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Throw a Monkey Wrench (An Emma Cassidy Mystery Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Karen Chester (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 468 ratings
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A party to die for!

After personal and professional disasters, event planner Emma Cassidy just wants to rebuild her life in her sleepy hometown. Organizing a housewarming party for the brash and arrogant Tony Barnet is a step in the right direction. But when food poisoning ruins the party, Tony instantly blames Emma, and the bad publicity spells doom for her business.

At least she still has the job of planning Sean and Madison’s wedding. Sean, one of the notorious McCluskey clan, is about to marry Madison, the beautiful daughter of the rich and powerful Whites. But when Tony Barnet is killed, the police swiftly arrest Sean McCluskey. Though the evidence is damning, Emma is convinced her friend is innocent. With Sean facing prison, the wedding in jeopardy, and her fledgling business in danger of tanking, Emma must unravel the mystery and expose the real killer before it’s too late.

If you like small town cozy mysteries with engaging puzzles and quirky characters, then pick up Throw a Monkey Wrench today!

The Emma Cassidy Mystery series:

Book 1: Throw a Monkey Wrench http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A60ZYWW
Book 2: Pushed to the Limit http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BHESQA8
Book 3: Murder Most Likely http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FF9BPO0
Book 4: Witch Way to Murder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1GC7O8
Book 5: In the Dead of Winter http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3MBY2Q
Book 6: A Case of Cold Feet http://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X1GVC76
Book 7: Last Resort https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P4LD5RF
Book 8: No Place Like Home https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PBRKPCS
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  1. Book 1 of 8
    An Emma Cassidy Mystery
  2. Print length
    259 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    January 3, 2016
  6. File size
    3377 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01A60ZYWW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (January 3, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 3, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3377 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 259 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 468 ratings

About the author

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Karen Chester

Karen Chester

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Karen Chester is a mystery author who grew up watching Murder, She Wrote and reading Agatha Christie. She spends her days thinking up dastardly methods of murder and cunning red herrings.

Sign up for her newsletter at www.karenchester.wordpress.com

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
468 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars A good mystery!
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2020
Verified Purchase
Emma Cassidy was a party planner. At an elegant party for one of her toughest clients, people were collapsing at the dessert table. What was going on? This surely wouldn’t be good for business. Naturally, Emma wasn’t surprised when her client was screaming at her, threatening to sue. In the end, she might’ve gotten some cancellations, but, at least, she had that big wedding to plan (not her own, of course.) This was a wedding of star-crossed lovers from opposites side of the track (she’s rich and he’s an outlaw,) so, of course, the bride’s parents were less than thrilled.

Suddenly, the client from the poisoning disaster ends up murdered and the groom was a suspect. The bride’s parents hated the boy and would do anything to throw a wrench in the mix. Meanwhile, the wedding was off and so was Emma’s commission along with any possible job prospects. Can she solve this mystery and prove a good man’s innocence?

This was a good mystery. There were lots of suspects and several mysteries in one—the poisoning, the hit-and-run, and the murder. There were so many angles and so many possibilities that made this an interesting and compelling read.

I don’t know how I feel about the cover. The 3D imagery looks very stiff and robotic. Absolutely no life to it. Not like Pixar at all.

Still, this was a good mystery!
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Amy Starr
4.0 out of 5 stars Easy Read
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2017
Verified Purchase
The story line was great and the characters well developed. But, for me, too many paragraphs were devoted to Emma's musings and I found myself skimming over them to get back to the story. I'd get caught up in some real action, and then the book would slow down into a lull. All told, it wasn't "sit on the edge of your seat" enough for me.
One person found this helpful
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Nancy Moody
5.0 out of 5 stars A Joy to Read!
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2019
Verified Purchase
I found this book an absolute joy to read. I enjoyed the smooth flow of the plot. Karen Chester will be one of my new best authors. I loved her characters, which are also very interesting and entertaining. Try it, I think you will like it also.
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Wendy Green
3.0 out of 5 stars but I'm glad I stuck with it because it turned into a ...
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2018
Verified Purchase
I found this book a bit too simplistic in the beginning and a slightly irritating in style, but I'm glad I stuck with it because it turned into a pretty good story. The characters are interesting and likable (the ones we're supposed to like) and the unlikable ones are well developed, as well. Lots of characters to love and hate, and some good plot twists as the main character tries to figure out who the murderer is. I'm actually looking forward to the second book in the series.
One person found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Good fast read
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
Emma is just starting her new business Of catering when she's in the middle of a murder follow her as she tries to solve it.
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Sandy Penny
5.0 out of 5 stars Who Killed that Guy Nobody Liked?
Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2018
Verified Purchase
Emma Cassidy is a caterer who has been invited to cater a housewarming event for a very wealthy man. When all the guests start getting sick, she gets involved in trying to find out who did it or she may be held responsible. Her client yells at her, call her incompetent, and threatens to sue her. When he ends up dead, she figures they'll arrest her for the murder, but instead, they arrest another one of her clients. What is going on in her life? It's crazy. She's pretty sure her client is innocent, and his fiance begs Emma to help find the real killer. Much to the chagrin of the police, she sets out to ask questions and get answers. Little does she know that she's in the killer's sights and is in grave danger as she gets closer to the truth. It's a good story, and I enjoyed it. I like Emma and the other regular characters who will obviously show up in other books. If you're looking for a new series to follow, I like this one.
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SweetRead
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2019
Verified Purchase
I couldn't put this book down! It's very well written with interesting characters and fun twists to the plot. Could have done away with some of the language, but fortunately, there wasn't a lot of that. Some better editing would have helped, but the story itself was good enough to overlook some 0f that. I would love to read the rest of the series.
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Ellen Oceanside
4.0 out of 5 stars EVENT WAS A KILLER
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2017
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Good long story of a mystery that has quite a few twists to it. Emma comes back to her home town as an event planner. Doing one for Tony, guests got sick, he blames her, business is flagging. She has wedding for Sean yet to do. Then that is in jeopardy when he is accused of murder. With so much to lose, Emma steps in to solve. Good reading for all, and has a good plot to the end.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Chuck Kanuck
4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant read
Reviewed in Canada on June 18, 2019
Verified Purchase
If you like cozy mysteries, then this one’s for you. Well written and and well thought out, the characters are great and the story has a great twist to it. Enjoy.
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Sylvia
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in Canada on May 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
I read this in one sitting - till 2 am!!. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it kept me guessing whodunit all the way through. More suspects kept popping up when I had already decided who the guilty one might be. I will be looking for more from Karen...
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Ann Stanmore
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2018
Verified Purchase
Oh my goodness, what an introduction to Emma. She is an event planner back in her small hometown to hopefully rebuild her life. Unfortunately things seem to keep going wrong for her.

Food poisoning at an important housewarming hosted by big shot Tony Barnet, then Tony is killed and Emma's friend, whose wedding she should be planning, is arrested. Can anything else happen?

We go on a crazy ride with Emma as she tries to solve all the mysteries to get her business back on track.

Entertaing read and a good start to a new series.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Four and a half stars
Reviewed in Canada on May 24, 2018
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed reading this first book in the series and meeting the characters. Lots of twists along the way with some romance always makes for a great read.I look forward to reading the next book.
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noddy
4.0 out of 5 stars The pace didn't slow, even at the end!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 5, 2019
Verified Purchase
Like the way her heroine worked out who the murderer was and we were included with her reasoning all the way through. The pace didn't slow, even at the end. I may go on and read some more by this author.
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