FINDING MIRANDA

Finding Miranda is a thriller with mystery elements, and romance and humor. Miranda is a person who isn’t been seen by others. She moved from Maine to Minokee, a little place in the forest with nice neighbors'. The house belonged to here aunt Phyllis (who’s dead now), and Miranda’s job in the library was also aunt Phyllis’. The backside neighbor is Shepard and his dog Dave. He is a DJ at a local radio station, but the conspiracy theories he’s talking about, are bringing him in great danger. And now he is getting friends with Miranda and she is in danger too.

It’s a funny story with al lot of humor in the dialogs. The story is going rather slowly, but that’s probably a way tot learn al lot about Miranda and Shepard. An explosive twist sets their life's upside down. The story introduces al lot of other characters, like the neighbors in Minokee and the family of Shepard. Also funny is the way the dialogs of miss Martha and Pietro are written. Both in the way they speak, Miss Martha with her own dialect en Pietro with his great Italian way of speaking.

It’s a great first part of a new series Minokee murder books and I’m looking forward to part 2.

I received a free copy of FINDING MIRANDA (Book 1 of the Minokee Mysteries) by Iris Chacon in exchange for an honest review. Miranda Ogilvy is used to being forgettable. People forget her after meeting her; people who see her frequently don’t notice when she doesn’t show up; those same people forget her name; even the DMV can’t pay her attention long enough to get a viable identification photograph. When Miranda inherits her aunt’s house, she moves to Minokee where she takes over her aunt’s job at the library. To Miranda’s surprise, she’s been noticed by the people in her neighborhood. The cadre of neighbor ladies who have coffee out on their porches every morning act like they already know her. Shepard Krausse, Miranda’s backdoor neighbor and the eye candy reason why coffee on the front porch is so popular, also notices Miranda. Miranda finally has a community and, possibly, a handsome love interest, so she’s happy. However, Shep’s got a family secret that puts both him and Miranda in danger.

I liked this book. It was a cozy mystery and clean romance. I found it very entertaining. I liked Miranda a lot; she had a healthy attitude about her problems.

#FindingMiranda #NetGalley

A book that's funny, romantic, a little sad and has action; what more could you want? Very well written with incredible characters and a great plot. A must read.

A fun, fast read, FINDING MIRANDA by Iris Chacon takes place in a small Florida community on the edge of an alligator swamp. There are about a dozen houses in the community and Miranda moves into the one she inherited when her aunt died. On her first morning in her new home, reveling in her solitude, Miranda decides to slip outside in her sleep shirt to gather her paper. She is shocked when her neighbors all call hello to her and ducks down in the shrubbery where she is quickly overtaken by the local heartthrob on his morning run.
This introduction to Miranda, Shepard the heartthrob, and the older women who make up the neighborhood is completed with high humor. The neighbor’s dialogue is written to emulate the local dialect and, while humorous, can slow the reading slightly at the beginning. As the story moves more toward focusing on Miranda, Shepard and people with whom they interact conversation is written more plainly and the book moves faster.
As Shepard returns home after his run, he is confronted by a stranger who has entered his home and threatens his life if he continues spreading his conspiracy theories on his late night radio show. It unfolds that Miranda’s aunt has passed along information of corruption at the governor’s level and Shepard is focused on bringing that corruption to light.
The twists and turns of the book include an unfolding of connections and attributes of the characters which are revealed as the reader moves deeper into the book. These are best experienced by the reader as they move deeper into the book, and are therefore not highlighted here. The characters have excellent depth and Chacon has an excellent blend of description, plot, and humor that is entertaining.
A fast read, this book is a highly enjoyable piece of entertainment. Any reader who is looking for something light and breezy might find this an excellent choice. Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this novel. I look forward to reading the second book in the series.

Finding Miranda by Iris Chacon is a mix of a little bit mystery, a little bit romance and a little bit of humor. It’s a great mix that is definitely worth a read. I really like the other characters in the story also, very quirky and funny. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Books Go Social for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. First time reading this author. I believe this.is the first in a series. I really enjoyed this book. Shepard is a character! Miranda is a librarian with attitude, but who is often ignored. They make a cute couple and Dave is a hoot! This book has a little romance,humor and some mystery. Well worth the read. 4.5 stars

librarian, Florida, romantic, service-dog, friendship, family-dynamics, situational-humor, verbal-humor, blindness, seniors

The story unfolds bit by bit at a rather steady pace that escalates in intensity and danger. All of the characters truly are! From the ogling older ladies of the neighborhood to the vamp at the library to the incredible guide dog to the pair of main characters. Follow the fun, get caught up in the danger, feel the grief, and rejoice at the ending! Another great read by the author of Schifflebein's Folly and Duby's Doctor! And every bit as surprising!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thank you!

