Murder At The Campfire Cookout

 A Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries Book 7

Author:    Darci Hannah

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:     9781496747426

Kensington Cozies

352 Pages

$8.99; $7.99 Amazon

June 30, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Lindsey Bakewell leaves behind her lighthouse bakeshop, her boyfriend, Rory, and her Newfoundland dog, Wellington, for a glamping trip with her mother in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the bears leave them alone -- but a killer doesn't.

Converting the old Beacon Point lighthouse into a bakery is as adventurous as Lindsey cares to get.  Her mother, Ellie, a former 80s fashion model, likes her creature comforts even more -- until she sees a business opportunity for her Beacon Harbor fashion boutique when she's invited by the Mitten Kittens Glamping Club on a woodsy getaway.

Far from roughing it, the ladies will be warm and cozy in chic vintage campers.  Ellie insists Lindsey come along to win the campfire cookout contest.  Campfire cooking has come a long way from bacon and beans.  Soon Lindsey is making pizza, berry cobbler and gooey Carmelita camping bars.

But the festive spirit is soon dampened when a body is found in Ellie's Camper.  It seems like an accidental death until everyone's tires are slashed and it's clear the glampsite has become a crime scene.  With no cell service to call for help, it's up to Lindsey to smoke out the killer around the campfire...

Because no one is out of the woods yet.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lindsey Bakewell, owner of the lighthouse bakery in Michigan, is convinced by her mother Ellie to go on a glamping trip, along with her friends Kennedy and Colleen.  Getting back to nature isn't in her nature even though they'll be in 'glampers' which are converted campers that have all the comforts of home.  Her mother has even entered her in a cookout contest -- which she doesn't know how to do, so i and given lessons by her boyfriend Rory, a true outdoorsman.

The first night starts off fine, with Lindsey thinking she might have a chance at winning.  But when one of the campers uses Ellie's bathroom, she never returns.  Ellie and her friend Betty find the woman in front of the stove, dead.  It turns out she was going to use the stove and cheat, but was electrocuted instead.

Then another camper offers to take the body into town to the coroner, since there is no cell service in the UP where they are.  But she doesn't return.  And when Lindsey, Kennedy, and Colleen head out to town to find help, they find another tragedy.  It's not long before the women realize that they are truly stranded...and someone is after Lindsey's mother.  

All their tires are slashed, and another accident occurs.  Determined at all costs to keep her mother safe, the three young women are on a quest to find help and save the group, but will they be able to find help before someone else is injured, or worse, killed?...

This is the seventh book in the series and I have enjoyed them all.  I love the characters, and I love watching them as they find clues and solve murders.  This has been one of my favorite series by far, and I enjoy reading it.  The author has done a wonderful job of characterization and description of not only the area where they reside, but food!

There are plenty of pitfalls this time around, as Lindsey is not in her element in the woods.  She's not comfortable, and if you think that's a problem, it's even more so for Kennedy, who is a city girl through-and-through.  Alas, those two and Irish Colleen, are soon wishing they'd stayed home.  But if they did, they never would have discovered the plot against Ellie.

Who is sabotaging everything around them, causing accidents to campers?  Who is after Ellie and why?  When they get closer to the truth, it just becomes stranger and stranger, and eventually they find out that none of would have even been on their radar.

I have to say that one of the best episodes was toward the end of the book (do not peek!) when the three find themselves in strange territory with unexpected results.  Then again, it would even be unexpected for me, and I lived in the Upper Peninsula for a time (too cold in the winter!).

All in all, this is an interesting tale in the series, and I enjoyed it very much, immersing myself in the book that was unputdownable for me.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Campfire-Cookout-Bakeshop-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0FV59763T/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8492293861

More on Darci Hannah's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/darci-hannah/

Killer Donuts

 A Deputy Donut Mystery Book 11

Author:    Ginger Bolton

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496758255

Kensington Cozies

256 Pages

$17.97; $9.99 Amazon

August 25, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's fall in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, and Emily Fyne, owner of the popular local Deputy Donut cafe is on a trail -- a Donut Trail, that is -- to tour pre-Halloween treats and activities, not to mention check out the competition.  It's all fun and games, until a murder that's no trick...

