There isn’t anything exciting or intense that stands out with this story, but I did enjoy meeting the characters and going on surveillance and doughnut runs with Emma and Mickey.

Emma McCarthy moves back home to Plymouth, Massachusetts after her acting career fails to take off. She rents a cute little cottage on the beach and begins working at the private investigation agency left to her and her mother by her father. Initially I really thought this wasn’t going to be successful for Emma because a: she isn’t a licensed PI, b: she has no experience or training as a private investigator and c: there doesn’t seem to be enough work in this community to keep them occupied.

I will happily admit that I was pleasantly surprised at how likable the characters were. Emma was easy to relate to and what she lacks in experience and training, she makes up for in tenacity and willingness to learn. Emma’s mom, Cindy, was equally likable. She helps out in the office, scheduling appointments with prospective clients while also managing her own yoga studio. There is a side story for Cindy and a prospective boyfriend that I enjoyed as well.

My favorite character is Mickey, an octogenarian retired police detective, who is the agency’s part-time employee. I loved this character and his love of doughnuts. He takes Emma under his wing and begins showing her the ropes right from the start and their relationship comes naturally.

While this agency usually deals with the typical cheating spouse or workman’s comp fraud cases, they end up taking on a missing person’s case that turns into a murder investigation. Out of all of the people at this agency, Mickey is the only one who would have any experience working a homicide investigation, but before I could process what is going on, Emma is taking on an undercover temporary assignment at the law firm where the dead woman worked.

The case is resolved very quickly without bogging the reader down with tons of details and potential suspects. In fact, I hadn’t begun to formulate any of my own theories about the perpetrator and the story was concluding.

My Final Verdict: Overall, this story was enjoyable. The character development was smooth and seamless, evoking empathy from me. I found the characters to be likable and easy to relate to and am interested in what happens to them next. The story didn’t move at a fast pace, but was wrapped up without any warning, which left me initially wondering if I missed something.

The narration of this story was performed by Leslie Howard and, though, I can’t recall any other titles she has read, her performance was well done on this story. I recommend this book to readers of mysteries and general fiction. The possibility of romance looms on the horizon for Cindy and, possibly, Emma, which may be explored in future installments.

This book kept you guessing until the end. Just when you think you have it figured out, that person gets cleared from being a suspect. I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to more books on this series.

WOW!
I didn't go into this book expecting too much, but I was blown away at what a quick, fantastic read it was.

Emma and her mom, Cindy inherit a PI Agency, which comes complete with a octogenarian. Mickey is a retired cop turned PI who helps the ladies get up an running. While she expects the usual cheating spouses and fraud cases, she doesn't expect to get pulled into a missing person case, let alone a murder investigation.

A well written novel with great details, you can really feel yourself in Plymouth. Nice amount of clues dropped through the book, and a great twist of an ending! I can't wait to read more from this series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audio book!

After listening to Plymouth Undercover, I was left with mixed feelings about it. I certainly enjoyed the novel and the audiobook was entertaining, but there were a few things left to be desired. Primarily, some of the romances in the novel felt a little forced and some of the dialogue was stiff. That all being said, I enjoyed the twist reveal at the end and I will certainly be picking up the next novel in the series.

There are a lot of reviewers who liked this book, but it really didn't work for me. It's a somewhat cute cozy mystery with a pretty predictable ending. Told in the tell, don't show style, the characters are not well-developed, but there were a lot of detailed descriptions of what Emma (who needed to maintain her petite actress figure) ate. I was not a huge fan of the narrator either, her voice was too breathy.

Plymouth Undercover by Pamela M. Kelley
Narrated by Leslie Howard
Publisher: Piping Plover Press
Publication Date: August 3, 2021
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers

Plymouth Undercover by Pamela M. Kelley is a standalone mystery. I enjoyed it so much that I hope it becomes a series!

This was such a great homecoming story. Emma returned home to take over her Dad's PI business with her mom and I got to return home to Massachusetts for a short time!

