This book was a bit slow to get started but was good once I got into it! Man was that chick a terrible person! This was my 1st book by D.M.S. Fick but will not be my last.

#LewisSinclairandtheGentlemenCowboys
#NetGalley

Interesting mystery. I enjoyed this one as an audiobook and I thought the narrator was wonderful. Solid plot with interesting characters and I really did like the writing and the story. I liked learning about the festival and those running it along with the different bands that arrived to play at it.

But there were quite a few characters to keep track of and there were a few times I got overwhelmed and couldn't remember which parents or player was who. And as we got deeper into the mystery, I was a bit disappointed that everyone was so oddly connected. It made it seem like the world of entertainment happened in a very small bubble with few outsiders. I felt the ultimate reveal was also a bit of a let down because I felt like it wasn't a surprised.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an audio-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Lewis Sinclair, frontman for the Gentlemen Cowboys has had enough with his manager, Archie Grant. His girlfriend, singer Ann-Dee Phillips, dumps him for Archie, there are a series of questionable management decisions, and to top it off, Archie sat on Lewis' stetson on the way to the country music festival Falls Fest.

But after Archie proposes to Ann-Dee on the main stage of Falls Fest he suddenly ends up dead, and all fingers are point to Lewis.

This was a really fun, multilayered story of country music, of murder, of festivals. We have fascinating side characters, red herrings galore and a tale that will keep you guessing til the end. The final chase scene was hilarious and I love the visuals it evoked.

I had this as both an audiobook and an ebook. The narrator Jeremy Aurthur read well, embodying warmth and character into each of the characters, adding accents and personality. A thoroughly enjoyable listen.

~ Note: My audiobook version of this was provided by Netgalley. I purchased the ebook version from Amazon to read alongside the audiobook.~

I listened to the audio version of Lewis Sinclair and the Gentleman Cowboys and really enjoyed the narration. The narrator did an excellent job of brining the characters to life.

I really liked the premise of the story but there were a lot of characters. The story would jump from one timeline to another and due to the amount of charaters, I was confused at times.

Over all, I didn't love the book but I didn't hate it either. It kept my interest and I wanted to know whodunit. I would classify this novel as a cozy mystery rather than a thriller. For those who love cozy mysteries, you might really enjoy this one.

Thank you NetGalley for this audiobook of Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys! This was a fun murder mystery that any country music lover will enjoy. It took place at a music festival, and seemed so timeless. It could have taken place at Woodstock in '69, or Stagecoach in 2024. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters, and I think it could translate well into a mini series with my favorite country stars playing the band. I would have loved some songs in the audiobook; perhaps in the mini series we will get them. This book is great for fans of Run Rose Run and Daisy Jones & the Six.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book. Thank you NetGalley.

I very much enjoyed this. The narration is gentlemanly, it fits with the story (I don’t think there’ was a curse word in this story…that’s a nice change)
The story is clever and mysterious. I had a couple of guesses as to who the villainous murderer was, but wasn’t too surprised by the reveal of the big baddie.
This is not a bad thing, it’s all the characters’ journey to the reveal that works for me
And all the characters are great. There were many but it worked well. No over crowding of characters (if this makes sense) everyone got a good amount of time and it flowed smoothly.
Each character has its own adventurous way uncovering the truth and getting to the reveal, it was great!

Although I did have a hard time when the story goes to discuss something that happened in the past because there was no change in tone from the narrator or indication in the story until the you’re a few sentences in that you figure it is in the past (maybe the print version has a change to indicate a change in timelines).

Again thanks to NetGalley and hope you enjoy this book as I did.

A nice and cozy whodunnit murder mystery.
I love the setting of Falls Fest.

If I wasn't paying attention I did get lost between the past and present storylines as they weren't always to differentiate.

I liked the characters and the way the mystery panned out.

A quick read / listen that I recommend

This book just overall was not for me, but I could see a niche audience out there. This was my first cozy mystery.

Starting with the positives: the unique setting, a great core cast, solid narration.

Where it fell short: I was expecting the murder to happen so much earlier. This caused the pacing to lag, and it lost my attention pretty early. I also kept getting confused as new characters were introduced and then the "victim" was still alive. The characters were also not as dimensional as I would have liked to read, and it was kind of just a, "oh, and she died" unveiling for me.

Overall, I likely wouldn't recommend this, but I would say there is an audience out there somewhere.

I listened to the audiobook version of this cozy mystery, ably narrated by Jeremy Aurthur. I especially liked his rendition of the Irishman Mitch. I was hoping we might hear some country and western music in the audiobook but no such luck. I'm fairly new to audiobooks so I don't know if that happens at times or not.

