Lurkers

Author:  Sandi Tan

Genre:   Fiction

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781641292559

Soho Publishing

320 Pages

$27.00; $14.99

March 30, 2021

⭐⭐

In a suburban LA neighborhood, neighbors keep wary distance and at times collide, propelled by desire, fury, and mischief.  Precocious Korean American sisters Mira and Rosemary find their world rocked by a suicide; a charismatic and creepy drama teacher grooms his students' an aging gay horror novelist fights loneliness; and a white mother and her adopted Vietnamese daughter deal with lifelong anger issues.  Spanning decades, and bringing together a diverse and interlocking group of stories, Lurkers is a Los Angeles masterpiece, showing Sandi Tan's fiction to be as formidable and exciting as her filmaking.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

I have to tell you that I really struggled with this book.  While the blurb sounded interesting, the book was not.  It was filled with violence, anger, foul language, and sex.  Nothing really that makes a great book in my opinion.  It didn't make the characters memorable.  It made them caricatures of people everyone should strive to avoid in their lifetime.

I have always felt that good writing doesn't need foul language in excess to get one's point across; and I am far from a prude, but I'd rather read something with substance, which this book does not have.  What it does have is a group of people who are afraid of life.  They are stalkers and avoiders, and I just couldn't get into the book.  People who obsess over little girls are repulsive, as are people who "lurk" outside others windows.  Who on earth wants to be with someone who thinks that's okay to do?  Ugh.  I also didn't care for the fact that the author obviously hates men, as she creates male characters that are sexual deviants, and not a single decent guy among them.    

There really isn't a solid plot to the book, it just rambles throughout, just a bunch of people who do all the things normal people wouldn't consider, and there isn't a single likable character among them.  

Unfortunately, this wasn't a book I will remember.

https://www.amazon.com/Lurkers-Sandi-Tan-ebook/dp/B089S5LVMX/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3864645469

More on Sandi Tan's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/t/sandi-tan/

Lemon Drop Dead (An Amish Candy Shop Mystery #7)

Author:  Amanda Flower

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496722041

Kensington Publishing

320 Pages

$5.99; $5.68 Amazon

April 27, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Although baby showers aren't an Amish tradition, Bailey King wants to celebrate Emily Keim's forthcoming bundle of joy.  It's the least she can do for her hardworking assistant at Swissmen Sweets, especially with Emily being estranged from her siblings.  Everyone in Harvest, Ohio has gathered at the town gazebo -- decked out in lemon-themed décor to add some of Emily's favorite flavor to the festivities -- including Juliet Brook, Jethro the Pig, and in a last-minute invite, Emily's sister Esther Esh.

But Esther isn't the only surprise guest.  A mysterious Amish woman confronts Emily claiming to know about her secret shame -- the child she had as a teenager who was given up for adoption.  The stranger vanishes before Bailey could find out who she was and if she knew what happened to Emily's first baby.  Later that evening, the woman reappears -- dead in Esh Family Pretzels, with a threatening letter written by Esther found on her body.

Emily knows her sister is not a murderer and convinces Bailey to help clear Ester's name and put the squeeze on the real killer...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Bailey King works at her grandmother's candy shop. Swissmen Sweets, along with having her own television show in New York that she tapes several times a year.  Her employee Emily Keim is ready to have a baby, and people want to throw her a shower.  While Emily agrees to it, Bailey's other employee, her grandmother's young cousin Charlotte, wants to be the one to do it.  So all Bailey has to do is show up and enjoy...that is, until an older woman shows up and wants to reunite Emily with her first child that she had given up for adoption.

Stunned, Bailey doesn't know what to do, but the woman disappears as quickly as she arrived.  It isn't until later that night when Bailey is locking up the shop that someone is pounding on her door.  It turns out to be Esther Esh, Emily's sister, and a woman who hates Bailey.  But now she's asking for help, and Bailey can't refuse -- it turns out that the woman is dead in Esther's shop, and when the clues all lead to Esther being the murderer, Emily wants her to find the real killer.  But Bailey finds more than she bargained for, and what she finds could rock the world of both Englisch and Amish alike...

This is the seventh book in the series, and I certainly hope it won't be the last.  We are once again in Harvest, Ohio with Englischer Bailey King and her Amish relatives, and the story line continues with more than one person having to make a life decision.  Then a woman shows up claiming that she has Emily's first child and wants to reunite them, but is murdered before she can do so.  It is by chance that Bailey stumbles upon the child, and must make a decision of her own.

While I am not going to tell you who or what the decisions are that need to be made, I will tell you that I was gladdened by most but disappointed in another.  I do hope that it won't change future books, as I liked the way things were turning out (you will have to read the book to see what I am talking about, and hopefully can decipher it).

There are plenty of twist and turns in the book, and enough action to keep one interested in reading it in one sitting.  I enjoyed all (mostly, considering what I've mentioned above; but that is my own opinion and shouldn't be relevant to whether you read the book or not) and I will definitely read the next in this series, and anyone who's following this series should, too.  When the ending comes and everything is resolved, it is a bit of a surprise, but not unexpected, and things are all as they should be.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Lemon-Drop-Amish-Candy-Mystery/dp/1496722043/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3861137592

More on Amanda Flower's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/amanda-flower/

The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait (A Haunted Bookshop Mystery Book 7)

Author:  Cleo Coyle

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9780425251867

Berkley Publishing

336 Pages

$7.99; $7.99 Amazon

May 4, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

While gathering a collection of vintage book cover paintings for a special event in her quaint Rhode Island bookshop, Penelope discovers a spooky portrait of a beautiful woman, one who supposedly went mad, according to town gossip.  Seymour, the local mailman, falls in love with the haunting image and buys the picture, refusing to part with it, even as fatal accidents befall those around it.  Is the canvas cursed?  Or is something more sinister at work?

For answers, Pen turns to an otherworldly source: Jack Shepard, PI.  Back in the 1940s, Jack cracked a case of a killer cover artist and (to Pen's relief) his spirit is willing to help her solve this mystery even if he and his license did expire decades ago.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Penelope McClure is a young widow who co-owns a bookshop in Rhode Island along with her Aunt Sadie.  She lives with her eleven-year-old son Spencer and Sadie above the shop.  When they're given an advance copy of a book on pulp art from decades ago, they are going to offer a signing event in their store with the authors.  But to help them, they've also contacted a local man who collects pulp cover art and is willing to allow them to borrow some if they will come and pick them up.

