An American in Scotland by Lucy Connelly

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing “ An American in Scotland” by Lucy Connelly the 1st instalment in the " A Scottish Isle Mystery" series.  I loved this book and totally added it to my favourite series list!

The small idyllic town of Sea Isle, Scotland, harbors some dark secrets, and Dr. Emilia McRoy is determined to uncover all of them—no matter what the diagnosis in this charming cozy, sure to enchant fans of Sheila Connolly and Charlene O’Connor.

Sea Isle was supposed to be the fresh start Dr. Emilia McRoy dreamed of. Far from the busy emergency room across the Atlantic in Seattle, she hoped to settle down and begin this new chapter as a small-town doctor to the quirky residents who immediately welcomed her. When she stumbles across a dead body, she starts to think that she may not be as Scot free of the drama and intrigue as she initially thought.

Emilia soon learns she has bigger issues at hand. It starts with realizing she'll work closely with the less than helpful local constable, Laird Ewan Campbell. Her luck continues when she discovers that part of her new responsibilities includes being the coroner for the very body she found. Finally, when the body goes missing before she can even begin the autopsy, Emilia must convince the townspeople that a crime did, in fact, occur. The deeper she digs into the picturesque town, the more suspicious she becomes. And then there are her sleep issues. It may be due to the ever-growing list of suspects, a number of threatening letters, or the surprise visitor who breaks into her house at night. But she’s never backed down before, and she doesn’t intend to start now.

Someone doesn’t want this doctor to treat the ailments of Sea Isle, but Emilia McRoy is determined to find the murderer before they kilt again.

I really enjoyed visiting Sea Isle, Scotland, and seeing how Em started her journey on the island.  Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship between Em and Mara right from the start you knew they would be best friends and have each others back.  I also loved the characters of Abigail and Tommy.  It's great how the people of Sea Isle take care of their own and opened their arms to adopt Doctor Em into their town family.

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

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 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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Fateful Words by Paige Shelton

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Fateful Words” the 8th instalment in the "Scottish Bookshop Mystery” series by Paige Shelton.  I really enjoy this series and am collecting in hardcover. 

In Fateful Words, the eighth Scottish Bookshop Mystery from beloved author Paige Shelton, bookseller Delaney Nichols stakes her reputation—and her life—when a literary tour turns deadly...

When Edwin, Delaney’s boss at the Cracked Spine bookstore, leaves town on secret business, Delaney is called upon to guide his yearly literary tour around Edinburgh. But on the first night of the tour, at the inn where the tour group is staying, the inn manager falls—or is pushed—off the roof of the inn, and killed. Then, one of the tour members disappears, leaving a trail of puzzles in her wake.

In a race against the clock, Delaney sets out on the expedition of her life, following clues around Edinburgh to get to the bottom of this mystery. Exploring sights from Greyfriars Bobby to the Royal Mile to the Sir Walter Scott Monument, she'll have to put the pieces together quickly, or the bookstore's survival could be on the line...as well as her own.

I loved visiting Edinburgh, Scotland and the Cracked Spine book shop again. I liked how this time we were exploring as a tourist on a literary tour.  

There were several possible suspects, and kept me guessing for quite a while. I was drawn into this story right away and did not want to put it down. 

Overall, I found it to be a very entertaining read that made me long to visit Scotland and the Royal Mile.

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

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

Little Shop of Murders: A Cozy Mystery Anthology

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing “ Little Shop of Murders: A Cozy Mystery Anthology” by 15 amazing authors.  Some authors are new to me and others are old friends.  A terrific collection of varying stories involving small towns and the businesses that make up the community.   These are all very quick reads .

Pre-order here

Book shops, boutiques and small businesses are the lifeblood of small towns but what secrets lie behind those pretty display windows and in the alleyways behind these charming streets?
Step inside for a personal retail experience like no other!

‘The Little Shop of Murders’ collects together fifteen superb cozy mysteries written by some of the finest authors in the genre.

All author and publisher profits from the sale of this book go to children’s charities, helping those most in need.

Don’t Toy with Me by Diane Kelly
I really liked the story and Ciara and Nick. Nick Claus owner of Timeless Toys suddenly finds his rent envelope missing from the safe, who could have taken it ….

A Man With No Imagination by Millie Ravensworth
A message in a quilt …. Izzy and Penny King decipher a message on an old quilt that was thrown in a skip. You can go on more adventures with them in the Cozy Craft Mystery series.

I would recommend this Anthology to all my friends that enjoy cozy mysteries.  I am looking forward to the next one that comes out!