An entertaining and engrossing book, with an original plot and a well written cast of characters.
I liked the mix of romance, humour and mystery.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I loved this book. It was the perfect combination of smart, funny and sweet with a lot of mystery, twists and turns. Miranda and Shew were ridiculously cute together and their neighbors were hilarious. This was a great read and another author to add to the must-read list.

Enjoyed it

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Shep and Dave
Part of a series: Minokee Mysteries
Standalone
HEA

I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Finding Miranda was a delightful reminder that people who blend in are not boring and people with differences do not need to be feared. When Miranda finds herself inheriting both a house and a librarian's job in a small Florida enclave after the death of her Aunt, she has no idea of the adventures she's about to survive. Her new neighbor, a blind radio-host has some terrifying tales to share as the relative of a high-ranking politician. Murder and mayhem ensure as corruption is unveiled and assumptions and prejudices are put aside.

At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted this book, but decide why not give it a shot, and boy am I glad I did because I really enjoyed it, even with the sad parts but it did keep my attention..... I enjoyed it so much I already pre ordered book 2 of this I believe 2 book series.......

After her aunt dies, Miranda, a bookish librarian, uproots her life, and moves to her aunt's bungalow in the quirky town of Minokee. Minokee is made up of two residential streets which ended up stranded in a National Forest which look suspiciously like a swampy jungle. Miranda, who believes herself to be invisible to most people, fits in well here with these tiny town lifers.. She meets her new neighbors when she steps out to get the newspaper and finds a street full of elderly women sitting on their porch, waiting for the handsome neighborhood jogger Shep, and his dog Dave to run by. Shep, a late night radio host takes a strong interest in Miranda, unlike most people in her life. He pursues her romantically, when he's not busy discussing conspiracy theories on air. When one of his theories comes too close to the truth involving a political scandal in the governor's office, the sleepy town of Minokee becomes anything but a safe small town for Miranda.

I was really surprised by this book. I was looking for another sleuth and romance series I could sink my teeth into, but what I got was quite different. I decided to keep reading and give it a chance and I am glad that I did. The humor in this book is what keeps the pages turning. Its dry, intellectual, but completely ridiculous at the same time. I think to enjoy this book you have to be willing to suspend your belief in and need for "realistic" and complex characters. Each character is quirky and unique in an exaggerated but also stereotypical way. Much of the humor comes from these character interacting with each other.

There are some twists and turns that I did not see coming, but that keep this book surprising despite the seemingly straightforward plot. I definitely appreciated this book as a whole, but I will probably not read further in the series. It did not have the romantic angst I'm looking for in any series I read. Those who appreciate dry humor and an almost "NPR" approach to a mystery will be pleased with this book.

This was such a fun book! Miranda and Shep are adorable characters and I look forward to the next installment. I spent a great afternoon on the beach with this book and highly recommend it.
Many thanks to BooksGoSocial and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a humorous fun read. The characters were endearing in the little Florida community. The librarian, the hunk, and the friendly neighbors all made for a light hearted engaging read. The authors descriptive writing style, the rich characters and the storyline kept me turning the page. I enjoyed every minute of this book. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

When I started reading the book I was little stalled by the pronunciation of the ladies when they were chatting about Shep :) Being form non-English speaking country was not advantage :) However, when I dug more into the story I realized that this is what I like to read... my kind of story with enough mystery and very well written. I cannot wait for the sequel

Finding Miranda was a funny, smart and enjoyable read.

Miranda is a quiet librarian who people seem to overlook, but she doesn't mind being in the background - that is, until she meets Shep and Dave. She joins the rest of the neighborhood ladies in their daily ritual of 'greeting' Shep as he takes his morning run and things go from there.

I think that most people looking for a thriller/romance will enjoy this book. It is well written, easy to read and has a quite few chuckle-worthy bits. The author did a great job in setting the scene of life in a small town in Florida, creating some very likeable characters and a fast-paced plot. I look forward to more novels from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for review.

Currently a Kindle Unlimited book!!!

Gorgeous romantic mystery/ comedy with a healthy dose of wit kept me reading long past my bedtime!!! Finding Miranda by Iris Chacon is well written with a quick pace and plenty of surprise plot twists! This is a perfect read as the characters have such depth that it is easy to get wrapped up in the story. (Oh, and the southern elderly ladies are my favorites! They are such a hoot!) Finding Miranda is the first book in a new series called Minokee Mysteries, and I can't wait to read the rest of the books!!

Miranda is new to the tiny village of Minokee and she meets the group of ladies outside her door one morning and discovers they are all watching Shep while he is taking his morning run. Shep works at the radio station and discusses conspiracy theories that put him in danger... Shep's new love interest, Miranda in also in danger. Who wants them dead? Tons of secrets and twisty plot just the way I like it!

