Tag: Miranda James

BONUS REVIEW: Cat Me If You Can by Miranda James

BONUS REVIEW: Cat Me If You Can by Miranda James

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

Charlie and his finacée, Helen Louise, along with Charlie’s Maine Coon, Diesel, travel to Asheville, North Carolina for a mystery retreat for the members of the Athena Public Library’s mystery group. The Ducote sisters secured a lovely boutique hotel for everyone to stay in that will also hold their group events.

The group includes the Ducote’s ward, Benjy, as well as an art history professor, a loan officer, a plumber, and a retired couple. All together, there are 12 group members there as well as a few significant others. Charlie is looking forward to getting to know the other folks in the newly formed group.

But their mystery-focused fun is disrupted when the loan officer’s “boyfriend”/stalker disrupts their first meeting. The next day, he is found dead. Before long, the whole group is pulled into a real-life mystery.

Review

Another great mystery starring Charlie and Diesel, book 13 in the Cat in the Stacks mystery series. It was nice to have a change of setting for this book. I wanted more of their mystery retreat sessions. I loved the bits on Golden Age writers that are part of the set up of the story. In fact, I even started a list of authors to check out. I was sad that the murder investigation ended up edging out the rest of their retreat meetings.

The mystery here was excellent. It was twisty in all the best ways. I didn’t see the solution until it was revealed on the page.

There’s lots here for series fans to enjoy. There are plenty of scenes with Diesel as well as some of Charlie’s usual friend group, including the ladies from Miranda James‘ Southern Ladies Mysteries series. There’s also a fresh setting and a mystery to keep you guessing until the end. Fans of these characters should not miss this installment. Book 14, What the Cat Dragged In, will release in the spring of 2021. (Alludes to off-page sex, LGBTQ+, TW: Suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great, might re-read

REVIEW: Careless Whiskers by Miranda James

REVIEW: Careless Whiskers by Miranda James

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

The Athena College production of Careless Whispers is turning into quite the event for the community. Charlie’s daughter, Laura, is the female lead, and her husband is directing. But the guest actor they had hired had to cancel, so they ended up with Luke Lombardi. Lombardi is known for his tantrums and disruptive behavior. Only the promise of a prominent director possibly coming to the performance is keeping the actor somewhat in line. Some “pranks” targeting Lombardi have unraveled his composure and put his histrionics on display for everyone to see.

Charlie’s daughter, Laura, is often the target of Lombardi’s tantrums. So when he’s killed, she’s the primary suspect. But she’s hardly the only one who had conflicts with Lombardi. First of all, there’s something weird going on with the playwright. There’s also a woman in town with an old grudge. And then there’s Lombardi’s mistress who travels with him and fumes as other women throw themselves at the actor. Also Lombardi’s personal assistant is his mistress’s ex-husband. With no shortage of suspects, Charlie’s on the case to find a murderer and protect Laura who could have been killed when the murderer struck.

Review

Book 12 in the Cat in the Stacks series. I always enjoy spending time with Charlie and Diesel. And this was no exception. The mystery was twisty. While Lombardi was a jerk, there was no strong motive for the murder, so Charlie had to keep spinning through his suspects until new details started to break through. There was no huge confrontation at the end, but most of the threads were wrapped up at the conclusion.

I was frustrated by one of the clues in the case. The “pranks” on Lombardi started at the first introduction to the character, but sometimes the book would only talk about the second and third. At first I thought maybe this was on purpose and the first, “forgotten” prank would prove to be the detail that broke the case wide open. Instead, when the prankster was unmasked, we never really tied the person to the first prank. Why did the person start there, with that prank at that time?  It never really felt like it fit with the other two.

There’s a sizable core cast in this series – 16 or so including babies and pets. And I love how everyone ties into each book – filling in details about Charlie’s life, providing insight into characters and cases, etc. Once readers know the main players, I think these books can be read in any order. Fans of the series should be sure to check out this latest installment. The scene where Charlie is lurking in the theater trying to get some clues was a highlight for me. So out of character in some ways, and completely in character in others. The playwright situation was also a highlight of this book in my opinion – unexpected and twisty. (LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: The Pawful Truth by Miranda James

BONUS REVIEW: The Pawful Truth by Miranda James

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

If you’re working at a good college, why not take advantage of the excellent professors and audit a class? And that question is what sets this story in motion. Charlie Harris signs up for a class on the history of England with a popular young professor at Athena College. And the guy lives up to his reputation as an instructor. He’s engaging and really knows not only his material but how to connect with students. He’s inspiring and persuasive.

