Tag: cozy mystery

Review: Murder on the Poet’s Walk by Ellery Adams

Kimberlee MooreLeave a comment

Description (from cover): “When corpses clutching poems begin turning up around Storyton Hall, Jane Steward is on the trail of someone exercising poetic license to kill and is determined to keep her fairytale resort from turning into a southern gothic…

As Jane eagerly anticipates the wedding of her best friend Eloise Alcott, Storyton Hall is overrun with poets in town to compete for a coveted greeting card contract. They’re everywhere, scrawling verses on cocktail napkins in the reading rooms or seeking inspiration strolling the Poet’s Walk, a series of trails named after famous authors. But the Tennyson Trail leads to a grim surprise: a woman’s corpse drifting in a rowboat on a lake, posed as if she were “The Lady of Shallot.”

When a second body is discovered, also posed as a poetic character, a recurring MO emerges. Fortunately, Jane is well versed in sleuthing and won’t rest until she gives the killer a taste of poetic justice.”

My Thoughts:

See the reviews for other books in this series: Murder in the Mystery Suite, Murder in the Paperback Parlor, and Murder in the Secret Garden.

If you have not yet had the chance to read a cozy mystery by author Ellery Adams, you are missing out. Adams has a unique way of creating cozy mysteries that engage the reader and capture their hearts with the most endearing characters. She has numerous mystery series that I have read over the years, and her books never disappoint. In this eighth installation of the Book Retreat Mystery series, Jane Steward, the owner of Storyton Hall, is hosting a contest to award one poet an employment contract with a new greeting card company. Poets are all over the grounds of Storyton Hall, writing and engaging with each other, and competing to win the grand prize. That is until one of the poets is found dead in a rowboat on one of the property’s lakes staged in death as “The Lady of Shallot.”

Of course, finding the murderer and keeping her guests safe is of the utmost importance to Jane and her team of friends and family, all while making sure the secret collection of books, ancient writings, and papers remains safe. When another guest is discovered murdered in “poetic” circumstances and a missing handwritten poem of Walt Whitman comes to light, Jane pulls the team together to protect the remaining guests and Storyton Hall as best as she can. Will she be able to solve the murder before the guests leave for the weekend or will a killer be allowed to escape justice?

This book was all about character development for the future books in this series: Jane’s best friend, Eloise is about to get married; Jane’s uncle has what appears to be medical events happening that makes him forgetful and foggy-minded; and Jane’s relationship with Edwin seems to be getting serious. I really have come to love this series and the characters really feel like family. I am always eager to return to this series as I know I will never be disappointed. This book was a great addition to this already fantastic series, and I hope that every mystery lover reads this series and enjoys it as much as I do.

Overall Rating: 5+ stars

Author: Ellery Adams

Series: Book Retreat Mystery #8

Publisher: Kensington Cozies

Publication Date: September 27, 2022

Pages: 354

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: A Questionable Character by Lorna Barrett

Kimberlee MooreLeave a comment

Description (from cover): “The murder of a local contractor may be the final nail in the coffin for Tricia Miles in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett’s New York Times bestselling Booktown series.

It’s a busy summer in Booktown. Contractor Jim Stark is in great demand: he’s overseeing a number of projects, including Angelica Miles’ newly constructed building on Main Street, finishing up the new brew pub, and gutting a stone mansion off Main Street that Angelica bought to be the world headquarters for Nigela Ricita Associates. It’ll house office space where her marketing staff and the rest of the NR Associates clerical personnel will work.

Tricia Miles and Angelica arrive at the mansion before their workday to see how the construction is going. They find the place unlocked and Stark’s right-hand man, Sanjay Arya, dead — bludgeoned to death. The loss of the contractor’s top man threatens all the projects in the works, which would effectively ruin the expensive marketing plan that the Chamber of Commerce has been working. Is Jim a suspect? (He’d be stupid to kill the person he depends on to keep the projects going.) But Stark also thinks his wife, who was very chummy with Sanjay, might have been cheating on him with the second-in-command, making him a likely suspect.

