Tag: Cozy Mystery

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Getaway With Murder: The Mountain Lodge Mysteries

296 pages October 26, 2021publish date St. Martins Paperbacks

ABOUT THE BOOK

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.

Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina credit

MY THOUGHTS

After having just read A Trip with Trouble, the second book in the Mountain Lodge mystery series I was more than ready to read this one, the first in the series. Who says you have to read a series in order, right?

We once again find ourselves in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with middle aged Misty Murphy. She’s finally doing something for herself, she’s ended her marriage and bought a rundown lodge that’s slowly being repaired.

Excited that her first big group has come to stay at the lodge she’s doing all she can to make them comfy during their stay including having scrumptious meals brought in from the restaurant next door. The group staying is here for a whole week of relaxation on a yoga retreat. Sun salutations are part of their yoga and meditation but when the leader is unable to be found one bright and sunny morning to lead the class the others start to worry. When she is later found dead at the lodge, speculation starts to run rampant with no Zen moments here.

Could one of the yoga students have gotten tired of her bossy and stuck on herself behavior enough to kill her or was it a random outsider? As the clues start to collect, we see Misty working hard to get this solved along with the police, so her lodge won’t get a bad reputation.

What a great plot this is. I loved the characters and the setting. I am now on my way to read the last book in this series.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A former tax advisor, Diane Kelly inadvertently worked with white-collar criminals. Not surprisingly, Diane decided self-employment would be a good idea. Her fingers hit the keyboard and thus began her Death and Taxes white-collar crime series. A graduate of her hometown’s Citizen Police Academy, Diane Kelly also writes the hilarious K-9 cop Paw Enforcement series, the Busted female motorcycle cop series, the House Flipper cozy mystery series, the Southern Homebrew moonshine series, and the Mountain Lodge Mysteries.

Be the first to receive book news and access exclusive content by signing up for Diane’s newsletter at https://www.dianekelly.com/newsletter/

Find Diane online at http://www.DianeKelly.com, her Author Diane Kelly page on Facebook, and on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok at @dianekellybooks.

I wish you a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping in.

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A Corpse at the Witching Hour: A Food Blogger Mystery …. ghosts, a fatal curse, and a decades-old family secret 

Thank you for reading this post on my other blog. Thank you.

A Corpse at the Witching Hour: A Food Blogger Mystery …. ghosts, a fatal curse, and a decades-old family secret 

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BOOKS FROM THE BACKLOG

BOOKS FROM THE BACKLOG

If you’re anything like me, you have lots of books in your reading pile that you haven’t read yet. Books that you’d love to get through, but you just keep adding more and more books to that pile and soon they are forgotten about. Books from the Backlog is a great way to feature those books and hopefully move them up on your reading list.

THIS WEEK’S NEGLECTED BOOK

Pub Date 28 Sep 2021

ABOUT THE BOOK

There’s nothing like autumn in picturesque Goosebush, Massachusetts, but beneath the season’s sun-dappled foliage, Lilly Jayne and her Garden Squad must investigate a shadowy murder mystery after a theater owner’s sudden death sows as much drama behind the scenes as on any stage…
 
Lilly Jayne typically spends the harvest season baking festive pies and crafting colorful wreaths to enter in the library’s annual fundraising contest. But this year, autumn opens on a somber note when beloved local theater owner, Leon Tompkin, dies unexpectedly. His memorial sets the scene for a mini reunion of The Goosebush Players’ best and brightest alumni, including Hollywood star, Jeremy Nolan…until someone plucks Jeremy from the spotlight, permanently.
 
Now, as dedicated theater volunteer, Scooter McGee, falls under suspicion, Lilly and her Garden Squad must spring into action. They quickly discover a cornucopia of potential suspects in Jeremy’s murder. Was it an embittered ex…or a jilted lover? A rival thespian…or an overly ambitious artist? Lilly rakes through the piles of clues, but if she doesn’t uncover the real killer soon, more than autumn leaves will be dropping in Goosebush…

WHY I ADDED IT TO MY LIST

2021 is the year I started reading cozy mysteries. You might say, I went a little crazy and requested too many from NetGalley. Never too many books though, right? Slowly working my way through my cozy pile.

What about you, have you read this one? Would you read it?

