
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Death On The Coast in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Set in Devon, DCI Dan Hellier and DS Sally Ellis’ crew make a gruesome discovery; someone is burning body parts in a very ritualistic way. Could a cult be responsible for this? What are their motivations? Can his team work out what is happening before another death hits their shores?
I whizzed through this well written story and although the title suggests cosy mystery to me, this is a much darker and more realistic police procedural. It’s got everything I love in a good murder mystery; a great cast of people with their own issues to contend with, interesting plot twists (despite knowing who is responsible all the way through the book) and enough intriguing goings on to keep me reading long well into the night until I finished it. Bernie Steadman is on fire with this book! I must keep up with this series from now on!
Thank you to Bloodhound Books, and #NetGalley for my ARC copy. This is my own opinion and not biased in any way.

Alpaca My Bags
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The Raven Thief
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Broken Harbor in Books
Feb 13, 2018
This was an superb book; I don't know how French does it, but her novels never disappoint. It's a bit slow going, but amazingly interesting. Her painstaking detail of a crime scene and murder investigation is thorough and somehow beautiful; she knows her stuff. The first person detail with Mick is a welcome relief, honestly, after the "varying POV" chapters that seem to be the method du jour lately (I know the book is a few years old, but still). Mick is a crazily complex character and hearing his innermost thoughts just adds to his depth.
I won't lie: the book is long and it's probably not for everyone. You need to be a mystery fan and not be thrown off by a main character who talks and shares a lot. There's a dynamic between Mick and his new partner that adds to this detail and character development. Further, Mick and his family have a tie to Broken Harbor (the site of the murder), which involves some flashbacks. Again, it adds length, but also to the depth of his character. Plus, the plot kept me guessing, which I really appreciated. It would have been an easy 4.5 star rating, but it dived a little with the ending and a move that seemed a bit out of character for Mick, but still - an excellent mystery with a detailed and thoughtful plot. I'm glad I've picked up French's series again and look forward to getting completely caught up.

A Murder Most French
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The City of Light is surging back to life in the wake of war, and its citizens are seizing every...

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Long Island Iced Tina in Books
Feb 24, 2021 (Updated Feb 24, 2021)
I enjoyed the first book in the series, and this one was great as well. The painting added a fun element to the mystery, and I really enjoyed seeing how that played out. The mystery had some great zigs and zags along the way. The climax was a bit complicated, but I was able to think it through, and it did make sense. All the characters were wonderful, with some interesting growth for the series regulars. Mia’s grandmother provides a very funny sub-plot, and there are other great moments of humor throughout the book. At the end, we get four recipes and a hit for hosting events yourself. The series is set in Queens, and Mia’s family is involved in the mob. Even so, this is most definitely still a cozy series. Grab some ice tea and enjoy this delightful book.

Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated All She Wrote (Holmes & Moriarity, #2) in Books
Sep 6, 2019
I enjoyed this one more than the first, though I think that can be put down to the progression in the relationship between Kit and J.X.
At the start my warm and fuzzies over how the last one ended quickly dissolved as this started with them decided to take a break. I was like WTF?! And then Kit was off across the country to go and see his mentor after her fall down some icy stairs meaning she couldn't run her Writer's Workshop. Of course, it wasn't as straight forward as that and we were thrown into yet another murder mystery.
I have to say I was kinda disheartened when J.X. wasn't in the first third (or so) of the story as I really liked him and Kit as a couple but he reappeared and the warm and fuzzies returned. The progression of their relationship in this one was so sweet. J.X. is willing to anything to keep Kit in his life and I find that lovely.
As for the murder mystery, I was once again stumped until the 90% mark when someone wasn't quite upset enough and it clicked (about the same time as Kit figured it out, too).
I love Josh Lanyon books like this and can't wait to read more from him! I also can't wait for the next Holmes and Moriarity book!

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