This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series, hands down. I will admit that the golden retriever on the cover is what first attracted me, but I'm so glad I gave the books a chance. The author's writing is so descriptive that although I've never been to the west coast, I feel like I know exactly what it's like after seeing it through the main character's eyes. The cleaning and organization tips are an added bonus!

A great book by a fantastic author. The writing is excellent and the mystery keeps you turning the pages. Characters are well developed. Highly recommend.

Maggie McDonald is a professional organizer. She helps her customers put order into the unorganized. Each chapter begins with a helpful hint about keeping organized. This is the third book in the series, but can be read as a standalone. In this book, Maggie is planning to meet with her friend, Stephen and his mastiff, Munchkin to organize his house prior to beginning renovations. When Maggie and her golden retriever, Bella arrive at the house, Stephen is not there and Munchkin shows up injured and covered in something. Munchkin is Stephen's therapy dog as he suffers from PTSD. Maggie is immediately worried and after taking Munchkin to the vet, begins making calls to see if anyone knows what has happened to Stephen. Unfortunately, Stephen;s partner, Jason, is off to Texas helping with the flooding situation there. When Maggie finds out that Stephen has been arrested for murder, she immediately tries to help him. The big problem is that Stephen won't tell the police what really happened. Who is he protecting?

This is a well written and developed story. There are so many issues in this one, such as immigration, homelessness, gambling, small business issues, bullying and threats in schools, cost of education, therapy dogs, PTSD and natural disasters. The story deals with trust and friendship as well as the solving of a rather intricate and detailed mystery. There were many twists and turns in this story with a lot of red herrings. The characters are strong in this series. I enjoy Maggie and her family. With everything going on, she still makes sure she is there for her boys. Stephen is stubborn yet proud, and everything he does has a reason, even though some people do not understand what that reason could be. The suspense in this story builds gradually until coming to a satisfying conclusion, one that I did not expect. This was a great story that kept me hooked to the last sentence. I listened to the audio version of this book via hoopla and enjoyed the narration very much. I definitely recommend this book and series to cozy mystery lovers.

This is an average cozy without much tension or things happening throughout. Stephen’s dog is my favorite character.

This is the third entry in this series and, while it can be read out of order, I would encourage reading them in order to get the full development of the characters and their relationships. If I had a friend like Maggie I know she would, as they say, have my back. Her neat and organized ways would, I'm sure, rub off on me. I know she would be my one call if I got into trouble. In this, the third entry, Maggie is getting ready to help friends pack and organize before starting a renovation project. It doesn't go as planned before it even starts. Her friend Stephen is arrested for murder and insists that Maggie help him protect Rafi and his siblings from possible deportation but he isn't giving her all of the information she needs. Add his injured Mastiff dog, who she takes home to nurse him back to health and the issues of homelessness, immigration and stress on the community and you have a very satisfying multilayered mystery.

Dead Storage

by Mary Feliz

What do you do when a good friend who also happens to be a really good person gets involved in a murder and asks you to keep a secret from his husband? If you are Maggie McDonald, professional organizing consultant, wife, and mother of two boys, you keep the secret, investigate the murder, and try to get your friend out of jail.

That is the short version of a fast-paced cozy mystery entitled Dead Storage. At times I was a little irritated with the way Maggie accepted red tape and being put off by those she was interviewing. Then I thought about three months this summer and the runaround I received in trying to get two birth certificates and repairs accomplished on a motorcycle under warranty. Actually what Maggie went through was pretty believable.

