Deadly Drama is the fourth installment in the A Britton Bay Mystery series set in the coastal town of Britton Bay, Oregon and featuring Molly Owens, editor in chief of the Britton Bay Bulletin. The community is set to put on their first theater production, the Wizard of Oz, and the elderly, retired soap opera actress, Magnolia Sweet is going to direct.

Magnolia is not very kind and doesn't seem to have many friends either in the theater or in Britton Bay. Molly is looking forward to interviewing the director that is until she stumbles on her dead body, flattened under a stage prop. Despite pleas by her boyfriend Sam to stay out of the investigation, Molly is asked to help clear Janitor Judd's name who, because of his past history with Magnolia has been named the prime suspect.

A well rounded plot with returning series regulars. This installment finds Molly and Sam living together and the continuous mention and description of their hand holding, kissing, hugging, etc. was distracting. I don't mind a little romance between characters but I don't need to be repeatedly "reminded" of a relationship in each chapter.

I received an advanced copy of Deadly Drama from NetGalley via Lyrical Press. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

I received this ebook in exchange for an honest and fair review. Wow. I could easily leave that one word as my review of this book. It had everything that I look for in a cozy mystery minus recipes, lol. But seriously the character development was very well done. I had not read the first three books in this series but the author was able to show me the dynamics of the characters so well that it was easy to catch up and understand the book. The world building was done very well too. Again, I could see this town and the places that everything in which everything happened.

I will be buying the first three books and read them to catch up with the series and then wait impatiently for the next book.

Deadly Drama by Jody Holford is the fourth installment of the Britton Bay series and the second that I've read. We follow local newspaper editor Molly Owens as she tries to solve the murder of a local celebrity. In the past when she's stumbled across a body the local police have wanted her to stay out of the investigation, but this time all the evidence points towards a friend of the chief he wants her help to come across more clues.

I found the plot fast paced, with great suspects and I had a hard time figuring out whodunnit. It kept me reading to figure out the mystery.

This series is a little heavier on the romance than other cozy mysteries which may or may not appeal to you. Personally, that wasn't my favorite part of the book but it didn't take away from the story. However, I did love the oregon seaside setting and the well established secondary characters.

Really fun story and I didn't see the ending coming at all. A little heavy on the mushy romance, but it's sweet and I don't mind it. Fun read!

Things are progressing the MC's life. She is becoming more a part of the town and has formed bonds with the other characters. I enjoyed the mystery and it kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 4th book in the Britton Bay Series.

Molly is editor-in-chief of her local paper in the coastal town of Britton Bay Oregon, but she works as a reporter too. Britton Bay is hosting its first community theater production and a former soap opera actress Magnolia Sweet is there director and she isn't pleasant to anyone. Molly has to get an interview with her. Magnolia is rude, and insufferable to everyone she meets.
When the former actress is found dead on the set., Molly starts to investigate.

This time around being investigated reporter gives her a reason to investigate and Sam's best friend Chris the police detective asks her too, because a innocent man is being framed. Molly does what she does best ask questions. She is getting closer to Sam he is always supporting her even though he worries about her getting to involved. There where lots of suspects to choose from and I was surprised by the identity of the killer.

This was a great story it shows you how Molly is growing in her new town and all the friends that she is making. It makes me want to come back and visit again.

I can't wait for the next book in this series!

This is the 4th installment in the Britton Bay Mystery series. Molly Owens is the editor for the local paper and she just had to let someone go so they are short handed. She agrees to try and interview the director (Magnolia Sweet former Soap Opera actress) of the upcoming play at the community center while she helps on her own time to work on the set with her friend Sarah, her boyfriend Chris (acting police chief) and her boyfriend Sam. Magnolia Sweet is not very approachable and does not appear to be interested in any interviews. Molly runs into her assistant later in the week and asks for her help. When she shows up later that day, Molly finds a dead Magnolia with the janitor Judd over her body. Molly is in shock that once again she has found a dead body and is involved in the investigation as the case is too cut and dry against Judd and the town and even Chris is not sure he is the real culprit. Molly has grown in this series and I love her relationship with Sam and the town. She belongs and she knows it. The mystery is good and her sleuthing is not over the top. The story was fast paced and kept me engaged and was a real quick read. Really enjoy this series and looking forward to the next installment.

Molly is in a good place, she loves living in her adopted town, enjoys her job at the local newspaper and is happy living with her boyfriend.

A local woman who was a successful soap actress decides to put on a theatre show and is found murdered at the theatre. The actress wasn't popular but who hated her enough to kill her?

You get a real sense of the town and the characters are very likeable. An enjoyable read.

This entertaining cozy mystery is the first book I’ve read of this series, but I will definitely be going back and reading the first three books! The characters are delightful, the story is captivating, the mystery drew me in from the beginning, and I found it hard to put down. I hope there will be many more opportunities to return to Britton Bay!

Deadly Drama by Jody Holford brings readers back to Britton Bay, Oregon to enjoy another entertaining cozy mystery that pulled me into the story from the first page. Poor Molly is once again in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A well crafted plot that was quickly paced, characters that have evolved over the course of the series and become more like friends each time I visit, very few suspects and plenty of red herrings that kept me baffled until the reveal. There is romance with Molly and Sam and Chris and Sarah but it's low key and doesn't take over the mystery. Molly has grown throughout the series and this book shows that she still has more room for growth. I was turning the pages throughout the day because I had to know "who done it".