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy 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 Flicker of a Doubt by Daryl Wood Gerber

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing “A Flicker of a Doubt ” by Daryl Wood Gerber  the 4th instalment in “A Fairy Garden Mystery" series.  I think this was my favourite so far, I love catching up with Courtney, Fiona her righteous fairy, Joss and Meagan and Pixie. Plus I love all the recipes at the back of the book! 

From Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber, the fourth in an enchantingly whimsical series featuring Courtney Kelly, the owner of a fairy-gardening and tea shop in Carmel, California. It’s a special place brimming with good vibes and the kind of magical assistance its proprietor will need to investigate a shocking murder at a prestigious art show!

Making fairy gardens, and teaching crafters how to do the same, keeps Carmel-by-the-Sea shop owner Courtney Kelly busy—but sometimes she has to make time for a wee bit of detective work . . .

With a theater foundation tea and an art show planned at Violet Vickers’s estate, Courtney is hired to create charming fairy gardens for the event. It’s not so charming, however, when her best friend Meaghan’s ex-boyfriend turns out to be Violet’s latest artistic protégé. Even worse, not long after Meaghan locks horns with him, his body is found in her yard, bludgeoned with an objet d’murder.

There’s a gallery of suspects, from an unstable former flame to an arts and crafts teacher with a sketchy past. But when the cops focus on Meaghan’s business partner, who’s like a protective older brother to her, and discover he also has a secret financial motive, Courtney decides to draw her own conclusions. Fearing they’re missing the forest for the trees, and with some help from Fiona the sleuthing fairy, she hopes to make them see the light . . .

I found the story to be very entertaining as well as full of twists to keep you guessing till the very end. I am glad that things turned out the way they did but oh what a ride for poor Meaghan.

I’m anxiously awaiting for the next instalment as I want to know what happens to Fiona …

I highly recommend this 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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Dressed to Drill by Kate Carlisle

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Dressed to Drill" the 10th instalment in the "Fixer Upper" Mystery series by Kate Carlisle.  I really enjoy both of Kate Carlisle’s mystery series but I think this one is my favourite.

Contractor Shannon Hammer’s new project, renovating an old church, reveals some old sins when a body is found on the premises in the latest Fixer-Upper Mystery from the New York Times author Kate Carlisle.

While Shannon Hammer is thrilled to attend the premiere of the movie based on her boyfriend Mac’s latest book, she can’t wait to trade her killer heels for work boots and start her next renovation project in Lighthouse Cove: a quaint Victorian church that has seen better days. And will see them again—as a museum—if Shannon, her talented crew, and her sister Chloe have anything to say about it.

But on the first day of demolition, work comes to a screeching halt when they stumble on the body of a beautiful young woman in one of the chapels. Who killed the assistant art director? Suspects crawl out of the woodwork as fast as Shannon can restore it. The church is hiding a century of secrets from the days that smugglers wreaked havoc on the California coast. But it’s a more recent secret that someone killed to protect. Shannon and Mac will use every tool in their toolbox to nail down the truth before any more lives are sacrificed.

As I have said before the setting of Lighthouse Cove on the northern coast of California is so beautiful and this time Shannon is renovating a really old church with secrets, but she also visits the tiny homes for veterans site. (I think there will be another story set there) 

I love Shannon and Mac together and seeing how their relationship has progressed and in this instalment we get to see Mac and his friends as they go to the premier of his movie. I also really enjoy the interaction with Shannon and Chloe and am happy Chloe returned to the cove. I love all the side characters with exception of Whitney who we are meant to not like.

Overall the mystery was interesting and well plotted, and had lots of suspects.

I feel like the characters are taking on some life changing events and I cant wait for the next book to see how things have progressed.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group 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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Fiddling with Fate by Diane Kelly

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing “ Fiddling with Fate” the 3rd instalment in A Southern Homebrew Mystery series by Diane Kelly.

Buy here

When a local bluegrass musician disappears and a jug of her shop’s corn liquor is implicated, moonshiner Hattie Hayes must stop further trouble from brewing in this delightful cozy mystery series.

It’s August in Chattanooga, Tennessee and moonshiner Hattie Hayes has collaborated with a nearby vineyard to serve her moonshine at a Wine and 'Shine event. Not only is this an opportunity for Hattie to gain more moonshine fans, but she’s also excited to hear the Bootlegging Brothers, a popular bluegrass band. But not every attendee is looking for harmony. When one of the brothers disappears and is presumed dead, Hattie realizes her grace note gathering has suddenly turned more sour than her mash.

Unearthing what happened to the missing musician is more difficult than Hattie first expected. Hattie’s moonshine is tied to the crime and there’s no time to fiddle around—she has to step up to solve the case. Luckily, Hattie’s cool head and quick mind help her understand that when investigating a musical crime, always stay sharp.

