Publisher: Orange Grove Press
Series: Keri Armstrong Mysteries, Book #1
Copyright: 2025
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Available Formats: e-book and paperback
Digital: 978-1-952886-36-2
Paperback: 978-1-952886-37-9
Amazon ASIN: B0F8NNP8NN
Personal concierge Keri Armstrong will accept almost any job, but solving murders wasn’t on her to-do list—until now.
When personal concierge Keri Armstrong swings by her favorite client’s mansion to drop off groceries, she expects a heartfelt chat along with a cup of tea—not Fiona Sullivan dead in bed and her room ransacked. Though police chalk it up to a botched robbery, Keri isn’t so sure. Whispers around town suggest Fiona wasn’t as adored as Keri had believed, and many of the philanthropist’s so-called friends in affluent Sunny Grove, Florida seem glad she’s gone.
Keri refuses to let Fiona’s memory be reduced to malicious gossip. Armed with a keen eye, insider access, and a fully charged tablet, she sets out to uncover the truth. Soon her file of suspects grows faster than her to-do list. Between sneaky neighbors, resentful relatives, and tight-lipped charity board members, Fiona left behind a trail of frenemies who’d happily skip her memorial brunch.
As Keri digs deeper, she discovers her late mentor had a gift for extracting people’s secrets and using them like fine china—carefully storing them until they could serve a purpose. But Fiona also kept a few skeletons in her own walk-in closet. Now, with danger creeping closer, Keri must race to crack the case before her number comes up next… and Murder Pays a Call.
“Fans of award-winning author Nancy J. Cohen’s long-running Bad Hair Day Mysteries will be thrilled to learn there’s a new sleuth in town.” Lois Winston, author of the bestselling and award-winning Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries
“Ms. Cohen has chosen a brilliant setting to place her elegantly crafted characters. I love the mystery, with all the twists and turns. Seriously, the culprit’s reasoning is highly flawed and totally caught me off guard. Yet, I think it is fantastic. I highly recommend this book to all you cozy readers. Ms. Cohen is a fabulous storyteller.” Jen at Baroness’ Book Trove
“With its engaging main character and intriguing variety of secondary ones, this light new cozy is sure to please the author’s legion of fans and cozy mystery readers new to her work… This novel provided a very pleasant evening of feet-up, kicked-back cozy mystery entertainment.” Karen Siddall, Boys’ Mom Reads
“There are multiple intertwined mysteries to be solved with a steady pace and surprises along the way. Even better, there’s a hint of romance coming for Keri…. All in all, a great start for a new series.” Christa Nardi, Christa Reads and Writes
“I fell in love with the Bad Hair Days Mystery series written by Nancy J. Cohen so when I found out she started a new series, I was very excited!!! And boy has she started this new series off with a bang!!” Missi Stockwell Martin, Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
“Keri is smart, helpful, and has an open mind… Nefarious dealings and red herrings added interest and complexity to the mystery. It was fascinating learning more about the various suspects and watching as various schemes started to unravel… Strong characters and an intriguing mystery make MURDER PAYS A CALL a great start to a new series.” Kathleen Kaminski, Cozy Up with Kathy
“I enjoyed the twist at the end and the reveal which was really exciting… I’m definitely wanting to read the next book and see what Keri and her friends get into next!” Tari Hann, Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery and a Dachshund
“This is a delightfully entertaining and well-written whodunit that I could not put down until all was said and done. The author did a great job in staging this mystery with a pool of suspects, who all had strong motives, saturated with clues that kept me immersed… Overall, this is an excellent read and a great beginning in this new series.” Dru Ann Love, Dru’s Book Musing
“Keri is determined to get to the truth even if it puts her in danger. Intermixed with this strong murder plotline, the author inserts interesting subplots involving different characters, which allow them to continue to develop within the story… Murder Pays a Call has set this series off to a marvelous start. With a strong puzzling mystery and well-developed characters, this story was a real page-turner. I love the personal concierge theme.” Lori Caswell, Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book
