MRC RECOMMENDS: Trebled Waters by Leah Dobrinska
“Trebled Waters is a delightful cozy mystery with musical overtones.”
—The Mystery Review Crew
Trebled Waters
By Leah Dobrinska
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: A Songwriter Sleuth Mystery Book #1
Nashburg, Tennessee, isn’t called “Crazy Town” for nothing, and aspiring country music songwriter Leigh Notrap knows that all too well. She’s been grinding to make a name for herself in Music City for years, so when Cal Dutton, a rising star and longtime friend, undercuts her chances for a staff writer position at the hottest music publisher in the industry, Leigh is determined to make him change his tune. But when she shows up backstage to confront Cal, she stumbles upon a murder on Music Row.
Adding to the dissonance, Leigh’s roommate and Cal’s sister, Emma, who always played second fiddle to her golden-boy older brother, becomes a top suspect after a less-than-flattering video of the siblings engaged in a bitter argument surfaces. Desperate to save her reputation and clear her name, Emma enlists Leigh’s help.
As the pair works together to drum up clues, Leigh quickly realizes that everyone in Cal’s circle—the president of his record label, the leader of his fan club, even his famous girlfriend—is hiding something. Can Leigh sort through the evidence and blow the whistle on a country music killer? Or will she end up a broken record?
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Review of Trebled Waters by Leah Dobrinska
Trebled Waters is a delightful cozy mystery with musical overtones (and probably musical undertones, as well). The name-play in the title—likening it to the song Bridge Over Troubled Waters—is a very appropriate entrance to this story.
The story is set in the fictional city of Nashburg, Tennessee, and it follows a period in the life of freelance songwriter Leigh Notrap. Longing for a steady job at a record label, she becomes furious when she learns her current songwriting partner—new country sensation Cal Dutton—bad-mouthed her to a label exec, thereby nullifying any chance she may have had for the staff songwriter position that was soon to open. When she shows up backstage at Cal’s concert later that day, rather than getting up in his face, she discovers that he’s dead—he was poisoned in his dressing room.
Leigh and her roommate—Cal’s estranged sister Emma—are determined to unravel the mystery of Cal’s death as fingers soon point to them as possible suspects. What ensues is a wild tour of the music industry’s inner workings and the Primadonna-like personalities that accompany it. All of it leads to a dynamic climax with a chilling reveal that will shock readers.
The story is told entirely in first-person narrative from Leigh’s viewpoint. Leigh is a fantastic storyteller because she quickly ensnared our interest and held on for the whole book. As an indication of just how down-to-earth Leigh Notrap is, she frequently has one-sided conversations with Phelps, her pet beta fish, who swims around in a bowl atop the piano.
Great storytellers use great analogies to get their point across and aid in description. Leigh has some great ones. For example, “…news of Cal’s death was currently circulating faster than lice in a kindergarten classroom.” The disgust in the action is made clear.
One of the things that makes this story memorable in our minds is the periodic inclusion of song lyrics. They’re not used much within the story, per se, but rather like how a quote may be used at the beginning of a chapter. We suspect these lyrics are the author’s original work—there was nothing to indicate otherwise—although the by-lines indicate characters from the story, mainly Leigh.
The pacing also hits the right notes, with the “tempo” remaining steady until the lead up to the climax. However, the final chapter contains an endearing reveal that will tap right into the reader’s heart.
Lastly, we consider this storyline to be quite original and well told. It was well edited and easily believable.
About Trebled Waters Author Leah Dobrinska
Leah Dobrinska is the author of the Songwriter Sleuth Mysteries, the Larkspur Library Mysteries, the Fall In Love romcom series, and the Mapleton novels. She earned her degree in English Literature from UW-Madison where she was awarded the Dean’s Prize and served as a Writing Fellow. She has since worked as a freelance writer, editor, and content marketer. As a kid, she hoped to grow up to be either Nancy Drew or Elizabeth Bennet. Now, she fulfills that dream by writing mysteries and love stories.
A sucker for a good sentence, a happy ending, and the smell of books—both old and new—Leah lives out her very own happily ever after in a small Wisconsin town with her husband and their gaggle of kids. When she’s not writing, handing out snacks, visiting the local library, or doing projects around the house, Leah enjoys reading and running. Find out more about Leah, join her newsletter community, and connect with her through her website.
