As I read through this wonderful book by Nikki Knight, I couldn't help but keep thinking "She's going to get letters."
Live, Local, and Dead starts off with in-your-face, fantastic dry humour and doesn't let up from there. The main character, Jaye, is irreverent, funny, and relatable, and definitely admirable as well. The mystery of who stuck a body in a snowman, well, snowballs into more than it seems, keeping the reader eagerly turning pages to the end.
But this is more than a mystery. It's a pertinent commentary on the political and social situation in which we increasingly find ourselves in this day and age. It also demonstrated how the actions of everyday, decent people can make a difference. And the views that Knight expresses through her characters are more than likely going to rub some people the wrong way.
Yes, she's going to get letters. Or maybe not - the type of people who would be tempted to write those letters might not be bothered to give the book a read at all.
Regardless, I am happy to have read it and hope more will follow in this series. Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #LiveLocalandDead - I enjoyed it immensely. It is well written and thought provoking, all while being extremely entertaining. It is hands down one of the best cozy mysteries I've read.

What another wonderful cozy mystery. If you need a good mystery with no gore then this is the way to go. Great read!

Before I get into the review I do want to mention that I think the publisher may want to rethink putting Live, Local, and Dead into the cozy mystery genre. While there are aspects to it that fit (small community and a mystery) I think of it more as a light romantic suspense. I can see die-hard cozy fans being disappointed in it and giving it less stars or a bad review because of this.

Now that said, I really enjoyed Nikki Knight’s (aka Kathleen Kalb) first book in the Vermont Radio Mysteries. The characters and small town caring community really shines and we get a dose of politicians and right wing media that I often try to avoid, but Knight was able to write about these topics in a bit of a lighter way while still showing how they can affect people. If your political views lean heavily to the right, I could see how this book may not be one that you enjoy.

As another reviewer mentioned, these characters do seem to be the best versions of their imperfect selves and the bad guys do seem almost cartoonish in how evil they are, but for me this fictional view of the characters was what added to the story and helped me to be able to digest the politics.

There is a lot of flirting and romance in the story, and while we don’t get to read what’s happening behind bedroom doors (or in the DJ studio) it is pretty obvious. This is another area where I can see old-fashioned cozy readers taking issue with Live, Local, and Dead, but since I read erotica too, I thought it added a fun layer to the book.

I am looking forward to Knight’s next book in the series and catching up with Jaye and the rest of the wonderful and diverse characters, and learning more about Jewish customs.

Jaye is an absolute force not to be messed with. A Vermont radio DJ, she has faced quite a bit of drama in the time since leaving New York for small-town life. First the end of a relationship and now picketers after she's fired the previous DJ (Edwin, a bit of a hothead) who then turns up dead. Well, he doesn't exactly turn up as much as he's located when Jaye shoots the head off of a snowman that happens to be hiding Edwin's body. Now Jaye has to prove she wasn't the murder, even though she's the one holding the weapon.

This was a wonderful start to a cozy series that I can't wait to dive even more into.

4/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In the opening book of the Vermont Radio Mystery Series, Live, Local, and Dead, author Nikki Knight creates a cast of characters who could realistically be residents of any small town in the U.S. This book begins with the main character Jacqueline (Jaye) Jordan Metz fed up with a couple of protesters outside the radio station that she has recently purchased and delivers a message by using a musket owned by one of the protesters to shoot the head off of a snowman. As the snowman disintegrated, the body of the radio personality at the center of the protests is discovered.

Although this book is billed as a cozy mystery, I found that it was more of a romantic suspense novel. The author spent far more time detailing the history of the main characters and creating a new romantic interest for Jaye that on the mystery of how the victim died and ended up inside the snowman. When the culprit was, finally, identified, it was more of a relief than a reveal in terms of the very shallow mystery aspect. Also, much of the story was focused around the political aspirations of a single individual who attempted to utilize the controversies of the radio station to further her own personal agenda.

As a reader, I was disappointed by the erroneous genre label but I was able to look beyond the surface and enjoyed the writing style of the author. For future books in this series, I hope that more effort is taken to create truly interesting mysteries with all plot twists that make for a captivating read.

This book was provided to me free by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.

WOW, loved this book!!

It was such a great read and the characters were so well-crafted that I felt as if I knew them personally.

Can't wait to read more in the future!!

Synopsis:
In a fit of anger, radio DJ Jaye Jordan blows a snowman’s head off with a Revolutionary War-style musket. But the corpse that tumbles out is all too human. Jaye thought life would be quieter when she left New York City and bought a tiny Vermont radio station. But now, Edwin Anger—the ranting and raving radio talk show host who Jaye recently fired—lies dead in the snow. And the Edwin Anger fans who protested his dismissal are sure she killed him.

