The Abby McCree Mystery series seems to get better with each book. Abby inherited her Aunt's estate, including her large home. With the home came her tenant, veteran Tripp Blackston. When Tripp asks Abby to help organize his veteran's group fundraiser, she can't say no. It is a bachelor auction and Abby insists that Tripp be one of the eligible bachelors. Abby hires Bryce Cadigan, a radio personalty and hometown boy made good, to be the emcee of the event. The glitch is that after the auction when she goes looking for him to pay him, he is dead. The other interesting event is to find out that Tripp has a wife, or ex-wife, who has shown up and won the date with Tripp. Abby is thrown for a loop and when it seems like Valerie is the main suspect, Tripp is asked to put her up until she is cleared. Abby steps in and insists Valerie stay with her as she has more room, but is she harboring a killer? Can she find proof that Valerie is innocent so she will leave town and Tripp?

Abby is a wonderful protagonist. She's smart, sassy, caring, independent, and has a knack for organizing events and solving mysteries. I am enjoying her developing relationship with Tripp and she is ready to make her move in this story. I enjoy their banter and humour, that shows what great chemistry they have. Tripp's ex-wife, Valerie, added drama and entertainment to the story, as well as some humor. I giggled every time Abby referred to her as the barnacle. I enjoyed the mystery and the steps Abby and the police took to solve it. I was actually surprised that I figured out who the killer was relatively early in this one, but it still held my attention right to the end. Proving who the murderer is plays a large part in this book and the final reveal was well done. There was a great ending and tying up of all loose ends that pleased me. I will definitely continue reading the Abby McCree series.

Death by Auction

by Alexis Morgan

Abby McCree is new to Snowberry Creek, but wants to contribute to her community, so she spearheads a fundraiser in support of a local veterans’ group. It is a fun bachelor/bachelorette auction which will be followed in a few weeks by a World War II era dance. Well, it would be fun if Abby had not discovered her celebrity Master of Ceremony's dead body and if her boyfriend’s ex-wife hadn’t made a surprise visit to Snowberry Creek.

Abby is not happy to be in the middle of this mess, but she responds in her usual hospitable manner to the unwelcome ex-wife whom she privately  calls “the barnacle.” With her never ending stash of muffins and cookies tucked away in the freezer, she even feeds the law enforcement officers who show up on her doorstep.

The story, which varies in mood from humorous to serious, moves quickly. As much as I wanted to know who committed the crime, I still didn’t want the book to end. From adventures at a biker bar to the joys of having her boyfriend’s ex-wife, who is one of the suspects, as a houseguest, the plot has a high energy level. The characters’ interactions are interesting. I’d love to join Abby at her kitchen table for a chat and the chance to pet Zeke, her slobbery ninety pound mastiff mix who is a good companion for her because of his intimidating size and his abilities in judging character. Abby is astute in her investigations and instrumental in solving the crime. All in all, Alexis Morgan’s Death by Auction is a very satisfying cozy mystery.

I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #3 in the Abby McCree Mystery Series, but would be excellent as a standalone

Publication:   May 26, 2020—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

They settled in at the table while Zeke parked himself between them in case someone dropped food on the floor that would require an emergency cleanup. He was good about things like that.

“I’ve learned never to underestimate your total inability to stay out of trouble, but also every guilty thought you have flashes across your face like it’s a billboard.”

Mount St. Helens had nothing on the eruption Abby could sense brewing in Tripp. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles stood out in stark relief. One wrong word at this point, and she had no doubt he would go ballistic.

Dollycas’s Thoughts 

Abby McCree’s new project is organizing a fundraiser for Tripp Blackston’s veteran’s group. She has planned a bachelors’ auction to followed by a dinner event 2 weeks later. It took a bit of convincing but Tripp will be one of the bachelors up for auction and Abby hopes to win with her bid. Her plan goes awry when a beautiful woman takes the prize with an astounding bid of her own. Afterward, she learns the woman is Tripp’s ex-wife Valerie. Say What!?

