“Many authors claim to be the next Agatha Christie, this is the first time I have read a book and so strongly seen the comparison. It is a quintessential cozy in the same vein as Agatha Christie.” examiner.com:
“…a sharply-paced cozy with a French flair. A man with a “lively” background, admired, feared and hated by at least one person, is murdered at a dinner party while celebrating his trophy wife’s birthday. And, oh dear, aren’t all the guests suspects, including amateur sleuth and Welsh-Canadian professor Cait Morgan. She’s a criminologist who more than dabbles in victim profiling. Will her talent clear her of suspicion or lead to her own death? If you enjoy a meticulously plotted whodunit in the traditional vein, then Ace’s debut will be what you’re looking for: a pleasant diversion with a dash of brain teaser.” The Hamilton Spectator
“This is very like an Agatha Christie locked room mystery which will appeal to fans of classic crime fiction. One of the people present at the dinner party must have committed the murder, and it soon emerges that each participant has something to hide. Each suspect is vividly-drawn, and the author manages to avoid clichés. The elderly woman with the mysterious past, the gloomy gardener, the American thriller writer, the self-absorbed and not-quite-grieving widow, and the flirtatious, unreliable Italian museum director – whodunnit? The greatest joy of the book is the narrator herself, the middle-aged Welsh-Canadian heroine, with a fine line in tart remarks and accurate social observations. With her photographic memory and intuitive crime-solving skills, Cait Morgan becomes quite an asset to the police in Nice. She is certainly no hardboiled detective, but a delightfully chatty observer, with a weakness for fine food and charming men.” Crime Fiction Lover
“Welsh Canadian criminology professor Cait Morgan is attending a conference in Nice, France, when a chance encounter with her old boss, Alistair, leads to a dinner party invitation. Alarmingly, Alistair dies of food poisoning at dinner. But his young widow seems most distraught because her birthday gift-a rare and storied necklace known as a Celtic collar-is missing. When another party guest subsequently dies, the connection between the necklace and the victims becomes evident, and the killer moves to silence Cait as well. VERDICT In the finest tradition of Agatha Christie, debut author Ace brings us the closed-room drama, with a dollop of romantic suspense and historical intrigue.” Library Journal
“Lovers of puzzle plots should meet Professor Cait Morgan, heroine of this new series by Cathy Ace. Morgan is a Welsh-Canadian criminologist who specializes in profiling, and, in fine fashion, the first case she has to solve is death at a dinner party; she’s a suspect. Ace makes the most of her fascinating professor and also with the South of France setting. There’s a missing gold necklace, supposedly cursed, lots of clues, not much blood and some nifty ratiocination. A writer to watch.” The Globe and Mail
“Ace’s smooth debut introduces Welsh-born Cait Morgan, a Vancouver, BC, criminology professor and police consultant….Cait’s enjoyable first outing should earn her a well-deserved encore.” Publishers’ Weekly