The fourth book in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series by Ellie Alexander is a definite hit with me! A Holiday Homicide embraces all that I cherish in a cozy mystery, infused with a holiday seasoned theme – what more could one ask for? Engaging characters, interesting whodunit which captured my interest throughout and wonderful character development.
Redwood Grove is abuzz with the latest event being hosted by the Secret Bookcase – a gingerbread house competition. Talk about getting someone in the holiday mood – the following passage certainly got to me:
“The bookstore was my favorite place on the planet on an average ordinary day, but during the holidays, it was pure magic. Festive jazz music drifted along the corridors of the restored English country estate that now housed the largest mystery bookshop on the West Coast. I made my way to the Foyer, where dazzling golden twinkle lights greeted me, along with two small Christmas trees flanking the front doors.”
Okay – back to the story. The Secret Bookcase is holding a competition, with many Gingerbread House baker’s in attendance. Stiff competition unfortunately yields a tragic event – the death of Lily – a social media influencer and baker! And of course with this happening, Annie is driven to piece together the series of events that have lead to this death. We find out the baking community is certainly not all sweetness, but a ruthless bunch of baker’s! Who would have thought? There are many red herrings to keep readers guessing. And if I am being truthfully honest – that is the way I like my cozy mysteries – guessing until the end.
Annie and her new beau Liam are also progressing nicely in the advancement of their relationship. I am quite enjoying this slow burn; happy they are not rushing their relationship.
I enjoyed the interaction between Pri (Annie’s bestie) and Annie as they are walking to the pub, moving towards Annie’s opportunity of taking a step to bringing Scarlett’s killer to justice – talk about nervous (both Annie and this reader). This also reminded me of discussions re: Santa I had with my parents previously as a child:
“I can’t remember a time I was this nervous, and also strangely excited,” I admitted. “It’s kind of like Christmas Eve. I was also super excited for presents and slightly terrified of actually seeing Santa Claus.”
“Totally normal. It’s a strange dude coming down the chimney. Think about the lyrics to ‘Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town’. ‘He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake.’ Stalker much?” She laughed and squeezed my hand tighter as the pathway spilled out onto the village square.”
Concurrently, she is also moving along her fact finding mission with respect to the events that lead to Scarlett’s death all those years ago. The death which occurred while Annie and Scarlett were investigating a cold case as part of the requirements for a criminology course they were taking.
The continuing steps Annie is taking towards solving the murder of Scarlett throughout this series is a theme which, if you have not read the series from the beginning, warrants the reader to start the series at the beginning as this will add depth to the stories as each are read. The reader will understand Annie’s motivation and get a real sense of her history. Though note that A Holiday Homicide can be read as a stand alone.
I am so thrilled with this series and this latest installment. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, excellent story telling, Christmas themed stories and baked goods (and who doesn’t), then pick up a copy of A Holiday Homicide and get settled for a cozy read ...more
he Book Club Hotel was bound to be a hit with me as I love reading, I am in a book club, Christmas is a favourite time of year for me and I really enjoy the writing of Sarah Morgan (though to date I have only read two books, soon to be rectified ...more
What can I say about My Missing Daughter? Brilliant! I was totally engaged throughout the storytelling and was surprised how the story unfolded in the end. It began a wee bit slow but once it caught fire (so to speak), the story, red herrings and everything else unfolded fast and furious. I have read a hand full of books by Ellery A. Kane and fully enjoyed each and every book. This author does not disappoint!
The tale begins with two best friends embarking on a road trip to finish the book they have been writing “The Road Trip” and provide some much needed hype abut the book through various avenues of social media. The girls, Amelia Ford and Willow Barrett, have been friends since elementary school and their respective family homes are on the same street. Both girls are aspiring writers who have embarked upon the journey of writing a thriller. As they take this journey, many twists and turns emerge. Willow and Amelia, while best friends have been keeping secrets from each other…and this is going to cause a whole lot of hurt between them.
The story is told from two different points of view (POV). One POV is from the mother (Tracy) of the missing girl Willow, while the other is from postings on social medial that Willow has made during the trip to Niagara Falls. After getting familiar and used to the different perspectives, I found the read very engaging. At times, I did not want to put the book down!
During this road trip, for finishing the book and creating hype for its release many “unusual” events happen. There are accidents, deaths, money “events”, intimate relations, etc. To go into too much detail would spoil it for the next reader – so I shall not expound upon the actual storyline(s) themselves. Suffice it to say – many events happened which kept me thinking “what next” and “why” and “by whom”???
There was a lot of tension between the mothers of the two girls. Their tenuous “friendship” is very rapidly disintegrating and there is a lot of “the blame game” going around. This also produces some interesting moments and provides lots of fodder for my thinking now that I have finished the book.
This book was engaging and still (even a few days later) has me thinking about the story and all the twists and turns (and secrets!!). The truth was hard to come by… but I think this is what made the book such a page turner.
Do you like mysteries with an edge, psychological thrillers, murder and mayhem? If so, I suggest you read this newest book written by Ellery A. Kane – My Missing Daughter. You will be in for a wild ride which will keep you on the edge of your seat!...more
The second title in the series, Cold Brew Corpse, by Tara Lush has been a delight to read (just like book #1 – Grounds for Murder – I might add). Engaging, entertaining and kept me guessing throughout.