Charlie isn’t the only non-traditional student in the class. There’s also Dixie Bell Compton. The professor seems to know her – and he’s not happy to see her. In fact, after the first class, as Charlie is leaving, he hears Dr. Warriner ask her “What the hell are you doing in my class?” Charlie’s only real interaction with Dixie comes when she asks him to be her study partner for the course. As he’s only auditing the class, Charlie declines. When Dixie is later found murdered, Charlie can’t help but wonder if he should have helped her – and if Dr. Warriner had anything to do with her death.

Review

A mystery starring the team of Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon cat, Diesel, is a treat every time. I love these characters as well as the larger circle of Charlie’s family, boarders and friends. They feel like family after all this time. I’ve been reading about them now for eleven books.

This series always feels fresh to me compared to others in the cozy genre. There’s a male protagonist, there’s no romance with a law enforcement officer, and Charlie is a seasoned character with grandchildren. The two cats in this book are just as nuanced as the human characters with personalities and antics that I find fun to read.

This was a twisty mystery – and Charlie had permission to keep his ears open for clues this time since so much of what happened was tied to the college. That was a nice change as well. The solution didn’t come until the very last pages, but I wasn’t 100% sold on it. There’s a reason built into the solution for my reluctance to feel it’s completely wrapped up. But even then, there were a few moments that didn’t ring true for me emotionally with the characters. Maybe I needed more – a few more paragraphs to the solution so it felt better anchored to me. That may just be personal preference. That said, the solution fit the story, and the book ended with a lot of energy – and a set up for the next book in the series, Careless Whiskers, set to release in January 2020. I know I won’t be missing it – and you shouldn’t either.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My Summer Reading Plan 2019

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My Summer Reading Plan 2019

Posted on by Jaymie

Last summer was something of a summer reading “FAIL” for me even though I read 69 books. I only read 2 of the six family challenge books I was assigned (I finally read a third later in the year). So this year, we are simplifying yet again for the Family Challenge. Here are some of the things I plan to read this summer.

Family Reading Challenge

We decided that this summer each of us will read the entire Harry Potter series again. It has been ages since we have read the whole thing, although my teen and I have re-read single books here and there. I might even read a couple of them from the illustrated versions we bought but haven’t enjoyed yet.

In addition to Harry, we are only picking one challenge book for each of the other people in the family. I gave both my husband and my teen a stack of books to choose from. If we were doing 2 or 3 books, I would have picked myself but I didn’t have “that one” book I wanted either to read. I have challenged my teen to read Powerless and my husband to read Polaris Rising. My husband and I both were thinking of Scalzi’s Lock In for the teen so he assigned that one. My teen chose #MurderTrending for both parents. And my husband chose Long Road to Mercy for me.  He’s always trying to get me to read more Baldacci!

We are also putting in “prizes” for this year, too, to see if that helps us actually finish the goal by July 31.

#Bookaday

Teachers, librarians and other book fanatics all over social media (Instagram, Twitter) choose to read a book each day of summer vacation. My #bookaday will run from June 1 to July 31, so 61 books in 61 days. And to help with that I have a Kindle full of Advance Reader Copies and my personal TBR pile for the summer.

TBR Books

My top priority for the summer is to get ahead on my review copies. These are some of the ones I am most excited to read.

 

These are some of the new books coming out in June and July that I hope to read.

 

And finally, these are some of the books I want to RE-READ this summer. I am craving a re-reading binge like no one’s business. I am hoping to get ahead on as much as I can in June so I can spend July on reading old favorites – some to get ready for sequels (Ash Princess, Kill the Queen, Lady’s Guide…) and the rest just because I love them.

Aliens Abroad
Ash Princess
It’s Not Me It’s You
Kill the Queen
A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder
A List of Cages
The Names They Gave Us
The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You
Polaris Rising
Prince in Disguise
The Way to the Stars

What are you planning to read this summer?

REVIEW: 2018 Christmas Books

REVIEW: 2018 Christmas Books

Posted on by Jaymie

Last year I did a list of Christmas book reviews, and that seems like a good idea for this year, too. I am pretty far backlogged on reviews, so unless a Christmas book is something I am reviewing for a publisher (like this one and this one and this one), I have a hard time squeezing in reviews. So here are the Christmas books I have read so far this season and what I thought of them! You can see last year’s post here.

 Santa Bruce – This is the only Christmas book I have read for kids so far. It was adorable! I love the Bruce books! Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

 

 

 Catching Christmas – A first year law associate and a cab driver connect over a wheelchair-bound old lady who is on the hunt for a date for her granddaughter. Overall this was cute, but I didn’t click with the characters. Other readers, especially fans of the author’s other work, might enjoy this one more than I did. Rating: ♥♥♥½

 

 

 

The Christmas Remedy – A young Amish woman runs into issues when she tries to help her community recognize how important it is to value their health and wellness, and the pharmacy that serves the community comes under fire. You can read a full summary and review here. I will say that this book ends at Christmas, but a lot of the action happens in the months leading up to the holiday. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

 

 

 

