Tag: Cozy Mystery

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Bookish Cozy Mystery Clause of Death (A Booktown Mystery Book 16) BY Lorna Barrett

334 Pages Berkley Publisher June 7,2022 Publish Date

About The Book

Bookstore owner Tricia Miles tries to open a new chapter in life, but murder mars the pages in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett’s New York Times bestselling Booktown series.

Tricia Miles and her sister, Angelica, are the co-presidents of the Stoneham Chamber of Commerce. Things are changing in the booktown, and some merchants would say not for the better. They grumble that too many non-book-related stores are moving into the village, taking up the most visible storefronts on Main Street, diluting the “Booktown” moniker. Of course, the members with other businesses, like the latest, The Bee’s Knees, are fine with other businesses moving in. No matter what side of the argument they’re on, all the business owners agree on one thing: Tricia and Angelica are to blame. 
 
Still, it’s a pretty typical day in the life of a small-town Chamber of Commerce until one of the disgruntled bookstore owners is killed—Eli Meier from The Inner Light Bookstore, the most vocal of the Chamber complainers. He sold religious and other spiritual books, but also stocked books on wild conspiracy theories and sold incense, crystals, etc. Eli had never been a member of the Chamber until Angelica recently convinced him to join. He hit on her and she, having good taste, turned him down. He hounded (but not stalked) her, and some might think that was a motive for murder. 
 
Stoneham’s new police chief is an old friend of Tricia’s, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to go easy on her sister. One might even say that he’s going to throw the book at her.

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My Thoughts

Clause of Death is the sixteenth book in the Clause of Death series.
Having read several books in the series I was looking forward to this book.
What I thought was pretty neat is because this is Booktown, most of the bookstores and restaurants along with shops have a book related name. I want to visit this bookish town.
I am familiar with our main characters, Tricia Miles and her sister, Angelica, who are the co-presidents of the Stoneham Chamber of Commerce.
At the town meetings and around town some of the residents make it known they are very unhappy with non-bookish shops coming into town and taking prime spots on Main Street.
When a disgruntled bookshop employee is found dead Stoneham’s new police chief has no problem trying to throw the book at one of the sisters.
There were some very surprising going On’s and it had a sad ending that I was hoping would have had a different outcome.
I’m looking forward to many more books in this series.

Pub Date 07 Jun 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The Author

The immensely popular Booktown Mystery series is what put Lorna Barrett’s name on the New York Times Bestseller list, but it’s her talent — whether writing as Lorna, or L.L. Bartlett, or Lorraine Bartlett — that keeps her there. This multi-published, Agatha-nominated author pens the exciting Jeff Resnick Mysteries as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square Mystery series and has many short stories and novellas to her name(s).

Lorna lives in Rochester, NY with her husband and two cats, Poppy and Emma.

Have a wonderful day. Thank you for visiting.

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Death By Beach Read-OBX cozy mystery, Lighthouse Library Mystery #9 By Eva Gates-Review

280 pages Crooked Lane Books June 07,2022 publish date

About The Book

Librarian Lucy’s new historic house comes with a lot of baggage and family secrets. Can she put them to rest or will a killer bring Lucy’s family to their downfall, in the 9th Lighthouse Library mystery.
 

It’s spring in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Lucy and Connor have moved into their new home at last, a historic cottage on the Nags Head Beach. The house needs a lot of renovations, but they worked hard over the winter to get it ready. Lucy is now happily immersed in her work at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, planning her wedding, and decorating the house. That is, until a dead body disrupts their peaceful new abode.   
 
The first night Lucy’s alone in the house, with the company of Charles the library cat, she hears sounds. Investigating they see footsteps in the dust of the unfinished living room, and the door to the outside is open. Lucy’s reminded that the house is said to be haunted: forty years ago the teenage daughter of the owners fled in the night, and never again stepped foot inside her family home.
 
But the sounds have an all-too-human origin and one evening Lucy and Connor find the dead body of a man they don’t even recognize in their kitchen. They soon realize he has a long-time connection to their house. Lucy’s forced to find out what happened all those years ago and why it’s threatening her happiness today.
 
