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Blizzard
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Imagine loving someone with your whole heart, only to find out after they’re gone that you never...
Lesbian Romance Crime Suspense
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2141 KP) rated Wreathing Havoc in Books
Sep 29, 2021 (Updated Sep 29, 2021)
The Drama of Theater
Thanksgiving week has opened on a somber note since it starts with the funeral for Leon Tompkin, the owner of the local theater. Lilly Jayne and the rest of the Garden Squad aren’t the only ones in town mourning his passing, and it even brings some of the people who used to work with Leon at the theater back to town. When one of the visitors is murdered, Lilly can’t help but wonder if Leon’s death was from natural causes. If it wasn’t, are the two deaths connected?
Thanksgiving isn’t usually a setting for fall themed cozy mysteries, but I enjoyed seeing this book starting with November’s holiday, although we do get a few early Christmas activities as the book goes along. The mystery takes a little while to set down roots before it starts to fully grow, but once it does, we wind up with a wonderful mystery. I love how everything came together. Lilly and the rest of her friends in the Garden Squad are as delightful as always, and the new characters are equally likeable, making it hard for me to pick out the killer. Late autumn isn’t the best time for gardening, but we still get a bit of that and a few gardening tips over the course of the book. This is an entry that fans of the series will be thankful for.
Thanksgiving isn’t usually a setting for fall themed cozy mysteries, but I enjoyed seeing this book starting with November’s holiday, although we do get a few early Christmas activities as the book goes along. The mystery takes a little while to set down roots before it starts to fully grow, but once it does, we wind up with a wonderful mystery. I love how everything came together. Lilly and the rest of her friends in the Garden Squad are as delightful as always, and the new characters are equally likeable, making it hard for me to pick out the killer. Late autumn isn’t the best time for gardening, but we still get a bit of that and a few gardening tips over the course of the book. This is an entry that fans of the series will be thankful for.
Sticky-Fingered Books
10.0
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It isn’t every day that you find a body at your kids’ school. Unless you’re Jolie Gentil. Then...
mystery cozy mystery bookbuzz
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2141 KP) rated Candy Canes of Christmas Past in Books
Dec 9, 2023
Murder in Lucy’s Past
This story takes us back in time to the first Christmas that Lucy Stone spent in Tinker’s Cove, Maine. Lucy is trying to deal with her husband's project, fixing up their home. So when town librarian Miss Tilly is nice to Lucy, Lucy looks for some way to repay her new friend. And that's how she begins trying to uncover the circumstances surrounding Miss Tilly's mother's death almost 50 years before. Was Mrs. Tilly murdered? If so, how can Lucy find out what happened after all these years.
This story is as much about Lucy's struggles to fit into a new town and live in an old house as it is about the mystery. Lucy and her husband are really struggling, which gives most of this story a darker tone for a cozy. It is also a weak mystery. The solution was very coincidental and almost an after thought compared to the resolution to the other story line. But I liked the characters. They are vivid and seem like people I would love to get to know better. While it didn’t turn out that way, this story lets me see the appeal for those who do like them.
NOTE: This story was originally part of the anthology Candy Cane Murder, so if you’ve read that book, there is no need to pick up this story a second time.
This story is as much about Lucy's struggles to fit into a new town and live in an old house as it is about the mystery. Lucy and her husband are really struggling, which gives most of this story a darker tone for a cozy. It is also a weak mystery. The solution was very coincidental and almost an after thought compared to the resolution to the other story line. But I liked the characters. They are vivid and seem like people I would love to get to know better. While it didn’t turn out that way, this story lets me see the appeal for those who do like them.
NOTE: This story was originally part of the anthology Candy Cane Murder, so if you’ve read that book, there is no need to pick up this story a second time.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2141 KP) rated Murder on Devil’s Pond in Books
Jul 11, 2024
Murder of the Town Recluse
Hannah Solace has returned to her small town in Vermont to help her sister run a B&B. The only person she’s really reconnect with is Ezra Grayson, the town’s eighty-year-old recluse that most people want to see sell the house he’s lived in most of his life. Then Hannah finds his dead body on the pond that borders the B&B. When she finds herself on the suspect list, Hannah begins to investigate. Is his death related to a secret from the past? Or was one of his heirs, who are staying at the B&B, too impatient to inherit?
