On the Rocks (Ruby Steele Cozy Mystery, #1) by Mia Gold

On the Rocks (Ruby Steele Cozy Mystery, #1) Reviews

• 
  Sabine

  What a page turner! I couldn't put the book down until the last page. Alcoholic antihero Ruby Steele is on the run from her past is not everyone's cup of tea. But I really liked her and look forward to read more about her.
  
• 
  Cathy

  On The Rocks by Mia Gold
  Excellent first book in the Ruby Steele series! Ruby's got attitude, talent and a drinking problem.....see what trouble she stumbles onto in the Bahamas. Interesting read, fun getting to know Ruby and what makes her tick along with a few of her friends. So glad I have book 2 already to go! I received an advance copy of this book and leave my opinion freely!
• 
  Georgiana 1792

  Un giallo leggero ambientato a Nassau, capitale delle Bahamas, dove Ruby Steele si è rifugiata da un anno per sfuggire all'FBI. Ruby (che originariamente si chiamava Wayne), infatti, che è una ex atleta di arti marziali non meglio specificate (è cintura nera di diverse discipline), era la guardia del corpo della senatrice del New Jersey, che però aveva dei rapporti ambigui con la mafia messicana ed è stata uccisa davanti ai suoi occhi. Temendo di essere accusata dell'omicidio, Ruby è fuggita a Nassau, dove fa la barista, mantenendo un profilo basso (niente telefono rintracciabile, niente contratto d'affitto, niente conto in banca). Quando però Ruby trova nel cassonetto della spazzatura un uomo con la gola tagliata, è costretta a chiamare la polizia che, a causa della sua testimonianza ambigua, comincia a sospettare proprio di lei. Su richiesta della vedova del morto (erano sposini in luna di miele!), Ruby comincia a indagare in zone anche poco raccomandabili della città, scoprendo che lo sposino non era certo uno stinco di santo.
  A parte che ci sono troppi combattimenti e che la soluzione era piuttosto telefonata, l'ho trovato un giallo piuttosto gradevole e penso di leggere gli altri romanzi della serie, anche per cercare di scoprire come va a finire con l'omicidio della senatrice Wishbourne.
• 
  Calzean

  This one sucked me in. It wasn't great with some flaws but Ruby the alcoholic, bartender, mixed martial arts expert, hiding in the Bahamas from her past grew on me. The actual crime was in the background to the tropical shenanigans that occur after hours such as bare fisted fights, gambling, whoring, unsavoury characters. Good enough for me to want to read the series.
• 
  Debra B

  The story looked interesting, but I am finding it hard to read because the lead character, Ruby Steele, is a bartender in the Bahamas and is abusing alcohol to run away from her past. It's sad to see a character portrayed drinking half a bottle of rum in one evening, hiding a flask in the bar's bathroom to take nips to get her through the night ... she is barely functional. I don't find that entertaining.
• 
  Lise

  It's just another night of bartending for Ruby Steele until she finds a dead body in the dumpster behind the bar. Now life's going to get complicated.
  
  There are so many facets to Ruby's personality. She truly is a unique character. Beyond Ruby, the rest of the story and the other characters are well-written and compliment the main character. I could not put this book down. It went everywhere with me.
  
  A caution: Ruby's world is dark and gritty. There is much violence contained within the pages along with sorrow and depravity. On the Rocks is NOT a tame read.
• 
  Diann B.

  Very good story and writing. I felt badly about the main character’s life choices, but I’m interested in continuing the story!
• 
  Karen Bennett

  Gritty
  
  A really strong female character with a big heart and great moves meets intriguing puzzles and threats. Nice extra characters and a feel good ending
• 
  Shannon

  I know the series title declares itself a cozy mystery, but the main character is an alcoholic in hiding from the U.S. government who visits a brothel, beats up street thugs, and participates in an underground MMA fight using brass knuckles. Hard boil it any more and I'd find it inedible.
• 
  Mark

  I’m in, ready to read the rest of the series and see how Ruby develops.
• 
  Betsy Hale

  On the Rocks by Mia Gold was an easy-read cozy mystery. The story takes place in Nassau. It has several characters mentioned that are regular customers of the Pirate’s Cove bar in which Ruby Steele is one of the bartenders. Ruby is in Nassau on the run from the United States and as the story unfolds, we are informed as to why she is on the run and eventually what her real name is. Ruby is an MMA fighter and this is perfect for the bar, because she is the bouncer. Her life becomes complicated when she takes the trash out and finds a body in their dumpster in the early hours of the morning. She closes the lid and proceeds down to the next one in the alley. By the time she arrives at work for her next shift, later that same night, no one has found the body. When she has to clean up after a customer and throw the bag away, she “finds” the body in the dumpster.
  
  The police become involved and don’t totally believe the story that Ruby tells. Then, the widow finds Ruby and wants to hire her to find her husbands killer. The police suspect Ruby and she needs to prove her innocence and protect those at the Pirate’s Cove before her past catches up with her.
  
  The author does have a way of creating interesting customers for the bar with lots of back stories that make them very believable. My favorite was the capuchin monkey, Zoomer, that was a resident of the bar.
  
