Tagged for Death (Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery 1), by Sherry Harris.

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If it weren't for The Cozy Mystery Book Club, I'm not sure I would have thought to read Tagged for Death (Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery 1), by Sherry Harris. The series and author are new to me. It was the June pick and I'm so glad I read it.

This book is set in Ellington, Massachusetts. Sarah Winston is an ex-military wife who recently divorced her husband after finding out he cheated on her with a much younger woman, Tiffany. Sarah was married to CJ, who is now the town's chief of police. Sarah now finds her joy in bargain hunting at garage sales. 

After coming home from a day of bargain hunting, Sarah comes across a grim discovery - a blood-stained shirt belonging to her ex-husband. To make matters worse, Tiffany has mysteriously gone missing. What happened to Tiffany? Is CJ involved in this mess, and if so, how?

Overall, I liked this book a lot. From the beginning, it was filled with cozy suspense. Both the premise and the mystery are very different than other cozies I've read. The military theme was interesting to read about. I imagine some of it is real life and some is fiction, but it was fun to immerse myself in that world for a change. The mystery is complex with many twists and turns. There were several suspects to consider. In the end, I was surprised by the whodunit, but it made sense.

I really liked our protagonist, Sarah Winston. I was rooting for her to not only solve the mystery, but also to get her life back on track. It was clear to me that she was hurt and she was trying to get back on her feet. She had her flaws, which made me like her even more. I also really loved her friendship with Carol. They had each other's backs.

While this is not classified as a culinary cozy, there is plenty of delicious foodie talk. I learned what a fluffernutter is (basically, peanut butter and marshmallow creme on white bread, like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich) and I made my own version of it (cashew butter and cashew "cream" on whole wheat rounds). Such a simply snack, but it was a fun treat (a treat because I don't eat bread often).

Instead of recipes at the end, there are plenty of great tips for garage sale organizers and shoppers. Although I haven't been to a garage sale in a while, I will remember the tips next time I do attend one. The tips for organizers reminded me of when I used to sell my beaded jewelry at craft fairs.

The only reasons I give this book less than five stars (mushrooms here) are because some of the language didn't feel cozy to me and also some of the events that occurred were too heavy for me, emotionally. On the other hand, the way I felt with the more intense events is a testament to the effectiveness of the writing. These are more matters of personal preference, and not so much about the quality of the book.

If you don't mind your cozies being a little more on the edgy side, then I highly recommend reading Tagged for Death, by Sherry Harris. I may read book 2, The Longest Yard Sale, sometime in the future when I want a cozy mystery that's a bit less cozy than what I'm used to. The end of Tagged for Death definitely left me curious and wanting to find out what happens next in the sub plot.

Have you read this series? I'm curious to know what you think if you have read it. Let me know in the comments.