Murder Out of Character by Olivia Matthews

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Murder Out of Character” the 2nd instalment in A Peach Coast Library Mystery series by Olivia Matthews set in the small town of Peach Coast, Georgia. What a great follow up to book one!

"...an intrepid heroine who rushes headlong into danger to keep her friends safe, and a happily-ever-after ending make this the prose equivalent of a Hallmark family movie. Lovers of small-town cozies can while away a pleasant afternoon with this one." -Publishers Weekly

Marvey, a small-town librarian, finds a mysterious list of names…
and what happens next can’t be a coincidence!
If you love Hallmark mystery movies, you’ll love this cozy mystery with humor, intrigue, and a hint of romance.

Marvey, still adjusting to life in Peach Coast, Georgia, is at a library fundraising event when she comes across a list of four names. One is the name of someone who recently died—and who may have been murdered. Another is Spencer Holt, the handsome newspaper owner who’s become one of Marvey’s best friends.

The four people appear to have nothing in common other than living in Peach Coast. Spencer dismisses the list at first, but before long, he has to admit he may be in danger. As Marvey prepares for a visit from her parents, can she, Spencer, and their intrepid librarian friends stop a killer bent on long overdue revenge?

I really enjoyed this story, and visiting with Marvey, Spence, Jo and the rest of the library staff again.  I love the small town charm, the hint of romance between Marvey and Spence and I really love Phoenix her grey tabby cat.

The mystery is interesting, well plotted, with just the right amount of twists and turns. Overall this was an entertaining, fun easy read.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends. I am looking forward to future books in this series.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy 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,

Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing “Steeped to Death” by Gretchen Rue the 1st instalment in the "A Witches Brew Mystery" series.  I loved this book and totally added it to my favourite witchy series list!

Phoebe Winchester’s beloved aunt Eudora has a taste for adventure—and a knack for making magical tea. It’s even rumored that she just might be a witch. So when Eudora passes away and leaves everything to her niece—her Victorian mansion, her bookshop/tea store, The Earl’s Study, and one very chubby orange cat named Bob—Phoebe gets more than she bargained for. And she knows she’s in deep when a dead man is found on the shop’s back step, apparently killed while trying to break in.

Two suspects immediately emerge among the townspeople of Raven Creek, Washington. There’s village busybody Dierdre Miller, who seems desperate to buy Eudora’s house, and handsome PI Rich, one of Phoebe’s childhood friends—but how well does she really know him after all these years apart?

Phoebe knows she should leave it to the professionals, but as she starts to dig into the underbelly of Raven Creek, she begins to uncover the truth about Eudora. What’s more, her aunt might not have been the only witch in the family, as Phoebe soon discovers she has unique and unexpected gifts of her own.

Now, it’s just a matter of putting her newfound power to the test and cast a spell that could catch a killer.

I started reading and did not want to put it down!  I have been in a reading slump for over a month but this book totally took me out of it. Our story is set in the Pacific Northwest in the town of Raven Creek.

Everyone knows I’m a sucker for furbabies and tea so when you add in a chubby orange tabby named Bob and a tea shop well I was hooked.   Imogen turns out to be a great employee/friend to Phoebe along with Amy from the bakery next door. 

It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Phoebe did. 

Plus all the descriptions of the teas had me wanting a hot cup of tea and one of Phoebe’s Earl Grey Lavender shortbread (luckily the recipe is at the back of the book)

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 2 to come out!

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Crooked Lane 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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Campfires, Courage, & Convicts by Tonya Kappes

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “Campfires, Courage, & Convicts” the 27th instalment in the "Camper & Criminals “ Mystery series by Tonya Kappes.  I absolutely love this series, and can’t get enough of the Laundry Club Ladies and Mae West.

Welcome to Normal where nothing is normal! 

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY WITH A SMIDGEN OF HOMICIDE

USA Today Bestselling author Tonya Kappes brings you southern and quirky characters in her mystery series. Her stories are charged with humor, friendship, family and life in small southern towns.

It is fall in Normal, KY, and the town is celebrating the season with a Bourbon Festival.

Mae West is trying to enjoy the festival and a night out with Hank. While trying to dodge the one question every keep asking (When is the wedding?) Mae overhears an argument between the bourbon king’s son and another man and woman. So, when she stumbles over a body with ties to the Bourbon King, her hackles are raised.

Mae, Dottie, and the rest of the Laundry Club Ladies start poking around into the Bourbon King’s complicated life and soon find out there's more than bourbon underneath the lid of a bourbon barrel.

