Tag: cozy mystery

REVIEW: Can't Judge a Book by Its Murder by Amy Lillard

REVIEW: Can’t Judge a Book by Its Murder by Amy Lillard

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Arlo Stanley, book store owner, was getting ready for Sugar Springs’ Tenth Annual All-School Class Reunion. This year they were expecting a lot of visitors because they had a big name guest of honor coming. Wally Harrison had grown up in Silver Springs. He became a writer, and he had recently been at the top of the bestsellers lists. Unfortunately, as Arlo is making her way into work before the big weekend, Wally is lying dead on the sidewalk in front of her store.

Wally was scheduled to do a big signing at the shop. Arlo knew Wally from high school, as did her business partner, Chloe. In fact, Chloe and Wally had a child together, although Wally had signed his rights away before the baby was even born. Neither Chloe, nor Arlo, can see Wally as the type to throw himself from a building, but suicide is the prevailing theory.

Until the coroner’s report comes in. All signs point to murder. The logical suspects would be Wally’s wife or his mistress/assistant, but Chloe and Wally had met that morning to talk about their son. Chloe didn’t want Wally in the boy’s life. And thanks to a hefty inheritance, Chloe is the number one suspect for the murder.

Review

This was fun! I loved the characters. Arlo is great, and her loyalty to Chloe made her even more likable. The elderly ladies in the shop’s book group were a hoot! They were one of my favorite parts of the book. While I generally don’t enjoy love triangles, I am curious to see what happens between Arlo, Mads and Sam as this series goes on, especially as these characters have a history and are now back in the same town for the first time since high school.

The mystery was terrific. The clues stacked against Chloe were no joke. There were a few other suspects to explore, but really only 2 were explored in any depth. I’m curious to see how the mystery in book 2 will play out when the author is doing less “world building,” and has even more page space to dig into a mystery and a group of suspects.

Cozy fans should check this out. It’s a great story with likable characters and a small-town setting. I will definitely be checking out any further books in the Main Street Book Club Mystery series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Last Pen Standing by Vivian Conroy

REVIEW: Last Pen Standing by Vivian Conroy

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Delta Douglas was living the dream. Thanks to an early inheritance from her grandmother, Delta has been able to quit her job in Wyoming and move to Montana. There she is going into business with her friend, Hazel, running a specialty stationery/paper products shop. The store, Wanted, is housed in an old sheriff’s office where Hazel had taken advantage of interest in the Old West. She used the cells and the sheriff’s desk as part of her displays. And working at the shop will give Delta the opportunity to pursue her own stationery designs.

One of Delta’s first events with Wanted is a craft night at a local hotel. Glitter Galore will be held in the board room while the Taylor family, who owns the hotel, hosts their annual Gold Miner’s party in another section of the building. Delta picks up some tension between members of the Taylor family. And she overhears an argument between some party guests. But none of that prepares her for murder before the night is through.

Review

A great mystery with a fun theme!

I enjoyed this kick off to a new series. The characters were good. I enjoyed Delta and her team up with former cop, Jonas, and the dog Spud. The local LEO was of the incompetent and paranoid variety you get sometimes in a cozy. I’m sure in future books he’ll grow even more antagonistic. He’s that type.

The mystery was good. There were a lot of suspects and motives for the murder. I was not able to figure out the culprit before the end. The only gap for me is that the culprit never addressed the sleuthing and “back off” messages in the final confession. It felt like an glaring omission in the show down. If the culprit was that bothered, I’m not convinced the person would have fallen for the set up at the end.

I’ll be keeping with this series in the future. The setting was a lot of fun, and that is what usually sets cozy mystery series apart from one another. I hope we get even more scenes with the Paper Posse in future stories. This was a fun introduction to these characters!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lindsey Norris is in a good place in life. She’s prepping for her wedding to Sully in December. She loves her extended family-to-be, including Sully’s niece Josie. She’s in a good place with her job at the library and at peace with her co-workers.

But it’s one task for her job – one she performs well – that turns everything upside down.

Aaron Grady and his wife are new to town. He raises roses, and is concerned about the impact of a recent drought. Since Lindsey is on the reference desk when he comes in, she takes him to their books on gardening and roses and connects him with a local gardening group.

While Lindsey thought she was just doing her job, Aaron thinks it’s something much more. He tracks Lindsey down at her house to bring her flowers, stares at her for hours while she’s at work, and stalks her, sending texts while she is shopping for her wedding dress. While the local police are taking it seriously, Aaron has yet to really cross a line. The mayor tells Lindsey she’s over reacting. He thinks she should be “flattered” by the attention. He refuses to let her ban Aaron from the library.

