Review: Uneasy Prey by Annette Dashofy

In the sixth book in the Zoe Chambers series, an elderly woman appears to have fallen down a flight of stairs to her basement. On the way to the hospital, she recovers enough to whisper to Zoe that she was pushed. A pair of con men has been visiting older members of the community posing as utility workers and casing houses for future robberies. Are they responsible for her death?

When the robbers visit Zoe’s former landlady, she decides it’s a good idea to move back in short-term as protection. Police Chief Pete Adams, her boyfriend, is adamantly against this. Her decision ultimately places her in the path of danger, but it doesn’t stop her from trying to figure out who is responsible for the robberies and Oriole’s death.

For those of us who have older friends and family or perhaps are older ourselves, this mystery hits home. Anyone could fall for what those con men were doing.

Then there is the addition of a character – a pesky reporter type. Zoe finds she is suspicious of the woman and her motives. The chief just doesn’t really like her at first because of her pushiness.

The characters are interesting and varied. They range in age from adolescent to senior citizen. They all come across as real people. There is a little character development as they grow and react to things going on around them.

The plot moves along at a good speed. It flows smoothly, is complex, and is well written. There is a secondary mystery, but I don’t want to go into it because of spoilers.

This was my first Zoe Chambers mystery. You can read it as a stand-alone, but I found it whet my appetite for the earlier mysteries in the series. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. The book is well-written. The characters come across as real people. And the mysteries are well done. There is enough background given to enjoy it even if it’s the first book you are reading in the series. I recommend it to people who enjoy cozies.

Uneasy Prey by Annette Dashofy is due to be released March 27th, 2018 from Henery Press.

Disclaimer: I received a  copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.