tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16151510472746536242024-03-27T16:53:34.735-07:00Any Good BookBook Reviews, Thoughts on Reading and More.....JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.comBlogger1349125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-26866609555903054032024-03-24T12:36:00.000-07:002024-03-24T12:38:46.175-07:00A Spicy Side of Homicide (An Ivy Creek Mystery Book 14)<div style="text-align: left;">Author: <span> Ruth Baker</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Digital Book </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ASIN #:<span> B0CPVY5PKY</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Clean Tales Publishing</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>138 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$2.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>May 31, 2024</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5nwlxqmvokIcW2kwywC7WAuPs0Ph7BAVBrq7eltCIs4OD1WM0xUMA0kR2JtT5PATQGSiuQCjzOtoeUdlOCmlhv0Map1PrLjQqDwFAuenyzU4MqeIUFYWiLghPv_rCv0y2PRcccZNhbM51AeJIiAUs4ndj8gNFtkgWgtUmfkcojXBwCIqKNRN89dzOOkP/s466/81c0NH8apSL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="290" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5nwlxqmvokIcW2kwywC7WAuPs0Ph7BAVBrq7eltCIs4OD1WM0xUMA0kR2JtT5PATQGSiuQCjzOtoeUdlOCmlhv0Map1PrLjQqDwFAuenyzU4MqeIUFYWiLghPv_rCv0y2PRcccZNhbM51AeJIiAUs4ndj8gNFtkgWgtUmfkcojXBwCIqKNRN89dzOOkP/w249-h400/81c0NH8apSL._SY466_.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Lucy Hale is excited about helping a young lady, Selina Gomez, open her restaurant. She remembers the challenges she faced reopening her parents' bakery and wants to relay all she knows to help Selina become a success from day one.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>On the day of the highly anticipated restaurant launch, disaster strikes. A rival restaurateur and Selina's fierce rival takes a fatal bite, his face turning a shade that's anything but appetizing.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>The spicy suspect? One of Selina's delicious but spicy yummy eidbles, rumored to be the last thing the deceased tasted.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Amidst whipsers of revenge and a recipe for disaster, Selina finds herself in hot water, accused of sering up more than just culinary delights. With the town buzzing and Selina's reputation on the line, Lucy steps in to prove the young restaurateur's innocence.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>As Lucy sifts through a myriad of motives, from culinary feuds to ancient family recipes, she uncovers a web of spicy secrets that someomne would kill to keep hidden. But as she gets closer to the truth, it becomes clear that the killer's appetite for revenge is far from satisfied -- and Lucy might just be the next dish on the menu.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Lucy Hale is loving her life running the bakery her parents began, and enjoying her friends and deputy boyfriend, Taylor. When she's asked to mentor a young woman who is opening her own restaurant, she jumps at the chance. But when Selina Gomez runs into trouble, Lucy wants to help her. Selina finally opens the restaurant, but things go from bad to worse when a rival restauranteur is murdered right in front of everyone. Now the restaurant is closed, and Selina doesn't know if she'll ever recover. That is, until Lucy steps in trying to find out who killed the man...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the fourteenth book in the series and I have read them all. I have also enjoyed them all. This time Lucy is helping a young woman open her own restaurant, but when there are problems with the bank, Selina wonders if she'll lose her building, and a mysterious man offers her a large amount of money to move elsewhere, which she turns down.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then, a rival restauranteur claims she stole his recipes, which Selina denies; and the man shows up on opening night and it looks like an accidental death. When it's not, Lucy steps in to help the young woman find out who killed the man and wanted to frame her.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There's a lot going on regarding the restaurant, and a lot going on behind the scenes. Lucy is wondering what her future holds, and her Aunt Tricia has a new job making Easter bonnets for local ladies, which actually ties into everything well. You can look for the clues and find them; I figured out the murderer pretty quickly, but then again, as I state regularly, I read a <i>lot </i>of mysteries, so I'm an old hand at figuring things out.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When the ending comes and the murderer is revealed, it all comes together nicely, and the climax is done well. There is an epilogue that pulls it all in a nice pile, giving us something to look forward to in the next book. Recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spicy-Side-Homicide-Creek-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CPVY5PKY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1I0RAJBLFBK8K&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1GrkdKfBaIotXS_0CwrX0SDJ_Lq2fIwzE5FsjoXlnFI.5S276CHJ13UiSYYttSCeBcK0603DCfrFltDSPWOtuRc&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+spicy+side+of+homicide&qid=1710353505&s=digital-text&sprefix=a+spicy+side+of+homicid%2Cdigital-text%2C153&sr=1-1">https://www.amazon.com/Spicy-Side-Homicide-Creek-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CPVY5PKY/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6370939373">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6370939373</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Ruth Baker's Books:<span> <a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/ruth-baker/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/ruth-baker/</a></span></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-70499933555397566402024-03-17T12:39:00.000-07:002024-03-17T12:39:02.836-07:00Torn Asunder (A Maine Clambake Mystery Book 12)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Barbara Ross</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781496735737</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Kensington Cozies</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>256 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$8.99; $6.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>April 23, 2024</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZxTq0fevQLVkbviCGTMlUhRrYlTSL1Q1layJUO27iLhYy9piLp_f-96jfl0TF7fn2p4SVyUG2srEUmUucvr-4TlA8mQMbzB-2yhSqiApjliZGHLoxMOrTfliCgBZ3ilE1NpXgAOB4GulNkgu3wfBo8AuduT0SzayS2v5D8BaMf07mfy3JY9DaBQaFzPz/s466/81BO+qti8CL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="285" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZxTq0fevQLVkbviCGTMlUhRrYlTSL1Q1layJUO27iLhYy9piLp_f-96jfl0TF7fn2p4SVyUG2srEUmUucvr-4TlA8mQMbzB-2yhSqiApjliZGHLoxMOrTfliCgBZ3ilE1NpXgAOB4GulNkgu3wfBo8AuduT0SzayS2v5D8BaMf07mfy3JY9DaBQaFzPz/w245-h400/81BO+qti8CL._SY466_.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br /><span>Julia's best friend and business partner, Zoey, is about to marry her policeman boyfriend. Of course, a gorgeous white wedding dress shouldn't be within fifty yards of a plate of buttery lobster -- so that treat is reserved for the rehearsal dinner. Julia is a little worried about the timing, though, as she works around a predicted storm.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>When a guest falls to the floor dead, it turns out that no one seems to know who he is, despite the fact that he's been actively mingling and handing out business cards. And when an injection mark is spotted on his neck, it's clear this wasn't caused by a shellfish allergy. Now, as the weather deteriorates and a small group is stranded on the island with the body -- and the killer -- Julia starts interrogating staff and family members, and Zoey's artist friends to find out who turned the clambake into a crime scene...</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Julia Snowden helps run the Snowden Family Clambake, which is given all summer on the private island her family owns. Her best friend Zoey is marrying Jamie, another friend, and they want to hold their wedding on the island. While is was difficult to find an open weekend, everything is planned. Julia and her sister Livvie are in the wedding party, along with Jamie's police partner Pete and his cousin Dan. They are the scheduled ones to stay on the island overnight.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The rehearsal dinner is a grand affair. All the guests are invited to try the clambake dinner, and so both sides are attending. Jamie's large family, and Zoey's friends, since she has no family left. Julia notices a man mingling that she's never seen, and assumes he's a friend of Zoey's. But when the man dies during the dinner, no one seems to know who he is.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But do they? While most of the guests were able to leave before the storm hit, it is now in full force, and the remaining people are stuck on the island with a corpse. With a man that possibly one of them murdered. :Luckily, Julia's boyfriend Tom Flynn is there, a detective with the Maine State Police, so he can question everyone. But will they tell him the truth? Or will a murderer go free?...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have read all the books in this series, and I have enjoyed them all. They are like old friends to me. Julia, her family members, her friends. I have witnessed their heartbreaks and triumphs, and shared this through them vicariously. It has been a journey that I've highly enjoyed. A journey that has, alas, come to an end. I would not have mentioned this, but others on social media have already popped the balloon.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But the mystery is done just as well as we expected. People are keeping secrets, telling lies; and eventually it will all have to come out. Someone knew the dead man. Someone wanted him dead. But with so many suspects -- and they are -- which one had the opportunity. Many had motive. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Julia isn't sure the wedding will go on, but Zoey wants to get married, and nothing is going to stop her, not even wondering if someone she knows is a killer. But Tom and Julia need to find that killer before the wedding. The problem is, will they be able to do so?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the end, we are given a bittersweet finale to this series. There is a lot of pleasantry in it, a completion of the tale, as you will. It is a lovely tribute to all those we've known (and loved many of them); and a fitting end to the story. I am sad to lose this series, but the author has done a wonderful job through the years. Thank you, Ms. Ross. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Torn-Asunder-Maine-Clambake-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CJLZF5H4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1710702078&sr=8-1">https://www.amazon.com/Torn-Asunder-Maine-Clambake-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CJLZF5H4/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6351630038">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6351630038</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Barbara Ross's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/barbara-ross/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/barbara-ross/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-42013981271095078242024-03-10T12:55:00.000-07:002024-03-10T13:11:27.364-07:00Death at a Scottish Christmas (A Scottish Isle Mystery Book 3)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Lucy Connelly</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Hardcover; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781639109302</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Crooked Lane Books</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>274 pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$29.99; $17.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>October 15, 2024</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzNEehN-LN2pqiiZ-9-RZBNozZJ4wRs_zUtUsL_jmjPh6fXcS9NNoMDhuwrOPYWJ5SG5L5wzoAaY36V1cJNXRvHKkfaebkxt9wCvgLZktNdO0Je6gG6yFpwTHWwoSf6h8xZhENSsm0ydsWURtpGq7KotPGXgD5jebDL8L44C9jwhynlWIFCKX5QG4OKVUv" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzNEehN-LN2pqiiZ-9-RZBNozZJ4wRs_zUtUsL_jmjPh6fXcS9NNoMDhuwrOPYWJ5SG5L5wzoAaY36V1cJNXRvHKkfaebkxt9wCvgLZktNdO0Je6gG6yFpwTHWwoSf6h8xZhENSsm0ydsWURtpGq7KotPGXgD5jebDL8L44C9jwhynlWIFCKX5QG4OKVUv=w267-h400" width="267" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Sea Isle, Scotland, is magical during the holiday season, and Dr. Emilia McRoy can't wait to enjoy everything her village has to offer. Butt when the lead singer of a famous band is murdered in the village, just as they were about to launch a world tour, her holiday instantly comes to a halt.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>As the band's future hangs in the balance, Emilia discovers that the victim was working on new music that has since disappeared. Were these new lyrics worth killing for? And if so, who is the culprit? It seems more than one person wanted his music star dead. Shockingly, beloved Constable Ewan Campbell becomes the prime suspect in the investigation, putting a damper on the town's festivities.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>With an ever growing list of suspects, Emilia will need all the help she can get to figure out who is framing poor Ewan. Between a secret Santa that wants her dead, stalkers, and killer holiday celebrations, Emilia must see the devil in the details and discover the truth before it's too late.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Dr. Emilia McRoy emigrated to Scotland after tragic events in Seattle. She's not only their doctor, she's also their coroner. But she's taken a month off to enjoy the holiday festivities and all of Sea Isle's decorations. One of those events is watching a local band that made it big, and they've returned to their roots for a concert before a final tour.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After the band is stranded, the lead singer, Bram Stoker (not that Bram Stoker, obviously!) takes a liking to the doctor and asks her for a dance that night. The town constable, and chief landowner, Ewan Campbell, dislikes Bram but doesn't tell Em why. Still, she enjoys her evening and is surprised when she's called to the beach about a dead person. Finding Bram's body, she doesn't think it was a natural one, and is conducting tests to see if she's right.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But when it's discovered that it truly was murder, Ewan, who has a past with the man, becomes the main suspect and a London officer is sent down to conduct the investigation. After a rocky start, the two women begin to get along, although the officer has her own issues with the investigation as well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When there's a vicious attack on someone Em cares for, things become even messier, and she knows she has to find out who had the best motive to kill the man. But it won't be easy, and between Christmas festivities and doing her job, someone is out to kill again...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the third book in the series and I quite enjoyed it as much as the last one. It's Christmas time in Sea Isle, and the town has gone all out in decorations and festivities. While Em is charmed by this, she's not charmed by the bitter cold and all the snow. Still, she's promised to be a part of it, so a part of it she will be. She also didn't sign up to find another dead body, nor that it's someone well-known and well-loved by others.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But was he, really? In doing her job, she questions the other band members what they know about his past, and she finds that they like fighting with each other more than anything...at least that's what they do. It makes her suspicious of each and every one of them, but could one of his band mates truly kill? Or was it a stalker? Or a crazed fan?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">She's also dealing with people who are stuck in Sea Isle due to the snow, trying to decorate her own home, reporters trying to get an inside story, and someone else who is injured while trying to help. Em just might be in over her head this time...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't want to say any more about the book in order not to ruin it for others, but I will say the story is riveting and had me reading it in one sitting. There's a lot going on here, along with too many secrets and lies, and also quite a few suspects. It's a fun read for the Christmas holiday (or even before); when the killer is revealed it comes as a complete surprise, which is the best part. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Scottish-Christmas-Isle-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CSFGDQGH/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QpWIKXYAbVUs0U84bOuIcenV0VdtFrgVR43YrcwA8vQqWFLcMkn72Z6Ntre2Z3AZ9qMt9bPjz_t3LVd8WUT5zzphcNRiV8j3czNSlinerNhlB_fHf3YbZuxRW0iD38Jb6L24inlXWKvb_tOGOw1Y4Ka2MQgh8VZf2zeBCUnrRcvYgSgfSzl-5eA5k3b3lCCJEkBg8I2Da12tfd7jlXKHgPEYHoUYLMHwunG_8sk1Ans.Nwfv9uP2MjVvLm5dohRGPjmlb5qUb0hFJ9HIGaVr96w&qid=1710098304&sr=1-2#detailBullets_feature_div">https://www.amazon.com/Death-Scottish-Christmas-Isle-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CSFGDQGH/ref</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6332904246">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6332904246</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Lucy Connelly's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/lucy-connelly/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/lucy-connelly/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-73436645873135251182024-03-05T11:02:00.000-08:002024-03-05T11:18:57.153-08:00Haunting License (A Haunted Haven Mystery #3)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Carol J. Perry</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery/Paranormal</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781496743602</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Kensington Cozies</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>304 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$16.95; $9.