Okay, Tripp has some explaining to do but she needs to focus on her event. She needs to pay the emcee, Bryce Cadigan, a radio personality that grew up in Snowberry Creek. He has been spending time catching up with people he knows and the last time she saw him he was going outside with Tripp’s ex. She is back glued to Tripp’s side but Bryce is nowhere to be found. She heads to the parking lot hoping he hasn’t left without his check. She finds him in his car and he is going anywhere. He is dead and she has to tell the police she saw him go outside with Valerie. Is Tripp’s ex-wife a killer? Valerie begs Tripp for help and a place to stay now that she can’t leave town. His place is too small for overnight guests so he asks Abby “his landlord” to put Valerie up in one of her guest rooms while they try to track down the real killer. The scary thing is the real killer may be the person moving into her house.

Abby is much more comfortable in Snowberry Creek as she has gotten to know more and more people. Most were friends of her now-deceased aunt but she is finding her place in town in her own right. This time she meets some of Tripp’s military friends as she is working on a veteran’s fundraiser. They come in handy as she tries to find out who killed Bryce Cadigan. Her budding romance with Tripp hits a bump or two with his ex in town. Her friendship with Chief of Police Gage Logan gets stretched as she keeps butting into his case. Jean, Louise, and Glenda, friends of her Aunt Sybil are still pushing and shoving Abby around but she has learned how to deal with them. Jean’s infatuation with Tripp has tamed a bit, again, the ex, but she still is baking him her “famous tuna casseroles. And of course, the lovable mastiff Zeke is around to steal our hearts. I really am a fan of the way these characters continue to evolve. We learn new things about them in every book and I get further invested in their lives as this series continues.

Ms. Morgan has crafted another strong mystery with several suspects. Abby had to really dig deep to find all the connections and press people to reveal secrets or remember past events that would give people reasons to kill off Bryce. Her sleuthing took her to some interesting places. I had a great time following along with her. I had winnowed my list down to two as we headed into the home stretch.

Again the author focuses on helping veterans. I love that the theme continues from the last book which shows it is an important cause for her.

Death by Auction is another great addition to this series. I loved the abundance of humor included throughout the story. I had planned on reading this book when it came out but my breast cancer treatments were wreaking hell in my life last May. Now I am ready for book number 4 Death by Intermission. I will be reviewing it on February 10. I am very excited to visit these characters again so soon.

I loved this story!  I am a big fan of the Abby McCree mystery series and was excited to read this book.   It didn't disappoint. 

Abby is co-hosting a charity auction with her friend/tennant/love interest Tripp.  When a date with Tripp hits the auction block,  Abby is waiting to swoop in and place the winning bid-until a mysterious beauty bids $5000!  Abby soon learns the woman is Tripp's ex-wifevthat he had never before. 

Abby finds the body of the event's emcee outside and she outlines for police who the deceased had talked to after the event.  One of the main suspects was Valeriw, Tripp's ex-wife. Tripp is determined that she is innocent and enlists Abby's novice detective skills to help him prove it.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great cozy mystery, or who loves a great series.  My thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The third in a series but the first I have read and now I can't wait to seek out and read the first two.a well written mystery that I could not put down.

I'm still having a problem warming up to the characters.  I really don't think Abby and Tripp have much chemistry and I think that cozies really rely on character chemistry (not necessarily romantic chemistry, I generally prefer minimal to no romance in cozies) since they tend to be shorter and have simpler plots than standard mysteries.

I like the variety of committees the author comes up with for Abby, but since we've had three in a row, it would be nice to see something different for #4.

Again, I think we know who the murderer is because it is telegraphed in a variety of ways similar to the first 2 books.  I won't list them in case you haven't picked up on the pattern I see.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

A first by me by This author!! I loved this book! Everything I love in a cozy mystery was here. Great storyline and characters! I read this in a sitting and highly recommend this book!

A tried and true fundraising venture is an auction. Abby is definitely a member of the Snowberry Creek community now, and she can't say no to help this veteran's group. She was happy to discover a local man, Bryce Cadigan, who has made it big in radio to emcee the bachelor auction. A surprisingly large bid by her tenant Tripp Blackstone's ex wife surprises Abby, but not as much finding her emcee slumped over the wheel of his car. I liked how Abby can manage to open her home and heart to let Tripp's ex stay at her house while the police investigate. It's in Abby's best interest to play amateur sleuth to help rid herself of Val, so sleuthing she goes. I really enjoy her aunt's old friends, they seem to make a splash whenever they appear.