With the help of her best friends Seymour and Professor J. Brainert Parker, they head off in Seymour's van to the man's home.  When they arrive Seymour sees a painting of an ethereal woman and learns that she is Harriet McClure, an ancestor of Penelope's late husband.  The tale behind it is rather sad; the woman was declared mad and sent to live in a Queen Anne home that is now known as the Finch Inn, owned by Barney and Fiona Finch.  The home is in the painting's background, and Seymour cannot take his eyes off it, finally convincing the owner to sell it to him.

But after Seymour purchases the painting, accidents begin to occur, and Pen wonders if it is coincidence or something larger.  Her personal PI, Detective Jack Shepard is willing to help and even share one of his memories regarding the paintings on loan from the collector -- because he knew the artist and the model.  Since Jack's the ghost of a PI who was murdered at the bookshop in the 1940's, he's been there ever since and Pen's the only one who can communicate with him.  They've grown closer through the time she's known him, and it seems she needs to become part of the memory to crack the current case.  Now if she can keep a killer at bay and discover the truth before anyone else dies...

This is the seventh book in the series and I have read and enjoyed every one of them.  I love the romance between Jack and Pen, and while some may scoff, love transcends time and space, and while it's not specifically said, you can feel it with the characters when you read the words.  The pages come to life, the characters right with them; and you want to continue to read and be part of their lives.

As for the plot, it is probably one of the most interesting that I have so far read in this series.  Pen and her aunt are using the paintings of the cover art to promote the book; the collector has agreed to sell them for the right price.  But more than Seymour's attraction to the picture is causing accidents, and Pen is determined to find out which one of the people around her might be a murderer.

The fact that Jack knows the story behind one of the paintings doesn't surprise me; and I love hearing about his adventures in the 1940s.  (I'm a sucker for classic movies; they're all I watch, so this makes the book more pleasurable, going into Jack's world occasionally).  He brings Pen along in her sleep, and while he doesn't solve her murder for her, he gives her the information she needs to solve it when she wakens.  It's captivating, to say the least.

When the ending comes, the murderer is caught (because we know they will be); and everything that is hidden comes to light, it is a surprise that both stuns and gratifies, giving us a feeling of satisfaction that everything is as it should be.  I can't state how much I enjoy this series and am looking forward to the next book and Pen and Jack's adventures.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Haunted-Portrait-Bookshop-Mystery/dp/0425251861/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3859401383

More on Cleo Coyle's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/cleo-coyle/

What Everyone Knew (A Disappearance Mystery Thriller Book 2)

Author:  Laura Greene

Genre:   Mystery/Serials

Digital Book

ASIN #:  B08VH85D61

Independent Publishing

63 Pages

$.99 Amazon

February 25, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Melody is determined to find her father and goes against her better judgment and the warnings of the townsfolk to locate him.  In Book Two of this enthralling series, she takes the clue her father left in Deacon Mansion and cautiously begins working for the Deacons.

As she grows close to Rebecca and Will, one fateful event threatens her entire gambit to discover the truth of what happened to her father.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Melody is on a Scottish island determined to find out where her father is -- and if he is still alive.  She has gotten a job at Deacon Mansion as a tutor to a young Scottish girl who has lost both her parents.  In posing as a woman who is writing a book instead of the archaeologist that she really is, this is her cover.

Melody has found one clue from her father that he was here, on the island, and she is determined to find out where he is now.

She inadvertently learns from her student Rebecca that her former tutor was a Mr. Sanders, and with the information she gleans Melody is sure that he is her father.  But no one she questions seems to know where he is and how he left the island, since he disappeared one night and there is now no trace of him at atll.

When Melody starts to put together the pieces, she discovers that people she thought were friends might not be so, and someone might know what happened to her father, aka Mr. Sanders.  But when she starts hunting for clues, Melody just might be too close to the truth and discovers that the danger is all too real...

This is the second of three installments in the Disappearance Mystery, and it continues from the first.  I will tell you that you need to read the first in order to understand why Melody is in Scotland and why she is looking for her father. 

This is quite suspenseful and keeps you reading it in one sitting, hopeful that you might find the answers yourself.  It also gives you a hint of what is to come in the third.  I know for myself that I want to know how it all comes about and am waiting impatiently for the next in the series.  The plot is very good and is written well, and I am waiting impatiently for the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/What-Everyone-Disappearance-Mystery-Thriller-ebook/dp/B08VH85D61/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3857659069

More on Laura Greene's Books:  https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Greene/e/B08BFJBQZH/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Mrs. Morris and the Sorceress (A Salem B&B Mystery Book 4)

Author:  Traci Wilton

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496733030

Kensington Publishing

320 Pages

$6.93; $6.58 Amazon

March 30, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Madison Boswell, a beauty recently transplanted from Boston, is starring in the Independence Day play in this New England town full of colonial history -- and, of course, witchcraft.  Madison may not be a Wiccan, but she does seem to have certain hypnotic powers.  And she's left some angry people in her wake, from a fellow actress beaten out for a role to a jealous betrayed wife.  Now, as Charlene films the performance for her housemate, Jack -- a handsome ghost who shares the Victorian bed-and-breakfast with her and her Persian cat -- the drama queen takes a deadly bullet from what was supposed to be a prop gun.

With a long list of suspects and lots of backstage whispers, it looks like the investigation by Charlene and Detective Sam Holden could set off some fireworks...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Charlene Morris owns a Salem, Massachusetts B&B that used to belong to Dr. Jack Strathmore.  Unfortunately, Jack was murdered there and it was up to Charlene to solve his murder.  But now Jack and Charlene have settled in nicely, except for the fact that no one except her cat knows he exists.  But she can't deny her attraction to him, nor should she.

On this day, she's taken a group of her B&B guests to see a local play about the colonial battle in Salem, that occurred without a shot being fired.  At least that's what they all expected.  What they saw was the lead actress being killed by a single shot to her chest.  While horrific, everyone wonders what went wrong.  Charlene, who was filming the play for Jack, now needs to send it to Sam to see if anyone notices the shooter.

Charlene can't help herself and wants to find out who killed the young woman.  What she discovers is that Madison Boswell had more enemies than friends, and no one was saddened by her death except her parents.  Not even her brother, Logan.  So who wanted her dead?  When Charlene starts investigating the death with the help of Jack, who is going over the video for clues, it takes her to Boston to Madison's funeral, where she finds out even more about her.  But when Charlene starts getting too close to the killer, it's apparent to them that she might have to join Jack in his ghostly world...