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">June 25, 2024</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnG-JQnrMKQN5ktgclF5nLHNgNJjKzKYzbKBlnYCJFnyilOAjo7BXW5U2xOmz42eKvX8t5DF8w-H8whAN01NQmr6JyWfjWcvxoPXnAKpk_NNl6jJGXx6uK1jxeepAiRKkp9sF2kwdZ3IvLGrZapK6tWG3K-0Ig_Bs1DtyNt7COKdLUpHZswcnCGnEfhhz4/s466/71uJ0Ko6JcL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnG-JQnrMKQN5ktgclF5nLHNgNJjKzKYzbKBlnYCJFnyilOAjo7BXW5U2xOmz42eKvX8t5DF8w-H8whAN01NQmr6JyWfjWcvxoPXnAKpk_NNl6jJGXx6uK1jxeepAiRKkp9sF2kwdZ3IvLGrZapK6tWG3K-0Ig_Bs1DtyNt7COKdLUpHZswcnCGnEfhhz4/w268-h400/71uJ0Ko6JcL._SY466_.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It's June in Haven, Florida, a "between seasons" time in the tourism business, and Maureen's Haven House Inn is feeling the pinch. There are plenty of ghosts in residence, but Maureen needs living guests to pay the bills.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Inspired by an old brochure she finds in a trunk she inherited along with the inn from her mysterious benefactor Penelope Josephine Gray, she gets the brilliant idea to revive a June fishing tournament from twenty years ago, hoping to reel in anglers who'd love to catch the Gulf Coast's popular kingfish and take home a trophy. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But one fisherman won't make it to the tournament. While walking on the beach with her golden retriever Finn, Maureen discovers a body. When Officer Frank Hubbard arrives, he recognizes local charter boat fisherman Eddie Manuel.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now it's up to Maureen and her spirited sleuths to sort through the red herrings and bait a hook for a killer before someone else ends up sleeping with the fishes...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Maureen is learning to manage the inn that was left to her by a stranger, but she's still wondering how to make it a permanent paying business. She loves her new home in Haven, Florida, and is becoming familiar with everything, including the fact her new plans for a gift shop on the premises is firming up. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While walking her golden retriever Finn on the beach one morning she sees what appears to be a body floating next to shore. She calls her friend Officer Frank Hubbard. He discovers that the dead man is Eddie Manuel, a charter boat captain, but doesn't know why he would be there, or who would have wanted to kill him -- because he's sure it wasn't an accident.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While Maureen tries to stay out of the investigation, she digs into her benefactor's old trunk and finds enough information on an old fishing tournament that she decides to revive in order to bring business to the town and, of course, to her inn. With the town and fishermen on her side, she has enough people to make it worthwhile.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But one of her guests is a photographer for a small birding magazine -- and once Maureen meets his boss, she thinks the man is creepy. Another guest who is an archaeologist, puts thoughts in Maureen's head that things around there aren't on the up and up, and Eddie might have stumbled across something he shouldn't have. Should Maureen stay out of it and just plan the tournament? Or should she go with her gut feelings and put herself in harm's way?...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the third book in the series and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love books that have friendly spirits in them, and even if the scenes were sparse, they were still fun to read. At times, Maureen's ghosts do give her the information and unexpected turns that she needs. I'd love to say more on the subject, but I don't want to spoil the book for others.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The plot was done very well, with enough twists and turns to keep me interested throughout. I love how the author weaves together different storylines that connect somehow, and eventually the key to finding the truth shows up in an unusual way.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">By this I mean that when the climax does come, it is unexpected, although we are given a clue a little earlier on by what actually might occur, but it still surprises, and the ending itself is rather a treat to read. There is also an epilogue that tells us the outcome, and gives us something to look forward to in the next book, of which I eagerly await. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-License-Haunted-Haven-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CK5BGLGM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.a1C0R8YmRZWMxesWqjevvvGWcLm6jFHdqfQLHrhkSh9pdkolXsXLeNqjHMsqylwDhHkpclRWcoevp1t7JnXmjr_sANY5ktttalmCapIgOPBRWc1mu1cSBf4EhcNgnIb41Z0_oIR1moFsvsuEl3HXyTevB-oAaRx3LP4t8_oqUM-SgN0xOCFDwSYft1mglcTC4OXJb1sytaG-co1-A6wyutWtd3M_VHtRxbo7QshTrhc.J6f4XzPxLvOoIsSqID7fRcfm3KAoSMhotebaVtl-wCo&qid=1709663774&sr=1-4">https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-License-Haunted-Haven-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CK5BGLGM/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6319306113">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6319306113</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Carol J. Perry's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/p/carol-j-perry/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/p/carol-j-perry/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-75335319013366255702024-03-02T11:53:00.000-08:002024-03-02T11:53:42.096-08:00The Happy Housekeeper's Guide to Homicide (A Barbara Hollis Mystery #1)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Blythe Baker</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery/Historical</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9798873064908</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Independently Published</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>242 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$12.99; $3.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>December 26, 2023</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXgOB9M1BM7fLwvUgabRvhrMwK1AhslLij4Ta6ahRrk8tP_d7qwTXnhUnIjcqoOznjE-4N4QOr5cx_l1_RAYX90IrFPPJvsRkZ09x_hPARcVunfmxydPytMXvQ6lBSJA1yXd7iUOj3jvDzgo8qmHfDaPN6MY6afeePGwQ5vfuyeBCDo-L06wvTOi4KQnv/s466/81S69VChMPL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXgOB9M1BM7fLwvUgabRvhrMwK1AhslLij4Ta6ahRrk8tP_d7qwTXnhUnIjcqoOznjE-4N4QOr5cx_l1_RAYX90IrFPPJvsRkZ09x_hPARcVunfmxydPytMXvQ6lBSJA1yXd7iUOj3jvDzgo8qmHfDaPN6MY6afeePGwQ5vfuyeBCDo-L06wvTOi4KQnv/w268-h400/81S69VChMPL._SY466_.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><span>Bloody murder is the last thing on Barbara Hollis's mind when she agrees to travel to a sleepy little town to keep house for her widowed brother. Aside from chasing after her irritating young nephews, she thinks the biggest challenge she'll face is learning to cook a proper souffle. But a bizarre encounter on a train quickly draws her into a more complicated and dangerous future than she bargained for...</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>When a local woman turns up dead, and Barbara's sheriff brother is too inept to solve the case, Barbara finds herself joining forces with a handsome deputy in search of a cold-blooded killer. But her new hometown is crawling with secrets, and Barbara just might discover that unmasking one villain is only scratching the surface...</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Barbara Hollis left the big city to go to a small town in Georgia to keep house for her widowed brother and his two twelve-year-old twin boys. She's sure that she's not going to like it much, but since she left behind her luxury apartment and lost her job, she hasn't got much of a choice. It's a good thing her brother Craig doesn't know the reason she left, as she doesn't want to discuss it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But when she arrives, she's a bit downcast, since her room is smaller than she imagined, and she thinks she'll be bored here. So she decides to give herself a spa day and heads to the only hair salon in town, Sharon's. Since no one is out front, she spots a woman under a hair dryer, and wishes she didn't. The young woman is dead, and at that opportune moment, Sharon arrives and starts screaming. After Barbara calls Craig, she waits to be questioned by his deputy -- who wonders if she killed the young woman. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But Craig will have none of it, and the town over arrests Sharon for the murder. Neither Craig nor Barbara believe it (even though she's just met the stylist); and Barbara decides to surreptitiously help her brother by gathering clues. It might not be her greatest idea, but if she can avoid the killer in town that she knows is still loose, she might be able to find them. Unless they find her first...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the first in the series, and I thought it sounded interesting, so I wanted to read it. First off, I must say that the blurb is wrong. Craig is not inept; he's just never dealt with a murder before, and the town's police department consists of him and his deputy. He just believes the other town would be better equipped to handle it, and he comes to regret his decision quickly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Secondly, I really had no idea that this took place in the 1950's while reading it. I did wonder about the lack of cell phones, but aside from descriptions of a few cars, there wasn't really anything that pointed to the year this takes place. So that was the reason I took off one star. In future books I would like to read about some of the things occurring during that time; something to draw us into the story timeline. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Other than that, I found this interesting, even if it was a short book. I would like to see more character development, but in stories this short, you aren't going to get much of that. However, I am not dinging the author for it, since I died enjoy reading this quite a bit. In fact, I read it in one sitting, and I hope that others will enjoy it as much as I did. In the climax, it all came together quickly, and everything was tied up nicely. I look forward to the next in the series. Recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Housekeepers-Homicide-Barbara-Hollis-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CQZCDM57/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1709406794&sr">https://www.amazon.com/Housekeepers-Homicide-Barbara-Hollis-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CQZCDM57/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6305678063">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6305678063</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Blythe Baker's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/blythe-baker/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/blythe-baker/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-5028561928962516922024-02-28T11:39:00.000-08:002024-02-28T11:39:53.008-08:00Revved Up 4 Murder (A Sophie Kimball Mystery Book 12)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> J.C. Eaton</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781960511522</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Beyond The Page Publishing</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>207 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$14.99; $5.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>February 20, 2024</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0FCMhFKNU1i8Yns0470cN8ds0Wfn6ky80bzWqBiCL347RcYGXxxgTZrr5lNrr_mp3DWrjSXPYeOxQzcmqVJ1e5F-VFY-MVPB5TYLs3uVDdO5NrianO72xqRhvz5Djig8rFFfGWJf7-UAuJfNNuIk1nDe0cRwhXm52z0RVAV1UdTIwXTMcEr0PpP2EHfH/s466/81MTtrYxQDL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0FCMhFKNU1i8Yns0470cN8ds0Wfn6ky80bzWqBiCL347RcYGXxxgTZrr5lNrr_mp3DWrjSXPYeOxQzcmqVJ1e5F-VFY-MVPB5TYLs3uVDdO5NrianO72xqRhvz5Djig8rFFfGWJf7-UAuJfNNuIk1nDe0cRwhXm52z0RVAV1UdTIwXTMcEr0PpP2EHfH/w268-h400/81MTtrYxQDL._SY466_.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><b>When a corpse is discovered under a car at the local auto restoration garage, Sophie "Phee" Kimball gears up to investigate a crime that puts a whole new twist on the term "body shop"...</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>The seniors of Sun City West are celebrating again, this time over the news that Wayne from the pinochle club finally has a chance to restore is classic car. Phee goes along for the ride, but her thoughts are on the agency's latest case -- a priceless artifact that's missing from the local museum. It's an antique doll supposedly filled with treasure -- but also carrying a curse for whoever possesses it. Then a dead body is found under Wayne's car, along with signs of foul pay, and Phee is coaxed into helping get him off the hook.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>It's clear to Phee that the victim was killed by sabotaged machinery, but the garage attracts so much foot traffic that narrowing down a list of suspects will be nearly impossible. Harder still will be keeping her mother's gaggle of friends from meddling in the case, especially after they throw a wrench into the works by trying to locate the missing dolls. Soon Phee and the whole group are careening toward a head-on collision with a thief, a killer, and a cursed doll, and she can only hope they don't drive her insane -- or worse -- make her the next victim...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In this twelfth book in the series, Phee is happily married and enjoying her role as bookkeeper at Williams Investigation Agency. If it were only that, her life would be complete. However, as fate has it, her mother regularly calls Phee with problems, and expects her to be at her beck and call. Be aware that Harriet isn't your typical mother. She's crazy. Loony. And jumps to conclusions...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That being said, the newest case for the investigation agency is that there is a missing doll that was on loan from the Phoenix Art Museum to the Equity Council's, and it's gone missing. There's no sign of it. Zip. Nada. There's also a supposed curse -- that anyone who possesses the doll will be under a hex. It's because the doll once belonged to a little girl, and people believe her soul is trapped inside. With a treasure that's rumored to be worth a lot of cash. So of course they're on the case discreetly. Sure. Especially with two of Harriet's cronies on the council, they'll keep their word not to let anyone know, right? Uh huh. At least until the morning brunch with not only the ladies, but the men from the automotive club who are celebrating one of their own's good luck,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Which turns out not to be so good after all. A dead body is found underneath a car, which puts a halt to any restorations. Worse, the person who died was disliked by more than one other, and now Phee's antenna is up for clues. Unfortunately, the B4M ladies think that they have their own antennae (they don't); and what ensues are some very funny scenes with these women -- and even some of the men. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's the usual riot around these people and I have to wonder how Phee still keeps her sanity. No wonder her aunt Ina's son moved away. No surprise there...scenes that 'feature' Streetman the Chiweenee are just as humorous as the other books, and I commend the author(s) on that. They place you effortlessly in the scene and you feel as if you were right there in the action. Watching and laughing, but grateful that you're not in the middle of it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This book was so entertaining, and once again a winner by the writers. Harriet is clueless about almost everything, and you have to feel sorry for Phee growing up with her. But let's face it, Mama is funny. Really funny. And in this book, Paul Schmidt is a hoot (he being the resident fisherman who's crazy in his own way). Even the climax was fun to read. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When the killer is discovered, I knew pretty much from the beginning. But it's more complicated than that, and even I found it nicely written. I suppose you've figured out that I love this series. I also hope others will as well, and I look forward to the next one. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Revved-Up-Murder-J-Eaton-ebook/dp/B0CTNPWDHN/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.s6H_RMf8nQc7h_wGzPM9EhzZ44OWTvr15cQMByHxz3oN47UrCGw8gDyS-zMh-w4sVbtulc6FOjIXv0Y0dJOLKyX7vUS_QheKBGSa95fEMLvSQHW_L0aMFozr1MnZKG1geSPAdL0Aob3IFjuZgLykKnsAjXFUCpq79mmMVO3hFtt36x7VwwcCAE0QvUmHj0u2VprUFsSHJgJnqfEx15KKb42PaT5qZ1PbalwV63z-AdA.7LyJHvjZPY9UYyuPZxPPAFOLzyha8ZGhm9Lx8zxqQYk&qid=1709147297&sr=1-1">https://www.amazon.com/Revved-Up-Murder-J-Eaton-ebook/dp/B0CTNPWDHN/ref=</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6302026736">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6302026736</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on J.C. Eaton's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/j-c-eaton/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/j-c-eaton/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-13744643460483525242024-02-22T13:22:00.000-08:002024-02-22T13:22:37.844-08:00The Witless Protection Program (A Catering Hall Mystery #5)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Maria DiRico</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781496744623</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Kensington Cozies</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>304 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$8.99; $6.