Emily and her friends Izzy and Monique are traveling the Donut Trail in style in Deputy Donut's vintage, donut-topped car.  With them are Emily's cat, Dep, and Monique's tiny dog, Gigi.  Amid the spectacular foliage they stop at an orchard that includes a bistro and a vast corn maze,  But while sampling some apple cider, they find that not everyone shares their friendly, festive mood...

A cranky tourist not only scolds them for bringing their pets, but she also says she hates dogs -- with cats a close second.  No matter.  Emily and company, their pets leashed, go off to enter the maze,  But soon, boisterous teens barge in, wreaking havoc, tossing pumpkins, uprooting cornstalks -- and attempting a dog-snatching...

As everyone scrambles to regroup, it turns out the dog-hating woman is missing.  And when her dead body is finally discovered -- with Gigi's hair ribbon in her pocket -- Emily and her friends are the top suspects.  To clear their names, they'll have to throw a killer off their trail while diving even deeper into a dangerous labyrinth of clues...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

It's nearing Halloween in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, and donut shop owner Emily Fyne and her friends Izzy and Monique are taking a tour of the Donut Trail, which stops at various shops in Wisconsin that sell donuts.  Everything is going fine until they reach a certain point and an unfriendly woman starts remarking about people who bring their pets along.  Monique, with her tiny dog, Gigi, and Emily, with her cat Dep, are trying the donuts and cider and since they are out side, no one else is complaining.  But the woman mentions how she hates dogs (and cats) and won't let up.

Still, the three women aren't about to let her spoil their mood, and so they decide to go into the corn maze which is also on the property.  But while they are trying to find their way out, a hand shoots through the corn and grabs Gigi.  Suddenly, things go sideways as the women attempt to find the tiny creature and everyone is shouting her name -- even disruptive teenagers who think this is all a game.

Eventually, Gigi is found, and all is calm.  For a while, at least.  Until it's discovered that the woman is missing from her tour.  And when her body is found in the maze the next day, with Gigi's hair ribbon in her pocket, they become suspects in the murder.  Now Emily and her friends are trying to clear their names and find a killer.  Because if they don't, one of them may be the next victim...

This is the eleventh book in the series, and I have enjoyed most of them.  I will admit, in the beginning their was an 'evil nemesis' which I hate above all things, but since that problem has been removed, all the remaining books have been more than delightful.

I love Emily and her family and friends, each with their own backstory to tell, and new friends that they meet along the way.  Her life with her detective husband Brent is good, Dep is spoiled (even more than my cats), but I enjoy reading about her as well.  She owns Deputy Donuts along with her late husband's father Tom, and the business is thriving.

In this book, Emily once again is drawn into a murder as she tries to prove herself innocent.  Although she's not really a serious suspect, one of her friends is, and she knows that she needs to help clear her name.  To that end, the three women start listing their own suspects, and it builds quite a list.  When they start to question people, they get the natural resistance, but someone is watching their every move and is planning their own.

When we get closer to the end of the book, everything becomes tense as Emily starts to figure out who the real killer is.  So do her friends, and they try to capture that person without them knowing.  But it's more dangerous than they think, and if help doesn't arrive soon, they may not escape...

I will not say any more as to not ruin the book for others, but this is one of the best in the series, and it was a delight to read.  Ms. Bolton has a turn with words, and she does it well.  Very well written and highly recommended.

I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Donuts-Deputy-Donut-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0GC9JN6XT/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8467289290

More on Ginger Bolton's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/ginger-bolton/

Bubble, Bubble, Tea and Trouble,

Tea by the Sea Mysteries Book 7

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496757630

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$27.00; TBA

July 28, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Lily stumbles across five middle-aged women gathered in a dark corner of the tearoom for a 'book club,' she firmly reminds them that the inn's no-smoking policy also applies to their oddly ritualistic candles  As they head outside, Lily overhears them chalking their bad luck up to the absence of their leader, Katya.  Whatever they're doing, it certainly isn't reading -- and their cover is staring to sound like weak tea.

While they enjoy Lily's homemade banana bread the next morning, they make their intentions clear--grilling Lily about any past paranormal activity in the cliffside mansion.  Their attempts to contact spirits have been falling flat, it seems, and the mysterious Katya is catching the heat.  Levelheaded Lily thinks the real reason is that there's no such thing as ghosts.

