Shelley Costa, one of my favorite cozy mystery and humor writers, gave us No Mistaking Death, a new series introducing amateur sleuth Marian Warner, in 2023. Here she is back with the second in the series, The Damages. My thanks go to the author, Net Galley, and Level Best Books for the review copies. This book is for sale now.

Marian was confused and hurting when last we saw her; that’s what happens when a normal person shoots someone. She blew out of Carthage, Ohio like the devil was on her tail at the end of the first mystery, but now she’s back, answering the call of a kid who wants her to find his missing sister, Beth. Beth is a courier for a medical testing company, ferrying blood samples from point A to point B. She’s well liked, lives a stable existence, and has told nobody of travel plans, but despite the fact that Carthage is a dinky little town, nobody has seen her lately.

It doesn’t look good.

Marian’s investigation dovetails with a big trial that’s taking place. A local obstetrician is being sued for millions by a couple whose baby he delivered. She has Cerebral Palsy, will never walk, talk, or lead a normal life. The medical malpractice suit is a money grab, plain and simple; if it is successful, Dr. Barish won’t be able to practice anymore. His premiums are already killing him. Is he the reason that Courtney Clemm is in such dire condition? Because she certainly is. It’s hard to look away.

This is a complex tale with a lot of twists and turns, but it’s not the mystery that keeps me engaged, it’s the protagonist. Given that this is just book 2 of a series, Marian is unusually well developed and immensely engaging. Add to this Costa’s trademark wordsmithery, her wry observations and quirky figurative language, and the case is almost beside the point. I’m here for Marian. And that’s good, because—for reasons I cannot understand myself—the pacing here is a little slow in places, though it ramps up to an arresting climax and powerful ending.

All told, this is a well-crafted novel, and I look forward immensely to book 3 in the series. Recommended to all that love a good cozy.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Shelley Costa’s “The Damages” is a riveting continuation of the Marian Warner series, plunging readers back into the heart of Carthage, Ohio, where secrets and danger lurk beneath the surface of small-town life.

This second installment sees private investigator Marian Warner tackling a case that is as personal as it is perilous.

Five months after the events of “No Mistaking Death,” Marian Warner returns to Carthage to investigate the disappearance of a young hospital courier, who is later found murdered. The plot thickens as Marian navigates courtroom dramas, confronts expert witnesses, and deals with the local Grange Ladies, all while trying to piece together the truth.

Marian Warner is a formidable protagonist whose sharp intellect and relentless determination drive the narrative. Her interactions with the townspeople, from the enigmatic locals to the overburdened physicians, add depth to the story. Marian’s personal struggles, including her “man trouble” and the physical threats she faces, make her a relatable and compelling character.

“The Damages” explores themes of justice, resilience, and the impact of past traumas. Marian’s quest for truth is about solving a crime while confronting her own demons and the moral ambiguities of her profession.

Costa’s writing is crisp and engaging, with a knack for building suspense and maintaining a brisk pace. Her attention to detail and ability to create a sense of place enhance the story’s immersive quality.

“The Damages” is a standout entry in the Marian Warner series, offering a blend of suspense, character depth, and psychological insight. Shelley Costa has crafted a novel that is thrilling and thought-provoking, with a plot that keeps readers guessing until the very end.

This book is a must-read for fans of crime fiction and anyone who enjoys a well-crafted mystery.

Receiving a new release by Shelley Costa is always a highlight of my reading journey. With her latest arrival, “The Damages,” she once again does not disappoint. Shelley's writing is unique. As you are gradually drawn into the story, all of a sudden, you can’t put it down. It becomes personal. Shelley’s careful research results in incredible dialogue and distinctive, but relateable, characters that make “The Damages,” and all her stories, intriguing, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, and eye-opening. Please keep writing, Shelley!

Many thanks for the complimentary ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and the author/publisher.

From the start, I found this book tough to read. The author’s writing style uses odd phrasing that caused me to reread sentence several times to gain its understanding. This alone made getting into the story challenging but I pushed forward hoping it would smooth out. It didn’t. The disjointedness was insurmountable to get at the story for me.

This is my Goodreads review, also copied on my blog.

I received this advance copy of The Damages from NetGalley with the expectation by them that I would provide my honest review.

I did not love this book.

Initially, the author's writing style was hard to follow. There were punctuation errors, or it was -missing completely. Phrases that didn't read well. And later there were even places where the person changed. The sentence read "Marian threw up my hands." It should have been Marian threw up her hands based on the narrator's point-of-view. The book just felt like it hadn't been adequately proofed and edited.

But I tried to move past all that and just focus on the story itself. It wasn't a bad story, but it was incomplete, in my opinion. This is the second book with common characters. I will be honest and say I didn't read the first one before starting this one. Maybe that would have helped. But The Damages was not listed as a sequel, just the second in a series. Series books should be able to stand, somewhat, on their own. A little more background filler to help develop the characters in this book would have been helpful. The author obviously assumed that the first book would have been read because there were vague references to "that time in January" and such, but not enough for me to understand the true relationships between some of the characters. And without that background, I just didn't find myself really invested in them. And because I wasn't invested in them, I didn't really care.

My next issue was with the wrap-up of the story itself. A successful mystery will leave appropriate clues for the reader to find, without giving away the ending. I have yet to understand how Marian solved this case based on what was presented. The story jumped around and that left gaps and then suddenly she's got it all worked out and calling the Sheriff. The final chapter made absolutely no sense. Absolutely superfluous. The two characters involved had only been given a brief interaction earlier in the book, but it was made known they were close. Just not as close as became obvious at the end.

In all, I found it disjointed and not an easy read. It shouldn't take 20 days to read 200 pages, but it was just not that interesting and I wasn't compelled to keep reading. I read most of it on a 3-hour flight because there was nothing else to do.