Hollyberry Homicide by Sharon Farrow

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Hollyberry Homicide" the 5th instalment in the "A Berry Basket Mystery" series by Sharon Farrow.  This can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading in order.   I found it to be a fun and entertaining Christmas read.

A cold wind is blowing off Lake Michigan, and murder is scaring the dickens out of everyone . . .

 
Considering her name, Marlee Jacob is an obvious choice for the role of Jacob Marley in Oriole Point’s production of A Christmas Carol. It’s just sad that the role has opened up because of the death of the elderly actor who’d originally been cast.
 
But Marlee, the proprietor of The Berry Basket, will do her best to keep spirits high—that is, until clues start mounting that there’s danger behind the scenes. There are accidents on set, the tree in the village square topples over, and worst of all, a body is found with a sprig of holly draped over it. If Marlee can’t wrap up the case, she may not have a berry merry Christmas . . .
 
Includes Berry Recipes!

I really enjoyed this story, and it has made me want to catch up on the series.  I have several books in my TBR pile. I loved all the Christmas cheer and the friendships between the main characters.

The mystery was interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed.
I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end.   I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington 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,

A Garland of Bones by Carolyn Haines

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing  "A Garland of Bones" by Carolyn Haines the 22nd instalment in the "A Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery" series. I really enjoy this series.

Spunky southern private investigator Sarah Booth Delaney tackles a string of strange accidents while celebrating the holiday season in Carolyn Haines's cozy A Garland of Bones

Sarah Booth has traded in hosting this Christmas season for a road trip with her besties. Each little Delta town has a special Christmas activity, and Sarah Booth’s bff and detective partner, Tinkie, has arranged to rent a limo for the gang and drive to Columbus, MS, to stay in a B&B. Visions of Christmas shopping, parade floats, and romantic rendezvous are already dancing in their heads.

But Christmas cheer soon turns to Christmas fear when, at one event after another, people keep getting hurt. Christmas karaoke gets ugly when one singer’s microphone gives her an electric shock. A party during a historic home tour ends with a fall down the stairs for one of Columbus’s most disreputable “players.” And when the woman who hires Sarah Booth to find the villain behind the so-called accidents is nearly killed with an arrow during a holiday mumming, Sarah Booth knows something more sinister is at work.

The Christmas bells are ringing hauntingly in Columbus this year, and Sarah Booth and Tinkie—with a little help from hunky Sheriff Coleman Peters, of course—are determined to catch the wrong-doers and ensure they receive nothing but coal in their stockings.

I enjoyed taking a trip to Columbus, MS, to stay in a B&B with Sarah and the gang. Sarah Booth is a strong and intelligent protagonist and all the characters are fully developed. I loved that Sarah Booth and her friends took a trip away before the christmas holidays.  We were able to get a better glimpse into the personal dynamics of each relationship.  The inclusion of her haint (Dahlia House's ghost Jetty) always brings a chuckle as i can imagine what Sarah looks like talking to herself.

There were plenty of twists and turns and lots of suspects to choose from to keep you intrigued.  I found this book to be a real page-turner, suspenseful, read that had me second guessing up till the end. 

 
I highly recommend this book and series to all my cozy mystery friends. 

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book 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,

Veiled in Death by Stephanie Blackmoore

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Veiled in Death” the 6th instalment in the "Wedding Planner" Mystery series by Stephanie Blackmoore.   I have read only two other books previously and this can be read as a stand alone but you will want to read in order.

Wedding planner Mallory Shepard doesn't have time to organize her own nuptials--because right now she's engaged in solving a murder . . . 

When Mallory discovers some old lace at a Port Quincy antique shop, she knows it'll make a perfect headpiece. But she's barely gotten it out of the store before Helene Pierce tears it from her hands. Helene claims it's a family heirloom that went missing when her late husband died in a hit-and-run twenty-five years ago.

The conflict gets more complicated when the veil is attributed to none other than famed seamstress Betsy Ross. Mallory may have a genuine museum piece on her hands, but meanwhile Independence Day is right around the corner and she has to host the town's Revolutionary War re-enactment. Then it becomes clear there's a bigger mystery behind all this history when a local woman is murdered with a musket--and Mallory's investigation could set off some fireworks . . . 

I thoroughly enjoyed this story from start to finish, there was so much happening re-enactments, history, Mallory’s wedding and a little murder. There was more than one mystery to solve and I liked how it was all woven together so neatly that nothing seemed out of place. We got to know the characters their feelings, relationships and care about the outcome.  Amongst all this there were plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing on the identity of the killer.

