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There's been a shocking double murder in Tuttle Corner, Virginia, involving high-profile players from Washington D.C. This brings national attention—and big-city competition for the story—to junior reporter Riley Ellison's little corner of the world. Beloved café owner Rosalee is the prime suspect in the violent crimes, but she insists on her innocence. In exchange for protection, Rosalee gives Riley and her fellow reporter Holman exclusive information that incriminates a powerful person.
Meanwhile, Personal Romance Concierge™ Regina H. is back, offering once-again-single Riley not just online dating expertise but also a new subscription self-care service that promises such benefits as "the sensation of emotional bravery on a micromolecular level."
Riley and Holman eventually begin to wonder if Rosalee is telling the truth. They head down separate investigative paths until one of them finds the truth... and one of them finds the killer.
This third installment in the Riley Ellison mystery series is rich with all the suspense, humor, small-town charm, and captivating characters that made the first two books a hit with critics and fans alike.
"Millennials will love following Riley Ellison, junior reporter, on her laugh-out-loud adventures in the quaint town of Tuttle Corner, Virginia.... Riley is a heroine for the twenty-first century, struggling, like others of her generation, with such contemporary concerns as online dating and obnoxious coworkers. Her romantic misadventures provide most of the comedy here, but there’s plenty of suspense, too; an additional source of appeal is Tuttle Corner itself, a thoroughly quirky but realistically drawn small town full of eccentric and amusing characters... Orr’s series is perfect for fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum and Kyra Davis’ Sophie Katz, witty protagonists who always mix fun with murder. The Ugly Truth is a great vacation read for comic mystery fans."
— Booklist (starred review!)
“Delightfully comic... highly amusing... Quirky characters enliven the carefully constructed plot.”
— Publishers Weekly
Advance Praise for The Ugly Truth
“Jill Orr’s comedic capers shine on! The third Riley Ellison mystery The Ugly Truth had me in stitches and made me want visit Tuttle Corner to join Riley on one of her hilarious adventures. Do your funny bone a favor, and pick this book up now.”
— Hannah Mary McKinnon, author of The Neighbors and Her Secret Son
Praise for the Riley Ellison Mysteries
“The laughs keep coming with Riley and her network of all-but-unbelievable co-stars.”
— Kirkus Reviews
"Perfect for cozy lovers who want something more modern."
— Booklist
“Fresh and funny, romantic and sunny, Orr’s book checked three genre boxes for me: a smart cozy series, a Southern small-town setting, and, my favorite, a newspaper mystery . . . I loved the hilarious emails the author interjects into the narrative from Riley’s ‘Personal Romance Concierge’ at Click.com.”
— Carole Barrowman, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
“The unique premise opens up many avenues for conversation regarding the meaning of one’s life and what’s left after we move on, allowing for weightier conversation—though the book itself is a funny and fast-paced read.”
— Book Club Central, American Library Association
"Capturing the unique voice of a generation, Orr brings something out of the ordinary and elusive to so many.”
— Book Trib
“Riley ‘Bless-Her-Heart’ Ellison is a breath of fresh air—a funny, empathic, millennial heroine. She kept me turning the pages well into the night.”
— Susan M. Boyer, USA TODAY–bestselling author of the Liz Talbot mystery series
“Jill Orr has put pure joy on the page.”
— BOLO Books
Jill Orr is the author of the Riley Ellison mystery series, which has been called “delightfully comic” and “highly amusing” by Publishers Weekly. Books in the series have garnered praise from industry professionals and readers alike and have earned a Silver Falchion nomination, a starred review and "Best Book of the Week" from Library Journal, and a Midwest Connections pick.
Originally from Chicago, Jill moved to Columbia, Missouri, to attend the University of Missouri, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism and her master’s degree in Social Work. However, these days the only social work she does is at cocktail parties, and she sometimes wishes her degrees were in What’s for Dinner and Decoding the Teenage Eye Roll.
Jill lives in Missouri with her husband and two (usually delightful) teenage children. The fourth installment in the Riley Ellison series, The Full Scoop, is new for 2020. And Jill's new illustrated nonfiction humor book, How Not to Be Old (Even if You Are), arrives in November. Learn more at www.jillorrauthor.com.