Once again Tricia finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, but can she find the killer before he or she has the chance to bring the hammer down?”

My Thoughts:

See my reviews of other books in this series: Not the Killing Type, Book Clubbed, A Fatal Chapter and Clause of Death.

When I think about my favorite cozy mystery series, The Booktown Mystery series, is one that instantly comes to mind. Tricia and her sister, Angelica, and all of their coworkers, friends and other townspeople have become family over the years. Lorna Barrett never fails to amaze this cozy reader and I am sure that this series is a favorite of other readers as well. In this newest addition to the series, Angelica is renovating an old mansion in town to house the employees of her lucrative business, Nigela Ricita Associates, which has been very influential in bringing commerce and creating jobs in the small town. When the local contractor’s main man, Sanjay, is found dead at the mansion, Tricia just can’t keep herself from trying to discover who had the motive, means and opportunity to commit this murder.

Tricia is soon off to solve a murder and when the new intern at the Chamber of Commerce, David, begins to involve Tricia in his own investigation, they decide to team up and investigate together. Two heads are better than one right? Rumor around town is that Sanjay was involved in an affair with his boss’ wife and had several relationships with other ladies around town. Was one of them the murderer, or did someone else have it out for Sanjay? Angelica is less than pleased that Tricia has involved herself in yet another murder mystery and is less than forgiving towards Tricia regarding the budding relationship with the much younger intern. Will this mystery finally drive the sisters apart?

Another fantastic, well-written and engaging installment from Lorna Barrett. She never disappoints with her mysteries. While this book lacked some of the intrigue that we saw in other installments, this was still a great read and one that I couldn’t put down. If you are a cozy mystery reader and you haven’t discovered this series yet, then what are you waiting for? I promise you will not be disappointed.

Overall Rating: 4.5 stars

Author: Lorna Barrett

Series: Booktown Mystery #17

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: July 18, 2023

Pages: 331

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue

Kimberlee MooreLeave a comment

Description (from cover): “For fans of Laura Childs and Amanda Flower, it’s teatime in Raven Creek — but a murder at The Earl’s Study sets the stage for an intoxicating brew of small-town chicanery with a hint of the supernatural.

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

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

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

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

My Thoughts:

It’s almost that time of year: Spooky Season! This book is a great read to read during Fall as it has all the right elements: a small town in Washington, a creepy old Victorian mansion, magic and witches! Raven Creek has long been in Phoebe’s life as she spent her childhood summers with her Aunt Eudora in the quaint town. Eudora made her mark on the small town with her tea shop and bookstore, The Earl’s Study, and being involved in the town’s many committees. When Eudora dies, she leaves her old Victorian mansion and her successful store to her niece, Phoebe, who has recently divorced and is wanting a fresh new start. Phoebe arrives in town and soon she is running her new store, but when a man is found dead on her back doorstep, Phoebe finds herself right in the middle of a murder investigation.

Reuniting with some of her childhood friends, Phoebe is determined to clear her name as suspect and find out why the man was killed on her property. Phoebe soon learns that the man was trying to break into her shop. Did Aunt Eudora leave behind any secrets? It seems that someone is determined to find something that Eudora left behind, but Phoebe has no clue what the person is actually looking for. Searching for her aunt’s secrets, Phoebe soon learns more about her aunt and herself that she did not see coming.

This was a thrilling read. I really enjoyed this debut and I cannot wait to read more in this series. I love witches and always have and the combination of a murder mystery and magic was too much for this reader to ignore. I loved the setting of Raven Creek and just wish I could live there. The author did a great job of introducing Phoebe’s character and this series has so much potential. I don’t think that there was anything about this book that I did not like. A great job by Gretchen Rue on what promises to be a fun-filled new cozy mystery series for readers to discover.

