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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Blackberry Burial (A Berry Basket Mystery #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Marlee Jacob has been roped into helping her friend Piper find a starting location for the upcoming Blackberry Car Rally, but while checking out the newest prospect, they uncover a skeleton. The remains belong to Sienna, a promising art student who vanished 20 years ago from the local art school. With the art school holding a reunion, everyone Sienna knew is back in town. At the time, everyone thought she’s drowned in Lake Michigan, but if that’s what happened, how did she get buried away from the lake?
This book starts out well, but it only gets better when the reunion starts and Sienna’s friends arrive. From that point on, I didn’t want to set the book down due to the twists and the strong suspects. When I hit the climax, I was racing to find out what would happen next. Marlee and her friends are a pleasure to be around, and the setting is a summer vacation paradise it is a pleasure to visit on the page.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-blackberry-burial-by-sharon.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This book starts out well, but it only gets better when the reunion starts and Sienna’s friends arrive. From that point on, I didn’t want to set the book down due to the twists and the strong suspects. When I hit the climax, I was racing to find out what would happen next. Marlee and her friends are a pleasure to be around, and the setting is a summer vacation paradise it is a pleasure to visit on the page.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-blackberry-burial-by-sharon.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Death by Coffee (Bookstore Cafe Mystery, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Best friends Krissy and Vickie have moved to Pine Hills and opened a bookstore and coffee shop. They’ve even named it Death by Coffee after one of Krissy’s dad’s bestselling mystery novels. But they find themselves in a real life mystery on their first day in business when a customer buys a cup of coffee, takes it to his office across the street, and dies. Krissy will have to act fast to clear their shop of any wrong doing in the crime.
The book sounded like fun, and I really wanted to like it, but the truth it is turned out to be average. The plot was a little uneven at times, but it still advanced to a great and logical climax. The suspects were good, but most of the series regular characters were a bit flat. Krissy did some embarrassing things that made me cringe, and her cat was annoying. Here’s hoping the series gets better as it goes along.
NOTE: I was sent an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-death-by-coffee-by-alex.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The book sounded like fun, and I really wanted to like it, but the truth it is turned out to be average. The plot was a little uneven at times, but it still advanced to a great and logical climax. The suspects were good, but most of the series regular characters were a bit flat. Krissy did some embarrassing things that made me cringe, and her cat was annoying. Here’s hoping the series gets better as it goes along.
NOTE: I was sent an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-death-by-coffee-by-alex.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Death of a Toy Soldier (Vintage Toyshop Mystery, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Liz McCall is helping her father run Well Played, a vintage toy shop. One day, a man walks in with a box of toys he wants appraised. However, a couple of days later, the man is dead in their shop, killed by a lawn dart, and the box of toys is missing. Liz’s father is a retired police man, and he begins to investigate the case unofficially with Liz helping him. Will they be able to figure out what happened?
Toys and nostalgia as a setting for a new cozy series? Sign me up! And I was as delighted with his debut as I thought I would be. The mystery is strong with some nice red herrings before we reach an ending that wraps everything up. The characters are strong and so much fun. If the store were real, I’d love to hang out for vintage board game night, but as it is, I’ll gladly return for the sequel.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-review-death-of-toy-soldier-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Toys and nostalgia as a setting for a new cozy series? Sign me up! And I was as delighted with his debut as I thought I would be. The mystery is strong with some nice red herrings before we reach an ending that wraps everything up. The characters are strong and so much fun. If the store were real, I’d love to hang out for vintage board game night, but as it is, I’ll gladly return for the sequel.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-review-death-of-toy-soldier-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Cat About Town (Cat Cafe Mystery, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Maddie James has returned to Daybreak Island as a result of her grandmother’s death. While there, she learns that Frank O’Malley, head of the local chamber of commerce, wants to buy her grandfather’s house, a house that has been in the family for generations. Frank is used to getting his way and is trying to scare Maddie’s grandfather into selling. So when Frank turns up dead, Maddie and her grandfather find themselves as suspects. Can Maddie clear their name?
