Death on the Shelf by Allison Brook

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Death on the Shelf" the 5th instalment in the A Haunted Library Mystery series by Allison Brook.

Librarian Carrie Singleton sleuths a murder at her best friend's wedding in Agatha Award nominee Allison Brook's fifth Haunted Library mystery.

Clover Ridge librarian Carrie Singleton is thrilled to attend her best friend Angela's wedding, but Angela's family can be a bit...much. Angela’s wealthy cousin Donna hosts an extravagant bridal shower at her resplendent home, but the celebrations turn to gossip as the guests notice Donna's surgeon husband, Aiden, spending a bit too much time with Donna’s cousin Roxy. At the wedding reception, the sweet occasion turns darkly bitter when Aiden topples into the chocolate fountain--dead.

The suspect list is as long as the guest list, and as difficult to sort out as the seating chart. A few of the top contenders on Carrie’s suspect list are the flirtatious Roxy, emotionally unstable since her recent divorce; Angela's grouchy brother, who feels Aiden betrayed him; and Roxy's scorned ex-husband. Even Donna may have had reason to want her husband dead. And Aiden's gossipy office manager has plenty to say about them all.

Then another member of Angela's family is murdered, making Carrie more determined than ever to find the killer. Can library ghost Evelyn and library cat Smoky Joe help Carrie solve the murders before she becomes the next of Angela’s wedding guests to head to the grave?

I still have not read the first two books in the series but I did not have any trouble following along as the author did a wonderful job of retelling things without overloading you with the past books.

The protagonist Carrie is one of the librarians and Evelyn (ghost) was also before her untimely death. This time Evelyn wants Carrie to find her long lost brother.  Plus things are heating up in the romance department with all the Angela wedding talk.  I also loved the inclusion of the library cat, Smokey Joe into the story.

There are plenty of twists and turns in this story, and I kept guessing and second-guessing myself right to the very end. The story moves at a steady pace, and I had a hard time putting it down. 

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane 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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Beating the Wrap by Julie Anne Lindsey

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “Beating the Wrap” book 3 in the Bonnie & Clyde Mysteries by Julie Anne Lindsey. I love this 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 loved this latest instalment in the Bonnie & Clyde series!  We met some new characters Thelma and Luisa (secretly hoping they might be the spin off book) I’m super happy Bonnie bought the lake house as well as been doing good deeds around town.  The way Ms. Lindsey describes or imagines these towns in her books just makes you want to live there and be bff’s with the main character.

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

I’m anxiously awaiting book 4 in the series as fun things are going to happen as well as romance … 

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.

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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Cozy Mystery Premieres for November

Hello my cozy friends,

There is a new Cozy Mystery series coming out November 18th by Tonya Kappes titled “Southern Magical Bakery Mysteries” a spin-off from the “Magical Cures Mystery series.  I can’t wait to read this entire series as the “Magical Cures” series is the first books of Tonyas I read.

Yes. I'm the daughter of the infamous couple, June Heal and Oscar Park.

One teeny weeny problem, I'm a mortal. Yep. I guess I got my granny Darla's DNA.

Good news! I might not have spiritual powers but I have a mean set of baking skills. I'm delighted to be moving out of Whispering Falls, where y'all know I can't live since I'm mortal, and to Celestial Falls, another small southern town where I'm opening Heavenly Desserts. Of course The Marys wouldn't let me leave unless I took my new kitten with me.

I'm beyond excited but fluff left my dough when Orin Reguila showed up. But that's not all that put too much flour in my cookies, there just so happened to be a murder...when someone ate my cookie.

I've got no one to turn to! It looks like I'm going to have to enlist Orin's help with his wizard skills.

I just hope I can clear my name and save my business before The Marys make me pack up and go back to Whispering Falls.

Pre-order your copy today 

Hope you will check out this  book, 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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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Maria DiRico

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder” the third instalment in the A Catering Hall Mystery series by Maria DiRico.

Astoria, Queens, is decorated within an inch of its life for the Christmas season, and Mia Carina is juggling her job at the Belle View catering hall with a case of murder...
 
Mia’s busy with a full schedule of events at the family business—among them an over-the-top Nativity-themed first birthday party and a Sweet Sixteen for a teen drama queen. But her personal life is even more challenging. Her estranged mother has returned—and her lifelong friend Jamie has discovered a shocking secret about his past. He’s so angry that he starts hanging out with Lorenzo, who claims to be his long-lost brother—even after it becomes clear that Lorenzo’s story is as fake as a plastic Christmas tree.
 
Then a body turns up among the elves in a Santa’s-workshop lawn display, and amateur sleuth Mia has a buffet of suspects to choose from. Amid the holiday celebrations, she intends to find out who’s the guilty party...

