Sep 29, 2021

Seven Deadly Sequins By Julie Anne Lindsey

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “Seven Deadly Sequins” book 2 in the Bonnie & Clyde Mysteries by Julie Anne Lindsey. I love this new series! 

Bonnie & Clyde are at it again!

When the death of a local baker threatens to shred the fabric of their lovely town, this dynamic sleuthing duo bolts into action. The results will leave you in stitches.

It’s summertime in beautiful Bliss, Georgia, and while second chance dress shop owner, Bonnie Balfour, would prefer to spend her time redesigning gowns for the upcoming Founder’s Day parade, her grandma, Gigi, is too hot under the collar to concentrate. It seems Gigi’s former friend is using her recipe to sell cobbler at the local festivities, and she’s claiming Gigi’s treat as her own!

Things go from uncomfortable to downright ugly when Gigi confronts her friend publicly about the unseamly pattern of behavior, only to later find the woman dead! With Gigi’s prints on the murder weapon, and dozens of material witnesses to their earlier scrap, Gigi cuts straight to the top of Sheriff Wright’s suspect list.

Now, Bonnie and her kitty companion, Clyde, must don their sleuthing hats once more.

To mend Gigi’s reputation and deliver justice for the victim, Bonnie must lace together a string of clues about what really happened that night. Will she wind up on the killer’s cutting board in the process?

I can’t say enough about Julie’s new cozy mystery series other than I LOVE it! I was left smiling once again at the end and I didn’t want it to end.  I’m anxiously awaiting book 3 in the series as fun things are going to happen I can just feel it.

I found the characters enjoyable, likeable and most importantly I wanted to be apart of the community.  Plus the setting of Bliss, Georgia sounds so charming (reminds me of the show Hart of Dixie)  

The mystery is well-written and plotted. There are several red herrings and twists to keep the reader engaged.  

I look forward to reading all the books in the series and highly recommend to all my cozy mystery loving friends.

I voluntarily agreed to read a digital copy of this book supplied by the Author. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.

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I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

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Sep 28, 2021

Cozy Mystery Premieres for October

Hello my cozy friends,

I had the privilege to read an advanced readers copy of some new cozy mystery series one that released today September 28th and two coming this October.

The first book is by Elizabeth Penney titled “Chapter and Curse” in the Cambridge Bookshop mysteries and my review post can be found here
Librarian Molly Kimball and her mother, Nina, need a change. So when a letter arrives from Nina’s Aunt Violet in Cambridge, England requesting their help running the family bookshop, they jump at the chance.

Thomas Marlowe—Manuscripts and Folios, is one of the oldest bookshops in Cambridge, and—unfortunately—customers can tell. When Molly and Nina arrive, spring has come to Cambridge and the famed Cambridge Literary Festival is underway. Determined to bring much-needed revenue to the bookstore, Molly invites Aunt Violet’s college classmate and famed poet Persephone Brightwell to hold a poetry reading in the shop. But the event ends in disaster when a guest is found dead—with Molly’s great-aunt’s knitting needle used as the murder weapon. While trying to clear Violet and keep the struggling shop afloat, Molly sifts through secrets past and present, untangling a web of blackmail, deceit, and murder.

The second book is by Kate Kingsbury titled “In Hot Water” a Misty Bay Tea Room Mystery.
Vivian Wainwright, a middle-aged widow, has recently started her dream business, the Misty Bay Tearoom, an English-themed tea shop, on the Oregon Coast. She’s had some success so far, but on the night of the business’s second anniversary, her assistant’s ex-husband falls to his death from a hotel balcony. Vivian will need to clear her assistant’s name if she wants to keep her business thriving.

The third book is by Diane Kelly titled  “The Moonshine Shack Murder” in the Mountain Lodge Mystery Series.
Misty Murphy, who has both recently celebrated her 50th birthday and amicably divorced, has decided to start over by investing in a mountain lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Unfortunately, the grand-reopening is marred by the death of the retreat’s leader, a yoga instructor – and it was

Hope you will check out these books, I will try to highlight more upcoming new series in the future as I focus more on my blogging.