Meanwhile, the Classic Novel Reading Club is reading The House of the Seven Gables by Nathanial Hawthorne, a book about another old house full of secrets. Can Lucy find parallels to her own situation in Hawthorne’s fiction before the killer strikes again?

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My Thoughts

Death by Beach Read is the ninth book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series.
I enjoy reading books about places I’ve visited, and this takes place on the Out Banks of North Carolina, Nags Head and Bodie Island Light House. Such a beautiful area. While the lighthouse in the story houses a library, living quarters and offices from visiting I know there is no room for this but its fiction so allowable it is.
Having read and enjoyed others in this series I am familiar with the characters Lucy, a transplant from Boston and Connor, the very busy mayor. They have moved into a newly renovated beach house and are settling in with her library cat Charley.
Her first night alone in the house provides to be too spooky with sounds coming from the closed off upstairs area and footprints in the dust.
When a body of a man the homeowners don’t even know turns up in their house it’s time to take into account the old rumors about the house being haunted.
Will the cat’s nosing around turn up anything but mice in the empty and dusty areas of the home?
Action, suspense, wedding planning, a library, a cat, sleuthing this book has all you need to be satisfied with a great cozy mystery.
I am enjoying this series and a lot of the same characters in each book. Wonderful, easy to follow plot. Some cozies can confuse you with too much going on, not so with this one. Recommended!

Pub Date: 07 Jun 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Eva Gates is the pen name of Canadian author Vicki Delany. As Eva she writes the national bestselling Lighthouse Library cozy series for Crooked Lane Books, the latest of which is DEATH BY BEACH READ, coming June 2022.

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A Murder Yule Regret by Winnie Archer-Review

About the Book

Freelance photographer and Yeast of Eden bakery assistant Ivy Culpepper has just scored the job of a lifetime shooting the Dickensian dress-up X-mas party thrown by It Girl film actress Eliza Fox . . . until an unwanted guest appears.
 
A holiday costume party in the sleepy coastal town of Santa Sofia could be just the boost Ivy needs for her fledgling photography business. At the party, Ivy enters a Victorian fantasy come to life, all courtesy of the fabulous Ms. Fox. Ivy gets to play shutterbug while hanging with Scrooge, Marley, the Cratchits, and more classic Dickens characters.  But what begins as the best of times turns out to be the very worst for one of the party guests—a tabloid journalist with more enemies than Ebenezer himself.
 
When the man’s body is found sprawled across the jagged rocks below the house, the fingers begin pointing at Eliza. Meanwhile, Ivy gets roped into helping prove the starlet’s innocence. Her festive photos are now official evidence—and the Ghosts of Christmas Present could mean the party for Eliza is over, once and for all.

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My Thoughts

A Murder Yule Regret is the seventh book in the A Bread Shop Mystery series and also my first read in this series.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the different types of bread baking in this book and how it was made. It made me hungry for delicious fresh, hot bread with butter melted on it.
Santa Sofia bakery, Yeast of Eden is overflowing with business even off peak. Bakery assistant Ivy Culpepper may be up to her elbows in dough early every a.m. but she’s got a wonderful chance to get her startup photography business off the ground as the photographer shooting the Dickensian dress-up X-mas party thrown by It Girl film actress Eliza Fox.
I enjoyed the characters, and we get an in-depth backstory for some of them here which really explains their behavior. One character I was completely off the mark with my thinking, they surely took me by surprise.
When some of Ivy’s photographs may contain photographic evidence in a murder, she and her Pug are in feet first sleuthing.
Fast paced with red herrings thrown in, I was surprised how this turned out and just did not see this ending playing out as a possibility.
I enjoyed the plot and will be reading more of this series.
Delicious recipes included to try.

Pub Date 30 Nov 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

The indefatigable Winnie Archer is a former middle school teacher and now full time writer. Born in a beach town in California, she now lives in an inspiring lake house in North Carolina where she practices yoga, hikes, and loves on her 3 rescue dogs. She fantasizes about spending summers writing in quaint, cozy locales, has a love/hate relationship with both yoga and chocolate, adores pumpkin spice lattes, is devoted to her five kids and husband, and can’t believe she’s lucky enough to be living the life of her dreams.