Overall Rating: 5 stars

Author: Gretchen Rue

Series: Witches’ Brew Mystery #1

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Publication Date: September 6, 2022

Pages: 299

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: Peril in Paris by Rhys Bowen

Kimberlee MooreLeave a comment

Description (from cover): “Lady Georgiana Rannoch and her dashing husband, Darcy, are awaiting a bundle of joy, but an unexpected trip to Paris will thrust them into a tangled web of international intrigue in this all-new mystery in the New York Times bestselling Royal Spyness series from Rhys Bowen.

What a delight it is to finally be able to enjoy a simple mean again! I have been in the throes of morning sickness for the last few months as Darcy and I prepare to welcome a brand-new addition to our little family. Now that I am feeling better, I have realized I am dreadfully bored! It seems that all my nearest and dearest are off leading their own busy lives while I sit at home and attempt to train our two adorably naughty puppies. Fun as it may be, it is hard not to long for a little adventure, a change of pace, before my confinement begins when the baby comes.

Happily, it seems that Darcy has read my mind. When I receive a letter from my glamorous best friend, Belinda, Darcy suggests we take a trip to Paris to visit her. It seems he also has a spot of business of which to take care of, so I will be staying in Belinda’s flat as she works feverishly on Coco Chanel’s fall collection. I happen to know Coco from a disastrous encounter in Nice years ago, and I am hoping this visit will go much more smoothly. But I soon learn that nothing about my time in Paris is going to be simple…or safe for that matter.

Darcy has asked me to take on a small chore as part of his latest assignment. I am to covertly retrieve something from an attendee of Coco’s show. It seems easy enough, but I discover that this little errand could have terrifying consequences for a world on the brink of war. When things go horribly wrong, I am left to find a killer all while trying to fend off a French policeman who is certain that I am a criminal mastermind. But I have no plans to deliver my darling little one in a prison cell, and so I will muster every ounce of my courage to save the day…and, quite possibly, the world!”

My Thoughts:

See previous reviews of books in this series: The Twelve Clues of Christmas, Malice at the Palace, Crowned and Dangerous, and God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen

The Lady Georgiana mystery series have LONG been a favorite series of mine. I love Georgie’s personality and her penchant for finding herself in interesting situations. Her family is hilarious and set in their own ways, her former maid and now cook, Queenie, is a character unto her own right who will have you laughing so hard, her mysterious and intriguing husband, Darcy, keeps readers on their toes and her friends are always down for an adventure. This book is the 16th in this series and it never gets dull. I don’t know how Bowen does it, but all of the books in this series are so fun to read and I can never get enough.

In this book, Georgie is pregnant. She has been dealing with awful morning sickness and now she feels that she is finally past the hump of her first trimester. She is stuck at Eynsleigh and she is itching for an adventure to end her endless boredom and when Darcy tells her that he has business in Paris, he invites her along for the trip. Georgie must stay with her nearest and dearest best friend, Belinda in her Paris apartment as Darcy will be traveling back and forth from Paris. Belinda is currently in the midst of preparing for Coco Chanel’s fall collection and runway show and Georgie is content to be a tourist in Paris and soak up every moment of freedom before the baby comes.

That is, until her husband asks for her help with an international spy investigation of prominent German officials who will be attending Coco’s fall runway show. Of course, Georgie is eager to assist and as usual soon everything goes completely wrong and the target of Georgie’s assignment is found murdered. Georgie must keep her wits about her as the French policeman investigating the crime is determined that Georgie is responsible and is doing everything in his power to make sure she ends up in prison.

I simply could not put this book down. I simply love Georgie and all of the characters that Bowen has created. She has done such a fantastic job of developing these characters over the years throughout this series and it is impossible to not think of them as good friends. Every time I read a book in this series, I know that I will not be disappointed and this book is no different. I am anxious to see what happens when Georgie has the baby and how that will shape the series moving forward. Another smash hit from brilliant author Rhys Bowen.

