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Brenda Gayle
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A Shot of Murder (A Charley Hall Mystery Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Brenda Gayle (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 382 ratings

A murder in a male-dominated world. A reporter determined to solve the crime. Will she end up above the fold, or get buried in the back?

1948: Kingston, Canada—Charley Hall knows she’s a better reporter than any man in the newsroom. Frustrated to be demoted to the women’s page so her job on the city beat can be given to a returning soldier, she refocuses her energy into locating her brother who disappeared after his latest bender. She’s horrified when her search leads to the woman last seen with him, found dead with a bullet in her neck.

Driven to catch the killer and clear her brother’s name, Charley encounters a mysterious cop from out of town who’s showing an intense interest in the case. But as she uncovers the victim’s murky past, tracking down the shooter could land the intrepid journalist in the obituaries.

Can this gutsy gal prove her investigative skills and live to tell the tale?

A Shot of Murder is the first book in the atmospheric Charley Hall historical mystery series. If you like strong female protagonists, period pieces, and small-town misdeeds, then you’ll love Brenda Gayle’s compelling whodunit.

Buy A Shot of Murder to bring justice to the front page today!

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  1. Book 1 of 6
    A Charley Hall Mystery
  2. Print length
    192 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    October 12, 2020
  6. File size
    4.0 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 6 books in this series.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

2021 MYSTERY FINALIST! - Next Generation Indie Book Awards

2021 SUSPENSE FINALIST! - National Excellence in Story Telling Awards

I could not put this book down! No word of exaggeration.... Gayle has crafted a mystery that kept me guessing right to the very end while also writing accurate historical fiction that made my little historian heart sing. - Westveil Publishing

It's a solid first book in a new series, and I'd recommend to cozy mystery readers, especially those who like a little historical twist. - Novels Alive

The writing style was...the slow drip of honey off a spoon into a cup of expensive, rich tea. -Unabridge Andra

This book was an intriguing, exciting, suspenseful, mystery read that fully captured my attention and kept me engaged throughout the story!!! - Fabulous and Brunette

A Shot of Murder is a brilliantly written story leaving one clue after another sending Charley in all different directions in her search for her brother. It kept me guessing right along with Charley from beginning to end. - The Avid Reader

A Shot of Murder is a delightful read. Ms. Gayle brings the unconventional heroine to vivid life, with dialogue that crackles and a strong sense of the comic. - Beyond Romance

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08H5K4HMF
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bowstring Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 12, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.0 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1999018566
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 6 ‏ : ‎ A Charley Hall Mystery
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 382 ratings

About the author

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Brenda Gayle

Brenda Gayle

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Life is messy and I try to reflect that in my stories while still leaving readers with a feeling of hope. I want them to see themselves and the people they know in my characters.

You could say writing is in my genes. My paternal grandmother was a formidable diarist; my father was a journalist and poet; my sister and cousin are both published authors; even my son has shown a talent for putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to tell awesome stories. So, it came as no surprise to anyone when I returned to my love of fiction after more than 20 years in the world of corporate communications–although some might argue there was plenty of opportunity for fiction-writing there, too.

A fan of many genres, I find it hard to stay within the publishing industry’s prescribed boxes. Whether it’s historical mystery or women’s fiction, my greatest joy is telling memorable stories with compelling characters.

To keep up-to-date on future releases, contests, giveaways and all sorts of fun shenanigans, subscribe to The Gayle Gazette (https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/z5q7v8).

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
382 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this satisfying cozy mystery with well-developed characters and find it an engaging read.

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Story qualityCharacter developmentReadabilityWriter quality
14 customers mention "Story quality"14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, describing it as a satisfying cozy mystery with an engrossing plot.

"...Gayle makes it all work well, weaving a dandy murder mystery with the primary character’s search for her brother and related with a very keen..." Read more

"This is a cozy mystery that you will enjoy, even if this is your favorite genre and you have read a lot of them...." Read more

"...up as the mystery is solved in a super satisfying way and the comfy mystery genre just glows with books like this. Glad to add this to my collection!" Read more

"...Plot was okay, but no twists and turns that make for good detective stories whether using an amateur sleuths or a veteran detective...." Read more

5 customers mention "Character development"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, with one customer noting the realistic portrayal of male and female roles, while another describes the main character Charley as a spitfire.