Winnie Archer is the pseudonym for national bestselling author Melissa Bourbon. Learn more at http://melissabourbon.com.

Have you read any of this series yet?

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Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking by Raquel V. Reyes-Review (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery Book 2)

About The Book

It’s time for a savory soirée—but something sinister is stewing—in Raquel V. Reyes’s second delightful Caribbean Kitchen mystery, perfectly delicious for fans of Mia P. Manansala.

Fall festivities are underway in Coral Shores, Miami. Cuban-American cooking show star Miriam Quiñones-Smith wakes up to find a corpse in her front yard. The body by the fake tombstone is the woman that was kicked out of the school’s Fall Festival the day before.
 
Miriam’s luck does not improve. Her passive-aggressive mother-in-law puts her in charge of the Women’s Club annual gala. But this year, it’s not canapes and waltzes. Miriam and her girlfriends-squad opt for fun and flavor. They want to spice it up with Caribbean food trucks and a calypso band. While making plans at the country club, they hear a volatile argument between the new head chef and the club’s manager. Not long after, the chef swan dives to his death at the bottom of the grand staircase.
 
Was it an accident? Or was it Beverly, the sous chef, who is furious after being passed over for the job? Or maybe it was his ex-girlfriend, Anastasia? 
 
Add two possible poisonings to the mix and Miriam is worried the food truck fun is going to be a major crash. As the clock ticks down and the body count goes up, Miriam’s life is put in jeopardy. Will she connect the dots or die in the deep freeze? Foodies and mystery lovers alike will savor the denouement as the truth is laid bare in this simmering stew of rage, retribution, and murder.

My Thoughts

I haven't read the first book in this series, though I would love to, but I don't feel like I am missing part of the story. This is such a fun, high energy book.
With Fall vibes emanating from each page, we have our main character Miriam Quiñones-Smith a star of the Miami. Cuban American cooking show.
I loved the authentic feel for the area with many passages of the book being in Spanish and descriptions of the food's native to the area.
Being that there is a food anthropologist we get a well-researched history of native foods (especially fruits) and information about different cultures.
Thanks to her mother-in-law, Miriam is busy planning the Country Club’s annual gala, of course her mother-in-law hadn't asked her just volunteered her for it. If this isn't enough to keep this anthropologist busy, she also wakes up to find a body in her yard and is sleuthing to solve another murder.
I loved this Foodie cozy mystery with its vibrant take on Cuban culture and food.

Pub Date: 11 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

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About The Author

RAQUEL V. REYES writes Latina protagonists. Her Cuban-American heritage, Miami, and Spanglish feature prominently in her work. Mango, Mambo, and Murder, the first in the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series, won a LEFTY for Best Humorous Mystery and was nominated for an Agatha. The New York Times Book Review wrote, “it executes its mission—with panache.” Raquel’s short stories appear in various anthologies, including The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2022. Find her across social media platforms as @LatinaSleuths and on her website LatinaSleuths.com

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First Line Friday

Happy Friday & welcome to the First Line Friday hosted by Reading Is My Super Power! It’s time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line. Today, I’m featuring the first line of Steeped In Secrets by Lauren Elliot.

And my first few lines are………..

Shayleigh Myers or Shay as her friends and family called her,hopped out of the black Explorer into what was a typical cloudless California late August morning. She gazed at her surroundings,finding it hard to she was actually back in the small town she thought she had left behind forever.

About The Book

From the USA Today bestselling author of the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mysteries, the first installment in a new series featuring Shay Myers, intuitive gemologist and owner of a New Age tea and crystals shop in beautiful coastal California’s Monterey Peninsula.

Flat broke and divorced, intuitive gemologist Shay Myers has changed since leaving her artsy hometown of coastal Bray Harbor sixteen years ago. But when she moves back under strange circumstances, old instincts may be the only key to spilling the tea on a deadly mystery.

Even with her life in ruins in New Mexico, Shay feels uneasy about settling into the small seaside town where she grew up on California’s Monterey Peninsula and taking over an estate bequeathed to her by Bridget Early, a woman she had barely known. Her heightened senses—an empathic gift she’s had since childhood—go into overdrive upon touring Crystals & CuriosiTEAS, Bridget’s eclectic tea and psychic shop brimming with Irish lore and Celtic symbols. They reach a boiling point when Shay looks up to discover a stranger’s body sprawled across the shop’s greenhouse roof . . .



