Every fall, hunting season in Sorenson, Wisconsin, leads to some accidental injuries. Deputy coroner Mattie Winston just hopes the hunters don't bring any more business to her office. But somebody seems to have declared open season on land developers. One real estate developer who's recently come to town has been found dead in the woods, with an arrow through his neck. Now it's up to Mattie to get to the bottom of the killing. That might be easier if she wasn't also hunting for Detective Hurley's teenage daughter, Emily, ...
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Every fall, hunting season in Sorenson, Wisconsin, leads to some accidental injuries. Deputy coroner Mattie Winston just hopes the hunters don't bring any more business to her office. But somebody seems to have declared open season on land developers. One real estate developer who's recently come to town has been found dead in the woods, with an arrow through his neck. Now it's up to Mattie to get to the bottom of the killing. That might be easier if she wasn't also hunting for Detective Hurley's teenage daughter, Emily, who has suddenly disappeared. With a homicidal William Tell out on the loose, Mattie is desperate to find Emily before the killer notches another arrow.
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Add this copy of Stiff Competition (a Mattie Winston Mystery) to cart. $8.56, good condition, Sold by Zoom Books East rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Glendale Heights, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Kensington.
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Add this copy of Stiff Competition to cart. $9.42, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Kensington Publishing Corporation.
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Add this copy of Stiff Competition to cart. $9.42, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Kensington Publishing Corporation.
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The crisp autumn air in Wisconsin means there are deer hunters in the woods and fields first for bow hunting, later for gun hunting. Accidents are bound to happen but when a land developer is taken down with an arrow it turns out to be murder. Deputy Coroner Mattie Winston returns to work after the birth of her baby just in time to be put on the case. She starts working the case with her baby's daddy, Detective Hurley but when Emily his teenage daughter goes missing he hands the case off to another detective to search for her. Mattie would love to help him but her relationship with the teenager is pretty icy. But soon she finds herself both on the trail for Emily and the killer.
Mattie's life is full and complicated. She is trying to find a balance between work and motherhood. Thankfully she has a great babysitter in Dom but that doesn't mean she doesn't show up the first day back at work with baby puke in her hair and on her shirt. She is also hoping to bring her little family together but Hurley's daughter isn't having it. She is doing everything she can to keep Mattie and Hurley apart.
Maddie's first days back at work are truly filled to the brim. Any mother can feel the strain of taking care of a newborn while trying to function through a workday. The author gives a true perspective. I identified with Mattie putting everyone and everything else first. Trying to squeeze in a haircut was a monumental task and then she made a poor decision.
Hurley is dealing with a lot as well. He is in a high-pressure job that requires a lot of hours. His teenage daughter entering his life brings a whole new set of stressors and now he has the baby with Mattie. He is feeling guilty because he feels he is not doing any of the jobs well.
What really drives the books in this series are the many relationships between the characters. There is drama but there is an overwhelming feeling of love. The core characters all care about each other and make up a unique family situation. The characters continue to grow throughout each book and in Stiff Competition, one character has a wonderful awakening. It is so easy to get invested in these characters.
Ms. Ryan gives readers two mysteries to solve. The murder of a shady land developer and the disappearance of Hurley's daughter. Maddie is up to her neck in both and the author twists both of them together with an expert hand. I was more caught up in Emily's disappearance because she is a core character but it was fun following the clues to solve the other mystery too. I also enjoy the way humor is placed widely throughout the story. Real true-to-life events befall Mattie time and time again in a funny way.
Of course, this series taking place close to my home always brings extra enjoyment as landmarks and places I know are mentioned. It is easy to see in my mind right where everything is taking place.
Stiff Competition is a nice addition to this series. With the next book, we move out of the "Stiff" phase and into the "DEAD" phase. I am looking forward to continuing on Mattie's journey with her family and friends. The ending of this book makes me excited to escape into Dead In The Water soon.
KrisAndersonTAR
Feb 12, 2016
The latest Mattie Winston book!
Stiff Competition by Annelise Ryan is the seventh book in the Mattie Winston Mysteries. Stiff Competition picks up eight weeks after the last book in the series. Mattie Winston has had her baby (named Matthew Hurley) and it is her first day back at work. She is called out to a crime scene in the woods. Lars Sanderson, the real estate developer, is the victim. There are many suspects because many people were not happy with Lars business practices (he was building strip malls and cheap condos) and his womanizing ways. Mattie will be busy trying to solve the case and adapt to being a single mother. Mattie and her boyfriend (and baby daddy) Steve Hurley have not been able to move into together because of Emily! Emily is the daughter Steve did not know he had until recently. Emily is fifteen and a handful. She resents Mattie and is making life as difficult as possible for Steve and Mattie. Then Emily disappears. Matt wonders if Emily went back to Milwaukee where she used to live with her mother. Mattie searches Sorenson (Wisconsin) for Emily. Mattie has a feeling that there is more to Emily's disappearance than an upset teenage girl. Will they be able to find Emily in time?
I enjoyed Stiff Competition much more than the previous book in the series (which I only gave 3 out of 5 stars). I thought I would give the series another chance, and I am glad that I did. The book starts out a little slow (with a lot of whining), but it gets much better. The murder mystery (as well as Emily's disappearance) are easy to solve, but there are some good clues to follow. I did feel that Emily's disappearance dominated the book. The murder of Lars Sanderson took a back seat in the novel. I really feel bad for Steve Hurley. Hurley, once again, played a small role. I hope he plays a bigger part in the next book (and that Mattie is less hormonal). Overall, Stiff Competition was a good cozy mystery. I give Stiff Competition 4 out of 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of Stiff Competition from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
