Cat Cooper is trying to make her new business as a life coach in East Hampton a success. Her trusty best friend and assistant Gilley Gillespie is by her side to help her every step of the way.

Cat is excited to learn she has a new client, but it’s not going to be an easy case. The client has been locked in his home for years believing he has been cursed and anyone he goes near is in danger. It’s up to Cat to convince him there is no curse. She quickly learns that is not going to be so easy when her own life is threatened.

To add to Cat’s problems, she’s juggling two potential romances - a detective, Steve Shepherd, and the town bad boy, Maks Grinkov. When Maks drags her into a dangerous case, Cat’s life is on the line. She doesn’t know who to trust, but the dead bodies keep turning up and she has to do something to help crack this case.

This is the second book in the Life Coach mystery series. I didn’t read the first one, but it didn’t ruin my enjoyment of this one. The author included background information throughout the book. However, I do want to go back and read book #1. I think it would have been even better had I read them in order.

I loved the camaraderie between Cat and Gilley. Two people who really know and love each other as only best friends can. You can feel their closeness through their dialogue and actions. Their relationship is very well written.

The author gives us an exciting, fast-paced mystery to keep us guessing until the end. She threw in quite a few twists and turns along the way. Like Cat, I didn’t know who to believe or who to trust. The climax of the mystery was explosive and had me at the edge of my seat. This looks to be an intriguing series and I look forward to reading more of it.

Life coach Cat and her humorous assistant Gilley return. Hopefully not To Coach a Killer!

Cat has a new client, Willem. He is a good-looking little person. Willem is convinced he curses all the places he goes ever since a gypsy cursed him in his mother’s belly.

As he is explaining the origin of the curse, the building’s fire alarm goes off. After determining the cause was a faulty toaster, Gilley is convinced that Willem really is cursed. Cat is unconvinced. Her sister, Abby a psychic detective, had told her all curses are cons—trying to wring money out of marks. However, Cat decides to bring in Heath, a spirit medium (and veteran of the author’s Ghosthunters series), to help break the curse.

Meanwhile, Maks is back and has embroiled Cat in his spy games with the Chechen mafia. Maks has also asked Cat to avoid her other love interest, Detective Shepherd. His reason? There is a leak in the police department sending information to the mafia kingpin, Boris.

Cat agrees to avoid the Detective. However, she then decides to investigate his ex-wife’s murder by the mob enforcer, Greta. The same Greta that almost killed Cat in the last book.

To be honest, I’m over this mafia storyline. Go back to life coaching! Bring back the Ghosthunters series. Both are much more believable. I love Gilley. But Cat just can’t stop looking at all of her options and selecting the stupidest one. Even though I didn’t enjoy To Coach a Killer very much, you might. 3 stars.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Business has been slow for Cat Cooper’s new career as a life coach in the Hamptons. She and her best friend and assistant, Gilley Gillespie, currently only have one client. The young man seeking help has a unique problem – he believes his life is cursed. When not helping Willem, Cat and Gilley have plenty of free time to spend investigating the murder of the ex-wife of Cat’s friend and possible love interest, Detective Steve Shepherd. However, the investigation gets complicated and dangerous when they uncover possible connections with another man to whom Cat is attracted, the mysterious Maks Grinkov.

This is the second book in the Life Coach mystery series which features Cat Cooper, the sister of the main character in the author’s Psychic Eye series, and Gilley Gillespie from her Ghost Hunter series. I like Gilley so much better in this series which emphasizes his intelligence, sense of humor, and big personality without being too over-the-top. Cat is less snooty in this series and acts more like her sister Abby than she used to. Together, the two friends make a great team, calling each other out when needed but always there to support each other when it counts. It’s not necessary to have read either of the other series, but it might help to read the first book in this series since it sets up some of what happens in this book.

As in the prior book, paid assassins and the Russian mob play a big role in the story. That isn’t my favorite kind of plot and the story sometimes gets too complicated. After a lot of sleuthing and several dead ends, Cat and Gilley start to piece everything together. However, they end up in an extremely dangerous situation before it’s all over. Alternative explanations are offered, but this installment includes a hint of the supernatural regarding Cat’s new client, Willem. Cat even consults with Gilley’s former colleague, Heath, for advice on dealing with the possible curse. I wasn’t sure how it could be done, but the author cleverly merges the two storylines, leading to a dramatic and very satisfying ending to the book. I like the direction the potential love triangle for Cat, Steve, and Maks seems to be heading. I hope we get to know Gilley’s husband Michel better in future installments. Overall, this is an enjoyable mystery featuring interesting characters who are fun to be around.

~ Christine

I feel like I said this when reviewing the previous book in this series, but I really need to go back and read the Abby Cooper books and the MJ books. Maybe I'll make that my goal for September and October.

