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Well, I've found yet another cozy mystery series to add to my must-buy list! I really enjoyed the setting - a working historical farm - and learned everything I could want to know about maple syrup production. Not in a clinical way, but as interesting bits of information presented during the story.

Our heroine Kelsey has her hands full trying to run the farm, raise her kindergarten-age son, and solve a murder before the police can pin it on one of her young employees. There was an interesting cast of characters, and that homey, small-town feel that I love in a good cozy.

While previous events are mentioned, it's not necessary to have read book 1 to know what's going on.

NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
  
Reading Up a Storm focuses more on characters outside of the library staff than the first two novels in the series, and Lucy has a new friend in this one who is accused of murder. Of course she doesn't trust that the police will see past her friend Stephanie's apparent motive for the crime, and is soon getting herself into trouble asking questions and trying to solve the case by herself. She probably figured it out long before I did, but it was gratifying to find that the killer was the person I suspected, for once.

And for those of you who enjoy a little romance with your cozy mystery - I love where the author has taken the romantic triangle that was developing in the first two books. I can't say anything more without spoilers, but I was very pleased with the outcome.
  
Silence of the Lamps is book #5 in the Caprice De Luca mystery series, and while previous cases are mentioned, you do not need to have read the earlier books in the series to enjoy this one. The interaction between Caprice and her sisters is so realistic you almost feel like part of the family while reading the story. And when one of her sisters is the prime suspect in a murder investigation, how can Caprice stay out of it? The more she asks around, the more she finds that her sister Nikki was far from Drew’s only enemy. With lots of clues to keep you guessing at the identity of the murderer, this was a fast paced, fun read.

NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts / opinions are my own.
  
Charley joins a book club in the hope that making friends with the town’s elite will drum up business for her clothing store. She finds that she isn’t really fitting in with the Agathas, as the members are known, but sticks with it anyway. It isn’t long, however, before murder victims start turning up arranged just like the victims in the novels that the book club is reading. Charley manages to use her status as a member of the club to convince a detective to let her help with the investigation, but puts her own life in danger in the process.

This is a fun start to a new series with a great main character – cozy fans will love it!

<i>Note: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review</i>
  
Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Tom Sweterlitsch | 2014 | Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I had a hard time deciding how to rate this book at first because of the subject matter. The story is somewhat more disturbing than what I normally read, but it is a murder mystery as well as sci-fi, so you have to expect some unpleasantness. There are some terrible people doing terrible things. There are also some not so terrible, everyday people accepting, and occasionally even enjoying, terrible things. The worst (or best depending on how you look at it) part of it all is how believable everything is. In the end though, I did enjoy the book and decided that it deserves 4 stars. It is a very well thought out and well-written story that kept me listening every minute I could until it was finished.

See full review at <a href="http://booksthething.com">The Book's the Thing</a>
  
Memento (2000)
Memento (2000)
2000 | Mystery, Thriller
Very unique storytelling
If you are a Christopher Nolan fan, or even a fan of movies that make you think, you should give Memento a try.

The story is pretty simple about a man (Guy Pearce) who is trying to remember details relating to the murder or death of his wife. The problem: the suffers from short term memory loss and wakes up every day having to start over.

Maybe like a serious version of Groundhog Day, Memento is such a fascinating slow burn, slow reveal of details. As the man encounters the creepy individuals who inhabit his life, he does not know who to trust or how the puzzle pieces will ultimately fit together.

If you watch the movie 10 times, you will find different layers in it each time.

A must watch!
  
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ClareR (5869 KP) May 26, 2018

I really enjoyed this film - it had a great atmosphere to it, and was really frustrating at times.

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Sara Cox (1845 KP) Feb 18, 2020

I absolutely love this film!

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KarenRC (6 KP) rated Watching You in Books

Jul 23, 2018  
Watching You
Watching You
Lisa Jewell | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
8
8.7 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
This story focuses around this small neighbourhood with lots of strong characters, each with their own storyline to deal with. It feels like a lot, but once I had got my head round them all, this book drew me right in and I was hooked. It starts off with a body in a kitchen, then goes back and does a brilliant job of revealing the story, very slowly, by going back to the beginning of the timeline and working back through. The intermittent police reports from the day after the murder is an excellent addition, as it adds to the slow reveal as you start to realise who the body isn’t! It was a bit of a slow start, but once it got going the suspense, intrigue and twists are coming thick and fast right up until the very last page!
  
MA
Murder at the Makeover
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Kaye twins Georgie and Aleta are invited to what they believe is an impromptu reunion with classmates from high school, but it turns out to be what Georgie calls a makeup Ponzi scheme. She doesn’t want to take part in a makeover using unusual ingredients and wants to high tail it out of there. Unfortunately, an old classmate is found dead in the ladies room and the girls find themselves on the case.

Georgia and Aleta are 60+-year-olds, full of spunk, and can’t resist tasty pastries. They often find themselves in the middle of murder investigations and often find themselves in trouble with Georgie’s ex-husband Stan. Did I mention that he is a homicide detective?

If you like humor, hijinks, cozy mysteries, and fun-loving characters then this book has what you are looking for.
  
When You Have To Go There
When You Have To Go There
Kevin R. Doyle | 2018 | Crime, Thriller
7
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Detective Lipscomb is a very strong character. Finding herself the scapegoat of all that has gone wrong on a previous case, she ends up being right at the centre of another high profile serial murder case but this isn't your ordinary serial killer; the victims are Helen's colleagues and it will take all her police know-how to solve the case whilst being under the microscope of the top brass who are just waiting for an excuse to get rid of her.

Written at a perfect pace with a great story line and tense moments, this is a good read that I would recommend.

I was kindly sent a copy of this book by the author after having previously read and reviewed a couple of his previous books - The Group and The Litter - which I thoroughly enjoyed and this one was no different.
  
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Rache (174 KP) rated Killin It in Podcasts

Nov 30, 2018  
Killin It
Killin It
News & Politics, Society & Culture
10
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Podcast Rating
True crime (3 more)
Intelligent conversation
A sprinkling of dark humour
Good research
These Girls Really Are Killin' It
A couple of British friends chatting about true crime, particularly murder, and discussing just how screwed up humans can be. While the podcast started out as Lux and Sam, it has since changed to Lux and Meg, and while Sam did have a very smooth voice and quick wit, the change to Meg has not made the podcast less than it was - it has simply made it different.
At the end of each episode (starting fairly recently) the girls have a segment where they say what they have been "killin'" each week, to provide a little lift at the end of the episode, and make the world appear a little less depressing.
Altogether, a cracking little podcast, definitely worth a listen.