54) Eternally 21 by Linda Joffe Hull

The Blurb :

Coupon-clipping Mrs. Frugalicious gets more than she bargained for

After Mr. Frank "Finance" Michaels loses the family's financial nest egg in a Ponzi scheme, his wife Maddie does whatever she can to help keep up the appearance that everything is financially fine. When she starts a bargain hunter's blog under the alias Mrs. Frugalicious, her website becomes a viral hit with a growing "frugarmy" of budget advice seekers.

While Maddie is researching "frugasm"-worthy deals on holiday shopping for teens, Eternally 21 store manager Laila DeSimone mistakenly accuses her of shoplifting. Then her day goes from bad to worse when Laila expires on the floor. Since Laila was a universally disliked manager, the murder suspect list is longer than Maddie's bargain spreadsheet. But when evidence points to Maddie as the prime suspect, she must track down the real culprit. Can she uncover the truth before police throw away her get-out-of-jail-free coupon for good?

My Thoughts :

I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately and even though I have enough books to choose from I have so many review books waiting to be read that I feel like the choice is being taken out of my hands because I am so behind!  I needed something light and interesting to read.  Cozy mysteries always fit this bill and one I had in my Kindle review folder jumped right out at me.  Eternally 21 may not be a paranormal cozy but it had still caught my eye.  Now I was ready to give it a chance.

Within a couple of chapters I was pretty much hooked.  The story of Maddie's life was filled with different aspects that kept me interested.  Her husband, their relationship and the financial troubles they were having made her realistic and human.  Her family and the way she was trying to support them on a budget made her likable.  Lastly her secret alias Mrs. Frugalicious impressed me.  She was a fighter but willing to share everything she learned on her bargain hunts and I liked her even more.

The murder investigation and plot were well thought out and there was a point in the book where I realised things were not the way they seemed.  Some of it clicked into place for me before Maggie put two and two together but I was as shocked as she was when the final truth came out.  The nice twists and turns in the investigation kept Maddie and me on my toes and I loved seeing it all unravel.

The tips and tricks to being frugal were a nice touch to the book but not very usual for someone living outside of the States.  However I am pretty sure that someone living on a budget who needs some guidance may find this book to be a good investment.

Eternally 21 was a great read and it impressed me so much that I am going to keep a look out for a sequel.  Not only was the plot exciting but Maddie's life is one I want to keep reading about.  I am interested in seeing what happens next and what lies in store for her and Mrs. Frugalicious.  There are so many possibilities and I wonder where the author will take the series.

Definitely worth giving this one a go if you are a cozy fan and want to try something new.  This concept isn't one I have come across before and the mystery part was not over the top or completely impossible.   Eternally 21 releases in June 2013 and I hope the next installment comes along soon!