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>March 26, 2024</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMYZOS9X-Y9z0uRmyJDM6_yLwiZF1XhjBJVBXTrLzrviagD4gd6wWd-ai6Dw88Be44ZWUzzlX4CTYKrvbaXg-Ba5FmsqxAI3zMUxjkt1lpVJTOR-crwAD-POuZQ4TWZAKRnoAQ7Er36jfVKdhXPXbXWuCCa3hnLSWjVWAwIe7WPRIzWhhyphenhyphenZBjffBAaO7m/s466/81BM2BtN+xL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="285" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMYZOS9X-Y9z0uRmyJDM6_yLwiZF1XhjBJVBXTrLzrviagD4gd6wWd-ai6Dw88Be44ZWUzzlX4CTYKrvbaXg-Ba5FmsqxAI3zMUxjkt1lpVJTOR-crwAD-POuZQ4TWZAKRnoAQ7Er36jfVKdhXPXbXWuCCa3hnLSWjVWAwIe7WPRIzWhhyphenhyphenZBjffBAaO7m/w245-h400/81BM2BtN+xL._SY466_.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><b>Mia Carina has steered her Italian-American family's Astoria, Queens, catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor, into becoming the borough's premiere party site, and nothing could make her happier -- except her boyfriend proposing. There's just one presumed-dead obstacle in the way...</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>A strong, independent woman and respected entrepreneur, Mia never imagined she's pine for a marriage proposal. Yet lately, with her beloved Shane, she's on tenterhooks. It's especially surprising, considering Mia's first husband, Adam, was a philandering grifter, assumed lost-at-sea after a boating disaster. But everyone knows what happens when you assume...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">While working a huge wedding expo in Manhattan, Mia is shocked to spot the man who nearly destroyed her life. The one who's supposed to be sleeping with the fishes. But she loses him in the crowd. And when it happens again the next day, it's time for an emergency meeting with the family -- and <i>the Family</i>. Because if Adam is alive, Mia is still married.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Everyone wants Adam dead. Everyone except Mia. She's dealt with enough police for a lifetime. Mia needs to be a divorcee, not a widow. But someone out there disagrees, and if Mia doesn't discover who, she may never be free to marry Shane -- or anyone else...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mia Carina's family is going straight -- and the mob boss who owns the banquet hall where she works is proud of what she's been able to accomplish. When she and her friend Cammie go to the wedding expo to promote their business, Mia thinks she sees a familiar face -- that of her late husband, Adam Grosso, who is supposed to have died in an accident at sea. But if he's dead, how can she trust her eyes?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The next day she attends a baseball game with her fiancé Shane and sees Adam again. But he disappears just as quickly. Now she's called a meeting with both her family and <i>the </i>Family to try and find Adam. But she doesn't expect it when he shows up at her home late at night. He says he won't divorce her, and she wants to marry Shane. But not enough to kill Adam. Although there are others who would happily see him dead...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then there's the problem of the House. Her grandmother had purchased the home across the street from hers as a wedding gift for Shane and Mia. Unfortunately, it's filled with memorabilia from the person who lately lived there -- a comic artist -- and he has followers who want it declared an historical site, so now Mia has that fight on her hands as well.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Between trying to run her business, save her new home, and try to find suspects in the latest murder, life is killing her. How could things have gone so wrong so fast? And how can she set them right in time to marry the love of her life...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the fifth book in the series and I have loved them all. I've become attached to the characters, even the quirky ones like Cammie and her long-suffering police detective ex-husband, Pete. Mia is sharp, independent, and takes care of her family as well as running the day-to-day operations of her business. Unfortunately, she wishes she didn't have to find her husband to get a divorce. It's kind of hard to get married when you're still married to your supposedly late husband.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Where has Adam been all this time, by the way? He feeds her one story and someone else another. And when she goes looking for clues, all it does is give her more questions, along with finding out just how low a snake she really married. She wants him out of her life, but not dead. If she can only convince the higher-ups of that...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But this book is a fun ride. Probably the best in the series so far. There's a lot going on, and not all of it surrounding Adam and his whereabouts. Enough action to keep you reading -- and I read this in one night; that's how good this book is. (Now I'm tired and barely functioning, but hey--).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When we discover the killer, it really does come as a surprise. And I loved it. But that's not the end of the story. There's more to come, and it's delightful. Please keep this series going, as it's one of my favorites, and it's so much fun to read. Murders included. (Plus, great recipes in the back). Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Witless-Protection-Program-Maria-DiRico-ebook/dp/B0C9W8W668/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Q9YSOTYUHPR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8bW8QN7gDmtv6jq5slf798p0mA5Di7mrqXllO2UKUUXGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.QuMGQytcogTKJafE2lPMGk6gqDizOpgIJ7jxyIeJLes&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+witless+protection+program&qid=1708633580&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+witless+%2Cdigital-text%2C168&sr=1-1">https://www.amazon.com/Witless-Protection-Program-Maria-DiRico-ebook/dp/B0C9W8W668/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6285739951">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6285739951</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Maria DiRico's Books: <a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/maria-dirico/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/maria-dirico/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-31157631832152866672024-02-21T10:16:00.000-08:002024-02-21T10:16:03.353-08:00Early Poverty Row Studios (Images of America)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> E.J. Stephens/Marc Wanamaker</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre:<span> History/Film</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Hardcover; Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781531677138; 9781467132589</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Arcadia Publishing</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>128 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$26.99; $16.70; $9.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>November 10, 2014</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqb7BdVq45G0oSGWBFxr7q7-nhZxdEZIWioOI2Z1RBY6eXXxEJO5lJcSqQxZnHTQ2K8KmtkewSQBYaOhCZ-ECoGPa2pC16pXi2gMk7FlpgkdvUJBrADEtAFXmXlld6vd4rNS6B35vNHBeJM404EiPkn9zJdYWdgpCfU9eNnTcwfUeMwQ410lwjsxLSYPrj/s445/51LpcsMjImL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="309" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqb7BdVq45G0oSGWBFxr7q7-nhZxdEZIWioOI2Z1RBY6eXXxEJO5lJcSqQxZnHTQ2K8KmtkewSQBYaOhCZ-ECoGPa2pC16pXi2gMk7FlpgkdvUJBrADEtAFXmXlld6vd4rNS6B35vNHBeJM404EiPkn9zJdYWdgpCfU9eNnTcwfUeMwQ410lwjsxLSYPrj/w278-h400/51LpcsMjImL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><br /><span>The history of Hollywood is often seen only through the lens of major studios, forgetting that many of Tinseltown's early creations came from micro-studios stretched along Sunset Boulevard in an area disparagingly known as Poverty Row. Here, the first wave of West Coast moviemakers migrated to the tiny village of Hollywood, where alcohol was illegal, actors were unwelcome, and cattle were herded down the unpaved streets. Most Poverty Row producers survived from film to film, their fortunes tied to the previous week's take from hundreds of nickelodeon tills. They would routinely script movies around an event or disaster, often creating scenarios using sets from more established productions, when the bosses weren't looking, of course. Poverty Row quickly became a generic term for other fly-by-night studios throughout the Los Angeles area. Their struggles to hand on in Hollywood were often more intriguing than the serialized cliffhangers they produced.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I love anything about old Hollywood. I own thousands of classic films, biographies of actors, studios, etc. I don't watch new movies as I don't think they are as good as those long past. In my opinion there will never be another Bogart, Cagney, Stanwyck -- or even someone like Charlie Chaplin, who revolutionized films. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the pictorial story of the first studios in Hollywood -- those on Poverty Row, where they changed hands constantly, silent films and serials being made daily, and cowboys waiting for their turn to be chosen for a western or two.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you are interested in how film studios began, then this is the book. While it isn't high art, it isn't meant to be. But what it is, is showing us how everything began, where the studios were located, and even little tidbits of history that one might not have known about actors (or those who wanted to be). It's an interesting album of pictures that I have never seen before, and I found fascinating to see. Hollywood as it was when movies were churned out as fast as they could, trying to make actors stars and therefore fill the coffers of the producers and directors; and while it is a short book it has packed in a lot of history. Recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Early-Poverty-Studios-Images-America-ebook/dp/B00PMG2TL0/ref=sr_1_1?crid=180L7MNPZDROX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7ERRSv8sgj_-p_zBTioLCiNEHqXBJhGprptXK7MHJ-MXmQzOuU18RFBy2GOxQE9_CggP5oU_j3_iZv9O4HHdBiI_C_jj7MjE3C1xZp1d1NY.zWRhRikHNKS2rrKWxElx0E6Hv_lGesrtmc0YnYalwBE&dib_tag=se&keywords=early+poverty+row+studios&qid=1708538239&s=books&sprefix=early+poverty+row+studios%2Cstripbooks%2C203&sr=1-1">https://www.amazon.com/Early-Poverty-Studios-Images-America-ebook/dp/B00PMG2TL0/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6274902330">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6274902330</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on the Authors:<span> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4045873.E_J_Stephens">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4045873.E_J_Stephens</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-78272602777535472022024-02-18T12:36:00.000-08:002024-02-18T12:36:58.217-08:00The Diva Goes Overboard (A Domestic Diva Mystery Book 17)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Krista Davis</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Hardcover; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781496743428</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Kensington Cozies</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>320 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$27.00; $12.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>May 21, 2024</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqEIDEUl4XT9Q2U0mmqnR18gdtTCOowJypeKnSZgFZI1Q1dm3EFajWU2WbtrR5PmeaV0KVk2J-C6l_vSusXv9kTcbqqpsxWdy5N7puUuODdfiM-eu3LISJeW_dquGix_bdCszHySr4iUJt2p-zsUaXKZunKygjI-7Rm7RyNRyc2LHubTuPK2z5dkBrX9D/s466/918aB2KN5WL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="308" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqEIDEUl4XT9Q2U0mmqnR18gdtTCOowJypeKnSZgFZI1Q1dm3EFajWU2WbtrR5PmeaV0KVk2J-C6l_vSusXv9kTcbqqpsxWdy5N7puUuODdfiM-eu3LISJeW_dquGix_bdCszHySr4iUJt2p-zsUaXKZunKygjI-7Rm7RyNRyc2LHubTuPK2z5dkBrX9D/w265-h400/918aB2KN5WL._SY466_.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><span>In Old Town Alexandria's unlikeliest match, Natasha Smith's free-spirited mother, Wanda, is engaged to notoriously pompous antiques dealer, Orson Chatsworth -- leaving Natasha to plan the entire wedding, beginning with an elaborate engagement party. For the extravagant affair, Natasha splurges on trendy food boards created by rising social media start, Stella St. James. The sumptuous boards go way beyond basic cheese and crackers, as Stella dazzles guests with picture-worthy butter boards, dessert boards, and even doughnut boards. Just as Natasha planned, the food is to die for -- and someone actually does.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>When the groom collapses, it seems as if a heart attack is to blame. Then guests discover Orson was poisoned, and suddenly Stella's bespoke boards look a lot less appealing. But with an event this big, the spread of suspects is sure to be impressive. Could Orson's killer be a jilted ex-lover? A money hungry relative? A bitter former business partner? When even Sophie is not above suspicion, she knows it's time to get on board and scrape together an investigation of her own...before murder becomes the town's next trend.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sophie Winston is an event planner that lives in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, with her dog and cat. While walking her dog one morning she spots a car on fire and calls it in. She has no idea who did it, or why. It seems odd, but life goes on...while visiting with her best friend Nina, her frenemy Natasha Smith, who has been in competition with Sophie most of her life, arrives in a dither. It seems her mother Wanda is getting married -- to Orson Chatsworth, who doesn't seem like Wanda's type, but Sophie offers to help Natasha with the engagement party. Part of that is hiring Orson's daughter Stella to make charcuterie boards, which are becoming a trend and Stella's new business.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While all seems to be going well at the party, Orson suddenly drops to the floor and at first appears to be having a heart attack. But Sophie thinks that he was murdered, even though her police detective friend Wolf doesn't. Another surprise comes when Orson's will is read and he leaves Sophie his antique business and all it entails, including the bank account. In his strange video will he tells her that 'you will know what to do.'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But Sophie has no idea what to do. At least not at first. And with half the town thinking there was something going on with her and Orson (why else would he leave her the business instead of to his daughter?) or Sophie being a gold digger, there's problems with trying to find out who killed Orson. When the police finally do reveal that it was murder, Sophie's problems just got bigger. Now she not only has to find the murderer, but she has to discover why he had the secret room in his store and what he wanted her to do with the information. With the help of Nina, her ex-husband Mars and friend Bernie, she's about to learn what Orson wanted to tell her, and hope she'll be able to prevent another murder...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the 17th book in the series, and I have read most of them. In my opinion, each one gets better than the last. In this one, Sophie is up to her ears in intrigue, secrets, and lies. All her suspects are keeping them, and it's up to her to ferret them out. But with everyone suspecting her of swaying Orson in her favor, she needs the help of her friends to get to the bottom of it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But when Sophie learns what Orson really wanted her to do, she's stunned. It's something no one could have suspected, and when she discreetly shares some of the information, others don't think it's possible. After discovering an item that gives her the link she needs, Sophie can begin to put everything together. And watching her do so is like watching a clock being assembled. The parts are there, and it is up to the clockmaker to put them into the proper order and make sure that it works. This Sophie does beautifully. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The ending has another surprise in store, and when it is all woven together, Sophie manages to show us once again why she is our favorite Domestic Diva. This book is so entertaining that I read it in one sitting (whew!) because I wanted to find out how it all came about and I don't like to peek! There are also some delicious recipes at the back that I intend to make (and you should, too!). I eagerly await the next in the series. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Diva-Goes-Overboard-Domestic-Mystery/dp/1496743423/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1708286316&sr=1-1">https://www.amazon.com/Diva-Goes-Overboard-Domestic-Mystery/dp/1496743423/ref</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6273795021">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6273795021</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Krista Davis's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/krista-davis/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/krista-davis/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-63522677663745835092024-02-13T12:04:00.000-08:002024-02-13T12:04:49.748-08:00Petals and A Poison (The Accidental Ghost Detective Book 6)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Emmie Lyn</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery/Paranormal</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ASIN #:<span> B0CT7NFGD6</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>The Cozy Mystery Cafe (Whiskered Mysteries)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>176 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$4.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>January 31, 2024</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITYajVIb1gk8JqWMo8kf0FythAXna2LjA9usfzTbngGSqYmkMf7byGHaOmPJwmoQ4RsrtmzBv59QCBvSDPORmkvamD6FqHp56GAxelVtNEAuq4CLxeM80wdThEH73zpnTRAZ3kvWOAD7_yHOe2UCBOImU670tr373Z4SSiDNXnJBIJyT9qBYYHYnmNgnD/s466/91fXpwTQR3L._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITYajVIb1gk8JqWMo8kf0FythAXna2LjA9usfzTbngGSqYmkMf7byGHaOmPJwmoQ4RsrtmzBv59QCBvSDPORmkvamD6FqHp56GAxelVtNEAuq4CLxeM80wdThEH73zpnTRAZ3kvWOAD7_yHOe2UCBOImU670tr373Z4SSiDNXnJBIJyT9qBYYHYnmNgnD/w268-h400/91fXpwTQR3L._SY466_.