I really enjoyed this book. The story moves quickly and the mystery was great! I loved the misdirection used to keep you guessing about who did it!

The narration by Leslie Howard was wonderful! I love how she gave each character their own voice!

I'm so grateful to Pamela M. Kelley, Piping Plover Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Great new series!! This is an adorable mystery series. I loved the character development. Emma and Cindy are a mother-daughter crime fighting duo... by default when they are left Emma's dad's private detective agency. Plus Mickey is great!

I was not expecting the twist ending, however I do feel like it moved to through the ending too abruptly.

I will definitely be reading the second in the series when it comes out!

The cover drew me in and really made me feel that the book was about a strong woman finding herself. The narration was easy to listen to.

I would recommend this book.

Plymouth Undercover is a mystery from Pamela Kelley, that I enjoyed. I have only read one book of hers before, a women fiction story, so was surprised that I enjoyed this so much. Emma McCarthy has been trying to make it big as an actress, but when her father dies, she returns home to Plymouth, Mass. She and her mom, Cindy, have inherited a P.I. Firm, Court Street Investigations. Emma worked in the office when she was younger and has fond memories of Mickey, her dad's one employee. Mickey is an 80 year old retired police detective and he is ready to show Emma the ropes. They are ready for the normal cases, cheating spouses, comp cases and the occasional missing person who skipped out on rent, but they were not expecting the case they were approached about on Emma's first day on the job. They have been hired to locate a missing person which ended up being a murder investigation.

I enjoyed the characters working at the firm, they were well developed and fleshed out. I like that Emma is happy with her new job and not bitter that her acting career didn't work out. She is ready to learn everything and eventually get her P.I. license. Cindy and Emma's dad were divorced so she is dating at this time and I am looking forward to learning more about her, if this becomes a series. Mickey is wonderful. He is a bit gruff, but knows what he is doing and wants to take care of Emma and make sure she is not hurt. The mystery was well plotted and interesting. There were lots of suspects and I enjoyed seeing how Emma and Mickey work together to solve it. The clues were dropped along the way, with a few red herrings, which allows the reader to solve the mystery along with Emma. I have never been to Plymouth, so I enjoyed the descriptions of the small town and the food. Overall, this was an enjoyable mystery, bordering on a cozy, and I hope this will become a series. Leslie Howard narrates the audiobook and it was enjoyable to listen to. She has a very pleasant voice and is easy to listen to. She gives individual voices to the female characters, but her male voices sound very feminine and similar. That is often the issue when there is only one narrator. I did like the voice she gave Mickey, though. Her expression and emotion added to the story and I will listen to other books she narrates. I recommend this story to those who enjoy a cozy mystery in either book or audiobook.

This was a good cozy mystery. I especially enjoyed being able to visualize the setting since I’m from the area. I was completely surprised with the ending, I had no idea who the murderer was before the end. The narrator was also well suited to the story, which always adds an added level of atmosphere to the book.

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have absolutely loved cozy mysteries lately and this was no different! I loved this premise of a daughter taking over the private investigator business after her dad passed away. A lot of small town banter and drama!

Plymouth Undercover by Pamela M. Kelley is a breezy mystery that will please fans of Mary Higgins Clark.
In the first installment of The Court Street Investigations series, Emma leaves behind her struggling acting career to join her mother Cindy in Plymouth, Massachusetts after her father passes away. When Cindy takes over her late husband's P. I. Agency, the two women tackle investigative work alongside Mickey, an eighty your old part time detective at the agency.

We spend time in both Cindy and Emma's perspectives which I enjoyed. I felt like I got a little more from Emma's viewpoint, and would have liked even more of Cindy.
While most of their cases involve cheating spouses, they are hired on to a missing persons case that soon leads to an investigation of murder.
The mystery develops quickly due to the shorter length of the story, and I was certain that I knew who the killer was right up until the end. I was wrong.
I enjoyed Leslie Howard's narration of the story. Her voice is clear and pleasant to listen to.