Just before Lewis Sinclair and his band, the Gentlemen Cowboys, head to Big Pearly Falls to perform at Fallsfest, the leading U.S. country music festival, his girlfriend dumps him for the band's manager. When that same manager ends up dead with his head in cement, Lew finds himself under suspicion for murder.

This isn't a genre I normally dabble in but I enjoyed the story and the various characters we meet. Quite an assortment. Despite a number of deaths and near-deaths this is a fun story. My big complaint would be that we'd suddenly be whisked back to the past without any warning and it'd take me a while to realize what had happened. Hopefully the print version has some kind of delineation so the reader knows when the story is switching timelines. The trips to the past were mostly so that the reader learns the backgrounds of the various characters and how they met the others.

My thanks to CamCat Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this novel. All opinons expressed are my own. I thought the book was being published on April 11th but now realize it was published on April 11, 2023!

This would normally be a story that I would love. The story line for me just fell a little short. The narration was done well but I couldn't really get into the story line. I do believe there will be many people who will absolutely love Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys.

"Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys" by D. M. S. Fick, narrated by Jeremy Aurthur, offers a blend of music, mystery, and intrigue that may appeal to fans of the genre, but for me, falls a wee bit short of delivering a truly captivating experience.

The premise of the story, with its combination of a dumped musician-turned-suspect and a murder mystery, holds promise for an engaging narrative. Fick sets the stage for tension and drama, weaving together elements of betrayal and suspicion against the backdrop of a top music festival.

Jeremy Aurthur's narration adds depth to the characters and atmosphere, enhancing the overall listening experience. His performance brings the story to life with energy and emotion, drawing listeners into the world of Lewis Sinclair and the unfolding mystery.

However, despite its intriguing premise and solid narration, the execution of the plot leaves something to be desired. The pacing feels uneven at times, with moments of interest followed by lulls in momentum. Additionally, some plot developments may feel predictable or lacking in depth, leaving listeners wanting more complexity, some flavor or nuance, and I just wasn't quite capitivated by any of the characters or their motivations.

Overall, "Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys" earns a three-star rating for its potential and effort. While it may not reach the heights of a five-star read, it offers enough entertainment value to warrant consideration for those interested in a music-infused mystery.

Thanks to CamCat Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for the advanced audiobook copy to review via NetGalley.

Lewis Sinclair and The Gentlemen Cowboys is a standalone mystery novel. Just before Lewis and his band play at the FallFest country music festival, his girlfriend (and fellow country artist) breaks up with him. While his now ex-girlfriend is performing on stage at the festival, his useless manager proposes to her! Said useless manager is later found with his hands and his head encased in the concrete of FallsFest's new walk of fame. To clear his name, Lewis and the band investigate the murder.

The murder mentioned in the blurb doesn't happen until 32% through the book. However, oddly it didn't feel slow as such, more like I was feeling the tension, waiting for the murder to occur. It didn't feel like it was in a rush, and took the time to delve into all the relationships between characters up front and set up potential clues and red herrings.

There were a lot of characters involved though, and I think I was a bit confused because the perspective changes a lot within the same chapter, and in the audiobook there isn't a long pause when it switches. This meant that I often wasn't aware that the perspective had shifted until I got confused, and it resulted in all the characters sort of rolling altogether in my mind rather than standing apart as distinct characters. I suspect I wouldn't have had this issue if I'd read this book rather than listen to it though, as I expect that there would have been an on-page marker to indicate the switch.

The story was an interesting one, and I enjoyed the setting - the country music festival was unique for a murder mystery so it definitely felt new and interesting. All the different threads in the story came together and made complete sense by the end of the book. I would have expected the police to get involved and interview Lewis earlier than they did though, and the police were strangely absent throughout really.

As a murder mystery, this one has a lot of character and an interesting setting that I haven't seen before in this genre, but it worked really well for the story and provided lots of interesting characters. To avoid the confusion regarding perspective switches, I'd recommend the physical or e-book version over the audiobook.

Disclaimer: I received an ALC from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

This story of romantic relationships and friendships is set in the complicated world of the country music industry. This was an enjoyable story line. Listening to this via audiobook was not hard to follow as the perspective changed among the Gentleman Cowboys and other characters.

Book Title: Lewis Sinclair and the gentlemen Cowboys
Author: DMS Turk
Narrator: Jeremy Authur
Format: 🎧
Publisher: ComCat Books Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: April 11, 2023
My Rating: 3.5
Pages: 404


The book’s blurb got my attention ~ A missing brooch. A face set in cement.
This is not your average music festival.
The story takes place at a country music festival where Lewis (Lew) Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys are set to take the stage. Prior to the festival, Lew’s girlfriend breaks up with him for his manager, which leaves Lew deviated – next thing he is accused of murdering (what is not) his ex-manager.

