Exercise is Murder by Carolyn Arnold -a Review

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Description
Getting in shape isn’t an easy walk in the park…..

Running junkie Katie Carpenter takes a tumble down a ravine and ends up facedown in the Hudson River. The police conclude her death was an accident, but those who were close to Katie aren’t buying that she just tripped and fell—including her pro-athlete boyfriend. But it’s Katie’s fitness trainer and friend who hires the McKinleys to investigate. 

Anything but an easy case to solve, Sean and Sara will break a sweat trying to figure out who had the most to gain from the young woman’s death. Sadly for Sean most of the evidence seems stacked against Katie’s boyfriend—a man Sean idolizes. Can he put aside being starstruck long enough to view things objectively? If Katie’s killer is going to be caught, he and Sara will need to remain flexible and it might require bending the rules a bit.

Romance. Humor. Murder. Are you looking for a murder mystery without all the graphic violence and foul language? Something that you can enjoy in an afternoon and walk away feeling good about afterward? 

How about a dash of humor and romance? If so, meet former detectives Sean and Sara McKinley. 

When a billionaire leaves them all his money, they no longer have to work, but they find themselves sticking to what they’re good at—solving murders. Undercover, off the books, and around the world, they’ll get to the bottom of things…and romance it up along the way.

 Read in any order or follow the series from the beginning: 
The Day Job is Murder
Vacation is Murder
Money is Murder
Politics is Murder
Family is Murder
Shopping is Murder
Christmas is Murder
Valentine’s Day is Murder
Coffee is Murder
Skiing is Murder
Halloween is Murder
Exercise is Murder

Review:

Exercise is Murder by Carolyn Arnold is the 12th book in her McKinley Mysteries series. I haven’t read any of the previous books, but they are all different stories, so you don’t have to read them in any order. 

Sean and Sara are investigators for “Pay It Forward Investigations”  (Quick recap) Sara and Sean used to work for Albany police department, and they would still be there if it hadn’t been for Sean and a random act of kindness to an elderly gentleman. And who in turn paid it forward ….. The man was in fact a multimillionaire, and so Sean and Sara were rich overnight……

The couple are called in after a murder involving a runner is committed. (Their personal trainer has asked for they’re help) 

There aren’t many suspects, and sadly for Sean his idol is in the frame (Levi is a pitcher for a baseball team)  

The police have closed the case and called it an accident, but Sean wants to find out more, the more he listens to the detective, the more he thinks they aren’t really interested, it’s an open and shut case!!!! 

As the case evolves, both Sean and Sara are convinced it wasn’t an accident. If it was Levi, then why? 

I have to admit I’m not usually a fan of husband and wife duo’s (I instantly think of the old 80’s telly series “Hart to Hart”) but I was pleasantly surprised, it’s really well written, Sean and Sara bounce along pretty well. Plenty of laughs and a few surprises. And the fact they don’t have a perfect marriage (Sara finds out that Sean is a huge sports fan and kept it from her) it doesn’t seem like much, but if it’s important to Sean then Sara wants to know, she feels a little hurt, is there anything else he’s hiding? Is there more to her husband than meets the eye? 

We have a few characters that have been in previous books, and they all seem relevant to the story (nothing worse than having people that aren’t really needed in the story) 

It’s a short story, so it won’t take long to find out whodunnit. 

And the murderer is ….. Well you will have to read to find that bit out?

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy supplied for review