Corpse Pose

Title : Corpse Pose

Series : Mantra For Murder #1
Author : Diana Killian
Rating : * * * *

Characters : Anna Jolie (A.J.) Alexander is 35 and used to be a capitol feminist, but instead of successfully working as a Manhattan marketing consultant she is taking time to recover from her messy divorce. Diantha Mason is A.J.’s aunt who recently passed away and left her the yoga studio, Sacred Balance. Elysia Alexander is A.J.’s actress mum and sister to Diantha—obviously more drama than substance, at least that is how she first appears. Then you have the hunky detective, a gay ex-husband, a stiff yoga instructor, and unstable teens.

Setting : Rural New Jersey where mountains meet small town, quite the opposite of A.J.’s usual Manhattan residence.

Basic Plot : Though this mystery is called Corpse Pose it has very little to do with actual yoga, though the plot has more twists than an advanced yoga class. We start off getting to know the A.J. who is frazzled and about to have a huge break down. She’s independent and successful, but despite all that her divorce paired with the death of her dear aunt is too much for her to bear. Soon the so called death by natural causes turns to murder and A.J. is suspect number one because of her inheritance. With the unwanted help of her dramatic mother A. J. tries to keep the police at bay, keep the yoga studio afloat, come to terms with her ex, all while she tries to find her Aunt’s real killer.

Comments : It truly is a fun, cozy read full of unforgettable characters and secrets to finding the path to inner peace. It has the mostly annoying mother who is more child than adult, the attractive detective whose schedule is too busy for relationships, and a companion who only listens because he’s a dog. But the best contribution to the story comes in the form of Killian’s writing. The story sparkles and the theme of yoga raises the bar above your standard cozy cliché.

Similar : The Diva Paints the Town, Dial Om for Murder, and Plaster and Poison