I loved Mia, her Nonna, Cammie, Shane and the rest of the side characters.  I am hoping there is romance in Mias future …

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, I found myself guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I couldn’t put the book down, read it in a day .

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

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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Strangers on a Skein by Anne Canadeo

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “Strangers on a Skein” the 12th instalment in the “Black Sheep and Company Mystery” series by Anne Canadoe. I have only read three other instalments in the series but I really enjoyed this book.

The Black Sheep Knitters are on the case when a club member’s ex-boyfriend is accused of murder at the Plum Harbor Farmers and Crafts Market in the fourth installment of New York Times bestselling author Anne Canadeo’s knitting-themed Black Sheep & Co. Mystery series.

Romantic entanglements and handcrafted murder tie the Black Sheep knitters in knots when the local farmers’ market becomes a haven for a killer . . .

Phoebe Myers, Black Sheep Knitting Shop’s assistant manager, finally comes out from behind the counter to sell her own creations—Socks by Phoebe—at the Plum Harbor Farmers’ and Crafts Market, a lively, colorful venue that draws shoppers from miles around. But her excitement cools when she learns the previous tenant of her booth, farmer Jimmy Hooper, committed suicide. She’s barely raised her Grand Opening banner when Hooper’s death is upgraded to murder.

Phoebe worries that her stall is jinxed when things go from bad to worse. The last person she wants to see, her ex-boyfriend Harry “The Potter” McSweeney, appears in the stall across the aisle to sell his wares. The Black Sheep advise Phoebe to be strong and resist the handsome artist’s spell. But romantic sparks and tempers explode in a very public scene—and a pile of broken pottery. Before Phoebe can get back to business, her stall is trashed, her Facebook page hacked, and another vendor is found dead.

The Black Sheep worry for Phoebe’s safety, especially when Harry becomes the prime suspect in both crimes. Phoebe refuses to believe he’s a killer and is determined to prove him innocent. Her friends are not convinced, but for Phoebe’s sake—and her safety—the Black Sheep puts their wits together to catch the crafty marketplace killer who’s hiding in plain sight . . .

I enjoyed visiting Plum Harbor and the Black Sheep knitters again, it had been awhile.  Phoebe the youngest of the knitters is at the centre of a murder investigation, which leads her to question her breakup with Harry. Maggie, Lucy, Suzanne, and Dana rally around Phoebe, who refuses to believe that Harry is responsible for any of the horrible things going on. 

I do recommend you start at the beginning of the series, only for the sheer fact of the number of characters involved in the series, it might be easier to get to know them all from the start..

There are plenty of twists and turns in this story, and I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. The story moves at a steady pace, and I had a hard time putting it down.

The ladies and their friendship is really what brings this series to life.

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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Getaway With Murder by Diane Kelly

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “Getaway With Murder” the first instalment in the The Mountain Lodge Mysteries series by Diane Kelly. What a great start to a new cozy mystery series.

Getaway With Murder is the first in a cozy series from Diane Kelly set in a lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where secrets hide behind every hill.

As if hitting the half-century mark wasn’t enough, Misty Murphy celebrated her landmark birthday by amicably ending her marriage and investing her settlement in a dilapidated mountain lodge at the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With the old inn teetering on both a bluff and bankruptcy, she must have lost her ever-loving mind.

Luckily, handyman Rocky Crowder has a knack for rehabbing virtual ruins and for doing it on a dime, and to Misty’s delight, the lodge is fully booked on opening night, every room filled with flexible folks who’d slipped into spandex and ascended the peak for a yoga retreat with plans to namastay for a full week. Misty and her guests are feeling zen—at least until the yoga instructor is found dead.

With a killer on the loose and the lodge’s reputation hanging in the balance, Misty must put her detective-skills to the test. Only one thing is as clear as a sunny mountain morning—she must solve the crime before the lodge ends up, once again, on the brink.

I enjoyed the protagonist Misty Murphy being 50 as I could relate to her.  I liked How the author gave both Misty and her cat Yeti, a voice throughout the story. I also enjoyed the setting of the Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina too.  We had a great cast of side characters that befriend Misty, handyman Rocky, Wiccan housekeeper Brynn, and Greasy Griddle Diner owner Patty. I look forward to seeing how Misty's relationship with them will continue to develop, could there be romance in the mountain air…

The mystery is interesting and had lots of twists which kept me guessing. I had no idea who the killer was till Misty did. 

I highly recommend this book to all my cozy friends.  Can’t wait to read the next instalment when some biker chicks arrive at the lodge.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from St.Martin 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, 

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To the Tome of Murder By Lauren Elliott

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "To the Tome of Murder” the 7th instalment in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series by Lauren Elliott.

