REVIEW: An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary


Frances and George head to Paris during the Exposition Universelle in order to spice up their dull routine and visit Frances’ sister, brother-in-law, and new niece. And so George can help his Aunt Julia. An artist, Paul Ducasse, recently died, and Julia thinks it wasn’t an accident.

But when George and Frances arrive, Julia refuses to talk with them about her suspicions. And then she is murdered. George and Frances must dig into the very private Julia’s life to see who might have killed her, and what might have really happened to Paul Ducasse.

Review


A great mystery in a fantastic setting! This is book 7 in the Countess of Harleigh historical mystery series which I have adored since book one. I loved seeing George and Frances do their thing in a new city. Their partnership – in life, in marriage, and in investigations – is delightful. I love how they give and take together, with love and respect for what each brings to the case. It’s excellent.

The case this time was twisty, and I had no idea how things would play out until they were done. Everything was wrapped up in a satisfying way – but the implications for the next book are up in the air, giving the author some room to play going forward.

This was all I hoped it would be – a cozy mystery with familiar characters that I could fall into easily. I haven’t kept up with too many cozy series in recent years, but this one continues to deliver every time. If you enjoy historical fiction and cozy mysteries, I highly recommend this series. I would read them in order so you can enjoy the relationship between Frances and George as it develops.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder by Dianne Freeman

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary


Frances and George are settling into married life and ready to get back to their respective work. George has recovered from his injury and is taking on a new, secret assignment. And Frances is supposed to be handling a young woman’s presentation to the queen.

Miss Katherine Stover is the niece of Lady Winstead. When Frances goes to meet Miss Stover, she discovers Lady Winstead is very ill. And one of her oldest friends, Lady Esther, finds her friend’s condition alarming – and suspicious.

But before Frances can get a handle on Lady Winstead’s condition – and investigate a couple accusations of theft in the household – someone is murdered, leaving Frances and George with more questions than ever.

Review


This was a fun addition to the Countess of Harleigh mystery series, and the conclusion of the book was excellent. I enjoyed spending time with Frances and George as always, and the set up for this story was great. The middle dragged a bit where everything seemed to just spin in place without any progress forward. Thankfully there was a nice twist toward the end that I enjoyed, and it propelled the rest of the story forward to a fantastic end.

I have enjoyed this historical mystery series since the beginning, and I’m thrilled to keep up with it. This is book 6 in the series, and I think newcomers could start with this book without much difficulty. But for the full Frances and George experience, you’ll want to go back to book 1, A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder where it all began.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

 

REVIEW: Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Bantam in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary


Ellie Christie has returned home to work at the family store, the Book Chalet. The Colorado shop, accessible by ski gondola, is a book lovers’ destination! But when a mysterious man shows up at the shop looking for “Cece” and is later murdered, Ellie and her sister, Meg, start hunting for a killer.

 

Review


This was a lot of fun! I would definitely read more of these. El is a great point of view character, and her immediate family was lovely. There are the typical “colorful locals” that you expect from a cozy mystery series. The location was great – both the Chalet (a place I’d love to visit!) and the town. And the mystery was twisty! I was proud of my personal sleuthing skills to puzzle out the culprit, but the author kept me second guessing until the end.

If you love cozy mysteries – especially checking out new series – be sure to check this one out. The snowy setting is perfect for January reading, and there are some fun Agatha Christie trivia facts included.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: Dashing Through the Snowbirds by Donna Andrews

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary


Meg and her family are playing host to a group out of Canada that is working with her brother’s company. And for the most part they are a lovely, yet stressed, group. But their boss, Ian, is awful and has everyone walking on eggshells. Meg and a few other Mutant Wizards board members are hoping to dissolve the contract between Ian’s company and Mutant Wizards – both to get rid of Ian, but also to protect Rob’s company from Ian’s bad business practices. But before the board can take action, Ian is dead.

There’s no shortage of suspects, from disgruntled employees to angry clients whose lives Ian nearly ruined. But Meg is on the case. If she’s lucky, she can wrap up the investigation so the Canadians can head home before the predicted snow storm arrives.

Review


Another fun Meg Langslow mystery! This one felt a little more tame compared to the last one. The cast was a manageable size while still giving series readers some of the quirky antics we have come to love.

In addition to a solid mystery, there were several laugh-out-loud moments here that made this a lovely reading experience. I can’t wait to see what Meg and her family and friends get up to next! I recently picked up the e-book of Murder, with Peacocks, the first book in the series. It’s probably been 20 years since I last read it. I am hoping for some re-reading time over the holidays so I can pick it up and revisit the series’ beginnings. The next book in the series, Birder She Wrote, is the 33rd book in the series, and it is scheduled to release in August of 2023.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

SABBATICAL: Mysteries that Break the Mold

I’m on sabbatical for the month of September, but I am setting up some posts in advance, including this one. I have noticed in the last couple years some mysteries that are on the “cozy” side, but that shake up the usual formula – and I love them. Here are some examples you can read about:

Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies (♥♥♥♥♥) – First in a new Pies Before Guys Mystery series about a woman who “bakes vengeance into her pastries.”
Finlay Donovan series –  A struggling novelist discussing the plot of her new book with her agent is mistaken for a contract killer and offered a job. Soon, she is tangled up in a real- life murder.
Double Twist – After accidentally marrying a drug kingpin, Mia is eager to get her life back on the straight and narrow. But then she and some new friends stumble across a body. Then, when a friend is suspected of murder, Mia decides to dust off the skills of her old life to clear their name.
Skeleton Key
Dial A for Aunties –  Described as “What happens when you mix 1 (accidental) murder with 2 thousand wedding guests, and then toss in a possible curse on 3 generations of an immigrant Chinese-Indonesian family?  You get 4 meddling Asian aunties coming to the rescue!” There’s a sequel now, Four Aunties and a Wedding, but I haven’t gotten to read it yet.
Under Lock and Skeleton Key – Tempest heads home to lick her wounds, hoping she can find something else to do so she doesn’t have to join her father’s business – Secret Staircase Construction. (They build secret rooms and sliding bookcases into their clients’ homes.) But when her former stage double is found dead inside a wall that was supposed to be sealed for more than 100 years, Tempest has to wonder if she was the intended victim. This is less unusual in structure, like the previous books, and more unusual because of the clever premise with Tempest and the family business.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Publishers – Crooked Lane Books

While I have some regularly scheduled posts for Saturday Smorgasbord every year, there are also months that are open. This year I want to use those open Saturdays to promote some of the publishers I go back to time and time again for fantastic reading material. This month I want to highlight Crooked Lane Books.

According to their website, Crooked Lane Books started in 2014 with a focus on crime fiction. In 2020 they added an emphasis on “book club fiction.” They are distributed by Penguin Random House. They have a HUGE slate of authors and publish a full range of mysteries, from cozies to police procedurals to thrillers. Most of my favorites, of course, are the cozies. Here are reviews for some of my favorite Crooked Lane titles and series:

A Grave Issue
To Catch a Witch
‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas
Read on Arrival
Magical Bookshop Mystery series
Dead on the Vine
Enchanted Bay Mystery series
Bookbinding Mystery series
Bookish Baker Mystery series
Faith Chapel Mystery series
Blue Ridge Library Mystery series