This turned out better than expected. Narrator Jeremy Aurthur made the story so enjoyable.

I did enjoy this but have to admit – since this was an audiobook- I was expecting some music from the ‘Gentlemen Cowboys’!!!

Want to thank NetGalley and ComCat Books Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for this audiobook.
Audiobook Publishing Release Date is scheduled for - April 11. 2023.

I received this as a listen now, and thoroughly enjoyed the story line. There was times were it even made me laugh out loud. It was an easy read, and kept my interest peaked with the “whodunit” theme. Country Musical festival gone wrong and lot of different characters to keep up with throughout the story really helped keep me guessing. The read was fun, and I want to thank the publishers for providing me with an audiobook copy

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for granting access to an ARC of the audio version of Lewis Sinclair and the Gentleman Cowboys.
The narrator was a delight to listen to! Good voice and pacing.
Cozy Mystery isn't my go-to genre, but it was a treat to listen to something light and fun. The story captured my attention and held it through the end. While it was a tiny bit slow or repetitive at times (Norwegian tacos ad nauseam), the plot moved along at a nice pace.
The characters were fun, quirky, and likeable. Everyone, that is, except the self-serving country starlet and a manager you'll love to hate!
The setting, a country music festival, was a refreshing change. When thousands of people gather together in one place, how easily could someone get away with murder? Listen to this short, fun mystery and find out!

Lewis Sinclair and his band are about to finish their U.S. tour with an appearance at the biggest country music festival in the country. In a couple of days, 'Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys' will take the stage at FallsFest, near the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The fly in the ointment for Lew is the fact that his beautiful girlfriend, Ann-Dee Phillips, just broke up with him. To add insult to injury, Lew's agent, Archie Grant, is now representing Ann-Dee, and has even shoehorned the aspiring singer into a spot at FallsFest.

Lew and the band were already planning to get rid of their lazy useless agent Archie. So after the clod makes a nuisance of himself when Lew is making his cement handprint on the Country Artist Walk of Fame, Lew punches Archie in the stomach and fires him.

Afterwards, Lewis Sinclair and the Gentlemen Cowboys are a big hit onstage, with a Ghost Riders medley and a rollicking cover of Hank Williams' Move It On Over. At the 'meet and greet' afterwards the band meets a journalist called Chuck Nelson, and two amiable retirees named Charla and Magda, all of whom become important to the story.

The next morning, horrible agent Archie is found dead, with his head encased in cement on the Country Artist Walk of Fame. Lew and the band become suspects, and Lew decides to try to investigate the case himself, to (hopefully) keep them all out of prison.

The story is interspersed with flashbacks, and we learn Ann-Dee was once so poor she searched dumpsters for food, and elderly Magda was a Polish refugee after World War II. The ancillary characters - including the band members, their friends and relatives, and the FallsFest personnel - round out the story, which is engaging and fun.

The careful reader will discern clues scattered through the story that help identify the killer, so this is a great book for armchair sleuths.

This is author D.M.S. Fick's debut novel, and it's a good one. Recommended to fans of cozy mysteries.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jeremy Arthur, who does a fine job.

Thanks to Netgalley, D.M.S. Fick, and Comcat Books for a copy of the book.

This book isn’t bad, but there are some issues.

When I first started reading this book, I assumed it was a cozy mystery. Everything about it screams cozy: the plot summary, the title, the cover art, the setting. So I was surprised that it was shelved as a thriller on Goodreads. It isn’t that. It’s not completely a cozy, but it would have benefited from leaning more into that genre. Emphasis on likable and eccentric characters, a short and sweet plot, and a lighter tone would have been perfect. Or if it’s a thriller, it needed to be much more thrilling.

It darts from character to character very quickly, as well as from past to present. So you get the impression that it’s fast paced. Unfortunately, it also takes forever for anything substantial to happen. It’s jarring.

The author shows moments of being funny and smart, so I don’t doubt she will write great books in the future. I just don’t think this one got there.

Not really sure how to place this - it's a very light, relaxed, cosy mystery which kind of undermines the festival setting. The characters start off rather one dimensional but there is some improvement towards the end.

dnf @ 55%

Lewis Sinclair, a singer and guitarist is performing at a country festival called fall fest with his band the gentleman cowboys. The band fire their manager Archie who is later than found dead and lewis along with his band are the main suspects.

this had a slow start, the murder wasn’t revealed until 30% and I thought it would’ve been sooner as that’s what the book is about. I liked the setting, the narration was okay but there was a lot of characters to keep up with who was who and how everyone was related. I also struggled with staying engaged and interested with the story so unfortunately this book wasn’t for me and I didn’t finish it.

thank you NetGalley for the arc.