“Nancy J. Cohen has built a detailed mystery with multiple strands of motive, personality and history… Her new Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery is a great start to a lively series.” Clare O’Beara, FreshFiction.com
“Filled with fun social events, future romantic interests, good solid writing and direction, MURDER PAYS A CALL will keep readers entertained all the way to the end. Furthermore, Keri’s business as a personal concierge provides a whole array of possible mystery plots in the future.” Sandra Martin, FreshFiction.com
“Nancy J. Cohen is a master storyteller when it comes to the cozy mystery genre. Murder Pays A Call surpassed my expectations. Usually cozies are too tame for me, but Murder Pays A Call is not your run of the mill cozy.” Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental
“There are multiple suspects with plenty of motives. Keri must follow the leads like threads in an intricate pattern which doesn’t take shape before the big reveal… This series starter checks all the cozy boxes and promises plenty of possibilities for future reads.” Tracy Condie, KRL News and Reviews
“Personal concierge Keri Armstrong is up for any job as long as it’s legal … until she finds her client dead in bed, which immerses her in a dangerous investigation that threatens her reputation, her agency, and her ethical compass… Replete with satisfying twists, unexpected character developments, and a plot to die for, Murder Pays a Call is a cozy mystery that readers will find thoroughly engaging.” D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“I loved the setting in Central Florida, where I used to live, and I soon warmed up to the characters. The plot was good, and at one point I had 10 suspects with no idea of who could be the killer.” Ana Kurland, Mostly Cozy Librarian
“From the first page until the last, this mystery captivated my imagination… The descriptive narration is immersive. The mystery plot is complex with plenty of clues, false clues, investigation, and a satisfying ending. The characters are colorful, relatable, and entertaining. Nancy J. Cohen has created a new unputdownable cozy mystery series. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I can’t wait to read more in this new series.” N.N. Light’s Book Heaven
“Nancy J. Cohen has delivered another engaging addition to her cozy mysteries, balancing warmth, wit, and suspense. Keri’s character was relatable as the amateur sleuth readers would likely root for. She was persistent in proving that Fiona’s death was not a mere robbery. The plot unfolded in a steady and gradual fashion that balanced the suspense and emotions… There were also plenty of possible motives that kept me guessing. Murder Pays a Call would likely appeal to fans of Leslie Budewitz’s Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries or Barbara Ross’s Maine Clambake Mysteries.” Demetria Head, Readers Favorite
“With a cleverly written mystery, Murder Pays a Call pulled me in and kept me engaged. I enjoyed meeting Keri and learning about her business, which is unique and I loved it. She’s kind and capable as she searches for clues to identity of the suspect, while trying to stay out of danger.” Sapphryia’s Book Reviews
“I adored Keri right from the start. She has determination and a strength that couldn’t be held back. Her supporting cast is a group of interesting characters with much promise for exciting future stories… This adventure went by fast for me. I couldn’t put it down until the case was solved.” Yvonne Hering, Socrates’ Book Reviews
“This fun, new, cozy series blends a likeable protagonist with an interesting business… If you like the author’s Bad Hair Day series, you will probably like this one too.” Leslie Storey, Storeybook Reviews
“It was fun to see a new sleuth learning as she went along trying to figure out whodunit… Sunny Grove, Florida, sure has its share of secrets.” June Price, Sunhusky’s Daisy Reads 2
“Murder Pays a Call is a cute cozy with a sudden death, surprising secrets, a surplus of suspects, catering to clients, curious clues, a chance at romance, and a killer reveal.” Kris Anderson, The Avid Reader
“A cozy murder mystery with some twists and turns. When I first started reading it, I thought it was going to be a light and easy read, nothing serious. Continued reading and it became intense later on. There was a point when I was gripping the edges of my ereader… Eagerly waiting for next installment.” Hairi Kahn, The Girl With Bangs