I first stumbled across the Britton Bay Mysteries series when I went through a phase of trying cozy mystery books on Netgalley. Of the four or five I'd requested, it was by far the standout book for hooking me in straight away and since then I've eagerly awaited the next books in Jody Holford's cozy mystery series.

Deadly Drama follows Molly Owens, the editor-in-chief of the Britton Bay Bulletin as she stumbles across another murder in the small seaside town she's begun to call home. Britton Bay is hosting its first ever theatre production, produced by a former soap opera actress who doesn't ingratiate herself with anyone. When the former actress is found dead on the set of the production, Molly begins to investigate who might have the motive to do the deed.

One of the best things about this series is the protagonist, Molly. She's a woman who left her old life behind when she moved to Britton Bay and found a new home. She's solid in her relationship with partner, Sam, and loves her dog and newfound friends. She's determined to keep the Bulletin a success and report the news and town stories to the people of Britton Bay. She's an 'every-woman' kind of of character... who just happens to keep stumbling over dead bodies. Her determination to find the truth is what drives her and I think she's a great character.

The mystery in this book was a lot of fun. In each book we learn a little more about the characters in Britton Bay -the people who are on the sidelines of Molly's stories, but whom we cross paths with time and time again. And while I had a pretty good idea of who was behind the murder, it never detracted from my enjoyment of reading.

Jody Holford has done a wonderful job of creating a town that I love coming back to and immersing myself in. The pace is great, the characters are entertaining, and there's always a mystery to solve. What's not to love?

My 4 visit to Britton Bay was just as eventful as the previous visits. For such a beautifully friendly place, there sure is a lot of tragedy. And our poor editor in chief, keeps finding herself smack bang in the middle of a crime scene....the crime, the grisly murder of the horrid theatre director, was well written, plenty of suspects and moments of real danger for Molly. But what I really love about this series are the relationship between the characters. Sam, he is just perfection...always supporting Molly, even though he worries about her. Throughout this series, we get to see Molly opening up more to Sam, and to the realisation that she can have her Happily Ever After. Seeing her form close bonds with the people of Britton Bay, and come to accept the love and care everyone has for her is really heartwarming. There are also great secondary characters that we’ve come to know and love....would love to see Jill find love too.

Holford creates real, believable characters, and I can’t wait to return to Britton Bay, not only to see what new mystery Molly will happen upon, but to catch up with all gang!

This series just gets better and better.
Molly has her hands full with this community production and murder.
Interesting characters and a top notch whodunit.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Molly Owens is one of my favorite sleuths and it was wonderful to be back with her and the gang! Deadly Drama is the fourth book in the Britton Bay Mystery series and is a must read! This is a fantastic cozy series and I highly recommend it to all fans of the genre!

Molly is editor-in-chief of her local paper in the coastal town of Britton Bay, Oregon, but as they are short staffed she's working as a reporter too. Britton Bay is putting on it's first community theater production and Molly volunteers to help behind the scenes, while also attempting to get an interview with the director, former soap opera actress Magnolia Sweet. Magnolia is rude and belittling, and doesn't seem to have any friends. Molly thinks she's finally landed an interview with the director, but instead finds Magnolia dead in the theater.

Deadly Drama was well written and well paced, with an intriguing cast of characters. Sam and Molly are living together now, and their relationship is still going strong. I recommend that you read this series in order, but I think you can enjoy this book as a standalone if you choose.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #cozymystery

Molly Owens is back again in another fun addition to this series.
Molly runs a newspaper and seems to always find herself caught in the middle of a murder investigation.
This is definitely a fun series.

This series continues to get better with each book. The small town setting is delightful. The characters and their development are wonderful. I amnot a huge fan of romance in my cozy mysteries, so the amount was just enough to show growth of relationships. The location of the murder fit in perfectly with the title. I had my suspicions on who the murdersr was, and even though I was surprisied to see I was correct, the other suspects did not make it easy.. This book was entertaining, kept me on my toes and reading well past my bedtime because I could not put it down.

Another great story in Jody Holford's Britton Bay Mystery Series, Deadly Drama focuses on the drama (of the murderous kind!) behind the local adaption of The Wizard of Oz. This fast-paced mystery finds heroine Molly's romance with Sam heating up, and he's the best boyfriend ever - even supporting her amateur sleuthing when she sets out to discover who really killed the Wicked Witch of the production. 5 stars to this cozy!

I'd not read any of the others in the series but it didn't really matter. I will of course go back and read the others now as I enjoyed this murder mystery. Loved the setting in Oregon and the story was fast-paced and the mystery wasn't too obvious. Definitely one to curl up with on a long lockdown evening.

Molly is finally getting the writing staff built up at the paper and leaving herself more time to bet the editor and live her life with Sam and Tigger. When an old Hollywood actress returns to Britton Bay and is directing a play, Molly tries to get an interview with her. Hoping to catch her before rehearsal, Molly heads to the theater early and finds the janitor leaving over the woman’s body.

Promising to stay out of the investigation, Molly is actually asked by the acting sheriff to look into who else could have done it, because all of the circumstantial evidence points to the janitor, a man both Sam and Chris respect and care for. As Molly gets closer the killer gives her one last warning, but even bruised ribs won’t keep Molly down when she thinks she can help solve the case with no one else being hurt. Will Molly’s luck hold out or will curtains come down on her once and for all?

Another great entry in this series. A solid story line and whodunit with well developed characters and a great setting in Oregon. This is the fourth entry in this series and I hope there are many more to come.