Cozy Book Review: Death By Deception

Death By Deception

Death by Deception is a family-centric cozy with a picturesque lakeside setting and a hint of romance.

• Series: A Shepherd Sisters Mystery (Book 1)

• Written by: Tracy Gardner

• Published by: Tule Publishing

• Publication date: February 17, 2025

• Mystery type: Cozy mystery

Plot Overview

Savanna Shepherd is a thirty-something art authenticator who has been unlucky in love. She leaves Chicago and returns to her hometown of Carson in Lake Michigan, where she becomes an elementary school art teacher.

Savanna has two sisters, Skylar (a successful attorney) and Sydney (owner of a pet grooming salon called Fancy Tails and Treats). Together, the Shepherd Sisters do some sleuthing after Savanna’s sharp eye catches a potential art forgery and a mysterious death occurs.

Other characters in Death by Deception include ninety-year-old Caroline (a friend of the family) and Aidan (a heart doctor who makes Savanna’s heart beat just a little faster).

Spoiler-Free Review

The Shepherd Sisters Mystery Series is written by award-winning author Tracy Gardner. Four more books in the series are scheduled for release in 2025.

Death by Deception is a delightful cozy mystery with a family-centric theme. The camaraderie between the supportive Shepherd sisters is quite lovely to see. The mystery is suspenseful, and there is just a hint of sweet, closed-door romance.

The picturesque small-town setting on Lake Michigan is lovingly described, making the book feel extra cozy. The art tidbits help to create a unique and interesting hook and make the story more entertaining.

I would recommend this well-written mystery (and the rest of the Shepherd Sisters Mysteries) to readers who like creative hooks, family-centric stories, suspenseful mysteries, and cozy small-town settings. I’m looking forward to more stories about the Shepherd Sisters!

Review disclosure: Cozy Crime Reads received an advanced reader copy of Death by Detection from Tule Publishing. This did not influence the review.

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