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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2456 KP) rated Scone Cold Killer in Books

Jun 23, 2022  
Scone Cold Killer
Scone Cold Killer
Lena Gregory | 2018 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Gia Finds Trying to Outrun Her Past is Murder
Gia Morelli is trying to put her ex-husband’s financial scandal behind her as she moves from New York City to central Florida. Not only is she closer to her best friend, but she’s opening her own diner, the All-Day Breakfast Café. Her first day ends horribly, however, when she finds her ex in the dumpster behind the restaurant. What was he doing in Florida? Who killed him?

I love breakfast, so the hook of this series definitely appealed to me. While Gia’s phobias were a little over the top for me, I loved the character’s overall. The relationships Gia is forming are strong, and I can’t wait to spend more time with everyone. The story starts quickly, but it could have been a little stronger overall. Still, I couldn’t put the book down, finishing it in just a couple of days. Sadly, we don’t get any breakfast food recipes here, but the food talk definitely made me crave breakfast while I was reading. Overall, this was a solid debut, and I would definitely enjoy spending more time with the characters in the future.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2456 KP) rated Murder in Manhattan in Books

Dec 10, 2025 - 6:01 AM  
Murder in Manhattan
Murder in Manhattan
Julie Mulhern | 2025 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Freddie’s First Case Gets off to an Uneven Start
Freddie Archer is a columnist for Gotham Magazine focusing on fashion and gossip, but when she mentions someone in her column that turns up murdered, the police ask for her help in identifying the victim’s companion. Not content to just observe and report back, Freddie soon finds herself getting in over her head, especially as the body count starts to rise. Can she identify the culprit?

I’ve enjoyed some of the author’s other books, but this one was very uneven. While Freddie’s world of 1925 New York City came alive early on, it really slowed down the plot to the point I was getting annoyed by Freddie and the name dropping of famous people in the book. Once the story really took off, it got better. I grew to like Freddie, and I enjoyed seeing her famous friends. Still, there was a thread that just got dropped on the way to an otherwise logical climax. There’s a sheen of humor to the story that balances out the more serious moments. I’ll give this series another try, but hopefully, the next is overall stronger.