With her new business a crime scene and questions brewing over Bridget’s so-called accidental death, Shay fears she’s also inherited the attention of a killer. The terrifying realization sets her on an impractical investigation for answers aided by her sister, an elusive pure-white German Shepherd, a strikingly handsome pub owner who speaks in a gentle brogue, and a misunderstood young woman with perceptive talents of her own. As Shay struggles to figure out her true purpose in Bray Harbor and the powerful connection she has with the tea shop, she must trust her judgment above all else to identify a ruthless murderer and save herself from becoming victim number three.

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304 pages Kensington Cozies November 29,22 publish date

Would you read this one?

Let me know in the comments what your first line Friday is

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Engaging Fall Cozy Mystery-A Perfect Bind by Dorothy St. James-Review

About The Book

Librarian Tru Beckett, ardent defender of the printed word, is about to find out that keeping murder checked out of her beloved library is much harder than she thought…

Tru Beckett succeeded in building a secret book room in her now bookless library, where book lovers from lovely Cypress, South Carolina, can rejoice in the printed word. Now she’s working hard to maintain the little library downstairs while keeping her “real job” upstairs in the bookless technology center. The last thing she needs is a mysterious vandal who seems intent on breaking into her secret book-filled sanctuary and creating chaos. The nasty interloper doesn’t steal anything, but brutalizes the books, damaging them and knocking them off shelves.

A patron of the secret book room tells Tru that there have been creepy goings-on at the library for years, especially in the basement where the secret book room is located. He’s heard rumors of a poltergeist that haunts the library, determined to scare off readers. Tru is certain it’s hogwash, but she’s at a loss to think of who might be vandalizing the beautiful books she fought so hard to protect. And when a dead body shows up right behind the library, Tru is certain that it’s not a ghost but a cold-blooded killer that she and her trusty tabby Dewey Decimal will need to uncover.

My Review

A Perfect Bind is the second book in the Beloved Bookroom Mystery series and my first read in this series. This author’s books are fabulous, once you start you just can’t stop. You have to keep reading til the end to see how it’s all going to play out.
Southern librarian Tru Beckett though young, is the old fashioned type and is appalled at the library she works at in Cypress, South Carolina going bookless. (Say what?) To attract more technological businesses to the town the library goes bookless using digital books and technological resources which ultimately annoys many of it’s patrons especially the older folks.
Librarian Tru “rescues” some of the books destined for the dump and sets up a secret basement book area where patrons can still check out physical books.
The main librarian is strict and by the book but she “doesn’t” know about this secret book area.
Tru’s library cat Dewey is such a big help in her library area but of course she has to sneak him in. Though she works upstairs in the technological area Tru prefers her time with the “real” books, now just not to get caught.
When her special book room is vandalized more than once with her books being tossed about and destroyed it’s more than this poor librarian’s heart can understand.
Add to that when a body is discovered outside the library the creepy going-on’s in the library start piling up. Could it possibly be that poltergeist some of the old timers are talking about.
Sleuthing librarian Tru and her smart tabby Dewey are on the case of uncovering who could have caused the trouble and why. Very engaging book. Fast paced cozy, I really enjoyed it.

Pub Date 28 Sep 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Old books among the autumn leaves under soft sunlight.

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About The Author

Mystery author Dorothy St. James was born in New York but raised in South Carolina. For the past 20+ years, she made her home on an artsy island community in South Carolina with her husband. Though writing has always been a passion for her, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a graduate degree in Public Administration and Urban Planning. She put her educational experience to use, having worked in all branches and all levels of government including local, regional, state, and federal. She even spent time during college working for a non-profit environmental watchdog organization.

Switching from government service and community planning to fiction writing wasn’t as big of a change as some might think. Her government work was all about the stories of the people and the places where they live. As an urban planner, Dorothy loved telling the stories of the people she met. And from that, her desire to tell the tales that were so alive in her heart grew until she could not ignore it any longer. In 2001, she took a leap of faith and pursued her dream of writing fiction full-time.

