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Murder in the morning
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
MoMo Book Diary recommends ‘Murder in the Morning’ which is the second of the Melissa Craig cozy mystery series by Betty Rowland.

Having enjoyed the first Melissa Craig instalment I was eager to get into the follow up.  I found this instalment, which begins where the previous book concluded, to be more entertaining than the first.  However, this could be due to reading them both in order and in the same week – I would definitely suggest reading them in order and together as I did.

Whilst the book focuses on a new crime the characters involved were developed in the first instalment and I assume will continue through the ongoing series.

This series will be enjoyed by those who enjoy Midsomer Murders, Agatha Raisin and Father Brown type of mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book.
  
Six Cats a Slayin'
Six Cats a Slayin'
Miranda James | 2018 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Kittens and Murder at Christmas
Charlie Harris's feline family has grown quite a bit. Someone left him a box with five kittens in it, and he's taking care of them while trying to track down the owner so he can figure out what to do with them next. Fortunately, Charlie's Maine Coon cat, Diesel, has taken to the kittens and is helping take care of them as only a cat can. That isn't the only problem Charlie is facing this Christmas, however. There's also his new neighbor Geraldine "Call Me Gerry" Albritton. Gerry is rubbing everyone the wrong way, including Charlie. Charlie isn't prepared for murder, however, and when one happens, he begins to investigate. What will he uncover?

Fans of this series know to expect a wonderful puzzle wrapped in a cozy shell, and that's just what we get here, with the Christmas setting only helping the cozy feeling. The mystery of the kittens occupies much of the early book while the foundations of the main mystery are being laid. Once the dead body turns up, we focus more on that with the kittens taking their place as a sub-plot. The twists of the mystery keep the pages flying, and the story takes a more serious tone. That tone provides a nice contrast to the Christmas season and the kittens, both of which keep the book from becoming too dark. I was thrilled to get to spend so much time with the series regulars; I just love Charlie's family and extended family. This book left me with happy tears in my eyes and Christmas carols in my head. What more could you want?
  
Sarah Winston, a garage sale expert, knows how to run a successful garage sale and has made a business out of it. As part of a charity event, Sarah volunteers her expertise and agrees to manage an athletic equipment swap. While preparing the event, she is knocked out by a would-be robber and then the day of the event discovers the dead body of the local superintendent.

Sarah becomes an amateur detective and compiles a list of murder suspects that all seem to be other members of the school board. With her quick wit and sleuthing talents, Sarah must find the killer before the killer makes her another item for the dumpster.

This book is more than a charming cozy mystery; the author gives you inside tips into the world of garage sale selling and buying. The mystery, suspense, and moments of comedy keep you interested, while you try to guess who the culprit is.
  
***NOTE: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Krissy Hancock has moved to Pine Hills with her best friend to open a coffee and book shop, Death by Coffee. When business doesn’t pick up right away, Krissy is concerned that it could be due to the death of a man who works in the building across the street – a man who had come in for a cup of coffee just minutes before his death. Determined to find the killer in order to squelch rumors that Death by Coffee may actually be serving tainted coffee, Krissy conducts her own investigation.

This was a well plotted and well written mystery, but I did have trouble believing people would tell Krissy as much as they did, with her confrontational way of interrogating her suspects.

The story was entertaining though, and cozy mystery fans should enjoy it.
  
International intrigue, false identities, and a very clever cat will keep you guessing right up to the last moment of this cozy mystery. While meeting with a museum director to discuss a catering job, Nora finds herself also tasked with finding the director’s long lost niece and heir. When she isn’t running her sandwich shop, Hot Bread, Nora also spends some of her time looking into the disappearance of her cat Nick’s former owner, a detective who has been missing for some time. As cryptic messages come in, she eventually realizes that the two cases may be connected in some way. She just has to find the connection before the killer finds her!

Crime and Catnip is book #3 in the Nick and Nora mystery series, but even without having read the earlier two installments, I had no trouble figuring out who was who or what was going on.
  
Sarah Winston, a garage sale expert, knows how to run a successful garage sale and has made a business out of it. As part of a charity event, Sarah volunteers her expertise and agrees to manage an athletic equipment swap. While preparing the event, she is knocked out by a would-be robber and then the day of the event discovers the dead body of the local superintendent.

Sarah becomes an amateur detective and compiles a list of murder suspects that all seem to be other members of the school board. With her quick wit and sleuthing talents, Sarah must find the killer before the killer makes her another item for the dumpster.

This book is more than a charming cozy mystery; the author gives you inside tips into the world of garage sale selling and buying. The mystery, suspense, and moments of comedy keep you interested, while you try to guess who the culprit is.