This is the fourth book in the series and I have read every one of them.  I love this series and the characters.  Charlene and Jack have a different type of relationship, of course, since he's a ghost and she isn't, but there are things that transcend the boundaries of life that we may never know about.  (Okay, I'm a sucker for human/ghost stories and I admit it.  Everyone has their quirks and this is one of mine).

Anyway, Charlene wants to know who killed Madison, and so she starts questioning people about the woman's life.  Her friend Amy, who is an actress in the play, offers up not-so-flattering information, among others.  It seems Madison, while beautiful, was not a nice person and didn't care who she stepped on.  It's obvious that this time she stepped on the wrong body and lost hers in the process.  Now Charlene has the task of keeping her guests happy and still finding time to look around, since she doesn't want a negative opinion of Salem or her guests thinking there's a random killer on the loose.

I do like the character of Charlene.  She's intelligent and thoughtful; never overtly attacking people or accusing them of a crime.  Jack is more human than others, truly caring for Charlene and a worthy partner in her investigations.  Sam isn't, unfortunately, quite as attractive to me as he is to Charlene.  I still think he has a bit of coldness about him that just doesn't relax him at all.  But in this book we get to see a bit more of Kass, who was delightful in another book and just the same in this one.  The characters are believable, and come to life while reading, which is always a good thing.

We also get to know a little more about the history of Salem and surrounding areas -- more than the witch trials, which I would say everyone already knows -- and I do love history and historical facts, so that was interesting to read.  Of course, we mustn't forget the B&B, which would be such a lovely place to visit.  Charlene is indeed a lucky woman to have it.

When the ending comes and the murderer is revealed, it was a bit of a surprise, but that is always welcomed, too.  The clues might have been there, but they were easy to miss (and I will admit, I wasn't looking because I was enjoying the book too much); and the reasons for the murder were as old as time itself.  I was sorry to see the story end, and I, like Jack, hope that at some time in the future he can find his way back to humanity (hey, it's fantasy so anything can happen, right?).  But I also hope that this series goes on for a long time still, and I will continue to read each one.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Morris-Sorceress-Salem-Mystery/dp/1496733037/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3857515890

More on Traci Wilton's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/traci-wilton/

The Gun Also Rises (A Sarah W. Garage Sale Mystery Book 6)

Author:  Sherry Harris

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book (Audio CD Available)

ISBN #:  9781496716965

Kensington Publishing

288 Pages

$7.88; $4.99 Amazon

January 29, 2019

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A wealthy widow has asked Sarah Winston to sell her massive collection of mysteries through her garage sale business.  While sorting through piles of books stashed in the woman's attic, Sarah is amazed to discover a case of lost Hemingway stories, stolen from a train in Paris back in 1922.  How did they end up in Bell Winthrop Granville's attic in Ellington, Massachusetts, almost one hundred years later?

Before Sarah can get any answers, Belle is assaulted, the case is stolen, a maid is killed, and Sarah herself is dodging bullets.  And when rumors spread that Belle has a limited edition of The Sun Also Rises in her house, Sarah is soon mixed up with a mobster, the fanatical League of Literary Treasure Hunters, and a hard-to-read rare book dealer.  With someone willing to kill for the Hemingway, Sarah has to race to catch the culprit -- or the bell may toll for her...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Sarah Winston is surprised when wealthy Belle Winthrop Granville wants her to sort and sell her collection of mystery books for a sale to benefit the local library.  But Sarah is determined to dig right in and do her best.  But then Sarah discovers a briefcase of what appears to be the early writings of Ernest Hemingway, still bound with the original carbon copies.  She takes it to Belle, explaining where she found it and what it might be.  Not long after, she hears Belle scream and runs to her, finding her injured and telling her that the maid stole the case.  Chasing after the woman isn't easy when you're going through a wooded area.  Then she finds the maid dead, the briefcase missing, and herself being shot at.

Explaining what happened to her police officer friends is easy.  What's not easy is that soon after Sarah finds herself the center of attention as treasure hunters come to town to stalk her, keeping Belle safe, and a rare book dealer who seems sketchy.  Soon Sarah is on the hunt for a killer and a thief, but doesn't know who to trust, since it could be any number of people.  When help comes from an unlikely source, it keeps Sarah safe temporarily, but it will take everything she has to stay out of the eye of a killer...

This is the sixth book in the series and is probably my favorite so far.  These is plenty of action, so much so that Sarah can't even find time to breathe normally.  The cast of characters is extensive, but not so much that you can't keep track of who's who.  I especially like the gritty Belle, and I do love the fact that Sarah's brother Luke turns up again.  I read about him in a previous book and grew to like his character, so seeing him here was pleasant.

While Sarah's trying to keep away from a killer, (whom she doesn't know who it might be), she's also trying to avoid a group of tweedy treasure hunters and reporters who have camped out at her favorite spots, leaving her nowhere to go.  But her police officer friend finds her refuge at at unlikely place which also forces her to face certain fears she has.  It also brings her an unlikely surprise visitor, one she's happy to see.

As things become more complicated, Sarah's life coincides with it.  She can't find the killer nor the Hemingway, and she starts to become both frustrated and upset with herself.  But what makes it worse is the fact that she has no clue as to where it is, and she starts to think she's following the wrong person.

When Sarah starts to put it all together, she tells her officer friends, and even explains what is going on.  When the ending comes and the murderer is found, it's done nicely and is believable.  Sarah uses her wits to figure it all out, and everything comes out just as it's supposed to.  This book was easy to read in one sitting, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Also-Rises-Sarah-Garage-Mystery/dp/1496716965/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3853558585

More on Sherry Harris's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/sherry-harris/

Knot Guilty (A Crochet Mystery #9)

Author:  Betty Hechtman

Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9780425252970; 9780425252673

Kensington Publishing

304 Pages

$11.43; $13.40; $7.99 Amazon

November 4, 2014

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Molly and her friends can't wait to get people hooked on crochet at the annual Southern California Knit Style Show.  This year, for the first time ever, the knitting show also features crochet, including crochet classes and a crochet competition.