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A Troubling Tail (A Bookmobile Cat Mystery Book 11) by Laurie Cass

367 pages August 01,2023 publication date Berkley publisher

Grab A Copy Here

About The Book

When the owner of a local candy store is murdered, librarian Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie, prepare to find the sweet spot to solve a crime.

The charming town of Chilson, Michigan, is beautiful in the spring, and the bookmobile is delivering great reads far and wide on one of the first warm days of the year. But a chill sweeps through when they discover that one of their favorite patrons, the owner of Henika’s Candy Emporium, has been found murdered. Although Minnie can’t understand who could have had a motive to murder such a kind man, she decides that the sticky problem isn’t hers to solve.

However, when rumors start flying around town and the police have no leads, Minnie decides to throw her investigative hat into the ring. The more Minnie investigates, the less certain she is that the victim’s past is as wholesome as his reputation. But Minnie has plenty of experience unearthing inconvenient truths, and she and Eddie won’t rest until they determine how the victim met his bitter end.

My Thoughts

I was so excited to see a new book in one of my favorite cozy mystery series, this is number 11 in the Bookmobile Cat series. If you love cozies, bookmobiles, libraries and cats this one is perfect for you.


A kindly older gentleman, owner of a candy shop in Chilson, Michigan is murdered. The police don’t seem to be solving it quickly enough so Bookmobile driver and librarian Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie, are once again on the case of another murder.


Giving his meow of approval or disapproval Eddie isn’t just the cutest library cat for children to cuddle he’s there in the middle of it all. The series is consistently interesting with its twists and turns and red herrings thrown in.


I was easily pulled into the story and could visualize it well. The characters are easy to follow and likable. Minnie and her fiancée don’t seem to be in a hurry to plan their wedding but I’m hoping we’ll see that in the next book.

Pub Date 01 Aug 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Laurie Cass grew up in Michigan and graduated from college in the 80’s with a (mostly unused) degree in geology. She turned to writing in the late nineties. After a number of years in management, she felt the need to move on and took a job with fewer responsibilities. A month later, she was dead bored and began to consider writing as a way to wake up her brain. She started reading a lot of books on writing and happened across a particular sentence: “What’s it going to be, reasons or results?”

The phrase practically stuck her in the eye. She printed it out, framed it, and put it next to her computer. “Reasons or results?” At the end of her life, was she going to have a pile of reasons for not having done anything? Or was she going to sit down and write a book? Once she started looking at it that way, the decision was easy. A short 13 years later, her first book was published.

Currently, Laurie and her husband share their house with two cats, the inestimable Eddie and the adorably cute Sinii. When Laurie isn’t writing, she’s working at her day job, reading, attempting to keep the flowerbeds free of weeds, or doing some variety of skiing. She also writes the PTA Mysteries under the name Laura Alden.

Have you read this author yet? What are your favorite types of cozy mysteries to read?

Have a peaceful day and thanks for stopping in today.

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Honey Drop Dead (A Tea Shop Mystery Book 26) by Laura Childs

316 pages August 8, 2023 publication date Berkely publisher

About The Book

The murder of a political bigwig at a Honey Bee Tea sends Theodosia Browning buzzing for answers in this latest installment
of the New York Times bestselling series.

Theodosia’s Honey Bee Tea was an elegant affair set in Charleston’s new Petigru Park amid newly planted native grasses and a community beekeeping project. But when a phony beekeeper shows up and sprays toxic smoke at the guests, the party erupts in chaos. Worse yet, a shot rings out and Osgood Claxton III, candidate for state legislature, falls to the ground—dead.

Holly Burns, the gallery owner who asked Theodosia to cater the tea, is understandably heartbroken. A man is dead, her guests are angry and injured, and the paintings that were on display are left in tatters. When the police don’t seem to have a clue, when old-line politicos don’t want questions asked, Holly begs Theodosia to run a shadow investigation and help restore her gallery’s good name.

Between hosting a Wind in the Willows Tea and a Glam Girl Tea, Theodosia questions everyone that had a bone to pick with Claxton. This includes Booker, an angry outsider artist; Lamar Lucket, Claxton’s political opponent; and Mignon Merriweather, the dead man’s soon-to-be ex-wife. But the investigation becomes a political hot potato following a second murder, the revelation of a messy affair, a chase through a swamp, and a vandalized shop.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

Grab A Copy Here

My Thoughts

I will have to say I’ve bought many books by this author, haven’t read them all yet but have read quite a few of them. I drink a lot of tea, iced and hot and love the setting of this cozy mystery series taking place in a teashop.


