A Deadly Discovery is the fourth Allie Cobb mystery by J.C. Kenney. Released 19th Jan 2021, it's 218 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

Although it's the fourth book in the series, this small-town cozy works perfectly well as a standalone. The author is adept at providing necessary backstory without spoon feeding or info dumping all over readers. The characterizations in general are three dimensional and believable with a protagonist who's a literary agent and a delight. The action moves along at a fast pace and never drags or meanders (a definite danger with cozies). There are some slightly rough spots with the dialogue in a couple of places, but it never detracted or yanked me out of the story. I liked the information the author provided about the publishing industry and marketing; I found it interesting. 

The plot resolution was a little more linear than I'm used to, but all in all the denouement was satisfying and well written. The language is squeaky clean and there's no on-page blood or gore. I recommend it to fans of small-town cozies with amateur sleuths (plus cat). It's a quick and satisfying read. I enjoyed it enough that I intend to go find the previous books in the series. 

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Allie Cobb is a literary agent running her family's agency in Rushing Creek, Southern Indiana, started by her father. Despite vowing that she will no longer get involved in murder investigations, she agrees to help when a woman's body, Valerie Briggs, is found in a woodland park. Valerie's mother, Connie begs for Allie's assistance so she relents when she learns that Valerie vanished some twenty years earlier.

My first read in this delightful series, A Deadly Discovery was charming and intriguing. As Allie assists with the town's 9/11 memorial event, she enlists her friends and boyfriend, Brent to help gather information from years ago and the victim's reticent high school friends. She is a good investigator and whilst rooting out and gathering clues she ruffles a few feathers and rattles the closet handles of some of the town's residents.

In a tale packed to the rafters with secrets and betrayals, the mystery element held my interest and kept me keen to continue reading. J. C. Kenney's novel also highlighted current issues, in particular, mental health. I enjoyed deciphering the clues alongside Allie as well as the great relationships she had with Calypso Bosley (Allie's assistant), Star and Jeanette. Of course, Allie's cat Ursula deserves a mention, too.

This fourth book in the Allie Cobb Mystery series is fabulous, fast-paced, and fun. I'll be reading the other books as well as the next book in this compelling series and here's hoping I enjoy them as much as A Deadly Discovery!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

I loved this!  The characters are awesome, even the cat!  It's an easy read, cozy mystery.  I will be looking for more books from this author for when I need a feel good, light read.

Allie Cobb is an amateur sleuth who has been asked to help with a 20-year old cold case of a murdered young woman. The police bumbled the investigation two decades earlier, but the grieving mother is desperate for answers and closure. Despite swearing off investigations, Allie agrees to help. But hunting for damning clues and uncovering secrets often leads to danger. Will Allie figure out who the killer is before more trouble brews? The well thought-our story-line and evolved characters draw you in. Four stars.

I've enjoyed all of the books in this series and this one, #4, is no exception. Allie not only runs a literary business in her hometown - editing books and assisting authors with publication - but she has found another talent. She is very good at solving murders. Despite the fact that she would rather scale back, so to speak, on that part of her life, she can't find her way to say 'no' when the mother of a woman, missing twenty years, turns up in the town park. It's no wonder that the dead woman's mother hasn't any faith in the police being able to solve this crime. Allie takes on the case and that causes friction with the police. She's going to need all of her wits about her if she is going to catch a killer before she ends up as the next victim. Turns out there are a lot of locals who have twenty year old secrets that they really, really want to stay secret. Which one will go to any lengths to muzzle Allie?
This is a well written series with a solid mystery to keep the reader engaged to the very last page. Add to it a bit of romance and a delightful cat and it's a winning combination.
My thanks to the publisher Beyond the Page and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Even though Allie vowed to hang up her detectiving hat at the end of the previous book in this series she once again finds herself tracking a killer around her hometown of Rushing Creek. This one is the most complicated yet because Allie has even less help from the RCPD than usual because this book involves looking into a cold case of a young woman who disappeared twenty years ago and Matt wants to avoid any suspicions of impropriety while working new developments in the case his father failed to properly investigate. The woman’s mother came to Allie to ask for her help and Allie is too kindhearted to turn her down.

This was an enjoyable read. A good entry into the series that sees relationships evolving and characters growing. I particularly liked Calypso in this instalment, the kind of woman I’d have liked to be/to be best friends with when I was her age.

An enjoyable cozy mystery. Small town relationships help our charming protagonist solve the twenty year old mystery. Interesting and engaging characters. Thrilled that I guessed the murderer early on in the tale. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

Never having read the Allie Cobb Mysteries, I was immediately interested in A Deadly Discovery based on a quick read of the first few pages, during which I took an immediate liking to the main character. In the beginning, the writing felt tight and the plot moved quickly. With the character actions described clearly and good dialogue, it felt like we were off to a great start.

