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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2658 KP) rated Public Anchovy #1 in Books

Aug 2, 2024 (Updated Aug 2, 2024)  
Public Anchovy #1
Public Anchovy #1
Mindy Quigley | 2024 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Who Made Their Enemy Sleep with the Fishes?
Delilah O’Leary is thrilled that she’s been asked to cater the posh fund raiser for the library since she needs events like this to help her restaurant get through the lean winter months. The event is being held at a remote mansion on the outskirts of the town. Unfortunately, the first big storm of the season is due in that night. Even worse, someone dies during the event, and the storm traps Delilah, Detective Capone, Delilah’s staff, and some of the guests, at the mansion. As it becomes clear that the death was a murder, Delilah begins to poke around. Are they trapped with a killer?

This is a mystery trope we don’t see very often any more, and I was a little concerned about the author pulling it off when I sat down to read it. I need not have worried. There was plenty here to keep me engaged and confused as we worked toward the logical climax. We do see most of the regulars (only one gets a cameo as a result of the set up), and it was nice to get updates on them. Meanwhile, the suspects kept me guessing. The atmosphere of the storm also added to the fun of the story. There are some recipes at the end, and the focus on creating a pizza with alternative ingredients. This is the best book in the series to date.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2658 KP) rated A Merry Little Murder Plot in Books

Oct 9, 2024  
A Merry Little Murder Plot
A Merry Little Murder Plot
Jenn McKinlay | 2024 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Shocking Christmas Murder
This winter, the Briar Creek Library is hosting a writer in residence, and they are honored to have thriller writer Helen Monroe as she works on something new. But Lindsey Norris’s radar goes off when she meets an obsessive fan of Helen’s. Sure enough, the sparks fly when the two meet at a public event. And then Lindsey finds a dead body in the city’s park – electrocuted by the town’s Christmas lights. Can she figure out what is going on?

I always enjoy visiting these characters, and that was no exception. Having said that, I didn’t appreciate the subplot about book banning, mainly because it was just knee jerk storytelling and didn’t have any of the nuance that should be involved in the topic. Still, that was a minor part of a book I enjoyed overall. The plot was great and kept me guessing even about who the victim would be (I went in without reading anything about the plot). The twists kept coming after the murder, but everything made sense at the end. The characters, both old and new, were fun. I laughed quite a few times as I went along. And the festive setting added a nice touch to the book. There are some Christmassy extras at the end. Fans will love this book. Anyone looking for a fun Christmas mystery will be glad they picked this book up.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2658 KP) rated Stardust Trail in Books

Aug 23, 2022 (Updated Aug 23, 2022)  
Stardust Trail
Stardust Trail
J. R. Sanders | 2020 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Searching for a Missing Writer
PI Nate Ross is a rarity in 1938 Hollywood – someone who lives in the LA area but isn’t that interested in the movie industry. Still, he’s willing to take on a case for one of the smaller studios. The writer of a picture they are hoping will propel them into a more respected part of the market has gone missing, and they need him for rewrites. As Nate begins investigating, he learns of other issues the film has been having, and soon he’s looking into the sabotage, too. Are the two things connected?

I bought this book when the author gave a talk at my local library a few months back. I’m glad I did. As always, I enjoyed the Hollywood setting, but I especially enjoyed the scenes that took Nate to the area I live. Granted, it has changed a lot since the time when the book was set. The story itself is strong with plenty of action to keep us engaged. I had a few things figured out, but I missed some other clues that Nate used to solve things. The characters are engaging, as well. This has the feel of a classic PI novel, so it has a bit more content than I would typically read. It also means that Nate’s sense of humor made me laugh as I was reading. Fortunately, I already have the sequel since I’m looking forward to visiting Nate again soon.