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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated Player Elimination in Books
Nov 13, 2025
Who Eliminated Wren’s Landlord?
Wren Winters is running the game story she and her late husband started in a small college town. Her biggest issue is her landlord, who is talking about doing something new with her building despite the fact that he uses the game store to try out new solo games himself. But one morning she arrives at the store to find the police there. Someone has murdered her landlord. But who?
I’ve gotten back into games the last couple of years, so I was hoping this would be a good cozy mystery with that theme. Sadly, it needed just a bit more. There is one character who uses they/them pronouns that I found distracting, but that’s probably mostly on me. Overall, the characters were a little flat. The mystery was uneven, although the ending was good. Even the games Wren and her friends played didn’t give us the details I was hoping to enjoy. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll continue this series.
I’ve gotten back into games the last couple of years, so I was hoping this would be a good cozy mystery with that theme. Sadly, it needed just a bit more. There is one character who uses they/them pronouns that I found distracting, but that’s probably mostly on me. Overall, the characters were a little flat. The mystery was uneven, although the ending was good. Even the games Wren and her friends played didn’t give us the details I was hoping to enjoy. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll continue this series.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated The Gun Also Rises in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Hunt for Hemingway Treasure
Sarah Winston has been hired to organize a book sale for Mrs. Belle Winthrop Granville, III, focusing on Belle's massive mystery collection. But sandwiched in between the Trixie Belden, Hardy Boys, Agatha Christie, and Ann Cleeves books, she finds what appears to be the Hemingway manuscripts that went miss from a train in Paris in the 1920's. Belle is just as shocked to see them as Sarah is. But a couple of hours later, Belle has been attacked, the manuscripts are missing, and someone is dead. What has Sarah stumbled into this time?
Once again, we are treated to a fabulous mystery that is more treasure hunt than strict cozy murder mystery. Not that I'm complaining in the slightest. The pace never slows down as we jump from one thing to another as Sarah tries to figure out what happened before her life spins even further out of control. We don't see as much of some of the series regulars, but we do get to see more of others, and I liked how relationships were growing here. Naturally, the book is filled with well-developed new characters. The mentions of various mystery books made me smile. The sub-plots involving the air force base were really well done and once again spotlighted some of the real issues those who sacrifice so much for this country go through, both those serving and their families. This is a strong entry in a series that keeps getting better.
Once again, we are treated to a fabulous mystery that is more treasure hunt than strict cozy murder mystery. Not that I'm complaining in the slightest. The pace never slows down as we jump from one thing to another as Sarah tries to figure out what happened before her life spins even further out of control. We don't see as much of some of the series regulars, but we do get to see more of others, and I liked how relationships were growing here. Naturally, the book is filled with well-developed new characters. The mentions of various mystery books made me smile. The sub-plots involving the air force base were really well done and once again spotlighted some of the real issues those who sacrifice so much for this country go through, both those serving and their families. This is a strong entry in a series that keeps getting better.
Home Again: Starting Over: The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series, Book 4
8.5
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Things in The Sisters are heating up, and Madison Reynolds is in the hot seat. When a local woman...
mystery cozy mystery fiction adult series murder
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated Six Cats a Slayin' in Books
Oct 24, 2018
Kittens and Murder at Christmas
Charlie Harris's feline family has grown quite a bit. Someone left him a box with five kittens in it, and he's taking care of them while trying to track down the owner so he can figure out what to do with them next. Fortunately, Charlie's Maine Coon cat, Diesel, has taken to the kittens and is helping take care of them as only a cat can. That isn't the only problem Charlie is facing this Christmas, however. There's also his new neighbor Geraldine "Call Me Gerry" Albritton. Gerry is rubbing everyone the wrong way, including Charlie. Charlie isn't prepared for murder, however, and when one happens, he begins to investigate. What will he uncover?
Fans of this series know to expect a wonderful puzzle wrapped in a cozy shell, and that's just what we get here, with the Christmas setting only helping the cozy feeling. The mystery of the kittens occupies much of the early book while the foundations of the main mystery are being laid. Once the dead body turns up, we focus more on that with the kittens taking their place as a sub-plot. The twists of the mystery keep the pages flying, and the story takes a more serious tone. That tone provides a nice contrast to the Christmas season and the kittens, both of which keep the book from becoming too dark. I was thrilled to get to spend so much time with the series regulars; I just love Charlie's family and extended family. This book left me with happy tears in my eyes and Christmas carols in my head. What more could you want?
Fans of this series know to expect a wonderful puzzle wrapped in a cozy shell, and that's just what we get here, with the Christmas setting only helping the cozy feeling. The mystery of the kittens occupies much of the early book while the foundations of the main mystery are being laid. Once the dead body turns up, we focus more on that with the kittens taking their place as a sub-plot. The twists of the mystery keep the pages flying, and the story takes a more serious tone. That tone provides a nice contrast to the Christmas season and the kittens, both of which keep the book from becoming too dark. I was thrilled to get to spend so much time with the series regulars; I just love Charlie's family and extended family. This book left me with happy tears in my eyes and Christmas carols in my head. What more could you want?
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated Snow White Red-Handed (Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Prue and Ophelia take on jobs as maids to the Coops, Americans who are traveling to their castle in Germany’s black forest. Almost as soon as they’ve arrived, a cottage is discovered on the property that looks like a dwarf cottage, and fairytale experts are brought in. The next day, Mr. Coop is poisoned with an apple. What have Prue and Ophelia gotten themselves into?
