I apprecitate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I found this a really interesting read and the characters are quite engaging. it kept me reading until the end. I highly recommend.

OMG this cozy was good. It had me on the edge of my seat and totally guessing who the suspect was. I could not put this book down.

Highly recommend Victoria Laurie. I can't believe this is book 3. I have to read the previous 2 books.

High-powered, marketing exec, sold her business for a lot of money and now set herself up as a life coach. Her clients are very wealthy. Her newest client is heart broken and gets arrested for murder. It's up to Cat and Gil to figure out who did it. Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing and entertained.

Loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This was the first time I have read the book in the series and it was fast paced. Loved the character of Cat Cooper .

For me the end was a bit predictable and that is why I gave 4 stars

Victoria Laurie has Cat Cooper, life coach, and her associate Gilley attend a play at which the actress is killed. The victim is a friend of Cat's friend and a former lover of her latest client. Meanwhile her detective boyfriend arrests the former lover for murder. Turns out there are lots of men who would love to get rid of the actress who has trashed them in her latest play. Lots of complications and puzzles. Good cozy.

Eek Gilley! I am so glad to have Gilley back in my life, I loved his character in the Ghost Hunter Mystery series, reading this book was like welcoming back a long lost friend. I now have books 1 & 2 in this series on my shelf and I definitely need to read them. I was able to guess who the killer was almost immediately but I definitely did not guess the why.

I love Victoria's writing and I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.

Cat ant Gillie are at it again when a socialite is murdered the start to investigate who among her lovers might be the killer. ARC from NetGalley.

Coached in the Act
By Victoria Laurie
Kensington
September 2021

Review by Cynthia Chow

For the characters who populate Victoria Laurie’s Psychic Eye and Ghost Hunter mystery series, being “ghosted” usually involves actual paranormal possessions or hauntings. In this third entry of the Cat & Gilley Life Coach Mystery series though, their new client Aaron Nassau is being “ghosted” by the love of his life whom he met just six months ago. While Cat and her BFF partner Gilley Gillespie are surprised that someone would actually break up with real-life Count from Denmark, they are determined to life coach him into moving on with his life. Unfortunately, that will become a bit more complicated when it turns out that his ex has just been murdered and his bejeweled, royal family crested letter opener was the weapon.

Famous – and infamous – socialite Yelena Galanis is performing a much-in-demand one-woman rendition of her version of the “Twelve Angry Men,” in which she details the exploits of her many past paramours. While Gilley and most of the audience finds her roasting of barely veiled targets hilarious, Cat finds the barbs a little too bitter and cruel, causing her to take a break during the intermission before Yelena gets to the down-and-dirty naming of names. Cat spotting a man in the next door café with blood on his hands is alarming, but that’s nothing compared to when she learns that Yelena has just been stabbed to death in her dressing room. She’s frustrated and more than a little insulted when her boyfriend Detective Steve “Shep” Shepherd advises her to go home and keep her opinions about the investigation to herself, especially considering how she and Gilley have previously helped/hindered previous cases. So while their client list within Cat’s renovated office building is a bit on pause, she and Gilley begin tracking down the identities of the twelve angry men who may not have wanted their identities and secrets exposed. Stumbling across a second body in an alley further throws Cat and Gilley into the investigation, but it’s the involvement of Shep’s sister Sunny D’Angelo that makes the case personal. When a suspected suicide attempt also makes her the primary suspect, what has become a life-or-death investigation initiates every impulsive instinct in a duo already not known for conservative behavior.

While Cat and Gilley are often the comic relief side characters in the series respectively featuring Cat’s Sister Abby and MJ Holliay-Whitefeather, together their pop culture knowledge and social media-friendly skills prove to make them surprisingly effective investigators. The overly dramatic, ghost-phobic reactions Gilley frequently displays in the Ghost Hunter mysteries are absent here, making him the more grounded and rational one. He is experiencing his own personal crisis as his long-distance marriage to photographer Michel falters, which is why the adoption of the perfectly named Staffordshire terrier Spooks the comfort companion he needs. Away from the ghosts that terrorize him, Gilley is the voice of reason reining in Cat as she pushes legal boundaries and Shep’s patience. Filled with humor as well as emotional resonating moments, this ghost-less mystery series entertains as it builds towards a shocking reveal and sequel-inspiring ending.