Overall Rating: 5+ Stars

Author: Rhys Bowen

Series: Royal Spyness Mystery #16

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: November 8, 2022

Pages: 300

Genre: Historical Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell

Kimberlee Moore1 Comment

Description (from cover): “Every summer for the past ten years, six awe-struck bakers have descended on the grounds of Grafton, the leafy and imposing Vermont estate that is not only the filming site for “Bake Week” but also the childhood home of the show’s famous host, celebrated baker Betsy Martin.

The author of numerous bestselling cookbooks and hailed as “America’s Grandmother,” Betsy Martin isn’t as warm off-screen as on, though no one needs to know that but her. She has always demanded perfection, and gotten it with a smile, but this year something is off. As the baking competition commences, things begin to go awry. At first, it’s merely sabotage–sugar replaced with salt, a burner turned too high–but when a body is discovered, everyone is a suspect.

A sharp and suspenseful thriller for mystery buffs and avid bakers alike, The Golden Spoon is a brilliant puzzle filled with shocking twists and turns that will keep you reading late into the night until you turn the very last page of this incredible debut.”

My Thoughts:

Six baking competition contestants descend on Grafton estate in Vermont to begin this year’s “Bake Week” contest. Betsy Martin is the main star of the show and has been for many years. She has made a name for herself writing cookbooks and now the show has launched her into a culinary legend. Now this year, the producers think that the show is becoming stale and have invited Archie Morris to help her co-host the show and Betsy is not having it. She instantly takes a dislike to Archie and lets everyone know how she feels but she plods on for the sake of the show. Each of the contestants, Hannah, Gerald, Stella, Lottie, Peter and Pradyumna have their own backgrounds and are excited to participate in the competition. The competition starts and immediately there is drama; salt is put in the sugar container, a burner is too hot and burns a contestant’s filling. Is someone there to sabotage the competition? What will they do to win?

Soon we find out. A body is found in the baking tent during a terrible storm and all the remaining contestants are shocked to learn that they are now suspects and they all have motive. Is one of them a cold-blooded killer? The twists and turns of this book is keep the reader guessing until the very end. Every chapter in this book is told through the eyes of one of the contestants and each chapter is a different contestant’s story. I loved that there were many points of view and the author did a fantastic job of weaving everyone’s stories into one fluid and engaging read. When I wasn’t able to read because I was at work, I found my mind slipping back to this book and wanting to see what would happen next.

Man oh man, was this book fabulous. I really enjoyed this book and the author did a fantastic job in this debut novel. I think Maxwell is a phenomenal writer and I hope there are more books coming from her in the future. Simply put this book is hard to put down. I really enjoyed the characters as they were well-developed and very engaging. If you like baking competitions and murder, well this is a delightful treat.

Overall Rating: 5+ stars

Author: Jessa Maxwell

Series: N/A

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Pages: 287

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Kimberlee MooreLeave a comment

Description (from cover): “Vera Wong is a lonely little old lady–ah, lady of a certain age–who lives above her forgotten tea shop in the middle of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Despite living alone, Vera is not needy, oh no. She likes nothing more than sipping on a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy detective work on the Internet about what her Gen-Z son is up to.

Then one morning, Vera trudges downstairs to find a curious thing–a dead man in the middle of her tea shop. In his outstretched hand, a flash drive. Vera doesn’t know what comes over her, but after calling the cops like any good citizen would, she sort of…swipes the flash drive from the body and tucks it safely into the pocket of her apron. Why? Because Vera is sure she would do a better job than the police possibly could, because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands. Vera knows the killer will be back for the flash drive; all she has to do is watch the increasing number of customers at her shop and figure out which one among them is the killer.

What Vera does not expect is to form friendships with her customers and start to care for each and every one of them. As a protective mother hen, will she end up having to give one of her newfound chicks to the police?”

