Search
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2615 KP) rated Murder of a Mail-Order Bride in Books
Aug 8, 2022
After Marriage Comes Murder
Long time bachelor Al Little has found a bride thanks to the internet, and he is thrilled that Svetlana is coming to town. Lizzie Hale, owner of the romance bookstore in Tinker’s Cover, Ohio, gets roped into helping make sure their first meeting and their wedding is perfectly romantic. But when Svetlana turns up dead in the middle of the reception, the question becomes, who would want to kill a new comer to town?
This is a strong second book. The plot kept me engaged the entire time. I did guess a couple of plot points early, but there were so many more I didn’t see coming, including the ending. The book is focused on the new characters central to this mystery, and they are all strong. We do have a small core cast of characters who are back, and they are fun. I also enjoy watching Lizzie’s romantic life, which is a great romantic comedy sub-plot. If you are looking for a slight twist on a cozy mystery set up, this is a series you will love.
This is a strong second book. The plot kept me engaged the entire time. I did guess a couple of plot points early, but there were so many more I didn’t see coming, including the ending. The book is focused on the new characters central to this mystery, and they are all strong. We do have a small core cast of characters who are back, and they are fun. I also enjoy watching Lizzie’s romantic life, which is a great romantic comedy sub-plot. If you are looking for a slight twist on a cozy mystery set up, this is a series you will love.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2615 KP) rated Stuff Dreams Are Made of in Books
Feb 16, 2023
“There May Have Been a Murder”
Skip Lesser and James Moore have renovated James’s truck to use it to serve food at the revival meetings being help by Reverend Cashdollar. They quickly start to hear rumors of several deaths connected to this ministry, including someone Skip met 10 years ago. Will they figure out what is going on over the course of the weekend?
Obviously, this “reverend” is not preaching anything I would consider Biblical, and I appreciated the fact that I never got the feeling anyone was taking it seriously as such. While this set up might sound like it, this isn’t a cozy, with a liberal amount of foul language and a bit more violence. The pacing was very uneven, with some page turning twists and suspenseful scenes being slowed down by lots of recaps and talking. Still, I do like Skip and James and their struggles with life in general. I don’t think this will be a favorite series, but I’m glad I am finally getting to book two.
Obviously, this “reverend” is not preaching anything I would consider Biblical, and I appreciated the fact that I never got the feeling anyone was taking it seriously as such. While this set up might sound like it, this isn’t a cozy, with a liberal amount of foul language and a bit more violence. The pacing was very uneven, with some page turning twists and suspenseful scenes being slowed down by lots of recaps and talking. Still, I do like Skip and James and their struggles with life in general. I don’t think this will be a favorite series, but I’m glad I am finally getting to book two.
Cocktails & Casualties (Crooked Cove Mysteries #1)
8.0
Rate It
Book
Teddy Aarons is a nomad, using her bartending skills as an excuse to move to a new luxury resort...
Cozy Mystery
Claws of Death
10.0
Rate It
Book
Join Jackie Norwood, a down-and-out celebrity chef, as she judges the first gig on her comeback...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Charity Shop Detective Agency in Books
Dec 11, 2022
Every now and again I like to take a break from the usual hard-hitting, dark and gritty crime thrillers I usually read and immerse myself into something a little more sedate and The Charity Shop Detective Agency hit the spot perfectly.
I absolutely fell in love with the three main characters in this story - Fiona, Partial Sue and Daisy ... oh and not forgetting Simon Le Bon! Despite being retired, they have the skills and insight needed to assist in bringing the perpetrator to justice. There is a supporting cast of equally excellent characters that all added to and had their place within the story.
The plot is engaging and had some great twists and turns that kept me guessing and on my toes. The pacing was perfect for me and felt right for the story.
Highly recommended to those who enjoy a cozy mystery with believable characters and I can't wait for the next in the series ... sign me up!
Many thanks to Joffe Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Charity Shop Detective Agency.
I absolutely fell in love with the three main characters in this story - Fiona, Partial Sue and Daisy ... oh and not forgetting Simon Le Bon! Despite being retired, they have the skills and insight needed to assist in bringing the perpetrator to justice. There is a supporting cast of equally excellent characters that all added to and had their place within the story.
The plot is engaging and had some great twists and turns that kept me guessing and on my toes. The pacing was perfect for me and felt right for the story.
Highly recommended to those who enjoy a cozy mystery with believable characters and I can't wait for the next in the series ... sign me up!
Many thanks to Joffe Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Charity Shop Detective Agency.
A Mirror Murder (Jan Christopher Mysteries #1)
8.0
Rate It
Book
Eighteen-year-old library assistant Jan Christopher’s life is to change on a rainy Friday evening...
Cozy Mystery
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2615 KP) rated Hot Stuff in Books
Jun 9, 2026
James and Skip are in Another Hot Situation
When Skip is out with his girlfriend, Emily, at a fancy restaurant, the sous chef is stabbed. Emily and the victim, Amanda, had been friends, and she had set Amanda up with James on a couple of dates. The owner of the restaurant doesn’t trust the police to solve the case, so he hires Skip and James to go under cover in the kitchen to figure out if someone on the staff killed Amanda. But Emily is hiding something about Amanda. Can Skip and James solve the case without driving a wedge between Skip and Emily?
Over the course of the series, the characters have slowly matured, and that continues here, especially for Emily. A couple of the supporting players could have been a little stronger, however. After some initial pacing issues, the plot was solid and built to a logical conclusion. While not a cozy, the content wasn’t too bad overall. I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to seeing how this series wraps up.