Theodosia Browning owns a quite popular teashop in Charleston, South Carolina. Aside from running a teashop she seems to call amateur sleuthing her second calling. Murder always seems to find her or perhaps she finds it. In any case there is a murder during a private tea party at her Indigo Tea Shop on Church Street.

It’s a honeybee themed tea party complete with yellow bumblebee decorations and honey filled foods. When a “beekeeper” shows up at the party the guests think it’s part of the entertainment, but this “beekeeper” has other things on his mind when he smokes out a guest with noxious gas and they wind up dead. You will be kept buzzing along as you piece together all the clues thrown at you, many which will throw you off track as you think you’ve solved it, but it turns out to be a dead end.

Very entertaining and well-paced cozy mystery. I’m satisfied with this book.
Don’t forget to read to the end of the book as there are delicious sounding recipes, interesting facts about tea and a fun list of things to do when visiting Charleston, South Carolina.

Pub Date 08 Aug 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Have a fabulous day and thanks for spending time here today.

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Murder in a Cape Cottage (A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery 4) by Maddie Day

322 pages September 27,2022 publish date Kensington publisher

About The Book

From Agatha-awarding winning author Maddie Day comes the latest novel in her Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery series set in a picturesque Cape Cod town, where resourceful bike-shop owner Mackenzie “Mac” Almeida” tackles a cold case with the help of her fellow book club sleuths—a treat for fans of fresh, clever, cozy mysteries and those who love Lorna Barrett’s Booktown series.
 
ʼTis the day after Christmas, following a wicked-busy time of year for Mac’s bike shop. It’s just as well her Cozy Capers Book Group’s new pick is a nerve-soothing coloring book mystery, especially when she has last-minute wedding planning to do. But all pre-wedding jitters fade into the background when Mac and her fiancé, Tim, begin a cottage renovation project and open up a wall to find a skeleton—sitting on a stool, dressed in an old-fashioned bridal gown . . .
 
As Mac delves into the decades-old mystery with the help of librarian Flo and her book group, she discovers a story of star-crossed lovers and feuding families worthy of the bard himself. Yet this tale has a modern-day villain still lurking in Mac’s quaint seaside town, ready to make this a murderous New Year’s Eve . . .
 
Includes Recipes!

Cape Cod travel sticker or luggage label

My Thoughts

Bike-shop owner Mackenzie “Mac” Almeida is at it again, amateur sleuthing that is.
She and her fiancée Tim are renovating their cottage just days before their wedding and a skeleton is found behind a wall of a young woman in a wedding dress. This is a cold case as it’s been there for more than eighty years.

Taking place in the Cape Cod area of Massachusetts, I was eager to read this book for several reasons. One being that we traveled to Mass on an anniversary trip last year in July. My first time to Mass and I love to read about places I’ve traveled to.

Would they be able to find anyone to talk to in town that remembered the details of this crime from so long ago. When they do, this person is in danger for daring to talk. I enjoy this author’s cozies the stories flow nicely and they’re not overly complicated.

Throw in a little help from the Mac’s fellow book club sleuths. Secrets are spilled and an old timer remembers the story of the star-crossed lovers whose feuding families didn’t want them together. I’m all in for the setting of this coastal town.

When the case is ready to break, and the clues come tumbling out will it prevent the newest couple from marrying this New Years Eve?
Fast paced with a great plot and setting. I’m in for reading more by this author.

Pub Date 27 Sep 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Maddie Day is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning author, Maddie writes the Country Store, Cozy Capers Book Group, and Cece Barton Mysteries, all from Kensington Publishing.

As Edith Maxwell, she write the Local Foods Mysteries (Kensington Publishing) and the Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Beyond the Page), as well as award-winning short crime fiction.

You can find all Maddie’s/Edith’s identities and work at http://www.edithmaxwell.com. She blogs every week day with the other Wicked Authors at wickedauthors.com and every second and fourth Fridays at mysteryloverskitchen.com. Look for her as Maddie Day/ Edith Maxwell on Facebook and @edithmaxwell and @maddiedayauthor on Twitter and Instagram.