But Lily's pal Bernie has found another explanation: the half-baked spirit-seekers have the wrong house.  The haunted reputation belongs to the place next door -- where Lily's gardener boyfriend is currently staying.  But before they can inform the luckless ladies, the missing medium shows up--dead on the rocks at the bottom of the cliff.  Now Lily has two jobs: serving afternoon tea and solving a murder before someone else gets sent to the great beyond...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lily owns Tea by the Sea, a teahouse that serves real English teas.  It's adjacent to her grandmother Rose's B&B, where Lily makes the breakfasts for the guests.  But on this night, Rose has asked Lily to check out the B&B, because she thinks current guests are going against the rules -- and she's right.  Five women are in the house with lit candles trying to do what Lily doesn't know and doesn't care -- and tells them the no smoking rule applies to candles.

While most of the women are very nice about it, one seems irritated, and she blames someone named Katya who never showed up to lead their 'book group'.  But it's not long after that Katya's body is discovered on the rocks below, and the police determine that it wasn't an accident, and she was drowned.

Now everyone staying at the B&B is a suspect.  Two of the women's husbands show up, and they aren't happy about the situation, but stay anyway to support their wives.  Lily wonders if either of them are the guilty party, but doesn't want to get involved.

Lily does discover that the women think the B&B is haunted by ghosts, but both she and her grandmother know this is hogwash.  Her best friend Bernie, however, does some digging and finds out that it's the house next door -- home to Bernie's boyfriend Matt, a successful true crime writer, who has the 'ghosts' lingering about.  With Bernie and Rose wanting to know more, they're surprised when a woman shows up and complicates the situation...

Now Lily is trying to figure out not only what is going on, but which person had the best motive to want to kill...

This is the seventh book in the series and I have read them all.  This one is one of the best of those.  Lily is once again involved in a murder situation where she doesn't want to be, and she's not getting as much information as she usually does.  But are there ghosts?  Lily doesn't believe in them, but Bernie does.  Finding the truth isn't going to be easy, but the two women are determined to do so.  Even if one of them might just be in danger...

I really loved the plot of this one.  (As a side note, I do believe in ghosts, but I won't elaborate why).  I love that Lily is so level-headed and doesn't get flustered or do anything illegal, and she shares what information that she does find with Detective Redmond as soon as possible.  The two women are learning respect for each other.  I also enjoy the fact that Lily is finding her way with her British boyfriend, who is their gardener, and sometime-helper of Lily in preparing food for the next days' teas.

There's a lot going on here, and finding clues isn't easy, although they are there.  I had suspicions of the murderer before Lily did, but then again, I read a lot of mysteries; still, it's always fun to watch her come to her conclusion in finding the truth, and the climax was worth reading the entire book for.

I don't want to say anything else in order not to ruin the book for others, but in the end, this is a welcome addition to the series, and I would highly recommend that others read this.

I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Bubble-Tea-Trouble-Sea-Mysteries/dp/1496757637/ref=

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8423838207

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

Murder at a Scottish Halloween

A Scottish Shire Mystery Book 8

Author:    Traci Hall

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496757821

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$18.95; $9.99 Amazon

June 30, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As Halloween descends upon the Scottish seaside town of Nairn, reluctant sleuth and knitting enthusiast Paislee Shaw finds herself investigating how an ancient ghost inspired a modern murder...

While Paislee will be celebrating All Hallow's Eve by handing out candy to the trick or treaters at her Cashmere Crush sweater shop, her teenage son Brody seems to have given up the ghost.  Uninterested in donning a superhero or monster costume, he's just going to attend a party with his friends at the ice rink.

But Brody got swept up in the spirit of the season after all.  Dared by the older kids, he went to the supposedly haunted Rait Ruins to capture video of a vengeful ghost.  The local legend of the Rait Wraith has been passed down for generations -- and still gives Paislee the creeps.  While no specter actually roams the grounds, the lifeless body of university student Ailis Barclay is discovered there.

Ailis was at the ruins dressed as the ghost to prank Brody, only something went wrong.  With her son traumatized and deemed a suspect, it's up to Paislee to string together whether Ailis was a victim of the real Wraith of Rait Ruins -- or of someone dangerous among the living...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Paislee Shaw lives in the small Scottish town of Nairn along with her thirteen-year-old son Brody and her grandfather Angus.  They've built a good life, and are happy.  She's also navigating her first time in love with DI Mack Zeffer, which only somewhat confuses things.

