Thank you NetGalley for a pre-release of the Live, Local, and Dead Audiobook.

Overall, this was a decent book, but it sadly wasn't what I expected. It's more of a romance than a cozy mystery. Unlike other cozy mysteries, the main character wasn't sleuthing to solve the mystery. Instead, the majority of her dialogue and monologue was related to a budding relationship with the governor. I kept waiting for her to try and solve the mystery, but she didn't. However as a romance, it was enjoyable.

A delightful mystery with a bit more meat on the bone than your standard cozy mystery! This story is well plotted with multiple story lines overlaying to make one phenomenal plot that will keep you entertained and listening for hours. The narrator does an outstanding job of helping bring wonderfully well fleshed out characters to life and enhancing the emotions being portrayed by the author. After buying the radio station that gave her a great start in the field of being a radio DJ, Jaye Jordan finds herself the target of a hate group. However, is she really the target or is she the red herring to throw everyone off? You'll have to read or listen to find out! I am definitely hooked on these characters and really hope this is the start of a fabulous new series!

Jaye Jordan has moved back to her small hometown in Vermont to run the local radio station. Not everyone is happy about it, especially after she fires the ranting radio host that has quite a loyal follower. Fed up with the protesters, she fires a warning shot into a snowman. Unfortunately, someone had buried a body in the snowman. The dead body isn't Jaye's only concern. There's the matter of a pipe bomb at the radio station (which has an upstairs apartment where she lives) and then there was the threat with a graffitied swastika. In the midst of all this craziness, she also might get her chance to fall in love with an old crush.

From the cover and the storyline, Live, Local, and Dead looks like a cozy mystery and it is billed as a cozy. But in a lot of ways, it felt more like a regular mystery with a few cozy mystery tropes thrown in so that it is a lighter read.

I've mentioned before that I don't read many cozy mysteries that feature a parent. Jaye is a divorcee who has a 10-year-old daughter. She is friends with her ex and their divorce is the main reason for the move back to Vermont. It meant she would be closer to her ex, not because she wanted to get back together with him, but because it would be easier for her daughter to keep her father in her life.

Another difference from the other cozies I read - Jaye is Jewish. She converted when she married her ex. I can't think of another cozy mystery that I read that has a Jewish main character. This allows for the story to address issues of antisemitism.

The biggest difference though is how the mystery is handled. Jaye isn't your typical cozy mystery sleuth. It didn't really feel like she was trying to solve the mystery. Her part in solving the mystery was more like what would happen in real life. The police are competent and she doesn't intentionally try to insert herself into the investigation. She helps the investigation but it feels more natural. For example, the sheriff is following up with her to give her an update on the case, and when there is mention of a certain medication, Jaye makes a comment that gives him a new idea to chase.

I liked the characters. As this is the first book in the Vermont Radio Mystery series, there is a lot of "getting to know the characters" moments. Most of it is just regular life stuff - Jaye setting up the radio station to air while she is away from the studio, hanging out with her daughter, there's an ice storm. The only real cozy mystery trope of town/character quirkiness is a moose who likes candy and has a pretty bad case of gas.

The audiobook was really well done. Perhaps it was because introducing the characters and the town was the focus of this book, but it wasn't difficult at all to follow the story. The narrator Sarah Beth Goer gives each character their own unique voice. Sometimes when there is a kid in an adult book, the kid will either sound very childish, a lisp or slow speech pattern, or the child sounds too adult. I thought Goer did a great job making Jaye's daughter and her friend sound like the 10-year-olds they are supposed to be.

If you love cozy mysteries and like to start at the beginning, then make arrangements to get this book on Tuesday.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Thursday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2022/02/live-local-and-dead-by-nikki-knight.html

This was just fun. Did it feel like a cozy mystery? Not so much but had shades of one in that we had to figure out what and who but Jaye was not the one really doing the sleuthing just trying not to get hurt along with the governor who she was seeing. Jaye has come to Vermont after her divorce along with her daughter to resurrect a radio station and bring back local programming. Along with that we have colorful characters, dead body in the snowman, Neptune the cat, a pair of kids who could run the station if need be, an ex who still cares, the governor who wants to get closer, and the moose who likes hard candy. What more could you want!

Good story. I don't know much about the DJ, radio industry, so that part was interesting. It got a little political, but that did go along with the story. The narrator's voice was not that pleasing for me, but she did a good job. It probably wouldn't bother most people.

Kept me saying "just one more chapter" and staying up way too late. I very much appreciated that romantic scenes were only hinted at the steaminess that may have happened. My imagination can do its own thinking where that comes in. It feels like filler when books go into too much detail in those types of moments. This books was perfect balance for that kind of moment. You still got romance without getting raunchy.

I also appreciated that the main character with no law enforcement career didn't go out of her way to track things down. Far more realistic process of the flow of the story. You still got mystery without getting stupid.

May want to reconsider the pen name, if its not established. There are several Nikki Knights. The primary google search result being an adult film actress. If this is the same person, that's great you're getting top results. If not, may want to rethink for something more unique and google before settling on it.

