Book Review: Peppermint Cream Die (A HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) Mystery)by Carol E Ayer

My Thoughts

Life isn’t easy for Kayla Jeffries she is easily affected by sensory and emotional input. She has managed to carve out a safe life for herself. She has started a home business that allows her to have a career and still not be around extra stilmulous. She has a few close friends who respect her boundaries and she lives in a placid community free of surprises. Then… she finds a dear friend murdered and all of what she has accomplished, is threatened.

I am the mother of an HSP child, so it is a joy to read a book about adults having successfully found ways to navigate what can be an overwhelming condition. Being honest, if I didn’t know that I was reading a cozy, I would have assumed the genre was women’s literary fiction. Sure, there was a great mystery with a growing list of clues and suspects, and the questions they bring. To me though, it was more a story of a woman exploring her relationships with truly interesting characters and pushing her limits, mostly succeeding.

I felt this way until the big reveal smacked me in the face. I mean I had an ongoing list of possible villains that I emliminated for one reason or another and had been narrowing in on one of two totally wrong people. I had already dismissed the killer. Wow.

One thing in cozies that irritate me are the often barely logical reasons the amateur sleuth is doing her own fact finding instead of leaving it to the authorities. This was not the case in this book. I totally understood why each new piece of information propelled Kayla forward out of her comfort zone. I think it helps that I would totally love a friend like Trudy, even considering what comes to light after her death.

So, why should you read this book? Because it is a terrific entrance to a new cozy series that offers a little romance and a whole lot of enjoyment, not to mention, well written mystery.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Can Kayla crack the case, while juggling two cats and a dog, non-stop orders for the Christmas holidays, and the handsome Jason Banks? Peppermint Cream Die by @carol_e_ayer
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About The Book

About The Book:

Kayla Jeffries, home bakery owner and HSP (Highly Sensitive Person), has arranged her life just so to avoid stressful overstimulation. The California oceanside community in which she lives proves the perfect venue for the quiet and peaceful existence she desires. She happily spends her time baking, walking along the beach, and spending time with her close friends.

But when Kayla discovers her elderly friend Trudy Dillingham has been strangled, she vows to do anything she must to help bring the killer to justice, including overcoming the stress and sensory overload involved in playing amateur detective. Using her HSP talents of attention to detail and ability to read other people’s emotions, Kayla eventually cracks the case, all the while juggling two cats and a dog, non-stop orders for the Christmas holidays, and a budding relationship with handsome restaurateur Jason Banks.

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About The Author

About The Author:

Carol Ayer, a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), lives halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento with her cat, Rainn. When she’s not writing, she’s reading mysteries and thrillers or watching movies and cooking shows. As a native Californian, she visits the ocean as often as possible.

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