I enjoyed reading this book. It wasn't a "cozy" type that I normally think of. It was, in my opinion, more along the lines of Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys mysteries. I like Zoe and Charlie a lot. I am looking forward to reading the next mystery in the series.
The zombie run was fabulous! My favorite part, though, was the author's depiction of the Halloween/fall scenery. It was written so well I had no trouble with seeing it in my mind. Halloween is a favorite time of year for me. There was a short treasure hunt story after Halloween Hijinks that was very touching to read. ( )

A fun and enjoyable mystery with upcoming Halloween festivities, an important high school football game on the way, and a murder to be solved. The story is filled with a very likable cast of characters, a lovely cozy small-town setting near the mountains and a lake, and lots of adorable animals throughout as main character Zoe rescues animals and finds them good homes. ( )

Zoe is a twenty-something-year-old gal that lives in the small town of Ashton Falls with her dad, grandpa, and besties Ellie and Levi. And don’t forget Charlie her sweet puppy companion!
Zoe is an animal lover and runs the local animal shelter. She is all heart and very much involved in what is happening in the local community that she was born and raised in. In the first book of the series, Zoe finds herself involved in a murder case when she finds a body in the basement of a supposed haunted house. She enlists the help of her two best friends and somehow her grade-school nemesis Zak to help solve the mystery.
Halloween Hijinks is the perfect first book in an entertaining cozy mystery series. If you have never read a book by Kathi Daley, I highly suggest you read this book and get hooked just like me.
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So much more is making sense to me now! It only makes me love these cozies even more. A trio of friends(soon to be a quartet), a beautiful small mountain town (like I have always wanted to live in). Great food, lots of fun, and the occasional corpse. Every place has its occasional drawback, but when you have Zoe and her friends on the job, albeit unofficial ly, even the bumbling sheriff manages to get it right when pointed in the right direction. ( )

This is the first in the Zoe Donovan series.
I love the Halloween setting and Ashton Falls seems like a great place to live.
Before we can get to the mystery, this time it happens to be a murder, we have to get to know the characters and a little background and history about them.

Kathi Daley writes in an inviting manner that makes you feel at home.
You find yourself reading about friends, people you care about and want to spend time with.

To be honest, the murder victim is not well liked, by the townspeople or by the reader.
As you read and collect clues, you'll be rooting for suspects to be found not guilty.

I have read other books in this series and wish I could spend more time in Ashton Falls.
So I will be reading all the books in this series.

I am thankful to the author for providing me with an ecopy in echange for an honest review. ( )