon Voyage to Murder
July 7 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 8 – Bigreadersite – book review of Maxed Out
July 8 - Laura's Interests – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 8 - Books for Books - audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder
July 8 - @twilight_reader – book review of Taking Notes on Murder
July 9 – Hall Ways Blog – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 9 - Westveil Publishing – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 9 - @twilight_reader – book review of Maxed Out
July 9 - Books for Books - audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder
July 12 - Chit Chat with Charity – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 12 – Bigreadersite – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder
July 12 - Buried Under Books - audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 12 - Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of Taking Notes on Murder
July 13 - The Momma Spot – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 13 - Cheryl's Book Nook – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 13 – Bigreadersite – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder
July 14 - Gina Rae Mitchell – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 14 - Laura's Interests – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 14 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 15 - Locks, Hooks and Books - book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 15 – Chit Chat with Charity – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 15 - Laura's Interests – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 15 - Cheryl's Book Nook – audiobook review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway
July 16 – Lisa's Reading – book review of Maxed Out / giveaway
July 16 - Hall Ways Blog – audiobook review of Bon Voyage to Murder / giveaway
July 16 - Olio by Marilyn - book review of Taking Notes on Murder / giveaway

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