A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer Audiobook By Maxie Dara cover art

A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer

A SCYTHE Mystery

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A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer

By: Maxie Dara
Narrated by: Jaime Lamchick
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Murder is not her department.

It’s not like it used to be. Modern-day grim reapers wear business casual, not black cloaks, and they don’t carry scythes, they work for S. C. Y. T. H. E. (Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences), where the Department of Natural Causes is the least exciting gig. And that’s how Kathy Valence likes it: boring and predictable. She has enough stress in her personal life; she’s mid-divorce, pregnant, and terrified she doesn’t have what it takes to be a good mom.

Then, she goes to pick up a new client and finds his soul is missing. When she finally tracks down Conner Ortiz, he angrily insists he was murdered, and he refuses to move on until Kathy finds out why and by whom.

Kathy has only forty-five days to solve the mystery before the boy’s soul is doomed to roam the earth as a ghost forever. To do that she’ll have to call on the help of her retired mentor, her almost ex-husband—and, inconveniently, Conner himself. This is the wildest case of her career . . . and one wrong move could cost Kathy her job, not to mention her life.

©2024 Maxie Dara (P)2024 Penguin Audio Cozy Fantasy Humorous Mystery Exciting Heartfelt Witty Feel-Good

Critic reviews

“I’d follow this grim reaper anywhere. Wildly creative and impossible to put down, sure to induce both belly laughs and tears, A Grim Reaper's Guide To Catching A Killer is full of heart and soul(s).” —Laura Hankin, author of One-Star Romance

"Witty, moving, and with a mystery that’ll keep you turning pages late into the night, Dara’s debut is a creative, laugh-out-loud novel about the business of death, and what it can teach us about family, love, and the best parts of being alive." —Claudia Lux, author of Sign Here

"I was hooked right away by the inventive premise of Maxie Dara's A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer, but it was the relationships that really did me in. I loved watching Kathy bond with Conner, a dead teenager, and work through her relationship with recent-almost-ex-husband Simon, all set against the backdrop of a surprisingly corporate job in human soul logistics. Funny and warm and full of little moments that kept me guessing, A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer is a delightfully fresh mystery!" —Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers
Heartwarming Story • Unique Concept • Great Narration • Unlikely Heroes • Humorous Elements • Engaging Mystery
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I night this during the audible sale based on the quick synopsis read. I thought why not. I'm glad I did. this book was entertaining. The batch of characters worked really well together. Humor, heart felt moments, and suspense.

A Fun Listen!

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I don’t know why or how I got this book but I loved it! I have just did. It wasn’t it a know it all protagonist or a sickly sweet one. Just a fun one with a very odd job and a lot of fallacies. I liked it. I especially loved Connor who you will later get to know. This book was not something I even remember downloading but you should!

Witty and darkly sweet!

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Great premise! Can't wait for the next book in the series. really enjoyed this; couldn't stop listening. Definitely recommend.

Fun, quirky mystery

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I enjoyed the unique subject and story. I found myself crying at parts. I too had been a type of "Reaper" in my career past. Hope another is on the way.

Enjoyable

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Kathy was such an unexpected character, her whole life was a mess, except for her job as a reaper. But when she mets a soul who won’t go with her until they find out who murdered him, her life takes on more than she ever expected. Simon was the best. All he wanted was to be with her totally.

Learning to trust

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This book is the perfect combination of mystery, adventure, wit, and heartfelt moments. I highly recommend!

A really great beach read

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I have no idea why I chose this book. It is outside of my regular genres, but my goodness I am so glad I did. The story was intriguing, humorous, and kept my attention throughout.
I highly recommend this book, it is well worth reading / listening to. The narration is full of life adding to the great story. I hope there is a book 2 coming soon.

Completely Unexpected and Wonderfully Great

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The book had suspense, excitement, and paranormal. But the story was beautifully human without being too sentimental, and I love the unlikely heroes. I would have liked better details about how the "swat team" got called in.

no cliches

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This was a fun idea with its unique corporate 'grim reaper' concept. I enjoyed the dead kid Connor's personality. There were a number of laughs, especially from him and his interactions with 'Grim' ( as he calls her). But the main protagonist, 'Collections Agent Kathy' had waaaay too much angst. It got a little old...no a LOT old. Fast. By Chapter 10 I wanted to smack her. Also, I've never known a pregnant woman with so many pregnancy-related issues who didn't end up diagnosed with the kind of problems that REQUIRED mama to stay in in bed for the remaining months. How was she able to chase around town investigating a murder if they were that bad? So, all that came across as angst, too. Or hypochondria. The narrator was pretty good, although I hated her choice of voice characterization for Kathy's husband. Overall, I thought it was okay, but I don't think I could sit through it a second time, which means buying a copy was kind of a waste. It also leaves me with grave doubts about my interest in a sequel.

Come on, Grim, get over yourself!

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This books is exactly what you need to get out of a reading slump. It's heartwarmingly funny and so relatable at times and the ending was beautiful.

Couldn't put it down

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