One thing I really enjoyed about this cozy is that it isn't afraid to be as liberal as it wants to be. I feel like that's a bit rare in the genre. Like, there is an idea that cozy readers are typically more conservative and probably religious so that even if you can tell that the author actually leans left, the world within the the cozy doesn't engage as much with the politics of the world. Things are small town, with the stereotypes of family values and religion underpinning everything even if it is unspoken... And sure, maybe we get a queer character (who probably is into art or fashion or theater) who may have the hint of an off stage love life. And maybe there is a non-white character who pops up here and there, but probably the deepest exploration of diversity only goes so far as to have the middle class white female protagonist realize that the young gothy, geeky, or skater side character is actually a pretty decent person after all!

Now, don't get me wrong. I enjoy plenty of those cozies. I don't indulge in my cozy love for politics. I'm there for the clever mystery, the character development, the whacky cast of characters to grow to love, the humor, the approachableness... But Live, Local, and Dead has ALL of that AND a main character who is divorced, a Jewish convert, fond of wearing pride shirts, and doesn't have any problem calling out racism, misogyny, or stupidity. I consider that a surprise bonus to my cozy.

And it's not like this is some kind of "filthy" book because it's acknowledged that people have sex lives (it's all fade to black or even less implied than that!) or that because she isn't Christian there won't be good morals. She believes in Judaism and has a very strong moral code. And one of her strongest beliefs is that being a good parent is of vital importance -- meaning that she has a good relationship with her ex-husband. This novel is incredibly wholesome while still having an accepting, leftist viewpoint main character and I also appreciated the diversity found in this small Vermont town.

This is more a 4.5 star read for me, because I was a bit bummed that the villains of the story tended to be unattractive, which is a stereotype I hate. I can deal with their voices being awful, since a radio host might be more biased that way.

I am more bummed that many of the reviews so far are complaining about the politics more than the story with their criticisms despite the fact that the book is actually grounded in how relationships can mean so much more than politics.

Reading the description I thought I would give this mystery a try since I have never heard of a cozy mystery with a radio jocky as the lead character. Jaye Jordan has an interesting back story. The use of radio jocky as a job for a main character was interesting. The moose is a cool part of the story.
The book doesn't really deliver as a cozy mystery. Jaye does not do any investigating. She works well with the local police. There are dangerous events that happen as part of the story that put Jaye and her daughter Ryan in danger. But there is no investigating and some of the things that are caught are due to Ryan and her friend.
There is a lot of focus on the relationship that develops between Jaye and the governor of Vermont. It's a sexual relationship and while the doors are closed on events there is a lot of discussion and Jaye saying things like I hope your imagination fills in the blanks.
I would agree with another reviewer that this may be better categorized as romantic suspense. You don't necessarily expect the heroine of romantic suspense novels to investigate, and romantic suspense usually involves the development of a romantic relationship.
There was a great deal of political topics and political correctness dealt with in the book.
I like the story all right but it doesn't wow, so 3 stars.
The narrator did a great job with the different characters and the slightly sarcastic voice of Jaye.

I love a good cozy mystery and the storyline of this book sounded so unique and creative that it was one of my most anticipated books for 2022. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I feel like the mystery of the dead man inside the snowman was overpowered with all the hostility aimed at Republicans, that it ruined it for me. I love to read and escape into a new worlds of mystery and suspense, but this book brought so much political segregation that it was not the book for me. That's just my opinion. Thanks to #netgalley for the early release copy.

This book synopsis looked different and interesting so I was excited, however, I was also under the mistaken impression that this was a cozy mystery but it wasn’t..or at least not like any I’ve ever read. The main character wasn’t really a sleuth, it was more like she was going about her daily life while a mystery was also happening nearby. This was also political which I don’t enjoy so this book was a total miss for me, although I’m sure others will find it perfect for them. The narrator was good though!

After moving to Vermont with her daughter, Jaye takes over a small radio station. When a radio host she recently fired turns up dead, she needs to solve the murder to clear her name.

The radio station setting was a nice change up from the cozy settings we tend to see repeatedly, and I appreciated the various music references throughout. I also really enjoyed the friendship between Jaye and Rob.

Unfortunately, this isn't really a cozy mystery. The main character doesn't do any sleuthing, and the investigation more often feels like something that's happening TO her instead of something she's actively taking part in. I think readers who haven't read widely in the cozy genre will enjoy this but it missed too many of the hallmarks of a cozy mystery for me. I may continue on in the series if future books are more closely aligned with genre expectations.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

TBH: This one was a struggle to get through. I am torn between the idea of not vibing with the narrator and the fact that this story lacked the "mystery" aspect. I was constantly craving more sleuthing. The positive parts towards this book is the fact that it's a first in a new series - which leaves room for growth. I enjoyed the characters and would have liked more back story and character development.

I am not one for writing harsh reviews, but this just didn't hold my interest.

