Hounded by E. J. Cochrane is a humorous cozy mystery set on a secluded island in Maine.
Given a choice, Maddie Smithwick would love to spend the weekend with her dogs and a tea on her cozy sofa. Her best friend Dottie gives her other plans, and a voluminous bit of blue haute couture that she is expected to wear – with heels! – at the swank and well attended party on billionaire Helen Andreas’ secluded estate. She promises Maddie that there will be a five star meal, fabulous appointments, and of course she has invited a suitable lesbian for her friend.
Of course everything goes wrong when a murder crimps Dottie’s plans. She has the perfect solution, though. Maddie, who walks dogs for a living and solves murder as a talented amateur, will find the murderer while the party goes on as scheduled.
There is no cell service on the island so no one from the mainland will show up until the helicopter arrives in three days, a huge storm traps them inside the mansion, and Maddie can’t seem to corral the party guests who range from indifferent to hostile toward Maddie’s quest.
Writing
Oh my goodness where to start. The language has a strong cozy mystery vibe, with unerringly witty dialogue, a fast paced, twisty plot and a great setting. Every classic trope of a cozy is on display in this book, but with small tweaks that give the book a fresh feel. Setups early in the book are paid off nicely by the end.
This is the third in a series, and I enjoyed this one so much I am very interested in reading more of Maddie’s sleuthing adventures. Mysteries are a tricky puzzle for an author, and I felt like everything was in just the right proportion. The clues were numerous and gave a good amount of red herring. Gruesome deaths are handled with a light touch, and the humor is unrelenting.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
A suitably hateable victim is surrounded by plenty of people who would be happy to be the one whodunit. It’s a taut book that keep the murders and the clues and the funny coming at the reader. Maddie is not a preternaturally strong hero but a simple, smart woman who pays attention and puts up with the tough love of her flash best friend Dottie. I had a problem with Dottie, with the way she talks and deals generally with life, until I started hearing her speak in Dame Edna’s voice and then she became my second favorite character. I began to look forward to her dialogues with Maddie, who is spring roll, bear cub, daffodil, dumpling, petunia, leaflet, cookie, and fifty other sobriquets.
A reader should be prepared with a Kleenex in aide of sudden snorting caused by a festival of snide humor. I lost track of how many times I snorted or giggled or laughed out loud. Descriptions of everything from the sartorial sabotage Maddie is pressed into wearing, depictions of the dogs’ hilarious antics and Dottie’s unlikely romance is just some of the comedy gold mined in the book.
I was very satisfied with the mystery aspect. Despite mangling every murder scene and having no forensic capabilities while stuck at a glamorous party, Maddie does what she can to investigate after being thrown into the role by Dottie. There are plenty of clues doled out at a steady pace, and well place misdirects that will keep you guessing until the end. And humor first, always.
Heads Up
Nothing.
The Conclusion
Third in a series, this is a great standalone cozy mystery. Set on a luxurious but secluded island, Maddie the dog walker is pressed into detective service by her best friend Dottie after a well-deserved death. If Maddie can live through the billowing monstrosities Dottie makes her wear, she might be able to discover who the murderer is in the small group stuck together for the weekend. Unrelenting humor underscores every interaction and description of people, places and events.
Excerpt from Hounded by E. J. Cochrane
Maddie’s unsure-footed approach to the dinner table had inspired Jason’s sister Rebecca to lend her arm (an arm that Maddie absolutely did not notice was attached to a tall, remarkably fit body).
As they made their cautious way to the dining room, Maddie couldn’t help but notice the casual elegance of her escort’s attire. She looked effortlessly chic in a crimson V-neck blouse and black blazer adorned with a lapel pin. The ensemble fit like it had been made for her, and not even Dottie could argue that Rebecca looked classy (not to mention bewitching) in spite of the fact that she wore slacks. Envy crept in as Maddie regarded Rebecca’s dress pants and the admirable way she filled them out.
“Are you going to tell me what’s behind me?” Rebecca asked, to Maddie’s complete mortification.
“I was just admiring your pants. I mean, the fact that you’re in them. I wish I was.”
“Did you just say you want to be in my pants?”
“I didn’t mean – I just want to get out of this dress.” Maddie cringed as soon as the words left her mouth. She didn’t need a mirror to know that her face matched the color of Rebecca’s shirt. “You don’t happen to know of any nearby caves I can hide in, do you?”
“Sorry, I don’t.” She winked, flustering Maddie further. “But if our positions were reversed, I’d probably say the same thing to you, especially since you look way better in a dress than I ever could.”
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Series: Matilda Smithwick Mystery
Sleeping Dogs Lie
Double Dog Dare
Hounded
Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 978-1-64247-431-2
Publisher: Bella Books
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Note: I received a free review copy of Hounded by E. J. Cochrane. No money was exchanged for this review. When you use our links to buy we get a small commission which supports the running of this site
