Aloe and Goodbye (Ruby Shaw Mysteries, #1) by Janice Peacock

Aloe and Goodbye (Ruby Shaw Mysteries, #1) Reviews

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  Chatting About Cozies

  ALOE AND GOODBYE is a pageturner cozy mystery set in a quaint town in Paradise, Arizona. Ruby Shaw and her twelve-year old daughter, Allie, have been placed in the Witness Protection Program until Ruby can testify against a murdering drug dealer. The first night in their new house; a woman dies next door. In a town of 500 people, a murderer waits to strike again....
  
  Author Janice Peacock pens an emotionally moving plot with almost non-stop action. It zooms in on headline news and kept this reader on the edge of my seat. I started and finished the story in one afternoon. Featuring a captivating cast in this artist community; with humor tucked in at just the right moments; cute pets; and enough villainy to satisfy any cozy reader; the story is a winner! I look forward to reading future stories in the Ruby Shaw Mysteries.
  
  I reviewed a digital arc provided by the Author. All opinions are my own. Thank you.
  
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  Heather Haven

  Aloe and Goodbye is the first book in a new series by Janice Peacock. Well-written and charming, with characters and storyline so engaging, once I started reading I found myself unable to put the book down. I was rooting for Ruby and her daughter, Allie, on every page. Every character in the book is real yet colorful. Every situation is intriguing yet plausible. The atmosphere created makes the reader feel as if she or he is actually there, walking up the hill, chasing after the dog, and trying to solve this baffling mystery.
  Ms. Peacock is an established writer with her Glass Bead Mysteries but still, I was surprised at how unique and special this new series is. I can't wait for the next installment. Aloe and Goodbye is a must-read for cozy fans, a first-class whodunit.
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  Kristina

  Aloe and Goodbye by Janice Peacock has Ruby Shaw and her daughter, Allie relocating to Paradise, Arizona. They have been relocated to this small town by WITSEC after Ruby (not her real name) witnessed a murder in Las Vegas. The first night, Ruby notices a ghost tour visit the home next door. The next morning, Ruby notices the police outside the home. She soon learns that the owner had been murdered. Ruby finds herself being questioned by Deputy Sheriff Darla Cotton who eyes her suspiciously. She seems to know that Ruby is hiding something (which she is). Ruby finds herself a person of interest on her first day in the new town. Ruby finds herself stumbling upon clues which do little to prove her innocence. Her attempts to stay under the radar are not successful. Ruby and Allie could find themselves relocated before they can say cactus. Aloe and Goodbye is the first novel in A Ruby Shaw Mystery series. This is an easy-to-read story that moves along at a good pace. I like the concept of the main character being in WITSEC. It is unique for a cozy mystery. Paradise is a former ghost town that is full of gossips. Rumors seem to travel at the speed of light. Paradise has some quirky residents with my favorite being a local artist who watches Allie after school. The mystery was straightforward with a small suspect pool. There is misdirection to distract reads from the true culprit. I laughed at the one-of-kind weapon used in the story. I like Deputy Sheriff Darla Cotton and Ruby’s handler (US Marshall), Victor Wilson. Ruby meets the local diner cook, Luke who makes her heart beat faster. I did feel the romance was misplaced in this book. It was a little too much too soon considering Ruby and Allie have uprooted their lives and someone could kill them at any moment. Just to let you know there are a couple of curse words in the story. There is humor scattered throughout the story that had me laughing. I like how Aloe and Goodbye ended. I am curious to see what happens next with Ruby Shaw and her daughter, Allie. Aloe and Goodbye is a cute cozy with a darling dog, an accommodating marshal, a job journey, school struggles, a local letch, and an incommodious murder.
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  Brooke Blogs

  Aloe and Goodbye by Janice Peacock is the first book in the new Ruby Shaw Mysteries series. This was such an exciting book! I absolutely loved the premise. From the moment I read that Ruby and her daughter were in witness protection, I wondered how in the world the author would pull off telling the story. I didn't know if she would be able to have Ruby involved in a crime without blowing her cover.
  
  The author did not disappoint. I loved that the story still felt light even with the gritty subject matter...after all, to be in WITSEC, usually something terrible has happened. I really, really liked Ruby and I loved the setting of Paradise, Arizona. This was easily a five-star read for me. I found myself not wanting to put the book down. The author did a nice job of pacing and letting the story unfold.
  
  If you are looking for a unique cozy mystery, Aloe and Goodbye fits the bill. From the setting to the plot, the story felt new and fresh with all the familiar cozy elements I enjoy: small-town feel, characters you can relate to, and a mystery that kept me guessing. I cannot wait for our next visit back to this town...I have to know what happens next for Ruby, Allie, Darla, Luke, and the other quirky townsfolk of Paradise, Arizona.
  