As Lana settles into life running Perkatory (the family coffee house business) and training her new puppy (Stanley), a cutie of a golden Shih Tzu puppy, after leaving her journalist job in Miami, she is hit with an opportunity from the local newspaper. Write a story about the missing yoga studio owner, whom was Lana’s next door work neighbour…and when she is found dead – that just adds to the story that needs to be told. This may pique Lana’s interest in potentially returning to Journalism – time will tell.
Lana’s inner amateur sleuth (though is a journalist at heart really an amateur sleuth) will be working overtime to find out who and why Raina Rose was killed. Turns out Raina is not the nicest person and thus there are a number of enemies (both past and present) for Lana to sift through in her quest for the truth about Raina’s demise. Many red herrings to keep the reader entertained, if not a wee bit annoyed!
There is a secondary mystery, which really, really needs to be solved. Why is the cold brew beverage from Perkatory tasting off? As expected, that mystery is also solved, but the road to pleasant tasting cold coffee is not as easily achieved as one would think. But thankfully, it is achieved ...more
Officer Elvis is the second book in the Darla Cavannah Mysteries series. Though this is the first book by author Gary Gusick that I have read, I am happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery :) I plan on reading the first book as well now!
This is a novel featuring Darla Cavannah. She is a strong-willed female detective from the North, living and working in Jackson, Mississippi. In this story Darla is investigating the murder of a fellow law enforcement officer (and her former partner) and part-time Elvis impersonator on the side, Tommy Reylander. Lieutenant Darla Cavannah is with the MBI – Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (statewide agency), Jackson Office. While Tommy’s death is a local matter, Darla pushes to have the case…..
“Remember the line at the end of the movie The Maltese Falcon? When somebody kills your partner, you’re supposed to do something about it.” Major Shelby Mitchell does not want a dud of a case hanging around, and I quote:
“the unsolved murder of a fellow police officer is not the kind of case a law enforcement official in my position wants hanging around his neck, not if he has in mind to keep his job. As you well know, I officially serve at the will and pleasure of the governor. Which means I can be sacked without so much as a never you mind. …Lookie here, Miss Darla, the media is going to have a feeding frenzy if Tommy’s killer ain’t caught. And I don’t favor them feeding on me.” Shelby finally capitulates and gives Darla 3 days to solve the crime, or it gets dumped back to a local county sheriff. There is no one on staff that Darla would want to work with (their thoughts “Darla had a directness and lack of gentility that most Mississippians-including most of the other detectives in the bureau-saw as offensive.”) So, Darla is paired up with Rita Gibbons, a quirky character that once you get to know her idiosyncrasies, she is quite the character…which Darla learns and comes to appreciate. They made quite the crime solving team.
The twists and turns abound. One murder turns into another and then another….looks like a plot to kill all Elvis impersonators? With superior sleuthing skills, Darla uncovers something bigger than first anticipated, a serial killer of Elvis impersonators. But why? Well that you will have to discover for yourself. The mystery was well laid out and kept my attention throughout the book.
The manner in which all the different Elvis’ were introduced kept my interest. And Cilla (Tommy’s widow) kept me smiling. I could SO picture her! Big hair and all. I was said though when that beautiful car was trashed by way of explosion. Really??? Sacrilegious to blow up such a fine vehicle – in my opinion. I also loved all the song title dropping. Like a blast from the past of a well-loved entertainer. “All Shook Up”, “Blue Suede Shoes”, etc.
If you are a fan of Elvis, murder mysteries and could use a few good laughs at the same time, pick up this book and give it a read. You won’t be sorry. Thank you, thank you very much. :)
*OBS would like to thank the author and TLC Book Tours for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Officer Elvis is the second book in the Darla Cavannah Mysteries series. Though this is the first book by author Gary Gusick that I have read, I am happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery :) I plan on reading the first book as well now!
This is a novel featuring Darla Cavannah. She is a strong-willed female detective from the North, living and working in Jackson, Mississippi. In this story Darla is investigating the murder of a fellow law enforcement officer (and her former partner) and part-time Elvis impersonator on the side, Tommy Reylander. Lieutenant Darla Cavannah is with the MBI – Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (statewide agency), Jackson Office. While Tommy’s death is a local matter, Darla pushes to have the case…..
“Remember the line at the end of the movie The Maltese Falcon? When somebody kills your partner, you’re supposed to do something about it.” Major Shelby Mitchell does not want a dud of a case hanging around, and I quote:
“the unsolved murder of a fellow police officer is not the kind of case a law enforcement official in my position wants hanging around his neck, not if he has in mind to keep his job. As you well know, I officially serve at the will and pleasure of the governor. Which means I can be sacked without so much as a never you mind. …Lookie here, Miss Darla, the media is going to have a feeding frenzy if Tommy’s killer ain’t caught. And I don’t favor them feeding on me.” Shelby finally capitulates and gives Darla 3 days to solve the crime, or it gets dumped back to a local county sheriff. There is no one on staff that Darla would want to work with (their thoughts “Darla had a directness and lack of gentility that most Mississippians-including most of the other detectives in the bureau-saw as offensive.”) So, Darla is paired up with Rita Gibbons, a quirky character that once you get to know her idiosyncrasies, she is quite the character…which Darla learns and comes to appreciate. They made quite the crime solving team.
The twists and turns abound. One murder turns into another and then another….looks like a plot to kill all Elvis impersonators? With superior sleuthing skills, Darla uncovers something bigger than first anticipated, a serial killer of Elvis impersonators. But why? Well that you will have to discover for yourself. The mystery was well laid out and kept my attention throughout the book.
