Adam Parrall’s wild days as a drummer in a rock band are far behind him. Now semi-retired and running a record store in the sleepy town of Cordoba on the mid-California coast, life is considerably calmer, with pleasant surprises such as winning a lifetime achievement award (which Adam learns, depressingly, is intended for deceased artists).
There’s plenty of life left in Adam yet, though sadly the same can’t be said of Righteous Brother tribute artist Barry Haddon, whose dead body is discovered by Adam outside a nightclub. Suddenly Adam discovers an exciting new hobby—sleuthing! Is a knife-wielding robber terrorizing the locals responsible for Barry’s murder? As panic and confusion sweep through the town, Adam can’t rule anything—or anyone—out. Unfortunately, his meddling may mean that he’ll qualify for that lifetime achievement award sooner than he thought!
You've Lost That Livin' Feelin' by Nicholas George will be published on January 6, 2026. Severn House provided an early galley for review.
This, the first in a new mystery series, was likened to Andrew Cartmel's Vinyl Detective series as well as the work of Richard Osman. Since I love both those authors, giving this one a shot was a no-brainer.
For me, the book started off slow as we are introduced to the town, the residents, and Adam and his wife Shawna (who serves as the story's two narrative viewpoints). It takes a good bit before Barry is found dead. I would have preferred the start to be right in the action, with a scene that grabbed me by the throat rather than just teased me with a feather.
As for the characters themselves, lots of typical small town residents with no major surprises. Like other cozy mysteries, there's mentions of cooking (seems to be a thing). While the music elements are there, I would have liked to see them played up a bit more.
I am willing to give a sequel a shot, if the author decides to write one.
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