Geared for the Grave

Written by Duffy Brown

Narrated by Ceit M. Zweil

Mackinac Island is a peaceful summer resort town where everyone coasts through the streets on bicycles. But after someone sends a prominent local on her final ride, it's up to one resourceful visitor to get things running again . . .

Hoping to shift her chances of a promotion in her favor, Evie Bloomfield heads to Mackinac Island to assist her boss's father. Rudy Randolph has broken his leg and operating his bike shop, Rudy's Rides, is too much to handle by himself. But Evie's good turn only leads to more trouble . . .

After Evie's arrival, wealthy resident Bunny Harrington dies in what looks like a freak bike accident. Upon closer inspection, Bunny's brakes were tampered with, and now the prime suspect in her murder is also Bunny's number one enemy: Rudy. So if Evie hopes to stay on her boss's good side, she'll need to steer Rudy clear of jail. Now she must quickly solve this mystery so she can put the brakes on the real killer's plan . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Feb 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9781977349262

Reviews for Geared for the Grave

[sheila1957 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the funniest cozy mysteries I have read. Evie comes to Makinac Island to help her boss' father who has broken his leg only to have him accused of murder. Evie needs to find the murderer if she is ever going to get her promotion.An island full of colorful characters with more added to them as the book goes along. I loved Evie. She may have found her place at Rudy's Rides. She may also have found love. She has certainly found a big "extended family" who are constantly warning her to stay out of their business. When her real mother shows up even more hilarity ensues. I did not see the ending that came. I was shocked at the who and the why. I'm looking forward to reading book 2 in this series.

[lauigl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Evie Bloomfield considers herself the loser of the Bloomfield family as the least accomplished one. But she finally has a chance to impress her boss and secure a promotion that will boost her family’s opinion of her—or so she thinks. So off to Mackinac Island she goes to assist her boss’s father with his struggling bicycle shop, Rudy’s Rides, while he recovers from a broken leg. Going from Chicago to a little Michigan island with no cars, only horses, to get you from place to place seems outrageous enough. But when one of the wealthy locals is bumped off, and the murder is pinned on Rudy, Evie finds herself on a mission to clear her newfound friend and find the real killer before her boss finds out. This book is HILARIOUS! With a cast of characters that includes Irish Donna, with the thick Irish accent; Jason Bourne, a presumed hit-man; Angelo, an elderly ex-mobster; and others, this story kept me chuckling from beginning to end. I was very fortunate to have received a complimentary audio version of Geared for the Grave from Tantor Audio since the highly talented Ceit M. Zweil narrated. She did a stupendous job with the various characters’ voices, and her ability to vocally entertain me was impressive. The audiobook was a true compliment to my personal paperback copy. Highly recommended. Thank you, Tantor Audio, for a complimentary download of Geared for the Grave. All opinions about it are my own.

[vickiln · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was my first Duffy Brown book and I loved it! The setting was on an island and there are no cars…only bikes! Sounds like a perfect place to live! The author does an awesome job of making you “see” the town and it’s people. After reading this, I told my kids I want to take a vacation to Mackinac Island. Seriously!I was caught up in the book from the first paragraph and never lost interest. I loved the town, the people, the way they interacted and the “Fudgies” were a hoot.The book is full of mystery and twists as Evie searches for the real Bunny killer. I really enjoyed reading about the escapades Evie got into. She was of course my favorite character, but I also loved Rudy, Irma, Irish Donna, and Sutter. Even Evie’s mom, Ann Louise Bloomfield, the sophisticated, prim and proper lawyer turned out to be quite the character…enter Carmen. And who would have thought that I’d have a soft spot for a member of the mob?I absolutely loved this book and can’t think of one negative thing to say about it. Wait, I just thought of something. It ended.I can’t wait for book #2 in this series, and I recommend Geared For The Grave to all book lovers. It had everything I love in a book.

[thelibraryhag · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was going to give this book 3 1/2 stars but then I relized that the reason it seemed a bit disconnected was really me. I was so sleepy some nights that I only read a few pages at a time. So in thinking about this I think if I had read this in my usual 2 or 3 days for a cozy it would be a solid 4. The characters are fun and a bit crazy. The setting is one of my favorites, a resort town. The main character Evie (Chicago to the islanders) is hysterically accident prone and is always in exactly the wrong place. What's not to love. The mystery is tricky too. I am really looking forward to seeing where this nutty story is headed. Next book please.

[mathenam_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyed "Geared for the Grave," book one Duffy Brown's new Cycle Path Mystery series. Evie ends up on Mackinac Island as a favor to help her boss's father, Rudy, with his bicycle shop. Soon there is a murder on the island that implicates Rudy, and Evie begins investigating and stumbling into mishap after mishap in her quest to find the real killer. With Duffy's usual wit, smarts, and humor, the book is a delight and her research of Mackinac turn the island into another character within the book. Well done! Looking forward to more in this series.

[cathyskye · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

To be honest, the major reason why I wanted to read Geared for the Grave was its setting, Mackinac Island, and author Duffy Brown paints a fine picture of just how magical this place can be. She also serves up some delightful humor with the euphemisms locals use to keep tourists in the dark about what's going on.Evie is a delight as well, with her lack of grace, her passion for painting, and her knack for finding all the poison ivy patches on the island. She was in such a rush to make Brownie points with her boss that she didn't even read up on Mackinac Island, so its steep streets and lack of motorized transportation throws her for a loop-- and that loop catches many of the locals, too, who find Evie to be a bit of a handful. I enjoyed the entire cast of characters even though Irish Donna's "brogue" didn't sound right. (I almost wanted to ask Donna if she were in the Witness Protection Program and using an assumed identity.) And in the midst of all the humor and getting acquainted with Evie and the islanders, I found a good mystery. Towards the very end I realized that I didn't have a clue whodunnit, and I just managed to figure it all out before Evie did. It certainly was a close race.The only problem with finishing the book is the fact that I've got to wait for the next episode. Hurry up, Duffy-- I want to go back to Mackinac Island!

[maref_17 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Author Duffy Brown has once again charmed me with her distinctive writing style in this first book of a new series. Mackinac Island and the bicycle shop where Evie Bloomfield arrives to help her boss's father manage his business while recuperating with a broken leg is full of delightful, off-beat, and unforgettable characters. The island itself makes one wish that a visit was truly possible and Ms. Duffy's engaging writing style clinch the deal. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a very entertaining way to while away a few hours with a good, solid cozy. I'm already looking forward to the next installment.