The manner in which all the different Elvis’ were introduced kept my interest. And Cilla (Tommy’s widow) kept me smiling. I could SO picture her! Big hair and all. I was said though when that beautiful car was trashed by way of explosion. Really??? Sacrilegious to blow up such a fine vehicle – in my opinion. I also loved all the song title dropping. Like a blast from the past of a well-loved entertainer. “All Shook Up”, “Blue Suede Shoes”, etc.
If you are a fan of Elvis, murder mysteries and could use a few good laughs at the same time, pick up this book and give it a read. You won’t be sorry. Thank you, thank you very much. :)
*OBS would like to thank the author and TLC Book Tours for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*...more
Call me pleasantly surprised ☺. Death in the Romance Isle by Lynn Cahoon is an engaging cozy mystery which garnered my attention from the beginning and kept me captivated throughout the entire read. I don’t usually say such things when I enter a series late, but in this case, it is appropriate.
Death in the Romance Isle begins with the main protagonist, Rarity Cole, running her bookstore (The Next Chapter – love the name) as usual. What is disconcerting is that shortly after Marcus comes to town (the brother of Rarity’s best friend – Sam Aarons), a body is found – the body of a new hire of the bookstore (Janey Ford). Janey and Marcus had just met, gone to a party and a date the next day… and then she turned up dead. Yikes! To add in a bit of complexity – previously in Marcus’ life, he was briefly thought of as a suspect in a death of a previous girlfriend (her death was later classified as a suicide). So when the body of Janey turns up in the quarry – Marcus is thought of as a prime suspect. We cannot also forget about the other new hire at the bookstore, Caleb, as a suspect as he seems to be a love struck young man for the newly departed. Ah – unrequited love. And possibly more suspects (?) as one will find out as they read this engaging story.
Rarity does have a trusty side-kick – her tan Yorkie named Killer. Love the name – especially for such a small dog, who turns out to actually be a very friendly, but protective dog of Rarity. There are, of course, many other characters in the book whom I find endearing. Unfortunately, one of them is the newly departed Janey. Sure wish we had been able to get to know her a wee bit before her demise. But such is the life of a character in a cozy mystery.
I really enjoyed the progression of another character, Shirley, throughout the story. Good to see her place of importance as oftentimes it seems that senior citizens are portrayed with a brevity as to their life experiences. In this story – that is far from it. And I loved it!
One fact that made me bond with this book is that part of the story was centred in a couple of towns in Arizona – Sedona and Flagstaff. Flagstaff is the town I lived in for many years before my family immigrated to Canada. This definitely evoked warm and fuzzy thoughts of the location. As this is a series – I plan on going back and starting at book one – something I rarely do ☺. Okay to be fair – I also really loved that this book is centred around a book club…what is not to love about that?
As far as cozy mysteries go, Death in the Romance Isle contains many possible suspects, which the amateur sleuth works through. There are many red herrings but in the end, after much trial and tribulation, the sleuth (along with the help of the local constabulary) do solve the mystery. The other story lines were also engaging and entertaining. I am not giving many details of the solving of the mystery and I want each new reader to discover and enjoy this aspect of the story themselves. Suffice it to say – I recommend this book!I really enjoyed this story and if you were to pick up only one cozy mystery this year and you are a lover of books, might I suggest Death in the Romance Isle. Lynn Cahoon did justice to the mystery and the progression of the main character (and many others I might add) throughout the story. An enjoyable, engaging and a good whodunit right to the end. Had me guessing up to the end – just the way I like my cozy mysteries!...more
Cover Story is a delightful addition to the Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery series by Erika Chase. We join the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society (now isn’t that a mouthful!) as they welcome back to town Teensy Coldicutt, a friend of Molly Mathews.
The crux of the story is that Teensy (a published author now) brings to town 150 copies of her novel and then the books are stolen! What the heck is that about? And then Teensy’s publisher turns up dead. To top it all off, the person charged with the crime is fellow book club member Bob Miller, a retired police chief. This is not good, but the club is on it.
I loved the word plays – for example: Lizzie to Mark:
”Time for a quickie? Espresso, I mean.” He grinned. “Yeah”.
Always friction between Lizzie and Mark with respect to her involvement in solving murder cases: ...more
What I can say about One Good Thing by Alexandra Potter is that it is one of my favourite books I have read in book club this year! A new to me author who stands out as being able to bring many emotions out in me as I read, which is frequently NOT the case.
Olivia (Liv) Brooks is starting over following a divorce. She has decided to move from her London home to a sleepy village in Yorkshire – Nettlewick. Interesting choice – but when one wants a transformation, what better way then to move to a location where their childhood was happy and filled with wonderful memories? So Liv buys a fixer-upper of a home as well as adopts a dog. As Liv is completing the paperwork to adopt a puppy, she sees “Harry”, an older dog who looks so sad and forlorn. The rescue charity employee tells Liv “he just needs something good to happen”. That clinches it – Liv adopts this dog and names him Harry. I must say – I love that Liv got the older dog and not the puppy. And the bond they developed throughout the story was priceless.
While Liv takes Harry on short walks around town, they come upon various and sundry people -> a young boy named Stanley who is playing in his yard all alone and Valentine, an old man who seems so lonely. Also playing a prominent part in the story is Maya – a young girl who is rebellious teen about to embark on a new phase of her life.
Liv’s house needs massive renovations to become liveable and as it turns out, the crew she hires includes Ben – Liv’s crush from when she lived there previously, Ben is also Stanley’s father (which she finds out farther on in the book).