The show's organizer is K.D. Kirby, publisher of several knitting magazines and owner of an elite Beverly Hills yarn store.  Concern when K.D. doesn't show up for the opening reception turns into shock when she's found dead in her hotel suite.

Suspicion falls on Adele, one of the Tarzana Hookers, who locked horns with K.D., and whose handmade crochet hook is found at the murder scene.  Certain that Adele has been framed, Molly starts her own investigation, hoping to get their pal off the hook and find a killer before another guest checks out...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Molly Pink works as an event coordinator for a local bookstore.  She's a widow, with several pets and two grown sons.  Things are moving around her, as she's tasked with running the booth for the bookstore at a trade show.  She's got help (if you can call it that) from her co-worker Adele, and friends in her crochet group at the store.

She's also decided that celebrity attorney Mason Fields is the man she wants in her life, but so far, they've both been busy with their careers and haven't found any time to spend together.  But since one of his clients is in trouble and at the show, he manages to get a few minutes now and again to see her.

The person organizing the show is K.D. Kirby, a self-absorbed publisher of knitting magazines and owner of an upscale yarn store that has a "knitting salon" in which her wealthy customers sit and knit together.  She's not fond of crochet, and isn't fond of Adele, whose over-the-top style is being put forth in the booth, and they have an argument regarding it.

When Molly goes to meet K.D. a while later, she finds her dead, and is immediately drawn into the investigation when she discovers that the police have their eyes on Adele as the main suspect.  When Adele begs her for help, she can't turn her down; but at least she has her best friend Dinah as her 'Watson' to Molly's 'Holmes.'  

The more Molly investigates, the more she discovers that K.D. had plenty of enemies.  More than enough people wanted her out of the way, and any one of them had the opportunity to go to K.D.'s suite and kill her.  The only thing Molly can't figure out is the exact timeline that would free Adele.  But when she gets closer to answers, someone is watching her, and it might be Molly whose life is now hanging by a thread...

I have been reading this series intermittently for a few weeks, and so far I've had mixed feelings on it. While she's gone from a relationship with homicide detective Barry Greenberg, they broke up because his job came before her.  Now she's entering a relationship with Mason Fields, who seems more stable, and Molly enjoys his company.  So that's settled, right?  Hmmm...

When Molly starts investigating who might have wanted K.D. dead, Adele figures that since Molly's on the case, she can go on with her life, which means she's not concerned with anything but Adele -- and her boyfriend Eric, who's a traffic cop.  And, of course, his mother...

But with so many people at the show, she has problems narrowing down who might want the woman dead the most.  Each person had their own reasons for wanting her out of the way, and Molly is determined to figure out who, if she can just stay under the radar from the police.  But that's not going to be easy to do when Barry is shadowing Adele through the weekend, waiting to see if she's going to flee or stay put.

When Molly finally figures it out and the killer is revealed, I felt that there were clues throughout the book.  I pretty much had figured out who the murderer was early on, but it was still interesting to wait and watch while Molly figured it out herself.  When the ending comes and everything is put together, we discover that the motive is one of the tried-and-true throughout time, and will probably be so again.  This book was easy to read in one sitting, and the ending, while leaving us curious, gives us something to look forward to in the next book.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Knot-Guilty-Crochet-Betty-Hechtman/dp/0425252973/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3851434817

More on Betty Hechtman's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/betty-hechtman/

The Body in the Park (A Razzy Cat Cozy Mystery #1)

Author:  Courtney McFarlin

Genre:   Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN:  B08WQ5V4XF

Independently Published

$.99 Amazon

March 15, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hannah Murphy's job as a reporter prepared her for a lot, but stumbling over a murder victim and owning a talking cat wasn't on the list.

Her world is rocked when she discovers she can suddenly understand her cat and they find a murder victim in the park.  She'd been hoping for a big story but never expected it to land right in her lap.

The handsome detective assigned to the case has a grudge against reporters and doesn't appreciate her interference.  As they both chase their leads, they're drawn to one another, but he suspects Hannah's hiding a secret from him.

Her break could prove to be her last unless she can work with Razzy and solve the mystery before the killer strikes again!

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Hannah Murphy is a 'fluff' reporter for a small-town newspaper, and has been waiting forever to write what she considers the hard stories.  She's surprised when her editor calls her into his office and tells her that the next big story that breaks will be hers.  Thrilled, she wants to celebrate with her friend Ashley, but is starting to get a raging headache and decides to go home and just spend the evening quietly with her Ragdoll cat, Razzy.

When Hannah wakes up in the park across the street from her apartment building, she thinks she's in a dream.  Especially when the person calling out to her as 'mama' is her cat.  Convinced she's dreaming, she heads back to her apartment but not before stumbling over a dead man.  Once she realizes this is no dream, she calls the police, and that's where her problems begin.  Now, she has to convince the detective she didn't kill the man, write a story about it, and oh, yeah, deal with the fact that her cat can talk to her...

Let me first say that I don't usually read stories about the paranormal.  I don't care for witches, vampires, and the like; (although I am into ghosts); so ordinarily I wouldn't have picked this up.  But I am a sucker for cats, so I'm glad I did.  This is a very good first-in-a-series book, and actually it's rather believable.  If one could talk your cat, you might actually do it.

The fact that Hannah not only talks to Razzy, but finds out what she does all day when Hannah's gone is rather funny.  And that Razzy wants to help her in her investigation of the murder is interesting in itself.  

The only thing that bothered me is the fact that the detective, Ben, wants to date Hannah and is willing to do so in an ongoing investigation, even if she isn't suspected of the murder.  That, in my opinion, should wait until he's free and clear, so his investigation isn't tainted.  But it didn't really spoil the story at all, so there's that.

I'm not going to say anything else about the book, because I don't want to spoil the story for anyone else.  I will say that there are plenty of suspects and any number of people who could have wanted the man dead, and Hannah isn't shy about finding and questioning them.  When the ending comes it's all gathered together nicely and leaves us waiting for the next in the series to see where Hannah goes next; and I love Razzy.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Body-Park-Razzy-Cozy-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08WQ5V4XF/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3849490390

More on Courtney McFarlin's Books:  https://www.amazon.com/Courtney-McFarlin/e/B08PZ83W1X?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000

Death, Dismay, and Rose (The Wine Trail Mysteries Book 6)

Author:  J.C. Eaton

Genre:   Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781950461783

Beyond the Page Publishing

240 Pages

$14.99; $4.99 Amazon

September 29, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's rare that the summer solstice and a full moon fall on the same night, but winery manager Norrie Ellington is all too familiar with the curse that supposedly accompanies the event: the death by suffocation of someone in the area.  She's inclined to write the whole thing off as folktale nonsense -- until the president of the local historical society is found smothered on that very night.  Local law enforcement aren't quite so superstitious, however, and they've pegged a close friend of Norrie's for the murder.

