Frankie Finds that Murder Isn’t Flighty
While I generally avoid paranormal cozies, I made an exception when I read the first of the Frankie Chandler Pet Psychic series a couple of years back. I fully intended to get back to A Bird’s Eye View of Murder, the second in the series, before now. I wish I hadn’t waited so long.
It’s just been a month since Frankie got involved in a murder and discovered that she could really hear what animals are thinking. However, her abilities seem to have fizzled since then. Now, her aunt has come to town with tickets for both of them to a taping of the live series premier of Blue-Ribbon Babes, the newest show on The Baking Channel. Frankie isn’t excited about going, but she is going to make her aunt happy.
After the show is over, Frankie stumbles on the dead body of the show’s winner on the kitchen set used during the taping. The police seem to zero in on Frankie’s aunt as the main suspect, and Frankie has to concede that her aunt is hiding something from everyone. But she isn’t a murderer, is she?
Instead of being a paranormal cozy, this is more a comic mystery with paranormal elements. Those elements are there, but they aren’t the focus of the book. In fact, Frankie doesn’t want her gift and struggles with what it means as a Catholic. I’m not Catholic, but I still enjoyed that struggle and what it showed me about her character. I also appreciated it because I typically avoid paranormal cozies for the reasons she brought up.
And, most of all, this book is fun. I smiled the entire way through and laughed a few times as well. If you enjoy culinary cozies, there is an element of that, at least in the first few chapters, as well.
The book did start a little slowly, or at least it felt like it was a little while before Frankie was really looking at any of the suspects. Instead, the focus was on her aunt in those earlier chapters. But once Frankie started really investigating, the book picked up. I didn’t know who had done it until right before Frankie figured it out.
I will warn you that there is some violence to animals in the story. To me, if felt natural, like the animals were being treated like the human characters. It certainly wasn’t any worse than anything that happens to the human characters.
I also really like the characters. There are several sub-plots, which give some of the others chances to shine. It also allows for some more humor. I did find Frankie’s aunt annoying at times; she walks that fine line between being funny and being annoying, but for the most part I enjoyed her.
I’m glad I finally took the time to revisit Frankie with A Bird’s Eye View of Murder. I’m hoping I can sneak the next book in the series into my reading schedule sooner rather than later.
The rest of the Frankie Chandler Pet Psychic Mysteries are calling to you. Can you hear it?
This does sound like another series I would enjoy. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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