I’ve been looking forward to this debut ever since I heard about it, and I wasn’t disappointed. The tension starts early, and once Frank’s body is found, we are off and running. I didn’t have things figured out until Maddie then, but then everything fell into place. The characters, including Maddie’s new cat, are completely charming. And the setting, a resort island off the coast of Massachusetts, is absolutely wonderful. I can’t wait for the next in the series.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/08/book-review-cat-about-town-by-cate.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I’ve been looking forward to this debut ever since I heard about it, and I wasn’t disappointed. The tension starts early, and once Frank’s body is found, we are off and running. I didn’t have things figured out until Maddie then, but then everything fell into place. The characters, including Maddie’s new cat, are completely charming. And the setting, a resort island off the coast of Massachusetts, is absolutely wonderful. I can’t wait for the next in the series.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/08/book-review-cat-about-town-by-cate.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
With the covered bridge festival under way, Charlotte has talked Francine and her husband into a photo shoot to help knock an item off Charlotte’s bucket list. However, when they are almost done, they hear gunshots and see a man run out of a field, slide down under the bridge, and collapse. The man turns out to be Francine’s cousin, and she begins poking around to find out what happened. Can she figure it out?
I loved the first book in this series and I was anxious to revisit the characters. It’s nice to have a group of 60-something women who are still full of life and pursuing their dreams. The murder, while good, does take an interesting twist near the end, and I’m very curious to see just how this factors in to later books in the series. If you are looking for a fun, light cozy that isn’t in the normal mold, this book is definitely for you.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/07/book-review-murder-under-covered-bridge.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I loved the first book in this series and I was anxious to revisit the characters. It’s nice to have a group of 60-something women who are still full of life and pursuing their dreams. The murder, while good, does take an interesting twist near the end, and I’m very curious to see just how this factors in to later books in the series. If you are looking for a fun, light cozy that isn’t in the normal mold, this book is definitely for you.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/07/book-review-murder-under-covered-bridge.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
When Edwina’s funds get low enough, she starts advertising for a boarder. Fortunately for her, Beryl sees it. The two women, though very different, are boarding school friends, and this new living arrangement suits them both. But Beryl’s presence in Edwina’s small village creates some gossip, which Beryl fuels by hinting that the two women are actually employed by His Majesty. When someone tries to kill Edwina, the two realize there is a secret to uncover. What might it be?
This book perfectly transports us back to 1920 and the English countryside. The repercussions of World War I are still there, and it is a fascinating look at how the war affected the rest of life. The British Edwina and American Beryl are very different, and their differences can be fun, yet they make a good detecting pair, and we feel the depth of their friendship. The plot is strong, keeping us surprised until the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-murder-in-english-village.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This book perfectly transports us back to 1920 and the English countryside. The repercussions of World War I are still there, and it is a fascinating look at how the war affected the rest of life. The British Edwina and American Beryl are very different, and their differences can be fun, yet they make a good detecting pair, and we feel the depth of their friendship. The plot is strong, keeping us surprised until the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-murder-in-english-village.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Hollywood Homicide (Detective by Day, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
After one moderately successful commercial campaign, Dayna Anderson, Day to her friends, has given up on becoming an actress. The problem is, she still has bills that need to be paid and parents who are in danger of losing their home. So when she sees a billboard offering a reward for information on a hit and run and she realizes she and her friends were there, she figures she can provide the information. How hard could it be?
