Double Dog Dare
The Owl's Nest Mysteries #3
By C.S. McDonald
Read by Maren Swenson Waxenberg
Detective Bobby Starr is back and Alexa is about to be pulled into another unsolved cold case from Bobby's past. But this time, everything is different. First off, they are given five days rather than three to solve the case. And the potential suspect has two potential murders tied to his name. And if Bobby can solve this case, he'll be part of Saint Peter’s Guardian Angel Squad. And Alexa is more than ready to have Bobby out of her life.
But when Alexa is suddenly thrown back into the future, her feelings of unease are explained. Worse she's brought a tag-along from the past with her, and that's in addition to the always slumbering Bassett Hound that has somehow made its way into her home. Soon Alexa is caught up in her contemporary troubles while Bobby continues working on his murder case from 1963.
Double Dog Dare offers a change-up to the previous cases that Saint Pete has sent this sleuthing duo on. The unexpected twists find Bobby and Alexa working hard to find answers to different questions this time. As always, this book is a fun and entertaining escape from this reader's day-to-day. It is written so a reader new to the series could easily pick this up and enjoy it as a standalone title. And then there is a particularly amusing scene with a Roomba, you have to read it to fully enjoy it! This a contemporary read that is a cozy mystery that as well as magical realism with a touch of romance. The book is just over seven and a half hours, making it a perfect afternoon/evening commute listen. The narration by Maren Swenson Waxenberg is well done, the pacing is good, and provides an excellent version of this book.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - All thoughts expressed are my own.
Book Details:
Category: Adult Fiction, 274 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: McWriter Books
Release date: May 2022
Content Rating: G. C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.
Book Title: Double Dog Dare (The Owl's Nest Mysteries)
Author: C.S. McDonaldCategory: Adult Fiction, 274 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: McWriter Books
Release date: May 2022
Content Rating: G. C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.
Prologue - Double Dog Dare
Book Description:
That ornery, but oh, so handsome, charming, and somewhat, wayward angel, Detective Bobby Starr, has returned. This time, he’s back to fulfill his third and, hopefully, his final requirement to get into Saint Peter's prestigious Guardian Angel Squad. This time, the usually reluctant time traveler, Alexa Owl, is ready to go back to the 1960's to assist in solving one more long-ago murder. Why? Because if all goes well, she'll be rid of the menacing angel once and for all. Except, an emergency jerks Alexa back to her own time, and to complicate matters, she’s got a tag-along. Can Bobby solve this last case without Alexa’s help? After all, she’s got her hands full with a life-or-death mystery in the twenty-first century!
That ornery, but oh, so handsome, charming, and somewhat, wayward angel, Detective Bobby Starr, has returned. This time, he’s back to fulfill his third and, hopefully, his final requirement to get into Saint Peter's prestigious Guardian Angel Squad. This time, the usually reluctant time traveler, Alexa Owl, is ready to go back to the 1960's to assist in solving one more long-ago murder. Why? Because if all goes well, she'll be rid of the menacing angel once and for all. Except, an emergency jerks Alexa back to her own time, and to complicate matters, she’s got a tag-along. Can Bobby solve this last case without Alexa’s help? After all, she’s got her hands full with a life-or-death mystery in the twenty-first century!
Also Available:
Book Details:
Book Title: Back to the Burgh and Beyond (The Owl's Nest Mysteries, Book 1)
Author: C.S. McDonald
Category: Adult Fiction, 208 pages
Run Time: 5 hours, 59 minutes
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: McWriter Books
Release date: Sep 10, 2020
Content Rating: G. C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.
Book Title: Back to the Burgh and Beyond (The Owl's Nest Mysteries, Book 1)
Author: C.S. McDonald
Category: Adult Fiction, 208 pages
Run Time: 5 hours, 59 minutes
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: McWriter Books
Release date: Sep 10, 2020
Content Rating: G. C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.
Book Description:
Meet Alexa Owl. She's returned home to Pittsburgh after a divorce to start a new life and a new business, The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe. Much to her surprise, she's getting more than she ever bargained for: Detective Bobby Starr, and he's no ordinary sleuth. Bobby is an angel who's returned to Earth in hopes of earning his way into the Guardian Angel Squad. He's been sent by none other than Saint Pete to acquire Alexa’s help to solve three cold case murders he left behind. Except, here’s the catch: he’s only been allotted four days to solve the first case! How in heaven’s name is she supposed to do that? Alexa is a professional seamstress—not a detective. Bobby insists the only way to solve the first case is to return to 1953, and Alexa’s not in love with that idea at all!
