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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Seams Like Murder in Books
Oct 4, 2022 (Updated Oct 4, 2022)
Can Abbey Sew Up a Murder?
When her life in Los Angeles falls apart, Abbey Chandler heads up the California coast to the town of Hideaway Grove where she spent many happy summers as a child visiting her aunt. Abbey’s hardly arrived before she catches a glimpse of a hit and run behind her aunt’s bakery. Now, instead of trying to figure out what to do with her life, Abbey is trying to figure out who killed the town’s new librarian. Everyone seemed to love the victim. Who wanted her dead?
This book gets out to a quick start, but then the pacing becomes uneven. There is lots of set up for future books in the series here. I enjoyed seeing Abbey reconnect with old friends and making new ones as well as discovering a love of sewing, but it did slow things down. Don’t misunderstand, there is a good mystery here, and I like how things came together at the end. I also really liked most of the characters, although the sheriff was shockingly clueless. There are many scenes in the aunt’s bakery that will have you drooling, but this is a crafting cozy series, so our extra is a guide to creating pillowcase dresses. If you are looking for a promising new series, this is one to check out.
This book gets out to a quick start, but then the pacing becomes uneven. There is lots of set up for future books in the series here. I enjoyed seeing Abbey reconnect with old friends and making new ones as well as discovering a love of sewing, but it did slow things down. Don’t misunderstand, there is a good mystery here, and I like how things came together at the end. I also really liked most of the characters, although the sheriff was shockingly clueless. There are many scenes in the aunt’s bakery that will have you drooling, but this is a crafting cozy series, so our extra is a guide to creating pillowcase dresses. If you are looking for a promising new series, this is one to check out.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated A Fatal Groove in Books
Jul 27, 2023
Murder is Anything but Groovy
It’s the weekend of the Bluebonnet Festival in Cedar River, Texas, and Juni Jessup and her sisters are looking forward to fun while also selling coffee and introducing the bands on the main stage. Their first customer of the first day is Mayor Bob. When Juni goes to drop something off at his office a little later, she finds him dead. With their reputations once again on the line, the sisters try to figure out what is happening. Mayor Bob was popular because he didn’t make any waves, so who would want to kill him?
After an initial strong start, the book stalled a bit introducing some sub-plots before it really got started again. I did guess the killer a little early, but I needed Juni to fill in most of the rest. Once again, there are some odd uses of they/them pronouns, and Juni’s first-person narration comes across as judgmental a few times. Overall, I do like her and I love her relationship with her sisters. The love triangle is still in play, although it takes a back seat to the rest of the happenings. There are lots of smiles and some laughs along the way as well. If you enjoy music and are looking for a fun mystery, this is the series for you.
After an initial strong start, the book stalled a bit introducing some sub-plots before it really got started again. I did guess the killer a little early, but I needed Juni to fill in most of the rest. Once again, there are some odd uses of they/them pronouns, and Juni’s first-person narration comes across as judgmental a few times. Overall, I do like her and I love her relationship with her sisters. The love triangle is still in play, although it takes a back seat to the rest of the happenings. There are lots of smiles and some laughs along the way as well. If you enjoy music and are looking for a fun mystery, this is the series for you.
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Helpless in Books
Mar 19, 2025 (Updated Mar 19, 2025)
Murder and Kidnapping in a Storm
With the remains of a tropical storm hitting the area, the last thing that Zoe Chamber-Adams and Pete Adams need is a criminal running around the area. But that’s just what they’ve got. They are called to a horrific scene on a neighbors’ farm. The wife has been shot, the husband left for dead, and their daughter kidnapped. As Pete tries to find the daughter before she is taken out of the area, Zoe tries to learn what she can from the husband. Will the storm help or hurt them?
This is more of a ticking clock thriller than a mystery, with the book taking place over the course of a day. As much as I love this series, this one was a bit of a letdown. I found Zoe’s portion of the story slowed the plot down, and I found it a very dark book, even by this series’ standards. On the other hand, the overall plot of the book was great and I was still always reluctant to set the book down. It was great spending time with Zoe and Pete, and I enjoyed seeing the updates we still got on the series regulars and some ongoing stories. Fans of this great series will still be glad they picked up this book.
This is more of a ticking clock thriller than a mystery, with the book taking place over the course of a day. As much as I love this series, this one was a bit of a letdown. I found Zoe’s portion of the story slowed the plot down, and I found it a very dark book, even by this series’ standards. On the other hand, the overall plot of the book was great and I was still always reluctant to set the book down. It was great spending time with Zoe and Pete, and I enjoyed seeing the updates we still got on the series regulars and some ongoing stories. Fans of this great series will still be glad they picked up this book.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Ranch Dressing in Books
Apr 4, 2025
Murder Down on the Ranch
Samantha Kidd’s father-in-law is interested in buying a dude ranch in New Jersey, so Samantha joins him and her husband on a trip to meet the current owner and check it out in depth. She is so out of her element that she must borrow jeans for the trip, but she is doing her best to be supportive and stay in the background. Their first night there, Samantha finds the owner dead in the barn. Can she get the rest of the staff to warm up to her enough to solve the crime?
