Review: The Sign of the Calico Quartz

Today, I’m sharing an audiobook review for The Sign of the Calico Quartz, a cozy mystery novel by Jan Drexler. It is Book 1 of The Sweetbrier Inn Mysteries series.

Disclosure: I voluntarily received a complimentary Audible code from the author as part of JustRead publicity tours. All views expressed are my own. This post includes Amazon affiliate links.

My Review

My Rating

The Sign of the Calico Quartz is a cozy mystery set at a bed-and-breakfast in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The protagonist, Emma, is the niece of the inn’s owner, Rose. Emma comes to help out for the summer, bringing along her cat Tim, who is the perfect counterpart to Aunt Rose’s corgi Thatcher. Pets with personalities like these guys always add a lot of fun to a story.

What’s not so fun is when Emma finds a dead body in her suite. The search is on for clues as to whodunnit! It was an exciting story as Emma tried to work through the complexities of the mystery.

I listened to the audiobook version. The narrator, Gillian Wiggin, did a great job with the various voices and accents of the different characters. Overall, it was a great listen!

From the Publisher

Solving a murder is easy, right? All you need to do is follow the clues, and they will lead you to the culprit.

At least that’s what Emma Blackwood thought before she and her cat, Tim, came to the Black Hills to work in Aunt Rose’s Sweetbrier Inn. Before she found a dead body in her living room. Before the hunky Deputy Sheriff accused her of murdering the poor guy. And before the real killer put her name on their list of victims.

For this fan of Agatha Christie and a plethora of television crime dramas, it’s an intriguing situation that demands her skills. Investigating might not be as simple as it looks in fictional mysteries, but Emma’s organized mind and OCD tendencies start making sense of the clues…until she finds a second body with no apparent connection to the first.

Sifting through evidence is easier with the help of her new friend, Becky, who provides baked goods for the inn, and Aunt Rose is always willing to take time from writing her mysterious memoirs to give support and advice. Wil, the inn’s chef, moves things along with a barbed comment or two, and Tim the cat and Rose’s corgi, Thatcher, make themselves available for fuzz therapy and to point the way to another clue.

The list of suspects grows as Emma learns more about the inn’s guests and their reasons for visiting the Black Hills. From the honeymoon couple to Mysterious Montgomery, to the famous reality show ghost hunter, to the gold seekers, no one is the person they appear to be. Even Rose’s good friend Clara is hiding secrets in her pink chenille bathrobe.

But as Emma pursues the investigation, things start to get personal. Can she identify the murderer before disaster strikes?

About the Author

Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband where she enjoys hiking and spending time with her family. She spins stories of History, Mystery, and Sweet Romance. Her works include several historical romance novels, including the award-winning Mattie’s Pledge, and The Sweetbrier Inn Mysteries cozy mystery series.

Connect with Jan by visiting jandrexler.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates. Those who sign up for her newsletter will receive a free e-book copy of The Sign of the Calico Quartz!

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