* Dorothy St. James is the alter-ego of award-winning multi-published author, Dorothy McFalls. She enjoys writing in several different genres. Her works have been nominated for many awards including: Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, Reviewers International Organization Award, National Reader’s Choice Award, CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award, and The Romance Reviews Today Perfect 10! Award. Reviewers have called her work: “amazing”, “perfect”, “filled with emotion”, and “lined with danger.”

Books in this series

Do you have a favorite cozy mystery author? Will you be reading this book?

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A Good Dog’s Guide to Murder by Krista Davis-Review

About The Book

The great Gingerbread Dog & Cat House competition has come to Wagtail, along with another murder to solve for Holly and her supersmart Jack Russell terrier Trixie in the New York Times bestselling Paws & Claws series by Krista Davis!

Visitors are arriving in droves to spend Thanksgiving in the mountains of pet-friendly Wagtail, Virginia. Many of them are bringing dog and cat gingerbread houses to enter in the contest that will be held in the new convention center. Wagtail resident Orly Biffle bequeathed the land to the town in his will, provided that they not cut down the grand old oak tree on the property. Orly’s children are mighty miffed that they didn’t inherit the prime piece of property overlooking the lake.
 
Holly notices that Trixie and Twinkletoes, her calico kitty, are fixated on the big oak tree. Trixie barks at it as though she thinks it’s a corpse! Just as contestants are spicing up their sweet gingerbread creations, the majestic tree drops an enormous limb. The mayor declares that the tree is dangerous and must come down. When a bulldozer churns up some roots, the tree falls over on its own accord revealing a body inside the trunk! Initially, everyone suspects this unsavory trick was Orly’s doing. But it soon becomes clear that someone is trying to keep the truth under wraps. Trixie and Twinkletoes now have to help Holly sniff out some suspects and leash a conniving killer.

My Review

This is the eighth book in the Paws and Claws mystery series.
The resident’s of Wagtail,Virginia love pets and many of the visitors to this mountainous town are bringing dog and cat gingerbread houses to be judged in the contest at the new convention center.
Cookies,cookies,cookies. Want a cookie? There are cookies galore being baked in Wagtail this Thanksgiving holiday for the great Gingerbread Dog & Cat House competition but you better make sure your cookie doesn’t have poison in it.
There is another mystery for Holly and her supersmart Jack Russell terrier Trixie to solve. We also get an insight into Trixie’s almost human way of thinking and what she wishes us humans knew. Now that is one smart dog. I’ll have to say my favorite characters are Holly’s, dog Trixie and cat Twinkletoes.
When a dying tree just has to come down a body is found inside encased in concrete.
Holly and Officer Dave do some sleuthing, going through the list of town’s folk who have disappeared and were not heard from again. The accusations begin and the suspect list continues to grow as the story goes on. Surprising ending. This series is great and I look forward to the next in the series.

Pub Date: 06 Sep 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

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About the Author

New York Times Bestselling author Krista Davis grew up devouring Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Agatha Christie and still loves a good mystery. Krista writes three mystery series.

The Domestic Diva Mysteries are set in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia. Sophie Winston loves to entertain her friends but she keeps things simple. When it comes to murder, though, this domestic diva knows how to dig up dirt. Recipes and entertaining tips included!

The Paws & Claws Mysteries take place on Wagtail Mountain, Virginia, the premier vacation destination for people who want to travel with their pets. Holly Miller and her German Oma run the family inn in Wagtail, which caters to dogs and cats. Holly’s Jack Russell Terrier, Trixie, and her long-haired calico kitty, Twinkletoes, use their superior noses to sniff out trouble.

In the Pen & Ink series, protagonist Florrie Fox runs a bookstore in Georgetown, Washington, DC by day and is an adult coloring book artist by night. The front and back covers of the Pen & Ink books can be colored!

Like her domestic diva, Sophie Winston, Krista enjoys cooking (okay, eating!) and entertaining, but she’d just as soon leave the cleaning to someone else. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with an assortment of cats and dogs.

What makes you want to read A Good Dog’s Guide to Murder? Have you read any books by this author? Let me know in the comments.