I recommend this book for its intricate mystery and interesting social elements. You will especially like it if you have a heart for the homeless, empathy for those with PTSD, and a passion for dogs.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books (Lyrical Underground) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Maggie McDonald is a professional organizer. She
helps her customers put order into unorganized or
messy conditions. Each chapters begins with an
suggestion to help the reader organize.
Maggie is scheduled to help her friends organize
their house prior to having it remodeled. She
arrives with her golden retriever,Bella to meet with
Stephen and his mastiff, Munchkin who is a therapy
dog for him. No one answers!!!! Where could they be??
Then Munchkin shows up injured but without Stephen.
What happened to Munchkin??? Where is Stephen??
Turns out Stephen has been arrested for the murder
of a Chinese restaurant owner. Now Maggie must
investigate to prove him innocence.
A well written, well plotted story with many social
issues mixed into the puzzle. Issue such as immigration,
threats against Maggie's son, homelessness, small
business survival problems, gambling, mentoring and
financial help needed for hard working unprivileged
kids to get advanced education, therapy dogs, traumatic
experience problems, adventure, intrigue, mystery,
suspense, friendship and trust are all well organized to
create an fast paced story.
There are two ginger-colored cats, Holmes and Watson.
Dead Storage is book # 3 in the Maggie McDonald
Mystery series. It can be read as a stand alone. I am
looking forward to reading the beginning of the series.
I volunteered to read Dead Storage. Thanks to the author
and publishing company via Net Gallery for the
opportunity. My opinion is my own.

Professional organizer Maggie McDonald is all set to help her friend Stephen and his partner Jason declutter their house when Jason gets called away on emergency and Stephen gets arrested for murder. Before she knows it, she's neck deep in trying to solve several mysteries, helping her friend, and helping a local teenager.

"Dead Storage" had a lot going on with current politics around immigrants, both legal and illegal, PTSD, emergency response and management, and crime, to name a few. The story wasn't fast paced but it was steady. Maggie's not a professional detective but she acquitted herself well and I liked that, although she wasn't always honest with the police, she mostly was and she new when to step back and let them do their work. The interactions were respectful.

The mystery itself kept me guessing; Feliz sprinkled red herrings and twists throughout the story and I fell for most of them. The characters were realistic, just a tad quirky, and enjoyable. I could use someone with Maggie's organizational skills to help me declutter my home. Feliz sprinkled in some tips at the beginning of each chapter and some I plan on trying out.

"Dead Storage" was pleasant, an enjoyable story with likable characters. There were some slow spots and some believability issues but it was a nice, undemanding read that kept me entertained.

I enjoy this series and was glad to see this newest book. I love the loyalty that the characters display to friends and loved ones. Maggie is the type of person that I'd like for my best friend. The characters are developing and staying 'true' to the way we met them. Mystery had enough twists and turns to get me guessing and reading.

Sometimes it takes a village, well, at least a group of people willing to step up and take action.
Maggie is a very committed parent and friend. She enjoys helping people with her organizational skills. This time she uses her work to "open doors" as she is trying to save her good friend, Stephen's, life. It also requires Maggie to keep secrets, something she is less skilled at.

The tension is extremely high for most of the book. Time is of the essence.
No one likes when an animal is injured. When Munchkin needs help, it is handled tactfully and we get to see behind the scenes of crime investigation where animals hold clues.
This is a character driven series. As much as this story revolves around a murder mystery, I felt it was more about good vs evil. Also about how we, as a society, miss critical details that are in front of us because we prefer not to accept them. It is easier to ignore what is hard to acknowledge.

The author makes sure to wrap things up and connect the many loose threads.
Hopefully she also educates and enlightens the readers as well.

Mary Feliz does a wonderful job with this fun and exciting cozy mystery. I look forward to more books in this series!

Maggie is a fascinating, enjoyable character who would make a great friend to have if she were a real person. She likes to keep things organized and ordered and could teach me a lot. :)

All of the characters are well-developed, and you can see growth in the core group from the first book. I look forward to seeing the friendships grow and evolve in future stories. The various settings are described so vividly that you feel as if you are right there with the characters.

The mystery kept me guessing through the entire book...I was blaming the wrong person for about 80% of the story!