Determined to discredit the curse and get her friend off the hook, Norrie begins digging into the background of the victim, only to discover that he had no shortage of enemies.  And as evidence emerges of his questionable connections and shady dealings, Norrie follows a trail of clues that leads her smack into the racing world at Watkins Glen.  She'll have to shift into overdrive to save her friend, because curse or not, there's a flesh-and-blood killer dead set on making Norrie the next victim...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Norrie Ellington is managing her family's winery while her sister and her sister's husband are off on an entomology expedition.  She expects them home soon, and just wants to get back to her life in Manhattan, where she's a screenwriter -- which she's currently doing from their home.

Looking for information on an old family legend about deaths that occur when the summer solstice has a full moon -- the last one being in 1948 -- she overhears a conversation between another winery owner and the head of the historical society, Vance Wexler, and it's not a good one, either.  But when a group of entomologists are nearby, and being disturbed by a group of historical society people who are searching for arrowheads, things get testy.  So testy that when someone is murdered, a friend of Norrie's is suspected of murder.

When the local police don't seem to be taking any interest in information Norrie has brought them, she figures the only thing she can do is look around on her own.  Enlisting the help of two men who own another winery, she clandestinely starts a search of her own, finding out more about the dead man than she wanted to know.  Now all she has to do is find a killer without raising the suspicions of the local police.  Easy, right?...

This is the sixth book in the series and just as good as the first.  I enjoyed reading it mostly because Norrie can hold her own among others.  She doesn't get flustered, and she manages to run the winery, do her job, and still find time to investigate a murder.  She doesn't let her two businesses slide which is nice to see.

The plot is an interesting one, actually centering around a curse that two women suspected of being witches placed on the area when they died, and it seems that whenever there's a full moon on the summer solstice a death by suffocation will occur.  Even though Norrie 'pooh-poohs' the idea herself, she starts to become a believer and will do anything to break the curse so her winery will be safe.

But when that leads to the discovery of a murder that seems to be much more than it actually is, she finds herself in a race against time to find the object that is causing the problems.  She enlists the help of Theo and Don, a couple who own another winery and have helped her before, to find answers without letting anyone know what they're doing.

If anything, this book had plenty of action to it, and when one thing led to another, it seemed to bring a dead end, only to start up again somewhere else.  Needless to say, it kept me reading right through the end, which is a good thing.

When the ending comes and the killer is discovered, the motive is as old as time itself.  While it all comes about in the end, I would have liked to have some clue to the murderer, but it was not to be.  Still and all, I will read the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Dismay-Ros%C3%A9-Trail-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B08H3VHCGK/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3845576472

More on J.C. Eaton's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/j-c-eaton/

A Curious Incident (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #6)

Author:  Vicki Delany

Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781643854748

Crooked Lane Books

304 Pages

$18.79; $13.99 Amazon

January 12, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I am not a Consulting Detective," Gemma Doyle reluctantly tells 11-year-old Lauren Tierney, when the little girl comes to the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium to beg Gemma to find her missing cat, Snowball.  Gemma might not be able to follow the clues to find the cat, but her dog Violet follows her nose to locate the missing kitten in a neighbor's garden shed.  Gemma and Violet proudly return Snowball to her grateful owner, and Gemma basks in praise for a job well done.  But a few days later Lauren is back with ten dollars in hand, wanting to once again hire a consulting detective, and this time for a far bigger job:  Her mother has been accused of murdering her garden club rival.

Sheila Tierney's garden, which everyone said was the one to beat for the West London Garden Club trophy, has been vandalized thee night before the club's early summer tour.  Sheila confronted her former friend and gardening partner Anna Wentworth in a towering rage, and the women nearly came to blows.  Later that night, after having won the trophy for best garden, Anna is found murdered and Sheila Tierney is the police's prime suspect.

Despite herself and despite the disapproval of her police detective boyfriend Ryan Ashburton, the game is once again afoot, and Gemma finds herself and Jayne Wilson using their powers of deduction to ponder yet another curious incident.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Gemma Doyle owns and runs the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, and is known to have helped the police solve crimes in the past.  When a little girl enters her shop begging for her help, Gemma won't commit to it, but tells her she will keep her eyes open in finding Lauren Tierney's kitten.  Fortunately, she's able to do so, making Lauren happy.  But the next day Lauren wants to hire Gemma to keep her mother out of jail.  It seems that Sheila Tierney has been accused of the murder of Anna Wentworth, once her friend.  Sheila's garden was touted as the one to beat in this year's Garden Club contest, and when she awoke she found her garden destroyed.  Knowing it was Anna, she had a very public confrontation with the woman, coming to blows between them.  But when Anna's body is discovered later that evening, Sheila is the prime suspect.

But Gemma isn't so sure, and even though she's warned off the investigation, her innate curiousity and sharp mind won't let it go.  Looking high and low for clues, Gemma might have gotten too close to the killer, and once you kill, it's easy enough to do it again...

This is one of the series that have actually gotten better over time.  I will admit that I wasn't fond of the first book in the series, but I did especially like the last one and this one.  Gemma isn't as pushy as she was, and she's actually kinder to people than she first appeared.  She's shown her love and loyalty to those around her just by her actions.  I do like the fact that Donald has a bigger role in this book, and he also is showing his affection for Gemma -- even if she's a bit wary of it, and Donald has his own way of doing things. which are rather humorous.

When Anna is killed, there actually are plenty of suspects, ranging right down to Gemma's frail elderly neighbor.  But Gemma's mind is always working, and even if she can't get answers from the police, it really doesn't matter, since she's able to come to the correct conclusion on her own.  It's actually fun trying to find the murderer before Gemma does; although she always has the reasons why and the murder weapon at hand in the end.

Lauren is delightful, actually acting like an eleven-year-old would act, instead of being a adult in a child's body, as many writers portray them.  Her actions are those as they should be, and it shows her eagerness for love and acceptance without actually saying so.

