With each book, the series gets better. This can be enjoyed as part of the series or as a standalone. The characters are well-rounded and entertaining. The mystery is well-developed and unpredictable. Organizational tips are a bonus to the story. Cozy mystery fans will enjoy this series.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

The mystery in Death Loves a Messy Desk is pretty good. An office manager hires Charlotte Adams to organize the horrifically messy (think old food and rodent droppings) desk of a co-worker, Barb. Except that on her way to the office, she's almost run off the road. And when she arrives, she gets sucked into office politics that are even messier than Barb's desk. Then Barb goes missing, one of the office workers is murdered, and somehow, Charlotte is right smack in the middle of it all.

The big reveal took me completely by surprise -- I didn't suspect that person at all, and I like how the reveal of their identity also peeled back some layers into their true personality. There were also some surprising reveals throughout the story, especially once Charlotte digs deeper into Barb's background, and I found that the minor twists kept the story engaging.

That being said, as an intro to a series, Messy Desk left me somewhat underwhelmed. Charlotte was a pretty good series lead. I think her job in organizing people's spaces sounds awesome. I also liked the subplot about training her dogs to be therapy dogs, and I'm only disappointed that plot thread was dropped pretty quickly. But Charlotte also came off as whiny and needy with her friends, which at times turned irritating. For example, she kept interrupting her best friend Margaret's sexytimes, often to insult Margaret's choice of lover, or to complain about her friend Jack never being around anymore. At one point, Margaret sets a very understandable boundary and demands that since she's busy, she can only talk to Charlotte about matters that are actually urgent. In response, Charlotte insists on talking about Jack, and because Margaret is such a good friend, she takes a break from her night with her lover to give Charlotte advice.

Worse was Charlotte's obsession over why Jack is no longer ever around. I figure there'll likely be a romance brewing between them at some point in the series, but within this novel at least, her frustration about him not spending time with her just comes off as a clingy / jealous / possessive girlfriend. It becomes even more frustrating because it's unclear (at least to me as a series newbie) what their relationship actually is, and it's only near the end where I learn he's only her landlord and friend who once had a crush on her. At one point, Jack's actual girlfriend answers his phone and says he's in the meeting, and Charlotte pretends to have an emergency just to get him to talk to her. The story paints the girlfriend as a villain -- all gorgeous and mean girl -- and Jack later begs Charlotte for forgiveness for ignoring her. But honestly, it mostly just seemed like Jack had a life outside of Charlotte, and Charlotte wasn't willing to accept that. 

I also really disliked the character of Nick, the detective who investigates the crime. Bumbling detectives are a pretty standard trope in cozy mysteries -- which makes sense, as it paves the way for the amateur series lead to solve the mystery themselves -- but Nick is so incompetent that it's a wonder he's lasted at his job for so long. He acts completely lost during the investigation, asks obvious questions, and repeats questions that have already been answered. Even when Charlotte practically guides him through the answers, he still can't figure out what happened. I can imagine his character being written as comic relief, but it just came off annoying after a while.

Overall, the mystery wasn't bad, but the series didn't quite hook me.

+

Thank you to Beyond the Page Publishing for an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

In Death Loves a Messy Desk Charlotte Adams is feeling lonely and has some time on her hands. She attends an event for charity recruitment and awareness one Sunday afternoon and whilst there is offered a job, by Fredelle Newhouse of Quovadicon to organise the cluttered work area of Barb Douglas, a relatively new employee. Charlotte's business is thriving and she doesn't really need the work but agrees anyway. When Charlotte arrives to meet Barb, she is nowhere to be seen and it soon becomes apparent she has vanished.

My third instalment in Mary Jane Maffini's Charlotte Adams Professional Organizer Mystery series was just as good as the first two. Professional organiser Charlotte is a marvellous protagonist whom I find to be compassionate and smart. The book is well-crafted, rich in humour, swift-paced and thoroughly entertaining. The mystery is very engaging and I was kept guessing until later on in this lively tale. I am already looking forward to catching up with Charlotte and her friends in the next instalment, 'Closet Confidential'. Very highly recommended.

