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Heather Haven

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Death Runs in the Family: A Fun Detective Cozy (The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Heather Haven (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Book 3 of 14: The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries

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A DETECTIVE AGENCY WITH HEART. AND…WAIT… A CATNAPPING?!!
Lee Alvarez, super sleuth, has her four-legged BFF (Best Feline Forever), Tugger, catnapped from her very own apartment, right under her nose. And that includes her new boyfriend’s cat, as well. But Lee is not taking this lying down, especially as the catnapper is currently married to her ex. Oh, why, oh why did Lee even let her into the house? Oh, that’s right. The woman said she needed help. Lee Alvarez, ace detective, ace sucker. All of this is colored by the news of the unexpected loss of her dear cousin during a 12K foot race. Not only does his death seem to be tied into the theft of the beloved pets, but thanks to her genius bro’ who created a tracking device attached to Tugger’s carrier, all clues lead to Vegas! So it’s off to the City of Lost Wages. With the help of her family and her father’s PI friend who lives there, Lee is determined to get the two cats back no matter what. Thank gawd her boyfriend – who is on a covert mission for his country – doesn’t know his cat is missing, as well as her own. And she’s going to keep it that way until she gets them back! Going undercover as a dancer in a lounge lizard’s act, Lee soon discovers an international, multi-million dollar betting syndicate where – if your number is up – your first foot race could be your last. But that’s not happening while she’s around. Is she up for a race with death? Well! Pass the running shoes.

Author Haven delights us again with all the warm and fuzzy fun a cozy fan could wish for—in the form of a delightfully eccentric and thoroughly loving detective family, each with his or her special talent, from its matriarch. Lila, to her computer genius brother, Richard, to Tio, the adoring uncle everyone loves (he’s handsome and he cooks!). Added to the group is Lee’s new drop-dead gorgeous former Navy SEAL boyfriend. Ain’t love grand?

Fans of PI stories, cozy mysteries, and women sleuths will love Lee Alvarez, especially if they love sharp funny female protagonists like Sue Grafton’s witty Kinsey Millhone and Janet Evanovich’s lovable Stephanie Plum. Aficionados of Lisa Lutz’s family series, The Spellman Files, will get a special kick out of the Alvarez clan when they follow the clues to Sin City and beyond!

Book 3 of 14

The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries
Print length

290 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publication date

April 22, 2014
File size

4297 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Okay, I'm prejudiced. This is the third book in the Alvarez Family Murder Mystery series and the first two were five-star, kick derriere page-burning, hold-your-breath reads. I've been waiting for this book the way I waited for the next Jim Butcher Harry Dresden book, or the next Harry Potter, or Mary Janice Davidson's next Undead book, etc. You don't have to have read the first two books to enjoy this one, but you'll want more of this warm, loving, funny, crime-fighting family's nail-biting adventures. Rochelle Weber

From the Author

I love writing this series! They are all such fun characters. Murder is a Family Business, A Wedding to Die For, and Death Runs in the Family are humorous mysteries revolving around Lee Alvarez, a combination of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone and Janet Evanovitch's Stephanie Plum, and the rest of Alvarez Family. That would include Lee's Never-Had-A-Bad-Hair-Day aristocratic mother, Lila; computer genius brother, Richard; beloved uncle "Tio;" and her energetic orange and white cat, Tugger. When this group is not solving murders, they run Discretionary Inquiries, a successful Silicon Valley agency that normally deals with the theft of intellectual property and computer software. Seemingly light and frothy on the surface, these novels have a whacking good mystery to solve while they explore familial love, the good, the bad and the annoying.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00JVGRGBK
Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Wives of Bath Press; 2nd edition (April 22, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 22, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4297 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 290 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0988408600

Best Sellers Rank: #419,849 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #3,210 in Traditional Detective Mysteries (Kindle Store)
- #4,078 in Traditional Detective Mysteries (Books)
- #5,606 in Cozy Animal Mystery

Customer Reviews:
819

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Heather Haven

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Heather is a storyteller by nature and loves the written word. In her career, she's written short stories, novels, comedy acts, plays, television treatments, ad copy, commercials, and even ghost-wrote a book on how to be a successful temp. She was unemployed at the time.

