Tag: cozy mystery

REVIEW: Death in Dark Blue by Julia Buckley

REVIEW: Death in Dark Blue by Julia Buckley

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lena London may have proven her boyfriend, Sam West, innocent of murder. But his estranged wife, Victoria, is still missing. And plenty of people who were “certain” Sam was guilty – and treated him accordingly – need to eat crow.

That includes Victoria’s best friend, Taylor, a popular blogger who bashed Sam when he was being investigated. She promises to come to Blue Lake to apologize in person. But someone kills her before she can get to Sam.

It looks like Sam is in trouble again when Lena finds Taylor’s body on his property. The press have descended on Blue Lake like vultures. Lena is determined to clear Sam’s name and get back to some sort of peaceful existence and maybe pick up their budding romance. But even if she can find Taylor’s killer, they still have the mystery of Victoria hanging over their heads.

Review

This was excellent! And I am so pleased. I loved book one in the Writer’s Apprentice series, A Dark and Stormy Murder. I hoped Death in Dark Blue would be just as good and I was not disappointed.

The characters are great. I love Lena’s relationship with her boss/mentor, Camilla. We didn’t get to enjoy a lot of their writing work in this book, but it is still a fun thread. The core group working on the mystery is terrific. I loved the addition of the research librarian, Belinda. She totally earned an ARC of Lena and Camilla’s first book!

The mystery was good – solid suspects and great action. I could not puzzle out the solution until the end. What I love most about this series, though, is that unmasking Taylor’s killer isn’t the end of the story. The ongoing Victoria situation is still playing out as the story goes on, and it’s just as fun to watch that as it is the original mystery. Ms. Buckley does a great job of setting up this overarching plot between books – and may even have set up something else for future books down the line. It’s brilliant plotting and I love it. I highly recommend this series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Every Body on Deck by G. A. McKevett

REVIEW: Every Body on Deck by G. A. McKevett

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Savannah, Dirk and the Moonlight Magnolia Detective Agency are hired by a famous mystery author. Natasha Van Cleef has been receiving threatening notes. She’s about to do a promotional cruise to Alaska. She wants Savannah and her team to protect her and her entourage on the cruise. The whole team is thrilled to enjoy an Alaskan cruise. Savannah’s Granny and Dirk’s parents even join them for the experience.

Once on the ship, though, Natasha is resistant to Savannah’s presence. She refuses to keep protection around her at dinner and pushes the team to leave her alone for most of the next day so she can enjoy being with her husband and a long massage.

But when Savannah and Dirk arrive to find Natasha and her husband missing and another threatening note, it seems the author needed Midnight Magnolia Detective Agency’s protection more than she thought.

Review

This is the 22nd book in this series that I have enjoyed for ages. They can be enjoyed out of order – the mysteries easily stand alone. But part of the fun of the series for me is the team, and they have grown and changed over the years. It is fun to experience that evolution in series order.

Savannah and Dirk are great characters – smart and good at their jobs. They make an interesting couple. There’s plenty of banter as she’s a Southern belle and he’s a little more rough around the edges. I love Savannah’s family (at least the ones in this book) and the larger role her granny and brother have had in recent books.

The mystery was good. I didn’t get a great feel for the author and her entourage as they weren’t around much in the story. I didn’t have a strong feeling for them – either worry over what happened or a good sense of the suspects. But I enjoyed the twisty investigation and the overall solution in the end.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Death by Chocolate Lab by Bethany Blake

REVIEW: Death by Chocolate Lab by Bethany Blake

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Daphne Templeton is a pet sitter with a PhD in philosophy. In some ways, she’s pretty flighty. She is in an undefined relationship with her sister’s vet tech, she rarely has money and often offers her pet-sitting services for free. It’s not unusual for her to run out of gas – sometimes, two days in a row! But when her sister is the primary suspect in the death of her somewhat-ex boyfriend, Daphne is like a dog with a bone. She’s determined to keep asking questions and keep snooping until she not only finds a murderer, but finds the victim’s missing dog, too.

 

Review

This was a fun read, and a great first book in a series. The characters are introduced well, so you know who is who, but there are still things to discover about them as the series goes on. The author did an especially good job of holding back information about the detective. While Daphne knew things from research, she didn’t reveal them to the reader for awhile, which was an interesting writing choice. I laughed out loud many times and got a kick out of Daphne and her animals.

I feel like the various dogs in the story were stronger characters than some of the townspeople. The cast of characters in this book is fairly small. Half seem to be core characters and the other half are possible suspects. The author does a great job of integrating the animals – and their personalities – into the story. They aren’t just set pieces to move around from scene to scene.

