It’s always an exciting moment when I find out that a brand new series is releasing from an author I already admire! Such is the case with DEATH IN ADVERTISING, the Tobi Tobias Mystery series by Laura Bradford. The tongue in cheek humor pulled me in from the very first page while the antics of the quirky characters had me chuckling, anxious to see what they were going to do next. I was in awe of the creativity the author exhibited in portraying the advertising campaign her protagonist, Tobi, was involved in….impressive, witty slogans that had me wondering if Laura had been in advertising herself in a prior life. Even though DEATH IN ADVERTISING is a lighthearted and entertaining read, the murder mystery itself is well plotted with believable suspects. I adored the setup of finding the victim in the closet right after Tobi Tobias debuted her ad slogan, “Zander’s closet system can find a place for everything. Even a skeleton”.

In addition to a good mystery and fun, laugh out loud moments, there’s a sweet closeness between Tobi, her friends, and her grandfather. Tobi realizes that no matter what happens, true friends are what’s most important in life. I especially enjoyed the protagonist’s involvement in her best friend’s pet shop, which showed heartwarming care and concern towards the animals in its facility. The African Grey Parrot, Baboo, who was rescued after his owner was murdered, is a good example. The sensitive, heartbroken bird is treated with respect and love as they try to help the creature mend. It was refreshing to see active concern exhibited over finding forever homes for the animals vs. turning a profit.

DEATH IN ADVERTISING by Laura Bradford
The First Tobi Tobias Mystery

Tobi Tobias has started her own advertising agency, a dream she's had since childhood. That dream didn't include a struggling agency and working in a pet store to try to make ends meet, however. Tobi gets her chance to keep her business afloat and pay off some of her mounting bills when she lands the account of another struggling business, the Zander Closet Company. Tobi creates the perfect slogan and both companies begin reaping its benefits. But before the celebration begins in earnest, Tobi's slogan becomes an advertising nightmare. While her slogan didn't cause the death of the prominent Car King of St. Louis, its association is killing her new found success. Determined to save her business, along with hunky Andy Zander's closets and a grieving African Grey parrot, Tobi puts a hold on looking for catchphrases and starts looking for clues.

It took me a while to warm up to Tobi. She acted a bit juvenile and her idiosyncrasies were a bit more annoying than endearing. I was also a bit worried about the pet shop. As an advocate for animals I hoped that the store was a respectable one, promoting adoptions and responsible pet ownership. The story, however, was compelling and Tobi began to grow on me. The more I read, the more I was carried away by the mystery. By the time Grandpa Stu came on the scene I was hooked.

Bradford gives us plenty of interesting characters with a variety of motives. A bit of romance, some laughter, and genuine compassion between the characters add charm. DEATH IN ADVERTISING is a promising start to a new series.

Death in Advertising by Laura Bradford is the first book in A Tobi Tobias Mystery series. Tobi Tobias started her own advertising agency in St. Louis and called it Tobias Ad Agency. If she does not get a new client soon, though, she need to close up shop. Tobi is even working at the local pet store to help supplement her income (I am curious how she pays for the receptionist). Tobi gets her miracle when Andrew and Gary Zander walk into her office. They own and run the Zander Closet Company. They need a catchy slogan for a radio campaign that begins three days. Tobi comes up with the perfect slogan and it is an instant hit. The radio spot ties in with the Annual Home Showcase Weekend in Chesterfield. The Zander Closet Company has installed a premium closet system into Preston and Mitzi Hohlbrook’s house (they are a part of the tour). They are going to take photographs of the closet system for the website and new pamphlets. Andrew is opening a special compartment to show Tobi when Preston Hohlbrook falls out. Someone took Tobi’s slogan literally. The press have a field day using Tobi’s slogan, and Tobi’s agency is now persona non-grata. Tobi starts investigating the murder so she can clear her agencies name (or she will no longer have an agency). It is not going to be easy since the only witness to the crime is Baboo, Preston’s African grey parrot. Tobi needs to work quickly before the wrongdoer flies away (I just had to do it)!