In this instalment we have the ladies and Hank trying to solve who murdered the Queen of Bourbon!  Also  will Mae ever set a wedding date that is the question on everyone’s mind, so Mae is glad for a distraction from keeping Lester’s secret and figuring out what’s stopping her setting the date.

The  mystery was good, with several suspects and a few red herrings thrown in.  

I’m full of anticipation/excitement for Book 29  as I want to know more about what’s in store for Mae, after that surprise ending!

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.

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 Vacation to Die For by Lynn Cahoon

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "A Vacation to Die For” the 14th instalment in the "Tourist Trap” Mystery series by Lynn Cahoon. This is one of my favourite cozy mystery series! 

Fans of female sleuth cozies will delight in New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon's latest installment in her long-running Tourist Trap Mystery series.

In the California coastal town of South Cove, Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More, discovers that wedding planning can be murder . . .

Hustling her fiancé off to a neighboring tourist town might be the only way Jill Gardner can plan her nuptials to South Cove's in-demand police detective. But when a mystery man turns up dead at South Cove's PD, Greg is hightailing it back home to investigate, leaving Jill to finish the vacation solo.

Jill can barely get in a spa day before her own respite is spoiled by a greedy hotel guest and unexpected revelations about Max Winter, the developer conniving to buy her home out from under her. Then there's the staffing issues at the store, the strange men seen lurking about town, and an aggressive and obnoxious family member harassing Jill's beloved employee. It's enough to make the bride-to-be full of jitters . . . especially when she finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer . . .

As always I love visiting South Cove, California and Coffee, Books & More.  I love the main set of characters Jill, Amy, Aunt Jackie, Greg, Toby, Deek,  Evie and now Judith as part of the CBM family.   We also get to know the new Pirates Yarn shop owner more , she will be a good addition I think.

As for the mystery I found it to be well plotted and it moved along at a steady pace. There were only a few suspects for the murder but you still find yourself second guessing on who the murderer can be. Overall I found this to be a great story. 

I can’t wait for the next instalment to come out.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy 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, 

ps: if you are on Facebook join the Cozy Mystery Lover Group

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A Cornish Recipe for Murder by Fiona Leitch

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "A Cornish Recipe for Murder” the 5th instalment in The Nosey Parker Cozy Mystery series by Fiona Leitch.  I cannot get enough of this series, if you love mysteries set in England this is for you!

When popular TV baking contest and national institution ‘The Best of British Baking Roadshow’ rolls into town and sets up camp in the grounds of Boskern House, a historic stately home near Penstowan, former police officer Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker finds herself competing to represent Cornwall in the grand final.

But with a fellow contestant who will stop at nothing to win and a drag queen host with secrets of their own, Jodie discovers that the roadshow doesn’t just have the ingredients for the perfect showstopper cake, but also for the perfect murder…

And when a body is found in the grounds of the house, Jodie is drawn into another high-stakes case along with local DCI Nathan Withers.

Can Jodie expose the culprit? Or will the murderer become the real showstopper?

The mystery was interesting, well plotted, and had just enough twists to keep you engrossed and wanting to know what happens next. I really hope there will be a book 6 coming out soon!

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Harper Collins UK.  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,

The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “The Rising Tide” by Ann Cleeves it's the 10th instalment in the Vera Stanhope Mystery Series, a powerful novel about guilt, betrayal, and the longheld secrets people keep. I love the Vera Mystery series and this instalment did not disappoint.  In fact, I thought that it was one of the best in the series.

From Ann Cleeves—New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows—comes the stunning tenth Vera Stanhope novel, The Rising Tide, a powerful novel about guilt, betrayal, and the longheld secrets people keep.

"Ann Cleeves is one of my favorite mystery writers."—Louise Penny

For fifty years a group of friends have been meeting regularly for reunions on Holy Island, celebrating the school trip where they met, and the friend that they lost to the rising causeway tide five years later. Now, when one of them is found hanged, Vera is called in. Learning that the dead man had recently been fired after misconduct allegations, Vera knows she must discover what the friends are hiding, and whether the events of many years before could have led to murder then, and now . . .

But with the tide rising, secrets long-hidden are finding their way to the surface, and Vera and the team may find themselves in more danger than they could have believed possible . . .

The Series is character-driven and also very descriptive you feel like you are right there in Northumbria, England. In this instalment we get to catch up with Vera and her team, as they try to unravel the secrets a group of friends had been keeping that play a big part in the present murder.  

We had lots of suspects but I did guess just before it was revealed.  There was a surprise at the very end, which I can’t wait to see what happens with the team dynamics. 

I highly recommend this book and the Vera Stanhope Mystery series to all my British Mystery loving friends.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from the publisher 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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