Death at Rock Bottom

Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery, #2

by

Kris Bock

The museum crew is back in action, investigating the death of an old friend.

Death at Rock Bottom is the second book in author Kris Bock’s clever and unique Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery series featuring geologist and rock collection curator Petra Cloch and her new friends and colleagues at the quirky Banditt Museum in small Bonneville, New Mexico. When Petra’s colleague, Liberty, suspects the death of her old friend, petroleum engineer Frank Underwood, is no accident, the two enlist the help of their coworker, Haven, and the women of their monthly book club to investigate the circumstances. 

Petra Clock is a likable and unique protagonist with her unusual gift and the struggles it has caused her to engage socially with others. She gets visions or impressions of a person from touching their belongings or things they’ve handled. Complications from her past have Petra in a perpetual state of anxiety, and interactions with others literally exhaust her. She’d previously discovered that the man she’d replaced at the Banditt Museum had been murdered when she’d inadvertently picked up the mineral formation that had been used to kill him. In this latest adventure, Petra uses her gift to help Liberty get to the truth behind the death of her friend, fellow rockhound and veteran desert hiker Frank Underwood. 

The story moves at a fast clip as the two enlist the aid and skills of the women in their monthly book club. The investigation becomes an interesting and well-coordinated ensemble performance as each woman brings their special skills to the table. With a number of people set to benefit from Frank’s death, there is plenty of work to divvy up to eliminate suspects. While I had my eye on a particular individual, it wasn’t until the unusual final reveal that I knew for sure who the murderer was. As in the previous book, the dialogue and narrative are clever. However, there were incidents where details were repeated again and again. Readers new to the series should be able to pick up the story in this latest volume, but the first book is really an entertaining ‘must-read’ as well. 

I recommend DEATH AT ROCK BOTTOM to cozy mystery readers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.