When Aaron’s stalking extends to following Lindsey while they are out to dinner, Sully’s had enough. He and Aaron argue publicly. The next day Aaron is dead, Sully’s gun is missing, and he’s the number one suspect for the murder.

Review

This is the second harassment story I’ve read in two days, and I have to say they both have been unsettling. The victims feel skittish and trapped while clueless outsiders excuse the perpetrators’ lack of boundaries. Ugh. It feels awful. The author here does a great job of painting that emotional picture before the murder. I felt a real sense of relief that the guy would not be stalking Lindsey any more.

The mystery here is top notch. Everything moves along quickly. While Sully – and Lindsey – are suspects, their community believes in them and supports them as they seek the truth. There are great twists and turns in this one. I really enjoyed the journey to the truth.

This is the 10th book in the Library Lovers Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay – and it’s not slowing down at all. I love spending time with these characters. I’m looking forward to the next book.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder by Dianne Freeman

REVIEW: A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder by Dianne Freeman

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Following her sister Lily’s advice, Frances has invited one of Lily’s friends from America to come to London for the end of the Season to meet some of the eligible young men. She’s also tried her matchmaking skills on her cousin-by-marriage. After all, she did help Lily find her intended.

In fact, Lily’s match almost went too well. Lilly and Leo are eager to have an engagement party and start planning their wedding. Frances would love to see them wait. She remembers only too well how her own haste bound her in an unhappy marriage. But she knows Lily and Leo are much better suited than she was with her late husband.

Cousin Charles’ match didn’t go so well. Mrs. Mary Archer, a widow, seemed like such a good choice, but Charles said they “didn’t suit.” Frances appreciates Charles’ efforts to be discrete for Mary’s sake, but when she’s found dead, Frances will need all the details she can dig up to keep Charles from being arrested for murder.

Review

I have adored the Countess of Harleigh mystery series! I don’t generally like historic fiction, but this one is perfect for me. The characters are outstanding. Frances is a treat, living within the boundaries of her culture while maintaining her independence. And she has terrific friends and family who support her. I loved the entire cast! I missed Fiona in this book as she was out of town for much of the novel, but the new additions to the group were great.

Terrific mystery in this one, too. While the sheer volume of paperwork that had to be dealt with to solve the mystery got old sometimes, there was a real puzzle to figure out, which I enjoyed. Lots of layers to dig through to get to the truth.

This is a must-read series for me. I recently re-read A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder which solidified that fact. It holds up well to re-reading. If you enjoy cozy mysteries and/or historical mysteries, do not miss this series!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: A Crafter Hooks a Killer by Holly Quinn

BONUS REVIEW: A Crafter Hooks a Killer by Holly Quinn

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Samantha has been running Community Craft since her best friend, Kate Allen, died in an accident. Her latest event for the store will be a book signing by author and crafter Jane Johnson.

When Jane gets to town, she asks Sammy to meet her to talk about something related to Kate. But Sammy finds Jane dead before she can tell her any more.

Sammy is determined to figure out what Jane wanted to tell her. She wasn’t in Heartsford when Kate died. And when she returned, she was too grief-stricken to find out what happened. While Detective Liam Nash wants Sammy to stay away from this investigation, she has to know what really happened to Kate – and to Jane Johnson.

Review

This is book 2 in the Handcrafted Mystery series. This is the first book I have read in the series. I had no issues following the story or the characters without having read the first book.

I loved the characters in this! Sammy joins forces with her sister and her cousin to talk through the investigation, although Sammy does more of the work on her own. The family pieces – including a visit from Sammy’s parents – were a fun addition to the core mystery to round out the whole story.

The mystery was well done. The interrogation of suspects doesn’t really kick in until near the end, but Sammy does plenty of sleuthing before that. There are some great twists to the story that I really enjoyed.

Readers who enjoy a good amount of description in their books – settings and such – will enjoy this. I am more of a get-to-the-dialogue-and-action reader so I skimmed past a good bit of that to get to the meat of the mystery. Cozy fans should not miss this one. The mystery is well done. The crafting theme is pretty light. Sammy doesn’t do any crafts in this – she sells and markets things made by others. The book does include one recipe, though, and directions for one craft.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Cherry Scones and Broken Bones by Darci Hannah

REVIEW: Cherry Scones and Broken Bones by Darci Hannah

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this from Netgalley and Midnight Ink in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Whitney is happy to be home at the Cherry Orchard Inn. And she’s happy to have the murder business from the Cherry Blossom Festival behind them. That mess has done the family business no favors. Whitney has had to drop the price of rooms at the inn as low as she can to get people to try a resort where someone died.