Thank you to author Iris Chacon, NetGalley, and BooksGoSocial for an advanced reader copy of Finding Miranda for me to read and enjoy! As always, my opinions are my own!

Quirky? Witty? A breath of fresh? I can think of many adjectives to describe why I loved Finding Miranda. Turns out that author Iris Chacon has the best description for her book- Finding Miranda is dessert after a week of broccoli and kale. Here is Ms.Chacon’s bio on Amazon. Reading it will give you a sense of the author and her books:


“From parking tickets to Income Tax instructions, there is plenty of "required reading" in our lives. My goal is to provide quick, easy, fun reads for those times when we need a vacation from current events. Laughter is good medicine -- for body, mind, and spirit. All the nonfiction we have to read each day is our broccoli. An Iris Chacon novel is pure dessert. Reading is our cheapest, fastest, most effective and accessible tool for exploring the universe. I've been to Nebraska and I've been to the planet called Dune. I've seen the outsides and insides of real and fictional people. And I've become whoever I wanted to be in every story I entered. Fellow Trekkies, remember Mr. Spock telling Captain Kirk, "The more complex the mind, the greater the need for play"? Well, our 21st century world has become so complex that our minds can't even keep up -- and diversion is more important than ever to our mental health. That's why I write novels designed to divert our busy minds from our grimy streets, dusty houses, dirty laundry, unwashed kids and unbathed dishes -- or maybe the other way around -- and Internal Revenue forms. Grab an Iris Chacon novel! Come play with me!”

Are you ready to play? Finding Miranda is part romance, part mystery and all entertainment. Miranda inherits her aunt’s home in in the tiny, rural Florida town of Minokee in Little Cypress National Forest. Minokee doesn’t have air conditioning, sidewalks or a downtown. But, it does have good neighbors who like to sit on their porches- old ladies and one gorgeous Adonis.

Miranda has lived the quiet life of a librarian. Except for one special person, nobody sees her, she just blends in. But she’s spunkier than you might think as she gets to know everyone, including Dave and Shep. One of them is a dog.

Turns out there are some bad guys in Florida’s government and Miranda and her new friends get swept up in the cross-fire. Warning: there are shotguns, fires, and explosions!

“Them fellers picked the wrong place ta do their mischief in. We takes care of our own in Minokee.”

I don’t want to give away any spoilers and the fun of reading this book is discovering all the odd and colorful characters and their trials and tribulations. The author has a wonderful way with words. This is a light-hearted read with a powerful message. You may get misty when Miranda finds herself in a “change-the-things-I can” situation. So, it’s like a dessert that’s good for you!

There is a second book in the series, and I hope more are coming. Thanks to to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a review cop. This is my honest review.

I received this book from Netgalley for an honest reveiw. I wasn't sure what I was getting into before I read it but I am glad I read it. It was a quirky cozy mystery set in the rural area of Florida (my home state). The characters were spot on from this area. I felt a connection between Miranda and Shep. I have already downloaded the second book in the series. The reason for a 4 star rating is because it resolved too quickly, would have liked to read more about the characters. I would recommend it though.

Miranda is shy but also refreshingly herself. It seems she is quite invisible to anyone.
When she moves into the house of her late aunt in Minokee she finds she is not that invisible when she meets her neighbors and radio host Shep. He is blind but he sees Miranda as well. There is a mystery involving Shep and Miranda's late aunt and even though the tone stays rather light, there was an incident that really saddened me.

Nice book!

Really liked this book it was unexpected.
A little mystery ,humor, romance.
Love Shepard who so sweet and unexpected.
Miranda is quirky down to earth believing she is unseen by everyone.
Like the little mystery, drama and the dialogue.
Just a enjoyable book to read.
Looking forward to more.
Voluntarily Reviewed.

FINDING MIRANDA is Book 1 of the MINOKEE MYSTERIES, set in Little Cypress Forest in North Central Florida, in a tiny insular community, Minokee. No real estate sales, just lifetime living and inheritance. No businesses.


It's problematical not to love a novel featuring a dog, a librarian, a sweet-hearted blind guy, and lots of suspense leavened with gentle humour. Fortunately I really enjoyed the story, and am gleefully anticipating the next (THE MAMMOTH MURDERS, release Nov. 1)

A pleasant surprise! Wasn’t expecting how much I would like this one. Great characters, great plot. Very easy to fall into and finish quickly.

Truthfully when I spotted this on NetGalley, I thought what a cute cover and didn’t really pay that much attention to the blurb but it turned out to be a good little read!

Miranda inherits a house in the small town of Minokee from her late aunt who dropped dead suddenly. Used to being practically invisible to everyone she’s shocked when the town’s heartthrob, Shepard Krausse notices her.
But Miranda has made some powerful enemies without even knowing and they’re gunning for her and Shepard but she has no idea why!

