The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols by Nicholas Meyer

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing ”The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols” by Nicholas Meyer. I enjoyed this book and plan on eventually reading the first one.

With the international bestseller The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, Nicholas Meyer brought to light a previously unpublished case of Sherlock Holmes, as recorded by Dr. John H. Watson. Now Meyer returns with a shocking discovery—an unknown case drawn from a recently unearthed Watson journal.

January 1905: Holmes and Watson are summoned by Holmes' brother Mycroft to undertake a clandestine investigation. An agent of the British Secret Service has been found floating in the Thames, carrying a manuscript smuggled into England at the cost of her life. The pages purport to be the minutes of a meeting of a secret group intent on nothing less than taking over the world.

Based on real events, the adventure takes the famed duo—in the company of a bewitching woman—aboard the Orient Express from Paris into the heart of Tsarist Russia, where Holmes and Watson attempt to trace the origins of this explosive document. On their heels are desperate men of unknown allegiance, determined to prevent them from achieving their task. And what they uncover is a conspiracy so vast as to challenge Sherlock Holmes as never before.

I found the story to be slow moving at first but I eventually got into it. Overall I enjoyed it and found it to be an intriguing read that I would recommend to Sherlock fans.  

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from St. Martins Press and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!
I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

Hugs,

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Fatal Roots by Sheila Connelly

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing ”Fatal Roots” the 8th instalment in “A County Cork Mystery” series by Sheila Connelly.   I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have purchased a few of the previous books.

Some secrets are too big to stay buried...

A few months ago, Boston expat Maura Donovan was rekindled with her mother after more than twenty years of absence. Since then, Maura has been getting accustomed to Irish living, complete with an inherited house and a pub named Sullivan's. But now, her mother has returned--and she's brought Maura's half-sister in tow. To make matters more confusing, a handful of Cork University students are knocking on Maura's door asking about a mystical fairy fort that happens to be located on Maura's piece of land.

The lore indicates that messing with the fort can cause bad luck, and most everyone is telling Maura not to get too involved for fear of its powers, but Maura is curious about her own land, and she definitely doesn't buy into the superstition. Then one of the students disappears after a day of scoping out the fort on Maura's property.

Maura treads carefully, asking the folks around town who might have an idea, but no one wants anything to do with these forts. She has to take matters into her own hand--it's her land, after all. But when she uncovers a decades-old corpse buried in the center of the fort, nothing is for certain.

Even though this is the first book I have read in the series I was able to follow along easily so it can be read as a stand alone.  I really enjoyed it and have since purchased a few other books in the series.

The protagonist Maura is a strong, independent woman who is finding out who she is and where her family came from. The characters are well rounded and seem real as I could relate to each of them. The town of Leap in County Cork is interesting, and the author brought the area to life with her descriptions. 

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and there are plenty of twists and turns in this story. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on who the body was right to the very end. There is also the secondary story of Maura and her mother Helen, along with half sister Susan and where it is heading. Overall the story moves at a steady pace, but I did take longer to finish than normal and I’m not sure if that was to do with the holidays.

I recommend this book to all my mystery lover friends, and plan on buying the complete series.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!
I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

Hugs,

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Fan Mail by Daryl Wood Gerber

Hello my cozy friends,

Happy Boxing Day! I am forgoing the sales to read and relax at home with all the furbabies. (will post next week about the new additions to our family)

Today I am reviewing "Fan Mail" the 2nd instalment in the “An Aspen Adams” Suspense series by Daryl Wood Gerber. If you haven’t read Desolate Shores yet, you can read as a standalone.

Fan Mail: An Aspen Adams Novel of Suspense by Daryl Wood Gerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An adoring fan and a string of murders: a demented show of love that leaves no one safe . . .

Local celebrity news anchor Gloria Morning is used to receiving declarations of love and praise in her weekly fan letters, but when a Lake Tahoe doctor is murdered and she gets an anonymous note telling her it was done for her glory, her appreciation turns to panic. Unsure of where else to turn, she enlists the help of novice private investigator Aspen Adams. No sooner does Aspen begin digging into who sent the macabre note than another murder occurs, followed by another note, and she soon realizes she’s up against a ruthless and deranged killer.

Working with scant clues and a puzzling array of potential suspects, Aspen is determined to unearth the elusive connection between the victims and her client. But as the body count grows and the murderer remains a mystery to both her and the police, Aspen discovers she’s gotten closer to the killer than she ever imagined, and now she must risk everything she holds dear to stop the killings, including her own life . . .

I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it in one sitting. It was entertaining, suspenseful and full of twists and turns. I thought all the characters were well developed. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

View all my reviews

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!
I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

Hugs,

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

A Field Guide to Homicide by Lynn Cahoon

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “A Field Guide to Homicide” the 6th instalment in the Cat Latimer mystery series by Lynn Cahoon. As always I found this story to be a quick and enjoyable read. I love this series and was super happy to get an Advanced Readers Copy.

A Field Guide to Homicide by Lynn Cahoon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cat Latimer and her writer’s retreat group go on a hiking trip—but a murderer has been lurking off the beaten path . . .

Cat’s sweetheart, Seth, is going all out on an outing into the local mountains—for the benefit of the writing group Cat’s hosting at her Colorado B&B. But when they try to identify some plant and animal life, they find death instead. The body belongs to a man with a gold claim a few miles away. Instead of striking it rich, he’s been struck down.

To his surprise, Seth recognizes the victim from his military days—and up to now believed he’d already died during his last tour of duty. Now Cat has to solve this mystery before the killer takes a hike . . .

I love the main set of characters Cat, Shauna, Seth and Uncle Pete they feel like family/friends. The characters are well developed and interesting. One thing I like about this series is that we get a look at writing as a profession and what authors have to do to get published.