When Gemma starts asking questions, there's no stopping her, and when she gets too close to the killer, they plan to put her out of commission, but still she presses on, this time more deeply, and at last comes to the realization of the identity which we might have known (or not) all along.  This is a welcoming addition to the series, and I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to the next.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Incident-Sherlock-Bookshop-Mystery/dp/1643854747/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3841762612

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

There's a Murder Afoot (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #5

Author:  Vicki Delany

Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781643850344; 9781643855738

Crooked Lane Books

336 Pages

$21.35; $7.99; $7.99 Amazon

November 24, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The 6th of January is Sherlock Holmes's birthday, and lucky for Gemma Doyle, January is also the slowest time of the year at both the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room.  It's a good time for Gemma and her friends to travel to England for a Holmes convention.  For Gemma, the trip provides an opportunity to visit her parents, Jayne Wilson is excited about seeing all the sites London has to offer, and Ryan Ashburton just wants to spend time with Gemma.  But the trip is immediately derailed when Gemma's father Henry recognizes his brother-in-law Randolph Denhaugh, who disappeared more than thirty years ago on the night he stole a valuable painting from his own parents.

Henry, a retired detective with Scotland Yard, has been keeping tabs on the man's career as a forger of old masters, and he warns Randy to stay away from his family.  But when Randy is found dead after the banquet with a dazed and confused Henry Doyle standing over him, the police leap to assume his guilt, it's up to Gemma, with the help of her friends, to plunge into the "lowest and vilest alleys" of London to save her father from prison.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Gemma Doyle, along with her great-uncle Arthur, own the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in West London, Massachusetts.  She, along with her friends Jayne, Donald, Grant, and boyfriend police detective Ryan Ashburton, are in London, England to attend a banquet where Arthur is to be given an award and Gemma is going to accept it for him.  She's also planning on doing some shopping for the bookshop and visiting with her parents and older sister Pippa.  While attending the expo, she comes across a man who seems to know who she is and gives her a message for her mother, Anne.  But Gemma doesn't do so, and finds out from her father that he's her uncle Randolph, who absconded with the one thing her grandparents wanted.  No one has heard from him since.

Then her father has a public scene with him, telling Randy to stay away from his family and they leave.  But after the banquet, Gemma goes looking for her father and finds him standing over Randy's body looking dazed.  The police detective on the case has an old grudge against Henry and decides he's guilty of murder.  But when Pippa asks Gemma to get involved - telling her she can't be involved herself due to her job - Gemma, with the help of her friends, determines to find the guilty party, even if it means staying in London indefinitely....

This is probably my favorite book in the series.  I have to say that while it started out slow (so slow I put it down a couple of times) once the action picked up, then I continued on to finish it in one sitting.  In this book we get to meet Gemma's parents and sister, and it helps us understand more about her upbringing and why she is the person she is.  I did enjoy the rapport between them, and the closeness they share as a family.  It's delightful not to see a mother who harasses her daughter constantly, as many books portray them.

We also get to see parts of London through Gemma's and her friends eyes, and that's rather fun.  Especially when it came to Gemma trying to ditch her friends while she played detective, much to the consternation of Ryan, who wasn't happy that she was investigating, especially since she wouldn't allow him to help.

The plot was done nicely, with the 'villains' in full view but still not so easy to find.  The red herrings thrown throughout kept us busy traveling the streets of the city hunting for the person who wanted Randolph dead, and the reasons why.  When we finally come to the climax of the book, with Gemma finding her prey, it's rather interesting and fun, and watching it all come to a head is worth the wait.  I look forward to the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Theres-Murder-Afoot-Sherlock-Bookshop/dp/1643855735/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3839505021

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

Southern Sass and a Battered Bride (A Marygene Brown Mystery Book 3)

Author:  Kate Young

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496721495

Kensington Publishing

352 Pages

$8.99; $7.99 Amazon

April 27, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

At a murder mystery-themed wedding reception, on Georgia's picturesque Peach Cove Island, the bride is doing an awfully good job of playing dead...

Marygene Brown always figured she'd marry her childhood sweetheart, Alex Myers, not cater his wedding.  But the Peach Diner could use the exposure.  Most of the island is showing up -- although more for the role-playing murder game at the reception than for the widely loathed bridezilla, Lucy Carmichael.  Marygene may have to smile through the festivities, but Mama doesn't have to hold her peace -- especially since only Marygene can hear her mother's ghost.  Mama says she sees an aura of darkness around the wedding.

So when Marygene finds Lucy lying beside the wedding cake, buried in batter, with no pulse, it looks like Mama called it.  This is no game.  And when the bride's body simply vanishes, it's up to Marygene and her best friend Betsy (cousin to the groom and no fan of the bride) to solve a real-life mystery -- with a little help from Mama's sassy spirit...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

MaryGene Brown owns the Peach Diner, along with her sister and brother.  Today they're catering the wedding of MaryGene's high-school sweetheart, Alex Myers, and his bride Lucy Carmichael.  MaryGene isn't happy about the wedding, even though she doesn't love Alex anymore, not to mention she has a new beau of her own, Paul.  

The strangest thing is the bride wanted to be part of a murder mystery at her reception, and while they're setting everything up, Marygene sees that Lucy, who's disliked by everyone except Alex and his mother, Regina, is playing the victim.  When it's quickly discovered that she's not playing but has been killed, everyone is kept from the scene.  But when her body disappears quickly after that, it's now a crime that needs to be solved quickly.

Alex is distraught and blaming everyone for hating Lucy; his mother is blaming family members; the town doesn't care; and Marygene's father, Eddie, the chief of police, is determined to figure everything out.  But then there's a near-fatal accident, and Alex brings in help from outside, which only upsets the locals.  With Marygene's mama's help, she plans on finding the truth...even if it puts her in danger once again...

This is the third book in the series, and I truly enjoyed it as much as the first two.  I do love the interactions between Marygene and her family members, and I especially love the fact that her mama, who is an island spirit tied to Marygene, is keeping watch over her and helping her whenever she can.  I l think that this aspect is much of the magic of the series, and it makes it more entertaining to read.

We also see that Marygene is going through changes in her life, and determined to overcome her past and learn from it.  She's gaining inner strength, and is more confident in this book than the previous two.  Her best friend, Betsy, is a real character -- she professes to be one type of person, but when she's caught up in the middle of a murder investigation, her true personality emerges,  It's a trip to watch her go through the emotions.  Soon Marygene also realizes that she might be a suspect in the murder, so she knows that she needs to clear herself by getting involved, but soon discovers that might not be so easy to do.