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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Sep 27, 2021

Murder Outside the Lines by Krista Davis

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “Murder Outside the Lines ” the 3rd instalment in the Pen & Ink Mystery series by Krista Davis. A fun Halloween cozy mystery.
Includes A Front and Back Cover for You to Color!

With Halloween just around the corner, the fall colors in Georgetown are brilliant. As manager of the Color Me Read bookstore, coloring book creator Florrie Fox has arranged for psychic author Hilda Rattenhorst to read from Spooktacular Ghost Stories. But the celebrity medium arrives for the event in hysterics, insisting she just saw a bare foot sticking out of a rolled-up carpet in a nearby alley. Is someone trying to sweep murder under the rug? Florrie calls in her policeman beau, Sergeant Eric Jonquille, but the carpet corpse has disappeared without a trace.

Then in the middle of her reading, Hilda chillingly declares that she feels the killer's presence in the store. Is this a publicity stunt or a genuine psychic episode? It seems there's no happy medium. When a local bibliophile is soon discovered missing, a strange mystery begins to unroll. Now it's up to Florrie and Jonquille to expose a killer's true colors . . .

I really enjoyed this book and must read the earlier books and get caught up. Even though I haven't read the previous two books I was able to follow along, so this can be read as a stand alone book.

I really like Florrie, she is relatable, interesting and I love the relationship she has with her boss professor Maxwell.  But I really loved Mr. DuBois!  I liked visiting Georgetown during Halloween it had the perfect amount of spooky atmosphere. 

The mystery itself was interesting, full of twists, red herrings which completely drew me into the story and I didn’t want to put the book down. 

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

My rating 

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

Please join the conversation and comment below.  Have you read… If so what did you think/like

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

Hugs,


Sep 20, 2021

Mulled to Death by Kate Lansing

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Mulled to Death”  by Kate Lansing the 3rd instalment in the  “Colorado Wine Mystery” series. 
A Valentine's Day getaway is on the rocks when a young winemaker discovers a body at an alpine resort in this delightful cozy mystery.

When Parker Valentine decides to take a weekend getaway with her boyfriend Reid, a ski trip seems like the perfect choice. Between hitting the slopes and persuading the resort's wine director to sell her mulled wine, Parker is eager to mix business with pleasure. But her plans are muddled when she finds the resort owner's body on a treacherous portion of ski trail near the resort.

As a result, not only is Parker's romantic weekend thrown into chaos, but now that the owner has died, her business deal is due for a frosty reception, and her life might be in danger as well. After a series of unfortunate mishaps befall Parker, she realizes that whoever killed the resort owner might want to tie up loose ends. Parker's going to need all of the investigative skills at her disposal to catch a killer before they put her on ice.
I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it in a few days. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises.

I loved the characters which are well developed, especially Parker she makes a good protagonist.  The secondary characters Reid, Sage, and Liam were likeable as well.  I can’t wait to see what happens next, as the characters are really growing on me. 

 I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Berkeley Publishing  and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


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I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

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Sep 14, 2021

A Fatal Feast by Kathleen Bridge

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing A Fatal Feast by Kathleen Bridge the 6th instalment in the "Hamptons Home & Garden  Mystery" series. I really enjoy this series, although this can be read as a stand-alone I do recommend you read from the beginning.

“Not only will cozy readers be dazzled by the luxury homes, rare antiques, and killer cuisine in the Hamptons Home & Garden mysteries, but they’ll also find a new favorite sleuth in interior designer Meg Barrett.” —Ellery Adams, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Tensions are high on the eve of the grand opening of Privé, an exclusive gourmet dining club that interior designer Meg Barrett played a large part in decorating. With just the well-heeled owners, the kitchen staff, and Meg gathered for the pre-opening feast, it seems that everyone in the small group is airing their grievances, with their most venomous attacks directed at the notorious sous chef. But it still comes as a shock when the young woman is found dead the following morning, and Meg knows she’ll have to go into sleuthing mode to discover who had murder slated for the main course.