Death in Advertising is easy to read and has some interesting characters. I found the book to be more cozy than mystery. The book focused on Tobi and her life (written in the first person). I felt the author put too many quirky characters into the book. It felt like we were introduced to all of Tobi’s neighbors (and anyone she meets while walking to work) and their pets. There is, of course, the requisite annoying neighbor (seems to be a common attribute in books I have read recently). I did like Grandpa Stu and Tobi’s neighbor, Carter (I thought he was entertaining). I give Death in Advertising 3 out of 5 stars. The mystery was not the main focus of the book. I believe more time was devoted to Tobi eating her cocoa puffs cereal (she should buy it in bulk) than the murder. There are one or two clues early in the book, but the main hints are right before the reveal. I did appreciate the authors use of misdirection. The mystery can be solved before the reveal (do not fall for the diversion). I wish there had been less time devoted to Tobi’s thinking (or spacing out in front of people) and her interest in Andrew as a romantic prospect. One scene had Tobi more interested in a rogue chocolate chip than the questioning of the suspect (I wanted to yell at her to just ask for some chips from the cook instead of trying to swipe the lone chip that fell on the counter). Death in Advertising is just not the right book for me (I prefer the mystery to be more prevalent).

This book appealed to me for several reasons. I worked for many years at an advertising agency. I have an African Grey Parrot and there are two in this story. There is a little romance, some interesting characters and a murder mystery. I am so happy to see this is the first in a series. I look forward to reading more of Tobi's adventures. Great name, too! The publisher provided a copy via NetGalley for my voluntary review.

Advertising – a unique profession for an amateur sleuth! Tobi runs her own ad agency, but also works part time in a pet shop to make ends meet. When she finally lands a client and comes up with a perfect slogan, a murder threatens the reputation of both her new client and her agency. Determined to save face, Tobi starts poking around, figuring that if she can figure out who the killer is, she’ll throw attention away from herself and her client, Zander Closet Company.

Death in Advertising has a fun, quirky set of characters (including a couple of African Gray parrots) and a story-line that kept me guessing. This is a great start to a new series from Laura Bradford.

Death In Advertising is the first book in the Tobi Tobias Mystery series. Another delightful series from Laura Bradford.

Tobi Tobias, having had enough of being overworked and underpaid and not really appreciated at Beckler and Stanley Ad Agency has formed her own agency. She is about to give up on her venture when Andrew and Gary Zander. They own Zander Closet Company, a manufacturer of closet organization systems. They are visiting Tobia’s as they weren’t happy with the campaign that Beckler had come up with. The Zander company is going to install their product in the home of Preston and Mitzi Hohlbrook as part of the Home Showcase and need an advertising slogan to endear their name to the public. Gary is one to be rather brash and somewhat uncouth, so Tobi is not sure about this particular job, but Andrew more than makes up for his brother and agrees to come up with a winning campaign for them.

Saturday comes and Tobi is off to the pet store that her friend Mary Fran owns, along the way she asks friends and neighbor along the way for what they first think when they hear the word closet, but sticks until she gets to the pet store and Mary Jane’s 15 year-old son, Sam says skeleton. And Tobi comes up with a slogan: Zander Closet Company. When we’re done, even your skeletons will have a place.” When she present the slogan and the advertising materials the brothers are excited and sure they having a winning campaign. Andrew suggests that Tobi gets some shots of the closet that is being installed at the Hohlbrook house for use in brochures to be handed out at the Home Showcase. As Sam starts to take pictures of the closet installation, the body of Mr. Hohlbrook is found between some of the shelving units. Publicity like this could prove disastrous for the Zander Company and Tobi would hate to see that happen as her ad slogan would forever be attached to the event.
I think Bradford has another winning series in the works. A wonderfully plotted story with a believable cast of character. A real hoot is Ms. Rapple, Tobi’s nosy neighbor and her dog Gertrude who have to get into everybody’s business. Then there is Carter, another neighbor, who is a make-up and hair guru at a local community theater. One never knows the what hair style he will have or what color it will be and of course Grandpa Stu and his clothes from the past and his quick wit.