While this is a wonderful read, one must also be aware that there is an undertone of grief and anxiety for many of the characters which must be worked through so that life is once again happy and fulfilling. Liv of course is working through the trauma of her husband of many years running off with a young woman. As Liv develops a passing friendship with Valentine as a result of Liv’s and Harry’s daily walks past Valentine’s home – we discover that Valentine is trying to come to grips with his wife’s advancing dementia. In many respects, this type of loss is much more difficult than a sudden loss… watching ones loved one forget them slowly. I could not imagine the pain that Valentine is going through. But Valentine takes a shine to Harry. While on the walking route, Harry and Liv pass by Stanley’s home and this young, extremely shy boy takes a shine to Harry, seemingly coming out of his shell with the dog.
It is amazing the healing power of pets. Each of these characters were able to heal as a result of their interactions with Harry. And the walks slowly allowed Harry to regain his mobility and his own vim and vigor.
The comment by Naomi -> “Ageing is a privilege” -> definitely hit home. Not everyone gets a long and fulfilling life – so we should all embrace what we have and love and enjoy the people in our lives while they are in it. The scene where the reader learns of Gisele’s passing made me tear up, and this is usually not something I do when I read a book. Very powerful, because the writer made this reader become invested in each of the characters and their lives.
I found the descriptions of the countryside very encompassing, so much so that I easily visualized the walking route that Liv and Harry took and the countryside visited during various outings.
And lest we forget, the romance portion of the story was well done. The locations of the dates that Ben and Liv went on were nice. The pace of their romance was perfect – not too slow and not too rushed. Even when challenges arose – I felt like they were handled in a relatively mature manner ...more
Sweet Troublemaker is the first in the Indigo Bay Second Chances series by Canadian author Jean Oram. This is a “new to me” series by this author, whom is also fairly new to me as well. I found her writing style engaging, witty and with a bit (or a lot) of romantic angst.
I found the main characters (Polly and Nick) both had depth and substance as characters. Both were flawed as well as slightly injured with respect to their individual past romances, which added to their relatability. And for this Canadian reader – I found that Polly was from Canada and Nick from the US kind of fun.
Nick and Polly were involved as teenagers but have not seen each other in over two decades. You could tell that the “spark” from their teen years was still present. They come together to celebrate the wedding of Nick’s uncle and quickly become involved in the preparations for the wedding when the wedding planner quits. Can these two work so closely together to pull off a wonderful wedding? I quite enjoyed the ingenuity of Polly and Nick when problem solving various aspects of pulling together the wedding. Let me tell you – there was also some HEAT between the two – and that certainly added a fun dimension.
In the end – would the cowboy from Texas end up with the gal from Canada? Guess you will have to read this engaging romance and find out! I anticipate you will enjoy the writing of Ms. Oram as much as I have. So much so that I have gone ahead and gotten more of this delightful series (Indigo Bay Second Chances) to read ...more
As a lover of coffee as well as cozy mysteries, when I saw this title at my local library, by a “new-to-me” author, I could not resist. And I must say, I am very glad I picked up Grounds for Murder by Tara Lush as I was truly engaged and entertained throughout the entire story.
The premise -> Lana Lewis has had a bit of bad luck. Following the disillusion of her marriage, getting let go from her dream job as a reporter and then the passing of her mother, Lana goes home to Devil’s Beach, Florida to run her mother’s coffee shop - Perkatory (what a great name!!!) - and recoup from the bout of bad luck. Just after entering the Sunshine State Barista Championship, Lana’s talented barista Fabrizio quits and goes to work for her rival coffee shop. So what shall Lana do without Fab and his talents in the contest? Perkatory is sure to lose now. After Lana has a big blowout with Fab, but before she can explain her bad behaviour and make things right with Fab - he turns up dead. Oh my…not good on so many levels. Many people from the rival coffee house witnessed the blow-up. So what’s a girl to-do? Well, when her journalistic instincts kicked in, Lana began investigating on her own in hopes of figuring out what happened. To note, with Fab now deceased, who will look after his shih tzu? Luckily for this pup - Lana took a shine to Stanley as there are no relatives close by and the only one Lana knows of does not care about Fab’s puppy. Whew…as I would hate to see a pup get lost in the shuffle.
While trying to figure out what happened to Fab, Lana must also hire more staff and learn to perfect her latte artwork, if there is a hope of winning the Sunshine State Barista Championship. Luckily for Lana, she hires a seasoned barista with mad latte artwork skills. So there may be a hope of winning now? If only one could solve the mystery of how Fab died. The way Lana used her journalistic reporter skills (and her pushy attitude) to elicit information from a variety of sources was thought-provoking. Gave me a whole new appreciation for journalists.
What I found interesting and engaging about this story was that there were many unique characters -> starting with Lana’s hippy dad. A character he was. Also - Fab was an interesting character albeit short lived in the living category. A man who did not shy away from dating many, many women. He also seemed involved in some shady business with alligators. Oh my! Regardless, the reader did get a sense of who Fab was prior to his death. Chief Noah Garcia and his budding connection to Lana is certainly something to watch in future books - how romantic can they go? I liked their pace so far -> slow and steady.
I loved the picture of Stanley on the front cover. He is such a cutie. But then - I am a sucker for a cute looking animal on the cover.
In the end, Lana did solve the mystery (was there any doubt? and yes you will have to read the book to find out “whodunit” as there are MANY viable suspects to sift through), write her article (sort of), get a bit cozier with the chief and settled in at Perkatory with her new barista Erica. And as far as the results from the Sunshine State Barista Championship event - well you know the answer…read the book!