You could make all the difference in someone’s life. Do your best. Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by.

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A Murder of Aspic Proportions (A Sunflower Café Mystery Book 2) by Amy Lillard

259 pages June 27,2023 publish date Kensington publisher

Grab A Copy Here

About The Book

The award-winning author’s brand-new Sunflower Café Mystery series, set in small-town Kansas, features a twenty-something advice columnist turned café manager and sleuth, her loyal Yorkie, farm-fresh produce—and murder. Will appeal to fans of Charlotte Hubbard, Molly Jebber, Susan Lantz Simpson, and Kelly Long.

Twenty-something Sissy Yoder never imagined herself running her Aunt Bethel’s café, but her help is needed, so she’s making a go of it. And she must admit that life in tiny Yoder has been anything but
dull–she’s already solved one homicide—after being named the prime suspect in the case! Enjoying a peaceful respite after all that excitement, Sissy just wants to write her advice column, hang out with her loyal Yorkie, Duke, and procure some of local farmer Walt Summers’ scrumptious “To Die For” tomatoes for the Sunshine Café’s menu. But when the unsavory Summers–resented by just about everyone in town–turns up murdered in his garden shed, it’s up to Sissy to roll up her sleeves, dig for some clues, and weed out the culprit . . .
 
“A promising new sleuth whose lovable dog and incipient love interest combine nicely with Lillard’s trademark Amish lore.”
–Kirkus Reviews

My Thoughts

A Murder of Aspic Proportions is the second book in the A Sunflower Café Mystery series.
Sissy Yoder finds herself running her Aunt Bethel’s Cafe, but she also finds herself super sleuthing.
Yoder, Kansas has all the small-town charm, a popular cafe, a fierce produce competition to produce the best tomatoes, but one thing it has that’s not charming is a murder needing solved.
When a tomato grower, the most unliked man is town is found dead no one seems too surprised. There are many in the town who could have had a reason to do him in. When a young Amish woman admits to the crime Sissy finds herself taking the law into her own hands and trying to find out if she really did it and who she’s trying to protect. I loved Duke’s character, he’s Sissy’s tiny dog with a huge personality.
The ending of the story was surprising and quite funny. I recommend reading these in order. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery and I hope this series continues.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

https://www.eatortoss.com/holy-sprouts-whats-up-with-the-seeds-in-this-tomato/

The Author

Amy loves nothing more than a good book. Except for her family…and maybe homemade tacos…and nail polish. But reading and writing are definitely high on the list.

Born and bred in Mississippi, Amy is a transplanted Southern Belle who now lives in Oklahoma with her deputy husband, their genius son, two spoiled cats, and one very lazy beagle. Oh, and don’t forget the stray kitty that has taken up residence on her front porch. ^..^

When she’s not creating quirky characters and happy endings, she’s chauffeuring her prodigy to guitar lessons, orchestra concerts and baseball practice. She has a variety of hobbies, but her favorite is whatever gets her out of housework.

Amy also writes contemporary romances under the pen name Amie Louellen.

An award winning author, Amy is a member of RWA and ACFW. She loves to hear from readers. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest. For links to the various sites, check her website: http://www.amylillardbooks.com.

Have a wonderful day. Thanks for stopping by.

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Christmas in July Reads, Cozy Mystery-Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off by Darci Hannah (Beacon Bakeshop #2)

352 pages October 5,2021 publish date Kensington publisher

About The Book

Tucked away inside an old lighthouse in Beacon Harbor, Michigan, bakeshop café owner Lindsey Bakewell is ready to make her first Christmas in town shine bright. But her merry plans crumble fast when murder appears under the mistletoe…


With the spirit of the holidays wafting through the Beacon Bakeshop, Lindsey thinks she has the recipe for the sweetest Christmas ever—winning the town-wide cookie bake-off. Unfortunately, striving for a picture-perfect December in Beacon Harbor is a lot like biting into stale shortbread. Low on staff and bombarded by visits from family, Lindsey can barely meet demands at work, let alone summon the confidence to face fierce competition…
 
Self-appointed Christmas know-it-all Felicity Stewart is determined to take the top spot in the bake‑off, and she’s not afraid to dump a little coal in everyone’s stocking to do it. Just as the competition heats up, everything falls apart when the judge is found dead—and covered in crumbs from Lindsey’s signature cookie!
 
