4-STAR REVIEW: CLOCKED OUT by Anna St. John

A Josie Posey Mystery: Book 2
Publication Date: February 6, 2024

Josie Posey and her posse of Mahjong Mavens are at it again, in this cozy mystery where the retired big city crime reporter turned small town crime solver uncovers another murder in picturesque English Village. When the clockmaker’s daughter returns home for a visit, reporter Josie Posey is assigned the task of interviewing the talented watch designer. That very afternoon the young woman falls from a ladder while inventorying antique clocks. At first, Josie is certain the fall was an accident. Everyone loved Ella McGregor Benjamin. But Ella’s deathbed statement is a mysterious riddle that can’t be ignored. With her Old English Sheepdog Moe by her side, and an ever-growing list of suspects, Josie scrambles to identify the killer before anyone else gets hurt. The local police chief wants Josie to help solve the puzzle, but stay out of his murder case. The editor of The Village Gazette wants an in-depth story for the next edition. And somebody wants Josie to stop asking questions. Deadlines loom. In this fast-paced rollercoaster ride of a mystery, the clock is ticking as Josie vows to find the killer before time runs out.

After finishing Doomed by Blooms by Anna St. John, I was ready to dive into Clocked Out, the second book in the Josie Posey Mystery series, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Clocked Out follows Josie as she tries to solve the murder of a local watchmaker. She has a varied list of suspects and motives, and she has the approval of the police chief to investigate on her own. With her friends, she dives into trying to solve the mystery.

Let’s start with what I don’t like and what ultimately keeps this from being a 5-star read. I honestly can’t understand why the police chief actively goes to Josie to help him investigate. He has a police department, so why go to a retired journalist? I get questioning her to get her thoughts, but then to have her question suspects at the station? That seems to go too far. It feels contradictory when the chief constantly tells her to stay out of it but then asks for help. I think this aspect needs to get cleared up better in future books.

What I do like is Josie and her circle of friends. I am glad to see that they’re an active, older group of ladies and their partners. They do volunteer work together, play mahjong weekly, and work together to solve mysteries. They are actively investigating, and Josie does figure things out and doesn’t just stumble into the solution. I enjoyed the whole horology—the art of clock making—aspect and all the details the author included that enhanced the story.

I’m enjoying the Josie Posey series, and Clocked Out is a solid addition. I got caught up in the story and had fun on the ride. I highly recommend this book for fans of small-town cozy mysteries.

 

Anna St. John writes cozy mysteries featuring a mature, yet feisty, former crime reporter, Josie Posey, as the amateur sleuth.

Her debut novel, DOOMED BY BLOOMS, was released by Level Best Books in February 2023. CLOCKED OUT is the second book in her Josie Posey Mystery Series. It is scheduled to release Feb. 6, 2024.

A former journalist, award-winning advertising copywriter, and ad agency owner, Anna is married to her high school sweetheart. She writes from her home office in Kansas, with her Old English Sheepdog by her side.

Anna is represented by Cindy Bullard, of Birch Literary Agency. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Kansas Authors Club.