The most obvious suspect is the bitter winery owner next door, who’d been forced to sell her family’s French farmhouse to the owners of the dining club. But rumors are swirling of an affair between the victim and one of the owners, and clues begin to surface suggesting that the young woman was holding something over the owners’ heads. With the Hamptons elite closing ranks, Meg begins to think she may be out of her depth—and next on the killer’s list—because money can make for a powerful motive, and there are some secrets a person will kill to protect . . .

Includes scrumptious recipes and vintage decorating tips!
I found myself engrossed in this story, I like the setting of the Hamptons and the overall feel of the place. I really enjoyed catching up with the main character of Meg, and her bff Elle.   

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, full of twists and turns.  I can’t say I guessed who the killer was but I was starting to lean towards them.  

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

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

Hugs,


Sep 13, 2021

Chapter and Curse by Elizabeth Penney

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Chapter and Curse” the first instalment in The Cambridge Bookshop Mystery series by Elizabeth Penney set in Cambridge, England.  What a great start to a new series! 
In Elizabeth Penney's Chapter and Curse, Molly Kimball is used to cracking open books . . . but when a poetry reading ends in murder she must use her skills to crack the case.

"With its bucolic British setting, engaging heroine, and unsolved murder dating back decades, Elizabeth Penney has penned the perfect cozy."–Ellen Byron, USA Today Bestselling Author

Librarian Molly Kimball and her mother, Nina, need a change. So when a letter arrives from Nina’s Aunt Violet in Cambridge, England requesting their help running the family bookshop, they jump at the chance.

Thomas Marlowe—Manuscripts and Folios, is one of the oldest bookshops in Cambridge, and—unfortunately—customers can tell. When Molly and Nina arrive, spring has come to Cambridge and the famed Cambridge Literary Festival is underway. Determined to bring much-needed revenue to the bookstore, Molly invites Aunt Violet’s college classmate and famed poet Persephone Brightwell to hold a poetry reading in the shop. But the event ends in disaster when a guest is found dead—with Molly’s great-aunt’s knitting needle used as the murder weapon. While trying to clear Violet and keep the struggling shop afloat, Molly sifts through secrets past and present, untangling a web of blackmail, deceit, and murder.

I absolutely loved this story, and it has made me want to visit Cambridge on my next trip to England. 
I really like the bond between Molly, her mum and aunt Fiona it just felt real and the way they talk to each other and not strained in any way.  Makes you wish you were part of their little community or street.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had plenty of twists to keep engaged right to the very end.  I kept guessing and second-guessing myself but I was right on who the killer was.     

I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends. I can’t wait for book two!


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,



Sep 12, 2021

Slashing Through the Snow By Jacqueline Frost

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing Slashing Through the Snow the third instalment in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series by Jacqueline Frost.  I am a huge fan girl of author Julie Anne Lindsey and was super happy that the publishers decided to extend the series. 

Maine innkeeper Holly White returns to sleuth another seasonal slaying in the third Christmas Tree Farm mystery from bestselling author Jacqueline Frost. 

Reindeer Games Christmas Tree Farm is going into the B&B business, and Holly White is looking forward to her new role as innkeeper. Even better, Mistletoe, Maine's sheriff, Evan Gray, has deputized his little sister Libby to help Holly wrap presents for Mistletoe's toy drive. But a cold wind ruffles the cheery holiday decorations when a new guest checks in: Cleo, a vicious B&B critic, who could make or break the new inn. And the short December days turn even darker when Evan and Libby find Cleo's dead body in the gift-wrapped toy donation box.