  I received a review copy of this ebook for a blog tour and my honest thoughts/opinions are expressed in this review.
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  Carrie Schmidt

  I’ve been intrigued lately by WITSEC (witness protection) stories, so when Aloe and Goodbye crossed my path I knew I had to read it!
  
  I instantly liked Ruby Shaw (as she is now known, thanks to her new government-created identity) and her tween daughter Allie. They have a good mother-daughter relationship, despite the recent upheaval in their lives that has them each more emotionally on-edge than usual. Both are strong characters with good hearts, and they’re doing the best they can to adjust to these drastically new circumstances. I found their relationship and their personalities very relatable, even if I can’t relate to their precise situation. They also just made me smile on more than one occasion, and that’s always a win in my book.
  
  Paradise, Arizona, is a far cry from their previous home in New York City, and it’s one of the quirkier towns I’ve visited in cozy mysteries. All of the primary supporting characters that Ruby & Allie encounter in Aloe and Goodbye are a little mysterious and varying degrees of eccentric. It’s not long before Ruby has friends, enemies, and everything in between – including a romantic interest and an adorable dog – as she settles in. All of this makes for a long suspect list when Ruby’s next door neighbor ends up murdered, and because I couldn’t quite figure out most of these characters I had a hard time eliminating anybody in my own sleuthing.
  
  Bottom Line: Aloe and Goodbye by Janice Peacock is an engaging start to a new cozy mystery series, and readers will easily love newly-relocated (via the Witness Protection program) Ruby & her tween daughter Allie. The plot is a mix of adjusting to their new identities, life in the WITSEC program, and solving the murder of the town matriarch before Ruby ends up in jail as suspect number one. I thought some of the things that happened needed some more foundation – either the motivations just weren’t clear to me or there wasn’t the follow-up I expected. But overall, I really enjoyed this book and found it well-written and entertaining. The quirky town of Paradise with its delightfully eccentric characters has many more stories to tell, I believe, and I’m looking forward to finding out what other secrets may be uncovered there.
  
  (I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
  
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  Reading Is My SuperPower
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  Pamela

  Different twist for a cozy series
  
  This is the first in the Ruby Shaw mystery series. The plot and background are out of the norm. Ruby and her daughter moved because they are in witness protection. Of course, Ruby never expected to have to solve murders to protect their new identities. The characters are quirky and well-conceived. Entertaining read.
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  Doward Wilson

  A wonderful start to a new series. Ruby Shaw and her twelve year old daughter are trying to stay under the radar in the Witness Protection Service when a woman is murdered in the house next door the day they move in. Can Ruby solve the murder and keep her secrets. I highly recommend this book to any cozy fan who enjoys a wonderfully twisted tale.
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  Wendy

  Cute story; ending similar to a Scooby Doo show
  
  The protagonist is somewhat believable as a misplaced artist trying to start over in a witness protection program. What’s not believable is that she was a former successful New Yorker. She navigates the small town setting in this story where violent murders are happening with very little concern for her daughter’s safety, low expectations for employment, and she seems to attract unhealthy people, but she wants to stay anyway. This makes no sense. She also adopts a dog that is left alone way too much without a doggie door.
  
  The introduction of the bad guys is corny. They seem like villains out of a cartoon. There are a few cuss words, a hint of romance with a brief kiss, and some brief peril. Overall, the story is cookie-cutter sweet. I’m not sure I’ll read the rest of the series as I prefer a little more intensity in the romance department and with the character development.
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  Caitlin C

  This book started off hooking me, with tales of WITSEC and new identities. Overall I really enjoyed the story and the characters, which is why I gave it 4 stars. I would have done 3.5, just because I felt like there were some parts of the book that didn't make sense. Like a story line would be started out of nowhere, when there should have been some information leading up to it. There were a couple things like that but overall it was a quick fun read. I also found the interactions with Claudia, the sister to be kind of strange and they didn't really seem to fit.
  
  Ruby and her daughter Allie enter in to WITSEC after witnessing a crime committed by Ruby's brother in law. It's a hard transition, especially for Allie. They rely heavily on their WITSEC Marshall, Victor. Ruby is trying to find a job in a tiny town where she is definitely considered an outsider and looked down upon. The first night they are there, Ruby's landlord and neighbor is murdered. As an outside, Ruby is also a main suspect. She befriends the local deputy who has to walk the line between being Ruby's friend and also a murder suspect. I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
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  Jerri Cachero

  A small desert town with a murderer on the loose
  
  I loved this new cozy mystery series! After Ruby Shaw witnesses a murder, she and her daughter Allie are placed in the Witness Protection Program and sent to Paradise, Arizona. Far from the hustle of New York, Ruby is trying to live lowkey. Unfortunately, a murderer makes that impossible & dangerous!
  