I look forward to reading the rest of the series and book 7 when it comes out.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington 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,

Booked for Death by Victoria Gilbert

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing "Booked for Death" the 1st instalment in the "A Booklover's B&B Mystery" series by Victoria Gilbert. I think this is a great start to a new series.

From the critically acclaimed author of SIBA Okra Pick A Murder for the Books, Victoria Gilbert embarks with a new series for perfect for fans of Kate Carlisle and Juliet Blackwell.

A book lover's B&B in an idyllic waterfront village becomes the scene of a grisly murder--and a ruthless battle between treachery and the truth.

Nestled in the historic waterfront town of Beaufort, North Carolina, Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast is a reader's paradise. Built in 1770, the newly renovated inn hosts a roster of special events celebrating books, genres, and authors. It's the perfect literary retreat--until a rare book dealer turns up dead in the carriage house during a celebration of Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey.

The victim's daughter points the finger at forty-two-year-old widow and former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed, who inherited the B&B from her great-aunt Isabella. Charlotte is shocked to discover that the book dealer suspected Isabella of being a thief who founded Chapters on her ill-gotten gains. Charlotte has successfully learned the B&B business in a year, but nothing has prepared her to handle a death on the premises.

Armed with intelligence and courage and assisted by her vibrant older neighbor, a visiting author, and members of a local book club, Charlotte is determined to prove her innocence and to clear her great-aunt's name. But the murderer is still at large, and equally determined to silence anyone who might discover the truth behind the book dealer's death. Now, Charlotte must outwit an unknown killer--or end up writing her own final chapter.

I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it in almost one sitting. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises.  I did guess the killer before Charlotte but I still found this to be a fun easy read.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters of Ellen, and the Sandberg sisters and I think Charlotte and her BFF Julie will grow on me as the series unfolds.  

I can’t wait to read the next book and see how things are at Chapters B&B in Beaufort, North Carolina.

I highly recommend this book to all my cozy loving friends.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book 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,

Dead-End Detective by Amanda Flower

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “Dead-End Detective“ by Amanda Flower the first instalment in “A Piper and Porter Mystery” series.  What a great start to a new cozy mystery series!  I really enjoyed this book.

USA Today bestselling author and Agatha Award winner Amanda Flower brings charm and intrigue to her first cozy mystery for Hallmark.

Darby Piper is in shock. A seasoned female detective, she worked with Samantha Porter at the Two Girls Detective Agency. Now, Samantha is dead, and it doesn’t look like an accident. In fact, evidence is pointing toward Darby.

Darby had expected to inherit Samantha’s half of the agency, but Samantha had recently changed the will to leave it to Tate Porter, her nephew, who returns to town.

Tate is no private eye. He’s a world traveler and a veteran whose military past is also something of a mystery. But as he helps Darby delve into secret histories and real estate development plans, he proves to be a talented amateur sleuth. Will the agency have a future…even if Darby can solve this murder mystery in time?

This first in series cozy mystery includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Berry Trifle.

I really enjoyed this story, and I can’t wait for the next instalment! I adore Amanda Flower and her other cozy series so I was pretty sure I would like this but I think it is my new favourite. 

I loved Mrs. Berger and her cat Romi, who constantly got stuck in the tree.  I also enjoyed the tension between Darby, her ex Austin and Tate Porter.  I can see the love triangle forming, part of me wonders if Tate liked Darby back in school and that’s the friction between him and Austin. 

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed.
I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end.  

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Hallmark Publishing 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,

On Deadly Tides Elizabeth J. Duncan

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "On Deadly Tides” the 11th instalment in A Penny Brannigan Mystery series by Elizabeth J. Duncan.  I have read a few of the books in this series and really enjoy them, I like that the protagonist is a Canadian living in Wales. This can be read as a stand alone but recommend reading in order.

With a picturesque black and white lighthouse, pebble beaches and stunning views of sea and mountains, the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales is the perfect place for an idyllic mid-summer painting holiday.

And watercolour artist, businesswoman, and amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan is enjoying the retreat enormously - until she discovers the body of a New Zealand journalist on a secluded beach just as the tide is going out, threatening to take the body with it. 

The post mortem reveals the victim died from injuries "consistent with a fall from a great height," and the death is ruled accidental. But Penny thinks there's more to the story. Curious how the victim came to such an untimely end at this most inhospitable spot, she uncovers a link to a mysterious disappearance several years earlier. 

And as her holiday romance with a wildlife photographer turns to love, she learns some truths about herself, too, that surprise her. 