"...of things that make it unforgettable are that the main character Charley is a spitfire, and the time period it is set in, the late 1940s, which..." Read more

"...The characters are well developed and likable. The story is good, I enjoyed it. I must admit I thought I had the end figured out but was wrong...." Read more

"...The main character is well-made, sassy and a bit funny, and the rest of the characters are just as well thought out...." Read more

"Upbeat, but with realistic expectations of male and female roles post WWI The heroine is a superwoman ahead of the time of 'super heroes'." Read more

5 customers mention "Readability"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book an enjoyable and interesting read.

"This is a cozy mystery that you will enjoy, even if this is your favorite genre and you have read a lot of them...." Read more

"...and how that may be correlated with another crime of a woman was really interesting and had me on the edge of my seat. This is a real page turner...." Read more

"...The mystery itself was well crafted and lots of fun to read. On this level alone I am looking forward to more books in this series and beyond...." Read more

"...This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to seeing what this author comes up with next." Read more

4 customers mention "Writer quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one customer noting it is told with skill.

"...A completely satisfying cozy mystery told with skill and grace and a fine sense of humor. Very highly recommended. Grady Harp, March 21" Read more

"...I think the writer is talented and the main character they have created in Charley is great for many books to come...." Read more

"Hard to put down! Well written and clean, just the way I like my books. Well developed story line with underlying themes." Read more

"Surprised at the end. Well written, engrossing story. Hope to find more by this author!" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Grady Harp
    5.0 out of 5 stars A crackling, fine cozy mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Canadian author Brenda Gayle served in the field of corporate communications and now turns to her passion for writing cozy mysteries with an historical bent. A SHOT OF MURDER is Book 1 of her Charley Hall Mystery series, which now numbers 5 novels. She has also published a three book series – Heart’s Desire Romantic Suspense. Clearly she has found her audience and continues to grow as an author of note. She is a member of Ottawa Romance Writer, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and Sisters in Crime.

    Setting her story in Ontario, Canada at the end of World War II allows the author several important reflections – the return of soldiers from Europe, the releases of Prisoners of War, the impact of jobs occupied by women in the absence of men and the subsequent displacement of women from the work force – an early women’s rights issue! Gayle makes it all work well, weaving a dandy murder mystery with the primary character’s search for her brother and related with a very keen comedic touch.

    The saucy manner in which the novel unfolds is suggested in the opening lines –“Please shut the door, Mrs. Hall.” Please? Missus? Charley turned and pushed the door closed. John Sherman was the Kingston Tribune’s journalist-turned-editor. Hard-nosed and driven, He didn’t take time for niceties like using “Mister,” “Miss” or “Missus” – never mind “please” and “thank you” – when he spoke to his reporters. The fact the he chose to use both now didn’t bode well. Charley took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and approached the desk…’ And with that apt opening, the story progresses.

    The book is relatively short – a fine evening’s read – and the plot is summarized as follows: ‘1948: Kingston, Canada—Charley Hall knows she’s a better reporter than any man in the newsroom. Frustrated to be demoted to the women’s page so her job on the city beat can be given to a returning soldier, she refocuses her energy into locating her brother who disappeared after his latest bender. She’s horrified when her search leads to the woman last seen with him, found dead with a bullet in her neck. Driven to catch the killer and clear her brother’s name, Charley encounters a mysterious cop from out of town who’s showing an intense interest in the case. But as she uncovers the victim’s murky past, tracking down the shooter could land the gritty journalist in the obituaries. Can this gutsy gal prove her investigative skills and live to tell the tale?’

