I received this book for free from my own shelves in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: my own shelves
Eye on the Ball
by
Alyssa Day
cozy mystery, paranormal fantasy in a Kindle edition on April 27, 2024 and has 220 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Wild Thing, Atlantis Rising, Atlantis Unleashed, Atlantis Awakening, Atlantis Unmasked, Atlantis Redeemed, Atlantis Betrayed, Vampire in Atlantis, Heart of Atlantis, Dead Eye, "Travelling Eye", Private Eye, Evil Eye, Eye of Danger, Eye of the Storm, Apple of My Eye, A Dead End Thanksgiving Disaster
Eleventh in the Tiger’s Eye Mystery paranormal cozy mystery series and revolving around Tess Callahan, the owner of a pawn shop. The focus is on the rivalry between two softball teams.
My Take
Day uses first person dual protagonist point-of-view from Tess’ and Jack’s perspectives, so we know all about what they’re thinking, feeling, and experiencing. –It’s so cute listening to Jack compare his life before as an army commander and his suburban life now.
Gotta love Uncle Mike’s technique for cancelling out Tess’ Goth phase, lol.
For such a small town, Dead End has seen more than its share of action: the Fae queen threatening to attack, Hurricane Elvis (Eye of the Storm, 5), a trapped time traveler, basilisks, mutant zucchinis, the Doltar, the pirate ghost, and more.
A sub-theme in Eye on the Ball is coming up with names for the pig races, and they are a fun collection, from Hogatha Christie, Peter Porker, Spider Ham, Alexander Hamilton, Alexander Ham Bell, Sherloink Holmes, Elvis Porksley, Kevin Bacon, Pedro Porksgal, Shaquille O’Squeal, Spamela Hamderson, and Kim Kardashaham.
I do love depression glass, and Day provides a brief history on it. I never knew, and I do love it for exactly those reasons! I’m envious of Connor’s purchase of the old firehouse.
Lol, Tess is not looking forward to that bridesmaid dress, although she does love her Donald Duck PJs.
Part of the series arc has been Jack’s relationship with Uncle Mike, who doesn’t think anyone is good enough for his Tess. Their back-and-forth can be quite fun. Then there’s Alejandro trying to entice Jack to work for the FBI.
The snark Day lays on about the Truckmans cracks me up, and happens to be somewhat misleading. Ace comes across as a real jerk, and then Brenda gives us another view of him. Aww, Jack has made a change to the new softball uniforms!
More drama is that little bomb Alejandro drops, although Rose’s has more positive possibilities.
Finally! We finally get a bit of back history on that war between the rebels and the vampires! A different bit of history is the point Tess makes about Dead End business names, and she ain’t kidding.
There’s a bit on how deluded American audiences are when it comes to how CSI truly operates.
At last Alejandro has brought his wife to visit — she’s fleeing family! A good thing too, ‘cause she saves the day in several ways! Reading about the effect she has on her surroundings is so funny. You can just see it! Okay, it’s really the babies, and they don’t just affect nature.
Ooh, that other Lawless. What a jerk! The family must be hiding in shame.
I did enjoy the coziness of Eye on the Ball, and yet it felt rather flat. Sure there was action and some crazy characters, but it felt as though Day rushed this.
Tofu — the other white meat.
The Story
It’s time for the annual softball game between Dead End and Riverton — and the rivalry is intense. Maybe too intense even though it’s supposed to be about honor.
Two team members go missing with Brenda a suspect. Then life gets complicated when Rose goes into labor — and the lack of a clinic makes itself felt.
The Characters
Dead End, Black Cypress County, Florida, exists under a special charter and not subject to most state or federal laws. But they do have to pay taxes . . . that danged IRS. A welcoming small town, its citizens are a combination of humans and supernaturals.
Tess Callahan, who has a weird gift, inherited a pawn shop, Dead End Pawn, from Jeremiah. Fluffy is the taxidermied alligator mascot. Lou is Tess’ cat. Eleanor Wolf is Tess’ only employee, and she’s a real go-getter. Only she’s getting married! Uncle Mike and Aunt Ruby raised Tess after her mother died and her father left (for the Irish mob!). Uncle Mike is a retired engineer who potters about the farm. Aunt Ruby is the current mayor. Ten-year-old Shelley is the new little sister, who’s also a witch in need of training (Dead Eye, 1). Pickles is Shelley’s new pug puppy. Tess’ paternal grandmother is a banshee (Private Eye, 2).
Jack Shepherd, a Bengal tiger shifter who is famous for having been the North American commander of the rebel army, now runs Tiger’s Eye Investigations next door to Tess’ pawn shop. He’s also Tess’ boyfriend. Jeremiah had been Jack’s uncle. Jed is Jack’s many-times-great grandad now on a speaking tour.