This being a novel, it turns out to be plenty hard, but that’s a great thing for us. The book provides some twists, turns, and dead ends, before Day pieces this together correctly. Along the way, we get to know a wide variety of interesting characters I can’t wait to see again. The overall tone is light with plenty of humor including some accurate observations about the area of the country I call home. This truly is a wonderful debut.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/08/book-review-hollywood-homicide-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This being a novel, it turns out to be plenty hard, but that’s a great thing for us. The book provides some twists, turns, and dead ends, before Day pieces this together correctly. Along the way, we get to know a wide variety of interesting characters I can’t wait to see again. The overall tone is light with plenty of humor including some accurate observations about the area of the country I call home. This truly is a wonderful debut.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/08/book-review-hollywood-homicide-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Color Me Murder in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Florrie Fox is delighted when her boss offers his carriage house as a place for her to live. It’s only a few blocks from the bookstore she manages. Her boss, Professor Maxwell, doesn’t want his nephew, Delbert, to move in, so it is perfect. Florrie begins to have her doubt when she meets Delbert, but the last thing she expects to find is his dead body. With Professor Maxwell arrested for the crime, Florrie needs to work fast to prove his innocence.
This is a delightful start to a new series. Florrie is a strong main character, and I love her friends and family as well. I already can’t wait to visit them again. The plot is complex with multiple twists and turns that surprised me. I did feel the climax was a bit weak, but it certainly did explain everything that had happened. Florrie also designs adult coloring books, and as an added bonus, the physical book features a front and back cover ready to be colored.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2018/02/book-review-color-me-murder-by-krista.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This is a delightful start to a new series. Florrie is a strong main character, and I love her friends and family as well. I already can’t wait to visit them again. The plot is complex with multiple twists and turns that surprised me. I did feel the climax was a bit weak, but it certainly did explain everything that had happened. Florrie also designs adult coloring books, and as an added bonus, the physical book features a front and back cover ready to be colored.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2018/02/book-review-color-me-murder-by-krista.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated A Measure of Murder (A Sally Solari Mystery #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
With trying to juggle working at two restaurants, Sally doesn’t have time for anything else in her life, yet when her friend Eric tells her that his community chorus is doing Mozart’s Requiem, she tries out. Kyle, the lead for the tenors, is snarky to everyone at the auditions, but it is a surprise to everyone when his body is found during the first rehearsal. The police think it was an accident, but Sally isn’t so sure. When Kyle’s girlfriend asks Sally to look into it, she starts to find plenty of motives for murder. But was it really murder?
While Sally’s motive for looking into the murder is a little weak, the rest of the book is strong. We get plenty of motives and strong suspects. I thought I had everything figured out early, but by the end I was questioning myself. The returning characters are a lot of fun, especially Sally and Eric, who we got to know even better here.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/02/book-review-measure-of-murder-by-leslie.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
While Sally’s motive for looking into the murder is a little weak, the rest of the book is strong. We get plenty of motives and strong suspects. I thought I had everything figured out early, but by the end I was questioning myself. The returning characters are a lot of fun, especially Sally and Eric, who we got to know even better here.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/02/book-review-measure-of-murder-by-leslie.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Grilled For Murder (Country Store Mysteries, #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Robbie Jordan is keeping her restaurant open on a Saturday night for a special welcome home party for Erica Shermer. However, not everyone is thrilled that Erica is back, as Robbie sees when Erica fights with several of the guests. Still, she’s surprised when she comes down the next morning to find Erica dead in the restaurant. What was Erica doing back at the restaurant? And who killed her?
I fell in love with these characters when I read the first in the series, so it was great to be back spending time with them again. The new characters are just as fun and make wonderful suspects. One item introduced as part of the plot was left open, but I can easily see it being resolved in a future book. The main mystery of who killed Erica is well done, giving us a steady dose of clues and suspects until we reach the logical and suspenseful end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/06/book-review-grilled-for-murder-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I fell in love with these characters when I read the first in the series, so it was great to be back spending time with them again. The new characters are just as fun and make wonderful suspects. One item introduced as part of the plot was left open, but I can easily see it being resolved in a future book. The main mystery of who killed Erica is well done, giving us a steady dose of clues and suspects until we reach the logical and suspenseful end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/06/book-review-grilled-for-murder-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.