My Thoughts:

Vera Wong is an older Chinese lady who lives above her not-so-successful tea shop. She spends her time making special tea blends for her one customer and harassing her son about what he should be doing with his life. She is startled one morning to wake up and find a dead man in the middle of her empty tea shop. Before contacting the police, she discovers a flash drive in the hand of the dead man. Knowing she can do a better job of solving the murder, she takes the flash drive and keeps it a secret from the police.

When the friends and family members of the dead man start showing up a her shop looking for answers, she befriends them in order to conduct her own murder investigation. It seems that they all have a motive for the man’s murder, but she starts to let these people into her life and she begins to care deeply for them and her investigation becomes a muddled mess. She cannot let the police solve the murder investigation as it seems they are at their wits’ end. Will one of the close friends she has now let into her life turn out to be the murderer?

This was a cute little cozy mystery debut from Jessie Sutanto who is well known for her other books featuring Asian American characters. I enjoyed reading this book and learning more about the Chinese culture and how others see them in an American society. At times, the story dragged a little slowly, but other than that this was a great quick read that should be enjoyable to mystery lovers everywhere.

Overall Rating: 3.5 stars

Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto

Series: N/A

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: March 14, 2023

Pages: 348

Genre: Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: Death by Bubble Tea by Jennifer J. Chow

Kimberlee Moore1 Comment

Description (from cover): “Two cousins who start a food stall at their local night market get a serving of murder in this first novel of a delicious new cozy mystery series by Jennifer J. Chow, bestselling author of Mimi Lee Gets a Clue.

When Yale Lee discovers her cousin Celine is visiting from Hong Kong, she is obliged to play tour guide to a relative she hasn’t seen in twenty years. Not only that, but her father thinks it’s a wonderful idea for them to bond by running a food stall together at the Eastwood Village Night Market. Yale hasn’t cooked in years, and she hardly considers Celine’s career as a social media influencer as adequate experience, but because she’s just lost her job at her local bookstore, she feels she has no choice.

Yale and Celine serve small dishes and refreshing drinks, and while business is slow, it eventually picks up thanks to Celine’s surprisingly useful marketing ideas. They’re quite shocked that their bubble tea, in particular, is a hit–literally–when one of their customers turns up dead. Yale and Celine are prime suspects due to the gold flakes that Celine added to the sweet drink as a garnish. Though the two cousins are polar opposites in every way, they must work together to find out what really happened to the victim or the only thing they’ll be serving is time.”

My Thoughts:

Oh this book. I really wanted to love it. The characters are well-developed, the story line is cute, the Chinese-American food culture is intriguing and interesting; however, the mystery fell flat. Yale Lee is a loner. She eschews technology for books and she is just floating through life her way until she is laid off from her job at a local bookshop. Not knowing what to do next, she turns to her father who owns a restaurant for income. Her father has a great idea for Yale to lead the food stall branch of the restaurant and gives her free rein to do as she pleases with this new business venture. She is surprised when her cousin Celine flies in from Hong Kong under mysterious circumstances and her father pushes the two of them to work together. Yale is a little concerned as her cousin is a well-known Instagram influencer and has a completely different outlook on life. Just trying to make the best of it, Yale placates her cousin and just goes along with the flow.

All is well until one of the customers at the food stall is found dead by Yale later that evening after the night market has closed. The murder weapon is suspected to be Yale and Celine’s bubble tea that was served to the victim earlier that evening. When the police begin investigating, they hone in on Yale and her cousin as the prime suspects. Yale is determined to clear her name and that of her father’s restaurant and sets out on her own investigation. Celine is eager to help and Yale and Celine begin their investigation much to the police’s chagrin.

