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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2591 KP) rated Welcome Home to Murder in Books
Jan 17, 2025
Retired From the Army Doesn’t Mean the End to Dead Bodies
Tessa Treslow left her hometown in Idaho as soon as she graduated from high school. She’s now spent over twenty years in the army and is ready to retire. Since she still doesn’t know what she is going to do with the rest of her life, she agrees to return to New Oslo for an extended visit. While reuniting with her parents and aunt, she senses that there is something they are keeping from her. But she learns more in the more horrific way when she and her aunt find a dead body in the garage her aunt runs. The police, in the form of Tessa’s high school boyfriend, feel that her family has the perfect motive. Can Tessa figure out what really happened?
This series debut has been on my radar for a while, and I’m glad I finally got to pick it up. It has some twists on the familiar cozy tropes, and I enjoyed those. There is a depth to the characters I appreciated, and I also liked that we got details about Tessa and the others over the course of the book without any data dumps. The mystery had a few pacing issues in the middle, but overall, it was good with plenty of red herrings and a logical climax. I’m looking forward to seeing what else Tessa can find in her hometown.
This series debut has been on my radar for a while, and I’m glad I finally got to pick it up. It has some twists on the familiar cozy tropes, and I enjoyed those. There is a depth to the characters I appreciated, and I also liked that we got details about Tessa and the others over the course of the book without any data dumps. The mystery had a few pacing issues in the middle, but overall, it was good with plenty of red herrings and a logical climax. I’m looking forward to seeing what else Tessa can find in her hometown.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2591 KP) rated The Bush Tea Murder (A Caribbean Island Mystery #1) in Books
Apr 24, 2026
Naomi Solves Her First…Side Quest
Naomi Sinclair is a culinary journalist living her dream with her job at EAT TV hosting a show where she gets to interview chefs. When a potential new show investigating culinary related cold cases is presented to her, she immediately thinks of a famous case on her native St. Thomas. Four decades ago, the owner of a tea company on the island was killed while locked in her office. It’s the perfect case for her potential pilot. But will she be able to solve it?
The premise and setting appealed to me, so I decided to give this one a try. Sadly, the structure let it down. We get a series of short stories that tie in to the overall mystery only slightly. They feel like side quests. We also have a framing story of Naomi talking about all of this to executives of her TV network. When I realized how different the structure would be, I tried to give it a fair shot, but it truly didn’t work for me. On the other hand, I loved the characters and the setting, and the writing brought them both to life wonderfully. Also, keep in mind that there’s a bit of foul language for what I would have otherwise considered a cozy. If the next in the series has a more traditional structure, I would definitely read it.
The premise and setting appealed to me, so I decided to give this one a try. Sadly, the structure let it down. We get a series of short stories that tie in to the overall mystery only slightly. They feel like side quests. We also have a framing story of Naomi talking about all of this to executives of her TV network. When I realized how different the structure would be, I tried to give it a fair shot, but it truly didn’t work for me. On the other hand, I loved the characters and the setting, and the writing brought them both to life wonderfully. Also, keep in mind that there’s a bit of foul language for what I would have otherwise considered a cozy. If the next in the series has a more traditional structure, I would definitely read it.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2591 KP) rated Frosted Yuletide Murder in Books
Dec 19, 2021
Delectable Christmas Fun
Emory Martinez and her twin sister Carrie are not happy to discover that their mystery client for a Christmas party is Blair, an old high school nemesis. As the evening progresses, Blair continues with her abuse of Carrie, but she gets into fights with others at the party as well. When Emory and Carrie return to the location of the party the next morning, they find Blair’s dead body. The rumors and evidence seem to be pointing to the sisters. Can Emory figure out what happened before either of them spends the holiday in jail?
Before we go any further, I do want to issue a warning – this book spoils some events in the lives of the characters from previous books in the series. If you aren’t up to date, don’t start here. As a Southern California resident, I enjoyed this book’s setting since its depiction of weather in December made me feel right at home. The plot is filled with events that kept me engaged. I did feel the climax was a bit weak, but overall, I still enjoyed the book. One reason is the characters. Yes, the suspects are strong, but I’m talking the series regulars. I love getting to spend time with all of them, and fans of the series will be interested in seeing the latest developments in Emory’s life. You’ll want to work this Christmas cozy into your reading schedule as soon as you can.