  I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. #OnTheRun #MiaGold
• 
  Jared Castiglione

  These “first in the series is free” books can really be hit or miss. I’ve read several of them now and can usually tell early on if it’ll be good or not.
  
  I stand corrected on this one. The first three chapters were deceiving and I thought this would be just another mediocre attempt at a murder mystery. I’m happy to say, I was wrong.
  
  While the mystery itself is layered on top of several plots all swirling around the main character at once, there’s a heavy dose of realism in her and the world she’s found herself.
  
  The setting in the Bahamas is also a major benefit for the story. Set elsewhere, Ruby most likely wouldn’t have been quite the same strong character she needed to be here.
  
  She’s both believable and likable. Her abilities line up with her personality and her life. Her vulnerability adds to her likability; her sharp mind and physical strength give credence to what she undertakes throughout.
  
  It’s a quick read and while the murder really isn’t the main point of the story, it serves as a great appetizer to what’s next.
  
  I look forward to reading more in this series…
• 
  Lisa Schoenly

  Ruby, an American living in Nassau, makes a living tending bar and kicking out overzealous patrons. Her martial arts background makes her a force to be reckoned with— as long as she doesn’t take a blow to the head. One night, Ruby discovers a man’s body in the dumpster behind her bar. It turns out he was a wealthy tourist on his honeymoon. The police immediately suspect her, and the man’s widow hires her to find out who murdered her new husband. Along the way, Ruby is forced to face her past as a MMA fighter and bodyguard for a Senator.
  
  The book is well-written and intriguing. I found myself very engaged in the last third, unwilling to put the book down until the real murderer and the secrets from Ruby’s past are revealed. The end of the book leaves the reader anxious for the next in the series.
  
  I received an advanced copy for free and I am voluntarily leaving my review.
• 
  Solitairerose

  Solid, well plotted mystery.
  
  Ruby Steele is a former MMA fighter hiding from her past in a dive bar when she's called upon to solve a murder. The writer creates a believable world with a n I certainly bunch of supporting characters. The book feels like a pilot for a series, and the murder mystery pulls you through it all.
  
  The lead character is a bit two dimensional, and the solution to the mystery feels more like running out of pages than any sort of earned conclusion, but as a pilot for a book series, I am willing to give some time to see if the lead grows beyond the premise and become more than an alcoholic running from her past.
• 
  Mary Welter-o'connor

  This is the second novel in this series about a murder which takes place in the dark underbelly of the Bahamas. This isn’t the Bahamas that you see from a cruise ship or resort. This series is dark and gritty. It deals with drugs, prostitution, substance abuse, and quite a bit of violence. It’s face paced with a couple of storylines happening. It has great characters with with a developed story line. Though I would love to see more about the more positive aspects of the Bahamas and it’s beauty.
  
  I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
• 
  Pat

  This took me to a world that I never would have imagined. Maybe I have avoided anything along these lines, because….well because it is horribly violent and bloody and I am just not a fan of that stuff.
  In truth, the last hour of the audiobook brought it fully around. The conclusion was not what anyone might expect. I am curious about how Ruby’s life progresses, but not enough to listen to anymore of this series.
  For those of you who like action of a violent nature, and mystery, this is your cuppa tea. Or as Ruby would prefer, your bottle of Bahamian Gold.
• 
  Anastasia

  On the rocks by Mia Gold is the first book in the Ruby Steele Cozy Mystery series. Mixed martial arts pro and bartender Ruby Steele is hiding out in the Bahamas when she comes across the body of a tourist in a dumpster near the bar where she works and is hired by the man's wife to find the killer. I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It was interesting to learn a little about the fighting scene but I had a hard time liking Ruby who seems very self destructive, drinking heavily and getting into fights. Not a typical cozy mystery but she does seem to want to make some changes in the end.
• 
  Lee

  This is my first read by this author and I was really surprised at how good it is. The storyline is unusual but keeps me questioning what’s going on and wanting to know what will happen next. I wish books 2 and 3 were already completed and out there to read. This character is an unlikely heroine who you normally wouldn’t like but can’t help but want to see good things happen for her. I can’t wait for the next book!!
• 
  Aileen (Ailz) Grist

  Not a very cozy cozy mystery. Lots of drinking - mainly of rum, people being beaten up in a very seedy area of Nassau. Must admit that the difference between the haves and have nots is so vast it's sickening and saddening. It seems the 1% go there to get away with anything they want and blame the locals.
  
  Not really my cup of tea - it made me cross with society.
  
  I read a feree advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.
• 
  Tonisha

  **3.5 stars**
  
  Ruby-boxer, security, investigator. The main character's a bit all over the place. The mystery itself in the book has so many people and things happening in it that you may feel lost reading it. I personally felt like when will it end and how many more directions will this go? I guessed the guilty party early on but there's so much that happens that you won't get a definite answer until the end of the book.
  
  I received a free copy of this book for my honest review.
• 
  Delphia Von Heeder

  On the Rocks is an exciting cozy/thriller. Mia Gold was written a good debut book. Ruby Steel is 30, a mixed marshal art pro who is tending bar in the Bahamas. Unfortunately, a dead tourist is found by Ruby behind the bar. The characters are realistic and believable. The story has you I received an arc for my honest review. guessing what will happen next. I really enjoyed this book