This book really builds on the growth we’ve seen in Samantha over the last couple of books, which I appreciated. You could jump in here without any spoilers, but you won’t appreciate the character arc as much. I also appreciated that this allowed Samantha’s relationship with her husband to really shine. Meanwhile, the new characters were entertaining. The mystery kept me confused until we reached the logical climax. I laughed as always as I was reading. Trixie Belden fans will enjoy an Easter egg in this book. Now that I’ve caught up on this enjoyable series, I can’t wait for the next book to come out. If you aren’t caught up yet, now’s the time to fix that. You’ll enjoy the time spent doing so.
This book really builds on the growth we’ve seen in Samantha over the last couple of books, which I appreciated. You could jump in here without any spoilers, but you won’t appreciate the character arc as much. I also appreciated that this allowed Samantha’s relationship with her husband to really shine. Meanwhile, the new characters were entertaining. The mystery kept me confused until we reached the logical climax. I laughed as always as I was reading. Trixie Belden fans will enjoy an Easter egg in this book. Now that I’ve caught up on this enjoyable series, I can’t wait for the next book to come out. If you aren’t caught up yet, now’s the time to fix that. You’ll enjoy the time spent doing so.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Night of the Living Bread in Books
May 28, 2025
Can Sugar Rise to the Occasion and Find Another Killer?
Sugar Calloway and Dixie Spicer are working on a new project for the Jameson County Historical Society. It’s a cook book focused on various breads. It may sound a little narrow, but they already have several ideas for subcategories, and the pair are excited about it. Their contact for the project is Marla Mercer. But Sugar’s appointment one morning never happens since she finds Marla dead on the office floor, a bread knife in her back. Everyone seems shocked by the murder, insisting that Marla was well loved. So who would want to kill her?
It’s been a few years (and a publisher change) since we got the previous book in this series. I was glad to see it back and was easily able to slip back into Sugar and Dixie’s world. It was great to reconnect with the characters, and spending time with them made me smile. The suspects seemed nice as well, at least at first. I did figure parts of the mystery out early, but I didn’t have it all put together until the climax. There are a couple of subplots that helped kept me engaged. We also get five recipes at the end of the book. Fans will be just as happy as I am to revisit these characters.
It’s been a few years (and a publisher change) since we got the previous book in this series. I was glad to see it back and was easily able to slip back into Sugar and Dixie’s world. It was great to reconnect with the characters, and spending time with them made me smile. The suspects seemed nice as well, at least at first. I did figure parts of the mystery out early, but I didn’t have it all put together until the climax. There are a couple of subplots that helped kept me engaged. We also get five recipes at the end of the book. Fans will be just as happy as I am to revisit these characters.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Whiskey Business in Books
Sep 4, 2025
Reece Finds Murder In His New Business
Reece Parker has opened Subplot, a literary themed cocktail lounge, in his hometown. He’s trying to build his clientele, so he’s thrilled when a whiskey club wants to use the space for their monthly meetings. But the first night goes wrong when one new member seems to want to go out of his way to irritate everyone. After the meeting, Reece finds that member dead in the alley behind his lounge. Fearing the hit this might do to his business, he starts investigating. Can he find the killer?
I met the author this spring, so I’ve been looking forward to this book since then. And I really enjoyed it. It captures the cozy vibes well with the setting and the characters. I’d be interested in visiting, between murders, of course. I could really feel the love the characters have for each other. The mystery starts well, and doesn’t waiver on the way to the logical climax. I might have a niggle or two with it, but I’m being nitpicky here. Reece has recently come out to himself, and I appreciated how that subplot was handled as well. If you are looking for a new cozy series, you won’t go wrong picking this one up. Me? I’m waiting for the sequel.
I met the author this spring, so I’ve been looking forward to this book since then. And I really enjoyed it. It captures the cozy vibes well with the setting and the characters. I’d be interested in visiting, between murders, of course. I could really feel the love the characters have for each other. The mystery starts well, and doesn’t waiver on the way to the logical climax. I might have a niggle or two with it, but I’m being nitpicky here. Reece has recently come out to himself, and I appreciated how that subplot was handled as well. If you are looking for a new cozy series, you won’t go wrong picking this one up. Me? I’m waiting for the sequel.