The Gardener’s Plot
5.0
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A woman helps set up a community garden in the Berkshires, only to find a body in one of the plots...
The Sinister Sitcom Caper
8.0
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Sandy Fairfax, former teen idol and star of the '70s hit TV show Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth, is now...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2631 KP) rated Puzzle Me a Murder in Books
Aug 2, 2024
Despite the fact that I’m not much of a jigsaw puzzle guy, I thought this sounded like a fun premise for a series. Sadly, I was wrong. I didn’t feel like the characters ever went beyond being types, and it felt like they had too many interests or skills in their background. It felt like the author was checking boxes instead of making well rounded characters. There wasn’t attention to detail, so these things bumped me out of the book. The novel could have lost 60 pages without losing anything, the pacing was that off. And the climax, while logical, seemed abrupt to me. I really did want to like it more, but I won’t give this series another chance.
A Matter of Life and Depths
9.0
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Murder has twisted them together... It's bad enough that Kyrie Dawn had an affair and a son with...
Crescent City Christmas Chaos (Vintage Cookbook Mystery #4)
9.0
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Have yourself a merry little . . . murder? Ricki James-Diaz gets the best present ever when her...
Cozy Mystery Culinary
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2631 KP) rated Catering to the Dead in Books
Nov 19, 2025
When I saw we were getting a new entry in this series, I jumped at a chance to read it. While the setting may not be traditionally cozy, I really enjoy it. And the characters help pull us in. I enjoyed spending time with Emory and her family and friends as always. The pacing was a little off early, and the end left me with a minor question, but overall, the mystery was enjoyable. Plus we get nine recipes and two craft ideas. Whether new to the series or a longtime fan, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
David McK (3883 KP) rated The Artful Dodger - season 2 in TV
Apr 6, 2026
(edit: I mean why it's not better known that it is, not that they aren't making more. Maybe they are, maybe they're not.)
This picks up from the end of season one of the show, with Dr Jack Dawkins (aka The Artful Dodger of the title) about to be hanged for a crime he didn't commit at the end of season one.
Spoiler alert: he isn't.
The main love-across-the-social-divide story of Jack and Lady Belle continues throughout this season, although more time here also seems to be given to who were, effectively, side characters in the first season: in particular, to Lady Belle's sister Fanny (who has perhaps the best arc of the season).
Alongside that, we have the continuing effort of Fagin to finagle his way to wealth and the exploration of the surgery of the time, with Dr Sneed coming more into his own and whilst a new detective in Port Victory is on the hunt for a serial killer who he believes to be Dr Dawkins ...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Kingdom of The Wicked in Books
Apr 18, 2024
Kindle
Kingdom of the Wicked ( Book 1)
By Kerri Maniscalco
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Two sisters.One brutal murder. A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself... And an intoxicating romance. Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe -- witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost-even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden. Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked-princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...
This was very good I really enjoyed it. The characters were so well done and I loved the beasts (demons) of hell. The story is really interesting and I’m looking forward to getting more of these sinfully wicked brothers.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2631 KP) rated The Crossing in Books
Apr 27, 2024
The book spends as little time as possible getting Bosch, and us, hooked on the case. And what a great case it was. While we have an idea of who early on, the why remains a big mystery until near the end. Meanwhile, we know the danger Bosch is in, and it makes for a great thriller. I enjoyed seeing Bosch and Haller working together again, and we see some others from their lives as well. As always, the foul content is higher than the books I typically read, but they are appropriate for the case. If you are looking for a book you won’t be able to put down, I highly recommend this one.
SWIPE
R.G. Belsky and Bonnie Traymore
Book
Sonya's fed up with bad internet dates. But she never meant to kill anyone. After a stressful...
Domestic Crime Thriller