I was pulled in from the very beginning and didn’t stop till the end. The mystery was well plotted and moved along at an even pace. There are only a few suspects for the murder and you find yourself second guessing on who the murder can be. Overall I found this to be a great story.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy friends.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Kensington Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!
I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

Hugs,

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Address For Murder by Tonya Kappes

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing Address for Murder by Tonya Kappes.

Address For Murder by Tonya Kappes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Address for a murder is the second instalment in the Mail Carrier Mystery Series by Tonya Kappes. I loved returning to Sugar Creek Gap Kentucky and finding out what’s been happening with Bernadette, Mac, the Front Porch Ladies and we can’t forget Rowena.

Mail Carrier Bernadette Butler makes sure she checks on all of her elderly customers on her mail carrier route during the colder months. It makes her feel good and lets face it, she's trying to keep her mind off the feelings she's having for her deceased husband's best friend, Mac Tabor. Which makes putting everyone before her is easy.

Until she notices one particular customer's dog (Buster) is on the loose, Bernadette takes the dog back and something isn't right. The door is open. Bernadette goes in to check on her customer only to find him murdered!

Bernadette knows someone knows something about the murder in the small knit community. Now that she's help solve one murder, she can't resist to try her hand at it again...of course not without the help of the FRONT PORCH LADIES and Vince!

I enjoyed this instalment so much, it was even better than the first Stamped Out! Tonya Kappes has done it again writing another fantastic mystery series with characters I love and want to get to know better. I love that Bernadette aka Bernie is in her 50’s I can relate to her and life’s situations easier ("We can't help it if we are old and can't sleep.")

I always know that if I need to escape for a little while that I can pick up one of Tonya’s books and be transported into a town with people I want as neighbors and friends. The stories are well written, filled with humour, compassion and a little murder.

There were just enough suspects, twists and turns to keep me guessing and not wanting to put the book down! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves cozy mysteries.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!
I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

Hugs,

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Silent Knit, Deadly Knit

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing Silent Knit, Deadly Knit by Peggy Ehrhart.

Silent Knit, Deadly Knit by Peggy Ehrhart
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Silent Knit, Deadly Knit is the 4th instalment in the “ A Knit & Nibble” Mystery by Peggy Ehrhart. I like this series and enjoyed this book.

When murder silences the Christmas cheer in charming Arborville, New Jersey, Pamela and her Knit and Nibble pals must unravel the most bone-chilling mystery this side of the North Pole . . .

Pamela has been in merry spirits since her artsy daughter Penny returned home from college for the holidays. But their mother-daughter bonding time gets cut short when a terrified Penny stumbles upon the dumped body of Millicent Farthingale, a wealthy craft shop owner who was popular for all the wrong reasons. From a scheming business partner to a seedy husband several years her junior, Millicent attracted scammers so in love with her assets, they’d toss her down a chimney to get their paws on them. Now, with only a hand-knit red scarf connecting the killer to the crime, Pamela and the Knit and Nibblers could use some extra creativity as they find out who’s really naughty or nice in Arborville—because going up against a looming culprit is DIY or die!

The cast of characters are likable and I enjoy the friendship between Pamela and her neighbours Wilfred and Bettina. The mystery seemed to not be the main focus of this book but rather on the characters. The mystery was good, lots of twists and turns and red herrings which kept me guessing till the end. I wouldn't say this is a fast read like some of the cozies I read but one I read over several days.

I look forward to reading the next installment.

I requested and received an Advanced Reader Copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog! I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers. Hugs,

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

An Incantation of Cats by Clea Simon

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing Incantation of Cats the 2nd book in the “A Witch Cats of Cambridge Mystery” series by Clea Simon. It can be read as a stand-alone but I found myself wondering what happened in the first book. I have now purchased it and hope to be all caught up.

An Incantation of Cats by Clea Simon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When two new clients seek Becca’s professional services, the fledgling witch detective is overjoyed. Finally, she can use her skills to help her magical community. But as the young witch finds the new cases intertwining, things grow more complicated. Becca’s three cats – the ones with the real power – can smell something is wrong with these clients. But not even Clara, the calico, knows what to do when a man ends up dead and a powerful and poisonous root appears – and disappears – in the case. To make matters worse, Clara and her littermates are feuding – and she can’t tell them about an unsettling interaction she’s had with one of the client’s sisters. Is it possible that some humans may have the same powers as the magical felines? What does that mean for Clara’s beloved Becca – and for the potent poison that has already taken one person’s life? In this second Witch Cats of Cambridge mystery, Clara and her sisters must learn to work together if they are to save the person they all love.

I enjoyed the setting of Cambridge , along with Becca’s BFF Maddy who tried to keep her out of trouble. The story is told from the cats perspective and I enjoyed that. I found the secondary story was to do with true friendship and how no matter what they stick by you. In the case of the cats it was siblings who learn that no matter what squabbles they have they will always have your back. Clara the chubby calico was the center of the story as she discovered her true abilities as well as trying to protect her person and I always love when a furbaby is center stage in a book. I had a huge smile on my face by the time I finished this book!

The mystery was well written with plenty of twists and turns and had a steady pace, even had a few surprises. I suspected but didn’t fully figure out whodunit until it was revealed at the end.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal mysteries and cats.

I requested and received an Advanced Reader Copy from Polis Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog! I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers. Hugs,

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Unboxing Tonya Kappes December Cozy Mystery box

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am showing the Cozy Mystery Box I received from Tonya Kappes!

I loved it so much I ordered the February box!

 
If you are interested in getting the next box which I think will be April, sign up for Tonya's newsletter.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!
I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

Hugs,

Follow my blog with Bloglovin