My favorite aspects of this story were the setting and the premise. I will definitely read the next book in this enjoyable new series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Piping Plover Press for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review

Plymouth Undercover wanted to be a good story. Had a great plot, but just does not live up to its potential. The characters are pretty shallow and incredible. A wannabe actress chucks her “dream” to come back and take over running her father’s private investigation firm? She and her mother/partner immediately take on a missing persons cum murder case? No experience, no license – except for an 80-year-old employee (not partner, manager or owner of the company). It begs credulity.

Every step taken, sight seen, thought… thought is spelled out in full detail plus, with an over the top obsession with food. Details in a story help develop the characters or move the story forward, when there is a point to them. But when the “point” feels like the detail is merely to stretch the word count far enough to qualify as a novel rather than a short story, it is too much. That is the case here.

The narrator needs to learn how to narrate without gasping for air. Additionally, she sounds more like a starry-eyed child than someone who believes they are going to be a successful private investigator. There is no strength behind the voice. No drive, no determination. It verges on simpering – and is not pleasant or appropriate for the story.

Plymouth Undercover wanted to be a good story. Had a great plot, but just does not live up to its potential. The characters are pretty shallow and incredible. A wannabe actress chucks her “dream” to come back and take over running her father’s private investigation firm? She and her mother/partner immediately take on a missing persons cum murder case? No experience, no license – except for an 80-year-old employee (not partner, manager or owner of the company). It begs credulity.

Every step taken, sight seen, thought… thought is spelled out in full detail plus, with an over the top obsession with food. Details in a story help develop the characters or move the story forward, when there is a point to them. But when the “point” feels like the detail is merely to stretch the word count far enough to qualify as a novel rather than a short story, it is too much. That is the case here.
The narrator needs to learn how to narrate without gasping for air. Additionally, she sounds more like a starry-eyed child than someone who believes they are going to be a successful private investigator. There is no strength behind the voice. No drive, no determination. It verges on simpering – and is not pleasant or appropriate for the story.

In all, it was neither a pleasant story nor listen. It reads more like a young high school student’s short story assignment submission that only managed to garner a C.

This quick listen is not quite a cozy mystery and definitely not a thriller, but it hits a sweet spot somewhere in between. The characters are the main draw of the story, but the mystery plot is the perfect vehicle for readers to enjoy getting to know them. Like this author's Nantucket series, Plymouth Undercover is a great feel-good palate cleanser to enjoy between heavier reads.

I really enjoyed this mystery! I'd give it a 4.5. It kind of has the feel of a cozy, as it's definitely not hard-boiled in tone or anything. But the main character is a private detective--or almost. Emma tried to make it in Hollywood as an actress, but at the age of 30, she moves back to her hometown, where she and her mom have inherited the detective agency owned by Emma's dad. The point of view changes between Emma and her mom were occasionally confusing in audiobook form, but the story was good. A real crime, a worried mom, a novice detective (but who grew up helping her dad with various agency stuff), and an elderly bona fide detective employee all add up to a super enjoyable read. I'll be looking for more in this series.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had a break in my schedule between audiobooks so I went looking to see what might be coming out soon that interested me and discovered Plymouth Undercover by Pamela M. Kelley. It came out at the beginning of the month. I wasn't familiar with this author but this light mystery sounded just like what I was looking for.

Emma has tried her hand at acting but like so many before her, she just isn't able to find her break. So she returns home to help her mother run the private investigation agency that they inherited. She finds she gets to do a little acting, sort of, when she goes undercover to solve the case of what started as a missing person but turns into a murder investigation. And here they thought they would be following cheating spouses and workers comp scams.

I think I might need a real vacation - like away from my home not just from work - as I found myself much more interested in the coastal locale than the actual plot of the story.