If you enjoy cozy mysteries, a scenic location, dogs and of course coffee…then might I suggest you pick up this first in a series book - Grounds for Murder by Tara Lush. A great start to a new series, which I shall continue on reading! In fact - on to the next book in the series - Give Me Chills - Book 1.5....more
I must say that to date Ellie Alexander and her storytelling have never failed me. This first book, Body in the Bookstore, in her new series – A Secret Bookcase Mystery series – does not disappoint. Then again, I think back on all the books I have read by this author (specifically the Sloan Krause series) and I realize I have always been totally engaged in the books I read and most often, had difficulty until the end figuring out ‘whodunit’. Which I must admit is the way that I like my cozy mystery reads :)
This reader was lead through a wonderfully executed introduction to the residents of Redwood Grove and especially our amateur sleuth, Annie Murray. The town of Redwood Grove is picturesque. Who wouldn’t want to live one hour away from the Pacific Ocean and a couple hours away from a ski hill? I did ponder about the word “amateur” when referring to Annie as she has a degree in criminology. Unfortunately, due to Annie’s best friend being murdered just before their college graduation, Annie’s criminology degree and training are going unused. As we quickly learn, Annie feels a massive amount of guilt over Scarlet’s death. Scarlet was murdered while following up on a lead for their final criminology project which was to examine an unsolved murder. The class was tasked with reviewing the crime scene, suspects, and case notes and extrapolating any new insight. Scarlet and Annie went all in… and it seems got too close to finding out who the murderer was.
Scarlet’s murder haunts Annie to this day as told by the musings of Annie early on in the book:
“…Scarlet’s life had been cut short. The guilt of her unsolved murder clung to me like a persistent shadow. Until I tracked down Scarlet’s killer and ensured they were behind bars for good, I knew that shadow would never dissipate.”
Annie has been working at the Secret Bookcase as a bookseller and event coordinator for eight years, since graduation. The bookstore needs more sales if it is to stay afloat. Annie comes up with the idea of a mystery-themed book festival for the town. A win for everyone. In fact, the event is going along better than anyone’s wildest dreams…until one of Annie’s old college acquaintance (Kayla Minter) is found dead within the shelves of the bookstore! Further involving the past, her past criminology professor, Dr. Caldwell, is the police detective involved with solving the murder of Kayla.
Annie is asked by Dr. Caldwell to keep her eyes and ears open as people are more likely to talk to her than anyone in law enforcement. Annie does that and more. She wants to figure out who killed Kayla and why. As Annie runs through the potential list of suspects, we see her come out of her shell more. By the end of the story, Annie seems more self assured and willing to pursue who killed Scarlet. Time will tell how this part of Annie’s story plays out, though if I was a betting woman, I would say that this will be a recurring theme and part of the plots for all future books in this series. Hopefully Dr. Caldwell will also be a part of this story arc as well.
I loved the name of some of the town’s establishments -> Cryptic Coffee – the local coffee house. Or
Stag Head (owned by Liam Donovan) – a bar in town, which hosts historical trivia nights. And lest we forget – Artifacts -> a clothing boutique.
I got a chuckle out of Annie’s bestie – Pri (full name Priya Kapoor) who works at Cryptic Coffee. Pri has a crush on one customer and she only knows him as “Double Americano with cold foam”. Can’t wait for future books in this series so we get more information on this particular customer!
I found Body in the Bookstore a wonderful addition to the long list of books written by Ellie Alexander. I did not figure out completely ‘whodunit’ until the end. The character development was well told and the townspeople are interesting. It was a read which drew me in and would not let me go until I had read the last page! I cannot wait (and luckily I don’t have to as both books were released together ...more
Ellie Alexander and her storytelling have done it again. This second book, A Murder at the Movies, in Alexander’s new series – A Secret Bookcase Mystery series – is just as engaging as the first book Body in the Bookstore. Well, maybe even more so since I have already become invested in the main characters and the town of Redwood Grove!
Life has settled down in Redwood Grove after the very successful town-wide mystery weekend. And now Annie is approached by an independent filmmaker, Heather Hathaway, hoping to hold a movie premiere for her new movie “Midnight Alibi”. This sparks a mystery film weekend! I loved how the bookstore had Hitchcock themed displays at the movie theatre. And if we know anything, a simple fun filled weekend is bound to contain at least one tragedy. And indeed it does. When the film critic attending the premiere ends up dead, it has everyone wondering – did he fall from the balcony during the premiere by accident or as a result of nefarious means? And of course – Annie must dust off her sleuthing skills and get to the truth – no matter what it takes.
I enjoyed the way Annie methodically worked through her list of potential suspects, disproving and proving various aspects of the case. Naturally, I can’t give too much (or virtually nothing) away so as to leave the mystery to each individual reader. Let me say though that the winding route Annie takes is an enjoyable journey which kept this reader entertained.
Getting to know the townsfolk of Redwood Grove was a real treat. However, without giving away too much, I am embarrassed by assumptions made from reading the first book in the series. Assumptions were made about Pri’s crush on one particular customer – “Double Americano with cold foam”. I do say though that as a reader, I am very happy to finally have been properly introduced to “Double Americano” and all is good. And Pri is ecstatic to have finally spoken to her crush as well – though with a wee bit of shy stumbling to begin with ☺. Can’t wait to see where this brewing love story may lead.
