Pane and Suffering - Cheryl Hollon

I'm nearly halfway through the book and, after a promising start, I'm running into the typical Cozy cliche that I hate:

  • MC thinks the cops are stupid and not taking her seriously so she has to go off and solve this on her own

 

  • One person immediately suspected, even though they have no motive and no means (Bonus points: suspect is a 17 year old with Aspergers whose parents won't let him out of their sight and has an asthma attack if someone asks him a question)

 

  • Hunky guy shows up just in time to help with the "investigation" (Bonus points for hunky guy being a brit who wears cowboy boots and doesn't speak like an Englishman except to call everyone "luv")

 

  • Kooky sidekick (Bonus points: MC tells hunky brit about kooky sidekick, "I so enjoy having her around, she's so funny and sincerely good people" You know, just the sort of thing you say when you've known someone for an hour)

 

  • Bonus cliche;: Hunky brit owns a bar; MC just happens to be a beer connoisseur. (Bonus bonus cliche; - MC has to spout off about how she's a Cicerone, "It's the equivalent of a wine sommelier" dontcha know


Dunno yet if this is going to be a DNF., but countdown to migraine caused by eyerolling in 3...2...1