Then she gets the “thrilling” news. Silvia Lumiere the painter has booked a room at the inn for the entire summer! Silvia often paints portraits in Cherry Cove, and the summer reveals are a big deal. The art community is ecstatic to have Silvia close by all summer.

Not everyone is ecstatic. Silvia has a very high opinion of herself and strong ideas of what she is entitled to in her business and personal life – and also at the inn. When the woman is found dead, there are several potential suspects, people Silvia regularly abused with her words and expectations. Unfortunately for Whitney, she’s at the top of the list.

Review

Another fun mystery from Cherry Cove, Wisconsin! Whitney and her friends and family are a lot of fun. The love triangle is alive and well in this book, but by the end it seems to have run its course, which makes me happy. I feel like I have been “burned” by love triangles in other series before, so I don’t usually care for them.

The mystery is well done. The victim is infuriating, and there are plenty of suspects who want her dead. Instead of juggling through 4-6 suspects all at the same time, Whitney seems to dig into one at a time in this book. This felt different from the typical cozy, and I liked it! There are some nice twists along the way to the end that made this a great read.

The final copy will include recipes, although I didn’t get to see them in my review copy. I hope there’s one for cherry scones. They sound amazing.

If you enjoy cozies in general or food-based cozies in particular, don’t miss the Very Cherry Mystery series. Book one is Cherry Pies & Deadly Lies; you can read my review of it here.  This is a not-to-be-missed series for me.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Read on Arrival by Nora Page

REVIEW: Read on Arrival by Nora Page

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Cleo Watkins is a librarian in Catalpa Springs, Georgia. At seventy-five, there’s not much that flusters her anymore. Except for dead bodies, of course.

In some ways, Dixie Huddleston was Cleo’s arch nemesis. The woman checked the book Luck and Lore out from the library 45 years ago and refused to return it. Oh, she’d tease that she was going to give it back. But she was as bad as Lucy in the comic strips, yanking the football away from Charlie Brown. Whenever Cleo got her hopes up about getting the book back, Dixie would dash them once again.

The story was an oft repeated one around town. In an article about the library reopening after some major repairs, Cleo even mentioned her desire to have the book back by the re-opening. But that didn’t mean she’d kill Dixie! Who would kill someone over an overdue book? To clear her name, Cleo will be sleuthing once again.

Review

Book 2 in the Bookmobile mystery series (not to be confused with the Bookmobile Cat mystery series by Laurie Cass) was great fun. I’m going to have to go back and read the first one, Better Off Read, now.

I loved Cleo! I usually enjoy book or library related stories. But I especially liked this one with a non-traditional sleuth. Cleo is older than most cozy protagonists. And I loved that there was no love triangle in this either. The balance between Cleo’s sleuthing and the time she spent dealing with her library issues was great. The story moved at a good pace and all the pieces tied together nicely.

The mystery was terrific! There were several factors at work in the story besides Dixie’s murder. Cleo had a librarian rival. There were weird omens and threatening notes all over town. And on top of that there were several strong suspects who might have wanted Dixie dead. The solution was a fascinating choice – the author really did a fine job with the whole set up and resolution.

If you are a cozy mystery fan, be sure to check out Cleo and the gang from Catalpa Springs in the Bookmobile Mystery series!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Foul Play on Words by Becky Clark

REVIEW: Foul Play on Words by Becky Clark

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Charlee has traveled to Portland, Oregon to speak at the Stumptown Writer’s Conference run by her friend Viv. But when Viv shows up at the airport to  get Charlee, she announces her daughter Hanna has been kidnapped.

Viv says she can’t call the police or Hanna will be killed. And she refuses to cancel the conference. She wants Charlee to help her save Hanna. But Charlee knows she’d be way out of her league on that. So Viv drops Charlee at the conference hotel where Charlee says she’ll help with the conference. Then Viv races off, leaving Charlee to muddle through on her own because, “oh, by the way,” all the volunteers have food poisoning.

Food poisoning isn’t the only issue with the conference. The hotel is doubled booked with a dog show. The registration site is glitching and over charging people thousands of dollars. Charlee’s “tech support” is a guy who knows how to use a spreadsheet and is proud of his 12 friends on Facebook. The three volunteers she has seem unfamiliar with what might need to be finished to kick off the conference. Oh – and the hotel chef has been fired.

Charlee has her hands full with the conference itself, but she can’t help picking up clues about what might have happened to Hanna. Soon, she agrees to help Viv find her daughter. But the clues won’t be easy to sift through.

Review

I have mixed feelings on this one. On the positive side, I loved the writer’s conference pieces. Charlee gets thrown into some new territory due to the countless disasters with the conference. I loved how she handled them. And I really like Charlee as a protagonist. I’ve read both books in this series so far, and she’s great. I enjoy her voice and her general attitude toward the various situations she finds herself in.