What an interesting (and fun) way to introduce a new series – by releasing the first two books at the same time. It gave this reader a chance to really get invested in the regular characters. And I must say, there are some pretty terrific recurring characters in this series. I cannot wait to see if Annie decides to pursue a career using her Criminology degree (way to go Dr. Caldwell by keeping Annie in the loop and using her superior deductive reasoning skills), will Annie keep pursuing the truth to find who murdered her best friend Scarlet and finally, will the sparks between Liam and Annie lead to romance or just a solid and deep friendship? Can’t wait to read book three in the series (and I hear a fourth is on the horizon as well!).
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, I would like to suggest picking up A Murder at the Movies, this second book in the A Secret Bookcase Mystery series, by Ellie Alexander. Settle down for a read which will keep you guessing as to ‘whodunit’ until the end....more
A Suspicious Breed is the sixth book in Jackie Layton’s A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series. Andi Grace (the main protagonist and amateur sleuth) is getting ready for her wedding and honeymoon but trouble is afoot! She has just learned that her vet (Doc Hewitt) may have been roped into a potential fundraising scam … and knowing Doc Hewitt, Andi knows he is innocent. So now, to prove it all the while, she is putting the finishing touches in place for her wedding day (a mere week away). Her wedding photographer and good friend (Zarina Mills) may have some first-hand knowledge of this scam but is found dead before parting with any of that information. So now Andi must find the killer and figure out the details of the scam to help Doc Hewitt! And from the book’s intro – there are also a couple more issues to be solved…a dodgy record producer pressuring a friend’s young daughter and lest we forget – a disorganized dog breeding operation that may be endangering animals.
To begin with, it felt like there was just too many storylines that needed to be addressed. Maybe it is just me, but I think one or two less issues would have helped focus the storylines a bit more. I do contend that some of the confusion is definitely on me as I am entering the series at this newest addition. With more background of the main characters, I might not have felt so overwhelmed and confused.
I did enjoy how loving and attentive Andi was with her four-legged creatures. She definitely is a caring protagonist – both to animals and humans alike. She also had much fortitude to handle all of these days before her wedding. And speaking of wedding – she and her groom were so amenable to whatever would work for the second couple also getting married. Wow – that was so generous. As such, I may well go back and start the series from the beginning so that there is a chance to enjoy this addition to the series.
I must say – I loved the cover art. That in itself is a true winner for drawing in this reader to the story!
If you enjoy cozy mystery stories with lots of dogs and their amenable humans, a bit of intrigue and a murder to solve along with a number of issues to solve, then I suggest picking up a copy of A Suspicious Breed by Jackie Layton....more
Fondue or Die by Korina Moss may be the fifth book in the Cheese Shop Mystery series but it is the first book that I have read by this author. One may ask why I gave a low rating…maybe the disconnect is that I started at book 5 in this series, thus not having a history with the characters? Additionally – I found that the pace was a bit slow for my taste. When time permits, I may go back and start the series from the beginning but until then…here is my review.
Willa Bauer is the owner of Curds & Whey, a locale cheese shop. She and her crew are excited to have a booth at Dairy Days – an annual Labour Day weekend bash. Being a first time vendor at this annual event is exciting for the crew. And Willa is even a judge for the Miss Dairy pageant. Well, excited until Nadine, the pageant director turns up dead. As this death has occurred at the beginning of the weekend festival, the local police wish to keep this quiet, not necessary to upset the local community! This however, does not stop Willa and her crew from quietly investigating for a possible suspect or two J
Loved the scene where Heath went undercover. His reticence was palpable and kind of cute. Going undercover should have been no problem for him but when he said the following – I burst out chuckling as the imagery was cute as well as funny:
“You mean in all your years as a police detective, you’ve never gone undercover?”
“Not as Woody from Toy Story,” he said dryly.
Through the story, this reader learned of the history between Willa and Heath. These two originally had a budding relationship but when Heath asked her to stop looking into it – Willa would not step away from the previous case, putting her and their budding relationship in danger. This ended their relationship four months previously. With a bit of trepidation, I might add, maybe there is still a chance? It seemed like it in this storyline they worked well together. But time and another book in the series will probably shed light on this.
The sleuthing at times was slow (or at least that is the impression I got) but in the end, everyone worked together in piecing together the events that lead to murder and the culprit. I found the name the group named themselves quaint, if not a bit predictable given they all work for a cheese store – “Team Cheese”. I did have an inkling of who the culprit might have been, but not sure until the end, which is good as this is how I like my cozy mysteries!
I would also like to say that I loved the cover art! Makes me want to go on a fondue picnic, Yum!!!...more
Murder by the Book is the first book in a new series, Beyond the Page Bookstore, by Lauren Elliott. Addison Greyborne has recently moved from Boston (where she worked with rare books in the Boston Library). Her move was precipitated by a number of events – the death of her father, the unsolved murder of her fiancée and an unexpected windfall (i.e. inheritance) as a result of the passing of her great aunt Anita, who is believed to have died from natural causes. It just seemed like the right time to move. Her inheritance, which included Greyborne Manor and all kinds of rare books, allowed her the opportunity to open her own business, Beyond the Page – Books & Curios.
Having started over means that Addison (Addie) has made new friends and when Serena, her bestie, is arrested for murder, Addie steps in and works with the police chief to clear Serena’s name. Did I mention that the police chief, Marc, was Serena’s brother?
I loved Greyborne Manor, the history behind it, the books. Really, a good place for Addie to start over. It will be interesting to see as the series progresses where Addie’s previous work experience at the Boston Public Library will come into play in her new found business – Beyond the Page.
