Under the Cocoon Moon: An Olivia Penn Mystery (The Olivia Penn Mystery)

It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas! I was so excited to receive a copy of the third book in Kathleen Bailey’s Olivia Penn Mystery Series. After moving back home with her Dad and his pet beagle, Olivia helps out at the local paper writing a column about hometown news. This year, she is in charge of a feature called The 12 Bakes of Christmas.

One thing I really appreciate about the way Bailey writes is that she doesn’t rush the story. Her description of her characters, their personalities, and the setting are all paced well so that the reader can really get a feel for the environment and its energy. Because this is the third book in the series, it would be helpful to have read the first three books, however, it’s not necessary as Bailey is able to catch readers up on the who’s who and what happened in the past books. I noticed that some of the characters such as Olivia’s close friends Sophia and Tori were not involved quite as much in this book which was fine since Olivia’s new friend Sam is a badass and fits perfectly into this plot.

Olivia is known for finding herself in unplanned, detective-like situations. She just can’t help herself. The small town of Apple Station, Virginia gives Gilmore Girl Stars Hollow vibes but with mysteries that pop up. In this book, she is cornered by a man who works for a private investigator. The man is actually looking for her friend Paige, who is also a reporter. Unfortunately, Paige passed away in the last installment of the novels. Olivia is quick to find out what it was that Paige was working on and if this man and his boss can be trusted. Once again, Olivia goes down the rabbit hole to protect her close friends and family. Her budding romance continues with the local detective, Preston Hills and things get rocky between them for a bit when Olivia tries to help his mother, Bev figure out some suspicious activity that went on several years ago with Preston’s now-deceased Dad. Then, a man shows up dead and Olivia and Bev know they must tell Preston about their findings.

Just like in the first two books, Bailey builds suspense. Although there are a good number of characters in the book, it is easy to remember each character and their relationships to Olivia. The book has lighthearted humor throughout as well as an element of danger. Readers will find themselves guessing as characters reveal their true selves. This is an excellent read for anyone who loves cozy mysteries mixed with an exciting action-filled plot.