Will be watching for the next book in this new series.

While the advertising business can be cutthroat, I never thought that it can be murder…literally. The first novel in Laura Bradford’s “A Tobi Tobias Mystery” series, ‘Death in Advertising’ is a fabulous, delightful, and intriguing first-in-series for cozy mystery lovers who enjoy servings of a lovable protagonist, humor, pets, and romance.

Tobi Tobias has her own advertising agency, but she had hoped for at least a couple accounts to make the first six months worthwhile. She perseveres, but that doesn’t pay for groceries, rent, or payroll for her top-notch admin and friend, JoAnna. She has a fun part-time job at a pet store, working for friend Mary Fran and her talented and friendly son, Sam.

Gary and Andrew Zander, brothers and owners of the Zander Closet Company, are desperate for a catchy ad to save their company. The company where Tobi used to work hadn’t come up with anything for them, and Zander has radio time scheduled before the Home Show starts. They installed custom closet organizers for the wealthy and respected Car King, Preston, and his bride, Mitzi, and need the exposure to secure their company.

Tobi does it! She has the perfect ad with a radio script and ideas for their new color brochure, and her young friend Sam who would excels at photography. The radio spots are successful and the Car King’s neighbors are jealous of the notoriety his home gets. Tobi, Sam, and Andy Zander arrive to take photos of the beautifully organized closets at Preston and Mitzi’s. All was goes well until the dead body of the Car King fell out of a closet cubby, at their feet.

Tobi becomes the pariah of the advertising industry. Who would have thought her catchy slogan would be a precursor to murder? In an attempt to save her company and by virtue save the Zanders’ company, Tobi puts all her energy into finding the murderer.

I like Tobi; the author gives us a lovable protagonist who readers can empathize with. A woman who snorts when she laughs, is intelligent, hardworking, and a loyal friend. Tobi is an open book with friends who would do anything for her, who we learn about through her eyes, their actions and words. JoAnna is the elusive species of the excellent admin support, one who is a friend as well as employee. Carter is one of my favorites; he is a colorful and exotic rare species of loyal friend, as is Mary Fran. Sam is the very rare, endangered species of responsible and trusted teen. Grandpa Stu is the bestest of grandpas and friends, someone who loves a good mystery yet allows Tobi the opportunity to find out who the murderer is while being a good sounding board. Andy – the genuinely good guy who is smart, a gentleman, easy to get along with – but darn, he has that new roommate…

The reader gets to know Tobi and her friends before the murder occurs, which I think is perfect. One does not spend precious time learning about the good guys while trying to vet potential suspects. The plot twists kept the novel interesting even as it changes the course of the mystery; I followed one of the red herrings all the way until the real bad guy/ gal is revealed. The plot is so tightly planned and executed that I did not ever consider the ‘real’ bad guy as a suspect! I highly recommend ‘Death in Advertising’! Fans of Laura Bradford won’t want to miss this new series opener!

From a grateful heart: I received this eBook from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Wow, words are hard to come by to describe this book. The first in what should be an awesome series! I loved reading this mystery, the twists the turns and then finally the realization of the killer. All of this was perfect. I loved that Tobi was able to solve the mystery without almost dying and I hope that's a trend that continues with this series. It's refreshing to not be worried that the character might die.