I had problems with this mystery. At times the clues were so obvious and the characters were clueless as to what to do with them. I felt like I was screaming at them in my head to get it together. That was frustrating to say the least. However, I loved the premise of the storyline. This is a quirky new cozy series featuring food and the LA food scene that has a lot of potential. The characters are well-developed, engaging and it is easy to like them. I am not ready to throw in the towel on this series, as it has a lot of promise. I will wait to read the next in the series, Hot Pot Murder, which appears to be coming in June 2023. I am hoping that this is a case of the debut blues and that the series will continue to emerge and engage the reader moving forward. Not the best cozy debut, but this series has so much potential to be a delightful cozy series.

Overall Rating: 3.5 stars

Author: Jennifer J. Chow

Series: LA Night Market Mystery #1

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: July 5, 2022

Pages: 300

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: Dairy, Dairy, Quite Contrary by Amy Lillard

Kimberlee MooreLeave a comment

Description (from cover): “Looking for a fresh start, advice columnist Sissy Yoder heads to small-town Yoder, Kansas, to help in her aunt’s café. But when a milkman is murdered, the newcomer becomes the prime suspect…

After Sissy’s rodeo cowboy boyfriend turns out to be more of a rodeo clown, she packs a bag; picks up her Yorkshire terrier Duke; and leaves Tulsa, Oklahoma, bound for her parents’ former hometown. There are still plenty of Yoders in Yoder, Kansas, including Sissy’s aunt Bethel, who owns the Sunflower Café but recently broke her leg. It’s a homecoming of sorts as Sissy arrives to help in the café and reunite with her pregnant cousin Lizzie. Plus she can continue to secretly write her newspaper advice column as seventy-year-old “Aunt Bess.” But it’s Sissy who could use some advice when she finds the milk deliveryman out behind the café with a knife in his back. As the sheriff’s prime suspect, it’s up to Sissy to catch the backstabber herself–before someone else gets creamed…”

My Thoughts:

Sissy Yoder’s life has fallen apart in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has broken up with her boyfriend, moved out of her apartment, and her life seems to be up in the air. When her aunt breaks her leg and needs help in Yoder, Kansas with her café, Sissy decides life has just handed her a second chance or at least a break so she can figure out what to do next. When she arrives in Yoder, her aunt is not happy to see her. She doesn’t need help with the café, even if she has a broken leg. Just when things couldn’t get worse, Sissy finds the milk deliveryman dead behind the café, with a knife sticking out of his back. Being the newest member of the community, the police chief is dead set on her as the main suspect. He is constantly watching her and waiting for her to make a mistake. She is determined that she must solve the crime on her own, before she ends up wrongfully accused of murder.

In this fictional small town of Yoder, the Amish are a huge part of the community. They eschew electricity, drive tractors instead of cars and have their own ways of living among the English. Sissy enjoys the quiet life in the small town and it takes some adjustment coming from a big city to such a slower pace of life. She finds it peaceful except for the cloud of suspicion of murder hanging over her head. In a small town where everyone has known each other since birth and the ties are strong, she must clear her name at any costs.

This book is the first in what appears to be a promising cozy mystery series. I love the Amish and how they prefer to live simple lives and the author did a great job of researching and painting the scene for the reader. I really enjoyed Sissy’s character and hope that she decides to end up in Yoder despite the increasing crime rates. This book has a lot of promise and it was a nice quick little cozy read that was perfect to read on a rainy Saturday. A fantastic read that deserves more attention in the future. So glad that I got to read this and cannot wait to see what happens next in the small Amish village of Yoder.

Overall Rating: 4.5 stars

Author: Amy Lillard

Series: Sunflower Café Mystery #1

Publisher: Kensington Books

Publication Date: June 28, 2022

Pages: 306

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: The Great Jewel Robbery by Elizabeth McKenna

Kimberlee MooreLeave a comment

Description (from cover): “Mystery with a splash of romance…

Chicago Tribune reporters Emma and Grace have been best friends since college despite coming from different worlds. When Grace is assigned to cover an annual charity ball and auction being held at a lakeside mansion and her boyfriend bails on her, she brings Emma as her plus one. The night is going smoothly until Emma finds the host’s brother unconscious in the study. Though at first it is thought he was tipsy and stumbled, it soon becomes clear more is afoot, as the wall safe is empty and a three-million-dollar diamond necklace is missing. With visions of becoming ace investigative journalists, Emma and Grace set out to solve the mystery, much to the chagrin of the handsome local detective.”