Over the course of the series, the characters have slowly matured, and that continues here, especially for Emily. A couple of the supporting players could have been a little stronger, however. After some initial pacing issues, the plot was solid and built to a logical conclusion. While not a cozy, the content wasn’t too bad overall. I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to seeing how this series wraps up.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2615 KP) rated Pour Choices in Books
Jul 4, 2026
Laughing at Murder is a Poor Choice
It’s been a few months since Reece Parker opened Subplot, his literary themed speakeasy, and he’s trying new things to hopefully bring in customers. One such experiment is a comedy night with standup comic Meghan Spencer. The night appears to be a success, but the next morning, Reece’s best friend finds Meghan floating in the river. In order to make sure his friend doesn’t wind up convicted of the crime, Reece jumps into the case. But can we find the truth amidst all the lies?
The suspects do a great job of confusing things, and I had no idea exactly what was going on until we reached the end. Once we did, everything made perfect sense. I was a bit surprised at just how happy I was to be revisiting the characters and setting. They were just as charming and cozy as I remembered. I’d definitely love to visit Subplot if I could. Reece’s new relationship with Julian wasn’t super surprising, but it is sweet. Fans of the first will definitely enjoy this one as well.
The suspects do a great job of confusing things, and I had no idea exactly what was going on until we reached the end. Once we did, everything made perfect sense. I was a bit surprised at just how happy I was to be revisiting the characters and setting. They were just as charming and cozy as I remembered. I’d definitely love to visit Subplot if I could. Reece’s new relationship with Julian wasn’t super surprising, but it is sweet. Fans of the first will definitely enjoy this one as well.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2615 KP) rated Strong Medicine in Books
Jul 15, 2026
Time For Your Dose of Fun Medicine
It’s the summer of 1894, and brothers Old Red and Big Red have traveled to Galveston, Texas. They aren’t on an official case, but they have gone down to help their friend Olivia Pertwee. Her family has suffered from a blackmailer, but their business partner just died in a fire in his warehouse. Is someone out to destroy the family’s business?
It’s always a pleasure to pick up a book in this series. I found the suspects perfect for keeping me confused, but I really liked the growth we saw in the brothers. I did figure out part of the plot out early, but the rest kept me guessing until the logical climax. This series isn’t a cozy series, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. I laughed so often, both at the relationship between the brothers and the antics of the suspects. As always, I am looking forward to seeing where the author will take us next.
It’s always a pleasure to pick up a book in this series. I found the suspects perfect for keeping me confused, but I really liked the growth we saw in the brothers. I did figure out part of the plot out early, but the rest kept me guessing until the logical climax. This series isn’t a cozy series, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. I laughed so often, both at the relationship between the brothers and the antics of the suspects. As always, I am looking forward to seeing where the author will take us next.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2615 KP) rated Death Waits in the Dark in Books
Apr 3, 2019
Don’t Wait in the Dark, Start Reading This Book
Summer has come to Blue Lake, Indiana, and with it the heat. Lena London and her mentor, bestselling author Camilla Graham, are trying to finish their latest manuscript, but the heat is making it hard to concentrate. However, a visit from Jane Wyland doesn’t prove to be a welcome distraction. Jane and Camilla were acquainted when Camilla first moved to the United States from England, but the two haven’t spoken in decades. Jane arrives to tell Camilla that she knows the secret the Graham family has been hiding, and Jane is going to share it with the world if Camilla doesn’t step up and acknowledge it first.
The trouble is, Camilla doesn’t know what secret Jane is talking about even when Jane implies that it is something from Camilla’s husband’s past. The next day, Camilla and Lena go to try to get more information from Jane so they can figure out what has the woman so upset. However, when they arrive, they discover that Jane has been murdered. What was this secret from the past, and did it get Jane killed?
As much as I enjoyed the first three books in this series, it was nice to see the plot move away from Lena’s boyfriend and focus on another character. This change also allowed the book to have even more of a gothic feel to it than the first three. While I’m not super familiar with that genre, I was definitely able to recognize elements of it as the book unfolded, and I enjoyed seeing how it was combined seamlessly with elements of a cozy mystery. The result works and we get a story that drew me in each time I picked up the book and made it hard to put down. The usual cast of characters are still here, and it was great to see them. The suspects didn’t get much page time, but they work perfectly for the story as it is told here since the main drive was to figure out what secret from the past upset Jane so much. This is a fun twist on the cozy mystery, and if you are looking for something slightly different, be sure to pick it up.
The trouble is, Camilla doesn’t know what secret Jane is talking about even when Jane implies that it is something from Camilla’s husband’s past. The next day, Camilla and Lena go to try to get more information from Jane so they can figure out what has the woman so upset. However, when they arrive, they discover that Jane has been murdered. What was this secret from the past, and did it get Jane killed?
As much as I enjoyed the first three books in this series, it was nice to see the plot move away from Lena’s boyfriend and focus on another character. This change also allowed the book to have even more of a gothic feel to it than the first three. While I’m not super familiar with that genre, I was definitely able to recognize elements of it as the book unfolded, and I enjoyed seeing how it was combined seamlessly with elements of a cozy mystery. The result works and we get a story that drew me in each time I picked up the book and made it hard to put down. The usual cast of characters are still here, and it was great to see them. The suspects didn’t get much page time, but they work perfectly for the story as it is told here since the main drive was to figure out what secret from the past upset Jane so much. This is a fun twist on the cozy mystery, and if you are looking for something slightly different, be sure to pick it up.