The story did slow down, however, near the middle, primarily because the author fell into what I call the cozy-mystery trap—summarizing what’s about to happen in a paragraph before getting into the action or dialogue. A certain amount of this writing style is perfectly normal, and almost unavoidable, but it just became too much of a regular occurrence for my taste. While this won’t bother many cozy fans, who gobble up this style freely, I found it an impediment to moving the story forward.

Overall, the story will appeal to traditional mystery fans thanks to it’s plot, likable protagonist, and smooth dialogue, but the cozy fans are going to love Ursi (the cat), who sometimes steals the show.

A Deadly Discovery is the fourth book in the Allie Cobb Mystery series by J. C. Kenny.

Allie Cobb, after a particularly anguishing investigation four months ago, has sworn off investigating.  But then, when returning from a walk with her cat, Ursi, Allie meets Connie Briggs sitting on the steps to Allie’s apartment with a battered box next to her.  Connie will ask Allie to look into her daughter’s, Valerie, disappearance some twenty years ago.  Connie tells Allie that a body she is sure is her daughter has been found in a local state park and asks Allie to investigate.  Once Allie hears the story about Brigg’s daughter, there is no way that Allie can say no to looking at what happened that day, twenty years ago.  Allie soon becomes aware that she won’t be getting much help from the police department.  It seems that the police chief who investigated the disappearance is the father of the current police chief and the ex-brother-in-law of Allie, Matt.  Matt’s father reportedly didn’t perform much of an investigation into the young lady’s disappearance. As Allie begins to look into Valerie’s disappearance, she is relieved to find that many of her close friends still live in Rushing Creek and hopes they will provide information that will point to the killer.  When she is forced off the road while bicycling home, she feels that her sleuthing moves in the right direction and hopes to resolve the mystery before the killer can put an end to her inquiries.

I’ve enjoyed this series since the beginning, it provides a look at life in a small community, and it’s exciting residents.  The story is well-written and plotted.  The characters are well-developed, believable, and enjoyable.  There twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end.

I will be watching for the next book in this exciting series.

This is  one of my favorite cozy series and I found it gripping and enjoyable.
I was happy to meet again and catch up with Allie, Ursula and the fleshed out cast of characters. They are likable and relatable.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and it kept me guessing till the end.
I appreciated the empathy of the writer toward the victims and how he talks about the rich/poor relationship in the town.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and it's highly recommended.
Many thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I find Allie Cobb to be a delightful character.  Her devotion to her town is admirable, as evidenced by her devotion to getting justice, in this case, for a girl who had disappeared 20 years ago when Allie was in middle school.  I like to look inside of the workings of her mind, and J. C. Kenney is expert at letting us do so.  I just had one issue with 'A Deadly Discovery' and that was the detachment in the relationship between her and Brent.  That is unsettling to me, if they are supposed to boyfriend and girlfriend. The heartwarming conclusion brought me to tears, especially the interchange with Matt's father.  I strongly recommend the entire series and it's quirky look into life in Rushing Creek, Indiana.

This is the 4th installment in the Allie Cobb mystery series.  Allie is a literary agent in her hometown of Rushing Creek Indiana.  She has been involved in a couple of murder investigations over the last couple of years and her family has asked her not to ever get involved again as her life has been at risk each time.  Allie has promised, however, when the body of a missing girl has been found after 20 years the missing women’s Mother asks her to get her daughter justice.  Allie wants to say no but she cannot as her heart breaks for the Mother of Valerie Biggs.  The tricky thing is the police will not help her this time as the current police chief and her ex brother in law Matt is trying to get justice as well since his Father and former police chief dropped the ball 20 years ago.  Allie’s heart is in the right place and she does have a knack for getting people to talk to her and get results.  The ending was very suspenseful and so glad Allie was able to pull it all together and get justice.  I was a little surprised that her boyfriend was not that involved given he is now living in town.  I do enjoy this series and Allie along with all her family and friends.  Good series and look forward to the next installment.

Can literary agent Allie Cobb solve a 20 year old cold case? This is the first book in this series that I’ve read but I had no problem reading it as a stand alone story. I like that Allie is a strong independent woman who puts the clues together to solve the mystery rather than stumbling on the identity of the killer by accident.