The mystery was good. Interesting suspects with good motives. The solution caught me completely by surprise. I will definitely read more books in this series. Book 2, Dial Meow for Murder, is scheduled to release in September 2017.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Twelve Angry Librarians by Miranda James

REVIEW: Twelve Angry Librarians by Miranda James

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Athena is hosting an academic librarian’s conference which means Charlie is enjoying catching up with old friends. But he’s not happy to see every person who is attending the conference.

Gavin Fong is horrible. He steals credit on professional articles and blackballs other librarians from advancing in their careers. He even tries to blackmail Charlie into helping him get the Library Director’s job at Athena College.

When Gavin dies from poison in his bottled water – the special brand he insisted on during one of his diva moments – no one is really surprised. Plenty of people despised him. As an insider, Charlie may be able to ask questions and pursue clues to help the police catch a killer.

Review

Another great mystery in this terrific series! (Book 8 in the series)

The core characters play their usual roles in the story. The detective is willing to hear Charlie’s theories while maintaining a professional distance. Charlie’s family and friends are supportive while also having their own lives and parts to play in the larger story.

The mystery was great. There were a LOT of folks who didn’t like the victim. He was narcissistic and cruel. He cared only for himself and his own advancement no matter the cost. The solution was creative and unusual while also being reasonable and satisfying.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series right now. You can’t go wrong with any book in the series! The author’s next book will be a new story in the Southern Ladies Mystery series, Fixing to Die, which will be out in the fall.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Cookie Dough or Die by Virginia Lowell

REVIEW: Cookie Dough or Die by Virginia Lowell

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Olivia Greyson owns The Gingerbread House, a store that specializes in cookies and cookie cutters. When her mentor, Clarisse, dies, Livie doesn’t think it was an accident.

Fortunately, a few things start happening that clue the police into the possibility that Clarisse was murdered. Unfortunately, those things also make Livie look like the culprit. Can antique cookie cutters, internet research, and some family and friends help Livie catch a killer?

Review

This is the first book in this series that is now 6 books long. The main characters – Livie and Maddie – are fun. They balance each other out in their business, but work well together in investigating.

I enjoyed the mystery. The first part of the book focused on determining if the death was an accident or not. When murder seemed likely, the focus shifted to alibis and motives. I did not figure out the killer before it was revealed; I focused on one of the other suspects instead so the end was a nice surprise.

The theme – cookies and cookie cutters – was unusual. There are no recipes in this book. I think there are plenty of culinary mysteries with recipes. This one doesn’t NEED them, but I think they would have tied in well. Cookie cutters, though, were the real emphasis. Maybe some history notes or details about antique cutters or something might have made a  fun addition to support the theme.

I’m looking forward to trying another book from this series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: We Wish You a Murderous Christmas by Vicki Delany

REVIEW: We Wish You a Murderous Christmas by Vicki Delany

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Rudolph, New York is Christmas Town. And in the weeks leading up to Christmas, the holiday spirit is growing. But a rude business man, called in to help in a family emergency, is ruining the Christmas Spirit as he talks of selling out to a big box store or a chain hotel, destroying the Christmas theme the town has worked so hard to develop.

So there is no shortage of possible culprits when the man is found dead. It could be his wife who was eager to throw around blame on others but didn’t shed a tear at the loss. It could be the chef he threatened to fire or the baker he cut out of a large contract. But the police department’s favorite suspect is the town’s Santa Clause – Merry’s dad. There’s no way Merry is going to let her dad’s reputation – and her town’s future – be smeared by this murder! If the police won’t find the real killer, maybe Merry will.

 

Review

This is the second book in the Year Round Christmas mystery series starring Merry Wilkinson. As this particular story happens at Christmas time, there’s extra Christmas fun to enjoy. Rudolph sounds like a delightful town. If it were real, I would totally want to visit!

The mystery was a puzzle all the way to the end. It was obvious to me that most of the suspects weren’t strong candidates. One possibility was eliminated by Merry in the story, so I had only one guess left. But then new information surfaced near the end of the story to wrap things up.

There were a couple moments when the writing stopped the flow of the reading for me. Some words that seemed out of place. They may have only been regional word choices that were jarring for me, but not for readers from other locales. And there were a couple spots where things were restated that had been covered earlier in the story. I mention these things because they momentarily stalled the flow of the story for me, but I was able to get right back in and enjoy the rest of the tale.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Bloom and Doom by Beverly Allen

REVIEW: Bloom and Doom by Beverly Allen

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Audrey Bloom and her cousin, Liv, have made their dream of running a flower shop a reality. And the wedding side of their business is booming, especially as people find out about Audrey’s skill of pulling together flower arrangements that mean positive things like faithfulness, hope and friendship. But the business takes a hit when a potential groom is killed, their shop is implicated, and a friend of Audrey’s is arrested for the crime. Now Audrey is determined to find out what really happened to the groom and get her friend out of jail.