The action is practically non-stop, from Alex lashing out at everyone, the disappearance of a deceased bride, people who might not be who they claim to be, the addition of an Atlanta homicide detective that Marygene's locked horns with once before, and other events I will not list here in order not to ruin this book for others; I will say that this is probably the best book in the series so far and it kept me reading in one sitting (much to my dismay, as I realized I should have been doing a few house chores instead).  

When the murderer was discovered, there were clues leading up to it, but you have to put them together much as Marygene did.  Finding the murderer isn't enough; it's the reasons behind it that count, and they were motives as old as time.  All in all, this is quite an engaging mystery drenched in southern charm and I hope to see the next in the series soon.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Battered-Bride-Marygene-Mystery/dp/1496721497/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3832019494

More on Kate Young's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/y/kate-young/

For Better or Worsted (A Crochet Mystery Book 8)

Author:  Betty Hechtman

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book (Other Formats Available)

ISBN #:  9780425252611

Berkley Publishing

286 Pages

$9.79; $7.99 Amazon

November 5, 2013

⭐⭐⭐

When Molly is invited to a major society wedding, she expects some drama but not this much.  The bride -- the daughter of Molly's friend Mason -- has been planning the nuptials for ages.  But at the reception, things go amiss when the groom ends up dancing with the Grim Reaper.

To make matters worse, the bride's mother is found holding the murder weapon -- and, as a reality show star, she's happy to fuel the resulting media frenzy.  Molly agrees to open her home so Thursday, the distraught bride, can have some peace from the paparazzi.  But when it's revealed that she and her groom were on shaky ground, Thursday takes the spotlight as the prime suspect.

Now Molly and the Hookers must quickly stitch together unrelated clues and high-profile suspects -- before a killer strikes again...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Molly Pink is a widow who works as events coordinator for a local bookstore and cafe҆.  She also belongs to their crochet group, the Tarzana Hookers.  But when she's invited to the home of attorney Mason Fields for his daughter's wedding reception, she expects it to be like any other wedding.  Not one with a dead body.  A dead body of the groom -- with the mother of the bride standing over him with the murder weapon in her hand, and the bride with murder on her hands and gown.

Now Mason has asked Molly's help in proving both his ex-wife and daughter innocent of killing Jonah Kingsley.  It doesn't help that Thursday wants to stay with Molly instead of her father or mother, and refuses to show any emotion regarding the death.  Still, Molly's soft heart allows her to do so, and she becomes even more embroiled in Mason's family than she ever expected.

Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend, homicide detective Barry Greenberg, is investigating the murder and also trying to win Molly back.  He's become what she wanted, but trying to show her he can change and spend time with her instead of being at his job 24/7.  It's causing problems with her investigating the murder quietly.

Then there's Adele, who's in a serious relationship with traffic cop Eric Humphries.  His mother is in town, and following Adele around.  Adele has toned down her outrageous outfits, and is watching what she is saying.  But worse yet, Eric's mother is pushing a weight-loss drink on her that Adele doesn't want, but still takes...until she can't stand it.  With a crochet-bomber putting odd pieces on items around the bookstore, Eric is convinced it's Adele and wants her to stop.  So Adele asks for Molly's help in finding the 'bomber.'

Now Molly has more on her plate than she ever wanted.  When she starts finding clues, she can't tell either Mason or Barry until she has definite evidence, because she doesn't know who the guilty party is and doesn't want to upset anyone.  Just her and her best friend Dinah are sharing information, and neither one knows where it's going.  But a chance encounter opens Molly's eyes to the truth, and this time it might be too late...

I enjoyed this book as much as any of the others in the series, and perhaps we're finally going to have a resolution that gets Molly's head back where it's supposed to be so she can do her job without depending on the Hookers to do all the work.  Oh, well.  We will see.

The one thing I don't care for in this series is that we're given very little, if any, clues to the murderer so we have nothing to guess at and are inevitably wrong.  At least scatter some clues throughout the book so we have a chance.

Other than that, the mystery was done well and the writing was good, with descriptions along the way that helped in placing the story.  I liked the character of Thursday and hope that she will be in future books, while I also hope Jaimee disappears (no offense, but she's a horrible person).  She's greedy and self-centered, and not in the way CeeCee is self-centered.  Adele is quite toned down in this book, and I never minded her awful clothing, but her awful attitude toward everyone else was always quite grating.  At least we were given a reprieve here.

But when the murderer is discovered, it was rather sad; although I felt the reason for the murder was insane.  I would love to state my reasoning on that, but it would probably give it all away, so I can't.  At any rate, the series is a decent one, so I will probably read the next to see where it goes.

https://www.amazon.com/Better-Worsted-CROCHET-MYSTERY-Book-ebook/dp/B00C1N97KI/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3828041587

More on Betty Hechtman's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/betty-hechtman/

Misalignment and Murder (A Chiro Cozy Mystery Book 2)

Author:  Cathy Tully

Genre:   Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781736446720

Visions & Revisions Unlimited

216 Pages

$10.99; $3.99 Amazon

February 15, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A doctor, a dog, and a dead body!  It's Halloween, and dastardly deeds at the fall festival land right in Dr. Susannah Shine's lap.  However, tripping over a corpse is only the tip of her troubles.  Susannah's sister, the vivacious Angela Rossi, has moved to town bringing her son, Caden, with her.  As Susannah adapts to life as an aunt, and BFF Bitsy Long takes on greater responsibilities in the Peach Grove Business Association, the murder investigation quickly implicates newly divorced Angie.  Juggling her parenting responsibilities with her need to clear her sister, Susannah discovers clues at Caden's camp-out that point to a conspiracy at work in her small town.  Unable to prevent a second death, Susannah finds herself following a dog dressed as Sherlock Holmes who digs up an important clue in the old Civil War Cemetery.  With a killer on the loose and the Growl-A-Ween canine costume contest just around the corner, can Susannah stop the killer before he kills again?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Dr. Susannah Shine is an ex-cop who's now a chiropractor in a small Georgia town.  She's been living here happily, but then her sister Angela decides to move there with her small son Caden.  While Susannah knows it will impact her life, she just doesn't know how much until there's a murder.  It's not long before Angela is considered the top suspect -- the only suspect -- and Susannah needs to clear her sister's name.  But when a series of events topple everything one over the other, things suddenly start spiraling, and what once seemed a slam dunk is now a slow crawl to find out the truth...and the killer...

