Welcome to the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Derailed (A Kelly Pruett Mystery) by Mary Keliikoa. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, spotlights, reviews and more!
A dying wish. A secret world. Can this grieving investigator stay on the right track?
Derailed (A Kelly Pruett Mystery)
by Mary Keliikoa
I received this book free to review; however, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no cost to you.
Derailed (A Kelly Pruett Mystery)
Mystery/Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Epicenter Press (May 12, 2020)
Paperback: 232 pages
PI Kelly Pruett is determined to make it on her own. And juggling clients at her late father’s detective agency, a controlling ex, and caring for a deaf daughter was never going to be easy. She takes it as a good sign when a letter left by her dad ties into an unsolved case of a young woman struck by a train.
Hunting down the one person who can prove the mysterious death was not just a drunken accident, Kelly discovers this witness is in no condition to talk. And the closer she gets to the truth the longer her list of sleazy suspects with murderous motives grows. Each clue exposes another layer of the victim’s steamy double life.
Can Kelly pinpoint the murderer, or is she on the fast track to disaster?
If you like intricate family dynamics, secrets, including plot twists and turns, then this story is for you.
Derailed book review
Derailed is the first book in a new mystery series featuring Private Investigator Kelly Pruett. If you were a fan of Veronica Mars (the original, not the Hulu reboot!), then you’re going to be a fan of these books. Like Veronica, Kelly’s been helping her dad with his PI business for years, but Kelly’s father died unexpectedly several months ago. Now Kelly’s in charge. Her cases mainly involve safe stuff like serving papers. However, when a woman comes in looking for Kelly’s dad, things quickly change.
The woman wants Kelly to investigate her daughter’s death which was ruled an accident. Kelly only takes the case because of a note her dad left telling her to help this woman if she ever came in. I’m sure if her dad had known what that was going to entail, he wouldn’t have!
Derailed is a mystery/cozy mystery. Without giving anything away, a few of the side characters are involved in some seamy stuff . The stuff is mentioned but not in a graphic way. I’d characterize it as clean, but you can decide for yourself! The story is excellent, and I didn’t guess whodunit until near the end. I kept changing my mind!
I really loved Kelly’s character because she’s definitely realistic. Her life and family are kind of dysfunctional but whose family isn’t…at least a little bit! Her ex is always popping up; she lives next door to her ex mother-in-law; and she’s got a new guy she’s interested in. She has a young daughter, so, naturally, her ex and MIL are concerned. Kelly handles it all like any of us would…with a bit of impatience and then a bit of understanding. For a first book, Keliikoa does an excellent job fleshing out these characters.
I can’t wait to see what case Kelly’s going to solve next.
About Mary Keliikoa
Mary Keliikoa spent the first 18 years of her adult life working around lawyers. Combining her love of all things legal and books, she creates a twisting mystery where justice prevails. She has had a short story published in Woman’s World and is the author of the PI Kelly Pruett Mystery Series.
At home in Washington, she enjoys spending time with her family and her writing companions/fur-kids. When not at home, you can find Mary on a beach on the Big Island where she and her husband recharge. But even under the palm trees and blazing sun she’s plotting her next murder—novel that is.
Author Links
Website: www.marykeliikoa.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Keliikoa/e/B084Y77521
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mary.Keliikoa.Author/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mary_keliikoa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Mary.Keliikoa.Author/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-keliikoa
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20038534.Mary_Keliikoa
Purchase Links
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Tour Participants
July 21
The Book Decoder – REVIEW
Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
July 22
Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 23
Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
The Book Decoder – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 24
Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
July 25
Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my! – REVIEW
July 26
Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
July 27
Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
July 28
Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 29
Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
July 30
Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
July 31
eBook addicts – REVIEW
August 1
That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW, GUEST POST
August 2
Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
August 3
I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
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View Comments (20)
this sounds like an interesting book to read, thanks for sharing
This s sounds like a good read.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Thank you so much for reviewing! I'm so glad you liked the book!!
Thanks for stopping! I am excited for the next book!
New author to me. Sounds like a great book.
Nice review, fun to learn about the book.
Looks like an interesting book.
Thanks for the contest.
I love the cover. It sets the tone for the book!
This sounds really good and I like the cover.
The cover is pretty neat, and it makes the story sound really interesting.