While Cat is determined to help get to the bottom of the murder of Detective Shepherd's ex-wife, she is also working with a new client and her feelings for Maks Grinkov. Maks asks her to help him with an interesting problem, and that pulls her deeper into potential danger. When more murders stack up, can Cat stay safe while trying to find the killer?

Y'all this book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I was so drawn into this book, I didn't even know what else was happening around me. I adore the characters in this book, especially Willem. I adore the blooming relationships that Cat has in this new community. This book was so cute and funny! But at the same time, it tried to tear my heart out and stomp on it. I am so looking forward to the next books in this series!

*eARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

Life coach is not a profession I can connect with at all and thus, this book fell incredibly flat and felt empty and devoid of plot.

This is the second book in the Life Coach Mysteries series. These books seem a Little more serious than the other books I’ve read by this author. Oh there is still humor and drama with Gilley who is one of my favorite characters. As always there are some zany antics going on and a great mystery. Cat and Gilley are sticking there nose right in the middle of everything. Plus a love triangle. Oh Boy!!
I received a copy of this book from a NetGalley for my honest review.

Victoria Laurie blew me away with her writing in To Coach a Killer. I was hanging on to the edge of seat the entire time, flipping through pages with my mouth hanging open as I read through the twists and turn to unfold.

Cat's divorce is final and she was hoping that now that her new normal has started that her life coaching business would take off. With only one new client on the books she's worried that her new life isn't going to go the way she planned. Her new client says he is the victim of a curse that has been with him since he was born and hopes that he can find a solution that will banish from his life. Meanwhile both Detective Shepherd and Maks have both popped up back into her life. Shepherd is still trying to figure out who killed his ex-wife and Maks still seems to be mixed up with the mob. Soon a string of murders catch Cat's attention, she has been trying to help Shepherd figure out who killed.his ex but without his knowledge. Maks has asked her for her help and has Cat lying when she wouldn't normally do such a thing. Follow along as Cat does her best to fix her new client, find a killer, and choose between two men who make her feel more than she knew she could. This was a fun read filled with an exciting plot and some truly interesting characters!

I have been a fan of this author for a very long time, in fact from when I was a bookseller for Waldenbooks. I was happy to see this spinoff series from the Psychic Eye mysteries and Ghost Hunter. Cat is an interesting character in the first series, and I liked her. This book was interesting from the beginning to end, and I think Gilley is probably my favorite character (sorry, Cat, I like you but not the best), and I really liked the two love interests. I’m not sure, though, I liked who she ended up with at the end (no spoilers!), but we’ll see how the next book goes. The two interweaved plots were great, especially with how it all played out. This was a nice cozy with a little bit of paranormal, but it wasn’t all light-hearted, just to warn readers. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

This is the second installment in Victoria Laurie's new series, Life Coach Mystery. The book can be read as a stand alone, but I would recommend reading the first, Coached to Death. Cat Cooper (sister of Abby from the Psychic Eye series) and her business partner, Gilley are in the Hamptons. Their new client is convinced that he has been cursed. Of course, in addition to helping their client, Cat helps in a murder investigation. We also have a love triangle with Cat, Maks and Detective Steve Sheperd.

I thought the book was OK. I am not a fan of love triangles, authors seem to drag them out. Cat, as a character, needs some deeper development. I hope we get that in future installments.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Oh the Hamptons! Cat and Gilley are struggling a bit with their life coach business when William shows up and tells them he believes he was cursed before he was born. Ok. Cat's more interested, understandably so, concerned about her love interest Maks, who might or might not be part of organized crime but who now has a bad guy after him. And people are being murdered. Detective Steve Shepherd, also a love interest, doesn't like any of this, not one bit. Cat and Gilley, however, will untangle the mess and solve the crimes. It's a classic cozy with a great setting and a fun set of characters (there's wonderful dialogue). I liked the first book in the series and think this would be fine as a standalone if you missed it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Can't wait for the next one.

Excellent Murder Mystery
This is an excellent murder mystery that takes place in East Hampden, New York. The story involves Russian mafia, hired assassins, and many people who are not whom they pretend to be. This book is the second in a series. This story is based on some recent history that the author explains well. I would say that the story could stand alone. She is so good at spinning this story that I am going to read other of her books. This a wonderfully twisted tale with nothing to give me nightmares. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

To Coach a Killer by Victoria Laurie (A Cat & Gilley Life Coach Mystery #2) 4 stars

A follow up to last years "Coached To Death" we find Cat Cooper waiting for her new client Wilhelm. Wilhelm, who is a little person, suffers from a curse cast on him by a witch who was treated badly by his mother. The curse was cast on him in womb and he believes that everywhere he goes he will cause disasters. During this time, there are several murders in the area and one of the main suspects is Maks, one of men Cat is involved with. Investigation and hilarious situations ensue and the real culprits get their just due with a little help from a curse.

