This was fun.  It won't change your world or give you new insights on life but it's fun.  The storyline revolves around a suburban mom who is very curious about strange happenings at what is supposed to be an empty house next door.  When she goes to investigate in the middle of the night, she finds monkeys all over her yard.  Interesting premise. 

Her husband has just left her and she's struggling to deal with that.  When the mob starts threatening her and she has to call an old boyfriend for help, the story takes some strange turns that are not quite what I was expecting.  I will some that some parts were exactly what I was suspecting like why her husband left but it did have a few twists.  The heroine isn't a particularly smart investigator.  She's a bit of a bumbler but I could relate to her on some levels. "Next to chocolate and peace on Earth, warm pajamas is what I wish for every birthday and Christmas.  Soft and warm matching fleece socks are another favorite".  Now this is a lady after my own heart. 

I hesitated to call it a cozy because some of the elements of the traditional cozy are missing.  There's no hobby or store or club that everything centers around. There's no central theme, it's more of just a straight mystery in some ways but the feel is cozy. Plenty of humor, plenty of amateur sleuths. They do some pretty amateurish things at times.  It almost has the feel of a wacky hi-jinks mystery but not quite.  Anyway, enough analysis.  It was fun, I liked it and I wouldn't hesitate to go back for more.

I received a copy of this from netgalley for review and I also got a copy as a Kindle freebie. So there, all the proper disclaimers.

Joe and Dottie Loudermilk are fortunate to be taking early retirement in their early 50's.  They bought an Airstream and hit the road for the Grand Canyon.  Unfortunately, their youngest and most disreputable son shows up just about the time they find a dead body in their bathroom?  Coincidence? Add some mobsters and a ticked-off football player and you're headed for a wild ride.

I suspect reviews of this mystery will vary widely because it is a very distinct genre that isn't going to appeal to everyone.  It doesn't appeal to me.  It is in the "wacky hi-jinks" field of mystery.  I love funny mysteries but this is much more of a slapstick mystery.  It is well written and if you like crazy capers, then you will like this one. 

There were two specific things that contributed to me just not feeling this one.  First, you couldn't solve the mystery yourself because you don't have all the evidence available.  Until they tell you whodunit, you can't know.  Second, the main characters are in their early 50's and continually talk about how old they are.  As a person in that age group, I don't feel old so the whole thing didn't ring true.  I should add a third thing, Joe Loudermilk is a retired policeman and yet blatantly disregards all police procedure.  Annoying.

I'm not saying his is not a bad book, just not a book for me. It's a short, easy read that will appeal to those who are into this genre.