Item: Overdue
Author: Gina

Overdue (A McLaren Mystery) by Jo A Hiestand | Book Review ~ Excerpt ~ $20 Gift Card Opportunity

A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.

Book Details

Overdue (A McLaren Mystery) by Jo A Hiestand | Book Review ~ Excerpt ~ $20 Gift Card Opportunity

Overdue by Jo A. Hiestand
Series: The McLaren Mysteries Book #17
Published by Cousins House on January 22, 2023
Genres: British Mystery, Fiction, Detective/Sleuth
Format: eBook, Hardcover, Paperback
Pages: 382

A spate of three murders in as many months has Derbyshire’s local police and populace in near panic. And there will most likely be a fourth killing in two weeks unless something happens to stop the cycle.

Former police detective Michael McLaren is that “something” that his best mate, Jamie Kydd, is counting on to end the alarming deaths. He enlists McLaren’s help to look into the events, hoping his friend can solve what, so far, has confounded the Constabulary.

Each of the three crime scenes is the same, yet different: the same types of things but not the same specific things left with each body.

As McLaren becomes enmeshed in the hunt for the killer, his friend Melanie arrives for a planned visit. Can his days become more complicated than simultaneously playing host and unmasking a killer? They can when he’s aware that each tick of the clock brings them closer to the next planned murder.

And perhaps an unplanned one...thrown in for fun.

Source: Goddess Fish Promotions

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Excerpt from Overdue

McLaren tapped the tip of the pen on the pertinent item as he read his list. “One victim lived in Staffordshire, one in Derbyshire, and one in Nottinghamshire. And yet their bodies were all found in Derbyshire?”

“And, oddly, a distance away from where they lived, be it Derbyshire or Staffordshire or Nottinghamshire. As you know, Pleasley is nearly straight southwest of Hilton, where Dylan’s was found.”

“What is that?”

“Nearly forty-one miles. Clive Sheridan lived in Callow but was found in Hanging Bridge. That’s an hour’s journey. Twenty-six and a half miles.”

“A long drive, yes.”

“And Emma, who lived in Longnor, Staffordshire, was found nearly as far north as you can get in Derbyshire. In the wood near the Derwent Water Reservoir.”

“Unbelievable. That’s what…? An hour drive from her place?”

“Close. The lads clocked it at fifty minutes. Just under twenty-four miles.” Jamie folded the paper but placed it on the table. “All three people are like that, Mike. Their bodies were discovered miles from where they lived.”

“How, then, did they get to the crime scenes? And why did they go?”

Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.

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Purchase Links for Overdue

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Overdue (The McLaren Myster...Shop on Amazon

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My thoughts on Overdue

“Overdue” by Jo A Hiestand, part of the McLaren British Mystery series, is a gripping novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With three murders occurring in quick succession, the police and the public are on high alert, knowing that another murder is likely to occur soon. Enter former police detective Michael McLaren, who is enlisted by his friend Jamie Kydd to help solve the case that has so far confounded the authorities.

The author has done a fantastic job of creating a sense of tension and urgency throughout the book, with each chapter building on the previous one to create a true page-turner. The plot is cleverly constructed with plenty of twists and surprises that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

One of the book’s strengths is how the author has woven the background of the series into this particular story. While “Overdue” is the seventeenth book in the series, it works as a standalone novel, and readers new to the series will have no trouble following the plot or understanding the characters.

The characters themselves are well-drawn and believable, and readers will find themselves rooting for McLaren and his friend Melanie as they race against time to catch the killer. The addition of Melanie’s character adds an extra layer of complexity to the story, as McLaren must juggle his role as host with his role as a detective.

Overall, “Overdue” is an addictive and well-crafted mystery that will leave readers eager to read more books in the series. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the McLaren British Mystery series or a new reader, this book is sure to satisfy you.

I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

You might also enjoy my review of The Low Road by Jo A. Hiestand, part of the McLaren British Mysteries.

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I love my Amazon Kindle Unlimited Subscription. So many books, so little time!

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About Jo A. Hiestand

Jo A. Hiestand grew up on regular doses of music, books, and Girl Scout camping. She gravitated toward writing in her post-high school years and finally did something sensible about it, graduating from Webster University with a BA degree in English and departmental honors.

She writes a British mystery series (the McLaren Mysteries)—of which three books have garnered the prestigious N.N. Light’s Book Heaven ‘Best Mystery Novel’ three years straight.

She also writes a Missouri-based cozy mystery series (The Cookies & Kilts Mysteries, of which "A Trifling Murder" is the second book) that is grounded in places associated with her camping haunts.

The camping is a thing of the past, for the most part, but the music stayed with her in the form of playing guitar, harpsichord, and singing in a folk group.

Jo carves jack o’ lanterns badly and sings loudly. She loves barbecue sauce and ice cream (separately, not together), kilts (especially if men wear them), clouds and stormy skies, and the music of G.F. Handel. You can usually find her pulling mystery plots out of scenery—whether from photographs or the real thing.

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Learn more about the entire McLaren Mystery set!

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Easy Amazon Info Link

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