"When we're done, even your skeletons will have a place." Unfortunately, Tobi's ad slogan is far too accurate and the closet system designed by her client are perfect for hiding a dead body.
After reading the first couples of pages, I really liked Tobi Tobias, the heroine of Death in Advertising by Laura Bradford. How could I not like a character who quotes The Amazing Mumford? Halfway through the book, I was liking her a lot less. She borrows cars from her friends and returns them later than promised. She complains about her wardrobe of thrift store clothing and has some definite sour grapes when it come to the widow of the deceased. I think Mitzi's poor taste would have come across just fine without Tobi's opinions. The writing is good, though, and I didn't even come close to figuring out who the murderer was, even after Tobi started to put it together. I'll definitely be looking for the second book in the series and hoping that Tobi is a little less pouty about her financial condition.

Setting: Metropolitan St. Louis

Characters

Tobi Tobias: Sharp, savvy, and sometimes sarcastic narrator. Tobi is an advertising executive whose business has been struggling
Andrew and Gary Zander: Brothers and business owners. Clients of Tobi
Mary Fran: Tobi's neighbor, friend, and owner of the pet shop where Tobi works on weekends. Mother of Sam.
Plot: Things are looking bleak for Tobi and her business. Out of the blue, a new client walks in and Tobi has the chance to reignite both her business and her client's business, as well. But all of Tobi's hard word may have been for nothing. At a photo shoot for a new brochure showing off her client's closet organizational systems, a body literally falls at Tobi's feet, making her kill slogan for Zander's Closet Systems eerily prophetic.

Pacing: Good

Predictability: Pretty low! As everything came together, I had a hunch, but I only pieced things together right before the big reveal.

Wild Card: Smart, sharp, witty, and engaging new series!

Hit, Miss, or Draw? Hit

Death In Advertising
A Tobi Tobias Mystery, Book #1
Laura Bradford
5+ Stars

Synopsis:

When Tobi Tobias decided to open her own ad agency, having to moonlight in a pet shop wasn’t part of her vision . . . of course, neither was murder.

Sometimes when opportunity knocks, the door you open leads to a closet. That’s certainly the case for Tobi, whose weekends spent cleaning cages in her best friend’s pet shop may soon be over. She’s just landed her first big break—Zander Closet Company needs a catchy campaign slogan ASAP, and Tobi thinks she’s got the right hook to knock ’em dead: “When we’re done, even your skeletons will have a place.”

But when a real dead body topples out of a showcase closet, she’s about to discover there is such a thing as bad publicity. To save her fledgling business and not get killed by the competition, Tobi takes on a new pet project: solving the murder. But with a stressed-out parrot as the only witness to the crime, Tobi will really have to wing it to put the cagey killer behind bars. (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional. I thought Tobi was funny and I really enjoyed getting to know her. She is a hard worker and really wants to make her advertising agency a success. She is very clever, witty and funny. I loved when she got caught dancing in her car. That was something I could really picture happening. And I also liked the secondary characters, such as Sam and Mary Fran. I loved the fact that they were such animal lovers and wanted to help animals in any way that they can. And who would not like her grandfather, Stu. He was funny, he loves solving mysteries and you could tell how much he loved Tobi. I almost felt like I was getting a glimpse of a special relationship the author had with someone and this made them seem more real to me.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The mystery was carried on well throughout the whole book and there were enough suspects and clues to keep this reader guessing until the end. One thing I really liked and appreciated in this book is that when Tobi figured out the killer, she did not confront him or put herself in danger. That made everything more believable to me.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book, I felt like I was right there, watching all the action taking place and listening to conversations going on around me.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. This author, who has two other successful series, has another winner on her hands. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Laura Bradford's new series set in St. Louis comes out of the gate strong. Animal lovers are going to enjoy the pet shop angle, and lovers of wit and words are going to enjoy the ad slogans Tobi comes up with. Fans of good mysteries are going to be tickled pink, too. The mystery in Death in Advertising is a good one-- I didn't have it figured out, but once the killer was revealed, I could see the trail of breadcrumbs that had been left for everyone to follow.

As with all good cozy series, the cast is the most important thing and these characters shine. I really liked Tobi's voice, even though I wasn't enamored of her slogan for the closet company. She's just the sort of character readers would choose as a friend. Smart, funny, compassionate, willing to help, and she has an excellent support system.