  The premise was original and believable and the main characters were likable and the quirky residents of Paradise made the book so much fun! The mystery kept me reading (and guessing) and was full of red herrings.
  
  I'm ready for another visit to Paradise!
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  Tamara Lush

  From the first page, I was captivated with this book and its unique premise! This was a fast-paced and action-packed cozy mystery, with plenty of twists. Ruby, the heroine, was a likable character in an impossible (and weird) situation. I can't wait to read more about her and the citizens of Paradise! Am really looking forward to the next book in the series.
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  Mary

  What a great story! I truly enjoyed reading about Ruby Shaw and her daughter Allie's adventure as they spend their first few days/weeks in the tiny town of Paradise. It definitely had that true small town feeling - the one where everyone knows what you are doing long before you do. Being new to the WITSEC program and new to town made it just a little bit more difficult to fit in without everyone knowing this vital secret. To top it all off, the next door neighbor is murdered just a few hours after their arrival to town. Oh, those wagging tongues!
  
  I loved getting to know about the town's people. They had some really great and quirky characteristics about them. I suppose it would take someone a little on the eccentric side to live in a former ghost town. It's these characters that make the little town come to life.
  
  The story itself has a few twists and turns, and just when you think you have it all figured out, it has one more little twist. Overall, a really great read.
  
  I received an Advance Reader's Copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts are my own.
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  Jessica Robbins

  *I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
  
  What a fun start to a new cozy series. As a nice change of pace we meet "Ruby" and her daughter "Allie." These are not their real names because they are in the witness protection program and this is their first time ever in Paradise, Arizona where they have hidden. Used to New York this is quite the change of pace for the pair but it is a necessity for them to adapt. This is just made harder when on their very first night Ruby hears screaming next door while witnessing a strange event after. Not thinking too much of it she falls asleep on the couch only to learn the next day that her neighbor is now dead. The Marshall they use for contact insists they stay of it but events make that less than likely. I must admit that this is definitely a challenge for anyone but Ruby sure does give it her best efforts. This all combines into a unique cozy that will have your turning page after page as it all plays out surprising you at every turn. I highly recommend it to cozy fans looking for something different. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
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  Edith

  Refreshing New Cozy Mystery Series!
  
  This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series by Janice Peacock. The idea behind the series is unique and intriguing. The characters are real, relatable people. They are not perfect. They are flawed and human. The plot is unlike any cozy mystery I have ever read. The story is unpredictable and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. I had trouble putting it down. I can’t wait for the next book in this series and hope it comes out sooner than later. I highly recommend this book!
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  Janet

  I liked this new series and I'm looking forward to reading more about Ruby and her daughter.. In the beginning they are under witness protection because Ruby (not her real name) had witnessed her sister's boyfriend murder a member of the Mexican mafia. She and her daughter are whisked away from New York City, where was a popular artist and taken to a very small town. Paradise, Arizona is a former ghost town and the inhabitants are trying to think of ways to bring tourists in but not, by what really happens: real life murders on the ghost tours. Of course, Ruby, being the only newcomer and stranger in town is immediately suspect which might reveal her status as a protected witness. The only things that I didn't think rang quite true was the fact that the mother and daughter were placed in such a small town with no background or reason they came to live there so obviously they stuck out like sore thumbs. Secondly, I thought the immediate attraction between Ruby and Luke a little contrived. Still, I thought the book well-written and enjoyable.
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  Mary Stenvall

  I gave an extra star for effort. As a first, it is very entertaining - the quirky characters, the town and the story. However, and this is only my opinion, some of the characters seem added in, not clearly drawn in purpose or place. Luke, the romantic interest, makes a few appearances then goes away. Perhaps to return at a later date? The school board chairman, who goes from nice guy to sleaze, also seems like a red herring. I think she will do better with the second in the series.
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  Amy Low

  Aloe and Goodbye
  
  This is the first book in the series. The author lead me to it on a Facebook group. Ruby Shaw and her daughter gets thrown into a new town and right into a murder scene. Ruby throws herself into her new character and makes a mew friend, the towns deputy. Together they solve the murder. This book is a delightful read and I will read more in the series!
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  Cheryl Fisher

  Looking forward to number two
  
  Looking forward to book 2 in this series. Enjoyed how the stories and characters developed. The author left anticipation of how the characters in the town will grow in the next book.
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  Carolyn

  Another Great Cozy Mystery
  
  I am happy to have discovered another cozy mystery series to read. The author did a wonderful job with the first novel. Looking forward to the next book.
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  Lori

  Loved it
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  L Kate

  Great fun. Well-turned characters, and a darling little town. Very enjoyable read.