Murder on the Rocks by Allyson K. Abbott is the first book in the new “Mack’s Bar” mystery series. Publisher: Kensington, August 2013

Mack’s Bar is one of those nice, friendly places where everybody knows your name. That’s great when someone’s buying you a round, but not so hot when you find yourself at the top of a list of murder suspects – with your fingerprints on the bloody knife! Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Dalton is a Milwaukee bar owner with a nose for trouble – literally. A neurological glitch has left her with extra perceptive senses. So when she stumbles upon a dead body in the alley behind the bar – the same spot where her own father was shot eight months earlier – she can tell right away there’s something fishy in the air. The lead detective thinks there’s a link between the two deaths, and he’ll need Mack’s help to sniff out the murderer amid the crowd of eccentric regulars. But when all the evidence points to her as the most likely culprit, it could be an early last call for Mack-and celebratory cocktails for a killer.

I like it. When evidence points to Mack as a prime suspect in the murder of her father’s girlfriend, Mack teams up with a local detective to uncork a killer, before she loses more than just her business.

This is a good book that was hard to put down. The plot was quite interesting especially Mack’s unique talent which added intrigue to this finely turned drama. I enjoyed how the story played out as this quickly became a page turner as I had to know what happens next. The mystery had plenty of suspects and it was fun narrowing down the list as the author did a good job in changing directions, even when I thought I had it all figured out. Mack is a great character and a welcome addition to the mystery genre. She is also surrounded by a good set of friends who are like family to her and I can’t wait to explore them all. This is a terrific read and I look forward to the next book in this exciting debut series. Bonus drinks recipes included.

Allyson K. Abbott is the pseudonym of Beth Amos who also writes as Annelise Ryan, author of the “Mattie Winston” mystery series.

FTC Full Disclosure – I bought this book.

previously posted on the Cozy Chicks blog