I'm finding that I'm not usually a fan of the first book in a series. But this one is a solid start to the Court Street Investigations series. I enjoyed the characters. It was a little difficult to distinguish some of the characters as I didn't think narrator Leslie Howard made the male characters sound masculine enough. On more than one occasion I was wondering who Emma was talking to as I thought it was a female but there would be references to my/your wife which nowadays doesn't always indicate that the person is male.

Plymouth Undercover leans more towards cozy mystery than suspense/thriller mysteries but there isn't the usual cast of quirky characters or funny missteps that often marks a story as a cozy. Still, this book would make a great light read for a late summer trip to the beach or the weekend at the pool.

I will definitely be keeping my eye for more books in this series. And seeing as Kelley's other books are set in Nantucket I will have to look for them, too.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Monday, August 16 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/08/plymouth-undercover-by-pamela-m-kelley.html

I really enjoyed the interaction between the characters in Plymouth Undercover and the storyline kept me engaged; however, I felt the characters were very one dimensional and would have liked more insight into the main characters’ feelings and backgrounds.

I was surprised by the ending and cannot wait for the next book. I love a mystery and I also love that romance wasn’t a main focal point for the main characters.

This was my first book by this author but I’m excited for the next!

Plymouth Undercover
Book1 of 1: Court Street Investigations
Pamela Kelley
This is the first book in a new series by author Pamela Kelley.
Emma McCarthy was an actress living in LA; she had done some commercials and small parts, but she doubted she would ever make it big. After the death of her father Emma returned to Plymouth, Massachusetts for the funeral where she discovered she and her mother, Cindy had inherited his private investigation agency. Emma decided to give up acting; she rented a small cottage on the beach and began investigative work. Retired Police Detective, Mickey, was an energetic 80-year-old who worked with her dad part-time; they asked him to continue working for them and share his invaluable knowledge and expertise. Emma had enjoyed helping her father with a few cases in the past. Cindy enjoyed running the business. Most of their cases were cheating spouses or Workmen Comp fraud.
Their first big case took them by surprise; they were hired to locate a missing person. The young female attorney had been missing for several weeks. Shortly after they begin their investigation the young woman’s body washed to shore; their client asked them to continue their investigation. Emma’s acting ability comes in a bit handy during their investigation.
This is a rather short story at only 236 pages. I would call this a cozy mystery; the story is clean, easy to read and held my attention. The plot moves along at a slow but steady pace. This tale was not meant to be an edge of your seat crime novel. It is exactly what it is supposed to be, a good book to curl up with on a cold winter day. The characters are all interesting. Both the main characters and secondary are well fleshed out. This book introduces readers to the characters, the setting and the premise behind the series. I am eager to see what cases the Court Street Investigations tackle next.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for the audio ARC of Plymouth Undercover. I loved the characters and the mystery. This was a fun light-hearted read. I look forward to reading more in the series.

Loved this suspense , a new direction for me with this author , (love her Nantucket series). Emma and her mother has inherited her father's Agency along with a fun spirited 80 year old Micki who spends his day Sleuthing and showing Emma the ropes . They stumble upon a possible murder when a woman asks or help finding her missing daughter . Page turner for sure , cant wait to see what comes next .

Plymouth Undercover by Pamela M. Kelley

The first book in a new series by Pamela M. Kelley! A new author to me! A good, quick mystery!!

Emma McCarthy, 30 years old, moved back home to Plymouth, MA, after failing to become and actress. Her and her mother, Cindy, recently inherited Court Street Investigations and it’s one employee, Mickey, who is an 80 year old retired police detective!

Excited for typical cases of cheating spouses and workman’s comp! But soon find they have a reputation for solving murders!

They are hired to help find a local missing woman! Can they find her before it’s too late? Find out who is responsible for her disappearance?

I love the mother and daughter taking over the investigation firm!! So sweet! Enjoyed the characters and added romance.

I do feel the end seemed a little rushed and over with quickly, but I still really enjoyed it!!

I also really enjoyed the narrator!!

Thank you Pamela M. Kelley, Piping Plover Press and NetGalley for the audio to listen to this book in return for my honest review!