    A completely satisfying cozy mystery told with skill and grace and a fine sense of humor. Very highly recommended. Grady Harp, March 21
    2 people found this helpful
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  • mint tea
    4.0 out of 5 stars A cozy for cozy mystery lovers...
    Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is a cozy mystery that you will enjoy, even if this is your favorite genre and you have read a lot of them. It has all the things that a cozy needs, including a mysterious detective. A couple of things that make it unforgettable are that the main character Charley is a spitfire, and the time period it is set in, the late 1940s, which explain a little bit about the tone of the book, especially regarding women and what they are allowed to do and not to do. Luckily, Charley likes to push limits, which is something that will cause you to keep turning the pages. Another aspect that is even better is what she says to herself in her head. Some of these things made me laugh. Stick with her as she does her best to solve a murder and you will see what the fuss is about.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Rebecca A.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This story is so good and as soon as I started reading the first couple of mysteries I immediately settled in because it has that vibe of being a cozy mystery. Charley is a writer and she has been having trouble with her brother who went missing. She is being transferred over to a different position at her job as well. The mystery of exactly what happened to her brother and how that may be correlated with another crime of a woman was really interesting and had me on the edge of my seat. This is a real page turner. I wish I could read this book again for the first time. It had my heart racing and I needed to know what was going to happen next and how it was going to end. I think the writer is talented and the main character they have created in Charley is great for many books to come. I highly recommend picking this up as the mystery is solved in a super satisfying way and the comfy mystery genre just glows with books like this. Glad to add this to my collection!
    5 people found this helpful
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  • M Daniels
    3.0 out of 5 stars Okay
    Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Maybe because it's a first novel, but the characters had, while not two,-dimensional are shallow. As a reader I never bonded with Charley. I found her petty and too self-serving. Mark and Dan as well as other male and female characters have much more "life" to them. Plot was okay, but no twists and turns that make for good detective stories whether using an amateur sleuths or a veteran detective. One of those stories you finish because it's short, not because it's good.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Chelsey McQuitty
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it--looking forward to more
    Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    There is so much to this book that drew me in. The author's incredible gift for details, although at times a little gruesome, is only touching the surface of the author's talents. The mystery itself was well crafted and lots of fun to read. On this level alone I am looking forward to more books in this series and beyond. However, I really love the time period that this novel was set in. You get a lot of great stuff during this time frame, but I think the best thing about it is seeing a professional woman deal with giving up her career just because the men returned from war. I think/hope there is much more on this to come in upcoming books. I'd highly recommend this. It's short, so a great option for weekends.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • AliReads
    4.0 out of 5 stars Female-centric, suspenseful adventure
    Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Brenda Gayle’s whodunit thriller with an unconventional female protagonist is a breath of fresh air for cozy mystery aficionados. Frustrated with her job, journalist Charley Hall investigates the disappearance of her brother who is accused of the murder of a woman – whom he was last seen with – to clear his name. A mysterious policeman also becomes interested in the case; however, as Hall uncovers the victim’s ghastly past, her own life becomes endangered. The question is will the valiant journo uncover the whole truth.
    Gayle’s storytelling keeps the reader guessing from the beginning till the end as Gayle’s heroine goes about her suspenseful quest. Once you pick it up, it will be hard to put it down! Highly Recommended for fans of suspense novels
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • RBD
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good quick read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Enjoyed meeting the characters in this book.
    Considering the story is set just over a few days, it packs a lot in.
    It stands alone, but leaves you interested to hear more about the characters invited
    Report
  • Janice J. Richardson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining historical fiction
    Reviewed in Canada on March 17, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    A strong female protagonist, a reporter with a talent for sniffing out crime, and a mysterious police officer from Toronto work together to solve a murder. The author did her homework, this mystery is set in Kingston, Ontario, where smuggling across the border on the St. Lawrence River is part of the historical setting. It is a quick read, an entertaining and suspenseful start to the series.
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  • Mozzy
    3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 16, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    A Shot of Murder is a good read, which holds ones interest, and with a likable protagonist, but would not, in my opinion, set the world alight.
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  • J. Jonasson
    5.0 out of 5 stars This series is worth reading!
    Reviewed in Canada on March 17, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book and all of the books in the series are incredibly well written. Charley Hall is a character that one can relate to and really root for. The series covers a very interesting time in Canadian history, just after World War II. Charley Hall is a widow with a career and refusing to bow to pressure to marry again. I hope that the series will continue. I would love to find out what happens to Charley!
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  • Erin Rurak
    5.0 out of 5 stars Recommend!
    Reviewed in Canada on November 9, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I came upon this book when I had finished another wonderful historical mystery series by Lisa Zumpano. Brenda writing in fantastic, as are the characters and story line. I’m looking forward to starting book two!
    Report

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