**I received a copy of this book with no expectation of a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

This is a delightful cozy series that is fun and captured this reader until the last page !
This is book number 3 in the professional organizer, Maggie McDonald series. Each book can be read as a stand along however I do recommend the entire series.
In this next in series Maggie is under a deadline to finish organizing and uncluttering her friends Victorian prior to their renovations. Before she can begin her friend's husband is accused of murder and Maggie feels obligated to assist in the investigation. She is a excellent sleuth and has the support of her family and new friends throughout her sleuth. While she investigates she runs her organizing business and cares deeply for her family and her friends. I love the description of the small California town and the townspeople that are friendly and kind to Maggie and her family.
I love the organizing tips in each book.. Maggie is smart, organized and a great sleuth. The suspects and clues kept this mystery reader guessing until the end. I loved this next in series and look forward to the next by this author.
Thank you for the ARC which did not influence my review. .

Dead Storage is a mystery that brings up a lot of pertinent issues - immigrant rights, PTSD in veterans, and homelessness. Stephen, a veteran with PTSD and a good friend of Maggie, is arrested when he is discovered in a restaurant along with the body of the owner.  Stephen refuses to talk until the witness, a teen who was born in the US but is missing paperwork is protected.  He fears that police will take the easy out, accuse the young man (who is the sole provider for his grandmother and siblings) and deport him before he can prove his citizenship.  Already caring for Munchkin, Stephen’s mastiff who was also attacked, Maggie begins her own investigation into the murder, looking for other potential witnesses.  At the same time, Maggie searches for the young man and his family, who are desperately afraid but are in need of help and who hold the key to proving Stephen’s innocence.

Mary Feliz illustrates the troubles that immigrant families have when adequate information and legal assistance is not available.  This is also echoed in the tales of homelessness, caused by lack of medical care and lack of access to government programs and assistance.  Those eligible for assistance through the VA may not get it because of lack of paperwork and lack of access to the means for filing.  Stephen is a veteran with PTSD who manages symptoms by long walks with his dog, but the police holding him have little way of dealing with his mental health issues.  Dead Storage gives readers a lot to think about.

There isn't a huge mystery aspect to the novel, but there is a strong human aspect.  The novel is well done and definitely thought provoking.  Munchkin was particularly important because he was the means for Maggie to connect with Stephen’s acquaintances and to get otherwise reluctant individuals to trust and talk to her.

4 / 5

I received a copy of Dead Storage from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

-Crittermom

Dead Storage by Mary Feliz is the third installment in A Maggie McDonald Mystery series. Maggie McDonald lives in Orchard View, California with her husband and two sons. She owns Simplicity Itself Organizing Services. Maggie is ready to start her new job decluttering Stephen Laird and Jason Mueller’s beautiful Victorian home before they embark on their remodel project. Jason has been deployed to Texas on an important assignment, but he wants Stephen and Maggie to proceed as planned. The next morning Maggie arrives and Stephen is not at home. She notices Stephen’s dog, Munchkin limping towards home without his owner (and they are always together). While at the vet with Munchkin, Maggie receives a call from Paolo Bianchi, Jason’s partner on the force. Stephen is in jail and will only speak with Maggie. After promising to not tell Jason, Stephen tells Maggie the story. Stephen stumbled upon a murder at the Golden Dragon, and he is considered the prime suspect in the death of Mr. Xiang, the owner. He has a good reason, though, for not talking to the police. Stephen needs Maggie to find the culprit before the local prison becomes his permanent home.

Dead Storage is nicely written, has a good pace and easy to read. I like the author’s writing style. While it is the third book in the series, it can be read alone. The details on Maggie’s background and family are in Dead Storage. Maggie is a good character with an understanding family. I particularly enjoyed Maggie’s tips at the beginning of each chapter (on storage, organizing, decluttering—i.e. taking care of your junk). My rating for Dead Storage is 3 out of 5 stars. The mystery was straightforward (some readers will be surprised). Avid mystery readers should be able to solve the whodunit before they hit the halfway mark (at the latest). The ending is a little anticlimactic (disappointing). It was wrapped up a little too neatly and easily. While the cozy element is enjoyable, I wanted a more complicated mystery. It would be nice if it was hard to solve and, maybe, had a good twist (has more meat to it). The author addressed some serious issues in Dead Storage (PTSD among veterans and the plight of the homeless). Dead Storage is a good “escape from reality” book. The type to cozy up with on a wet afternoon.