This was another excellent installment in this likable series. I really enjoyed this mystery and the surprise blast from Tripp's past. It made for an intriguing story and was hard to put down. It's a quick easy read with lots of suspects to narrow down. All in all, I am looking forward to more adventures with Abby, Zeke and the rest of the gang.

Death by Auction by Alexis Morgan is the third book in the Abby McCree Mystery series.  Abby is helping her tenant and friend, Tripp, with a bachelor auction for his veteran's group.  The emcee for the evening turns out to be a very unlikable person, and no one is very sad when he is found murdered.  That is not the only shocking event of the night.  Tripp's ex-wife also returns to town.  I love the characters in this series although Abby was much nicer than I could ever hope to be.  I look forward to more from this series.

DEATH BY AUCTION by Alexis Morgan
The Third Abby McCree Mystery

Ever since inheriting her aunt's home and moving to Snowberry Creek, Washington, Abby McCree's life has been a hectic one full of committees. She's enjoying her current project to benefit the local veterans, however. Not only is it for a great cause, she has dream committee members making her work as chair easy, plus she gets to tease her tenant and friend Tripp, who will be auctioned off as one of the bachelors at the event. The auction primed to be a huge success as bids are going fast and high. The gaiety doesn't last as Abby and Tripp are both stunned by the surprise arrival of a woman from Tripp's past, not to mention the discovery of yet another dead body.

Forget about the dead body. The most troublesome part of the third Abby McCree Mystery is a new character by the name of Valerie. Of course, I despised her immediately and was aghast at what Abby was forced to deal with. I never would have put up with that, and dealing with it as graciously as she did...I absolutely love Abby, but boy, she is a much better person than I! Feelings of righteous indignation swept over me causing me to yell out loud at my book. More than once!

Aside from me yelling and wanting to cause bodily harm to a fictional character, I was intrigued by the mystery and the slow reveal as to how much of a jerk the victim truly was. I was also introduced to a new character I did like and hope we get to see more of in the future. It's the characters and their relationships with each other that really cement the book. These are complex people who you want to get to know and be around.

DEATH BY AUCTION was almost perfect. Unfortunately, at the very end the author used that too familiar and most annoying trope regarding the mental state of the killer. I was so disappointed as I couldn't have asked for more in a mystery before that point.

DEATH BY AUCTION is a mystery that will grab you and won't let go! The characters become family and it's a joy, albeit sometimes nerve-wracking, to read about their lives.

Princess Fuzzypants here:  In previous thrilling books, Tripp, the former special services vet, has saved Abby from some very dangerous situations.  They are growing into an almost romance but something happens that puts a halt to the romance and it is Abby who must save Tripp.  

The auction in the title is one of those bachelor deals where woman bid for a night out with the man of their choice.  Since Tripp was the one who talked Abby into organizing the event, he has to be one of the “selection”. Abby intends to bid at the end for him but another woman steals her chance with a huge bid.  Everyone is shocked but none so much as Tripp as the woman is his ex-wife.  She’s come to town to ask for his help but ends up needing both his and Abby’s for a far more serious reason.  She is arrested for the murder of the MC of the event and must take refuge in Abby’s home.  Needless to say, the two women are not BFF’s.  In fact, Abby has nicknamed Valerie The Barnacle,

What is clear, as Abby looks deeper into the victim;s life, Valerie had good reason to want him dead but so did a whole lot of other people.  It seems on his way to the top, he left a lot of broken and damaged people in his wake.  He was not a nice guy.  Now all they have to do is figure out which one of them did it.

As in the previous adventures, the story is filled with interesting and quirky characters.  From the old lady with a crush on Tripp to the Minister to the Biker Guy, they flesh out the story in a satisfying manner.  But Abby and Trip are the heart to it.  As a reader, I get swept into their lives and enjoy every minute.

