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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated An Almost Purrfect Murder in Books

Jul 30, 2022  
An Almost Purrfect Murder
An Almost Purrfect Murder
Jacqueline Vick | 2017 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Who Committed Murder on an Alaskan Cruise?
A cruise to Alaska isn’t Frankie’s idea of a vacation, but when her best friend, Penny, decides to get married in the middle of a cruise, she goes along, especially since she’s the maid of honor. The first night, Frankie watches the entertainment, which includes a cat trainer. She surprised to find one of the cats outside her door the next morning transmitting some weird messages that only begin to make sense when she finds the dead body of the trainer on the lifeboat below her cabin. Can she convince anyone that he was murdered?

In a moment of serendipity, I read this book on an Alaskan cruise I took recently. It was fun and strange to read about Frankie in places I was visiting, just in a different order. Yes, this is one of the few paranormal cozy series I read since Frankie can communicate with animals, but it’s a minor part of the story. The plot was uneven with the wedding and romantic subplots taking up pages as well. Since the book is the third in the series, I was definitely invested in those stories, but a little more time on the mystery would have been nice. Still, I was impressed with how all the clues came together in the end. Most of the characters were new, and I enjoyed getting to know them, suspects and family members alike. I laughed multiple times as I was reading at the antics of the two and four legged characters. Overall, this is a fun book that fans of the series will enjoy.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated Muddled Through in Books

Jun 30, 2022 (Updated Jun 30, 2022)  
Muddled Through
Muddled Through
Barbara Ross | 2022 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Did Town Politics Lead to Murder?
Spring usually means that Julia Snowden is trying to get ready for the busy season with her family’s clambake, but this year, she is being distracted by local politics. Specifically, there is the heated debate in town about turning the downtown area into a pedestrian mall on Friday and Saturday nights during the tourist season. On opposite sides of the issue are business neighbors Zoey Butterfield, who owns the pottery story where Julia’s sister works, and Phinney Hardison. When Zoey’s story is vandalized, the only motive she can think of is this controversy. Then a dead body is found. Is local politics the motive for the violence? Or is something else going on?

I’ve been anxiously waiting for this book since the last one came out. Yes, we do get to the storylines left open from the previous book, and I was actually impressed with the growth in Julia that came out of them. Of course, the book left me wondering where we were going to go next, but that’s a good thing. Yes, if you are new to the series, you could jump in here, but you’ll appreciate the growth better if you’ve read the earlier books. This is such a great series you’ll be glad you did. As always, Julia leads a great cast of new and returning characters, and I loved spending time with them. The mystery for this book is strong, and I was once again amazed at how everything was plotted when I reached the end. Fans will be happy with this book. If that isn’t you, fix that today.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated Irish Coffee Murder in Books

Feb 2, 2023 (Updated Feb 2, 2023)  
Irish Coffee Murder
Irish Coffee Murder
Barbara Ross, Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis | 2023 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Here's to a Deadly St. Patrick’s Day
Once again, these three authors are teaming up for a holiday themed novella collection. This time, their stories are set around St. Patrick’s Day. In the first story, Leslie Meier’s character, Lucy Stone, is doing a story on four local Irish dancers. Then one of their mother’s is murdered. Next, Lee Hollis’s sleuth, Hayley Powell, gets involved when the headlining comedian for the St. Patrick’s Day show dies after proposing a toast with his Irish coffee. Finally, Barbara Ross’s Julia Snowden is enjoying a stormy St. Patrick’s Day in with friends when they start talking about the local unsolved murder from 150 years ago. Everyone has a theory about who did it, but can Julia figure it out after all this time?

Since these are novellas, each story is roughly 100 pages, giving us a good taste of the series and characters before we move on to the next one. I enjoyed all three of them. I do struggle some with Leslie Meier’s entries in these anthologies, but I enjoyed it overall. On the other hand, I am considering starting Lee Hollis’s books because I continue to enjoy their entries in the series. Barbara Ross’s series is one of my favorites, so it’s is no surprise that I loved her entry. All three stories do feature good characters and an intriguing mystery. Lee Hollis and Barbara Ross include recipes with their stories, so you’ll have several traditional Irish recipes. This is a great book to sit down and enjoy with a mug of Irish coffee.
  
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Merissa (12051 KP) rated Clues to You (Love in the Comptons #3) in Books

Sep 19, 2023  
Clues to You (Love in the Comptons #3)
Clues to You (Love in the Comptons #3)
Claire Huston | 2023 | Contemporary, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
CLUES TO YOU is the third book in the Love in the Comptons series but can be read as a standalone, although previous characters are mentioned in passing.

Now, straight into this one...

I don't usually do mysteries. Not at all. You can keep your Poirots and Marples. They just don't interest me at all. BUT Kate and Max? Sign me up! I loved this sleuthing duo and their gentle romance.

There is a lot to this book. Not only do you have the characters' real lives and backgrounds to deal with, but you also have the murder-mystery weekend too, where no one is as they seem. Well, apart from Merryman himself, that is. And - here's the thing - I was engrossed in both parts! I loved the whodunnit side and seeing Kate and Max work together, once their misunderstandings were gone. I also loved seeing them as themselves, dealing with others - some good, some not so good (I'm looking at you, Paul!), and generally finding out what they had in common.

Love in the Comptons is a series that just keeps on getting better. I loved this book from beginning to end - which did surprise me. The writing is THAT good! So take it from me, someone who doesn't do mysteries, this book will grip you from beginning to end! Highly recommended.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 5, 2023