I found the mystery in this book to be intriguing. I did have moments where I second guessed my choice of perpetrator, who was following Addie and breaking into her house and her business? One thought I had was, how (as compared to other cozies where the amateur sleuth knew many towns people) was Addie going to get information on people when she was so new to town? She made herself a “murder board”. Good thinking!
The banter between Addie and Marc was quite palpable, as evidenced in this scene:
When safely away from prying eyes, Addie spun around toward him. “Okay partner, what have you got?”
He sauntered past her over to the coffee machine. “Want one?”
“No, I don’t want coffee. I want to know what’s got you grinning like the Cheshire cat.”
“Everything in good time.” He dropped a pod into the machine.
She stood back and crossed her arms, tapped her foot, and glared at the back of his head. He was silent as his coffee brewed. She opened her mouth to speak, but shut it when he slowly tore open a sugar pack and poured it into the steaming paper cup. Believing he was done, she opened her mouth again. Without turning around, he raised his finger to silence her and picked up a spoon, methodically stirring his coffee. By this time, her cheeks were burning and beads of sweat were forming inside her collar. When he finished, he placed the spoon on the counter, took a long sip, stretched out his rigid shoulders, and sighed. Her jaw tensed. She took a step toward him. He spun around, a sly grin across his face, and then he burst out laughing.
Can’t wait to see where this relationship may go in the future!
If I had to list something which was rather irksome it would be that I found Addie lacking in keeping her promises. I felt like this is one person, if she were my friend, that I might not be able to count on. She would weasel out of her promises… and lots of times when interacting with Marc! And this is with someone she is beginning to start a relationship with. Hmmm. Does not sit well with me.
As in all good mysteries, cozy or otherwise, I am not going to delve too far into that aspect of the story as I always find that when I read mysteries I like to discover things on my own. So no spoilers from me ☺.All in all, the mystery was good as it kept me guessing throughout much of the story. I found the location intriguing and the characters had some depth. So, if you like cozy mysteries and are willing to take a chance on this new series, then pick up a copy of Murder by the Book and settle down for a nice, cozy read by Lauren Elliott....more
Bookshops & Bonedust –> What a nice surprise. Definitely outside of my normal reading genre of late, I decided to stretch myself with a bit of a cozy fantasy sub-genre read. In previous years, I read some wonderful fantasy and I frequently read cozies so why not, I asked myself. With the completion of this read – I look forward to returning to this genre with reading gusto! In my opinion, when it comes to creating a world that is engaging and leaves the reader (at least this reader) spellbound and not wishing to put the book down, all I can say is that Travis Baldree is a gifted writer and checks all the writer boxes and accomplished the goal of engaging me totally.
Bookshops & Bonedust is the story of Viv, an orc warrior, who is trying to make a name for herself with the mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens. However, things are not going to well for her. Viv was injured during the pursuit of a necromancer. The company sends her (and Viv was NOT happy about this let me tell you) to recuperate in the town of Murk. To occupy Viv’s time, she frequents a struggling bookshop with an owner who is quite the character. Friendships develop and before Viv knows it, she is invested in the lives of numerous residents of this sleepy little town. Unexpectedly, a romance develops (with the bakery owner) and even a situation arises where Viv can use her warrior skills to save the bookshop.
The bookshop in this tale was a wonderful gathering place (and the location of some pretty intense drama let me tell you). As Viv helped clean up the shop, I could see deep friendships develop with the owner, they both became invested in the store and it’s growing success. The bookshop brought a sense of home to me and reminded me that as a child, I really loved libraries. Books were (and still are) magical. The story provided many twists and turns and kept my interest throughout.
The numerous fantasy characters in this book such as orcs, dwarves, necromancers, elves and gnomes made me grin as I was reading. I loved the diversity that the story brought. I also liked that this book had a queer relationship and all of the characters were welcoming. Something I wish all of society could get on board with – inclusion and acceptance! Each of the characters were unique and complex in their own way.
Many other reviews I have read for this title have indicated they were glad they got to read the first book in the series, Legends & Lattes (Legends & Lattes, #1) before Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes, #0). I did not have such luxury as I only stumbled across this book first. I shall move on to the aforementioned title now and anticipate enjoying the continuation of Viv’s trials and tribulations as much as I have enjoyed this book....more
Cats, Carats, and Killers is the fourth book in the Urban Tails Pet Shop series by T.C. LoTempio. I have followed this series from the beginning and I must say, the main characters (aka the cats) are what keeps me coming back. Well, that and the engaging storylines with a solid main “human” character ...more
Battered and Buried is the seventh book in the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series by Lena Gregory. It is also the second book I have read by this author. So far, Ms. Gregory’s books are engaging and have kept my interest throughout. The best part was that it did take me a while to conclude who the real killer was! Which is crucial to me when reading a cozy mystery.
The crux of the story is that Gia Morelli, the owner of the All-Day Breakfast Café in Rolling Pines, hopes to find out who killed Rusty Bragge. The police believe (and circumstances point to) her good friend and full-time cook, Cole Barrister as the killer. And to further muddy the waters (and does not bode well for Cole) is the fact that the deceased is essentially a life-long enemy of Cole’s – they have history – and it is not pretty. This history revolves around, you guessed it, a woman – Rusty’s wife…an ex of Cole’s. Cole describes Rusty as “vicious, mean, spiteful and a person that who will stop at nothing to get his way”. Definitely not a nice person! And I must say – that is proven throughout this story.