This is the second book in the series, and I haven't as yet read the first (although I do fully intend to go back and do so).  I found this book lively and fun, with a wealth of characters that exude southern charm and grit.  Each one has a distinct personality and are larger-than-life in their approach to it.  Susannah, however, is more reserved and while she has her own schemes (out of necessity), it's her best friend Bitsy that brings the comic relief to the story.  She's a force of her own.

The mystery itself was done very well, and I enjoyed the plot immensely.  I thought this story was well-written and carried many surprises throughout; the characters involved are believable and the descriptions of everything going on brought you into the story nicely.  While this takes place at Halloween, it really isn't a Halloween story, so there's that to say about it, but it really doesn't make any difference, as we're not there for the holiday anyway, but to solve the mystery.

However, that isn't going to be as easy as one thinks; we might have to wait until Susannah herself gives us the clues to figure everything out.  And she does this admirably, giving the final pages the oomph it needs to put everything together and set all to rights.  I was quite entertained by the entire tale, reading it in one sitting.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Misalignment-Murder-Chiro-Cozy-Mystery/dp/173644672X/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3825824398

More on Cathy Tully's Books:  https://www.amazon.com/Cathy-Tully/e/B08KSDQGS2/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

The Father's Disappearance (A Disappearance Thriller Mystery Book 1)

Author:  Laura Greene

Genre:  Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN:  B08T8HRKN6

Laura Greene Publishing

62 Pages

$.99 Amazon

February 4, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Melody Harker, a bright archaeology graduate from the University of Boston, is pulled into the mysterious disappearance of her father.  Though Melody and her father have never been close, she feels compelled to find out what happened to him.  This quest leads her to Talon's Point, a town in the Highlands of Scotland.

There, she grows close to a local land owner named Will Deacon, but the townsfolk are distrustful of him.  While Melody is falling in love, she holds the unnerving feeling that he is involved in her father;s disappearance.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Melody Harker is a recent university graduate who is itching to start out to Greece for an archaeological dig.  But when she awakens, there is a man in her room.  Once she discovers that he works for her Uncle Tobias, she wonders why he's there -- mainly because she doesn't have anything to do with her father's side of the family.  But when he tells her that her father has disappeared and they need her help to find him, she knows she will go...even if her instincts tell her to run...

This is the beginning of a new serial book by Laura Greene, and as such, a very good one.  You are drawn into the story quickly, and it soon becomes quite a mystery.  As Melody travels to the wilds of Scotland, the descriptions she gives allows you to glimpse Talon's Point, and you soon want to know more.  But just as Melody is trying to figure out what she is doing there, something occurs to change everything...

I really enjoyed reading this, and because it is a new book, I am not going to say any more.  I will say, however, that it is written well, and worth beginning.  I look forward to the next installment so I can continue on with Melody's adventure.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Fathers-Disappearance-Mystery-Thriller-Book-ebook/dp/B08T8HRKN6/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3823814327

More on Laura Greene's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/laura-greene/

If Hooks Could Kill (A Crochet Mystery Book 7)

Author:  Betty Hechtman

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book (Available in LP)

ISBN #:  9780425252338

Kensington Publishing

352 Pages

$7.99; $7.99 Amazon

November 5, 2013

⭐⭐⭐

When a television crew descends on Tarzana, Molly Pink and the rest of her crochet group, the Tarzana Hookers, put up with the inconvenience as best they can -- until the residence of one of their own becomes a real-life crime scene...

The television crime show 911 has taken over Tarzana, making cinematic backdrops out of the town's most mundane locations, including the yard of Kelly Donahue, the newest member of the Tarzana Hookers.

And at the end of the day, the TV shoot isn't all that's wrapped.  It seems someone silenced Kelly -- permanently -- and no one heard a thing.  Without any leads, Molly and her pals must stich together the clues to catch the killer -- before someone else dials 911.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Molly Pink is a widow who works at a local bookstore as an events coordinator.  She has also proven her worth as a part-time sleuth, much to the chagrin of her ex-boyfriend, Barry Greenberg, a homicide detective who's recovering at Molly's house after being shot in the line of duty.  He's also realizing he blew it with Molly, and is upset with the fact that she might be getting involved with Mason Fields, a local high-powered attorney, who's been eyeing Molly since she was in a relationship with Barry.

But Molly and her friends in the crochet group are busy watching the employees of the television show L.A. 911 film crew as they come in for their daily snack and coffee at the bookstore, and they're also filming near the house of one of the Hookers -- who doesn't seem to come to their meetings.  So Adele, who is outspoken (to put it mildly) decides to go to her house and demand that she give them the projects for their newest charity sale to benefit the animal shelter.  When they arrive, Kelly Donahue is short with them and wants them to leave.  But when someone is at her door, it's all she can do to hustle them out the back and hand them a box of crocheted items.

When they later learn that Kelly has been murdered, Molly finds it odd that anyone would want to kill her.  When all the evidence points to her husband Dan, Molly's not so sure it was him.  But she can't rule out other suspects, and even though Barry wants her to stay away, Molly just can't do it.  Little does she know that the killer's been watching her for the right moment to silence her permanently...

I've been binge reading this series (sometimes it's what I do), and while each book is different, I really get tired of Molly waffling back and forth as to what is going on in her love life.  Pick a guy and get it over with.  It distracts from the series, and while she says that she wants to be on her own, she also laments how empty her house seems when she's alone in it.  So, if that's the case, wouldn't it be better to have someone in your life permanently?  Being 'friends' is all fine and good, but it's not the same as being married.  Honestly, the 'will she or won't she' and the 'let's just be friends' is getting old.  It also distracts from the mystery.

As to the mystery, it was done well, but I would have liked some clues as to the murderer, and I do get tired of the cliffhangers at the end of every story.  Enough with them.  Cliffhangers are akin to holding the reader hostage in order to make them read the next tale.  The story should stand on its own without them.

So, I hope I've gotten my thoughts across as to these books.  I might have to take a break and read something else, because it doesn't seem like Molly wants a significant other in her life, and I would definitely like some clues to the killer so we can figure it out ourselves.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008EXK1N6?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3813783317

More on Betty Hechtman's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/betty-hechtman/