Death by Association

The Desert Pines Mystery Series, Book One

By: Julie Titterington

Narrated by: Audrey Smiddy

A small town, full of secrets. A burned-out barista, hiding from her past. A dozen crazy neighbors, and a President mad with power. Welcome to the HOA meeting from hell!

Jane McLaren is happy living and working in the sleepy resort village of Desert Pines, Oregon—or so she tells herself. She has a home with her feisty grandfather for as long as she wants it, a steady job as a barista, and no questions asked.

Boredom may be a small price to pay for privacy, but Jane quickly discovers that when nothing has meaning, you might start to care about anything. Even the HOA.

After a minor town scandal escalates into something more sinister, neighbor turns on neighbor and the annual meeting of the homeowners association ends in open murder.

Can this unwilling amateur sleuth solve the mystery before it's too late, or will the murderer strike again?

Clever, cozy, and fun, Death By Association delivers a complex mystery, a lovable cast of characters, and a strong message about what it means to face your past, no matter how much it hurts.

©2023 Julie Titterington (P)2024 Julie Titterington

Death brought to life

Fascinating, well-developed characters, an inviting setting and intrigue quickly drew me into this mystery - a much-needed break from heavier reading. Julie Titterington's story is brought to life by the masterful Audrey Smiddy. Great structure and pace meets such distinct voices for each character it was hard to remember it was all from one very talented voiceover artist. Julie and Audrey shine together! How fast can we hear book no. 2? Congratulations!

The development of the characters was great! I could see each character building with every chapter and I loved that.

The story was so good and such fun to read! This was an easy cozy mystery to get into. I enjoyed it so much I was sad when it ended but I’m really looking forward to the second book. It developed nicely, carrying me along with each character and their very individual personalities. Some I loved, some annoyed me as they should have. They were very real within the story. I enjoyed the writing and felt the author did an excellent job with the story! The narration was done very well too, I could imagine what each character looked like and see their personalities thru the narration. I enjoyed the changes of voices and felt each one fit perfectly. I especially loved the older couple. I highly recommend Death by Association, it’s a fun read and makes you want more!

Death By Association

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery! The story was lighthearted and fun. I normally can figure out “who did it” midway through and this one caught me by surprise! The twist at the end was shocking!

The narration of this book was wonderful! All the different voices really brought each character to life in my mind.

I am looking forward to what happens next in Desert Pines!

Fascinating Characters. Flawless Narration

This was a fascinating read. With so many interesting characters, I didn't know who to suspect all the way to the end!! The narration was flawless. Great transition between characters- it felt as though multiple people were reading instead of just one.

Great for Mystery Lovers

"Death by Association" is one of those books that I still find myself thinking about weeks later. The twist at the end caught me by surprise, as well as the epilogue. I'm hooked on the characters, especially Joe and Jane, and can't wait to hear more about them in book 2. The narrator did an amazing job bringing the characters to life. Each had such a distinct voice and personality. Her performance really drew me in and made me love the novel even more. I highly recommend for any mystery lovers looking for a good story and fun listen.

Easily listen

I loved this book. I love the twist and the narrator did excellent!! First audio book book I’ve listened to and that really kept my attention

Character Development- Well Done!

The variety of characters and just the right amount of humor and mystery to make it a fun read. I’m ready for the next one in this series.