I love fairytales and fairytale reimaginings, so I had to give this cozy mystery series a try. It was so much fun. The story was fast paced, and the fairytale aspect provided a nice twist to the cozy formula. The characters were sharp as well, and the author made perfect use of a multiple viewpoint story. Can’t wait for the sequel.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-snow-white-red-handed-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I love fairytales and fairytale reimaginings, so I had to give this cozy mystery series a try. It was so much fun. The story was fast paced, and the fairytale aspect provided a nice twist to the cozy formula. The characters were sharp as well, and the author made perfect use of a multiple viewpoint story. Can’t wait for the sequel.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-snow-white-red-handed-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Midge (525 KP) rated A Case of Bier in Books
Feb 14, 2019
An Enjoyable Cozy Mystery
An enjoyable, cute cozy mystery! This is the first book I have read by Mary Daheim and it won't be my last.
After a busy summer, Judith McMonigle Flynn desperately needs a holiday. Her thoughtful husband, Joe, surprises her with a trip to the Canadian Rockies. Thrilled to be getting away, Judith’s overjoyed when Cousin Renie and Bill agree to join them. Though the husbands have made the arrangements, how bad can a short time away in the beautiful mountains be? Judith and Renie are about to find out!
However, the other guests who are camping nearby, are rather strange and peculiar. They’ve gathered on the mountainside to give a relative a proper and permanent send-off, but Judith realises that paying their respects might be a little premature. It’s up to her and Renie to save a would-be corpse from an early date with death.
I really enjoyed the main character and her husband. There was a lot of good humour in this book, which helped with the cozy atmosphere and I loved the random approach they had when trying to solve the case.
A CASE OF BIER is entertaining and a fairly fast read, with a quick pace. I was able to follow the characters and their backgrounds without any problem, even though I haven't read any of the previous books in this series. I would like to read the other books since I enjoyed this one.
Thank you to Edelweiss, William Morrow and Mary Daheim for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
After a busy summer, Judith McMonigle Flynn desperately needs a holiday. Her thoughtful husband, Joe, surprises her with a trip to the Canadian Rockies. Thrilled to be getting away, Judith’s overjoyed when Cousin Renie and Bill agree to join them. Though the husbands have made the arrangements, how bad can a short time away in the beautiful mountains be? Judith and Renie are about to find out!
However, the other guests who are camping nearby, are rather strange and peculiar. They’ve gathered on the mountainside to give a relative a proper and permanent send-off, but Judith realises that paying their respects might be a little premature. It’s up to her and Renie to save a would-be corpse from an early date with death.
I really enjoyed the main character and her husband. There was a lot of good humour in this book, which helped with the cozy atmosphere and I loved the random approach they had when trying to solve the case.
A CASE OF BIER is entertaining and a fairly fast read, with a quick pace. I was able to follow the characters and their backgrounds without any problem, even though I haven't read any of the previous books in this series. I would like to read the other books since I enjoyed this one.
Thank you to Edelweiss, William Morrow and Mary Daheim for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Apr 26, 2022
The Drop-Dead Temple of Doom (The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries)
10.0
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A MOUTHFUL OF POISON FROG…. WHERE’S THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE? Ace detective Lee Alvarez is...
Cozy Mystery archeology Private Detective
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated Birth of the Black Orchids in Books
Mar 25, 2026
Two Cozy Stories Introduce Us to a Fun New Trio
This book is really two separate longish short stories that introduce us to JD Thomas and his friends Dianne Cortez and Johnny Ly. They have moved into a mansion in the town of Beauchamp, Texas. They have separate rooms upstairs and are opening businesses downstairs, lawyer, accountant, and vet. Days before Christmas, they hold an open house to show off the renovations and promote their businesses. Might something go wrong? Then, a couple of weeks later, a neighbor they are supposed to be helping vanishes. Where might she have gone?
I really did love meeting these characters. You can feel the bonds of friendship between them. However, the mystery in neither story is super strong. The Christmas setting of the first story helps with the cozy vibes. And if you are looking for those vibes, you won’t be disappointed to pick up this book.
I really did love meeting these characters. You can feel the bonds of friendship between them. However, the mystery in neither story is super strong. The Christmas setting of the first story helps with the cozy vibes. And if you are looking for those vibes, you won’t be disappointed to pick up this book.
Sue (5 KP) rated The Cupcake Caper (Undercover Cat, #1) in Books
Apr 23, 2018
Dr. Bree Mayfield-Watson is most comfortable solving chemistry problems and logically looking at things. She never signed up to find her boss murdered in a secured building and is considered the number one suspect. Who wanted him dead and why are they framing Bree?
Unlike most cozy mysteries, Bree is not your average amateur detective doing illogical and impulsive things to solve the mystery. Refreshingly, she uses her brain, keen sense of observation, and trusty notebook to analyze the facts and formulate who is the real murderer.
My favorite part was being caught up in who the potential murder was and then finding out I was so wrong!
Unlike most cozy mysteries, Bree is not your average amateur detective doing illogical and impulsive things to solve the mystery. Refreshingly, she uses her brain, keen sense of observation, and trusty notebook to analyze the facts and formulate who is the real murderer.
My favorite part was being caught up in who the potential murder was and then finding out I was so wrong!