Wednesday, April 29, 2020

GRIM AND BEAR IT by Paula Lester and Christine Zane Thomas


Title:  GRIM AND BEAR IT

Series:  Tessa Randolph Cozy Mystery #1

Author:  Paula Lester and Christine Zane Thomas

Publisher:  Paula Lester and Christine Zane Thomas

Publish Date:   04.29.2020

Category /Genre:  Cozy Mystery, Paranormal

Recommended for:  14+

Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC / errors excused

Received from:  Paula Lester 

Date completed: 04.24.2020



Description from the publisher:

A grim first week on the job.

Tessa Randolph is feeling defeated. On the outs with her boyfriend and suddenly without a job, she's scrambling to pay the rent. She doesn’t exactly have the kind of life she wants.

Tessa needs a change.

And the ability to afford the wet food her cat Pepper thinks she deserves at every meal.

Against her better judgement but without another offer, Tessa takes a job from one of the scariest of bosses—her mother, who has a deadly sharp tongue.

And just like that, she learns that the life insurance agency at the edge of Mist River isn’t what it seems to be. Plus, Cheryl Randolph isn’t simply the sharp-tongued, overly critical mom Tessa thought she was. She’s a grim reaper. One of many people tasked with escorting souls into the afterlife.

And now Tessa is one too.

She wasn't expecting her life change to involve so much Death.

Tessa intends to simply kill it in her new career. But, running late on her second day of work, she doesn’t make it in time for her neighbor’s death. And now his soul is missing. Apparently, that's not a good thing when you're in the soul-collecting business.

Who knew?

Now, her mom-boss thinks Tessa can’t cut it. Which is just so typical. And she doesn’t seem to be telling Tessa everything about an important death in both of their pasts.

Not only that, but apparently, if Tessa doesn’t find the missing spirit fast enough, its absence will rip some kind of apocalyptic hole in space and time. Or something like that. It’s all a bit vague.

Not that Tessa read the job manual line-by-line. Who has time for that?

What’s worse, the police think Tessa might've committed the murder.

Can Tessa prove her innocence? Can she get her mom off her back and find the wayward soul before time runs out? And will Pepper get that expensive can of tuna she's sure she deserves? Find out today!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

GRIM AND BEAR IT is the first book in the Tessa Randolph Cozy Mystery series.  You’ll want to read these in the order of release.



I absolutely loved this new series.  I love paranormal, I love cozy mystery, and I love the humanization of the mythological concepts.  In this case, the Grim Reaper has retired and outsourced his job to a network of insurance offices.



Years ago, I read the Piers Anthony Incarnations of Immortality series and loved every word in it.  (I also loved the 30+ books in the Xanth series.)  On a Pale Horse was the Grim Reaper’s story in the Incarnations series.  Like Zane/Thanatos in Piers Anthony’s work, Tessa did not at first know that she would be a Grim Reaper, though she did not gain her powers in the same manner.



This story was fun with a bit of light suspense.  I like the way that all of the characters have been introduced and I’ve grown to like them already. 



I’m looking forward to more of Tessa, her mother Cheryl, and her landlord Silas.  I think he’s on to her already!  I’m sure we’ll find out in a future release.  Until then, I’ll be looking for more from these talented authors.



Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.



Tessa Randolph Cozy Mysteries:

1.      Grim and Bear It

2.      The Scythe’s Secrets (releases 07.31.2020)

3.      Reap What She Sows (releases 08.31.220)



Also from Paula Lester:

·         Ready to Snap (Killer Shots Mysteries #4)

Beachside Books Magical Cozy Series:

1.      Pasta, Pirates, and Poison

2.      Apples, Actors, and Axes

3.      Grits, Gamblers, and Grudges

4.      Candy, Carpenters, and Candlesticks

5.      Meatballs, Mistletoe, and Murder

6.      Honey, Hearts, and Homicide

Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery Series (with M.E. Harmon):

1.      Cruising for a Bruising (releases 05.19.2020)

2.      Angling for a Strangling (releases 04.24.2021)

3.      Yearning for a Burning (releases 04.24.2021)

Crystal Springs Cozy Witch Mystery Series:

1.      A Witch Too Late

1.5 Dead Witch Talking

2.      A Witch Too Hot

3.      A Witch Too Bright

4.      A Witch Too Dead

5.      A Witch Too Frozen

Said What? Series:

1.      The Cat Said What?

2.      The Dog Said What?

Sunnyside Magical Bakery Series:

1.      Sugar Skulls and Suspects

2.      Tea Tarts and Trespassers (releases 06.30.2020)

3.      Mint Macarons and Murderers

Sunnyside Retired Witches Community Series:

Ghostly Trails

1.      A Bottle Full of Djinn

2.      Loony Town

3.      Mummy Issues

4.      Clairvoyant Clues

5.      Boss Blues

6.      Engine Repairs (releases 07.31.2020)

Superior Bay Witch Doctor Mysteries Series:

1.      Witch Doggone Killer? (releases 05.29.2020)

2.      The Affairs of Witches (releases 06.30.2020)

3.      Witch Way Out (releases soon)



Also from Christine Zane Thomas:

Comics and Coffee Case Files Series:

1.      Marvels, Mochas, and Murder

2.      Lattes and Lies

3.      Cold Brew Catastrophe

4.      Decaf Deceit

Foodie Files Mystery Series:

1.      The Salty Taste of Murder

2.      A Choice Cocktail of Death

3.      A Juicy Morsel of Jealousy

4.      The Bitter Bite of Betrayal

Witching Hour Series:

1.      Midlife Curses

2.      Never Been Hexed

3.      Must Love Charms

4.      You’ve Got Spells (releases 03.22.2021)

 














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