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><b>Does this award-winning flower garden hide a sinister secret?</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>After the Frog Hollow Garden Tour announces the winner of this year's contest, all that's left is to enjoy a delicious banquet with friends and neighbors. But the evening takes a chilling turn when my dog Dash discovers a body near the garden's beautiful pond.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>What was meant to be a night of celebration soon blossoms into a true crime scene. As we try to weed out the culprit, every clue points to my good witchy pal, Pearl, especially when her pet peacock is found nesting in a patch of poisonous plants.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Can Dash and the Accidental Ghost Detective team unearth this garden of secrets and restore tranquility to Frog Hollow before the poison finds its next victim?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Nikki Knight inherited her aunt Audrey's B&B when the woman was killed. What she didn't know, however, is that she also inherited the ghost of Audrey, too, along with her quirky attorney friend and cook Birdie. Not to mention having acquired a talking Dachshund named Dash (for short), her best friend Lacey, and a witch named Pearl whose spells always seem to come out wonky.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When she attends the garden party for Pearl, who has won this year's award for best garden, she doesn't expect to find another body. Well, technically, Dash found the body. She just followed him. Unfortunately, it was the head of the committee, and Nikki has discovered that the woman regretted giving Pearl the award. When Detective Mallory Paine arrives, she finds that the woman was poisoned, and since it might have been from something in Pearl's garden, she becomes the prime suspect. But Nikki and her friends refuse to believe that Pearl could kill anyone.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So naturally they start their own investigation to discover a killer -- and if they can stay under the radar while rescuing an angry peacock, they just might stay alive and keep Pearl out of jail...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I must say that I really enjoy this series. In order to read fantasy, you need to leave your logic at the door. It's delightful enough that I can willingly step into the world of Nikki Knight and follow along as she (and Dash) sniff out clues to solve a murder. In fact, without Dash by her side, Nikki might have a harder time than she does.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This time out, she has another problem: her relationship with the mystery writer Luc. While she's growing fond of him (to say the least) she also wonders if she needs to let him into her world. Will he stay or run? What a conundrum to have, right?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Looking at all the clues, she comes to the realization that someone is framing Pearl for the crime. Is it one of the other gardeners or the new head of committee? Or someone who was at the party? As it all heats up, the last clues from from an unexpected source, and we watch while Nikki puts it all together and sets the trap, hoping her fish will bite...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">All in all, I loved the stories and the characters, and I can't wait to visit Frog Hollow, Georgia again. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was given a copy of this book from the publisher but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Petals-Poison-Accidental-Ghost-Detective-ebook/dp/B0CT7NFGD6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6UX8Q6PU569H&keywords=petals+and+poison&qid=1707853256&sprefix=petals+and+poison%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-1">https://www.amazon.com/Petals-Poison-Accidental-Ghost-Detective-ebook/dp/B0CT7NFGD6/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6260380010">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6260380010</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Emmie Lyn's Books:<span> </span> <span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/emmie-lyn/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/emmie-lyn/</a> </div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-33594296372765466512024-02-05T10:58:00.000-08:002024-02-05T10:58:02.575-08:00The Fog Ladies: A Date with Death (A San Francisco Cozy Mystery Book 4)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Susan McCormick</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781509249817</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Wild Rose Press</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>338 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$9.50; $3.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>October 2, 2023</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1oEdodWh8RlBSivzyXOkq0rDDqB5-unrj-0F5Y1wRUXdH2VgVQjKRG-4lEpM1VvB9larMRxkZQZPL5seXS5DT-Y0gNPO1ThuFd3KM4hANjk6m8zFLYTPdsOHhvCsHJCJvYfMPumGdNniyAZ2Fxoa8PfJQkut-7pvoj-S2bNuCVr5HOlvmqgvH3NHepD4n/s466/81FAuMNvqYL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="288" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1oEdodWh8RlBSivzyXOkq0rDDqB5-unrj-0F5Y1wRUXdH2VgVQjKRG-4lEpM1VvB9larMRxkZQZPL5seXS5DT-Y0gNPO1ThuFd3KM4hANjk6m8zFLYTPdsOHhvCsHJCJvYfMPumGdNniyAZ2Fxoa8PfJQkut-7pvoj-S2bNuCVr5HOlvmqgvH3NHepD4n/w248-h400/81FAuMNvqYL._SY466_.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br /><span>The Fog Ladies are at it again, spunky senior sleuths and an overstressed young medical resident solving murders from their elegant apartment building in San Francisco. They join a senior dating group, and romantic intrigue soon turns to murder. Graham Parselle, lady killer extraordinaire, plunges off a cliff on a Senior Singles outing. Did one of his dates pitch him over? Or is Olivia Honeycutt's new beau to blame?</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When the Fog Ladies (most of them, anyway) decide to join a senior dating group, it seems there is a dearth of men. However, Olivia Honeycutt has reconnected with an old beau from high school. Even though the others might be suspicious of him, Olivia is happy with her Malcolm, and he seems to be so with her. But one of the group's members -- a man named Graham Parselle, seems overly friendly with some of the senior women. He's not afraid to break hearts, and with his trim figure and nice face, women can't help but fall for him. But it's Graham who's fallen -- right off a cliff on a senior hike. While the police think it was an accident, the Ladies aren't so sure, and they're again on a case to find a murderer...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I must admit that I have never read any of the other books in this series (as there are so many books out there and I just haven't gotten to these yet!). But I also have to admit that I enjoyed this one very much. Many of the characters are interesting, and the Fog Ladies are given enough in their descriptions that even if you haven't read the other books, you are able to decipher what they look like and act like. While I did enjoy interacting with many of them, I also have to say that by the end of the book I was, myself, wanting to throw Enid Carmichael into the ocean. Yes, I said it. She's annoying and pushy, and is wrong on so many counts that I won't list here. Read the book and draw your own conclusions. (Okay, mini-rant done!)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Other than that, the book was filled with questions surrounding the murder (because, of course, we know that it was, even if the police don't), and I loved how the Ladies went about trying to figure it out. Then another murder occurs, which puts the Ladies on high alert, and now they're wondering if one of their own is the next target.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sarah, their friend and medical resident, has problems of her own. She's still figuring out her new relationship with boyfriend Andy, and trying to get a fellowship at the hospital where she works. She has little free time, but is more than willing to help the Ladies -- and it's a good thing, too -- when she can.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When the ending comes and we reach the climax, it's both satisfying and rewarding. While I knew the murderer before they did (once again I will say that I read a <i>lot </i>of mysteries, so most times it comes easy for me), still, I liked how it all came together. I will say that I am going to go back to the first in the series and see how the Ladies started. Recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I received a free copy of this book through the author and Voracious Readers, but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fog-Ladies-Francisco-Murder-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CCWC8B95/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1707158199&sr=8-2">https://www.amazon.com/Fog-Ladies-Francisco-Murder-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CCWC8B95/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6237877225">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6237877225</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Susan McCormick's Books:<span> <a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/susan-mccormick/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/susan-mccormick/</a></span></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-65586697442993259682024-01-30T11:04:00.000-08:002024-01-30T11:05:58.275-08:00Feline Fatale (A Mrs. Murphy Mystery Book 32)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> </span>Rita Mae Brown</div><div style="text-align: left;">Genre: <span> Mystery</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Hardcover; Digital Book</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>ISBN #:<span> 9780593357637</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Bantam Publishing</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>304 Pages</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>$28.00; $13.99 Amazon</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>April 16, 2024</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitHLlY0U_q0D-FMrOI_pAFaBcUWqL2KFLwNjnZrufO8a8GBQ_CSRPCkA_ruyFeYfFNo0RcVmTn9N6c_jbO5slb8ryj_IZccBI6R2j_VLP2rHHEhHd4GKC9odIl8ME8ktURiLDAvquK5V2DCxf0vn5pg5Zm6-houhJtgjN5DIV7fv3hFMCBACJGv1pMygC/s466/81ZyXvI7qlL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="307" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitHLlY0U_q0D-FMrOI_pAFaBcUWqL2KFLwNjnZrufO8a8GBQ_CSRPCkA_ruyFeYfFNo0RcVmTn9N6c_jbO5slb8ryj_IZccBI6R2j_VLP2rHHEhHd4GKC9odIl8ME8ktURiLDAvquK5V2DCxf0vn5pg5Zm6-houhJtgjN5DIV7fv3hFMCBACJGv1pMygC/w264-h400/81ZyXvI7qlL._SY466_.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Spring flowers may be about to bloom in Crozet, Virginia, but Harry is thinking about snow. Her dear friend Ned Tucker is in the House of Delegates, advocating for a bill to improve road clearing during bad weather, and Harry and Ned's wife, Susan, have gone down to the statehouse to support him. Tensions are high between political parties, and no one can agree on anything for long enough to get something done.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>The bill's chief detractor is the glamorous Amanda Fields, a former newscaster turned delegate whose flair for the dramatic has earned her a formidable reputation -- and made her more than a few enemies. Amanda's claws-out approach to politics might have some of her colleagues wishing she was dead, but the statehouse is rocked when one of the young pages who assists the delegates dies under mysterious circumstances.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Could his death be related to the political infighting? Or is something even more sinister threatening the lives of Virginia's finest representatives? With help from her feline sidekicks Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, as well as Tee Tucker the corgi and Irish Wolfhound Pirate, Harry is determined to find the answers and restore order once more to the Capitol.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We are back in Crozet, Virginia with farmer "Harry" Harristeen and her husband and friends, not to mention her furry pets Mrs. Murphy and Pewter (the cats), Tucker and Pirate (the dogs). Harry is braving the last of winter when the threat of another snowstorm prevails, making everyone wonder how long winter is going to last. But it is also the time when the state house representatives meet in Richmond, and both Harry and her best friend, Susan Tucker, travel there to support Susan's husband Ned while he presents a bill to the house.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, it isn't received well by the other side, and a heated argument ensues where delegate Amanda Fields reacts violently to a slur by Aiden Harkness of the other side, which causes more problems along the way. Amanda seems obsessed with Aiden and his antics, and Ned is just trying to keep the peace. But when a young page is killed while in the car of the videographer, questions arise. What was he doing, and was he murdered?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Harry wants answers, and if it lies in the state house, then she's going to find it. But along the way she's learning Morse code, as an elderly town resident still uses a ham radio and Harry wants to be able to speak with her on days she can't get over to see her. But what is going on in the house, and does anyone know the truth?...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the latest book in the Mrs. Murphy series, and I have read as many as I can. I simply love the writing style of Ms. Brown. Although in the beginning I was disappointed to learn that this was not a mystery where we travel back in time to Revolutionary days, I also read the back where she stated that not everyone enjoyed that. (Really? It's part of the charm of the books, but just my humble opinion on that! I also love history, so it's again, part of the charm of reading these novels.) Anyway, since I was already invested, I continued to read on.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In this installment, as you've probably already gathered, Harry and pals are concerned with what is happening in Richmond. Ned Tucker is too concerned with what is going on in his own office to even take time to wonder -- and here is where he avails himself of both Harry and Susan's help -- because they are trying to finish the session and that means endless paperwork (don't we all have that?).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When the young page is killed, his girlfriend and family both insist that it must have been murder, and Harry tends to believe them. So does Amanda's assistant, Lucas. But what can be done? No one is going to admit it, and someone's sudden disappearance points to them as the prime suspect.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There is a lot going on in this book; a lot about politics (and honestly, I don't read political books as there is so much in the world right now that is wrong and I read to relax, not have everything shoved at me), but I will tell you that this book doesn't do any of that, and I appreciate it. While we may not agree on our politics, the book is subtle about it and you don't feel that you are getting a lecture on what to believe or not believe. And that, my friends, is all the difference.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once again, Ms. Brown has written another mystery that will keep you reading merely to get to the final outcome, if nothing else. It is a wonderful read, and I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Feline-Fatale-Mrs-Murphy-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CC1H46PC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=EYGT8ZDWQQ8K&keywords=feline+fatale&qid=1706638525&s=books&sprefix=feline+fatale%2Cstripbooks%2C149&sr=1-1">https://www.amazon.com/Feline-Fatale-Mrs-Murphy-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CC1H46PC/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6219578969">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6219578969</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Rita Mae Brown's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/rita-mae-brown/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/rita-mae-brown/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-87682593766692369472024-01-24T12:24:00.000-08:002024-01-24T12:24:14.228-08:00Public Anchovy #1 (Deep Dish Mysteries #3)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Mindy Quigley</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre:<span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book (LP and Audiobook Available)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781250792471</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>St. Martin's Books</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>320 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$8.99; $8.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>December 26, 2023</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKS8G-9bdTSqvg__Z_kYo6Z__Nc-Vav_WIpJxYZ9OkI8zGsoV5zuyw_cDyHux-iHSHROQIUh2KAuh3qwm0YESAAu0OTL68rQe9wuUVKVTYZq32jMBTN38vIk-LPX2k_BTLe0zGXFx4VJidbaGdOYOgYL2iNTpWyydMyHrU56eLeQOhuHboMRlbRJhu7I4/s466/915e+hGg91L._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="285" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKS8G-9bdTSqvg__Z_kYo6Z__Nc-Vav_WIpJxYZ9OkI8zGsoV5zuyw_cDyHux-iHSHROQIUh2KAuh3qwm0YESAAu0OTL68rQe9wuUVKVTYZq32jMBTN38vIk-LPX2k_BTLe0zGXFx4VJidbaGdOYOgYL2iNTpWyydMyHrU56eLeQOhuHboMRlbRJhu7I4/w245-h400/915e+hGg91L._SY466_.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br /><span>While Geneva Bay's upper crust gets ready to party down at a Prohibition-themed fundraiser, pizza chef Delilah O'Leary is focused on seeing her struggling restaurant through the winter slow season. The temperature outside is plummeting, but Delilah's love life might finally be heating up, as hunky detective Calvin Capone seems poised to (finally) make a move.