Sam is the teenage photographer that Tobi likes to work with for her ad agency clients, and she works with his mother in the pet shop. Ms. Rapple and her dog are the neighbors from hell, and closet king Andy Zander is mouthwatering as a possible love interest. Perhaps the best secondary character of all is Tobi's Grandpa Stu, although I wish he'd find another term of endearment for his granddaughter besides "Sugar Lump." He called her that so often that it began to grate on my nerves. My belief that being called a lump isn't a good thing is probably just a personal quirk. (All readers have them.)

Lumps or no, Bradford's first Tobi Tobias mystery is a winner, and I'm certainly looking forward to book two.

A fun start to a new cozy series! It combines mystery, a variety of character personalities and even a budding romance.

For me this book was a fast read, it hooked it and kept me wondering how the story was going to end and would I figure out who the killer was before he/she was revealed? The answer to that last question is no BUT I think there was a clue that I read and didn't tie to the murder. I will say it was quite the shocker but not too surprising considering how everything unfolded. I did figure out part of the story line and how Tobi was going to figure it out.

I liked that Tobi didn't put herself in harms way getting the killer to reveal themselves (or being in the wrong place at the wrong time). Sometimes I wonder about cozy protagonists and why they put themselves in harms way!

I like the budding romance of Tobi and Andy. He seems like a really down to earth guy and just what Tobi needs right now.

Grandpa Stu is a hoot, hope to see him often in future books.

Humor and romance flow throughout this cozy mystery.

Tobias Ad Agency is just one client away from success - or at least survival. When Zander Closet Company brothers Andy & Gary give Tobi the opportunity to rebrand their young business, her quirky creativity creates a slogan that has the business community calling Tobi.

Tobi's former mentor Mike and his business partner John, her former employers, aren't too happy about having their clients stampeding to Tobi's agency - until Zander Closet's customer winds up dead and stuffed in his own closet.

Tobi is determined to find out who killed Preston Hohlbrook to save Zander Closets and Tobias Ad Agency.

Supporting cast of characters have a good background started here with plenty of potential to feature these characters and businesses in future books.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

Tobi's newest slogan proves to be truth in advertising. A great start to a new series!

I will admit to starting this book with a bit of skepticism. I haven't been a fan of this author. I am glad I decided to give her another chance.

I liked Tobi quite a bit, she was a bit more realistic than previous protagonists from Ms. Bradford. The supporting "cast" were a lot of fun, and it's always nice to have a love interest who is NOT a law enforcement official.

The plot was fast and fun. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Death in Advertising by Laura Bradford was a fun cozy mystery to read.

Tobi Tobias has opened her own ad agency that isn't doing well - at all. She works part time at a friend's pet shop to supplement her income. She's smart but hasn't been able to find any customers that will give her fledgling company a chance. Then she gets a break with Zander Closet Company. This company is also a new business that got a lucky break and will be featured at a big home show but they need a campaign slogan ASAP. Unfortunately neither Tobi or the Zanders could know that murder would derail both of their plans.

A smoothly plotted mystery with well developed characters made this an easy read. There were just enough clues and twists to keep me guessing and turning the pages. The secondary characters added so much to the story. I especially enjoyed Grandpa Stu and Sam, Tobi's teenaged photographer.

I'll definitely be planning on reading the next one in this series.

Death in Advertising by Laura Bradford is the first book in the Tobi Tobias mystery series, and an excellent start. I can not wait for the next book to come out. Tobi is trying to save her advertising business when she lands a client, and things are looking up. Until a dead body shows up.

I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. There are a lot of twists and turns that kept me reading. There is a wonderful mixture of mystery, suspense, friendship, and romance for a well-balanced story. If you love cozy mysteries, I strongly recommend this book.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this first in a new series! Interesting characters and a whodunit that was well written and kept me guessing. I look forward to reading the next in the series. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.