Heather is the author of the award-winning Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries, Persephone Cole Vintage Mysteries, Love Can Be Murder, and now the Snow Lake Romantic Suspense Novels, the first of which is Christmas Trifle. Her proudest achievement so far is Murder under the Big Top, a stand-alone docu-fiction and mystery about Ringling Brothers Circus based on her mother's memories.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5

819 global ratings

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JME

Five Star Excitement

Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2014

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Just love a book I can't put down and could read all night. Having read the first two of the Alvarez family, this one didn't disappoint and I'm eager for another one. That I lived in San Francisco (Book #1) and worked in Silicon Valley, just added to the "flavor" of the book for me. The writing is clear and crisp (with a few typos, wrong word usage, etc. in all three of the series; these were a bit distracting for a moment and should have been corrected). Nonetheless that didn't keep this book from being great. What I like about the first person writing is the great sense of self and humor that the protagonist gives throughout all three books. Some scary episodes add to the mystery, our heroine always comes through. Each of these family mysteries is standalone and the author nicely reiterates the family background, briefly and concisely. Eagerly awaiting the next book...

2 people found this helpful

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Cellophane Queen

Lee Alvarez - Sleuthing Supremo

Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2012

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I've read all three of the Alvarez family mysteries. This is the best yet. I really enjoyed the first two, but I believe that Heather Haven has hit her stride in Death Runs (get it?). You can read the synopsis on the product page, so you don't need me to repeat it.

Here's the stuff that really stood out for me.

- Consistent, yet growing characterizations. Everyone in the family is recognizable within a couple of sentences. That means I feel like I know these folks as if they lived across the street. Unfortunately, I'm not that wealthy, but I also know this family would NEVER stick their noses up in the air at anybody. I would love to hang out with them. Even Lila!

- A complex plot that carries the reader right to the end, guessing the whole time. I even made an early note with my opinion on how the murder happened. Nope. I was close, but no cigar.

- Introduction of new characters that jump on board fully developed. I expect Flint and Nick to show up in the next book. I look forward to them both joining the family team for another round of murderous fun.

Fast pace, but vividly written enough to keep pace even if you're forced to jog to keep up. I need the exercise anyway, and Death Runs is leading me on.

Very well done. I highly recommend this book to mystery fans.

Why not five stars? You've pretty much have to be named Agatha Christie or P.D. James to get five stars on my reviews. Heather's running right on their tales (deliberate pun). Maybe book 4 will get that elusive 5 from me.

Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2023

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Characters are interesting and fun. Fast pace easy read.
I recommend the series for anyone who likes a good story.

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Dorene

Not the Best in the Series

Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2014

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This is the 3rd in the Alvarez Family series. I did like the further development of the mom, Lila, and brother, Richard. The plot, however, was perhaps not as well thought out as her previous books. I was disappointed that the lead character, Lee Alvarez, made a lot of seriously stupid errors that took away from the strong female character I enjoyed in the previous books. Hopefully, she'll make a come back.

10 people found this helpful

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AZ Reader

Witty,Fun with plenty of surprise to keep you reading until the very end

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2020

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I picked up this book because I like witty women sleuths, and I'm happy to say this one fits the bill!
Clever characters with just enough back story to keep it all straight about who's who. And there's plenty of family here to enjoy.
By the end of the book, I felt as if these people are the kind I'd like to hang out with...well, except for Lee's loser ex-husband. Lots of surprises in the plot to keep me reading until the very satisfying end.

Highly recommended!