Catherine Cooper, fashionista and life coach along with her friend cum assistant Gilley gets involved in another mystery!
When Yelena Galanis, Cat’s close friend Sunny’s dear friend gets murdered at the theatre, firstly one of Cat’s client is arrested and then Sunny.
It is up to Cat and Gilley to catch the real killer before they lose their close knit family to the terrible crime.
Cat and Gilley’s loyal friendship makes this a truly good read. All the characters are interesting enough to keep one engaged in the story. The tidbits of fashion and food add to the fun element of the story.
The mystery ties up nicely with a dramatic ending!
Lovers of cosy mysteries with an interest in fashion should definitely give this one a go!

This was a fun and fast read. Cat and Gilley are friends that solve murders together. This is the 3rd installment of the series, but can easily be read as a stand alone. I loved the characters and had fun with this cozy mystery. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

COACHED IN THE ACT is the third book in Victoria Laurie’s “Cat & Gilley Life Coach” cozy mystery series. Cat Cooper is a woman of many talents, and she currently operates a business as a life coach. Having found herself wrapped up in two previous murder cases, it’s no surprises that third time’s a charm. In COACHED IN THE ACT, Cat’s latest client winds up being suspect number one in the murder of femme fatale, and entertainer, Yelena Galanis. Yelena has produced a one-woman show that is the equivalent of a tell-all/tease about men she’s been romantically involved with. Naturally this ruffles some feathers, and her violent death is almost a forgone conclusion. Cat, aided by her BFF Gilley, sets out to find the guilty party and clear her client – and several other friends who just happen to find themselves in the hotseat.

Over the course of the investigation, several twists and turns have the characters and the reader wondering if there are several separate crimes, or whether everything is connected. I love mysteries like that, with multiple puzzles for the reader to theorize over. The bulk of the sleuthing involves trying to decipher who Yelena’s veiled digs in her show were about, and then sorting out the alibis. The more they learn about the victim, the more predatory she seemed when she was alive. In some ways, COACHED IN THE ACT is reminiscent of a 1930s or 40s film noir with a glamorous yet wicked villain and shadowy characters littering the landscape. Gilley experiences some personal drama in this installment, but Cat is as good a friend as he was to her when she was experiencing her own relationship issues. The chemistry with this friendship gets better with each book, with the characters finding a good groove that really hadn’t experienced in their other respective series. I like that Cat’s cop boyfriend isn’t patronizing, as detective boyfriends tend to be in other cozy mystery series.

COACHED IN THE ACT has a ruthless victim, a determined murderer, and some unlikely but lovable and entertaining amateur sleuths. Set in the fancy territory of East Hampton, where Cat makes her home base, Victoria Laurie succeeds at creating a sense of place and making the location another character. Mystery fans should enjoy this great mix of cozy mystery fab and suspense. As always, I look forward to Victoria Laurie’s next mystery.

Life coach Cat and her best friend Gilley return in Coached in the Act, the third book in their cozy mystery series.

In a new gossipy one-woman play in town, Yelena is both playwright and star. Her tell-all about twelve men she dated is anonymous. Until the evening that Cat and Gilley attend. Yelena is planning to name names after the final act. However, someone acts fast and kills her during intermission. Cat’s newest client is arrested for Yelena’s murder so Cat and Gilley race to find the killer. But first, they need to discover the real identities of the play’s characters.

First of all, I love the characters in the book. They are funny but act realistically. Both Cat and Gilley have rocky romantic pasts. But they are trying to move forward with their lives. There are actually several mysteries within the book that keeps the pacing brisk. Overall, Coached in the Act is a charming and funny cozy mystery that you shouldn’t miss. 4 stars!

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

Coached in the Act by Victoria Laurie is the 3rd 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'm always 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/series. Of course for a better understanding read a series in order. Cat is now a life coach in East Hampton, after a unexpected divorce. Cat and her best friend, and assistant, Gilley, are busy trying to get Cat more clients, and finding dead bodies. This book has everything, humor, excitement, romance, and mystery. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I strongly recommend this book/series 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.