Three weeks before Thanksgiving, bookshop owner Addie Greyborne already has a full plate—and a killer on her case...

Addie’s determined to turn a seemingly ordinary November in coastal Greyborne Harbor into one for the books. The windows of her shop display carefully curated works by American writers, including a rare selection of traditional holiday recipes from the influential 19th-century publication Godey’s Ladies Magazine. And then there’s the town’s Civil War-era themed cooking and baking competition, with a hefty cash prize and free publicity going to the winning dish...

But when she finds her cousin’s boyfriend murdered, a stunned Addie reluctantly realizes she may be the only person who can blow the cover off a grisly crime. With so many unanswered questions surrounding the victim’s death, Addie must figure out the strange connection between a mysterious vintage briefcase, the disappearance of a first edition copy of Sarah Josepha Hale’s famous nursery rhyme, “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” and a dangerously well-read culprit...

I really enjoyed this latest instalment in the series!  I liked that we had two mysteries to solve, the murder and the stolen books.  The mystery is interesting and well plotted, although I did figure out who the killer was early on it didn’t detract from my enjoyment.

Plus I liked the surprise ending and I’m anxiously awaiting to find out what happens next! 

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I can’t wait to read "A Margin for Murder” book 8!

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

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Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas by Lynn Cahoon

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Have a Holly, Haunted Christmas” novella in the "Kitchen Witch" Mystery series by Lynn Cahoon. 

Mia Malone is planning a holiday party to promote her catering and cooking school business—but she’s got a Christmas spirit to deal with first, in this new Kitchen Witch Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon . . .

For all its merriment, Christmas can also bring melancholy—and in Magic Springs, Idaho, Mia finds that the season has brought her an unhappy ghost who’s pulling poltergeist-style pranks to get her attention. When she demands an explanation, the ghost just sends a message: Ask Mary Alice—that is, Mia’s beloved Grans, who’s been training her to develop her witchy talents. If anyone can figure this out, it’s Grans . . . even if she still hasn’t managed to free Mia’s cat from a previous spell that she cast.

The restless spirit turns out to be Magic Spring’s most well-known ghost, Dorothy, who supposedly died peacefully in her sleep. Now Dorothy claims she was murdered, and she wants her killer brought to justice. And she doesn’t have much patience about it, so the pressure is on Mia—with some help from her boyfriend, Trent, and a strangely secretive Grans. There aren’t many dicing-and-chopping days till Christmas—but this year, the most important gift Mia can give is to cheer up this troubled spirit . . .

Includes Recipes!

I love visiting Magic Springs, Idaho and catching up with Mia, Grans, Christina and Trent! I found myself engrossed in the story and seeing how Mia pulls off her her Christmas open house and figure out what Dorothy's ghost wants.  I’m a huge fan girl of Lynn’s and always fall in love with her characters, town and this is no exception! 

I found the mystery very interesting as well as entertaining, full of twists and turns that kept me guessing till the very end.  I cant wait to see what happens next for Mia and her friends in the next instalment.

I highly recommend this new series to all my cozy loving 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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Jackets, Jack-O-Lantern, & Justice By Tonya Kappes

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “Jackets, Jack-O-Lantern, & Justice” the 22 instalment in the "Camper & Criminals” Mystery series by Tonya Kappes.  I absolutely love this series, and can’t get enough of Mae West and the Laundry Club Ladies.

Welcome to Normal where NOTHING is normal

Fall at the campground is my favorite time of the year. The bursts of orange, yellow, green, and red pop on the falling leaves, creating a colorful path along the trails for all of my guests at my campground is a real life picture that could never be captured by a camera.

Days are warm and at night you need a light sweater to enjoy the campfire or snuggle up in a cozy blanket.  The campground is full and the campers are excited to participate in Normal's annual Pumpkin Carving Carnival.  

It's a little spooky seeing the hundreds jack-o-lantern faces all light up with toothless or toothy smiles.

It's the dead body among them that chills me to the bone.

This instalment doesn't disappoint has a bit of everything, Mammoth Cave, Halloween party,  murder and wait till you see their Halloween costumes!  As for the mystery, this one had me completely stumped and the culprit took me completely by surprise. The mystery was good, super entertaining and full of twists. 

I’m full of anticipation/excitement for Book 23 as I want to know how Hank and Mae move forward, plus it’s Christmas in Normal KY! 

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 as well as purchased a copy. 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.

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In Hot Water by Kate Kingsbury

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "In Hot Water” the first instalment in A Misty Bay Tea Room Mystery series by Kate Kingsbury set in the town of Misty Bay, Oregon.  A good start to a new series, I did have trouble getting into it at first but do recommend going past the 20% mark as it does pick up.