Solving a murder was never on Lindsey’s wish list. But with her reputation on the line during the happiest time of the year, she’ll need to bring her best talents to the table in order to sift out the true Christmas Cookie culprit.

My Thoughts

Beacon Harbor, Michigan, idyllic because of its new bakeshop cafe inside the lighthouse with the most delicious variety of Christmas cookies around. Bakeshop owner Lindsey Bakewell is doing everything right and has an outstanding customer base but is she also hiding something when her cookie is the one found in the hand of the murder victim?
With business booming a few days before Christmas and supplies in the display cases running out daily, she simply can’t keep up even though she is known as the best baker around.
When she gets word of a Christmas cookie bake off competition, she knows she must join in. After all what cook/baker doesn’t want to prove they’re the best at their craft?
Boy was the competition judge a slimeball! He flirted and more with the ladies in the competition and they thought they’d win because of it. This competition really pits the competitors against one another, and they take it very seriously.

Now when the judge is found dead under the mistletoe with a note on him and Lindsey’s competition cookie in his hand it seems pretty obvious who his killer is. There are a lot of suspects and Lindsey is out to super sleuth her way out of this one, she can’t have her reputation going down the drain. This kept me guessing as there were so many who would have had a reason to do this to the judge I found out as I was reading.

While this was a cozy mystery that I really enjoyed, I also enjoyed reading about all the Christmas baking as well. The many, many varieties of sugary delicious treats kept me reading and imagining myself making some of these for holiday treats. I enjoyed this book a lot and will read the next in the series soon.

Pub Date 05 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Cozy mystery author, Darci Hannah, is a native of the Midwest and currently lives in a small town in Michigan. Darci is a lifelong lover of the Great Lakes, a natural wonder that inspires many of her stories. When Darci isn’t baking for family and friends, hiking with her furry pals, Ripley and Finn, or concocting her next cozy mystery, she can be found wandering around picturesque lakeside villages with her hubby, sampling baked goods, and breaking for coffee more often than she should.

Darci’s books include:

MURDER AT THE BEACON BAKESHOP 1st in the Beacon Bakeshop Mystery Series (Kensington 2021), CHERRY SCONES & BROKEN BONES (Midnight Ink 2019), CHERRY PIES & DEADLY LIES (Midnight Ink 2018), THE ANGEL OF BLYTHE HALL (Ballantine Books 2011, 2nd edition by Piffle & Bombast 2016), THE EXILE OF SARA STEVENSON (Ballantine Books 2010)

You can learn more about Darci and her books at http://www.darcihannah.com

Connect with Darci on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDarciHannah

Are you reading any Christmas in July books this year?

Have a super day and thanks for stopping in.

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Hot Pot Murder (L.A. Night Market Book 2) A foodie Asian American cozy mystery by Jennifer J. Chow

284 pages June 6, 2023 publication date Berkley publisher

About The Book

Trouble is brewing for cousins Yale and Celine Yee after a hot pot dinner gets overheated and ends in murder in this second novel of the L.A. Night Market series by Jennifer J. Chow.

Yale and Celine Yee’s food stall business is going so well that they’ve been invited to join an exclusive dinner with the local restaurant owners association. The members gather together for a relaxing hot pot feast…until Jeffery Vue, president of the group, receives a literal shock to his system and dies. 

Everyone at the meal is a suspect, but the authorities are homing in on family friend Ai Ho, owner of the restaurant where Jeffery was killed—and Yale’s dad is a close second on their list. Yale and Celine step up to the plate and investigate the dinner attendees: the association’s ambitious VP, a familiar frenemy, a ramen king, a snacks shopkeeper, and a second-generation restaurateur. It’s up to the detecting duo to figure out what really happened before their friends and family have to close their businesses for good.

Grab A Copy Here

My Thoughts

I was so excited to see another book in the L.A. Night Market series. I adored the first book and this one is a charmer as well. Who better to write a culturally diverse book than an Asian American writer? As I was reading, I loved the genuine feel of the book from its setting to its delicious foods. There were so many foods mentioned at the Night Market and restaurants.