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>But Delilah's hopes of perfecting a new "free-from" pizza recipe for a charity bash are dashed when a dead body crashes the party. Soon, Capone, Delilah, and her entire staff are trapped in an isolated mansion and embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>To catch an increasingly desperate killer, Delilah will have to top all of her previous crime-solving accomplishments, and a few pizzas, too.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Delilah O'Leary owns an Italian restaurant in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. On the night of a fundraising bash for the library, she is tasked with not only her pizzas, but creating a new "free-from" pizza for one of the guests who is allergic to almost everything. already nervous about the party because she is hoping to get new customers, this one is a challenge. But before the meal can be served, one of the guests tumbles down the stairs to their death -- and with detective Calvin Capone attending, it's eventually ruled a murder.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But since everyone is snowed in at the mansion, who is the killer? Is it one of the guests or one of Delilah's staff? She intends to finds out, even if Capone wants her to leave it alone...and so does the murderer....</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the third book in the series and I really wanted to like it. It's a decent mystery, but I liked the first two much better. This one seems to drag on and on, never really going anywhere until close to the end. We don't learn much about the attendees, and if you haven't read the first two books, then you are given snippets here and there of Delilah's staff. What we <i>are</i> given ad nauseum, is Delilah's hots for Capone. Over and over. The entire book is filled with Delilah lusting after our detective, and he seemingly oblivious to it. (Well, why shouldn't he be concerned with the murder first? Of course). It's in every page. Constantly. This book is more of a romance/mystery instead of a mystery/romance. I don't mind romance in my cozies (after all, it's part of the book) but she is practically drooling every time she comes near him. Down, girl!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Other than that, the mystery was done very well. I really didn't guess the reason for the murder until close to the end, and I did think the way it was wrapped up was done nicely indeed. Ms. Quigley is a talented writer, and I do hope that in the next in the series we can get back to the mystery first instead of second. A very nice cozy to read on a winter night -- and you don't have to read the first two to enjoy this one.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was given a copy of this book from the publisher but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Public-Anchovy-Deep-Dish-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0C1X7M6ZS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11EOAXZP9MT5W&keywords=public+anchovy+%231&qid=1706126051&s=digital-text&sprefix=public+anchovy%2Cdigital-text%2C165&sr=1-1">https://www.amazon.com/Public-Anchovy-Deep-Dish-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0C1X7M6ZS/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6201507267">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6201507267</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Mindy Quigley's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/q/mindy-quigley/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/q/mindy-quigley/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-75809640582629711772024-01-17T11:36:00.000-08:002024-01-17T11:37:53.663-08:00Tasty Edibles, Nasty Rumblings (An Ivy Creek Cozy Mystery Book 13)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Ruth Baker</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre:<span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Paperback; Digital Book (Hardcover Also Available)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9798856516790</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Clean Tales Publishing</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>198 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$9.99; $2.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>August 13, 2023</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacaEXL9M-vdaHHcFxM7L_8Nvc3H2M2QvRQTT30NDUgat00HWBJ2wWxHNAaQUClHdYLYPwvBNRnh4vPPmdzuQj68o_HvhJnxDtP8dItZlyf2SMSANUvwaKUtiApuXzonC19kpTECFgz-jWUQ_yHjKwVAtswbd4DBOL9zWFxDGZ4xlVxoRFpvzJf6Ll0Wlr/s466/81-rspP82vL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="290" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacaEXL9M-vdaHHcFxM7L_8Nvc3H2M2QvRQTT30NDUgat00HWBJ2wWxHNAaQUClHdYLYPwvBNRnh4vPPmdzuQj68o_HvhJnxDtP8dItZlyf2SMSANUvwaKUtiApuXzonC19kpTECFgz-jWUQ_yHjKwVAtswbd4DBOL9zWFxDGZ4xlVxoRFpvzJf6Ll0Wlr/w249-h400/81-rspP82vL._SY466_.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><br /><span>Excitement courses through Lucy as she receives an exclusive invitation to a televised bake-off competition, set on a secluded private island off the enchanting coast of Georgia. A charismatic celebrity will play host to this culinary showdown, where Lucy's unwavering confidence in her culinary skills fuels her ambition to claim the coveted grand prize.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Stepping onto the island, Lucy finds herself amidst an intriguing cast of characters, each concealing ulterior motives beneath their smiles, all vying for victory to further their personal agendas.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Surrounded by the lush island backdrop, a sudden tragedy strikes as one of the enigmatic characters meets an untimely death. Whispers of their demise echo through the island, intertwining with tales of a mythical beast lurking within the dense woods.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>In this unsettling atmosphere, Lucy battles confusion and fear as tensions surge among the contestants. Isolated from her familiar surroundings, she observes the ruthless lengths to which people will go for their selfish gains.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Despite being cautioned to stay uninvolved, Lucy's curiosity propels her to delve into the intricate connections between the deceased and the remaining competitors.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>As she pieces together the puzzle, she grapples with a choice: should she maintain her focus on winning the tantalizing cash prize, or should she follow the breadcrumbs of clues, risking her safety to unveil a malevolent scheme?</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Lucy Hale returned to Ivy Creek after her parents were unceremoniously killed in an accident, to run her family's bakery. She's made it a success, and even expanded, which has made her content. But unfortunately, her oven has finally died, being there since her parents opened. Now she needs a new one, but doesn't know where the money will come from.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That is until she receives information asking if she wants to join a televised culinary show where the winning baker will receive $10,000. So Lucy and her friend and fellow baker Hannah venture to an isolated island in Georgia, where they are surprised to find that they will be staying at an old mansion that has been reserved for the project.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Also unfortunately, Lucy finds that a couple of rival bakers aren't as nice as she is, and will do anything to win. But when the body of someone involved with the competition is found on the grounds by Lucy, she also wonders how far will someone go? Will they kill? Now with everyone on the island as suspects, Lucy and Hannah set their own investigation in place-- but will it get her killed as well?...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the thirteenth book in the series and I have read them all, but I do think that I liked this one the best. We have Lucy in unfamiliar territory as she attempts to solve a murder at a mansion that is occupied only by the owners and people involved with the cooking competition. She wonders if one of her fellow contestants is to blame, but if so, which one?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With few clues and needing to stay under the radar, she and Hannah try their best to work stealthily while still managing to try and come out on top in the investigation. It's an interesting combination, and it works. (The recipes are very good, too).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But it seems that someone else is interested in what Lucy is doing -- the killer -- and they're not about to let her get away with finding them out. In the climax, we see that Lucy is capable and even though she didn't figure it out as soon as she should have, everything comes together nicely and the ending is satisfying all around. I look forward to the next in the series. Recommended. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was given a copy of this book by the publisher but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Edibles-Nasty-Rumblings-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0C7CRJKGP/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705518700&sr=1-15">https://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Edibles-Nasty-Rumblings-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0C7CRJKGP/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6178619186">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6178619186</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Ruth Baker's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/ruth-baker/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/ruth-baker/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-81424435863375285362024-01-15T11:16:00.000-08:002024-01-15T11:16:36.866-08:00A Twinkle of Trouble (A Fairy Garden Mystery Book 5)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Daryl Wood Gerber</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery/Fantasy</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781496744937</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Kensington Cozies</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>304 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$17.95; $9.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>April 23, 2024</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ASncXvxb6f0yg5PBUMI04ODfDNwUaeLXcVGV9gUUNH8db5v5Dd2Vm3XD-fFO4RYGk4CjSfm-O9TbOnm9JLEXtZpaWfmpR5ZLdLKTsOsdzOkvrX1ySX4-S0S_MH1Ryd8OrPlxwHDe9HQpwlrC3Kpouec693WSF_aY2-iv-iEuy2cm0xoOmDZSAnyRFukR/s466/91Y3Ib8e70L._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ASncXvxb6f0yg5PBUMI04ODfDNwUaeLXcVGV9gUUNH8db5v5Dd2Vm3XD-fFO4RYGk4CjSfm-O9TbOnm9JLEXtZpaWfmpR5ZLdLKTsOsdzOkvrX1ySX4-S0S_MH1Ryd8OrPlxwHDe9HQpwlrC3Kpouec693WSF_aY2-iv-iEuy2cm0xoOmDZSAnyRFukR/w268-h400/91Y3Ib8e70L._SY466_.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Courtney is delighted when her tiny friend Fiona returns from the fairy realm, appearing at the base of a Cypress tree. When her Ragdoll cat, Pixie, emerges from her own portal -- aka the cat door -- the three set off for a busy day. Busier than usual, since Courtney has rented a small plot of land at the Flower Farm, where she hopes to grow her own supplies for her fairy-garden business. Plus, the annual Summer Blooms Festival is coming up, and Courtney has booked a booth...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>But the murder of Courtney's friend, Genevieve, casts a pall over the festival. Ever since Genevieve sold her floral business, she'd been building a career as an influencer. She was perennially opinionated -- but in her new role she'd become surprisingly vicious, dissing local entrepreneurs with nasty posts and unwarranted bad reviews. That's landed a couple of Courtney's other friends on the suspect list -- including Flower Farm owner Daphne Flores. And when a second victim is discovered, seeds of doubt about Daphne's innocence sprout in Courtney's mind. With only a gem of a clue, Courtney will have to overturn every rock to get the dirt on the real killer...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Courtney lives in Carmel-by-the-Sea in California, and owns Open Your Imagination, a shop that allows people to make their own fairy gardens. It helps that she has her own personal fairy, Fiona. Fiona has recently returned from the fairy realm, and Courtney is happy to have her back. Although not everyone can see -- nor believes in -- fairies, Courtney and others don't really care.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While hosting a group that are there to make their own little gardens, one of the women, Genevieve, learns that she is not invited to participate in the Summer Blooms Festival, and it rankles her. She proceeds to insult other guests, and since she is known as an influencer, uses her online forum to diss other local businesses, as well. As imagined, this doesn't sit well with people. Although it is surprising when Genevieve is found dead, and Daphne Flores, one of the women whose business she insulted, is found standing over her.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When another person is found murdered, the police are honing in on Daphne. Courtney has trouble believing her friend is a killer, but to be fair, she's not close with the woman and doesn't know all that much about her. But Courtney is nothing if not persistent, and she continues to ask questions and look for clues that might point her to a killer -- a killer who might already be aware that Courtney could be dangerous if left alive...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the fifth book in the series and I must say that I have found them all delightful. While I will not say whether I believe in such things as fairies or not, I will also say that I am positive that some people have no problem believing. Which is why this book is so delightful (yes, I said it again). Just like the title of her shop, it allows you to open your imagination and try to think what it would be like if there were many of them floating around us.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While, of course, the mystery takes first place as it should, we have a secondary tale in which Fiona's sister enters the human world to be mentored by her elder sister and other fairies that reside there. We learn that even in the fairy realm there is sibling rivalry and arguments, but there is also fun and enjoyment. It is a pleasure to share in these moments with the fairies.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But back to the mystery -- Courtney has no issues with asking people where they were on the nights of the murders, even though the police tell her to stay out of the investigation. There are mixed signals, with the lead detective also telling her to keep her ears and eyes open and report anything she learns. Hmm. You can't have it both ways, sir. So Courtney does what she does best, and gathers information any way she can (although she doesn't do anything illegal, which is good). With each piece of data gathered she is eventually able to dismiss people from the suspect list, leaving her with only three of them; and figuring out which one it is could put her life in danger.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While I knew the murderer long before Courtney did (Again, I read a <i>lot </i>of mysteries) I did enjoy watching her figure it out. Alas, it was nearly too late, but Courtney can think on her feet and she had no problem putting things in motion ahead of time. In the end, it all comes together very nicely, and we are given a glimpse of what might be to come. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Twinkle-Trouble-Fairy-Garden-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CFGF36NM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">https://www.amazon.com/Twinkle-Trouble-Fairy-Garden-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CFGF36NM/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6171382552">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6171382552</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>More on Daryl Wood Gerber's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/daryl-wood-gerber/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/daryl-wood-gerber/</a></span></span></span></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-91622898475708517452024-01-08T09:46:00.000-08:002024-01-08T09:46:40.040-08:00Mischief Night Murder (A Mangrove Bay Cozy Mystery Book 3)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Joy Patrick</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Paperback. Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9798863059235</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Independently Published</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>107 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$13.99; $5.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">October 11. 2023</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-xqIbpCFEVTbEvFlRJA0vVbmbrAbmXVuFxRRLrhHZWOQMmJRwQo17HJzdmMADfYjXMh77S0hrMP_IxPikLLOBwjUGNAbhc47ztGlMkJeuicKCxK2M8jVdg-il3EgE66xafwMItJb_uqSjh6WjbqZmoUGasNJeEpgo_S3HhyphenhyphenmJeJ3j_mHeMt8O-V45mm1/s466/91GBs40ymuL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="291" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-xqIbpCFEVTbEvFlRJA0vVbmbrAbmXVuFxRRLrhHZWOQMmJRwQo17HJzdmMADfYjXMh77S0hrMP_IxPikLLOBwjUGNAbhc47ztGlMkJeuicKCxK2M8jVdg-il3EgE66xafwMItJb_uqSjh6WjbqZmoUGasNJeEpgo_S3HhyphenhyphenmJeJ3j_mHeMt8O-V45mm1/w250-h400/91GBs40ymuL._SY466_.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It's her first Halloween since being back in Mangrove Bay, FL., and former urbanite-turned-amateur-sleuth Vivian Blake is feeling the town's excitement as they prepare for the October festivities. Skeletons, ghosts, witches, spiders. And one corpse. A real one.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mischief Night -- or Pirate Night as it's called here -- wouldn't be complete without a reenactment of the eerie tale of pirate Captain Treader and his ship, <i>The Bloody Cutlass</i>, that was said to have capsized off the coast of Mangrove Bay.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The quirky locals love their spooky traditions. Well, all except one.