The suspect list is longer than Santa's naughty list, and local resident Cookie is on it, since her fingerprints are all over the murder weapon, a metal nutcracker that she gave to Holly. So is Libby, who recently moved to town from Boston in less-than-savory circumstances. But cranky Cleo was an oh-holy-nightmare to lots of the townsfolk, such as Evan's reporter friend Ray; Christopher, the inn's former contractor; and confectioner Bonnie, whose Gum Drop Shop was a direct target of Cleo's scathing prose.

To figure out the killer's identity and clear Cookie's name, Holly and her friends brainstorm at The Hearth, the farm's café, while her mother keeps them fueled with Christmas goodies fresh from the oven. But if they can't put the culprit on ice, Holly may never see another Christmas.

Omg I loved it! It was extra special recognizing friends names from the cozy community as well as myself. I love this series and hope that Julie can write more in the series next year or in 2023. 

What a great story to get us in the Christmas spirit. I love reading books about Christmas all year long. I loved the characters and want to be friends with Holly, Cookie, Carolyn, Samantha etc. as with most of Julie’s books you fall in love with the characters. What can I say about Hollys Parents other than I want them as my grandparents, how much fun would that be . I drank a few hot cocoas while reading this story. 

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had just enough twists and turns to keep you engrossed in the story till the end. I had an inkling on who the villain was but was just happy reading the story and seeing how it unfolded. 

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.


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

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I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

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Sep 11, 2021

The Corpse in the Gazebo by Debra Sennefelder

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "The Corpse in the Gazebo” by Debra Sennefelder.   I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Food blogging is turning Hope Early into a household name. But the dead body down the block makes her a #1 suspect...

It seems everyone loves Hope’s blog these days, and she’s busier than ever volunteering to help other women create their own paths to success. So she’s shocked when a neighbor petitions to run Hope right out of her small Connecticut town! Set in her ways, apparently Birdie Donovan doesn’t like the chaos Hope’s sleuthing creates, the police activity and crime scenes, and it’s happening way too often lately. Eager to make amends, Hope bakes Birdie a batch of her best muffins. The delicious treats might have smoothed things over—until Hope discovers Birdie dead in her gazebo the very next day...

Now instead of worrying about holding on to her beloved home, Hope is trying to stay out of jail. Because suddenly she’s the lead suspect in the case. Not even her boyfriend, Police Chief Ethan Cahill, is promising he can clear her name, much less discuss the investigation with her. It’s up to Hope to get to bake new ground on the case before the lifestyle brand she’s created—and her whole life—crumbles...
I loved "The Corpse in the Gazebo" the 5th book in Debra Sennefelder's "A Food Blogger Mystery" series. Visiting Jefferson, Connecticut has become a pleasant escape.

I love Hope as she is real and I have become invested in her and what is happening around her. I like her family and friends, Claire, Jane, Drew and of course Ethan (Police Chief boyfriend) and the dynamics between them all. Don't get me started on her dog Bigelow, Poppy the chicken and Princess the cat!  

There was life changing moments in this book, as Hope and Ethan make some decisions but it only made the characters more real. With a few suspenseful moments as well as some lighthearted ones, but with plenty of twists and turns to keep us entertained. I did suspect the killer early on but I started second guessing myself as there was plenty of suspects.  

I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to see what’s next for Hope in this series and I look forward to reading the next book ...

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


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I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

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Sep 9, 2021

Here Comes the Fudge by Nancy Coco

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Here Comes the Fudge" the 9th instalment in the  Candy-Coated Mystery series by Nancy Coco.  I really love this series and visiting Mackinac Island! I’m hoping to go there in next few years so then I can really see it in my minds eye.
Fudge shop owner Allie McMurphy never expected her maid of honor duties to include clearing the groom of murder... 

THE BODY OF A CRIME

It's late spring on picturesque Mackinac Island, Michigan. Allie is prepping her Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop for the start of the tourist season and her best friend Jenn's wedding. But when Jenn's fiancé Shane, a crime scene investigator on the island, misses a dinner date, the two friends go looking for him. Led by Allie's bichonpoo Mal into an alley, they come upon Shane standing over a body with a bloody knife in his hand. Shane won't say what's happened, just tells them to call 911. As the CSI is taken into custody by his colleagues, including Allie's beau Rex Manning, the fudge maker vows to prove her friend's fiancé is not a killer--before the ceremony turns into a jailhouse wedding...
I found myself engrossed in the story and reading in one day.   The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed. I especially love little Mal which reminds me of my little Lindi.  I think this might be my favourite book in the series but I say that every time.