Cousins Yale and Celine Yee, one runs a food stall business and the other is from Hong Kong and an influencer. She is always snapping the most appealing food shots, and everyone loves them.


The cousins don’t always agree on everything, but they know they had better agree one thing. They’re about to become a detective duo after an exclusive dinner invite, they attend ends up with the president of the local restaurant owner’s association dead. It seems as though the pool of suspects is wide. Will they be able to sort through all the dinner attendees and find who did it before their friend’s restaurant gets closed down?


This book will leave you hungry and there are some very tasting sounding recipes in the back of the book. I am looking forward to reading more foodie cozies involving the cousins and the night market.

Pub Date 06 Jun 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Agatha, Anthony, and Lefty Award-nominated author. Jennifer J. Chow writes cozy mysteries filled with hope and heritage. Current President of Sisters in Crime. She lives in Los Angeles, where she hunts for all things matcha.

Her most recent series is the L.A. Night Market Mysteries (Berkley/Penguin Random House). Learn more about her other books at http://www.jenniferjchow.com.

Connect on Instagram and Facebook: @jenjchow

Enjoy your day and keep smiling

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Hiss Me Deadly (Cat in the Stacks Mystery Book 15) Another exciting cozy mystery by Miranda James

315 pages Berkley publisher June 27,2023 publish date

About The Book

Charlie and Diesel must catch a killer before he strikes another deadly note in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling Cat in the Stacks Mysteries.

Charlie Harris remembers Wilfred “Wil” Threadgill as one of the outsiders during high school in Athena. Although Wil was a couple of years ahead of him and his friend Melba Gilley, Melba had a big crush on Wil, who dropped out after his junior year. An aspiring musician, Wil hit the road for California and never looked back. Wil eventually became a star, fronting a band and writing award-winning songs. 

Coming back to Athena to work for two weeks with students in the college music department, Wil is now the big man on campus. Not everyone is happy to have him back, however. His entourage have been the target of several acts of petty harassment. At first they are easy for Wil to shrug off, but the incidents escalate and become more troubling. When one of the band members is killed Charlie worries that Melba, now deeply involved with the man at the center of the attacks, could be in deadly danger. It is up to Charlie and Diesel to find out who hates Wil Threadgill enough to silence his song . . . forever!

My Thoughts

Hiss Me Deadly is the fifteenth cozy mystery in the Cat In the Stacks series.
It’s great to see another book in the series after some time has passed since the last one.


I will admit to always being entertained by our amateur sleuth, but he wasn’t as hands on in this investigation. After splitting the scene during high school to form a band musical genius Wil is once again back but does this local boy have bad intentions?
When those having connections to him and his band are turning up dead it seems pretty obvious what’s going on.


A cozy with a cat that investigates everything as well, yes please. Diesel goes everywhere and is involved in the questioning as well. He’s a lap surfer but cats are smart, and he knows who to avoid as well.


I had a wonderful time reading this book and trying to piece together who did it with all the red herrings thrown in. The author has done a wonderful job of keeping me entertained. I look forward to more books in this series.

Pub Date 27 Jun 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

I am a native of Mississippi and recently returned to live in Jackson after spending thirty-three years in Houston, Texas. I have loved mysteries since I discovered Nancy Drew at the age of ten. At twelve or thirteen I wrote a mystery and even submitted it to a publisher — and promptly received a form rejection letter. That dashed my hopes for a writing career for a while, but I went back to writing mysteries while I was in graduate school in Rice. My first published adult mystery was actually the second one I wrote: CRUEL AS THE GRAVE was published in 2000.

Since then I have published twenty additional mysteries, the latest of which is ARSENIC AND OLD BOOKS, the sixth in the Cat in the Stacks series. In my day-to-day life I am a librarian like Charlie (except my specialty is medical libraries) and I have two cats, neither of whom is a Maine Coon. I love reading and writing mysteries and taking care of two spoiled cats (that’s probably redundant–all cats are spoiled because they generally accept no less). I write mysteries to entertain readers and help them relax and get away from the pressures of daily life. That’s why I read them myself.

Grab A Copy Here

I hope you’re having a wonderful day. Thanks for stopping in.