Five purrs and two paws up.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

eath by Auction, the third cozy mystery featuring Abby McCree, is the best yet in the series.  Though the mystery is easy to solve, the entertaining dialogue and chemistry between the protagonist and her tenant more than make up for it.

Abby finds herself in charge of yet another committee fundraiser, this time organizing an auction and dance benefitting Tripp’s veterans group.  She is looking forward to sweeping in with the high bid for Tripp but is outdone by a gorgeous stranger.  Abby is shocked to learn that Valerie is Tripp’s ex-wife.  When the auction’s emcee Bryce is found dead, Valerie becomes the prime suspect, and Abby must set aside her feelings to track down the real killer…even if that means it is Valerie.

I like Abby a lot.  She is practical and engaging, inquisitive without being pushy and nosy.  She is genuinely nice, along with being a great hostess, and cares about those around her.  She does struggle just like the rest of us, though, and opening her home up to Valerie is hard.  I do find it hilarious that she calls Valerie “the barnacle” because she is always hanging on Tripp.  Catty barbs are exchanged throughout providing loads of entertainment.  As much as I like Tripp, he is a bit insensitive and obtuse to Valerie’s effect on Abby.  Valerie is easy to root against, and I really wanted to smack her more than once.  The older ladies that make up Abby’s quilting group are not featured as much this time, and I miss them.

The mystery is quite easy to crack, but I did not figure out the killer’s full motive until late in the book.  The victim Bryce is a local celebrity but smarmy enough that readers will not feel too bad that he met an unfortunate end.  There are few suspects and really not that many clues for Abby to weed through, but her journey to the truth is fun all the same.

I really enjoyed Death by Auction and hope there are many more mysteries to solve alongside Abby, her dog Zeke, and friends.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Thoroughly enjoyable well-plotted mystery with engaging characters that you care about. Abby McCrea was wrangled into organizing an auction and dance to benefit veterans when the death of the emcee put a blight on the night. And to top it off, the gorgeous ex of her tenant, Tripp, becomes suspect number 1 and is using that to find her way back to him. review.

Book three in the "An Abby McCree Mystery" amateur sleuth cozy series is available now. Written by Alexis Morgan, and published by Kensington Books, Death by Auction will steal your heart. 
 
Abby has a hard time saying no when people ask for her help, and this makes her a genuinely loving person that readers have come to understand and care about. Her amateur sleuthing keeps things exciting and entertaining. Her tenet and love interest, Tripp, is strong, handsome, and extremely private. He is also the man of Abby's dreams.  Even when they are at odds, they are careful not to hurt the other or cause them to be hurt by another person. These are characters that make a book, and this series worth reading.  
 
In this third book, Abby is forced to confront her thoughts and feelings for Tripp. It also finds her embroiled in another murder investigation. Sometimes being nosy, and a non-licensed sleuth has its drawbacks. She can't ask the questions she would like and has to be careful of those questions she does ask. Once again, Abby finds herself in the middle of an investigation that could end her future and her life.  
 
The story moves smoothly. The victim is what a victim should be; some even say he got what was coming to him. The suspects aren't as easy to define; they vary from the indifferent to the overly emotional. The killer, once revealed,  is easy to believe and may even be a surprise to some readers. Our amateur sleuth gets to the bottom of the case and finds herself almost becoming the next victim. In the end, alls well, Abby and Tripp have a better understanding of each other, and readers can see a clearer path to what is to become of the two characters, or at least where they hope they will end up. 
 
I enjoyed Death By Auction very much and look forward to the continuing story of Abby and Tripp, not to mention Zeke, Abby's happy, slobbering, lovable pet.  I am happy to recommend this book and series to mystery lovers who like their sleuths smart, funny, and easy to like. 

ARC provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley

Death by Auction is the third book in Alexis Morgan’s Abbey McCree Mystery series.  The storyline is well written, and the characters well developed and likable.  The steadily paced murder mystery is a clean read, with several suspects and lots of red herrings to keep readers engaged and guessing.  I was quite surprised by the reveal.