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

Charlotte is back and soon to be in up to her eye balls in tracking down a killer. She has a booming business business helping people deal with their clutter, all sizes of clutter. While attending an event for training dogs to visit the sick and the elderly she is approached to take a small case of clutter - a very messy office desk. She agrees but soon finds that the situation is way beyond a cluttered work environment. The employee with the messy desk has gone missing and dead bodies show up. As Charlotte isn't a stranger to the occasional homicide investigation, she snoops until she has the answers. The killer has other ideas and Charlotte finds her on the killer's list.
This is a five book series and I'm so glad that they are being reprinted. Charlotte is a fun character full of flaws that show how real she is, very human. She can be self centered, a bit obnoxious and knows how to whine. Aside from that she has a talent we could all make use of - I'd be first in line to hire her to sort out my digs. Her friends are a great bunch and they look out for each other - most of the time, anyway. If you like humor in your cozies, this one delivers. Add a coupe of Mini wiener dogs named Truffle and Sweet Marie who have attitude (in all caps) and a solid mystery to keep you guessing, this is a series not to be missed.
My thanks to the publisher Beyond the Page and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mary Jane Maffini is a new to me author. This is the first book I have read of hers. I found the premise intriguing, so I gave the book a try.

Apparently, events in the last book have left our protagonist a bit jumpy and on edge. She seems to be needy for the time being and hopefully, she will regain some confidence.

You would never think organizing could lead to murder but it does in this story. The plot is thought out and it was a good diversion from regular life.

I was given an advanced reader’s copy from Netgalley and am not required to leave a positive review.

Charlotte has a quiet life with two mini dachshunds, a couple of long-time friends, and an organizing business. She likes to dress with a certain flair, loves shoes, and drives a little Miata sports car.

As a favor, she takes on an unusual organizing project at a local shipping business; it centers around an incredibly messy desk. But that's where strange events and dynamics just begin--like the epicenter of an earthquake. Charlotte doesn't miss corporate life, but she never worked in an office with such bizarre behavior.

On the home front, she offered to help her best friend Jack on a committee to raise money for a dog rescue, but she has been barred from helping. At all. And suddenly, Jack is too busy to talk or return her calls. And when she needs help--as lone detectives often do--Jack is strangely absent.

Add all of this to her recent traumatic experience (in the previous book), which has left her fearful and jumpy, and Charlotte isn't sure whether to trust her instincts. This is a terrible time to wonder whether her friends still care. Because she can't stop looking for the missing woman or asking intrusive questions. Talent or curse, Charlotte is tenacious. And everyone--friend and foe--wants Charlotte to stop putting her nose where it doesn't belong.

I can't say that I liked Charlotte. She wants lot of attention; thinking things like "But what about me?"...she's whiny. And she leans heavily on ice cream for emotional comforting. I suppose she's a "realistically flawed character" as some people love to say.

What I like about Charlotte is that despite her fears and obvious insecurities, she goes out and gets things done. She is threatened by an unbalanced man, but tries to understand his perspective. And she assumes the best about people until evidence shows otherwise. This can lead to trouble, but she doesn't regret her positive assumptions. It's refreshing.

I enjoyed this story and laughed in the appropriate places. Some situations were convoluted, but I'm beginning to suspect that many real-life situations and crimes are as well.

I plan to read other books in the series, and hope Charlotte's character matures.

This book may require a little more attention to detail than a murder at an inn, but it's a fun read, and some of the tips that head each chapter are pretty helpful!

4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the pleasure of previewing this ebook!

#DeathLovesAMessyDesk #NetGalley

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I liked the first book enough to finish it. I struggled through the second book because Charlotte was becoming a trying protagonist. This one just did nothing for me. I think I am done with this series.

Funny, suspenseful cozy murder mystery that I absolutely loved and enjoyed every minute of.~ Recommending it to reader friends and librarians for their quirky readers that like something they might not normally discover. Really well done.

I enjoyed reading this book for the most part, but I did have a problem with a police officer being dumb in the story. I know it is a fictional story, but it should contain some realistic features, I feel. Potential police officers have to pass an IQ test before they are recruited by police departments. I didn't find the IQ of officer Nick to be a laughing matter in the story. I know some people will disagree with me, but so be it.

Charlotte Adams is at it again!

I have really enjoyed this series thus far. The Cluttered Corpse was the first book I had read in this series, and I immediately dug into Death Loves a Messy Desk. This book picks up shortly after where The Cluttered Corpse left off. Charlotte is still a little jumpy from her last murderous find and trying to get her life back to somewhat normal. When she has an opportunity to work for one of the biggest employers in her area, she jumps at the chance. Everything is not quite what it seems, and Charlotte once again lets her curiosity win out over her judgement.