The Christmas Star – A girl in foster care plays matchmaker for an after-school program volunteer. This is a sweet Christmas story with lots of heart. There’s not a lot of conflict or suspense in this one – just a touching Christmas tale. I read one of the other books in this series a couple years ago and loved it. Now I make a habit of looking for a new Christmas book from this author. You can read my review of the other book here.  Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

Dear Santa –  You’ve Got Mail with a Christmas twist. A woman running her family’s Christmas shop writes to Santa through an app about the national chain that has come to town, not knowing that the guy from the chain is the one answering the Dear Santa letters. This is another story without a ton of conflict or tension – just a nice holiday story to help you enjoy the season! Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

Deck the Hounds – The first Andy Carpenter book I ever read was a Christmas one – The Twelve Dogs of Christmas – and it launched me into a frantic  quest to read every book in the series. The second Christmas tale in the series is just as enjoyable. Everything I love about the series as a whole. In this book, Andy and his wife get more than they bargained for when they reach out at the holidays to help a homeless man and his dog.  Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

In Peppermint Peril – A woman home for the holidays finds murder at a stately manor where she played as a child. This is the first in a new mystery series. You can read a full summary and review here next Wednesday. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

 

Lark! The Herald Angels Sing –  Meg’s brother, Rob, is named as the father of an unknown baby left in the manger at their church’s live Nativity. For me, this was the quintessential Meg Langslow mystery – it has all the family and town antics that I love as well as a first rate mystery. (This time the mystery focuses less on a murder, which happens off the page, and more on the fall out from it. It’s a fascinating story!) Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

 

 

 

Murder in Her Stocking – First in the new Granny Reid Mystery series, a spin off of G. A. McKevett’s Savannah Reid/Moonlight Magnolia series. This one goes back to when Savannah was a kid and Granny looked into a murder at Christmas time. I loved seeing Savannah as a 12 year old and see how the personalities of her siblings were already on display at a young age. I think readers will enjoy this more if they are already familiar with the characters from the original series. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

The Peppermint Mocha Murder – A chocolatier/”chocolate whisperer” heads out on vacation for the holidays and finds murder at a holiday musical production. I’ve only read the first book in this series, and then this one, so the relationships aren’t quite solid in my head for this series, yet,  but the mystery was good.  Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

 

Premeditated Peppermint – Another chocolatier finds herself investigating a murder when her ex comes to town to do a show on her family candy shop and his producer winds up dead. I enjoyed the mystery in this one, and the characters are always a treat for me in this series. I’ll be writing up a more detailed review of this in December. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

 

Six Cats a Slayin’ – Someone leaves a set of kittens on Charlie’s door and a murderer hits the neighborhood as well. You can read a full summary  and review here. This is probably my new favorite book in this delightful series. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

 

 

 

 

‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas – In the midst of Christmas celebrations on the tree farm, a woman’s best friend is accused of killing a sleazy guy she dated one time. This is book 2 in this series and I have loved both of the books. The characters and the setting for this mystery series are first rate. You can read a full summary and review here. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

REVIEW: Six Cats a Slayin' by Miranda James

REVIEW: Six Cats a Slayin’ by Miranda James

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

As Charlie and Diesel prepare for the holiday season, they have their hands – and paws – full.

Someone left five kittens on Charlie’s doorstep with a note saying someone would drown the cats if Charlie wasn’t able to take care of them. Diesel is all in for kitten-sitting while Charlie figures out what to do with the kittens.

Charlie’s new granddaughter is struggling with colic. Her mother, Charlie’s daughter-in-law, is beyond weary, but she is resistant to any offer of help. She seems to think it would mean she was a bad mother. Charlie longs to help them, but he also wants to respect their boundaries.

And finally, Charlie has a new neighbor – a pushy, flirtatious woman. Everything about her is the opposite of what Charlie would choose in a friend. And Gerry Albritton seems to want more than friendship. Hopefully, when Charlie brings Helen Louise to Gerry’s Christmas party, Gerry will get the hint that he’s not interested.

When Gerry dies at her own party, Charlie will have to add sleuthing to his busy to do list. He saw and heard too much at that party that could help lead the police to the killer.

Review

This was an absolute delight! I have been a fan of this series since the start. Charlie is a fantastic protagonist. He’s smart and personable and really cares about others. He recognizes his flaws and tries to learn from his past and the people he loves. Diesel is a hoot! I especially loved all the scenes with Diesel and the kittens. The author did a spectacular job with the descriptions for those scenes. That whole story line was precious.

I loved the family pieces, too. Not only did they expand on the characters from previous books, but they also showed the reader more about Charlie. The evolution of Charlie’s relationship with his son from the first book to this one, for example, has been so satisfying. And the things Charlie has learned helped out another character in this story.

