Review: Curveball by Jen Estes

Title:  Curveball
Author:  Jen Estes
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Pages:  312
Published:  October 2012
Publisher:  Camel Press
Source:  Partners in Crime Book Tours
Buy Links:  Amazon

Synopsis:

BACK ON THE BENCH

Baseball reporter Cat McDaniel specializes in exposes. Now that very talent has left her unemployed. Desperate to get off the bench and back into the lineup, she is thrilled to land an interview with the Buffalo Soldiers' General Manager Roger "Rakin'" Aiken--Baseball legend, eight-time All Star... and oblivious father to a Major League bratty co-ed named Paige.

A CURVEBALL WITH A CAVEAT

Aiken offers Cat the team writer position for the following spring, but the opportunity is tempered by a curveball of a caveat: she must first spend the winter as a blogger reporting on the Latin American training facility. She is also supposed to look out for Paige, nominally the team's newest scouting assistant. Being a glorified babysitter and chaperone still beats being an out-of-work sportswriter. Cat reluctantly leaves behind her gorgeous boyfriend Benji and accompanies the party girl to sunny Santo Domingo to balance baselines and conga lines.

HARDBALL FOR REAL

Paige falls for Chance Hayward, an agent who plays hardball--the figurative kind. Joining them on the field is Paige's ex, Junior DeLeon, one of the coaches who'd really like to score with Cat. When an aspiring player turns up dead, it is up to Cat and Junior to devise a game-changing strategy. Will Cat's snooping work in her favor this time, or will she strike out ... losing her job, her boyfriend and her life?

Curveball follows Big Leagues as Book 2 of the Cat McDaniel Mysteries, also known as the Foul Ball series.

Cat didn’t realize when she applied for the job at B.S.G that she would be hired to babysit the bosses party hard, trouble maker daughter in Santo Domingo – and only if that goes well will she be given the job she really wants!  Can she keep Paige from doing something crazy and get them both in hot water?

Paige does manage to find trouble – with Chance Hayward, a local baseball agent in Santo Domingo.  Cat doesn’t trust this agent and tries to dig up more info on him to keep her spoiled rich girl charge from getting in too far over her head. 

Without giving away too much – Can Cat figure out what Chance is all about, why a dead baseball player ends up on the beach and why a young pitcher suddenly goes missing?  All before Paige falls too far with Chance?

This was a really great story – with lots of twists and turns to keep you on your toes.  You will want to cheer for Cat and love to hate Paige.  It was interesting to learn some of the ins and outs of baseball and the lingo (I don’t watch a lot of sports!)

Will I recommend this book?  Yes, it was a fun, quick read filled with great ups and downs.  I loved the characters and can’t wait to get my hands on the first book to see what other adventures and missteps that Cat gets into.  Will I read more by this author?  Yes!