As the winds of change blow through Penny's own life, she sets sail on a friendly tide for a future she never dreamed possible, in a beautiful place she never imagined

I really enjoy this series, and I need to start at the beginning to be fully caught up.  I love the descriptions of the North Wales seaside and can picture myself walking along with Penny and her friends.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, with two murders to solve.  I liked that even though Penny was away on a weekend holiday we returned to Llanelen and we got to visit with Victoria , Mrs. Lloyd, etc. I also really enjoyed the surprise ending and can’t wait to see what’s in store for Penny.

I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends. I can’t wait for the next book to come out.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book 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,

A Death Long Overdue by Eva Gates

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "A Death Long Overdue" the 7th instalment in the "A Lighthouse Library" Mystery series by Eva Gates.  I really enjoyed this book! 

When her former director is found dead in the water, librarian Lucy Richardson will have to get to the bottom of the mystery before the killer ends her tale.

It's summertime in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Bertie James's college class is having their 40th anniversary reunion. The opening night reception is held at the Lighthouse Library and Lucy and her colleagues have assembled an exhibit of library artifacts showing how libraries have changed over the years. After the reception, some of the women take a walk down the boardwalk to the pier, using flashlights to illuminate the dark path, but what's scarier than the dark is finding the former director of the Lighthouse Library floating lifeless in the water.

Helena Sanchez, the former director, wasn't much loved and spent the party being rude to almost everyone there. As a result, Lucy finds herself in deep water as she rocks the boat, questioning several suspects. But she'll have to batten down the hatches and fast before she's left high and dry...and right in the killer's crosshairs.

This is the 2nd book I have read in the series but I had no trouble following along. I really enjoyed this story, and it has made me want to catch up on the series.  I have several books in my TBR pile. In fact I am now a fan girl for Vicki Delany/Eva Gates and bought a few books in her other series too.

The setting of the Bodie Island Lighthouse library in the Outer Banks of N.C. is a dream location that I would really love to go to. I could picture it in my mind from the descriptions which really helps make it come to life in your mind.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed. Lucy, her cousin, Bertie and her adorable cat Charles  make a good team.  I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end.   I enjoyed the sub-story with Connor too.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book 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,

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For Whom the Book Tolls by Laura Gail Black

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "For Whom the Book Tolls" the first instalment in the "An Antique Bookshop” Mystery series by Laura Gail Black. I thought this was a good start to a new cozy series.

In this cozy series debut from Laura Gail Black, Jenna Quinn finds her uncle murdered in his antique bookstore, and Jenna--his primary beneficiary--becomes the prime suspect.

Trouble follows Jenna Quinn wherever she goes. Fleeing some unsavory doings in her hometown of Charlotte, Jenna accepts her uncle's gracious invitation to stay with him in small-town Hokes Folly, NC. In exchange, she'll help him out in his antiquarian bookstore. But soon after she arrives, Jenna finds her uncle's body crumpled at the base of the staircase between his apartment and the bookstore. 

Before the tragedy even sinks in, Jenna learns that she's inherited almost everything her uncle owned: the store and apartment, as well as his not-so-meager savings and the payout from a life insurance policy...which adds up to more than a million dollars. This is all news to Jenna--bad news, once the police get wind of her windfall. An ill wind, indeed, as a second murder cements Jenna's status as the prime suspect in both deaths.

Jenna can hit the road again, taking her chances that she can elude trouble along the way. Or she can stick it out in Hokes Folly, take over the bookstore, and try to sleuth out her uncle's killer. On the one hand, she's made some wonderful new friends, and she feels she can thrive in the genial small-town environment. On the other hand, trouble knows her address--and so does the killer, who is determined to write the final page of Jenna's story.

I really enjoyed this story, there was humor, history and murders.  What’s not to like!   I read almost in one sitting but finally succumbed to sleep with only a chapter left.  

The mystery moved at a good pace, was interesting and I thought well plotted. I loved the characters living in Hokes Folly especially Rita who befriends Jenna.  I did suspect whodunnit fairly early but was never 100% sure. Overall I found it to be a very entertaining read.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends. I’m looking forward to book two to find out what Jenna does with the bookstore.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book 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,

Little Bookshop of Murder (A Beach Reads Mystery) by Maggie Blackburn

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Little Bookshop of Murder " the first instalment in the A Beach Reads Mystery series by Maggie Blackburn.

A Shakespearean scholar inherits a beachside bookshop--and a murder mystery--in this delightful new cozy series for fans of Kate Carlisle and Ellery Adams.

Summer Merriweather's career as a Shakespeare professor hangs by a bookbinder's thread. Academic life at her Virginia university is a viper's pit, so Summer spends her summer in England, researching a scholarly paper that, with any luck, will finally get her published, impress the Dean, and save her job. But her English idyll ends when her mother, Hildy, shuffles off her mortal coil from an apparent heart attack. 

