BOOK REVIEW: "Death By Diploma" by Kelley Kaye

Death by Diploma 

By Kelley Kaye 

Genre: Cozy Mystery 

Emma Lovett leaves her philandering husband and crosses the country to begin her teaching career at a high school in Pinewood, Colorado.  There, she meets Leslie Parker, a fellow teacher given to quoting Shakespeare to fit all situations, and the two become fast friends.   

  

Arriving at work early one morning, Emma discovers the body of the school custodian, a man who reminds her of her late father. When the police struggle to find the killer, the ladies decide to help solve the murder. Their efforts lead them to a myriad of suspects: the schizophrenic librarian, the crude football coach, the mysterious social studies teacher, and even Emma’s new love interest.  

   

As Emma Lovett discovers the perils of teaching high school, she and Leslie learn more than they ever wanted to know about the reasons people kill.  

Author Bio 

Kelley Kaye taught High School English and Drama for twenty years, but her love for storytelling dates back to creating captions for her high school yearbook. Maybe back to the tales she created around her Barbie and Ken — whatever the case, the love’s been around for a long time.   

Kelley is married to this amazing man who cooks for her, and they have two funny and wonderful sons. She lives in Southern California.  

http://www.kelleykaybowles.com/  

On Twitter: @kelkay1202 

Check out the book trailer for Death by Diploma: https://youtu.be/CAMXkR3kA-8  

MY REVIEW

It looks like cozy mysteries are becoming popular again, which surprises me. I have always enjoyed them, having read Agatha Christie since I was little. Death By Diploma is a refreshing twist on the harsh, oftentimes dull lives of cozy characters. You start with  strong female lead, which these types of stories frequently lack. Emma escapes from a bad marriage and makes her way on her own in life. I liked her immediately, just as I liked her Bard-quoting friend. The best thing about this genre is the wonderfully quirky characters you find within the pages.

The mystery was well written. It made me stop and think, and there was a possibility for multiple endings, making you wonder exactly what would happen. I did guess the end, but that in no way lessened my enjoyment of this whimsical book.

5/5--well done!