Halloween is approaching, and while Paislee and Angus would rather stay home and hand out candy, Brody wants to join his friends at the ice rink for the evening.  But when Paislee arrives to pick him up, he's obviously traumatized, and she has a hard time getting him to talk.

When he tells her that the Wraith of Rait Ruins came for him -- calling him by name -- she thinks it was a prank.  But when they return to the ruins to find Brody's dropped phone, Paislee finds the body of a young university student, Ailis Barclay.  Paislee knows things aren't going to be the same, and with Brody as a possible suspect, she knows she's going to investigate, even though Mack tells her not to.

With Guy Fawkes Day fast approaching, there is another problem.  The Ladies of Nairn are asking for Paislee's help in finding out who is menacing them -- and one of them wants her to provide bespoke knitted items for her son's upcoming wedding.

With so much to attend to, and her best friend Lydia returning from Germany to be with her on Paislee's birthday, she wonders if she'll have enough time in the day to do what is tasked.

But when things begin to heat up, and the fireworks start, there's more than meets the eye, and Paislee may have just put a target on her own head...

This is the eighth book in the series, and I have read them all.  Ms. Hall is an extremely talented writer, and each book, as it progresses, brings us right to the village of Nairn and its people.  I love 'emotional traveling' (when you can't physically travel, and author takes you there mentally and emotionally), and Ms, Hall is excellent at this.

There is a lot going on here, from the night of Halloween, right up until Paislee's birthday.  And so much in between, with the problems in town and hidden secrets; lies and half-truths/  Fortunately, Paislee has learned enough to see through it all; and with the help of Angus she's able to help Mack.  Yes, DI Zeffer actually asks for her help, which is a twist that no one saw coming.

But when the ending finally comes, and we discover the identity of the killer, no one will feel sorry, and neither should they.  Evil exists, even if you don't always see it.  I am loath to add anything else because I do not want to ruin the story for anyone, but I urge you to read this one.  But there is a lovely silver lining that makes me want to read the next in the series right now.  Highly recommended.

I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Scottish-Halloween-Shire-Mystery-ebook/dp/

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8395997134

More on Traci Hall's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/traci-hall/

The Chowder House Murder

A Downeast Maine Mystery Book 1

Author:    Lee Hollis

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781496755056

Kensington Cozies

320 Pages

$27.00. $13.77 Amazon

May 26. 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ever since Halibut Cove's popular eatery, The Chowder House, started serving matriarch Maggie Holbrook's famous clam chowder it's been in high demand.  Cooked up at the restaurant by Maggie's ambitious 19-year-old granddaughter, Audrey, the dish even has a regular nightly customer, retiree Chips Hogan....until one fateful Sunday night.

After serving Chips his chowder, Audrey rushes off to Maggie's hilltop home for the weekly family dinner with the rest of the Holbrooks -- her three uncles, and her mom, Jill.  But before the meal's end, Jill, a police chief, gets an alarming call.  Chips has been found in the street -- dead.  Jill races out to investigate...and is shocked to learn Chips' chowder was poisoned.

When a Chowder House server recalls seeing local diner cook Waldo Duggan in the alley that same evening, he becomes a suspect.  And when it's uncovered that Waldo bitterly believed the Holbrooks stole the lucrative chowder recipe from the Duggans in the 1930's, he's only further implicated...

Despite everything, Maggie can't believe Waldo would murder anyone.  For fair-minded Maggie, to keep an innocent man out of jail, and to ease Audrey's guilt over serving the chowder, there's no choice but to team up to crime solve.  Soon grandmother and granddaughter are immersed in a stew of rivalries, long held feuds, and looming threats.  Because beneath the surface, even a pretty town has its ugly side...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Aubrey Holbrook works at the Chowder House as a waitress.  She's happy enough with her job, although it's slightly irritating that every night at closing time, grumpy local Chops Hogan shows up to get his daily bowl of chowder.  Aubrey leaves after serving him, as she wants to be home -- which is living with her grandmother Maggie -- for the weekly Holbrook dinner.

But while everyone is eating, Aubrey's mother Jill, who is the police chief. receives a call that Chips is dead.  When the autopsy results are in, Chips was poisoned by the chowder.  Aubrey is devastated, and worried, because she served him.  After reviewing evidence, no one admits to it, although it was said that another local named Waldo Duggan was seen at the back door.