Returning to Brigid's Island, NC, for the funeral, Summer is impatient to settle the estate, sell her mom's embarrassingly romance-themed bookstore, Beach Reads, and go home. But as she drops by Beach Reads, Summer finds threatening notes addressed to Hildy: "Sell the bookstore or die."

Clearly, something is rotten on Brigid's Island. What method is behind the madness? Was Hildy murdered? The police insist there's not enough evidence to launch a murder investigation. Instead, Summer and her Aunt Agatha screw their courage to the sticking place and start sleuthing, with the help of Hildy's beloved book club. But there are more suspects on Brigid's Island than are dreamt of in the Bard's darkest philosophizing. And if Summer can't find the villain, the town will be littered with a Shakespearean tragedy's worth of corpses--including her own.

I am a fan of this author so had to read this new series, I found it to be not quite as polished as some of her other books but the potential for this to become an awesome series is there. 

The mystery is interesting and I loved the characters which which seemed diverse from a scholar to a free spirit. We had a few mysteries to solve the death of Summers mum to who her father was, and will she stay on the island.

I did guess who the villain was right away, and couldn’t figure out why no one else could.  I was yelling at my kindle saying it’s bleep bleep!  I loved Mr. Darcy and the bond that he and Summer are forming.

It was a quick easy read and I am looking forward to the next instalment as I’m anxious to see all the decisions Summer makes.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book 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,

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Gear, Grills & Guns by Tonya Kappes

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing “ Gear, Grills & Guns” by Tonya Kappes the 13th instalment in the " Camper and Criminals Mystery" series. I really enjoy this series and look forward to visiting Normal and the Laundry Club ladies as they are such a hoot.

Welcome to Normal, Kentucky~ where nothing is normal.

Mae West is bound to prove she deserves the seat she was appointed to on the National Park Committee when she brings a big car show to Normal during the slower fall month. But, when Wendell Holliday's body is found dead in one of Happy Trails Campground bungalows and one of the rentable campers is burning to the ground, Mae along with the help of the Laundry Club Ladies once again put on their sleuthing caps to figure out who is trying to sabotage Mae and her new position on the committee.

I really enjoyed this instalment in the Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series. I adore Mae and the laundry Club ladies, and the whole concept of living in a RV Park in the woods, by a pond and river.  

In this instalment Mae and Happy Trails Campground are getting ready for Fall around the campground with scarecrows, pumpkins and hay bales.  There is a big car show happening and one of the car owners gets himself murdered. Mae must figure out who did it as it happened in her bungalow. 

This mystery had a lot of suspects and I didn’t figure it out till just before Mae!  I did suspect who but once again there were enough red herrings to change my mind.

Now some of Maes past has come to the surface and I know she will have to deal with in the next book, I’m really looking forward to that.  I’m also hoping Tex and Glenda will appear in one of the next stories as I can see them being a good addition.

If your looking for a fun, southern mystery then this is your book!

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher. 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,

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Candy Slain Murder by Maddie Day

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Candy Slain Murder” the 8th book in the Country Store Mystery series by Maddie Day. I just love this series,

Christmas cheer has sent the griddle into overdrive at Robbie Jordan’s popular country store and café. And this year, there’s a new seasonal special to feast on: murder!
 

As December sweeps through South Lick, Indiana, Robbie’s life seems merry and bright like the string lights glistening around town. But strange happenings signal a bumpy ride into the holidays. First a man raises eyebrows at Pans ’N Pancakes when he claims to be the long-lost half-brother of Robbie’s assistant. Then a fire destroys the home of a controversial anesthesiologist, exposing skeletal remains in his attic. Unavoidably intrigued, all Robbie wants for Christmas is to stop her winter wonderland from becoming a real nightmare. With a decades-old mystery taking shape, can she run as fast as she can in pursuit of a killer who’s harder to crack than a stale gingerbread man? 

 

Includes Recipes for You to Try!

This is the fourth book I have read in the series and I was able to follow along easily so it can be read as a stand alone.  I really enjoyed it and practically read in one sitting.

I love the setting of South Lick, Indiana and I love Robbie and her staff at Pans N Pancakes they  are like a big family.  There were some nasty characters this time with touches on racism, and just plain old meanness. But through it all you still felt the good in most of South Lick. We learned more about Corrine and Danna this go around too which was nice.

There were enough twists to keep me intrigued and wanting to know how it ends. The plot and story were good and seemed to flow at a good pace.  I did suspect the killer but I liked the surprise ending.

I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a cozy filled with down home characters and a small town atmosphere.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington 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,

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