The Missing Heir: Review and Giveaway

This mystery begins with a bang!  Published in 2014, The Missing Heir is the third book in the Amelia Moore Detective Series by author Linda Weaver Clarke.  I've read many books by this author over the past few years, and so I was excited about the prospect of reading her newest cozy mystery.

The Missing Heir starts with emotion and impact, as twenty-something siblings Jenny and Robert Walker burst into Amelia Moore's detective office.  Jenny is especially upset, because she fears that the orphanage that her uncle, Dell Murphy, started about twenty years ago, the Orfanato de Tio Dell, will be closed down, leaving the children without a place to live. Uncle Dell has recently passed away, and has willed most of his fortune to his nephew, Neal Woods, who will take care of the orphanage, since Dell and his deceased wife didn't have children.  But Neal has gone missing!

Since Amelia specializes in missing persons, Jenny and Robert implore her to find their missing cousin, Neal, who they've been searching for over the past two months.  Amelia agrees to take on this touching case, and hopes to find Neal before the fortune is turned over to Dell's brother and sister.  In order to save the orphanage, she must find Neal before the reading of the will, or he'll forfeit his inheritance.  But how do you find a missing person in Mexico, particularly when time is of the essence?  I've mentioned before that cozy mysteries often feature intelligent women protagonists.  Is Amelia savvy enough to find Neal, the missing heir, with the help of her handsome partner, Rick Bonito? 

Author Linda Weaver Clarke is on a roll with this mystery series, which features spunky Amelia and dashing Rick, who work together.  There are unmistakable sparks between them, as well as a few passionate kisses, although Amelia attempts to resist Rick's charms.  (We readers think they're perfect for each other, naturally.)  I enjoyed this romantic cozy mystery a lot!  The writing is lovely and lively, and I felt as if I were experiencing the action myself.  Linda was inspired to write this book because of the darling children she met in orphanages in Mexico.  Although I've never visited a Mexican orphanage, I've been to Mexico many times, and her descriptions--of the land and the buildings and the food--are just about perfect.  This story flows well, and I read happily and eagerly (I thought that things would work out well in the end, although I wasn't able to figure out exactly how that would happen).  This is another positive, feel-good cozy mystery.  My copy was well edited, and I didn't realize it was a proof until I came to the very end of the book.

The Missing Heir is a wonderful addition to the Amelia Moore Detective Series.  I recommend all of the books in this series that I've read so far, without hesitation, to young adults and adults. 

If this new, cozy mystery sounds appealing to you, you're in luck. The author is generously offering an international giveaway for the ebook edition of The Missing Heir.  It works well as a stand-alone book, so don't be deterred if you haven't read the earlier books in this series. 

• To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment. 
• For another chance at winning, become a follower of this blog, or let me know that you're already a follower.
• For an additional chance, post about this contest on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.
• For one more chance, leave a comment about the last cozy mystery you read.

Enter by 5 PM PST on Monday, December 1.  One winner will be selected randomly and announced on Tuesday, December 2.  Good luck!

Many thanks to talented story-teller Linda Weaver Clarke for sending me a complimentary copy of The Missing Heir.  I look forward to reading the next book in this series, The Mysterious Doll.

As always, your comments are welcomed and appreciated.