3.5 stars
I requested this book almost only because it takes place in Vermont and that's where I live. I'm not super familiar with the cozy mystery genre, but this one felt like it only had a really small amount of mystery which kind of diappointed me.
I liked the main character Jaye and how much she loved her daughter Ryan. I loved Ryan too. She was adorable!
I didn't really get a ton out of the plot. It felt more like a romance than a mystery. Jaye just kind of does her own thing and gets to know her new man. I really kind of forgot this was a mystery at all. She gets threatened and then I feel like the whole mystery was at the very end.
I really liked that I knew a lot of places mentioned in this book because it's very rare that I read a book that takes place in Vermont. I loved how Jaye gets such a sense of comraderie from the people who live here and I also love her moose friend!

Live, Local, and Dead = Fun, Flirty, and Cool.

This is what I call a "cozy mystery plus" or a "cozy mystery and." What I mean by that is it has the tried-and-true formula of a cozy, with a little extra -- extra depth, extra plot, etc. It's always nice to see a main character who has something else going on in life besides work and a man. Jacqueline has friends, a daughter, authentic nervousness after her marriage ended and authentic uncertainty.

Sometimes romances can feel a little formulaic or exaggerated in fiction - this felt very authentic and real.

No complaints with the narration - solid reading and fun to hear the occasional voiceover magic. The mystery was a little weird. At times surreal and a little hard to believe, but I'm OK with that. I can suspend disbelief, especially when it comes to cozies and creativity.

Now, let me bring up the elephant in the room... er, the moose... He added whimsy to the story, but are we sure we should be feeding candy to a moose? I googled it and found a lot of "If You Give a Moose a Muffin," but that wasn't any help! At any rate, I caution everyone against it, flatulence notwithstanding... moose are BIG and like all animals, can be unpredictable. Am I being a wet blanket? Ah well, just call me the Moose Monitor!

Solid four stars and I'm excited to see what happens next in the lives of the characters!

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media, for the opportunity to listen to and review this book.

4.5 stars
I liked this audiobook. I enjoyed the small town Vermont radio station setting. I also liked the main character. The characters were all well developed and the dialogue was believable. The gray cat on the cover is part of the story, so that did not disappoint.
Although this is a cozy mystery, the mystery itself is more substantial than many of the cozies I have read. It also lacks the annoying characteristics of cozy mysteries such as banal dialogue, focus on what everyone is eating, and everyday life filler. For those who enjoy the fun atmosphere of a cozy mystery but are looking for a more serious read, this book would be a good choice. I hope the series continues in this style and the author does not start including recipes. I look forward to the next installment.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Live, Local, and Dead is a new cozy series about a Vermont radio station and Jaye Jordan, a DJ and owner. In a fit of anger, Jaye blows the head off a snowman to prove a point and finds a dead body, a recently fired employee. Jaye has a 10 year old daughter, Ryan and an ex-boyfriend who is now the Governor of VT, and an ex-husband. This is a good cozy mystery. Jaye is a bit snarky but funny. The book seems to be aimed at a younger audience with some of the modern terms and descriptions. The characters are likable and the cozy mystery kept me guessing. The audiobook was enjoyable and well done. #NetGalley #LiveLocalAndDead. #CrookedLaneBooks #DreamscapeMedia

I really enjoyed this book! It is a cute cozy mystery with a touch of romance that takes place in Vermont. The main character has moved from NYC to a small town and is running a local radio station. She is now a single mom, but her ex-husband lives close by and his family also helps out. Their daughter is awesome.

I found the writing to be good and it kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. The characters were likable and I enjoyed the tidbits about the requests into the radio station. Overall for a cozy mystery this one was a hit for me. I would give it 4.25/5. Thanks to #NetGalley and #Dreamscape Media for this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review. #LiveLocalandDead

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Live, Local, and Dead by Nikki Knight follows radio DJ Jaye Jordan who, following a tough divorce, moves herself and her teenage daughter to Vermont to take over the local radio station. In a fit of anger, caused by local protestors who don’t agree with choices she is making at their station, she fires a vintage gun into a snowman and is accused of the murder of a body found within.

I was given this book to review on audio, I really enjoyed the narration style, the book is well paced, and I loved the cover design. While this has many elements of the traditional cozy mystery including being falsely accused of a crime, investigations, and romantic elements, it just didn’t feel very cozy. The book dealt with some heavy subjects around health and loss and included many political elements. Whilst these were handled well this contributed to the book reading more as romantic suspense or a light thriller than your average cozy mystery.

I enjoyed the forming of her new romance and the relationship she had with her daughter and her daughter’s friends. This book also features a sassy pet which I always appreciate! Overall, this was an enjoyable read and solid opener to a new series.

I was really excited to read this book. I thought the setting of a radio station would be an interesting change to the bake shops and libraries of cozy mysteries and while the setting was different, this was definitely not a cozy mystery. Yes, a murder occurs but Jaye doesn't investigate; she just continues on at her job. The police solve the murder and do not really include Jaye in it so we don't get much information about it. Which then leaves us with a book with way too much politics for my taste. Demonizing the right is way too common a theme and it's not even well done, with so many stereotypes and bad caricatures. So what we're left with is the romance and that wasn't enough to carry the book. I did really like the relationship Jaye has with her daughter but not much else. I will not be continuing with this series.

The audio was well done with clear distinctions between characters.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. Ehh... I usually like to read these types of books. This one was just a big no for me. I didn't like any of the characters and the main character's. Don't think I would read from this author again.