Before we go any further, I do want to issue a warning – this book spoils some events in the lives of the characters from previous books in the series. If you aren’t up to date, don’t start here. As a Southern California resident, I enjoyed this book’s setting since its depiction of weather in December made me feel right at home. The plot is filled with events that kept me engaged. I did feel the climax was a bit weak, but overall, I still enjoyed the book. One reason is the characters. Yes, the suspects are strong, but I’m talking the series regulars. I love getting to spend time with all of them, and fans of the series will be interested in seeing the latest developments in Emory’s life. You’ll want to work this Christmas cozy into your reading schedule as soon as you can.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Jul 30, 2022
Gone but Not Furgotten
5.0
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In Gone but Not Furgotten, the sixth in Cate Conte's Cat Café beloved cozy mystery series, Daybreak...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2591 KP) rated A Dish to Die for in Books
Aug 10, 2022
Murder on a Neighboring Key
Even when you live in paradise, you need a break. That’s why Hayley Snow is taking a few hours with her friend Eric and their dogs and heading to a beach on one of the nearby islands. However, the day takes a sad turn when Hayley’s dog finds a dead body half buried in the sand. The man was G.G. Garcia, a Key West developer who had a bad reputation. The local police think there is something suspicious about his death, and Hayley gets pulled into the investigation. Will she figure out what really happened?
I’ve fallen in love with Key West thanks to this series, and I was happy to be back. Sadly, the mystery was very weak. Even the characters got frustrated by their lack of progress throughout the book. Plus, the victim was a little too evil, with a few things that felt thrown in just to make other characters feel virtuous. The book gets a little dark and edgy for a cozy as well. Finally, there’s a subplot that comes across as half-baked, the characters involved definitely deserved better. On the other hand, I really did enjoy the location and the series regulars. Nathan, Hayley’s husband, gets some good development thanks to a visit from his estranged father. If you are new to the series, this isn’t the book for you, but fans will enjoy catching up with the characters.
I’ve fallen in love with Key West thanks to this series, and I was happy to be back. Sadly, the mystery was very weak. Even the characters got frustrated by their lack of progress throughout the book. Plus, the victim was a little too evil, with a few things that felt thrown in just to make other characters feel virtuous. The book gets a little dark and edgy for a cozy as well. Finally, there’s a subplot that comes across as half-baked, the characters involved definitely deserved better. On the other hand, I really did enjoy the location and the series regulars. Nathan, Hayley’s husband, gets some good development thanks to a visit from his estranged father. If you are new to the series, this isn’t the book for you, but fans will enjoy catching up with the characters.
Death by Bubble Tea
8.0
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Two cousins who start a food stall at their local night market get a serving of murder in this first...
Halloween Hoedowns Can be Deadly
10.0
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Spooky decorations. Murderous intentions. It’s not a party until someone ends up dead. Bluebonnet...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2591 KP) rated Hot Pot Murder in Books
Jun 14, 2023
Shocking Ending to a Festive Meal
Yale Yee and her cousin Celine are celebrating Thanksgiving with a local association of Asian restaurant owners. Since Yale’s father has been a member for years, she knows most of the members, but she’s still surprised at the tensions bubbling beneath the surface at the hot pot celebration. Then the group’s president dies when he goes to plug in an extension cord. The police start looking at it as murder, and Yale can’t help but get involved in trying to figure out what really happened. If it was murder, can she prove it?
I enjoyed meeting Yale and Celine in the first book in this series, and I’m happy to say they were fantastic once again. Not only does their relationship with each other grow, but they also grow individually, which I enjoyed watching. While the suspects could be a tad stronger, it’s a minor point, and I enjoyed spending time with the rest of the returning characters. The mystery is strong with several great twists, and I loved the way the climax played out. While the majority of the action takes place in a fictional neighborhood in L.A., I enjoyed it when we visited some real parts of the city. There are also two recipes at the end of the book. If you are looking for a cozy with a bit of a different setting and strong leads, you need to check out this series.
I enjoyed meeting Yale and Celine in the first book in this series, and I’m happy to say they were fantastic once again. Not only does their relationship with each other grow, but they also grow individually, which I enjoyed watching. While the suspects could be a tad stronger, it’s a minor point, and I enjoyed spending time with the rest of the returning characters. The mystery is strong with several great twists, and I loved the way the climax played out. While the majority of the action takes place in a fictional neighborhood in L.A., I enjoyed it when we visited some real parts of the city. There are also two recipes at the end of the book. If you are looking for a cozy with a bit of a different setting and strong leads, you need to check out this series.