This is a really fun, fast-paced cozy mystery. The characters are all very well established at this point and balance out one another's personalities beautifully. The pacing of the mystery itself is on point and kept me up later than I wanted to be because I just couldn't put the book down. The bonus organizational tips that are included, plus the inside look at some of Charlotte's jobs, are a fun bonus for this Home Edit fan.

Overall, I love this series and I would highly recommend it. I can't wait to see what Charlotte gets herself into next!

Thank you NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for the chance to read this book in exchange for my review!

Having seen my share of desks from hell in various workplaces, I can relate to what Charlotte is dealing with,not including murder though. Lots of surprises and engaging until the end.

Charlotte Adamsis a professional organiser , and seems to keep getting involved in mysteries and uses in her own snooping / detection skills to try and find the answers.
This is the first in the series I have read , but there is enough back story for you to read this book as a stand alone.
Charlotte is hired to sort out a very messy desk in a company , but things aren’t as they first seem , and the job escalates quickly putting Charlotte’s life in danger.
The book is an easy and quick read and there are a nice mix of characters, to sum up I find the book an enjoyable cozy mystery and look forward to read more in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing.

Another fantastic addition to my favorite series.

In Death Loves a Messy Desk , friendships are tested, dogs are trained and messy desks galore! Um...

When Charlotte is called to help set up a messy desk in an organization, never did she think she would entangle herself in yet another murder mystery. Her group of misfit friends are too busy or too tired to listen to Charlotte's woes. The silver lining : Charlotte and Pepper make peace - finally! But cannot say the same about Charlotte and Jack - he's too busy to say hello (how dare he!!).

Having read the first two books of this series, I found the quirk factor to be a tad low in this book. The mystery behind the murder and the missing employee kept me guessing till the end.

Charlotte Adams and her organization skills are back to help organize the desk of a very messy new employee. Some of the other employees are complaining about the mess and Charlotte is called in to resolve the issue and ease workplace tension. When she gets to the office, the messy employ is not there to meet. She has some other ideas to help organize the company and ease other office tensions. Soon they discover that the messy employ is missing and Charlotte is quickly becoming the main suspect. Can she find the missing employee or will she be convicted for a crime that she didn't commit or winds up a victim? This is another book by Mary Jane Maffini that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can't wait to read more.

Another highly organized mystery, this time involving the desk from hell in a shared workspace. Lots of twists and turns with this one- mistaken identity, red herrings, and some personal drama, of course.

I am still enjoying learning more about Charlotte, her town, friends and new business. It looks like she might be realizing she has feelings for Jack, and maybe something will happen with that.

Charlotte is a interesting character in that you admire her passion while her personality can get annoying. She can come off self absorbed and whinny.
The mystery was great lots of surprises and turns. One of her co workers goes missing and she can’t help but be in the middle of the investigation.
#DeathLovesaMessyDesk #NetGalley

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. A thoroughly engaging mystery that I could not put down.

If you've read the first two books in the series, you know what to expect with Charlotte. She's an opinionated know it all who gets invested in something and doesn't give up despite what others think or tell her. It can come off as a tad obnoxious, maybe a smidge more so in this one. She is super self absorbed in the guise of helping people.

The mystery in this one was quite involved which was a plus. The reader is kept guessing about what's happening and who the bad person is. I don't think we ultimately end up with answers to everything that is brought up though.

I think the biggest negative to this book is that the work environment and staff at Quovadicon don't make sense. I have worked at some dysfunctional places, but this one takes the cake.

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

3.5 books

What a fun cozy mystery. I wasn't all that crazy about Charlotte, as she came across as whiny on occasion, but I enjoyed sleuthing things out. Lots of fun clues, as well as a couple unexpected twists. I noticed this is part of a series, and I haven't read the others, but this made sense as a standalone. I suspect I'd appreciate the characters more if I'd read the series in order, so I may check them out at some point.

This story has much more depth than your usual 'cozy mystery'. Charlotte Adams is a professional organiser, usually of closets and domestic settings, but she has been invited to organise a spectacularly messy desk at a business address. However, on arrival she finds the owner of the desk missing, and the co-workers are behaving in a strange manner. The office politics and downright rudeness of some of Barb's colleagues are intriguing. Charlotte is then drawn into a series of life-threatening events, as she struggles to find out what has happened to Barb and why. Ably assisted by her two dogs, Truffle and Sweet Marie, as well as her friends, she investigates relentlessly. But why has her closest friend Jack suddenly become unavailable?

Its a fun read, light but with hidden depths. I enjoyed it very much and will be looking out for others in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.