This third series written by Victoria Laurie brings its main characters over from her previous two series. Cat is the sister of Abby Cooper from the Psychic Eye series and her friend Gilley is from the Ghost Hunter series. Together they make a great duo in their own mysteries.
Cat is a life coach in the Hamptons, home of the wealthy, many of whom have plenty of secrets hiding in their closets. When Yelena goes on stage in a production of Twelve Angry Men there are a lot of local men who are angry that this is a kiss and tell production. Before the performance is over, Yelena has gotten the final curtain. It isn't long before Cat and Gilley are up to their chins with the investigation. The police are focusing on one of Cat's clients and she is positive that he couldn't have done it. So who, of the other men cruelly skewered in her final production, was determined enough to keep secrets in such a deadly fashion?
I won't say any more for fear of committing spoilers but I can say that this series has it all for this reader - a well crafted mystery and great characters.
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 on the case. This one is a mystery full of suspects! Fast paced plotting keeps the story flowing and before I knew it I had read the book in one sitting. I figured out the bad guy very early but it didn't take away from the story. And there were still some shocking revelations I didn't see coming. I love the small update on M.J. and Heath. I also really enjoy the relationship between Cat and Shepard. Although Marcus has a special place in my heart. And that ending! Left me wanting the next book now. I can't wait to see where things go next.

Love this series. Love Sebastian, love Gilley, love Cat. I can never put these books down. So fantastic! Cannot wait for the next book!

I’ve been a fan of this author for a long time, and I was so glad when she started this series with Abby’s sister Cat as the protagonist. This latest in the series has Gilley and Cat once again knee-deep in a murder investigation because they are involved in many different ways. I always find this author’s books well-written, fun, and engaging, and this one was no different. Sometimes Cat seems maybe a tad too divaish, but not really in a bad way. I did figure out who the villain was fairly quickly, but that was OK. I was curious in the whys. I look forward to more in this series, especially at the end when…well, read it and find out. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

This is such a good series with great charcter development and always a good sleuth. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. This is a series I highly recommend.

This is the 3rd book in the Life Coach Mysteries series. Cat Cooper (Abby’s sister, from the Psychic Eye series) and Gilley, from the Ghost Hunter Mysteries are the main protagnist in this series and what a great duo they are.

When a murder occurs of a nefarious woman one of Cat’s coaching clients is a suspect. Cat and Gilley work together like a finely tuned team to solve the mystery of her death and clear Cat's client who she believes is innocent. A well crafted sleuth that kept me guessing to completion.

Another fantastic book by Victoria Laurie. There was so much to love about this - the writing is easy to read and flows well, the story puts the mystery up front but also has plenty of character development filled with humor and touching moments, and the characters themselves are lovable and relatable. Bonus points for adding a rescue pup. The ending seemed to come up too quickly and a little rushed but all loose ends were tied up. Can't wait for the next one!

This is the 3rd book in the Life Coach Mysteries series. I’m a big fan of Victoria Laurie and her series, I like how the characters overlap. The main characters in this series are Cat Cooper (Abby’s sister, from the Psychic Eye series) and Gilley, from the Ghost Hunter Mysteries.

A well known and controversial woman is killed, and one of Cat’s coaching clients is a suspect. Cat, with help from Gilley, wants to clear his name and find the real killer. I couldn’t put the book down once I started reading it, and the identity of the killer was a surprise until the very end! Great writing and an interesting plot. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Finally!! Gilley has grown up and isn’t nearly as annoying and childish as his previous iterations in Victoria Laurie’s books. He has turned into a deeply caring and thoughtful person. Good Job Gilly!!

No matter how hard Cat tries to keep her head down and her life coaching business afloat, murder finds her. Not only does it arrive in the form of a man stumbling into her table at a coffee shop, but there was also the slight issue of a one-woman show which was set to name names. Including a name that hits too close to home leaving Cat and her detective boyfriend reeling from the implications.

Victoria Laurie’s books are perfect for a weekend. There is humor and compassion and just enough mystery to keep the reader turning the pages.