 

Review

This was terrific! The writing style and the characters felt comfortable and familiar. It was like I was reading a new story in a familiar series rather than the first in a new one. The characters at the flower shop were fun and interesting. I’m hoping for more information on some of the secondary staff in future books. The camaraderie at the store reminds me of another favorite series, the Bakeshop Mysteries by Ellie Alexander.

The mystery was well-written. The circle of possible suspects and motives grew wider and wider as the story developed, giving me several things to puzzle through while I read. In the end, I’d say I figured out only half of the puzzles in the story. I was able to feel both successful and surprised in the end.

There are two more books in this series, and I am eager to read both of them soon. Book 2 is For Whom the Bluebell Tolls.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Fudge and Jury by Ellie Alexander

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Jules and the gang at Torte are showcase vendors for the Chocolate Festival. And while they are preparing for the event, they are also renovating Torte, installing a new inventory/payment system, and considering an expansion into the property below their store. It’s a LOT for Jules to juggle! But when a fellow festival vendor has an allergic reaction and dies at her booth, Jules will make time to find a killer!

Review

The Bakeshop Mystery series is one of my favorite cozy series right now! I love the relationships with the Torte family. The setting is interesting – and their offerings sound delicious! I never need time to warm up to the story or the characters in these books. It comes immediately and naturally.

The mystery in this one was great. The chocolate festival was a fantastic setting, allowing new players to be introduced – and adding lots of yummy food discussions. I felt a little unsettled at the end of the mystery (this is the reason I didn’t give this a 5 star review) – I kept waiting for a new layer to the solution, but it never came. A couple of the other possible culprits still seemed sketchy to me at the end so I wasn’t 100% on board with the solution. I wanted a bigger, more detailed confession, maybe, but the author went a different way. Maybe it will come back in a future book.

One of the things I love with this series is how the author includes ongoing things with the characters and the business. She does an excellent job of keeping those pieces balanced with the larger story of the mystery for each book. I am already looking forward to book 6, A Crime of Passion Fruit (releasing this summer )

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: A Sheetcake Named Desire by Jacklyn Brady

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

A bakery mystery. Rita goes to New Orleans for the express purpose of getting her estranged husband, Philippe, to sign their divorce papers. He’d been stalling long enough. But she shows up in the middle of a disaster at his bakery, Zydeco Cakes. After a season of sabotage and conflict, a major cake is ruined just before delivery, one of the employees is knocked out, and Philippe is found dead. Now, instead of being an ex-wife, Rita is a widow. And a murder suspect.

Review

For me, this was a good mystery but not a great story. The setting of the bakery was interesting, the characters were well defined (and there were a lot of them), and the mystery kept me guessing all the way to the end. My theory was all wrong. And I like when a mystery keeps me guessing almost as much as I like when I can puzzle out the solution on my own!

I just didn’t click with the story in a way that made me want to drop everything and keep reading. I didn’t love the characters. And characters often make or break a book for me. Many of the characters in this one were abrasive in their own quirky ways, maybe as part of their “artistic” personalities.

The writing is good. I would definitely read more from this author. I’m just not sure I clicked enough with the characters to dive into another in this particular series. Other readers might enjoy these characters even if  they weren’t a good fit for me. If you are a mystery fan, and the premise of this one sounds interesting, give it a try and see what you think!

Rating: ♥♥♥ ½

REVIEW: Digging Up the Dirt by Miranda James

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The latest Southern Ladies Mystery. A 40 year old mystery comes home to roost when community heartthrob Hadley Partridge returns to Athena after forty years away. He has no idea that the rumor was that he had run off with his sister-in-law all those years ago. He says he hasn’t talked to her since he left. So where did his sister-in-law disappear to?

When members of their garden club start having dangerous accidents and remains are found at the home Hadley inherited, Miss An’gel and Miss Dickce can’t help but dig a little deeper to find a murderer.

Southern Ladies Mystery

Review

Such a fun Southern mystery series. Miss An’gel and Miss Dickce make a great team. Their pets are a fun part of the story, as is their ward, Benjy.  Charlie Harris and Diesel from the Cat in the Stacks series by the same author make an appearance, too.

The mystery in this was fascinating because you have the 40 year old disappearance mixed in with the things happening with the older women of the garden club. I really had to work at my theory of whodunit – and I was wrong. Some interesting surprises rounded out the story nicely.

I love both the Cat in the Stacks series and this Southern Ladies mystery series by this author. The crossover pieces are nice for fans of both series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