The mystery was terrific. Lots of twists and unusual clues that had to be uncovered. The final solution didn’t come with a lot of punch this time – no last ditch effort to get away with murder or big showdown on the page. That might be disappointing to some readers, but I felt like it maintained the tone of the overall book. I was so charmed by the full story that I was satisfied with how all the pieces came together. This may be my new favorite book in this terrific series. You can read my review of other books from Miranda James/Dean James – including a couple Diesel stories – here.  This is book 10 in the Cat in the Stacks series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Claws for Concern by Miranda James

REVIEW: Claws for Concern by Miranda James

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Charlie Harris has met a lot of people through his jobs as a librarian. Walking around with a 40-pound Maine Coon named Diesel helps him meet people, too. This time, Charlie meets Bill Delaney. Delaney says he’s the son of Charlie’s late uncle from his first, brief marriage. The guy seems a little lost. His mother recently died, and the news of his father’s identity is pretty new. Charlie, being Charlie, considers inviting Bill to rent one of the boarding rooms at his house.

At the same time, true crime writer, Jack Pemberton, contacts Charlie about working together on a book about amateur sleuths and the crimes they’ve solved. Jack lives in Tullahoma, Bill Delaney’s home town. The town where Bill was suspected of four murders, but never charged.

Charlie feels a responsibility to help Bill out, but he can’t invite a murderer into his home! But when Bill is involved in a hit-and-run that doesn’t seem accidental, Charlie and Diesel decide to team up with Pemberton to see if they can solve the 20 year old cold case once and for all.

Review

I have enjoyed this series since I read the very first book. I don’t read a lot of cozy mysteries with a male protagonist, and I like how this sets the series apart. Diesel is a terrific character – not just animal window dressing for the series. He opens up conversations for Charlie, passes judgement on the character of people involved in the cases, and chirps his two cents along the way.

One of the things I liked about this particular story was the fresh take offered by a cold case and a new sleuthing partner for Charlie. The usual characters are still around – Charlie’s boarders, housekeeper, and family as well as the Ducote sisters – but they are secondary to most of the action.

The mystery in this one is “quiet.” There’s not a lot of action or danger until the very end. The case is solid. I was working on the solution all the way to the end. Since it’s a cold case, Jack and Charlie have to do a lot of digging, interviewing folks until they can shake loose a new wrinkle in the case. I enjoyed that.

The Tullahoma pieces felt like a cozy mystery in the making. I couldn’t find evidence of a series starring Jack Pemberton, but if Miranda (Dean) James decides to write one, I will definitely read it!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Fixing to Die by Miranda James

REVIEW: Fixing to Die by Miranda James

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Miss An’gel Ducote, her sister Dickce and their ward, Benjy, travel to Cliffwood, an historic home in Natchez, Mississippi. The Caitlins, Mary Turner and Henry Howard, have invited them into their home, which serves as a bed and breakfast for most of the year. The Ducote sisters were dear friends to Mary Turner’s grandmother. The Caitlins seem to be having issues with a ghost. Mary Turner hopes An’gel and Dickce can figure out what’s going on while the B&B is closed to guests for a little while.

Cliffwood isn’t as empty as the Caitlins expected it to be when the Ducotes arrive. Mrs. Primrose Pace is a psychic who claims she was summoned to the house to help them deal with spirits. Then Mary Turner’s distant cousin, Serenity, her lawyer, Truscott, and Serenity’s brother, Nathan, also arrive. Nathan is convinced that his branch of the family was cheated out of part of their inheritance. He’s determined to either find another will or pester Mary Turner until he gets what he wants.

While the ghost – or prankster – makes several appearances to the guests of the house, something even more sinister is going on when one of the guests ends up dead.

Review

I’m not much for ghost stories, so it took me a little while to find my rhythm with this book. Once all the players were in place, though, I was completely engrossed in trying to figure out whodunit.

I enjoy the Ducote sisters and their entourage, including their pets. It was nice to see them in a new setting with new characters and crimes. (This is the fourth book in the series.) The references to the Nancy Drew mysteries the sisters read as girls were fun. I read them as a kid along with the Bobbsey Twins and Trixie Belden mysteries. They set the foundation to my life-long love of mysteries with spunky protagonists. And the Ducote sisters, while in their 70s, certainly qualify as spunky!

Solid mystery in this one. I guessed wrong – and I was certain I was right. I enjoyed the surprise in the solution that I didn’t see coming. The ones that keep me wondering all the way to the end are almost as fun to read as the ones I am able to puzzle out.

I think readers can enjoy this mystery out of order, but to understand the sisters and their ward and how that all came together, it’s better to read the series in order. It’s going to be awhile until we see a 5th book in this series as the author has announced a shift to publishing two books per year in another series. This will give readers plenty of time to get caught up on this fun southern series if you haven’t been reading it all this time.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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: 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: ♥♥♥♥