Gia and Trevor (Gia’s friend) were out kayaking when they came upon Cole and Cybil walking in the marsh. They pulled over to see what Cole and Cybil were looking at…soon to discover it was a body. Which of course, turns out to be Rusty. At this point in time, Cole is going to be hard pressed convincing anyone, let alone the police, that he had nothing to do with Rusty’s murder since they had a shouting match at the All-Day Breakfast Café the day before… with a LOT of witnesses.
What made it an interesting read was that it was not obvious as to who the killer really was. I also enjoyed the journey that I had to follow while Gia unravelled the truth. While there are a few suspects, I think it was the myriad of towns folks that kept me interested. As the story proceeded, I truly began to really dislike the deceased. While I didn’t really wish him dead, I certainly think he did not have any redeeming qualities!
I quite enjoyed Trevor’s enthusiasm with respect to Gia’s impending nuptials, especially while kayaking. And then the fact that Gia and her fiancé Hunt (Captain Hunter Quinn – captain of the Boggy Creek PD) have not actually set a date or discussed any details. This made me chuckle just a wee bit.
I must say, the cover art for this book is good. The puppy was cute and I found the pancake in the shape of a skull eye catching. A bit of foreboding I must say.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries – then I would like to suggest picking up this 7th book in the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series. I myself plan to go back to the beginning of the series and learn about Gia, her pets Thor and Klondike as well as the love story between her and her fiancé, Hunter. Maybe learn more about her bestie, Savannah and her hubby, Detective Leo Dumont and the other residents of Boggy Creek.
Though I must say, this book does stand on its own and was a delight to read....more
Peach Tea Smash by Laura Childs is book number twenty-eight in the “A Tea Shop Mystery” series. It is also the first book by this author that I have read. I found this book intriguing enough and I did continue reading the book, but I am wondering if I would have enjoyed the story if I were more invested in the residents of Charleston and those involved with the tea shop.
The story starts out pretty fun filled as a vast majority of who’s who in town is at the Mad Hatter Masquerade Ball. The reader is introduced to various town’s folks and all is going swimmingly for Theodosia… well… until she sees the body of Harlan Sadler, the spouse of the chairperson (Cricket Sadler) for the Mad Hatter Masquerade Ball. And so it starts – Theodosia trying to deduce who the murderer is before anyone else gets hurt.
I found Theodosia a bit scattered in her sleuthing, it seemed that she just fell into some good intel and went with it. A bit more deductive reasoning would have enhanced this read, in my opinion. However, being this is my introduction to Theodosia and her amateur sleuthing ways, this may just be the way she is.
I was impressed with the fact that Theodosia “was used to staging exciting events. A Firefly Tea at an old plantation, a Murder Mystery Tea in a haunted house…even a Honeybee Tea in Petigru Park.” But the Opera Society’s masquerade party at the old Pendleton Grist Mill near the City Marina seems to be the most unusual location. I also quite enjoyed reading about the themed teas held at the Indigo Tea Shop. With the shop being decorated and the different teas and meals to go with it sounds like so much fun. And being in a household of tea lovers, this definitely appealed to me.
In the end, while there were sufficient “potential” suspects, Theodosia did eventually come up with the murderer – and I was surprised at “whodunit” and isn’t that what reading a cozy mystery is all about – not figuring out “whodunit” until the end. So, mission accomplished ...more
Fondant Fumble is the sixteen (wow!) book in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay. However, it is only the third book of the series that I have read. I must say that each book I have read in the series has captured my interest totally. This is leading me to say to myself “go and read the rest of the series” ☺ !!!
The premise for this story is that two local football players (Keogh Graham and Tyler Matthews) are planning for post football life by investing in a business for their future and have chosen a Fairy Tale Cupcakes franchise as the business. As we learn, Keogh has wonderfully fond memories of his childhood and baking, with his mom – Mama June (who is in fact – a character that I loved!). Mel
(Melanie Cooper) is looking forward to teaching Keogh the in’s and out’s of baking cupcakes as this is a requirement for franchise owner’s. Everything is going well until Keogh discovers a body (and yes – the individual is dead) in his new bakery… and the person is none other than the Arizona Scorpion’s owner – Chad Dayton. To muddy the playing field, we learn that Keogh had a past with Chad’s current wife Kendall Dayton.
As we sift through (like the pun ☺) all of the clues and possible suspects we come to know the character of Keogh and soon realize, he was set up to take the fall for this murder. And to be perfectly candid – it is a murder. The most unpleasant part for me was the discovery of “scorpion’s” crawling on the dead body. Yuck! There are no end of possible suspects and as the playing field of whodunit is narrowed down, it becomes more dangerous for Mel and her crew.
I found the pace of the story was perfect. I was kept guessing throughout (and no…I will not give away ‘whodunit’ as that is not my style). The characters were well developed and, happily I report, easy to differentiate from each other. The support of the whole football team was inspiring and I loved how they all showed up for the opening. Though not surprising – football players like to eat and who wouldn’t want a delicious cupcake or three? And I cannot iterate how much I like Keogh as a character. He was a stand up guy who looked out after his team mates and seemed to keep a cool head under pressure. Of course, that could have been his upbringing and the fact that his mama was close by. I doubt she would have put up with any shenanigans from her boy!
While stepping into this series sporadically was not a problem, more knowledge of the main characters from the bakery might have enhanced my reading enjoyment (though not really sure how that would work since I truly enjoyed this book!).
My suggestion for any cozy mystery lover… pick up this book, sit yourself in a comfy chair with a beverage of your choice and spend a few hours just being taken away to another world. You will not be disappointed in the writing acumen of Jenn McKinlay!...more
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