Dead Man's Pose

Yoga Mat Mysteries, Book 1

Fiction - Mystery - Murder
331 Pages
Reviewed on 05/25/2022
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

What do a woman, who trained military personnel how to shoot straight, and a man, skilled at eradicating hazardous materials safely, have in common? Besides being designated law enforcement officers, they’ve written a ‘knock ‘em dead’ book … together.

John Roosen, as a biologist, served as a US naval officer and environmental emergency specialist, and worked in Australasia, Antarctica and the Middle East. He responded to chemical plant explosions, dealt with rocket fuel plant meltdowns and dismantled illegal drug labs. John switched careers to chasing pirates and duelling with a con artist extraordinaire on a South Pacific Island. He relishes jungle expeditions and deep-sea scuba diving. Besides responding to cataclysmic disasters, John has mastered the intricacies of making soufflé omelettes without burning the edges.

Susan Rogers knew she was a writer at age six, but as an adult she took a major detour in becoming a commissioned naval officer. She conducted sting operations, ran extensive weapons training programs and directed the restoration of a Presidential yacht. In between, she wrote several books, ran health and safety operations for multi-billion-dollar projects in Abu Dhabi and revamped a South Pacific maritime service. Susan writes braced against the hull of a sailing vessel, crossing of the Middle East’s empty quarter in a Mini, or in a troop carrier in Australia’s outback.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jessica Barbosa for Readers' Favorite

Susan Rogers and John Roosen’s Dead Man’s Pose is the first book of the Yoga Mat Mysteries. Tragedy strikes Elaina’s class when one of her students, Mario, dies when the class goes into a deep and tranquil state while transitioning into the final relaxation pose. Elaina is devastated and she becomes angry when she sees Ric Peters, a student who is always late to class, taking pictures of the mat Mario died on. Ric apologizes and explains that he finds the entire thing strange. No one taped the area off and his gut tells him they should keep people away until they get an official cause of death. Elaina is confused and brushes it off as an accident, a heart attack, or something like that, but Ric’s clear and concise explanation makes her doubt her initial thoughts. Little does she know that this is just the beginning of an unexpected mystery.

Dead Man’s Pose is a well-hatched murder mystery with an exciting and entertaining plot. The moment I started the first chapter I was immediately drawn in by Elaina and Mario’s friendship. I was so devastated when he silently died in the middle of class. If I had encountered Ric in Elaina’s place, I would have probably screamed and kicked him out for the sheer disrespect but Elaina kept her cool and even listened to this tall, watchful man. The characters are distinct and well fleshed out. Elaina, Ric, Jack, and Alfred, to name a few, are like puzzle pieces that help set up a strong foundation for a fast-paced, exciting plot. Once I started, I could barely put the book down. I found myself going back to reread a few chapters just to make sure I didn’t miss out on anything. I enjoyed reading about the food and place descriptions and I appreciated the sketch map at the start, which helped me easily visualize how everything played out. The twists and turns of this story built up my appetite for more and I can’t wait to read Susan Rogers and John Roosen’s second book of the Yoga Mat Mysteries!