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When a best selling mystery writer invites his children to his English manor, murder makes an appearance. I enjoyed the good, but I really felt like the main character was a bit too cardboard. The other characters certainly made up for it.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-death-of-cozy-writer-by-g-m.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Vlad-Handing (Silver Hills Cozy Mysteries, #5)
Vlad-Handing (Silver Hills Cozy Mysteries, #5)
Sam Cheever | 2018 | Mystery
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Vlad-Handing is book 5 in the Silver Hills Cozy Mystery series. It is set in a singles/retirement residency (think 55 and older) filled with an eccentric cast of characters. This time around, Flo and Agnes find themselves trying to prove that manager Vlad Newsome, who many consider a reprehensible creature of the night, is innocent of murder. The only problem is that these ladies are a not 100% sure that Vlad isn’t the murderer.

Flo and Agnes are two ladies that you would love to call your friends. They are laugh out loud funny adding comedy to a terrific cozy mystery that will have you in stitches until the end. I highly suggest starting out with book 1 Dose Vidanya and reading the books in order. While these books can be read stand alone, the cast of characters build as each book in the series continues.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
  
Vlad-Handing (Silver Hills Cozy Mysteries, #5)
Vlad-Handing (Silver Hills Cozy Mysteries, #5)
Sam Cheever | 2018 | Mystery
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Vlad-Handing is book 5 in the Silver Hills Cozy Mystery series. It is set in a singles/retirement residency (think 55 and older) filled with an eccentric cast of characters. This time around, Flo and Agnes find themselves trying to prove that manager Vlad Newsome, who many consider a reprehensible creature of the night, is innocent of murder. The only problem is that these ladies are a not 100% sure that Vlad isn’t the murderer.

Flo and Agnes are two ladies that you would love to call your friends. They are laugh out loud funny adding comedy to a terrific cozy mystery that will have you in stitches until the end. I highly suggest starting out with book 1 Dose Vidanya and reading the books in order. While these books can be read stand alone, the cast of characters build as each book in the series continues.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
  
This book has it all, a little romance, some suspense, and quite a bit "I never saw that coming". It is a combination cozy mystery and suspense/romance, which makes it a great book for all three genres of readers. This story entwines the lives of Libby, her sister Mia, the couple that helped Libby through a horrible time in her life, and Rebecca a mother trying to understand what happened to her daughter.
  
HF
Hot Fudge Murder
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this cozy featuring an ice cream inventor!

Kate is invited to scoop at a fashion designers party which would be great but the poor man ends up murdered! (Sadly, not by a hot fudge sundae.)

Kate decides that she needs to solve the case.

It's a fun mystery with interesting characters and potential motives.

.
  
What do you get when you have a disciplined retired school teacher and her much-married full of surprises sister? A hilarious mystery that will keep you in stitches and wanting more.

When Patricia Ann is roped into visiting the newly purchased country western bar by her sister Mary Alice, she has no idea that they would get mixed into a wild murder mystery. When previous owner Ed is found dead in the bar, the sisters get knee deep in hilariously trying to solve the murder.

If you are looking for a cozy mystery with fun characters, lots of humor and quick wit, and a madcap who-dunnit, then this is a definite book to add to your TBR list.
  
Jane Darrowfield and the Madwoman Next Door
Jane Darrowfield and the Madwoman Next Door
Barbara Ross | 2020 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Is Jane’s Neighbor Crazy?
Jane Darrowfield’s newest client is Megan Larsen, her next door neighbor. Megan is a single, mid-30s lawyer on track to become a partner in her firm. However, she begins to suspect that something might be wrong with her. She’s hearing voices and having blackouts among other symptoms. Either she’s going crazy, or someone is out to make her think she is. Jane quickly comes up with a diagnosis, but then something happens that makes Jane question everything she thought she knew. Is Megan in danger? Or is Jane really living next to a madwoman?

I enjoyed the first book in this creative cozy series, so I was anxious to visit with Jane again. I loved this second book just as much. The story is creative and easily fits outside the typical cozy storyline while still fitting perfectly in the cozy mystery genre. Just when I thought I had things figured out, something would happen that would confuse me again. Yet the details all fit together perfectly at the end. Jane is a strong main character. I don’t feel like her friends are well defined, but they don’t get much page time, so that isn’t an issue. Megan is a very sympathetic character, which makes us care for her. The rest of the characters we meet along the way are great as well. This isn’t as funny as the first book in the series, but that’s not a complaint. The subject matter is more serious, and I thought this book perfectly handled that. If you are looking for a slightly different cozy mystery, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
  
I am a fan of cozy mysteries and when the opportunity to read this book fell into my lap I, of course, jumped at the chance.

The main character is Pippa and she runs Moorehaven, which is a quirky bed-and-breakfast that had been the home of a world-famous mystery writer. The B&B attracts writers who want to find their own fame of writing crime novels.

The book was filled with some mystery, a little suspense, a possibility of a love connection, funny situations, and of course a murder to solve. This was a fun new mystery and I feel other readers like myself will be jumping at the chance to read more in the series.

I volunteered to review an ARC of this book.
  
A Deadly Éclair (A French Bistro Mystery, #1)
A Deadly Éclair (A French Bistro Mystery, #1)
Daryl Wood Gerber | 2017 | Mystery
10
8.8 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mimi Rousseau is preparing for a celebrity wedding at her bistro and inn, but before things can really get underway, her mentor and financial supporter is found dead on the premises. With him gone, Mimi is under no obligation to repay the funds he had lent her to get her business started, so that makes her look mighty suspicious in the eyes of the law. Afraid that she’ll lose both her business and her freedom, Mimi decides to get to the bottom of things.

Daryl Wood Gerber (aka Avery Aames) is one of my favorite cozy authors, so I jumped at the chance to read the first book in her new mystery series. I was not disappointed. Good food, great friends, and plenty of intrigue keep this story moving along. It’s a well-plotted mystery with lots of delicious sounding recipes included at the end. Culinary cozy fans will not want to miss this one.

<i>NOTE: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book.</i>
  
Marlee Jacob has settled nicely back into her home town of Oriole Point, and she is quite happy running her business, The Berry Basket. However, she quickly finds herself in trouble when her good friend goes missing, a surprise announcement rattles all the local business owners, someone tries to kill her, and then she finds a dead body. What is going on?

I enjoyed this book with how it played with some cozy mystery tropes early on while still providing us with a compelling cozy mystery. There’s plenty happening to keep us entertained all the way through, and the twists of the plot come together for a logical climax. Some of the supporting characters are still a bit thin, but we can get to know them better in later books. Marlee herself is wonderful, and the rest of the suspects are also viable characters.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-review-dying-for-strawberries-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.