I really like Hattie, her granddaddy, Smokey the cat and the setting of Chattanooga, Tennessee. There is a great cast of side characters too, Marlon, Charlotte the horse, Kiki, Nora, Kate and Ace.  

I love hearing about Hattie’s history with moonshine and we learn lots more in this instalment and meet Shirley Byrd who I hope we see again.

The mystery is interesting and had lots of twists which kept me guessing. I had no idea who the killer was till Hattie did.  I’m looking forward to the next book , and see what’s happening at Hattie Hayes Moonshine Shack.

I highly recommend this cozy series to all my friends.

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

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Four Parties and a Funeral by Maria DiRico

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Four Parties and a Funeral” the 4th instalment in the A Catering Hall Mystery series by Maria DiRico.

Agatha Award-winning author Maria DiRico returns with the fourth book in the Catering Hall Mystery Series, starring Mia Carina who is coming to grips with being back in Astoria, Queens, and running her Italian-American family’s catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor but a TV casting call is about to put murder in the spotlight . . .

The June events schedule at Belle View is busting out all over—proms, graduations, and of course, weddings. There are unexpected bookings too, including a casting call for the pilot of Dons of Ditmars Boulevard. But soon, Mia’s fears about the cheesy reality show are confirmed . . .

Belle View quickly becomes the site of a sea of wanna-be goombahs and phony girlfriends, and some of Mia’s friends insist on getting in on the action. The production company owner and his executive producer ex-wife—who’s also very minor British royalty—have assembled a motley crew that does as much infighting and backstabbing as the on-screen “talent.” Even so, it’s a shock when a dead body is found in the pool house of a local mansion rented by the show . . .

Murder might boost the ratings. But Mia intends to make sure the killer gets jail time, not airtime . . .

I love Mia, her Nonna, Cammie, Shane and the rest of the side characters.  I like where things are heading with Mia and Shane’s romance too!   

I felt like I was at a big fat Greek wedding but the Italian version with the Don’s and Donette’s, I laughed lots during this story.  The author is one of my favorite as she knows how to keep the reader entertained as well as cate about the main characters and what happens to them.

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 five!

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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The Perfect Staging for Murder by Kathleen Bridge

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing The Perfect Staging for Murder by Kathleen Bridge the 7th 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.

Buy here

As shooting concludes on the season finale of the TV mystery Mr. & Mrs. Winslow, interior decorator and set designer Meg Barrett can feel the hostility in the air. The show’s new director had already alienated the entire cast and crew, and now Meg’s boyfriend, Patrick, was ready to throttle him for taking liberties with the script. Meg thought the director was a very lucky man to have gotten out of there in one piece—until a few nights later when she stumbles over his dead body.

Meg knew it wasn’t her job to investigate every murder she came across, especially that of a man so universally disliked, but Patrick had no alibi for the time of death and has now disappeared. As she begins to dig into every facet of the victim’s life, she soon discovers that his children resented him for a lifetime of mistreatment, and his new fiancée had a history of leaving dead husbands in her wake. Certain that this was a family affair and that she was closing in on the killer, she’ll have to rely on all her wits and cunning to nab the culprit, because they’ve decided to set the stage for her final scene . . .
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.   I’m also glad to see where their relationships are heading …

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 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,

Strike Out 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Strike Out 4 Murder" the 11th instalment in the Sophie Kimball Mystery series by J.C. Eaton. 

Pre-order here

When softball fever overtakes Sun City West, foul balls and foul play add up to murder . . .

When a member of the local pinochle club rallies everyone in the community to come cheer on the softball team he’s joined, Sophie “Phee” Kimball can’t imagine a worse way to spend a free afternoon. But before anyone can take them out to the ball game, her mother’s friend Shirley spots a dead body, only to have it vanish before anyone else sees it. Soon Shirley and her friends can’t decide whether she’s losing her marbles or being stalked by the living dead—until an attempt is made on her life.

Wondering if the body Shirley saw belongs to a missing ballplayer who may have been murdered, Phee begins to suspect that Shirley’s in danger from a menacing killer. Following the clues at the ball park and eyeing the crowd for a likely perpetrator, she devises a clever scheme to sniff out the culprit, but she’ll have to act fast before she strikes out for the last time!

I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it in almost one day. I love the characters which are well developed. There is plenty of humour, especially with Paul and his fish…  But the rest of her crew from the Sun City Retirement Community aren’t to be outdone in this instalment, what a hoot!