To clear her name, Jaye must find the real killer, as if she doesn’t have her hands full running the radio station, DJing her all-request love song show, and shuttling tween daughter Ryan to and from school. It doesn’t make matters easier that the governor—Jaye’s old crush—arrived on the scene before the musket smoke cleared. Fortunately, Jaye has allies…if you count the flatulent moose that lives in the transmitter shack, and Neptune, the giant gray cat that lives at the station.

If Jaye can turn the tables on the devious killer, she and the governor may get to make some sweet, sweet music together. But if she can’t, she’ll be off the air…permanently.

This is not your typical cozy mystery, but I really enjoyed reading it! This was very slice of life, with a mystery thrown in and kind of reminded me a bit like Rita Mae Brown books, but with even less sleuthing. The radio station setting was new and the characters and location are fun and interesting. Looking forward to book 2!

Following the breakdown of her marriage, broadcaster Jaye Jordan and her daughter buy and relocate to an ailing radio station in small town Vermont, with the goal of bringing live radio back.
She faces fierce opposition from local right-wing groups after her local programming takes satellite hate shows off air, and so the story opens. Interwoven with the story of the radio station is Jaye's budding romance with an old friend.

I was expecting a cosy murder mystery; instead this is a slice-of-life contemporary romance, filled with big-hearted small-town characters, sassy kids and an unexpected moose.

While it does paint an accurate picture of current political tensions from each side, as someone outside the United States, I do confess to finding some parts baffling, because I don't know the history of the region.

Speaking of histories - this book does go off onto tangents about the characters backstories. I found these to detract a little from the story.

But the author clearly works in broadcasting herself, and it shows; the technical side is written articulately and with obvious knowledge behind it.

A fun, engaging read

This is a debut book in the new series "Vermont Radio Mysteries". by Nikki Knight. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the ARC. This was a fun read and a different type of protagnist than the average cozy. A group of fun supporting charcters and a battle between right and wrong takes center stage.

The setting is a very small radio station in a small Vermont town.
DJ Jaye Jordan divorced, single mom buys the station. While she is welcomed by most of the town two conservatives are protesting. She fires one of their weapons at a snowman during their protest and the corpse of a national hateful conservative radio show host revels itself inside the snowman. ( Kudos to the author for killing off such a horrible person ) . Thus begins a investigation for Jaye and fear for her life when his fans blame her. I laughed out loud at the analogy between crazy trump supporter types vs the good people of the town . Its a right vs. wrong story hate vs. good and the good are winning in this scenario. This is cozy fun and has so much here that is fun and will make you laugh out loud. Well done to the author ! I look forward to the next in series.

NetGalley ARC in exchange for my honest review

This is a book for a very particular audience. . It’s fantasy set in the real world, where the heroes are the best possible versions of their imperfect selves, and the villains are cartoonish.
It’s not really a mystery, though the setup is there. It’s also not really a romance, though that takes up a good chunk of the book. It’s mostly about small town life and radio. If you want danger, conflict, and sleuthing, this is not the book. But if you want something pleasant and optimistic, give it a shot.
The tone is light and humorous, and it’s clear the author loves these characters.

LIVE LOCAL AND DEAD by Nikki Knight is the first in a new cozy series, Vermont Radio Mysteries. While I adore all of the bookshop and bakery mysteries, it was a delight to read one with such a unique setting - a small, indie radio station in a small Vermont town.

DJ Jaye Jordan, recently divorced, single mom took a buyout offer from an NYC station and buys the aforementioned station, ready to start over. This is going well until in a fit of pique when two ultra-conservatives are protesting the station, she takes one of their muskets and fires it at a snowman revealing the corpse of a national hate-mongering radio show host. Oops.

This sets off a stream of events with Jaye being harassed by the dead host’s fans. It also leads to her reconnecting her crush from years ago. Who just happens to be the governor.

This is a fun, cozy mystery - Jaye’s relatable as a small biz owner, single mom co-parenting her daughter, navigating a new relationship.

🔍Amateur sleuth
🔍Small town setting
🔍Quirky secondary characters
🔍Great friends group
🔍Animal sidekick
🔍Jewish rep
🔍Queer rep
🔍All of the liberal political views you could want
🔍Twisty mystery

This one kept me guessing until the end which I really appreciated. I’m looking forward to the next book.

For fans of Darynda Jones and Kincaid Harper.

I was confused from the start of this book. Why was Jaye shooting at the snowman in the first place? I just never got into the story and the mystery seemed lost amid the romance.

I always like to find new cozy series and authors and sometimes first books are great, and sometimes they seem all over the place. This unfortunately to me seemed to be going in too many threads to be able to cohesively keep my attention. That being said, I did like our main character, radio DJ Jaye Jordan.

This book starts off with Jaye shooting at a snowman and there happens to be a dead body inside. Seriously, was there ever a real explanation for why it was ok to shoot at a snowman? So it sounds like it could be an interesting mystery, except it turns out to be more of a romance than a whodunit.