One person found this helpful

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Susan

Love and Commitment to Family

Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2014

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After reading the first two books in the series, I was anxious to follow the Alvarez family in their next adventures. The tone of this book is, by necessity, less cheerful; however more profound aspects of the Alvarez family's personalities are revealed. Their deep love and commitment to their immediate and extended family make for a wonderful read. Heather Haven handles the dichotomy of humor and the death of a well loved family member in a manner that continues to make the reader fall in love with Lee Alvarez. As an added bonus, we cat lovers are rejoicing in Tugger's devotion to Lee and his expanded role in the family. Ms. Haven has introduced the reader to several characters in her last two books who have enriched the stories. I can only hope that she includes them in future books. I'm certain that the reader would welcome them back as familiar friends. Those readers who haven't read previous books in the series will surely find this book an entertaining and enjoyable experience.

3 people found this helpful

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CrossFire

better and better

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2022

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This is a terrific book and series. It was really hard to put it down. Lee ends up solving the murder of her uncle and has to go all the way to Brazil to bring them to justice. Can’t wait for the next one

Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2012

Verified Purchase

I've read the other mysteries in this series and enjoyed them. This one is no different.

The Alvarez family has its own detective business, with the daughter Lee our heroine. This installment brings her ex-husband back into her life along with his second wife who's...No that would spoil it.

The murder is that of Lee's cousin, a runner who drops dead just short of the finish line. Turns out he isn't the only one failing to finish. Her ex knows something about the fixed race, and she has to find out what. If that entails using her ballerina skills as a Las Vegas hoofer, so much the better.

Lee's brother is the computer geek at the agency, her mother the manager of the agency, and her deceased father's brother...the cook? Anyway, it's a family affair.

Between Lee's ex, her current lover, her cat, his cat, her mother, her brother, her uncle...anyone I left out? Oh, yeah, the second wife! And a Shoshone. And a lounge lizard.

Oh, did I mention mobsters?

Easy and entertaining read. Anyone who likes light mysteries will enjoy it.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Sabine Foster

Great series!

Reviewed in Canada on September 14, 2022

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There were several mysteries in this book....and it stood out to me that they were all solved neatly in order one after the other. Unusual but I enjoyed the different approach.

Kitty kidnapping, a missing person and a murder

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 2, 2022

Verified Purchase

I enjoyed this book. There is so much going on that despite this being my first adventure into the series and not knowing the characters I was hooked. So much so that I have already downloaded another book by this author. The mystery was really interesting, trying to figure out how the runners were being killed off. There isn't any real suspects as you pretty much know who is involved from the start but the mystery is more how than who and the manipulation of certain characters. I actually really enjoyed this side to the story as it made it entertaining and you were certain what was going to happen next. The characters are the reason I want to read another book by this author because I just loved them. I wasn't sure what the uncle said most of the time but his love for his family came across clearly and I really enjoyed the interaction between them all. An unusual plot line but a good fun mystery. Off to read another book by this author.
Lee might be divorced from her ex husband but that doesn't stop her front opening the door to find his new wife standing there. Nick has gone missing but before he did he told his wife that if they were ever in trouble to turn to Lee for help. Can Lee find Nick? At the same time Lee's cousin drops dead just meters from the finish line and Lee's brother thinks he was murdered. Lee doesn't want to have anything to do with her ex and just wants to work out her cousin was murdered but things get taken out of her hands and she finds herself flying to Lee Vegas to look for Nick. The same man who tried contacting her cousin just hours before his death. Does Nick know something about the death? And if he does can Lee find out what it is before her own boyfriend runs in a race?

Fran Selinger

Could Be Better

Reviewed in Canada on December 30, 2014

Verified Purchase

This is a review specifically for the e-book. I did finish reading the book as I wanted to find out what happened. However, my attention did wander. There were some dull moments, but my main complaint is that the e-book was not properly formatted and obviously was not proofread before putting online. There are numerous instances where sentences are left hanging. I find this very unprofessional.

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Death Runs in the Family: A Fun Detective Cozy (The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries Book 3) Kindle Edition

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