Dead End’s softball team
Brenda Pennywhistle, Tess’ CPA who likes to be in charge, is the captain of the team and plays left field. Tess is the pitcher. Susan plays second base. Jack will be in right field. Rooster Jenkins is taking over first base. Uncle Mike will be the game announcer. Molly is shortstop. Dallas and Austin Fox, brothers, geniuses, and part owners of the Swamp Commandos, share third base. Nigel is an ogre who teaches dance and is married to the scary Phaedra, a Naiad.
Arthur Henry, a metalworker, and Chester Albert founded the Dead End/Riverton game 30 years ago in cahoots with an earlier Celine.
Bill Oliver is Eleanor’s fiancé. David Wolf, a building contractor who’s Jack’s best friend from school, is Eleanor’s son; Zane is his son — he’ll be a ring-bearer. Lauren’s Deli, owned by Lauren, was voted as making the best sandwiches in the state. Mellie runs Mellie’s Bakery. The world-traveling Sapphire Malcom is the Dead End Gazette editor. Mr and Mrs Frost are ancient — and she’s dangerous on the road and with her crossbow!
Carlos Gonzalez, Susan’s brother, is Tess’ vampire neighbor. Susan Gonzalez is the sheriff. Andy Kelly and Lizzie Underhill are two of Susan’s deputies. Molly Chen is the best friend Tess grew up with, and now she’s the leader of an up-and-coming indie rock band, Scarlett’s Letters. Dice is/had been the bass guitarist and drummer.
Molly is currently dating Lucky, one of the owners of Swamp Commando Airboat Rides (Evil Eye, 3). The other owners are other former special forces guys, including Mateo “Fireworks” Lopez.
The ancient Lorraine, a former mayor and future bridesmaid, works at Beau’s Diner, the only sit-down, full-service restaurant in town. Although now there’s Judd’s Pizza and soon there’ll be Connor Murphy’s, a precog, Connor’s Pub, the grand opening of which is the night of the softball game. Uncle Mike is hoping it’ll be quieter than the Swamp Rat. Sally DeSario, a Brownie, owns Dead End Daycare. Pastor Nash and Old Mr Russell don’t think much of Tess’ singing. Dr Cahill is the town veterinarian. Owen, a dentist, had been Tess’ previous boyfriend. High school chemistry teachers are not having much luck staying on. Rick Peabody is the hot janitor at the high school. Nineteen-year-old Tina Probst is hoping to get a job with Tess — after previous events . . . who knows. Jimmy had been her criminal boyfriend. Mr Chopra had been a previous boss of Tina’s. Joe Bob Turner — he works at the Dead End Feed Store — is a desperate man; Donna Portnoy is the girl who gave him an ultimatum.
Special Agent Alejandro Vasquez, who is with the FBI’s Paranormal Operations (P-Ops) division, is married to the pregnant Rose Cardinal, a powerful garden witch from a prominent witch family. They already have a toddler daughter. Bob is their cat. Granny is a major pain. Poppy Cardinal, an ancestress, was an amazing singer. Jake is a cousin of Rose’s who is in love with a djinn. Sue Cardinal is Rose’s mother. Rose knows Yasmine, a nice but introverted garden witch.
Riverton’s softball team
That cheating Ace Truckman is a poor sport and the captain of their team. Mutt and the not-too-bright Probie, Ace’s cousins, are on the team along with “imported” cousins. Mutt’s had a crush on Tess for years.
Bernard Lawless, cousin to that awful dirtbag, Bertram Lawless, the former sheriff of Dead End, is the sheriff of Riverton — and just as bad. Reynolds, a wolf shifter, is a decent deputy in Riverton; he’s married to Vicki Reynolds who works at a diner. Celine is a witch and a hook-up.
Jack had met up with the Warriors of Poseidon in their series. Quinn (Heart of Atlantis, 8) had been Jack’s co-leader; she’s married to Alaric, Poseidon’s High Priest. Conlan is the king of Atlantis (Atlantis Rising, 1). Lord Justice and Keely, a touch psychic and archeologist, met in Atlantis Unleashed, 3.
Ursula inherited a cursed perfume bottle that makes everyone, uh-huh, fall in love with her. Rutherford is a kid who needs to learn boundaries — and so do his parents! Monkey is the obnoxious boy at the fair. Leroy the turkey is now living with the Fae.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a lovely blue sky with a few clouds hanging over a green field with trees in the background. In the foreground is a fence behind home plate (behind the fence is Jack in his tiger form sitting on those blue bleachers with a baseball glove in his mouth) where Lorraine crouches as catcher. It’s a shorts-clad Tess up to bat in a striped jersey, wearing royal blue knee socks and black shoes, and a baseball helmet with her long red hair swinging in the breeze of her swing. At the top is an info blurb in white with the author’s name in royal blue. Below Tess’ feet is the title and below that is the series info; both are in white.
The title is what the team must do, keep their Eye on the Ball, only . . . there are so many balls in the air!