When Abby McCree’s Aunt Sybil passed away, she left her home and most of her personal property in Snowberry Creek, Washington.  She also inherited former Special Forces soldier, Tripp Blackston, the tenant in her small cottage, who pays reduced rent in return for doing odd jobs around the property, her aunt’s adopted mastiff mix, Zeke, and her aunt’s friends, Jean, Louise, and Glenda.  As a favor to Tripp, Abby agreed to organize a fund-raiser for his veterans’ group, including a bachelor/bachelorette auction and World War II-themed dance.  Abby had hired Bryce Cadigan, a former Snowberry Creek resident and current Seattle radio personality, to run the auction.  Abby intends to bid on Tripp at the auction, so imagine her surprise when a gorgeous woman shows up and bids $5,000 for him, and her shock when she learns the woman is Tripp’s ex-wife, Valerie Brunn.  Abby and Tripp have become good friends and even shared a kiss or two, and yet he never even hinted he was married.  Abby’s pleased that the auction and gift basket bidding exceeded their expectations, but her happiness is short-lived when she finds his body in his car in the parking lot.  As Gage Logan, the local chief of police and an army veteran, and his team investigate the murder, evidence points to Valerie.  When she’s arrested, Tripp is determined to prove Valerie’s innocence and enlists Abby to help him investigate.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This is a great addition the series and I enjoyed it just as much as the first two. I loved that this series is a cozy mystery without falling into the trappings of being cutesy or gimmicky. It's well written and fairly realistic. I love the characters and the mystery was an interesting one. I definitely recommend this series to cozy mystery fans!

Since the events of Death by Committee, Alexis Morgan’s first Abby McCree Mystery, Abby is ensconced in Snowberry Creek, Washington. She still struggles with the legacy she inherited from her beloved Aunt Sybil—a rundown mansion, a tenant who exchanges chores for a reduction in rent, a sizable storehouse of quilts and fabrics—and Sybil’s reputation for civic responsibility. Like Sybil, Abby is constantly asked to volunteer for every committee in town—and she’s expected to say yes.

Her latest venture is organizing an auction to help veterans. Her tenant, Tripp Blackstone (perhaps a little more than a tenant), is former Special Forces, so when he asks her to take it on, she can’t refuse. Turnabout is fair play, however. Abby asks Tripp to take part in the bachelor auction. She’s conflicted over whether she can bid on him herself, given her leadership role, so his biggest danger is Jean, a sweet old biddy who bestows inedible tuna casseroles on him.

The auction gets off to a worrisome start when Bryce Cadigan, Abby’s celebrity auctioneer, doesn’t show up on time.

Bryce was a Seattle radio personality, but he’d grown up right here in Snowberry Creek. She’d checked his references, and he’d come highly recommended.

Abby isn’t feeling too confident about her choice, but Bryce finally appears, and they have a cordial conversation. Before he starts off the evening’s festivities, Bryce briefly pauses, draws a breath, and closes his eyes.

When he opened them, it was as if he’d slipped on a totally different persona, and the overly polished slick charm was back in full force.

 

Bryce was undeniably handsome, but for some reason he left her completely cold. Crossing her fingers the audience didn’t react that way, she walked out to center stage and picked up the microphone.

 

“If I can have everyone’s attention, I’d like to introduce Snowberry Creek’s very own Bryce Cadigan!”

Tripp is the last gentleman to be auctioned. He works the crowd like a pro, smiling and strutting while “the ladies went crazy.” The bidding goes up and up, into four-digit territory, when a ringer enters the fray, saying, “I bid five thousand dollars for Tripp Blackston.” A “stunning blonde” strongly embraces Tripp, and Abby asks who she is.

His reply was only two simple words, but they turned their whole relationship inside out and upside down.

 

There was a lot of guilt in his dark eyes as he answered, “My wife.”

Valerie Brunn is his ex-wife, as Tripp tries to explain, but Abby’s not having it. The evening disintegrates further as she tries and fails to give an elusive Bryce Cardigan his final check. Then, she sees him and Valerie getting into a loud argument before Bryce goes out the door, heading for his car. When Abby finally gets out to the parking lot, she’s surprised to see “the driver’s door was still open even though the beeping noise had finally stopped.” How very odd.

But as she rounded the end of the car, she realized it wasn’t only the battery that was dead.

 

The owner was, too….