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Up in arms about Pirate's Night corrupting local youth, spoilsport Marion Leggett's bent on undermining the celebrations, whatever it takes. Amid the chaos, a town resident ends up dead, accusations fly, and law enforcement rushes to find the killer.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Vivian Blake has been away for many years, and returned home to Mangrove Bay, Florida to live in her late uncle Don's home. She and her tenant, Ben, are preparing for Mischief Night -- otherwise known as Pirate's Night -- as everyone in town awaits the festivities along with a reenactment of the night the townspeople vanquished deadly pirate Captain Treader and his crew. Nearly everyone is excited, except for sour Marion Leggett and her son, Patrick. For years she's been bemoaning the bad influence it has on the town.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But this year there's a surprise -- one of the townspeople is found dead, and Marion is very much a suspect. While the sheriff thinks he's got the right woman, Vivian isn't so sure, and sets out to find the true killer...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the first book that I have read by this author, and I am not sure if I want to read any more of them. Not because the book was bad, by any means. It was decent for a novella. But because the author proceeded to tell us -- especially those of us who have not read others by her -- who died in the last book and who the murderer was. Now, I could have not been bothered by the victim, but telling us the murderer? Why would I go back and read the prior book if I already know the ending? The author herself gave us The Spoiler. Something you don't want a reader to do, by the way, much less the person who wrote the book. The worst part? It wasn't even necessary to the story. It could have been left out altogether.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So now I am left wondering if this is going to occur in every other book. Why, then, should I read any of them? I love figuring out the killer. I don't love someone telling me ahead of time who it is.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The story itself was rather interesting, but because of the length, it was difficult to get a read on the characters. What does Viv look like? We know her age, but that's about it. Same with most of the other characters (aside from a minor one or two). I got confused with the many people, most of whom had very little to do with the mystery.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But in the end, the killer was a bit of a surprise, and that's the main thing. It should be. Which is why I gave this book three stars (losing one for The Spoiler). Just be aware that in the next book she might tell you who it was in this one.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mischief-Night-Murder-Whodunnit-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0CK7HV6G4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1OJ9N05A5AJ3&keywords=mischief+night+murder&qid=1704734627&sprefix=mischief+night+murder%2Caps%2C161&sr=8-1">https://www.amazon.com/Mischief-Night-Murder-Whodunnit-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0CK7HV6G4/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6118642816">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6118642816</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Joy Patrick's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/p/joy-patrick/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/p/joy-patrick/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-81009087838798447912024-01-02T09:45:00.000-08:002024-01-02T09:45:55.674-08:00The Stranger In The Library (A Lighthouse Library Mystery Book 11)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Eva Gates</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Hardcover; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">ISBN #:<span> 9781639106608</span><span><span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Crooked Lane Books</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>304 Pages</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>$29.99; $17.99 Amazon</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>June 4, 2024</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkROI7bnFNXI_sajS2ef75Rxu6AT9SRrWNt_jfKu3oh94pySXqKSA8sZiReGxPoCG8I7UOYY_dI4FvoQtmrWeCocsWT2dPg8SZUQApPkt1yV0An_04dAoS-W73DLKUhjSom7THar3hXoX8wbkZZce0hyphenhyphenLxZQwgHBTIV1-mj13iamvu2reLXoVJbZzLFEZZ/s466/81JfLRf5T+L._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkROI7bnFNXI_sajS2ef75Rxu6AT9SRrWNt_jfKu3oh94pySXqKSA8sZiReGxPoCG8I7UOYY_dI4FvoQtmrWeCocsWT2dPg8SZUQApPkt1yV0An_04dAoS-W73DLKUhjSom7THar3hXoX8wbkZZce0hyphenhyphenLxZQwgHBTIV1-mj13iamvu2reLXoVJbZzLFEZZ/w268-h400/81JfLRf5T+L._SY466_.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><span>When a traveling show of Impressionist art comes to Nags Head, North Carolina, librarian Lucy and the staff at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library are inspired to create an educational display about art history. Their launch of the display is a huge success, but the morning after, they discover that a reproduction of a famous painting has gone missing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>No one knows why anyone would bother stealing it: the picture is of no value -- the real, priceless painting is under lock and key at the show itself. Lucy gets an invite to the glitzy opening night for the real show, where she notices unusual tension among the show's organizers. Then the man scheduled to give the welcoming speech fails to arrive, and a party-goer is discovered drowned in a fish pond.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Meanwhile, Louise Jane is totally captivated by Tom Reilly, a handsome, charming art dealer lurking at the edges of the receptions on both nights. Tom slipped away from the party early, and he cannot be located by the police. Who, Lucy asks, is Tom Reilly, the shadowy figure threatening to break Louise Jane's Heart?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Something is afoot in Nags Head, and it's up to Lucy and her friends to get to the bottom of it before it's not just paintings being framed.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Librarian Lucy McNeil is recently married and returned from her honeymoon in Europe, happy to be home. She's involved in displaying Impressionist art in the library, a co-project of a traveling art show, and they are displaying reproductions of art, which are meant for library visitors to learn about the genre. While the opening goes well, Lucy is amused once again by Louise Jane, who has a painting by one of her ancestors at the opening, a well-known Outer Banks artist. But the next day they notice the painting is missing, and no one seems to know where it has gone. Even though they report it to the police, it now has to take a back seat, because Lucy, her cousin Josie, and Louise Jane have discovered the body of one of the show's organizers. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">What Lucy wants to know is are the two crimes connected, and if so, how? Even if Detective Sam Watson asks for Lucy's impression of some of the suspects, she's more concerned with the painting, as it wasn't valuable but sentimental. Why would someone steal it at all?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But there's also the problem of Louise Jane being attracted to Tom Reilly, a man who claims to be an art dealer, but he disappears and can't be found. While Louise Jane refuses to believe anything bad about him, Lucy isn't so sure. And finding him might be just as difficult as finding out why the painting was taken, and why the organizer was killed. Can she once again enter a murder investigation but without putting herself in danger?...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the eleventh book in the series and I have read them all. While I will admit that it took me a few books to warm up to the series, I now love it. I have fully immersed myself in the Outer Banks without actually visiting there, and the populace in this book makes you want to do so. The characters are quite human, and actually have human interests. By that, I mean that they don't spend their time sitting around drinking, but they also watch television, go shopping, etc. It's the same type of lives that we, outside the books, live. This is what makes them so endearing, and the author has done a wonderful job of it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But back to the book -- when the painting is discovered missing, I, along with Lucy, am wondering why anyone would want it at all. But then there's a surprise in store (and I won't mention it here) that helps in the investigation, and we only have to decipher the clue. Hah! Easier said than done. Especially when Lucy is pretty much on her own this time, since Sam is concerned with finding out who killed the Person in the Pond. Two very different mysteries, with possibly two different reasons. Or is it?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When the ending comes, I have to say that I figured out the killer earlier than Lucy, but then again, as I've said many times before, I read a <i>lot </i>of mysteries, so this is how my brain works. However, finding the reason why was a bit more difficult, and worth the read altogether. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There's a bit of a twist at the end, and it makes everything even more worthwhile. Again, I love this series and would have no problem recommending it to anyone. You can read this as a standalone, but it will make you want to go back to the beginning and see how it all began. Recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Library-Lighthouse-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B0CH9J39DV/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2ONNEAPD8VOR5&keywords=stranger+in+the+library&qid=1704215709&sprefix=stranger+in+the+library%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-7">https://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Library-Lighthouse-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B0CH9J39DV/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6115402759">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6115402759</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Eva Gates's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/eva-gates/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/eva-gates/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-64273029599479383132023-12-15T10:12:00.000-08:002023-12-15T10:12:42.283-08:00Bing and Billie and Frank and Ella and Judy and Barbra<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Dan Callahan</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Biographies/Music</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Hardcover; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781641609227</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Chicago Review Press</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>384 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$26.99; $10.99 ($5.99) Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>September 5, 2023</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcoeCRGfHnh6kBPzw7uE2nUywoSW2mau8pVdHh4_4rhIapylQ4NDMd93Pi_jk5NMB6E3hAG9aMgN5lMVMw3_Jw6kQelIpzgjuhsSPfuUGiDS9fXuwyG_WAZvrjE1rRASpYHW9txfmvdwhJ6YJb1GL0oC_EzupfimJ6dgxORApXZwRuqui6G7D4sCdQ_iM/s466/91UJ+Es3N2L._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcoeCRGfHnh6kBPzw7uE2nUywoSW2mau8pVdHh4_4rhIapylQ4NDMd93Pi_jk5NMB6E3hAG9aMgN5lMVMw3_Jw6kQelIpzgjuhsSPfuUGiDS9fXuwyG_WAZvrjE1rRASpYHW9txfmvdwhJ6YJb1GL0oC_EzupfimJ6dgxORApXZwRuqui6G7D4sCdQ_iM/w268-h400/91UJ+Es3N2L._SY466_.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><b>Crosby, Holiday, Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Garland and Streisand were the major interpreters ofthe American songbook, and this is the interlocking story of their lives and careers.</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Here is the epic tale of how these artists dominated American popular music over a fifty-year period, a roller coaster ride that gains momentum through the 1930s and '40s a crest of magical creativity in the 1950s and early '60s, and then crashes down by the early 1970s, a half century when the great American songbook dominated the airwaves and the fight for racial equality came to the forefront.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Ella was beloved in her time, and she is still beloved. Frank is still the king of the songbook, but Bing's legacy is just as vital once you start listening to his unprecedented 1930s output. The best songs from Judy's greatest triumph, her 1963-64 TV series, are shared endlessly online. The legend of Billie grows by the year, and the basis of this should be appreciation and wonder for her own great artistry in the 1930s. Barbra is a living legend and still a commercial force to be reckoned with, the last exemplar of the songbook and its glories. All six of these singers reach out to us and show us new ways of expression and new ways to dream.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Their song is largely ended but the melody lingers on.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">First off, I must say that I am an old soul. I love classic films and watch them repeatedly. I love old music and Big Band, and have many albums that I listen to on a regular basis. I have heard of -- and listened to -- all of the people mentioned in this book. I am a huge fan of Bing Crosby and Billie Holiday, not so much Ella Fitzgerald (but the woman could sing), and I don't care for Barbra Streisand at all. (I have to wonder why she is even in this book, considering she doesn't fit in the category of the others).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But saying that, I have to be honest about this book. It's all over the place. The chapters are all mixed up in a way that they shouldn't be. First, you read about the beginnings of Bing, then Frank, etc.; when it should have been episodes devoted to each one individually. All Bing, all Frank, etc. The way it is written, you barely get a sense of what's going on when you're 'thrown into another person.' It's disconcerting, and not good writing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I did also feel that the author was doing a minor 'hit job' on a few of these (and I won't say who, because others might not have read the book yet); but things were said that never needed to be, and might change the opinion of others who like the music; i.e., color their world to the personality of the singer. Most we knew: studios fed Judy drugs, Billie was a heroin addict; but some things did not pertain to their music and didn't need to be there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As far as the music goes, each artist has their own style: Bing had a pure voice, one that will never be heard again, and the only other singer I can say that about is Perry Como. The notes were pure, the songs lovely to listen to. Frank put himself into his music, and it carried a different tune. Billie used her whole heart, and the sadness and desperation shows in the songs -- while some were heartrending, others were pure beauty. Ella just wanted to sing, and sing she did, and it comes out in the song. Judy had a huge voice for such a small girl, and she put everything into it, heart, soul, and as loud and lovely as she could. Again, I can't mention Barbra as I don't listen to her at all. Sorry.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the end, I would have liked to have read this differently, with a fullness to each person's story, but it wasn't written that way. Most of the book is analysis and exposition, not the love of the subject. While this is there, the heart is not.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss and the publisher but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bing-Billie-Frank-Ella-Barbra-ebook/dp/B0C1T91B28/ref=sr_1_169?crid=VM7ND8NUPZUA&keywords=classic+actor+biographies&qid=1702577494&s=books&sprefix=classicactor+biographies%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-169">https://www.amazon.com/Bing-Billie-Frank-Ella-Barbra-ebook/dp/B0C1T91B28/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6051865129">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6051865129</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Dan Callahan's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dan-Callahan/author/B0053V2V7G?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dan-Callahan/author/B0053V2V7G?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-32543970335115571552023-12-11T10:57:00.000-08:002023-12-11T10:57:18.571-08:00Pati Jinich Treasures of The Mexican Table<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Pati Jinich</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Cookbooks</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Hardcover; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9780358086765</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Harvest Publications</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>416 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$20.49; $21.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>November 23, 2021</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3QYChqilxxedconnLHvudDX_31DFHkJA_ywCF1j6rrC6z01ODwc1EPVUxWwW83z_CeShSBQmCFwbhltPEf5bLEWhrEF5dGl3Pk8tDtBAhIsDPQhlCEzArumZimLvzXQPM6smgC7gcuvnoSGIKoqd37dZoUSKkR6OvCDJiF3LmbcbroXrAVcO4iR2FZk4/s466/9174YZzq0nL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="373" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3QYChqilxxedconnLHvudDX_31DFHkJA_ywCF1j6rrC6z01ODwc1EPVUxWwW83z_CeShSBQmCFwbhltPEf5bLEWhrEF5dGl3Pk8tDtBAhIsDPQhlCEzArumZimLvzXQPM6smgC7gcuvnoSGIKoqd37dZoUSKkR6OvCDJiF3LmbcbroXrAVcO4iR2FZk4/w320-h400/9174YZzq0nL._SY466_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span>Although many of us can rattle off our favorite authentic Mexican dishes, we might be hard pressed to name more than ten. Which is preposterous, given that Mexico has a rich culinary history stretching back thousands of years. For the last decade, Pati Jinich has sought out the culinary treasures of her home country, from birria, to salsa macha, to coyotas, to carne asada. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Many of these dishes are local specialties, heirlooms passed down through generations, unknown outside of their original regions. Others have become national sensations. Each recipe is a classic. Each one comes with a story told in Pati's warm, relatable style. And each has been tested in Pati's American kitchen to ensure it is the best of its kind. Together, these essential recipes paint a vivid picture of the richness of Mexico.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I learned to cook as a child, and I have loved it ever since. I can't count the hundreds of cookbooks that I own, and I use them all. I am also looking for new recipes to try. Sadly, this cookbook isn't it. While some of the recipes sound interesting, most take a lot of ingredients (I counted 23 in one of them!) and I don't know who would want to spend hours in a kitchen making dinner, but it's not me. I have no problem cooking lovingly, taking time with my meal, but these just don't sound appealing at all.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then there are the ingredients -- several of the dishes use ingredients which can only be found in Mexican grocery stores. (At least they're not carried in the store I regularly shop at). Unless you are cooking something special, all ingredients should be readily available at your local grocery.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But the thing is that there are a lot of dishes using organ meat, and I just don't eat that. So while the book does have some delicious sounding recipes, none of them are anything I would make. And I do love Mexican food, so there's that...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pati-Jinich-Treasures-Mexican-Table-ebook/dp/B08NWTPKMN/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">https://www.amazon.com/Pati-Jinich-Treasures-Mexican-Table-ebook/dp/B08NWTPKMN/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6040387402">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6040387402</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Pati Jinich's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Pati-Jinich/author/B00C5URXXU?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Pati-Jinich/author/B00C5URXXU?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-13044496905734487102023-12-02T13:50:00.000-08:002023-12-02T13:50:41.688-08:00The Twelve Suspects of Christmas (Related to Jule Cavallo Investigates)<div style="text-align: left;">Author: Ana T. Drew</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9798865578865</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Independently Published</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>248 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$9.99; $4.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>October 16, 2023</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlbBpNSLGaj-Ov_6nG2MmnyethPiNNZxWf-BYRv2gBRIdqK0R7gP-MCp07j-SMKluiJGF6Q4A3MzSss5Kv41sKXcJp32IzP81zlfFZ6JfMKhpIuUGmsnNfShBYibChCmHnQaiuClFkyN0g7nOG19nmZ8ywE4RlJo3rSKF7ZsO8su-Q6a0YT8XrMWvDEOT/s466/81Q256r6FSL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="308" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlbBpNSLGaj-Ov_6nG2MmnyethPiNNZxWf-BYRv2gBRIdqK0R7gP-MCp07j-SMKluiJGF6Q4A3MzSss5Kv41sKXcJp32IzP81zlfFZ6JfMKhpIuUGmsnNfShBYibChCmHnQaiuClFkyN0g7nOG19nmZ8ywE4RlJo3rSKF7ZsO8su-Q6a0YT8XrMWvDEOT/w265-h400/81Q256r6FSL._SY466_.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><span>It's January 4, 1961, and Marseilles housemaid Annie Malian is in love. It's also the day her fiancé Rene takes his life under peculiar circumstances.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Many decades later, an old Christmas postcard addressed to Annie arrives, and all her doubts come flooding back.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><i>At 84, there's no time to waste!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Annie enlists the help of Rose Tassy, an eccentric retired teacher and amateur sleuth.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Thus begins an unforgettable journey from Provence to a quaint village in Picardie and then on to the sparkling Riviera, with a detour through wintry Paris.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Amid yuletide festivities, Annie and Rose naviage perilous terrain. Their list of suspects quickly grows. Was it Rene's older brother? Maybe the ex-gangster turned chicken farmer? The powerful Monegasque tycoon? Stumped, Rose begins to question her detective mettle when a new death compounds the plot... </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>This Christmas, will Annie receive the overdue truth as a gift?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Annie is determined to prove her long-dead love did not die by his own hand. She seeks the help of Rose Tassy, another elder who is working toward getting her PI license. But when Rose hesitates to take her case, Annie makes her an offer, and they set out to find out who killed Rene and why. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">They travel through France seeking answers, including visiting a tycoon, Rene's family, and a retired gangster. Are they going to be able to find the truth? And what will Annie do if he did actually kill himself...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I wanted to read this story because I love mysteries, and also Christmas. I must tell you that while it does take place at Christmas, there is very little in the story that actually alludes to it, and what is done seems rushed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I didn't really care for either of the main characters; Annie is a prude and judgmental toward everyone; Rose is twice as self-centered as Annie and narcissistic. Both of them together were very hard to read about. But the two elderly women manage to make it through to the end, with a resolution in hand.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But the resolution felt odd, and none of the characters were fully developed; everyone save Rose and Annie were just bits and pieces of the plot. When the killer is finally discovered, we really have learned very little about them. Such is the way of this book; the writing seemed disjointed. I hate to give mediocre reviews, but the book did not flow. There were too many characters and most of them didn't really need to be included. In fact, if there were less, this might have been a very good book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, I cannot offer a better review. However, I do have a different book by this author, and I will read that one to see if anything improves.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CKFSDBNN/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CKFSDBNN/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6019291885">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6019291885</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Ana T. Drew's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/ana-t-drew/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/ana-t-drew/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-35538608167200288842023-11-22T12:20:00.000-08:002023-11-22T12:38:23.566-08:00Murder At An Irish Chipper (An Irish Village Mystery Book 10)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Carlene O'Connor</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Hardcover; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781496744449</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Kensington Cozies</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>304 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$27.00; $13.77 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>February 20, 2024</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_IngA87cenFI8k1lXuz0cZ6W2Hov0JSAX1gT9g-_ydOxZKT5lBjHaif6-NqsUgXPByvVPHMCIjdhVdoJYCHO1ZBE37sND9UcFcAVGX5W5STJhCl2n1GDdyZ_Lp91xQoGmhw3qiMFXuUFTLNke4ZYHfP3Hpz8ZNgdr-msBAe5_1DmlAx5w3q1zIqfR-dxv/s466/81pxjxnr80L._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="305" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_IngA87cenFI8k1lXuz0cZ6W2Hov0JSAX1gT9g-_ydOxZKT5lBjHaif6-NqsUgXPByvVPHMCIjdhVdoJYCHO1ZBE37sND9UcFcAVGX5W5STJhCl2n1GDdyZ_Lp91xQoGmhw3qiMFXuUFTLNke4ZYHfP3Hpz8ZNgdr-msBAe5_1DmlAx5w3q1zIqfR-dxv/w261-h400/81pxjxnr80L._SY466_.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /></span>Siobhán'<span>s brother Eoin's new family restaurant, The O'Sullivan Six, is <i>so close</i> to opening -- but waiting on the necessary permits puts the heat of July in the village of Kilbane in County Cork is driving everyone a bit mad. Macdara Flannery comes to the rescue with a plan -- take a holiday by the sea and stuff themselves with fish and chips to support the struggling business of the aptly named Mrs. Chipper.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>But when they arrive, a crowd is gathered in front of the closed shop: a local fisherman with a fresh cod delivery, a food critic, Mrs. Chipper's ex-husband who's opening a competing fish and chips shop directly across the street and a repairman to fix the vent for the deep fryer. With Siobhan and Macdara as witnesses, a local handyman gets the locked door open, only to find the proprietor lying dead and covered in flour at the base of a ladder, its rungs coated in slippery fat. Clearly this was not an accidental tragedy...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Even as the local garda take over the murder investigation, </span>Siobhán<span> and Macdara can't help themselves from placing their long-delayed honeymoon on hold -- at least until they can help apprehend an elusive killer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's the middle of summer in Kilbane, Ireland, and Siobhán O'Sullivan-Flannery is waiting for her brother Eoin to open his new restaurant. Everyone is at odds and ends, even the younger O'Sullivans. That is, until Siobhán's husband Macdara returns home one evening and informs them that he's booked a vacation for them in a small town on the seaside. He tells Siobhán that this is their long-awaited honeymoon, and even the family can come. Seeing the excitement everyone has, she agrees and they set off.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The first thing Siobhán wants is fresh fish and chips, but when they arrive at the chipper there seems to be a long line outside, and no one knows why it isn't open. Because of her instincts, she finally finds someone to get the door open, and she and Macdara find the proprietor, Mrs. Chips, dead on the floor in what appears at first to be an accident. But Siobhán isn't convinced, especially when she notices clues that others don't see.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But it's not their case, and she's on honeymoon. At least until she convinces herself -- and it doesn't take long -- that she can find the killer. Now she's in a case in another town, but could it cause more than the trouble it's worth? And is the killer ever going to be caught?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the tenth book in the series and I must say that this one is the most intriguing so far. While I love the change of scenery, and the descriptions of the town are aplenty, it's Siobhán I am most interested in. She has an analytical mind, and I love that. She's not convinced this was an accident, although even her husband tries to tell her it was. And the more she thinks about it, the more she's sure it was murder. But who would kill the elderly woman? Her ex-husband is a suspect, even if it appears that he's trying to give her a proper memorial. There are also others in the village she finds suspect, and not everyone around her is happy about it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When she starts to get closer to the answers, she realizes that someone is watching her and doesn't want her to figure things out. Now Macdara doesn't want to let her out of his sight, and her siblings are enjoying themselves but keeping an eye on her. Will she be able to solve the case before they have to go home? And why can't she just enjoy herself?...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't want to say anything else about the book as it might give too much away. But it is one of Ms. O'Connor's best, and she draws you in easily from the first chapter. After all, who reads a mystery unless you want to solve the crime yourself?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I will say that I was completely taken by surprise at one point in the book. While I figured out the murderer shortly before our protagonist did, I was hoping that I was wrong, since I really liked almost everyone in this sleepy little seaside town. (Of course, there are those you don't like). But the ending was delightful all the same. While we are transported to Ireland for a short time, we once again find ourselves involved in the lives of the O'Sullivans, and it is once again just as entertaining as the previous books. The family closeness is endearing. The mystery was fascinating. The entire novel was enchanting. I love this series and await the next. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Irish-Chipper-Village-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0C6FWWWW3/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1700682203&sr=1-5">https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Irish-Chipper-Village-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0C6FWWWW3/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5995702929">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5995702929</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Carlene O'Connor's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/o/carlene-oconnor/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/o/carlene-oconnor/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-51294661970720844192023-11-16T12:37:00.000-08:002023-11-16T12:37:36.155-08:00Mrs. Morris and The Mermaid (A Salem B&B Mystery Book 8)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Traci Wilton</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Genre: <span> Mystery</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book</div><div style="text-align: left;">ISBN:<span> 978</span>1496741394</div><div style="text-align: left;">Kensington Cozies</div><div style="text-align: left;">368 Pages</div><div style="text-align: left;">$8.99; $6.99 Amazon</div><div style="text-align: left;">February 20, 2024</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMhkh0oQNC7mlLY1TF4nvtLKBCw7l3fluPHIMLWMAxKoiBU8cHzHQJm8y_wOR8gZrkUhm-Po_ComxaUDYQE5C9MihMv0Kdh1ZLo3QsBm3ZeSVL_gfp7nLs04Nt6OlVjz5xSPDePzdhbezmIMOeZYnDxqgryj5QDxNUGZPqPt60McFAvweLCh6CgHZWmaS/s466/81r0ktbydwL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="285" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMhkh0oQNC7mlLY1TF4nvtLKBCw7l3fluPHIMLWMAxKoiBU8cHzHQJm8y_wOR8gZrkUhm-Po_ComxaUDYQE5C9MihMv0Kdh1ZLo3QsBm3ZeSVL_gfp7nLs04Nt6OlVjz5xSPDePzdhbezmIMOeZYnDxqgryj5QDxNUGZPqPt60McFAvweLCh6CgHZWmaS/w245-h400/81r0ktbydwL._SY466_.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Charlene and her handsome spectral friend, Dr. Jack Strathmore, are thrilled that their Salem, Massachusetts B&B is overflowing with mermaids in advance of the town's newest attraction -- a mermaid parade! Retired Hollywood actress Trinity Powers has even agreed to appear on the lead float to commemorate her breakout role as the eponymous mermaid in the blockbuster cult classic, <i>Sirina.</i> The parade also feature's Trinity's rival, and up-and-coming ingenue, who stars in the film's recent (and somewhat controversial) reboot. Though their rabid fan clubs seem ready to tear each other -- and the festivities -- apart, the vying actresses are keeping it cool, for now... </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But when Charlene discovers a mermaid murdered, she realizes a killer is out to steal the show. With the help of Jack and Detective Sam Holden, Charlene plunges into the case, determined to stop a killer from striking again...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After her husband was killed, Charlene Morris moved from Chicago to Salem, Massachusetts and opened a B&B, hoping to help her heal and discover a new life. She's made friends here, and along the way discovered that both witches and ghosts are real. Especially the ghost of Dr. Jack Strathmore, who haunts the home that used to be his, and has become Charlene's closest confidante. If only he were human again...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">She has a full house with people attending the first mermaid festival that the town's hosted, including the star of the original film <i>Sirena</i>, about a mermaid and her adventures, Trinity Powers. But a surprise guest shows up with her entourage, Alannah, the woman who remade the sequel and believes she's better than the original actor. Now, the town is filled with people who are Team Trinity or Team Alannah, and the results aren't pretty...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Even the B&B has their share of them, but at least they are behaving themselves. Well, some of them, anyway...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When there's a murder and Charlene discovers the body, Detective Sam Holden tells her to stay away from it. But if the killer turns out to be someone who's one of her guests, how is she supposed to do that? As things progress, her friend Brandy also asks for her help in proving that one of her own friends isn't a murderer. Now Charlene is right in the middle, but at least she has ghostly help from Jack. However, things are heating up with Sam, and it's causing Charlene internal angst. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With everything going on, can she locate a killer before the person strikes again? And will she be able to keep her guests happy and herself away from the murderer?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the eighth book in the series and I have read them all. I also have loved them all. Charlene is progressing in her life in Salem, with staunch friends around her, and of course, Jack, who can be seen and heard only by Charlene and her cat, Silva. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This book has quite a bit going on in it, and I won't say too much about that in order not to spoil it for others. I will say that it is definitely worth reading, as Ms. Wilton has once again engaged us in a tasty tale that keeps us reading all the way through. The plot and subplots are all interesting, with enough intrigue, secrets, and lies to wield the story well, and when the killer is discovered, it all comes together nicely and leaves us wanting more. The ending gives us a hint of what is to come, and you will have to discover it yourself. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C6FV91ML?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_7&storeType=ebooks&qid=1700164605&sr=1-1">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C6FV91ML?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_7&store</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5981804385">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5981804385</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Traci Wilton's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/traci-wilton/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/traci-wilton/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-47041987256952716742023-11-07T12:06:00.006-08:002023-11-07T12:09:08.142-08:00Serving Up Spite (A Cook-Off Mystery Book 8)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Devon Delaney</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781960511423</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Beyond The Page Publishing</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>204 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$14.00; $4.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>November 14, 2023</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLx2iPYATKQtgwjSoIp0K7iSu9B002PFSp9-S9NOGAkxBOs2X4hfqiLZpho5XDWy0o9G5bys6pdonGxJHclONe71l4OmFgVIu6JfG2BFcVzQenrGOfug4EWjw7sz09UxF0BAdanx3WnrxXT98gasdHHTTxqSiWygWR5xm2tvUeVpxrtA0R3rqhonqt3cuF/s466/81UTtZBcRQL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLx2iPYATKQtgwjSoIp0K7iSu9B002PFSp9-S9NOGAkxBOs2X4hfqiLZpho5XDWy0o9G5bys6pdonGxJHclONe71l4OmFgVIu6JfG2BFcVzQenrGOfug4EWjw7sz09UxF0BAdanx3WnrxXT98gasdHHTTxqSiWygWR5xm2tvUeVpxrtA0R3rqhonqt3cuF/w268-h400/81UTtZBcRQL._SY466_.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><span>With international cuisine on the menu for her next cook-off, Sherry Oliveri experiments with one dish after another looking for that perfect killer recipe. But her competitive drive gets put on the bakc burner when her friend Patti calls in a panic: her new boyfriend has vanished, and signs of foul play suggest he may have been killed. Then the police begin investigating the disappearance as a murder, and they've got Patti pegged as the main suspect.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Still, the man’s body has yet to be found, and that in itself has Sherry wondering. Slipping out of her apron and into her sleuthing cap, she learns that the man had serious money problems and was even dating Patti while he was still married. Did he fake his own death ot get out of a jam? Determined to find the truth and get her friend off the hook, Sherry follows the clues until they come together like the perfect meal -- until one final surprise brings her face-to-face with a killer...</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sherry Oliveri makes her living working at her father's store, The Ruggery, and entering cook-offs in her spare time. While giving a week-long lecture about gardening at a school, she learns that one of the students' father is the owner of a new newspaper in town. A newspaper that is riling up the townspeople with talk of modernizing her small town. Most people are happy with the way it is, and they don't like the interference of someone who has recently moved here from Iceland.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To make matters worse, Sherry discovers that her friend Patti Mellit is dating the man's brother -- at least until Sig disappears. Now she's suspected of murdering him, even though there's no body. She didn't even know he was married until recently, and Sherry doesn't think that's a motive. So, when Patti asks for her help, she can't say no. Not to mention she has to concentrate on the cook-off, sponsored by the rival newspaper; and her boyfriend Don is acting around her. Sherry has a lot of pots on the fire, and she'll be lucky if none of them get her burned...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the eighth book in the series, and I have loved them all. This time out Sherry is trying her hand at international cuisine, and also trying to solve a murder. Even her cop friend Ray Bease knows why she's doing it, and he knows cautioning her isn't going to change anything. At least her sister Marla is in town to help out, so that's a plus.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When Sherry starts looking for clues, she notices that there's one constant (which I won't mention here as you will find out when you read the book), and that sets her to thinking that the murderer might be someone involved in the cook-off. But which person? When she's confronted by a PI that Sig's wife hired, who's convinced Patti had something to do with the murder, she refuses to work with the woman. But it's not that easy, and the more they discover, the harder it becomes to determine the killer.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the end, this was a twisted tale that hinged on that one constant, and it all comes together nicely after all. The reasons for the murder only make sense to the murderer (but that's the way it usually is, right?) and the ending gives us a nice satisfaction. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next. Recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Serving-Up-Spite-Cook-Off-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CL7XF2MF/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1699386292&sr=8-1">https://www.amazon.com/Serving-Up-Spite-Cook-Off-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CL7XF2MF/ref</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5960985044">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5960985044</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Devon Delaney's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/devon-delaney/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/devon-delaney/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-36570005850381823222023-11-01T11:31:00.001-07:002023-11-01T11:31:02.022-07:00Murder at the Blarney Bash (A Beacon Bakeshop Mystery Book 5)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Darci Hannah</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">ISBN #:<span> 9781496741745</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Kensington Cozies</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>352 Pages</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>$8.99; $6.99 Amazon</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>January 23, 2024</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUl-AA5AvGEZZ6wRK4gQAS3W4ZQgkfS3pkRoTa1h4_EaghHkf7s9OUXcnsSuJGnKPlYkaZDsBWsi-oCoyV63r9kUolpQ4b-1YjtboxarICkO8fgv7ACxYZYWfXWWfZ4Ho6_GzMI0GI6UTqaARtoLmSzNjqAPXtd9hXaukDGxow2V0Hrvt8eUEqdnqJEO9/s466/81vh4xW19KL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="285" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUl-AA5AvGEZZ6wRK4gQAS3W4ZQgkfS3pkRoTa1h4_EaghHkf7s9OUXcnsSuJGnKPlYkaZDsBWsi-oCoyV63r9kUolpQ4b-1YjtboxarICkO8fgv7ACxYZYWfXWWfZ4Ho6_GzMI0GI6UTqaARtoLmSzNjqAPXtd9hXaukDGxow2V0Hrvt8eUEqdnqJEO9/w245-h400/81vh4xW19KL._SY466_.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br /><span>Lindsey is baking up a storm -- shamrock sugar cookies, Guiness chocolate cupcakes, Irish soda bread -- for the well-timed grand opening of the Irish import gift shop, the Blarney Stone, owned by her boyfriend's uncle, Finnigan O'Connor, recently relocated from the Emerald Isle.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>But it's Uncle Finn himself who seems full of blarney when he gleefully reveals a pot of real gold he claims he stole from an actual leprechaun. And Finn's fortune takes a turn for the worse when he's arrested for the bludgeoning of a small unidentified man dressed as a leprechaun -- the murder weapon alleged to be his now-missing shillelagh/</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Eccentric Uncle Finn may enjoy believing he's outwitted a leprechaun, but he would never be so deluded as to clobber one with his walking stick. Now Lindsey will need more than the luck of the Irish to seize a golden opportunity to catch the real killer...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Lindsey Bakewell owns the Beacon Bakeshop, an old lighthouse that she's converted into her home. She's getting ready for St. Patrick's Day and the opening of the Blarney Stone, an Irish gift shop/pub that belongs to her boyfriend Rory's uncle Finn and his daughter Colleen. But one morning what she thinks is a leprechaun (I know; so does Lindsey!) runs into her car and then disappears. She also hears of a sighting of the same person from her dog groomer. And when a woman asks for her help, it turns out that she thinks a leprechaun might have attacked her boss, Fred Landry. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But leprechauns aren't real -- are they? Finn believes in them, Colleen doesn't. But when there are other sightings, Lindsey is determined to find out. Especially when there's a murder connected to the little man. Yet something is definitely afoot, and when Finn makes a startling discovery, everyone who knows him thinks he might be in danger. Now Lindsey, Rory, -- and the recently returned Kennedy -- are once again looking for a murderer...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have read all the books in this series, and I have loved them all. The descriptions of the area are very good, and the characters are believable. In fact, I'd like to know them, especially Finn. He definitely seems an Irish rogue! Also, since Kennedy is back, she's brought some drama with her, which isn't surprising at all. She is who she is, and no one is going to change that! It makes for an interesting story line that is easy to follow. Are leprechauns real or are they fictional? Ah, there is a question for everyone, isn't it?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But now Finn is suspected of murder, and with St. Pats in full swing, the town is full of people who could have done the deed. The question is, how do Lindsey and Rory find the culprit? Especially when they're looking for someone who may have killed a leprechaun -- or someone dressed as one. It's a right pickle they're in, and the killer might not be finished yet.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this tale, nor can I tell you any more about the book. To do so would be giving too much away. But it's filled with whimsey and intrigue, secrets and even more. It's definitely worth the price of reading, and I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Blarney-Bash-small-town-bakery-caf%C3%A9-ebook/dp/B0C3WXQNNN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DYXRC2QFWW7&keywords=murder+at+the+blarney+bash&qid=1698863242&sprefix=murder+at+the+blarney+bash%2Caps%2C213&sr=8-1">https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Blarney-Bash-small-town-bakery-caf%C3%A9-ebook/dp/B0C3WXQNNN/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5947198048">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5947198048</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>More on Darci Hannah's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/darci-hannah/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/darci-hannah/</a></span></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615151047274653624.post-20672954451382183782023-10-26T12:26:00.002-07:002023-10-26T12:26:40.790-07:00A Corpse At The Witching Hour (Food Blogger Mysteries Book 6)<div style="text-align: left;">Author:<span> Debra Sennefelder</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Genre: <span> Mystery</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>Paperback; Digital Book</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>ISBN #:<span> 9781960511393</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Beyond The Page Publishing</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>228 Pages</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>$14.99; $5.99 Amazon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">October 6, 2023</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cp4k8FXC9oITt3IGRE7zLruaH4Q9rCpd44LHRJVzH9p6IFqlv9xy2HoH1HHUbKztWvlGmqyO_peFzJMLQ7DwpBvIv4tUK6A4cRNkp3MWq3XyWnZYiqYzzmVGmGjv50i4JVfK0mP6cSOVzSeJjotZ7bKc2_F5Y86OZksBzl8uIabWKiNVXtVExLe2u9hI/s466/91+QU3nkbzL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cp4k8FXC9oITt3IGRE7zLruaH4Q9rCpd44LHRJVzH9p6IFqlv9xy2HoH1HHUbKztWvlGmqyO_peFzJMLQ7DwpBvIv4tUK6A4cRNkp3MWq3XyWnZYiqYzzmVGmGjv50i4JVfK0mP6cSOVzSeJjotZ7bKc2_F5Y86OZksBzl8uIabWKiNVXtVExLe2u9hI/w268-h400/91+QU3nkbzL._SY466_.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">When her best friend's Aunt Issy falls ill, food blogger Hope Early agrees to help him hand out Halloween candy at his aunt's house, which is rumored to be cursed. A murder-suicide took place there a century ago, and legend has it that a woman has died there every twenty years since -- on Halloween. Hope doesn't really believe in curses or ghosts, but when all the trick-or-treaters are gone and she discovers a woman's dead body on the front lawn, she wonders if the curse might be real after all.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Hope and her friend discover a cache of love letters linking the dead woman to Aunt Issy's husband years ago, and Hope is certain they've uncovered the motive for murder -- and the police are certain Aunt Issy is their main suspect. Determined to prove Issy's innocence and nab the real culprit, Hope starts shaking other branches of the family tree. But she forgets that Halloween isn't the only day people hide behind masks, and if she's not careful, Hope will come face-to-face with a ghoulish fiend who's not afraid to kill again...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hope Early is finally getting her life in order. She has a successful food blog, sold e-cookbooks, and is finally getting a physical cookbook published. She's even moving forward with renovating her barn for a kitchen where she can film her show and practice recipes. Everything seems to be going smoothly, until her boyfriend Ethan changes their Halloween plans...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The plans she had with him and his two daughters, where they were going to go trick-or-treating. It appears that his ex-wife, now out of rehab, has decided she wants the girls for Halloween, so Hope really can't do much. But her best friend Drew comes to the rescue when he wants Hope to help give out candy at his ailing Aunt Issy's home, which is reputed to be haunted. Hope loves both Drew and Issy, so she's happy to do so. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When Hope is cleaning up the front yard after the evening is done, she's greeted with an unwelcome surprise: there's a dead body dressed like a witch sitting on the lawn. Definitely dead. And no one seems to know who the woman is; not Hope, Issy, Drew, or anyone in town. So who was this woman, and why was she here? All Hope knows is that the woman has been following her for a couple of days, but that's all the information she has.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then Drew and Hope find old letters in a box that's been stuffed in the walls of the home that Drew is renovating. Reading them, they find that they're connected to Issy's late husband. Does Issy know the source of the letters? She's too ill to ask, so they decide to keep it quiet for a while. But doing so could compromise the investigation. And when Drew's family members might be implicated in the murder, he asks for Hope's help. Even when the police warn her to stay out of it, she knows she can't. But could it lead to her own murder as well?...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the sixth book in the series, and I was taken by how good it was. Although I felt that it had a slow start, once the body was found, things began to pick up the pace. It was more a mystery-within-a-mystery, and I absolutely love it when that happens. Solving two mysteries at once is wonderful for the brain. And this was definitely a good book for that to occur.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hope knows she has to ruffle feathers to get to the truth, but she forges ahead anyway. Poor Drew has </div><div style="text-align: left;">his own problems to sort out, so he's not much help in this one, but her sister is along for the ride. It's an interesting tale to be told, and clues go from one end to the other, but nothing seems to be giving the truth of the matter. Confusion, misdirection, intrigue and too many secrets abound in this mystery, yet it all works together well.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When we come to the end of the story and the killer is revealed, it was a surprise to me; but then again, it was supposed to be. It's a delightful narrative that pulls you right from the murder and keeps you from putting down the book until the end. Highly recommended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was given an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Corpse-Witching-Hour-Blogger-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0CKM7LTGJ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1698257130&sr=1-2">https://www.amazon.com/Corpse-Witching-Hour-Blogger-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0CKM7LTGJ/ref</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goodreads:<span> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5934846060">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5934846060</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More on Debra Sennefelder's Books:<span> </span><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/debra-sennefelder/">https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/debra-sennefelder/</a></div>JoAnne McMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06638451272481165812noreply@blogger.com0