Ultimately, I would have given this book a higher rating except the writing was so disjointed that following along with the story was difficult at times. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be reading any more in this series.

A first book in this new cozy mystery series. I have mixed opinions on this one. The story line was intriguing, and it truly started with a "Bang". But I had a hard time following the story at times. Seemed to be choppy, and with characters I wasn't sure who they were and how they fit into things. Overall it was and OK read. Humor was a bit quirky but I did get used to that. Hoping the next book in series flows a little smoother.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A new voice in the cozy-sphere, Live, Local and Dead (A Vermont Radio Mystery) by Nikki Knight introduces us to WSV radio DJ and station owner, Jaye Jordan.

Nikki Knight weaves a decent cozy mystery for our sleuth to solve, and in this story, the town really shines. I would like to visit ASAP, even if there is a snow or ice storm. Nikki Knight gives the reader a real flavor of Vermont from Maple syrup tasting and a friendly moose to that independent spirit of New England.

This book is more romance-heavy than some cozy mysteries. There is no love triangle, so if you like some nice romance but dislike a triangle, I think you'll be pleased. If you don't like any romance, this is not the book for you.

Jaye has a dry sense of humor which I enjoy in my reading. Jaye converted to Judaism and the Jewish faith plays a role in this book, I can't think of another cozy that I have read where the sleuth was Jewish and I liked learning about some of the traditions of the faith through Jaye especially when it came to discussion of Jewish Hamantaschen Cookies.

Where we find the dead body in this book sounds like something another writer dared Nikki Knight to try, unique to say the least. Additionally, the subplot hinges on one of my favorite motives, greed. Everything comes together nicely at the end and I would like to read more in this series. I'm giving this book 4 stars because of the witty writing, the depth of the characters and because we make it through a whole book wherein the amateur sleuth is not physically assaulted during the sleuthing--- which is far too common in cozies.

4 stars to #LiveLocalandDead thanks for the ARC #NetGalley! All the opinions are mine!

Debut of the Vermont Radio Mystery series.
DJ Jaye Jordan has purchased a radio station n Vermont to be closer to her
ex-husband so their daughter Ryan has easy access to both parents. The station's
format is switched from talk radio to music, angering the followers of former
talk show host Edwin Anger. His followers show up every Tuesday at the time the
show aired, marching around with muskets.
Jaye has had it with the protestors, grabs a musket from one of them and blows
off the head of a ten foot snowman left over from the Winter Carnival. Later on,
as the snowman falls apart, the body of Anger is revealed - cause of death to be
determined.
Not sure how I feel about the book - a story which happens to have a dead body
in it - not what I would classify as a mystery.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy - rating it a 2.5 rounded up to 3.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Live, Local, and Dead by Nikki Knight in exchange for an honest review. Jaye Jordon, a radio DJ who lives in Vermont, shot at a snowman. Turns out a dead man was inside it. This book is a quirky and wry humor story. It gave the reader an insight as what happens inside a radio station. Who would have thought of having a moose living in the transmitter shack.

DNF 20%

I have absolutely no idea what I just read. The writing is very stream-of-consciousness, like you just got dropped into the middle of a conversation and you can’t tell what they’re talking about. Every other paragraph switches to a completely different thought so there’s no catching up. Random names are dropped, for example they’re drinking whiskey and the main character pops in with Niall doesn’t like his poteen. I have no idea who Niall is or what poteen is, but before you can say “what the what” the story has taken another left turn and the topic is completely different. It’s also super political, which was off-putting.

I hate to give a bad review but I just couldn’t make heads or tails of this book and I can’t come up with anything positive to say about it.

NetGalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m sorry I couldn’t get all the way through it, I did the best I could.

Fun first in series book with memorable characters and well potted. Enjoyed the read immensely as we traveled to Texas for the relocation.

When your marriage collapses and you move back to your childhood town to give your daughter a more peaceful life, things can be difficult. Jacqueline, Jaye, Jordan anticipated problems along the way, especially as she had purchased the local radio station and fired the aptly named talk show host Edwin Anger.

What she hadn't anticipated was how her schoolgirl crush, who was now the local governor, still set her heart racing, nor had she planned on shooting a loaded musket, decapitating a snowman and finding Anger's dead body inside. Now Jaye has to discover who killed the shock jock and why, while trying to save her radio station, repair her reputation, and find out if she has a future in Vermont with Governor Will.

This is the first in the Vermont Radio Station mystery series and I have to admit to struggling with it quite a bit. The action at the beginning and end was entertaining enough to increase my rating from two stars to three but the bit in the middle didn't, for me, work as well. Also Jaye, although she improved, was brash and irritating at the start with a political slant which was in no way fictional.

By the end I had warmed to Jaye a little and I did like Will and some of the other protagonists enough that I will give this series a second chance with book two but it was touch and go for a while.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. While I can't heartily recommend this it might work if you want a less run of the mill cosy crime with the possibility of better to come in the future.