Meet Alexa Owl. She's returned home to Pittsburgh after a divorce to start a new life and a new business, The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe. Much to her surprise, she's getting more than she ever bargained for: Detective Bobby Starr, and he's no ordinary sleuth. Bobby is an angel who's returned to Earth in hopes of earning his way into the Guardian Angel Squad. He's been sent by none other than Saint Pete to acquire Alexa’s help to solve three cold case murders he left behind. Except, here’s the catch: he’s only been allotted four days to solve the first case! How in heaven’s name is she supposed to do that? Alexa is a professional seamstress—not a detective. Bobby insists the only way to solve the first case is to return to 1953, and Alexa’s not in love with that idea at all!
Book Details:
Book Title: Maxed Out (The Owl's Nest Mysteries)
Author: C.S. McDonald
Category: Adult Fiction, 184 pages
Length: 5 hours, 32 minutes
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: McWriter Books
Release date: April 2021
Content Rating: G. C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.
Book Title: Maxed Out (The Owl's Nest Mysteries)
Author: C.S. McDonald
Category: Adult Fiction, 184 pages
Length: 5 hours, 32 minutes
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: McWriter Books
Release date: April 2021
Content Rating: G. C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.
Book Description:
The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe is a huge success! Business is booming and Alexa Owl’s love life is heating up. Yet much to the seamstress’s dismay, Detective Bobby Starr is suddenly back again! Bobby isn’t your everyday gumshoe. Rather, he’s an angel who’s trying to earn a place in Saint Peter’s Guardian Angel Squad. He’s required to solve murders he had left unsettled from when he walked the earth in order to be accepted into this prestigious group. Of course, they will need to return to the time period in which the murder took place, and again, Alexa is a reluctant time traveler. Oh, and there’s one more little problem—this time, Bobby’s brought along a friend, Maxi Krogen, and she’s no angel!
The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe is a huge success! Business is booming and Alexa Owl’s love life is heating up. Yet much to the seamstress’s dismay, Detective Bobby Starr is suddenly back again! Bobby isn’t your everyday gumshoe. Rather, he’s an angel who’s trying to earn a place in Saint Peter’s Guardian Angel Squad. He’s required to solve murders he had left unsettled from when he walked the earth in order to be accepted into this prestigious group. Of course, they will need to return to the time period in which the murder took place, and again, Alexa is a reluctant time traveler. Oh, and there’s one more little problem—this time, Bobby’s brought along a friend, Maxi Krogen, and she’s no angel!
Meet the Narrator:
Ms. Waxenberg is a voice-over artist and presentation coach. She serves as a consultant to the Professional Development Company, Inc., teaching presentation and interview skills seminars to a variety of clients, Columbia MBA, and SIPA graduate students. Maren has a 30-year background in special events, performing arts production and the entertainment industry. In 1996, she founded Maren Productions which produces audio books, radio and television voice-overs, and podcasts. Maren Productions also offers special event production and consultancy services. Ms. Waxenberg has worked in Special event production with George Trescher Associates, theater production and management at the TheatreVirginia in Richmond, the Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis, and The New Dramatists in New York. She edited and formatted feature films for ABC Motion Picture Post Production. Maren served as the concert manager of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall for four years, produced events for the promotion department of The New York Daily News, and has produced chamber music recitals at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Ms, Waxenberg has produced, directed and performed in numerous Off-Broadway theatre productions. She trained with the CoActive Training Institute.
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. During that time, she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards. 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 to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series that everyone, including teens and tweens, can read and enjoy. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries includes nine books with a tenth slated for 2021. The books are also available on audio, narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg.
Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh and the female protagonist, Alexa Owl, is much different from Fiona Quinn. The Owl’s Nest Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy!
Ms. McDonald 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 ~ Instagram
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. During that time, she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards. 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 to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series that everyone, including teens and tweens, can read and enjoy. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries includes nine books with a tenth slated for 2021. The books are also available on audio, narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg.
Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh and the female protagonist, Alexa Owl, is much different from Fiona Quinn. The Owl’s Nest Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy!
Ms. McDonald 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 ~ Instagram
Thanks so much for this wonderful review! I'm so happy you enjoyed Double Dog Dare!
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