Finding Miranda is one of the most fun reads I’ve picked up in awhile! It’s quirky, it’s fast paced and there’s a nice sprinkling of humour throughout.

The characters were all good fun but I really connected with Miranda, that feeling of being invisible is something that I can relate to.

I liked the town of Minokee. it’s pretty much a few houses on the edge of a jungle in Florida. I personally wouldn’t like to live there as a) I can’t stand the heat and b) it’s far too close to nature for my liking but I’d enjoy sitting round with the elderly residents because they just seem like a lot of fun!

I admit it’s probably a little heavier on the romance than the suspense than I would have liked but of course that’s just my opinion.

Finding Miranda is a perfect little pick me up, fun, lighthearted and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

I loved, loved, loved it! What a fun book to read! A little mystery, a little romance, a little danger, and a collection of quirky characters combine for a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying story. Iris Chacon's whole book lets the reader uncover clues, clues about the handsome neighbor, his family, her Aunt Phyllis. Every chapter brought revelations big and small, with lots of smiles and occasional tears. Miranda, the librarian, and Shepard, the neighbor, are the kind of folks you would love to have living down the street. I don't want to give away too many details about the story. Turning the pages and finding out for yourself is half the fun of this book.

The next book in the Minokee Mysteries series, The Mammoth Murders, is already on my Kindle. If it is anything like Finding Miranda, I know a delightful afternoon adventure awaits.

I fell in love with Miranda.
I agree her description of Shepard made him seem hot but a beard - not for me. Apparently a good set of abs though, I can see why the Ladies of Minokee liked to watch him run past.
I read book 1 and couldn’t wait to get my hands on book 2.
But the storyline is about how people should not be judged by their external appearances. It is their inner being that is important and it is this inner being of Miranda that Shepard falls in love with and brings out in her, so she stops being the Librarian Mouse and becomes the Librarian Lion instead.
This is a series I shall follow.

This book reminded be of the No.1 ladies detective agency in the way it was written. It's a very lighthearted, easy read, perfect for holiday book. Even though it was relatively easy to work out who the bad guy was, the twist at the end was brilliant, I am definitely a fan of this author and have already read the second book in the series.

If there is such a thing as a perfect mystery/romance/humorous book, then Finding Miranda is it! When I first selected the book, it bounced around on my TBR list for a week. When I started reading it, I was hooked. So much so that I read the book in one evening. It's that good!

Miranda is a shy librarian who inherits a house from her recently deceased Aunt Phyllis who died under mysterious circumstances. Located in a small neighborhood, on the edge of a Florida forest, the neighborhood is comprised of a group of seniors who are quirky, lovable and perfectly capable of setting things right with a shotgun. One of the major morning entertainments, is watching the handsome late night talk radio host, Shepherd Krausse and his dog Dave, jog through the neighborhood. One morning, Miranda gets a little too close to her fence, to retrieve her newspaper, and the adventure begins!

I loved the mystery, quirky characters and the pace of the book. The main characters, Shepherd and Miranda are a joy to read and the supporting characters are well-written written - enough to have a book of their own. The dialogue is witty, the mystery fast-paced and the story is unique And has all the elements I love in a mystery. And we can't forget the wonderful Dave the dog and the loyal Pietro who are Shep's best friends.

You'll gasp, cry, cheer and fall in love with these characters! I immediately bought the second in the series and am impatiently waiting for the third book!

I received an ARC from NetGalley for a fair and honest review of the book.

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

I loved this book! I could totally relate to Miranda and had fun reading about her.

I have had this read pending for a while, and once I started, I had to see it through. I was lucky to have both the first and second with me and could read them in order. This book is the first in the series and introduces us to some very endearing characters. We have Miranda who is lost in the crowd, she is used to being invisible, and her neighbour seems to have made a decision to change that. Shep and his dog Dave are the lead investigators of the 'case' in the storyline. There is something shady going on in their city as well as state and Shep may have the keys to unlocking it. I do not want to say more because there were revelations that were laid out at just the right time and that timing provided the punch lines for jokes I did not even realise they had begun to tell.

The character growth of Miranda through the trials that she and Shep face in the book was very believable and did account for some of the vocal cheerings I did.

It's a simple story with a small cast and had unexpected twists which I do not usually expect from a book in this genre. I shed tears with the people involved and found the snappy conversations a treat and really looked forward to revisiting them all.

I was intrigued by the blurb of this romantic mystery, and I was curious to see whether it would skew more towards romance or mystery - the blurb certainly leaned towards the romance side of things. Ok - onto the book! Miranda and Shepard are great characters, but Dave the dog is the one who really stole my heart. There's enough twists to keep me invested in the mystery, and the plot moves along smoothly enough that if you're not careful you'll blow right through this story. If you enjoy fun mysteries with an unforgettable cast of characters, you'll love this first installment in a new series!