My Thoughts:

Emma and Grace are friends who are journalists for the Chicago Tribune who are covering a charity ball for the paper. Emma is tagging along with her friend Grace who is actually covering the story and didn’t want to attend by herself. They are transported to the world of wealth and riches in a mansion outside of Chicago where it seems that they can escape the world for a little bit. When they arrive, their hostess shows them an extremely expensive necklace that will be auctioned off that night for charity and the evening begins without a hitch. When Emma goes to the study looking for her friend, she stumbles across the hostess’ brother-in-law who is unconscious on the floor. He seems to have been hit on the head and they attribute it to his drinking and brush it off. That is until they find the safe open and the rare necklace has vanished.

Emma is automatically suspect number one. She was the one who found the man unconscious and the safe wide open under mysterious circumstances. Emma knows that she is not the one who has committed the crime, but she is struggling to get the handsome police detective to believe her. He sets out on investigating everyone at the party and while there are plenty of other suspects, the detective seems to be honed in on her for the theft. Deciding that no one can clear her name except herself, she is determined to listen behind doors and find a better suspect for the robbery other than herself.

This book was a quick little read. I enjoyed reading it and found that I read it in one day. I will say that at times it was hard to keep up with all of the characters as there seemed to be so many and I got a little confused on who was who. Also, there was many references to a statue that was spelled as “statute” throughout the book. I am hoping that got cleaned up on the final edit, because that was a little distracting for me. All in all, this book was a cute little read and I wouldn’t be opposed to reading more installments in the future.

Overall Rating: 3 stars

Author: Elizabeth McKenna

Series: A Front Page Mystery #1

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: May 29, 2019

Pages: 206

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Review: Clause of Death by Lorna Barrett

Kimberlee MooreLeave a comment

Description (from cover): “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.”

My Thoughts:

Booktown seems like the perfect place to live. Who wouldn’t want to be surrounded by books in a quaint New England town? The only downside to Booktown: all the murders. Tricia has long been a resident of Stoneham, New Hampshire which is known for its love of all things books. Her and her sister, Angelica, have made a name for themselves in the small town with their successful businesses and being co-presidents of the local Chamber of Commerce. That being said, some of the other members of the Chamber have different ideas for what businesses should be allowed to open up in Booktown. The most vocal about his discontent at the Chamber meetings is Eli Meier. Eli owns a shop that is known for selling books that champion conspiracy theories and he is known to be a little off his rocker himself. Not one to promote good working relationships with other Chamber members, it is no surprise when Eli is found dead, by Tricia nonetheless.

Tricia is known in the town for being the village jinx as she has stumbled over many murder victims since she moved to Stoneham. When she comes across Eli’s body, she is determined to sit this one out, but with her curious nature and knack for solving murders, she can’t help but investigate. With a new police chief in town and the help of her family and friends, she is determined to find justice for Eli, despite not liking the man at all. This book is the 16th installment of the Booktown mysteries. I fell in love with this series many years ago and anytime a new book is released, you can guarantee that I will be reading it. The characters are so well-developed and feel like your own family. This book does not disappoint and the ending will leave you on the edge of your seat waiting anxiously for the next installment.

I ended up devouring this book in one day. I couldn’t put the book down as the plot was so suspenseful and engaging throughout each page. Another fantastic delivery from Lorna Barrett that doesn’t disappoint. I have found that readers of this series, continue to come back to this well written and spectacular series and simply cannot get enough. If you haven’t discovered this series yet, what are you waiting for?

Overall Rating: 5+ stars

Author: Lorna Barrett

Series: Booktown Mystery #16

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: June 7, 2022

Pages: 334

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.