In bestselling author Kate Kingsbury's Misty Bay Tea Room series debut, the proprietress of a British-style tea shop must draw on her love for mystery novels to sleuth a murder.

Vivian Wainwright is living her dream. The middle-aged widow owns the Misty Bay Tearoom, a quaint, English-accented shop on the Oregon coast. But on the eve of the tearoom's second anniversary, the dream turns nightmarish when a man falls to his death from a hotel balcony.

The body belongs to Dean Ramsey, ex-husband of Vivian's assistant, Jenna. Detective Tony Messina quickly zeroes in on Jenna as prime suspect, since she was seen leaving the hotel shortly before the body was found.

Vivian and her other assistant, Gracie, set out to help clear Jenna's name, using their wit and a bit of criminology know-how Vivian picked up from her late attorney husband. Detective Messina is on board, but he's starting to develop feelings for his number one suspect. Puzzling questions persist--chief among them, whose clothes was Dean wearing when he landed on the rocky shore?

To complicate matters, Vivian's friend, pet shop owner Hal Douglass, seems to know some secrets about the hotel that could add a long list of names to the suspect list...including Hal's own. Vivian must work quickly because if she can't, Jenna faces a murder rap...or worse.

I enjoyed this story, and it has made me want to give book 2 a try. I liked how it was centred around an older protagonist and a tea room. Vivian, Jenna and Gracie are all from different age groups so we see the different perspectives, I also like the banter between Jenna and Gracie almost like sisters.  We also get the perspective of detective Tony which was kind of neat to see how his mind was working.

There are two possible romances forming which I look forward to seeing how they develop in the next book.  Close to the end we have an addition of a furbaby named Felix which I always enjoy. 

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I liked the characters.  I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit but in the end I was correct. 

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Crooked Lane 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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Danger at Sandpiper Bay by Traci Hall and Patrice Wilton

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing Danger at Sandpiper Bay the 2nd instalment in the “A Riley Harper Mystery” by Traci Hall and Patrice Wilton.  What a great follow up to book one!  

Officer Riley Harper faces danger of an unusual kind in Sandpiper Bay. A nor’easter off the coast of Maine is set to slam into their little island, cutting off all communication and putting the residents at risk. During the storm a killer strikes. Stranded, Riley and her partner race the clock to track the villain before the thaw, and possible escape.

I was hooked after book one and this one didn’t disappoint.  This time it’s winter and a storm is brewing, which is exactly how I would picture Maine in winter.  Riley, Kyra and San are experiencing their first winter storm and taking us along for the ride.  I have a feeling these 3 strong willed women will handle anything thrown their way.

I love the setting of Sandpiper Bay a small island off the coast of Maine and the locals all seem like a great bunch of side characters.  I really like Riley’s partner Matty and bar owner Coby.   I can’t wait to learn more about each of them over the course of the series. 

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, with lots of red herrings to keep you guessing. In fact I was second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end.   Only problem with reading in one day is the long wait till book 3 releases!

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

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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Mistletoe Cake Murder by Lena Gregory

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Mistletoe Cake Murder" the 6th instalment in the "All Day Breakfast Cafe" Mystery series by Lena Gregory.   I love this series!

Tis the season for celebrating when Gia Morelli's holidays include both a wedding and yuletide festivities. Until someone naughty delivers a most unwanted Christmas gift—murder. . .

For a native New Yorker, palm trees and warm temperatures don't equal winter, much less Christmastime. Nevertheless, Gia Morelli's friends have decked the halls and trimmed the trees to truly welcome her into their “family" with an old-fashioned Boggy Creek, Florida holiday season. Even more joyous, Savannah Mills is getting married on Christmas Eve—the greatest gift Gia could ever wish for her best friend.

But when Gia and Savannah stop by the caterer for a final tasting a week before the wedding, they overhear another bride arguing with her son about her husband-to-be. Moments later, the woman is sampling a piece of wedding cake—gorgeously decorated with mistletoe frosting—then suddenly dies.

Now Gia's caterer friends are the prime suspects in what appears to be murder by poisoning. To clear their names and ensure Savannah has a merry matrimony will require Gia to conjure up a Christmas miracle . . .

Includes recipes from the All-Day Breakfast Café!

Each book seems better than the last, I enjoy the relationship between Trevor, Gia and Savannah they are almost like siblings.  It’s great to see how everyone cares for each other and pulls together to make sure Savannah’s wedding is pulled off without a hitch.  I’m also happy that Gia is starting to open up to the idea of love again.  

The story pulled me in straight away and held my attention till the very end. There were plenty of twists and turns, and enough intrigue to keep you reading throughout and per usual with this series I read in one sitting.  Plus the surprise ending!  I can’t wait for the next instalment to arrive.

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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