The rivalry between the Duggans and Holbrooks goes way back, with Waldo's family accusing Maggie's of stealing their chowder recipes.  Even so, when Waldo is arrested for the crime, Maggie doesn't believe he did it.  So along with help from Aubrey, they've invested themselves in investigating the case in order to find a killer.

Unfortunately, it won't be easy.  Her Uncle Cord's fiancée's family might be suspects; and that makes things worse.  But did any of them kill the man?  Maggie finds out more than she wants to know, and it might be the thing that causes the killer to decide to get rid of anyone who's interested...even if it means doing away with both Audrey and Maggie, at whatever cost...

This is the first in a new series by Lee Hollis.  The authors have done themselves well.  At first it seems that there are a lot of characters in this book, and there are.  You have all the Holbrooks (and there are many of them); along with various others (including an entire other family), and minor characters that flit in and out.  

But don't be fooled -- there is more to the story than at what first you see.  There is another mystery which shows up along the way, and that one is just as interesting as the first.  I do love a mystery within a mystery (but that's just me).  The plot is written extremely well, although I would have loved more physical descriptions of Aubrey and her friend Isabella, but it didn't detract from anything.

Concerning the main mystery, it unravels at a medium pace, and you need to look for clues yourself.  Although I knew the killer before Aubrey did, it was still delightful to watch how she handled what information she received.  The murderer was no slouch; they knew exactly what to do to eliminate an eventual victim.

The ending was nicely done, and I don't want to say anything else rather than give away any spoilers.  I truly enjoyed reading this and would definitely recommend it to others.

I received an advance copy of this book but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Chowder-House-Murder-Downeast-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0FP7P4VVP/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8348371577

More on Lee Hollis's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/lee-hollis/

Whiskers and Ciphers

A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 6

Author:    Deanna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781967678901

Tule Publishing

260 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

September 10, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A corpse in the town's fountain spells trouble for Rebecca Cuthbert, who, along with her talking cat, Aneksi, must uncover the killer and dangerous truths behind the cursed artifacts plaguing Citrus Grove.

The normally quiet community is buzzing with excitement as the local university prepares to host an academic conference on Egyptian antiquities that's attracting scholars, collectors -- and a few hidden agendas.  Did a newcomer carry out this crime, or is the culprit closer to home? 

With Detective Nick Devon at her side and her knack for connecting the dots, Rebecca finds herself once again in the thick of the investigation.  With help from her resourceful grandfather and her clever feline friend, she is determined to unlock the secrets of a mysterious antique journal.  But each new clue reveals a longer list of suspects, deeper suspicions, old enemies, and more threats.

Solving this puzzle may come at a deadly cost.  Can she crack the case before the murderer strikes again?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Rebecca Cuthbert lives in a small California town with her grandfather, Stirling, whom she never knew she had until the death of her parents.  Together, they own and run Cuthbert Antiques, which specializes in Egyptian artifacts, both real and manufactured.

Recently, Stirling's cousin Phineas has come to visit, and he states that he wants part of the antiques, as they should have come to him originally.  (Read the book to find out why!).  But now there's a woman in the store, and she's been spending her time looking around at the antiques, eventually making it known that she's waiting for Phineas.  But when he arrives, he's not alone -- he has with him an esteemed scholar, which causes a pang of jealousy.

The next morning, the woman in the store is found in the town's fountain, dead.  It's eventually discovered that she was murdered, and naturally Rebecca wants to know if it's one of the cursed artifacts they are looking for that may have caused it.  But her kitten Aneksi, who was originally a pet of Queen Cleopatra, cannot smell a 'hex' as she calls them.

Rebecca believes Phineas is involved in the murder, and now he's nowhere to be found.  But while searching for clues, she's finding out that it's more than just a hex that's concerning, but that the murder has taken herself and Stirling to a whole new level.  And this time, if they can't stay ahead of a killer, they may be the next victims...

This is the sixth book in the series and I have read them all.  I am also absolutely obsessed with the story line and the characters.  I find it absolutely enchanting.  This book does take us to a new level of mystery.  There is a lot going on here, and Rebecca is in the thick of it all.

Is Phineas really the killer, or is he just being framed as one?  Could the ancient artifacts have anything to do with it?  What is going on with Detective Nick Devon, Rebecca's boyfriend?  Not to mention Rebecca's best friend Luna is having problems, and she's trying to help her as well.