The mystery is interesting, well plotted as well as full of twists and turns.  Always an entertaining, fun read. This is one of my favourite series and I always buy in Paperback as I know I will read again.

I highly recommend this 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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Chocolate Bunny Betrayal by Tonya Kappes

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “Chocolate Bunny Betrayal” by Tonya Kappes the 5th book in her Holiday Cozy Mystery series starring Violet Rhinehammer.  This is now my favourite out of Tonya’s series.

Buy here

CELEBRATE GOOD CRIMES! 

When amateur sleuth and town journalist, Violet Rhinehammer, stumbles upon a dead body during the Hip Hop Hurray Easter Festival, she knows she has to get to the bottom of things.

As she delves deeper into the mystery, she discovers that one of the bunnies auditioning for the top spot was seen running away from the scene of the crime. With the added pressure of keeping her identity as the town's Merry Maker a secret, Violet must work quickly to uncover clues and find the killer before they strike again.

But the investigation takes a delicious turn after some clues turn up at bake-off competition. Could one of the baking contestants have motive to commit murder over a prize-winning dessert?

Is this a case of chocolate bunny betrayal, or is there something even darker at play?

Violet encounters a cast of colorful characters, including rival bunnies competing for the top spot, a demanding Easter Bunny, and a group of mischievous bakers vying for the top baker spot. With twists and turns at every corner, Violet must use all of her skills and wit to solve the case before the killer hops away.

It’s the week of Hip Hop Hurray Easter Festival…  Easter Bunny Judge and Bake Off Contestant Frances Green lays flat on her back in a fluffy bunny suit …  Millie screams, “The Easter Bunny is dead!”  Once again Violet’s Mamma is at the scene of a Murder! 

There were lots of suspects as Frances Green was a thorn in a lot of people’s sides.  Along with plenty of twists and turns to keep us entertained and guessing. I had no idea who the killer was until Violet did! Also there were a couple of surprises and I can’t wait for the next instalment!

I highly recommend this book and series to all my cozy loving friends especially if you like stories set around the holidays. 

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy 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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Four Charming Spells by Lynn Cahoon

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Four Charming Spells" the 4th instalment in the "Kitchen Witch" Mystery series by Lynn Cahoon which releases March 28, 2023.

Pre-order here 

In this spellbinding continuation of the Kitchen Witch Mystery series by New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon, witchcraft trainee and culinary entrepreneur Mia Malone summons tasty dishes and unearthly murder suspects . . .

Before Mia Malone can sip tea at Time for a Cuppa, the charming new shop in Magic Springs, Idaho, her life changes course in downright supernatural ways. First her blossoming catering business and cooking school get a boost with the addition of an enchanting cake decorator. Then she catches the attention of the tea shop owner herself, local coven member Mahogany Medford, who’s set on immersing Mia in a twisted mystery that appears all but unsolvable without a special kind of help . . .

Still reeling from the recent loss of her mother and believing there was more to the abrupt death, Mahogany urges Mia to cast light on the truth. But old secrets might come back to haunt her in an investigation that demands conjuring up phantoms from the past on the property of Mia’s Morsels. Now, wearing Gran’s protective stone and empowered by a circle of trusted confidants, Mia must reveal who—or what—killed Ms. Medford as another deadly surprise brews!

I love visiting Magic Springs, Idaho and catching up with Mia, Grans, Christina and now Trent’s mum Abigail!  I love the sense of caring and encouragement that the main characters have for each other and the community.  This is something I enjoy in all the authors series.

I found the mystery very interesting as well as entertaining, full of twists and turns that kept me guessing till the very end. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Mia and Mia’s Morsels in book 5.

I highly recommend this 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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The Little Venice Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin

Hello my friends,

Today I am reviewing the "The Little Venice Bookshop” by Rebecca Raisin. I really enjoyed, it was so refreshing and heartfelt.

When Luna loses her beloved mother, she’s bereft: her mother was her only family, and without her Luna feels rootless. Then the chance discovery of a collection of letters in her mother’s belongings sends her on an unexpected journey.

Following a clue in the letters, Luna packs her bags and heads to Venice, to a gorgeous but faded bookshop overlooking the canals, hoping to uncover the truth about her mother’s mysterious past.

Will Luna find the answers she’s looking for – and finally find the place she belongs?

I absolutely loved this book! I found myself engrossed in story, after losing her mother Luna embarks on a journey to discover who her father was. Who wouldn’t want an escape to Venice for few months, but what we wish for is not always what we find, but sometimes we find something even better.  

I found the story to be more about finding your way in the world, family, friendship and yes love.   I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves books and wants a feel good read.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Harlequin 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 book lovers.

Hugs,

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