Again? Abby hasn’t lived in Snowberry Creek long, but this is her third dead body—and she knows the drill. She asks Gage Logan, the town police chief, to leave the hall and join her at the scene. Who, if anyone, “went outside with Bryce,” Gage asks.

Crossing her fingers that Tripp would forgive her for dragging the barnacle into a murder investigation, she sighed and said, “Valerie Brunn, Tripp’s ex-wife.”

 

Gage’s muttered response was brief but obscene. She knew just how he felt.

The theme of Death by Auction is the power and pervasiveness of the past and how unresolved issues and conflicts weave their tendrils into day-to-day life. The auction emcee was a smarmy guy—examples abound of his nasty nature as far back as high school—but did he deserve to die? Tripp’s ex is the prime suspect (although she loudly proclaims her innocence), and Abby doesn’t want the “barnacle” (as she dubs her) to muscle in on Tripp. To put some space between Val and Tripp, Abby graciously agrees to have Val stay with her.

What are Abby’s coping strategies? Baking, for sure (and doesn’t that feel familiar to many these days?); her kitchen table is the scene of many informal debriefing sessions. Her friends and acquaintances usually leave with cookies or squares.

“Give me a second to grab you a container of them. I always have a supply in the freezer. I like to bake when things are bothering me, and that seems to happen all too often lately.”

She also quilts, ruminates, organizes, and her favorite, investigates! The sooner the real killer is unmasked, the sooner Val will leave town. Abby uses her dog, Zeke, as an excuse to wander about, stop, and ask questions. She’s at somewhat of a crossroads in her life. Is she morphing into her great-aunt? How serious is her budding relationship with Tripp? Is the police chief interested in her? That’s a hallmark of many books in the cozy mystery vein: humor + two guys interested in the heroine (one almost always law enforcement) + a town with secrets that are gradually revealed.

Death by Auction is an enjoyable foray into small-town mysteries, past and present. Abby McCree is a standup heroine with a flair for seeing beyond the obvious.

Death by Auction is the third book in Alexis Morgan's Abby McCree cozy mystery series. Abby hosts a Bachelor Auction to raise money for the town's veterans group. Abby is hoping to bid on her friend Tripp, but fate has other plans when Tripp's ex-wife wins the bid instead. To make matters worse, the emcee of the auction is murdered outside in the parking lot during the event and the  police suspect Tripp's ex-wife is the culprit. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Death by Auction. I never read the first two books in the series, but it is easy to figure out who's who and get caught up. I liked the focus on veterans throughout the book. I was also a big fan of Abby's dog, Zeke and loved how he was incorporated so much into the book. I like how Abby and Tripp have a slow build relationship that seems like it will be worth the wait in the end! 

One of my only pet peeves is that Abby is too nice when Tripp's ex-wife comes to stay with her. It felt like Abby needed to grow a stronger backbone when dealing with Valerie. I would not have put up with Valerie's behavior as well as Abby did. 

I did end up figuring out the murder long before the end, but that only makes me feel validated when I get to the conclusion. 

I loved being introduced to Alexis Morgan's writing and would definitely read more of Abby McCree and the town of Snowberry Creek.  

I received this book as an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

This is third book in the Abby McCree Mystery series by Alexis Morgan, set in Snowberry Creek, Washington featuring Abby McCree and Tripp Blackstone. I have read and enjoyed the previous in series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.  I do recommend this series. 

Abby is one of my favorite protagonists.  She is a smart savvy likable charcter.  She inherited a house from her family and lives there with her handsome tenant Tripp Blackstone who she cannot seem to resist. He ask her to help with a veterans fundraiser and she is happy to help.  When she finds out this fund raiser is a Bachelor auction she volunteers Tripp to take part in it with the intention that she will bid on him and they will finally have a real date. She is shocked when Tripp's wife appears and had no idea he was married. When a  murder occurs after the auction and the wife is the prime suspect Abby decides to help Tripp clear her name much to her chagrin. 

This was a fun addition to this series. i like the charcters and the sleuth was well crafted to keep me guessing to conclusion. Abby is humorous and relatable. I look forward to the next in series. This was a fun read .