This book is the second book in a series, but it feels like the second half of the first book. Characters and plot lines from the second book flow right into this one. I loved some of the scenes that Gilley is involved in - the action at the alpaca farm had me laughing uncontrollably. I also liked hearing about how Heath and MJ are doing. Cat is a different from her sister Abby (who has her own long running series); she is mature, intelligent and courageous. These characteristics are attractive to the two men who are wooing her. She appears to have caught the investigation bug and I look forward to see more of her adventures.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for this ARC.

First off, I would encourage a reader new to this series to read them in order. Coached to Death sets up everything that you would need to know to really enjoy this second mystery featuring Cat and Gilley. The series is a spin off from the Abby Cooper psychic eye series. Cat is her sister. After a divorce, Cat is trying to set up a business as a life coach in East Hampton. Things are not going as planned. She decides to take the case of Willem who is convinced that he carries a curse put on him in utero. After spending some time around him, Cat thinks he may have a problem and she, with the help of Gilley, set about to sort it out.
While they investigate the curse, Cat also has to deal with two relationships. One is Detective Steve Shepard and the other is Maks, a man with Mafia connections. If all of that isn't enough for Cat to juggle, add spies, alpacas and hot air balloons. I won't say more because I don't want to give anything away. I enjoyed every page and am now looking forward to the next investigation for Cat and Gilley - they make a great team.
My thanks to the publisher, Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Cat and Gilley are back and they have gotten wrapped up in one convoluted mess this time! There's a murderer on the loose, a curse, two sexy suitors, and alpacas. I laughed so hard in this one. There are some unique twists you won't see coming. Reading a book by this author is like visiting friends. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

I have loved each of the series of books that this author has written so I was excited to see this one coming out. And then I saw that Gilley was a character and it was all over. Gilley is a favorite character from Ms Laurie’s ghost hunting series. He is just the perfect secondary character. Your most fun best friend with all the quirks. He and Cat make this book!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Cat and Gilly are back at it with book number two in the Cat and Gilly series or the Life Coach Mysteries, depending on where you look, there are two different names. Book number two still has Cat Cooper running her life-coaching business with an occasional client and Gilley Gillespie being her only friend and main-source of entertainment.

Things do begin to spice up when Willem Entwistle, a little man with a big curse, shows up for his appointment, and objects go haywire in the building. Is it possible that he carries a curse? Only one way to find out which entails a call to an old friend who confirms that it is a very distinct possibility. Little did they know that hot air balloons and alpacas would be in their future. But that is not the oddest part. Both professionally and personally, Maks Grinkov is back in Cat’s life. There is chemistry there but is she willing to put her life in danger when a known assassin comes with him. Or is this a step she must take to help Det. Steve Shepherd answer the questions that have plunged him into a dark hole since the death of his ex (or almost) ex-wife.

Thankfully, Victoria Laurie is taking a step back from the usual scooby-do feel that comes with Gilley. Next, if she could step up the presence and humor of her in-house AI, this series (whatever it’s called) would be an automatic purchase for me.

To Coach a Killer by Victoria Laurie is the 2nd book in the Life Coach Mystery series, and it is great. I have been a long time fan of Ms. Laurie, having read all her books, so I was excited to read a new book. Catherine, Cat, Cooper is the sister of Abby Cooper in the psychic eye series. If you have not read the psychic eye books, you will not be lost reading this book, but I suggest reading Coached to Death first. Cat is starting over as a life coach in East Hampton, after a unexpected divorce. Cat and her best friend Gilley, and assistant are busy trying to get Cat more clients. Cat's new client proves to be a challenge, and Cats doesn't know who to trust between her two possible suitors. This book has everything, humor, excitement and romance. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I strongly recommend this book to all cozy book lovers, you will not be disappointed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

5 stars

This is the second book int he Life Coach mystery series by Victoria Laurie.

Wow, this series is just my jam, my cup of tea, my cozy place to fall. I am still trying to get my hands on all the Psychic Eye series so I can devour those and then this little baby falls into my lap and I am in love. Cat and Gilly, Maks and Shepherd, just can’t get enough of them.

This mystery is compelling, sure. But it is the background, the community and the people that just keep me coming back for more. I like how the relationship between Cat and Maks and Cat and Shepherd have expanded in this book and how undecided she still is about which of them is for her.

Don’t skim over the ending. The author really scared the pants off of me in the finale of the story. Sheesh, don’t give a girl a heart attack. But I still loved it all.

Highly recommended. Love both of her series and suggest them to everyone.

If you like cozy mysteries, you won’t be disappointed in this series. Take a deep dive into this fantastic series!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

I love Victoria Laurie's other 2 series but was a bit hesitant about this one as what I enjoy about the others is the psychic and paranormal elements. I shouldn't have doubted, of course I loved it! Cat and Gilley are such a fun team. They work well together. I enjoyed the mystery, some things I was able to guess and others I was surprised by. Overall a great summer read and I will look forward to reading the next book.