I’ll admit, it took me a couple of chapters to fully get pulled into this new world, but once it did, I was fully hooked. The mystery is complex with a variety of motives. I figured one thing out early, but the rest, including the killer, kept me guessing. The characters, including the suspects, grew more complex as I read as well. There are some relationships I’m looking forward to seeing explored further as the series goes along. The environmental themes are well done, and the recipe at the end sounds delicious. This book is a little more on the serious side for a cozy mystery, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. If you are looking for a new series you can dig into, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
I’ll admit, it took me a couple of chapters to fully get pulled into this new world, but once it did, I was fully hooked. The mystery is complex with a variety of motives. I figured one thing out early, but the rest, including the killer, kept me guessing. The characters, including the suspects, grew more complex as I read as well. There are some relationships I’m looking forward to seeing explored further as the series goes along. The environmental themes are well done, and the recipe at the end sounds delicious. This book is a little more on the serious side for a cozy mystery, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. If you are looking for a new series you can dig into, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
Murders and Metaphors
9.0
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USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower is back with the third in her more-charming-than-ever...
Mystery Fiction Cozy Mystery Fantasy
Midge (525 KP) rated Restaurant Weeks are Murder in Books
Mar 28, 2019
Murder & Mayhem In The Kitchen
“Restaurant Weeks Are Murder” is Libby Klein’s very enjoyable third novel, chock full of madness and mayhem in the ‘Poppy McAllister Mystery’ series. The first book is ‘Class Reunions Are Murder,’ followed by book two which is ‘Midnight Snacks Are Murder.’
I haven’t read these other books in this series yet, however, I don’t think that this spoilt my enjoyment of this novel. That said, there is nothing more exciting than picking up a book which is the first in a new series.
Poppy McAllister is opening a new Bed & Breakfast in Cape May, New Jersey, but working in a professional kitchen has always been her passion. Now she’s realising her dream, at least briefly, as she is teaming up with her former fiancée Tim and his partner, Gigi, during a high-profile Restaurant Week challenge. Poppy’s speciality is pastries and if anyone can make glorious gluten-free goodies, it’s Poppy.
As it might be expected, things start to go badly wrong very quickly, especially when some ingredients get switched and Tim is accused of sabotage. Relatively harmless pranks soon escalate into real hazards, including an exploding deep fat fryer. Then one of the judges dies after taking a bite of Poppy’s limoncello cannoli, making her one of the prime suspects . . .
Forty-odd-year-old, pastry chef, Poppy, the protagonist, lives with her elderly Aunt Ginny and Figaro, her mischievous cat. I found Poppy and many of the other characters very funny and likeable, so much so that I felt as though I would like to spend some time in their company myself! As someone who has read several cozies, Poppy’s Aunt Ginny has become one of my favourite cozy characters. She provided plenty of humour in this book from her choice of outlandish outfits to her zaniness and zest for life. I couldn’t help but adore her and look forward to her mischievous antics.
I liked that the opening chapters drew me into the story and captured my attention immediately. Although I had to wait a while before an actual murder took place, there was never a dull moment with such a lot going on. The mystery itself was well thought out with plenty of twists and turns as I puzzled over the clues to discover the perpetrator.
The book had a natural, steady pace, and even though the murder occurred towards the end of the first half of the book I was kept guessing until the surprising reveal. Delightful and entertaining “Restaurant Weeks Are Murder” is a highly recommended, quick, light read for all cozy mystery fans.
{Thank you to #NetGalley and Kensington Books for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
I haven’t read these other books in this series yet, however, I don’t think that this spoilt my enjoyment of this novel. That said, there is nothing more exciting than picking up a book which is the first in a new series.