Allie should be busy running her literary agency - that's what local law enforcement, her friends, and her love interest Brent think- but she finds herself pulled into a cold case when Connie turns up at her door begging her for help.  Connie's daughter Valerie disappeared 20 years ago but her remains have just been found.  Connie is rightly concerned that there's more to the story than she's been told.  Allie, of course, dives right in but finds that there are more secrets in Rushing Creek than one might think.  This is a cozy so readers know that there will be red herrings.  Allie is a strong character (sometimes a bit much) but she gets the job done.  Oh and there's Ursi the cat!  Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This will be fine as a standalone.  It's well crafted and fun.

J.C. Kenney, the author of “A Deadly Discovery” has written a suspenseful, intriguing and cozy mystery. The protagonist Allie Cobb, has an uncanny way of solving mysteries. This is a series of books, but can be read alone. I intend to go back and read the other books. The timeline for this story is set in the present and goes about 20 years to the past when it pertains to the events and characters, and an unsolved murder. The author describes his characters as complicated, complex, determined, and quirky. There are secrets, betrayals, threats, danger and murder. There is also a feisty delightful cat that love to be talked to, fed and walked with a harness.

Allie Cobb has a business editing books, and helping authors publish books. Her beau or boyfriend works at the library. In the small town, one of the residents asks Allie for help in solving a 20 year old mystery where her daughter had disappeared. In the present, a dead body is found that turns out to be the missing daughter. The mother believes that the police didn’t do their work 20 years earlier, and doesn’t trust them. Allie has an unusual talent for solving murders, and against her better judgement, decides to help this woman. Both the Police and the killer do not want Allie on this case.

I would recommend this entertaining and suspenseful cozy mystery for readers who enjoy these genres.

A Deadly Discovery by J.C. Kenney is the 4th book in the Allie Cobb Mystery series, and another great addition. Allie Cobb is now running the family's literary agency that her father started.  Allie has vowed to everyone that she is giving up on solving murders because,  she was so effected from the last one.  When a women's body is found, and she went missing twenty years ago, the women's mother begs her to take the case.  Allie just could not turn down the mother, so she is determined to find out what happened. I really enjoyed this book, and read it in one day. So many twists and turns. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. I highly recommend this cozy mystery book and the whole series.  
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Beyond The Page Publishing, in return for an honest review. While the fourth book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone.  Allie Cobb is finished – after returning to her hometown upon her father’s death and inheriting his publishing agency work, she’d never planned to solve the three murders in the town’s recent history.  She’s promised her family and friends that she’ll stick with publishing in the future.  Then, the mother of a young woman who’d been missing for 20 years shows up at her door to beg for her help.  The remains of a woman are discovered in a local state park and this woman is convinced it’s her daughter’s.  While Allie desperately wants to refuse, she is moved by the woman’s desperation and loss, so she agrees to ask people about the disappearance.  This puts Allie at odds with many in her small town and puts her in the crosshairs of the killer – two very dangerous situations that both have long-term implications for Allie’s life.
This is another solid story in this series.  The logic of how and why Allie is involved are defined in the beginning so you’re not wondering why she’s doing this, particularly when she promised she wouldn’t.  The story is well-told and the rationale for the murder is understandable.

This is the 4th book in this charming series . I have read the previous in series and found this to be my favorite yet of the series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity.. My review opinion is unbiased. 

J.C. Kenny has a winning cozy series here with a new protagnist who is independent, savvy and does not suffer fools. I love this charcter ! In this next in series   Allie is a literary agent who is asked to investigate a local women's cold case murder. Allie enlists the help of her friends and boyfriend to help gather information from the 1980's and the victims high school friends who are reluctant to talk.  She is a good investigator and as she gathers clues may come close to solving this difficult case. 

  I like all the supporting charcters in this series. The addition of Allie's  cat she is devoted to is sweet and I love that she walks her cat much as many of us with cats do .  This series has much to like and is always a fun read.

My first read in this series with Allie Cobb. The book was okay even though I felt lost in the story. The author has to many details to keep up with. It was easy to figure out the mystery. I will go back and read the first and hopefully that may help. 
#ADeadlyDiscovery #NetGalley

As cosy detectives this is an ok read but I'm afraid that it didn't grab me in any specific way. The sleuth, and her cat, was kind of annoying. A literary agent with too much time on her hands, delves into the 20 year old disappearance of a young woman and the recent discovery of some remains. She lives in a small town out in the boonies so we have the usual range of characters, a bit too predictable I'm afraid. At least the boyfriend isn't the Police Chief for once. Too much is centred on Allie, said sleuth,. and descriptions of what she's doing - riding here and there on her bicycle, feeding the cat far too many treats with too little of the murder. I like the cat though - very like my own two torties who also like going walks with me. Thanks to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.