I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I did not figure out who the villain was until Allie did. 

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.


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I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

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Sep 8, 2021

Lanterns, Lakes & Larceny by Tonya Kappes

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “Lanterns, Lakes & Larceny” the 21st instalment in the "Camper & Criminals “ Mystery series by Tonya Kappes.  This is one of my favourite cozy series by one of my favourite authors. If I need to escape the chaos of the day, I pick up her books and hang out with the Laundry Club ladies for a spell. 

Let me be the first person to welcome you to Normal, Kentucky located in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest. I'm Mae West the owner of Happy Trails Campground.

Over the past few months my love life has been on what you'd call a slippery slope. Just this past week I'd resigned to the fact that me and Hank Sharp was caput! Done with. No more! 

And when I got a phone call during Bobby Ray's meeting with his birth mother from Hank, I felt like I was wrapped up between a nightmare and a dream. 
Let me cut to the chase.

Hank's best friend Jerry Truman is a local private investigator and he's got a HUGE case that includes a dead body. Of course I've not stuck my nose in it because honestly it has nothing to do with me. Those are the kinda murders I like, but now that Hank has told me he's back and helping Jerry, and get this...they need me to use my sleuthing skills to help them, it's now my business. 

One, because I love to snoop and two because by the sound of things, Hank Sharp misses me as much as I miss him. 

You see, this case will be a double win! 

At least that's what I thought until I'm the one staring into the barrel of a shot gun when I found out a little too much information. 
The mystery was good, super entertaining and full of twists.  We got to see how Ranger Tucker and Hank are together with Mae of course on solving a murder. 

We also get to learn a little bit more about Bobby Ray, Abby and his biological mum and how things are working out.

I’m full of anticipation/excitement for Book 22 as it’s Halloween and I want to know more about what’s in store for Hank and Mae!

I highly recommend you read this series from the beginning and enjoy the escapism as much as I do.

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


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Sep 6, 2021

Murder Can Frost Your Doughnut by Rose Pressey

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Murder Can Frost Your Doughnut” the 4th instalment in the "Haunted Craft Fair" Mystery series by Rose Pressey. I am a huge fan of Rose Pressey and this series.  It can be read as a standalone but I think it should be read in order. 

The ghost of an Elvis impersonator has got psychic painter Celeste Cabot all shook up...

Celeste has pulled up in her pink Shasta trailer, aka mobile art studio, to the Sevier County Fair in the mountains of eastern Tennessee to sell her paintings. A highlight of the fair promises to be the celebrity impersonation contest. But the low point is when Celeste and her floppy-eared white Chihuahua Van (short for Van Gogh) find an Elvis impersonator in his trailer doing a great impression of a corpse, clutching a doughnut in his hand.

Seeking a vision to solve the crime, Celeste paints her own Elvis portrait—and suddenly the ghost of the Elvis impersonator appears. They say fools rush in, but with the help of this spirit, Celeste sets out to find the real killer among all the fake celebrities. It’s now or never, because there won’t be time to tell the killer: “Don’t be cruel.”

The protagonist Celeste is a likeable, entertaining fun main character, with quirky supporting characters her family, her BFF Sammie and her faithful companion Van the Chihuahua.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had plenty of twists to keep you engrossed till the end.  The love triangle I’m hoping will come to an end in the next book.. 

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,


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A Twinkle of Trouble by Daryl Wood Gerber

Hello my cozy friends,  Today I am reviewing “ A Twinkle of Trouble ” by  Daryl Wood Gerber   the 5th instalment in “A Fairy Garden Mystery&...