Dead Storage by Mary Feliz is book three in the Maggie McDonald Mystery series. This book stands on its on. Maggie is scheduled to help some friends organize their home before renovations begin. One is called away on an emergency trip, and the other is a no show the morning of the appointment. When their dog shows up severely injured, Maggie finds herself in the middle of a very complicated mystery. This book has a complicated plot dealing with numerous social issues. A times it felt like a bit too much. Maggie is a character with a good amount of common sense for staying out of dangerous situation. I did enjoy this book, but it is not my favorite from the series.

This is a great book; this is the third book in the Maggie McDonald Mystery series and written by Mary Feliz. Despite a looming deadline, Maggie thinks she has what it takes to help friends Jason and Stephen unclutter their large Victorian in time for its scheduled renovation. But before she can fill a single bin with unused junk, Jason leaves for Texas on an emergency business trip, Stephen’s injured mastiff limps home—and Stephen himself lands in jail for murder. Someone killed the owner of a local Chinese restaurant and stuffed him in the freezer. Stephen, caught at the crime scene covered in blood, is the number one suspect. Now Maggie must devise a strategy to sort through secrets and set him free—before she’s tossed into permanent storage next. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

Professional Organizer Maggie McDonald is shocked to discover her best friend Stephen is a suspect in the murder of a local business owner. Stephen is a witness to the killing but is arrested for impeding the investigation. The local DA also wants to press murder charges because Stephen was found at the crime scene covered in blood. Maggie knows Stephen is innocent, but she soon discovers he is withholding information to protect another witness. Maggie must race the clock to discover the killer and help prevent a key witness from being deported before Stephen is charged with first degree murder. Can she solve the case in time to prevent Stephen from being sent to prison?

I enjoy the Maggie McDonald Mystery series. The plots are always well-written. The characters are likable, well-developed, and diverse. Dead Storage is the third book in the series, and I enjoyed this book just as much as the two prior novels! The mystery was paced perfectly, drawing out the suspense until the last two chapters. It kept me guessing until the end! I liked the fact that Maggie was not only investigating the murder, but also trying to find and assist the witness that Stephen was protecting. I had a bit of a hard time with the fact that Stephen made Maggie promise not to tell his partner Jason that he had been arrested. Jason is in law enforcement and is out of town when Stephen is arrested. Realistically speaking, I feel if his partner is facing a pending murder charge, someone would have contacted him to let him know what was going on. I don't believe it would have remained a secret for as long as it did. And Jason was only really mad at Maggie for two pages. Hiding the fact that his partner is in jail and possibly facing a murder charge would warrant being pissed for more than two pages. I would have remained angry for at least an entire chapter, if it had been me. :)

All in all, another great Maggie McDonald cozy! I can't wait for the next book! :)

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.**

This is the third novel in the Maggie McDonald mystery series and this series just keeps getting better! Once again I read long into the night to finish the book in one setting because I just couldn't get enough! This mystery had a ton of twists and turns to keep me guessing right up to the very end. I was completely shocked when I came to the end and found out the whodunit! I found the story line to be original and very enjoyable. But the real stars of this series are the characters. Each character is written with such care and love that they really jump from the page and they, like the books, just keeping getting better. There has been so much character development since the first book. I honestly didn't think I could like these characters any more than I already did, but once again I was proven wrong. Maggie's protective nature and strength make her such an amazing leading lady! I can't wait to dive back into Maggie's world in the next book!

Good series. This one focused on the homeless, PTSD, immigration issues, and teens, as well as the murder mystery, dogs and cats. Fascinating reading. Love the helpful organizational hints at the beginning of each chapter. I look forward to reading the next one.