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The Killer in Me (Benoit and Dayne Mystery #1)
The Killer in Me (Benoit and Dayne Mystery #1)
Winter Austin | 2021 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What a cracking start to what promises to be an intense series!
    

    The Killer in Me is easy to get in to and hard to put down. I put everything on hold to keep reading and I don't regret it. There's mystery, murder and surprises, which always gets my vote, not to mention corruption and long standing fueds. I'd love to say I guessed everything straight away but I didn't, I had suspicions though (changed my mind a few times too!)

It's good to see some strong female characters. Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit and Deputy Lila Dayne form a good relationship and both show strength when needed.
    This could possibly be read as a standalone but there are unanswered questions for Lila.

I'd class this as an adult read, one to have a cozy evening in with.
  
Hercules and Owen (the magical cats the series is named for), the charming characters, the interesting premise, and the cinnamon rolls (0 more)
Sometimes it's difficult to keep track of all the different characters. Also the ending was kind of anti-climactic. (0 more)
Curiosity thrilled this reader too
This is a great start to a fun cozy series. Kathleen, our heroine, is fairly believable, for the most part. Her quirks are unusual, but so are her cats, Hercules and Owen. As an almost-new-to-the-area librarian, in a library needing many renovations, she meets many interesting people, including Gregor Easton, our victim. There are incidents, near misses, and several Fred the Funky Chickens involved before justice is served.

I've read this series through three times so far, and I'm working on a fourth run-through because of the new book Paws and Effect. I'd definitely recommend it to others.
  
Georgia and Scott are back to compete on a second reality show, this one a race across Europe with challenges along the way. But the night before the race even begins, Scott disappears and a woman is murdered. With the police certain that Scott is a killer, Georgia must find him and prove his innocence. Can she do it?

This was a wonderfully creative cozy. The mystery kept me guessing until the end, and the disappearance added a nice element to the story. The characters were strong as well. The race aspect was kept as a sub-plot, and the location in Spain was brought to life so much that I now want to visit.

NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-review-second-chance-at-murder-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
New history professor Jaya Jones is trying to process the death of her ex-boyfriend when she receives a package in the mail from him that contains a bracelet. It looks to be old and possibly valuable. Now, she’s wondering if he really died in an accident like everyone thinks or if it was murder. And what is the story of the bracelet?

While I always enjoy a cozy mystery, I love when an author adds something else, which is the case here. I was hoping for a caper feel to things, and this book delivered on that perfectly. Between the mystery and the treasure hunt, there is always something going on. Along the way, we get to meet a great cast of characters. I’ll definitely be back for more.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/09/book-review-artifact-by-gigi-pandian.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
TT
Truffled to Death
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Michelle are Erica are pleased when their combined chocolate and bookstore is chosen to host a reception to honor a donation of ancient Maya artifacts to a local museum. However, the day after the reception, the artifacts are missing, and a day later someone is murdered. Can the friends figure out what is going on?

I enjoyed the first book, but I liked this one even more. The characters are strong, and I loved seeing how the returning characters developed further over the course of the book. The plots was strong, and because of the subject matter included more than the typical cozy plot, which I also enjoyed. I’m already looking forward to book three.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-truffled-to-death-by-kathy.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
After her second disastrous wedding happened without her getting married, Eva Knox retreated to her family’s plantation in Georgia. She’s hardly been back a week before she stumbles over a dead body in the olive grove. With the local gossip insisting she knows what happened, Eva starts poking around to figure out what really happened. Can she clear her name?

This debut was definitely a mixed bag. The plot had some nice twists and nice twists on the cozy formula, which I appreciated. On the other hand, Eva sometimes was just handed the information she needed or acted very stupidly to get it. Some characters were interesting while others are very cliche. If the premise sounds interesting, give it a shot, but it won’t be for everyone.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/11/book-review-one-foot-in-grove-by-kelly.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Class Reunions Are Murder (A Poppy McAllister Mystery #1)
Class Reunions Are Murder (A Poppy McAllister Mystery #1)
Libby Klein | 2018 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Mystery
10
8.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
This, the first book in the Poppy McAllister series, was a five star read for me. Maybe even 6. I loved Poppy’s continual inner monologue. I loved the way I could actually relate to her. I loved the way she learned to believe in herself. I loved Fig! It was refreshing to have a cat in a cozy series who was so completely self-absorbed and cat-like.

A well-thought-out mystery to top it all off kept me engrossed enough to finish this book in a single sitting. If you enjoy a clever, humorous mystery with a loveable protagonist that you just want good things to happen to, go get yourself a copy of Class Reunions Are Murder. You will not be disappointed.

<i>Note: Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a free copy of the book.</i>