The disasters at the writer’s conference were pushing the boundaries of reasonable for me. It felt like too much – I didn’t even list them all in my summary.  I had a hard time believing that Viv would dump everything on a conference guest knowing ALL of her usual volunteers were sick, and then disappear. It feels more likely that she would show up but be distracted. Maybe throw herself into conference things and become a drill sergeant and at other times be in a distracted stupor. There were ways to have her there and have the kidnapping impact her. Her total disappearance felt odd to me. I had a similar feeling  – it was all TOO much – in the first book. This may just be the author’s personal style – pile on the problems to the point of overwhelm.

The mystery seemed to be whether there even was a mystery for most of the book. Was Hanna really kidnapped or was she hiding or in rehab or trying to fleece her mom for money? And at times, Charlee seemed to forget herself and her uncertainty and lack of solid evidence. Her behavior in those moments undercut some of the strengths I like about the character.

I will probably stick with the series to see how the style continues to develop with a third book.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: Too Lucky to Live by Annie Hogsett

BONUS REVIEW: Too Lucky to Live by Annie Hogsett

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Allie can’t believe her luck. She rescues a blind man from a rude driver who honks at him, causing his groceries to go flying and trapping him in the street. Not only is Thomas Bennington III gorgeous, but he’s also smart, single, and interested in Allie. Could this day get any better?!

Maybe yes. Maybe no.

Just as Allie is about to enjoy her first kiss with Tom, a neighbor’s TV blares the winning lottery numbers. Tom’s winning lottery numbers. Tom bought the ticket to show a boy named Rune how pointless it is to spend money on the lottery. Now Tom has won $550 million. And Rune’s told everybody in his run down neighborhood about their good luck.

Before everything can even sink in, people are gunning for Allie and Tom – and Rune – and the money! Dead bodies are dropping, Tom and Allie’s homes have been ransacked, and Rune’s mom has been beaten up so badly, she’s in the hospital. Allie and Tom better lay low  until they can figure out what to do with the lottery ticket and who they can trust.

Review

This was terrific! The characters and the premise were fun and fresh. I loved Allie and Tom as individuals and as a couple. Their commitment to one another and to Rune through the story was excellent.

The action was non-stop. The plot was intricate and twisty. I couldn’t figure out the culprit on my own. There were too many things going on to get a clear picture. It was terrific!

It was a joy to spend time with these characters, trying to figure out the puzzles in this book. I love where things ended for Allie and Tom. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series to see what happens. The series is called A Somebody’s Bound to Wind Up Dead Mystery series and book two is Murder to the Metal.

If you love a good mystery with great characters and a romantic subplot, you should definitely check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Murder Once Removed by S. C. Perkins

REVIEW: Murder Once Removed by S. C. Perkins

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Gus Halloran hired Lucy Lancaster of Ancestry Investigations to look into his family history. One of the most significant pieces of his family lore was a story about the death of his great-great-grandfather Seth. Lucy found proof that Seth had been murdered rather than accidentally trampled by horses. And she even found out a few facts about who planned the murder – a man with initials C. A. involved in Texas politics at the time. She narrowed the suspects to a couple men, but Gus latched onto one name – Caleb Applewhite. Caleb’s descendant, Daniel, is a U. S. Senator. And Gus’s son, Pearce, is running against him.

Lucy still wants to do some digging and find out for sure who ordered Seth’s death. But journals about the incident and the community where it happened are stolen in a burglary. And then the photographic evidence of the crime is taken – and a friend of Lucy’s is killed. Now Lucy is racing against a murderer to see who can get to the truth first.

Review

This was outstanding! The characters, the setting, the mystery, the writing. All of it was perfect!

I loved Lucy, but the whole cast is terrific. It’s big enough for some fun, interesting interactions, but not so large you can’t keep track of everyone. I enjoyed the diversity and the culture pieces with the Mexican restaurant and Lucy’s community. And the work set up with her friends – and their interesting jobs – was unique and I loved it. I never felt like I was reading something I’ve read a hundred times before. I read a lot of cozy mysteries – and this one stands out from the crowd.

The mysteries were fantastic. You have the 150 year old murder and then the contemporary one. Both were fascinating. I loved how all the pieces came together! Any nuanced genealogical tidbit was clearly explained without long technical details. And the cases twisted in on themselves in fantastic, clever ways.

The voice of this is a delight. Lucy is funny! Her banter with the FBI agent who’s driving her crazy was so fun. Several fun details – like the cat NPH – added to the overall enjoyment of a truly great story. I can’t recommend this highly enough!!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++