I don't really want to give anything else away here, but I can say that this book was probably the best in the series in my humble opinion.  I enjoy each of these on their own, but this one left me with more mystery to solve, as did the last in the series (which answered some questions in this one).  I cannot wait to visit with the Cuthberts and Aneksi once again.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Whiskers-Ciphers-Purr-fect-Relic-Mystery/dp/1967678901/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8263603593

More on Deanna Drake's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/deanna-drake/

Blackmail and Kitty Tails

A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 5

Author:    Deanna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781966593812

Tule Publishing

262 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

May 21, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A glamorous gala, a cursed dagger, and a killer on the loose -- Rebecca Cuthbert and her talking cat, Aneksi, face their most dangerous mystery yet.

When Rebecca Cuthbert volunteered to help with the Citrus Grove Women's Club gala, she envisioned a night filled with elegant silk drapes, Egyptian-themed decorations, and tasty hors d'oeuvres -- certainly not murder.  But then the lights flicker out during the party setup, and club president Deborah Ralston is found dead, stabbed with an ancient dagger.

With Aneksi purring by her side and a murder weapon steeped in legend, Rebecca must unravel a twisted web of secrets, blackmail, and bitter rivalries behind this sinister murder.  Everyone from suspicious club members to scorned lovers is a suspect, and time is running out as Rebecca's own antique shop becomes linked to the deadly artifact.

Can Rebecca and her cat corner the killer before tragedy slashes her world again?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Rebecca Cuthbert lives in a small town with her grandfather Stirling, who owns an antiquities shop that specializes in Egyptian artifacts.  She grew up in Montana with her parents, who passed in a car accident, which led her to the grandfather she never knew she had.

Nor did she know that she now had a kitten named Aneksi, who is immortal and has powers of her own.  She also discovered that in the basement of their shop lies a vault full of cursed artifacts that Stirling's grandfather brought home from Egypt.  Some of the artifacts were stolen, and they have been searching for them whenever they can.  I give you this backstory for the following...

When Rebecca accepts an invitation to join the Citrus Grove Women's Club, she didn't think it would be so stressful or take so much of her time.  But here she is, anyway.  While working with the other ladies on the annual club gala, there is a sudden blackout, and when the lights go on, president Deborah Ralston is lying with a knife in her back.  A very distinctive knife, and Rebecca believes that it may be one of the items in the collection that was stolen.  But during the chaos, the knife disappears, and now everyone who was attending is a suspect.

There is also the issue of the man who was trying to break into Deborah's apartment, which is near Rebecca's.  Accidentally (of course) Rebecca confronts him and discovers he is a private investigator who has been hired by Deborah's soon-to-be ex-husband, in order to find if she has hidden assets.  But Rebecca herself finds evidence that Deborah was blackmailing people in town, and this may have led to her death.

Trying to keep her detective boyfriend Nick Devon in the dark may not be an option this time.  But will telling him the truth only cause more problems?  And is one of her friends a murderer?  With Stirling and Aneksi by her side, Rebecca knows she needs to find out more about the dagger.  But will it lead to danger for her?

This is the fifth book in the series and I am absolutely addicted to it.  I love the characters, who are quite believable, and I love little Aneksi as well.  The tale is written beautifully, and it draws you in from the very beginning.  Learning more about the artifacts, and encountering them in each story, is a tale all its own.  The author is quite talented, and she draws situations well.

Each story brings us closer to Rebecca's new life and that which she left behind, with questions that are sometimes answered.  (I don't mind waiting for more answers in later books).  Although Stirling's cousin from England, Phineas, seems a bit of a slime, I believe he is meant to be so.  We will see in the next book what awaits him.

The mystery is worth waiting for, the ending giving us satisfaction.  The murderer was a bit of a surprise; but not too much for me, although it doesn't matter because I enjoyed the book so much.  This was a new author for me, and I am glad that I took a chance and read all the previous books.  

The ending comes together nicely, giving us a hint of what is to come; and the murder conclusion is all that it should be.  I eagerly look forward to the next book in the series.  Highly recommended. 

https://www.amazon.com/Blackmail-Kitty-Tails-Purr-fect-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0DW7X65W1/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8280334687

More on Deanna Drake's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/deanna-drake/