Poppy McAllister is opening a new Bed & Breakfast in Cape May, New Jersey, but working in a professional kitchen has always been her passion. Now she’s realising her dream, at least briefly, as she is teaming up with her former fiancée Tim and his partner, Gigi, during a high-profile Restaurant Week challenge. Poppy’s speciality is pastries and if anyone can make glorious gluten-free goodies, it’s Poppy.
As it might be expected, things start to go badly wrong very quickly, especially when some ingredients get switched and Tim is accused of sabotage. Relatively harmless pranks soon escalate into real hazards, including an exploding deep fat fryer. Then one of the judges dies after taking a bite of Poppy’s limoncello cannoli, making her one of the prime suspects . . .
Forty-odd-year-old, pastry chef, Poppy, the protagonist, lives with her elderly Aunt Ginny and Figaro, her mischievous cat. I found Poppy and many of the other characters very funny and likeable, so much so that I felt as though I would like to spend some time in their company myself! As someone who has read several cozies, Poppy’s Aunt Ginny has become one of my favourite cozy characters. She provided plenty of humour in this book from her choice of outlandish outfits to her zaniness and zest for life. I couldn’t help but adore her and look forward to her mischievous antics.
I liked that the opening chapters drew me into the story and captured my attention immediately. Although I had to wait a while before an actual murder took place, there was never a dull moment with such a lot going on. The mystery itself was well thought out with plenty of twists and turns as I puzzled over the clues to discover the perpetrator.
The book had a natural, steady pace, and even though the murder occurred towards the end of the first half of the book I was kept guessing until the surprising reveal. Delightful and entertaining “Restaurant Weeks Are Murder” is a highly recommended, quick, light read for all cozy mystery fans.
{Thank you to #NetGalley and Kensington Books for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2141 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.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Ghost Fields (Ruth Galloway, #7) in Books
Feb 8, 2018
Archaeologist Ruth Galloway is back again, this time called on by Detective Chief Inspector Nelson to investigate a skeleton found in a World War II plane. Once Ruth realizes the dead man sitting in the plane couldn't actually have been the pilot (oh and he's been shot, too), things unfold quickly from there. Ruth and Nelson become ensnared with the upper class Blackstock family, who somehow become enmeshed in all aspects of Nelson's case and investigation. Further, a TV company decides to make a film about the case. This means a return of actor Frank Barker, who was looking to start a relationship with Ruth in the previous novel.
As I've said before, I absolutely love the Ruth Galloway series. I completely identify with Ruth, and I love the way Griffiths writes her - she's a smart, funny, modern woman and mother. This book in the series (#7!) doesn't disappoint. The mystery plot is snappy and intriguing, as we meet various Blackstocks and uncover their diverse motives. In much of the book, the weather is its own sub-plot, and it's done well. We get more character development/advancement with Ruth, Nelson, Nelson's wife Michelle, and Frank, along with the funny tidbits I've come to expect from Ruth (and Kate, who is growing up!). The entire book is cozy and familiar (I love how Ruth identifies with her car, for instance - so me!), yet propelled by a completely enjoyable and thrilling mystery. Can't go wrong with this one. I'm so looking forward to #8.
As I've said before, I absolutely love the Ruth Galloway series. I completely identify with Ruth, and I love the way Griffiths writes her - she's a smart, funny, modern woman and mother. This book in the series (#7!) doesn't disappoint. The mystery plot is snappy and intriguing, as we meet various Blackstocks and uncover their diverse motives. In much of the book, the weather is its own sub-plot, and it's done well. We get more character development/advancement with Ruth, Nelson, Nelson's wife Michelle, and Frank, along with the funny tidbits I've come to expect from Ruth (and Kate, who is growing up!). The entire book is cozy and familiar (I love how Ruth identifies with her car, for instance - so me!), yet propelled by a completely enjoyable and thrilling mystery. Can't go wrong with this one. I'm so looking forward to #8.
Wined and Died in New Orleans
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The second in a fantastic new cozy mystery series with a vintage flair from USA Today bestselling...