Have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

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Release Day Review-The Ghost and the Stolen Tears By Cleo Coyle

About The Book

With the help of her gumshoe ghost, bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure sets out to clear an innocent woman of a shocking crime in this all-new entry in the “utterly charming” (Mystery Scene) Haunted Bookshop Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

Norma is a modern-day nomad. Living out of her van and teardrop trailer, she revels in self-reliance, solitude, and reading in the glorious peace of nature. Jovial, wise, and scrupulously honest, she’s become an uplifting presence in the little town of Quindicott, Rhode Island, where bookseller Pen is thankful to have her part-time help. But it’s Norma’s other job, working as a housekeeper at the Finch Inn, that gets her into terrible trouble. Norma is accused of stealing jewels from a guest’s room: the legendary Valentino Teardrops, an antique necklace and earring set, inherited by a young socialite. Pen doesn’t believe Norma is guilty of the crime—though the evidence is distressingly strong. And when the spirited Norma vanishes before her arrest, Pen turns to another spirit…

Jack Shepard, PI, may have been gunned down decades ago, but his memory hasn’t been ghosted. Back in the 1940s, those same Valentino Teardrops starred in a bizarre case of betrayal and murder. From the look of things, history is about to repeat. Now Jack is back on the job, and Pen is eternally grateful.

Publisher Berkley Publish Date October 04,2022 File size 2446 KB

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My Review

The Ghost and the Stolen Tears is the eighth book in the Haunted Bookshop Mystery series.
Quindicott, Rhode Island is home to a bookshop owned by Penelope Thornton-McClure. In this case she is once again working with her gumshoe ghost, Jack Shepard who was a PI in the 1940’s but is still “around” helping to solve the case by putting thoughts and ideas in her head.
Her part-time helper is Norma who is a nomadic van lifer,nature enjoying kind of person.
Norma has been accused of stealing the legendary Valentino Teardrops, an antique necklace and earring set. Pen is convinced Norma is innocent despite her nomadic ways.
The mystery has a few red herrings thrown in to get you off track. I love this series with it’s bookshop owner and the ghostly Jack. You just never know where their investigations will take them and what kind of situations they’ll be getting into to almost not escape from. There are some pretty close calls here. The pacing was great and it kept my attention. I recommend this book and series and look forward to more adventures with this pair in upcoming books.

Pub Date 04 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own

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About The Author

CLEO COYLE is the New York Times bestselling pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, collaborating with her husband, Marc Cerasini. With more than 1 million copies of their books sold, Alice and Marc have written 19 entries in their long-running, critically acclaimed Coffeehouse Mystery series with their newest, HONEY ROASTED, just released from their longtime publisher, Penguin Random House. They also write the national bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries with THE GHOST AND THE HAUNTED PORTRAIT (7th in the series) recently released by Berkley Books and selected as one of Aunt Agatha’s top ten cozy mysteries of the year. Cleo’s books have earned starred reviews from Library Journal and Kirkus, “Best of Year” selection honors from many reviewers, and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections.

Visit Cleo’s online coffeehouse at CoffeehouseMystery.com and her haunted bookshop at HauntedBookshopMystery.com ~ Keep in touch with Cleo (and receive her latest books news and bonus recipes) by signing up for her newsletter. Simply send a “sign me up” email to coffeehousemystery@gmail.com

“Cleo” (aka) Alice Alfonsi grew up in a small town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After earning scholarships to study creative and professional writing at Carnegie Mellon and American Universities, she began her career as a cub reporter for The New York Times. Now an author of popular fiction and bestselling media tie-in writer (who even served as ghostwriter for an Entertainment Weekly media tie-in Best Book of the Year), Alice lives and works in New York City, where she first met her husband and collaborator, Marc Cerasini. Marc was also born and raised in the Pittsburgh area and is a graduate of Ohio University. He is a New York Times bestselling author of adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction.

Working independently and together, Alice and Marc have created bestselling tie-in properties for NBC, Lucasfilm, Disney, Fox, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or rescuing stray cats, they cook like crazy and drink a lot of java. You can learn more about Alice, her husband, and the books they write by visiting http://www.CoffeehouseMystery.com. Scroll down the left column of the site’s Home Page and you will see links to a number of online interviews that Alice and Marc have given.

