Dead Storage

Mary Feliz

Jul 2017 · A Maggie McDonald Mystery Book 3 · Lyrical Press

About this ebook

The author of Scheduled to Death “perfectly captures the high-tech lifestyle of Silicon Valley . . . Deeply rewarding and with organizational hints” (Kings River Life Magazine).
 
As a professional organizer, Maggie McDonald brings order to messy situations. But when a good friend becomes a murder suspect, surviving the chaos is one tall task . . .
 
Despite a looming deadline, Maggie thinks she has what it takes to help friends Jason and Stephen unclutter their large Victorian in time for its scheduled renovation. But before she can fill a single bin with unused junk, Jason leaves for Texas on an emergency business trip, Stephen’s injured mastiff limps home—and Stephen himself lands in jail for murder. Someone killed the owner of a local Chinese restaurant and stuffed him in the freezer. Stephen, caught at the crime scene covered in blood, is the number one suspect. Now Maggie must devise a strategy to sort through secrets and set him free—before she’s tossed into permanent storage next . . .
 
Praise for the Maggie McDonald Mysteries
 
“Abundant with friendly canine companions, from-the-hearth cooking, and banter between long-time friends, this novel serves up a chilling mystery warmed by likable characters and enviable setting.” —KRL News & Reviews
 
“Bay Area residents will enjoy the heavy local angle.” —San Jose Mercury News
 
“The setting is delightful . . . Maggie herself, in my opinion, is a major selling point for this new series, aside from the added value of her organizational advice.” —MiddleSisterReviews.com

Ratings and reviews

Dead Storage by Mary Feliz is the third installment in A Maggie McDonald Mystery series. Maggie McDonald lives in Orchard View, California with her husband and two sons. She owns Simplicity Itself Organizing Services. Maggie is ready to start her new job decluttering Stephen Laird and Jason Mueller’s beautiful Victorian home before they embark on their remodel project. Jason has been deployed to Texas on an important assignment, but he wants Stephen and Maggie to proceed as planned. The next morning Maggie arrives and Stephen is not at home. She notices Stephen’s dog, Munchkin limping towards home without his owner (and they are always together). While at the vet with Munchkin, Maggie receives a call from Paolo Bianchi, Jason’s partner on the force. Stephen is in jail and will only speak with Maggie. After promising to not tell Jason, Stephen tells Maggie the story. Stephen stumbled upon a murder at the Golden Dragon, and he is considered the prime suspect in the death of Mr. Xiang, the owner. He has a good reason, though, for not talking to the police. Stephen needs Maggie to find the culprit before the local prison becomes his permanent home. Dead Storage is nicely written, has a good pace and easy to read. I like the author’s writing style. While it is the third book in the series, it can be read alone. The details on Maggie’s background and family are in Dead Storage. Maggie is a good character with an understanding family. I particularly enjoyed Maggie’s tips at the beginning of each chapter (on storage, organizing, decluttering—i.e. taking care of your junk). My rating for Dead Storage is 3 out of 5 stars. The mystery was straightforward (some readers will be surprised). Avid mystery readers should be able to solve the whodunit before they hit the halfway mark (at the latest). The ending is a little anticlimactic (disappointing). It was wrapped up a little too neatly and easily. While the cozy element is enjoyable, I wanted a more complicated mystery. It would be nice if it was hard to solve and, maybe, had a good twist (has more meat to it). The author addressed some serious issues in Dead Storage (PTSD among veterans and the plight of the homeless). Dead Storage is a good “escape from reality” book. The type to cozy up with on a wet afternoon.

About the author

Mary Feliz writes the Maggie McDonald Mysteries featuring a Silicon Valley professional organizer and her sidekick golden retriever. She’s worked for Fortune 500 firms and mom and pop enterprises, competed in whale boat races and done synchronized swimming. She attends organizing conferences in her character's stead, but Maggie's skills leave her in the dust. Visit Mary online at MaryFeliz.com.