Book Review: Exercise is Murder by Bruce Hammack

I met Bruce and his lovely wife, Joyce, at ScrivCon last fall. They’re a fun couple, and he’s a great writer of clean mysteries. I thoroughly enjoyed his book Exercise is Murder, and I’m looking forward to reading more books in the Smiley & McBlythe series.

So without further ado, here is my review of Exercise is Murder!

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EXERCISE IS MURDER, A Smiley & McBlythe Mystery Book 1, by Bruce Hammack

Accidental drowning… or murder?
It’s up to the blind detective to find out.

Found at the bottom of his exercise pool, police believe the death of Steve Smiley’s friend is an accident. Smiley doesn’t buy it.

There are a lot of things a blind man can do, but solving a murder alone isn’t one of them. He needs a partner… one who knows their way around a crime scene. In walks Heather McBlythe. She can help him solve the crime, but can she keep him out of danger? Steve doesn’t have a choice. Without her help, someone will get away with murder.

Armed with years of experience as a homicide detective and his new partner, Smiley sets out to find a killer. He knows he’s on the right trail when a bullet whizzes past his ear. Will Steve resurrect his life as a master crime solver, or will his sleuthing get them both killed?

GENRE

Detective Mystery

AVAILABILITY

Amazon (Ebook, Paperback)

Barnes and Noble

My thoughts on Exercise is Murder

You couldn’t find two more opposite people than Heather McBlythe and Steve Smiley—McBlythe, a student at the Houston Police Academy, and Smiley, an instructor. But not any instructor – a widowed, blind, retired homicide detective teaching Skills of Observation and Deduction at the Academy.

Smiley’s excellent deductive skills are accompanied by associate chromesthesia, something he had before he lost his sight. AC provides a color overlay to certain sounds, and because of this, Smiley is convinced the recent death of his friend was murder.

McBlythe is in what she calls a “self-imposed witness protection program” to avoid her father’s clutches. He would much prefer her to attend Princeton and work on Wall Street. Although she completed her degree, she balked at the idea of making money for the sake of making money. He cut her off when she left law school and became a cop, but he’s tracking her and planting stories to keep her from advancing in her chosen career.

At least twenty-five years younger, McBlythe accepts Steve’s invitation to work with him. Smiley offers her room, board, and pay for her help in solving his friend’s murder. The only catch is Heather’s cat, Max.

Smiley despises cats.

As the two investigate Smiley’s old friend’s family, Heather working as Steve’s eyes, they form an unlikely friendship. Smiley comes to not just tolerate Max but love the Maine Coon, even though it takes several humorous escapades for that to happen.

Perfect for action-packed mystery lovers

The book is an action-packed mystery that ratches up with each turn of the page. The author skillfully weaves a thread of humor into the story and shows Smiley learning to care about McBlythe like the daughter he never had. I especially loved seeing McBlythe dress up as Pat Beerhalter, complete with a stiff wig, thick makeup, and stained teeth.

Exercise is Murder is clean fiction full of mystery and tension but zero romance. Smiley and McBlythe are partners in the detective business only. Several themes are explored, including physical and emotional loss, betrayal, and lying. These all play into the main character’s background and the mystery itself.

Exercise is Murder is the first in a 13-book series.

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Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married for almost 39 years, have 5 amazing kids, and have 3 adorable grandkids. I homeschooled our three youngest children and used to blog about homeschooling. I also taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! My first cozy mystery – Birds Alive! – released Feb. 27, 2024 and the 2nd in the series, Where’s the Quetzal? releases Feb. 25, 2025!

When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!)