Don’t miss Cleo Coyle’s 18th Coffeehouse Mystery, BREWED AWAKENING, which was honored on 5 Best of Year lists by reviewers. Their 17th, SHOT IN THE DARK, was a Best of Year Fresh Fiction Finalist, awarded a starred review by Library Journal and chosen as its MYSTERY PICK OF THE MONTH. This critically acclaimed series of light, amateur sleuth mysteries has now earned three starred reviews, including a Kirkus Star, with multiple entries named Best Mystery Books for Book Clubs.

Many of Alice and Marc’s fans know that their HAUNTED BOOKSHOP MYSTERIES were first released under their other pen name, Alice Kimberly. After publishing five titles in this series, Alice and Marc took a decade-long hiatus, but recently resumed writing it for their longtime publisher, this time under their CLEO COYLE name. Their 6th entry, THE GHOST AND THE BOGUS BESTSELLER, became a national bestseller and a “Best Book of 2018” selection by Suspense Magazine. Their latest release, THE GHOST AND THE HAUNTED PORTRAIT, an Aunt Agatha’s and Kings River Life magazine best of year pick, marks the seventh entry in this popular series. And, yes, Alice and Marc have more Haunted Bookshop Mysteries in the works. Their upcoming entry in the series, THE GHOST AND THE STOLEN TEARS, is now available for order.

Thank you for stopping by. Have a terrific day.

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Strangers On A Skein by Anne Canadeo-Review

About the 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 . . .

My Review

Strangers on A Skein is the twelfth book in the Black Sheep and Company mystery series.
The Black Sheep Knitting Shop is run by Maggie and her assistant is Phoebe. The clientele love her work and cheerful ways. She is ecstatic to have a chance to get a booth at the Farmer’s and Crafts Market and what a boost it will be, just in time for the holidays. Phoebe knits socks and is looking to bring in even more clients with her hard work and meticulous marketing skills.
It turns out her prime spot at the market was only available because the former stall holder passed away but things go from bad to worse when we find out he was really murdered.
Her bad luck continues when he ex-boyfriend get a stall very close to hers and troublesome mischief starts happening with her stall being trashed and other negative things.
Could her ex possibly be the one responsible for the murder?
Phoebe’s friends, though she is the youngest they take her under their wings with great conversation, delicious meals and back her up with solid friendship.
The plot kept me guessing who the murderer was, I thought one way then when that fizzled out I followed another way of thinking. The plot kept me guessing and I enjoyed Phoebe’s character. This book will appeal to people who enjoy yarn and knitting. There is a pattern link for over 22 vintage two-needle socks in the back of the book and also a recipe for zucchini and carrot patties with yogurt dill sauce. I will look for more books in this series in the future.

Pub Date 26 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

276 pages Kensington Cozies  (October 26, 2021)

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First Line Friday

Happy Friday & welcome to First Line Friday. It’s time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line. Today, I’m featuring the first line of In Farm’s Way by Amanda Flower it’s a Farm to Table cozy mystery. Her books are such fun reads.

And The First Line is……………

A Michigander knows snow–or at least she should.

About The Book

Even the best-laid plants can go awry…

After solving a murder and getting her organic farm ready to overwinter, Shiloh Bellamy still expects the next few months to be busy with repairs, spring planning, and networking with local businesses. She might even be able to broker a new partnership with Fields Brewery and its organic brewer’s association. Well, she could if the owner wasn’t found murdered at the county Ice Fishing Derby.

Once again, Shiloh gets tangled up in the investigation when the police ignore an entire crop of suspects to blame one of her friends. She’ll have to dig deep to find the truth, reel in a killer, and convince her city-slicker pug to wear his winter boots. But with Bellamy Farm still struggling, can Shiloh spare the time to look into the town’s fishy characters? Or will her dream farm be the next thing floating belly up?

USA Today bestselling Amanda Flower returns to the Farm to Table cozy mystery series with another exciting sleuthing adventure!

Mass Market Paperback

Expected publication February 24, 2023

Series Farm to Table Mysteries #3

Have you read or plant to read any of the books in this series? In the comments let me know the first line of the book closest to you.

Thank you for stopping by. Enjoy your weekend.